Building a new PC and need some help.

[Michael D'Angelo]

I need to some help/input. I am about to build my 2nd PC but this will be the first I am doing myself.

Anyway I am trying to decide what would be the best for me to go with.


1) Processor: I am going to go with Intel. I am trying to decide should I go with a "Core 2 Quad" or "Core 2 Duo"?

I am looking at the Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017) or the Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3.0Ghz (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115028).

If you have a different opinion on another model please let me know.


2) Memory: Should I go with 240-Pin DDR2 or 240-Pin DDR3?
What brand memory do you use?
Do you think 4GB of memory is enough or should I go with more?


3) Hard Drive: How large of a hard drive should I go?
Should I go with one or two hard drives?
I am looking at the Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD7500AAKS 750GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136131). Do you think that is a good choice or should I go with something else?


4) Video Card: I am looking at the XFX PVT88GYDF4 GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150261). Do you think this is a good choice or should I go with something else.

[BudShark]

Before getting into my opinions on this, you should probably list out your primary use as that makes a major difference on the recommendations.

Chris


1) Processor: I am going to go with Intel. I am trying to decide should I go with a "Core 2 Quad" or "Core 2 Duo"?

Go with the Core 2 Duo. Reason is you'll get improved performance daily and unless you are a crazy power user the quad core will not buy you much - the "faster" dual core will benefit you daily.


2) Memory: Should I go with 240-Pin DDR2 or 240-Pin DDR3?
What brand memory do you use?
Do you think 4GB of memory is enough or should I go with more?

I'm not a memory guy - I'd go with a "name-brand" DDR3 if it was price comparable. Faster access will always benefit you. But I've never felt there was a big difference in the "big brands" 4GB is enough.


3) Hard Drive: How large of a hard drive should I go?
Should I go with one or two hard drives?

The WD is fine. I'd go with 2 drives striped. This will give you the most performance if you are doing anything video wise. Otherwise for day to day use you won't see that big of a performance difference running office apps/IE/etc.


4) Video Card: I am looking at the XFX PVT88GYDF4 GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150261). Do you think this is a good choice or should I go with something else.

I would go with a 9600GT or 8800GT over an 8800GTS. 512MB is good and the specs aren't bad. Without doing a bunch of price/cost comparisons, the GTS wouldn't be a bad choice, just that the GT carries better performance.

[BudShark]

Here's a good 8800GT card for less:

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10007134

[Michael D'Angelo]

Thank you very much for the input Chris.

I am mainly using it for day to day use right now but I want to build a nice PC because things could change with work.

[Michael D'Angelo]

One more question (actually I am sure I will have a lot more as I go through this). What brand mother board should I go with? I am thinking about a ASUS board.

[Pinion413]

1.) Either or would be a good choice. As an AMD fan, I always have a different opinion, but they're not what's best right now. Intel is the way to go. Both of the processors you listed are very good. It all depends on whether you want a Dual-Core or Quad-Core. Where the E6850 is a faster processor (both in clock and FSB), the Q6600 has double the cores. It all depends on how badly you want to punish your system. :D

2.)In my opinion, DDR3 is still just too expensive. You can get the same amount of memory in DDR2 for roughly half the price of DDR3. And, from what I've seen, though the clock is a little higher in DDR3, generally the timings are better on DDR2. As for brands, I'm partial to OCZ, but Kingston, Corsair, and even Patriot are very good as well. 4GB should be plenty.

3.)How large of a Hard Drive depends on how much you plan on storing on the machine. If you're planning on storing a massive music and/or movie collection, then go with the 750GB drive you're looking at. As for buying more than one, that depends on what you want. If you want to run the system in RAID or if you want a separate drive for storage, then more than one would work. For myself, I prefer to have the OS('s) and the(ir) programs on a smaller drive (a 320 in this machine's case) and then have larger drives for media storage. I have grown to embrace Seagate's 16MB Cache 7200RPM drives after having issues with a couple of Western Digitals. Not to say that W.D. doesn't make great drives, they do, and the newer 2 that I have in this rig are still going along just fine. I just prefer the Seagates, but either is a good choice in my humble opinion. :grin:

4.)That video card is definitely good. It'll handle games and just about anything else quite well. nVidia's partners are in the process of rolling out their 9 series cards right now. The 9600GT's are already available, and the 9800 cards should follow soon. They are to be a vast improvement over the 8 series. This will put new cards that can handle more out within a similar price range, and will also knock down the price on the 8 series cards. Just something to think about.

[Cholly]

One more question (actually I am sure I will have a lot more as I go through this). What brand mother board should I go with? I am thinking about a ASUS board.

being a big newegg.com fan, I would take a look at their motherboard listings and check the customer reviews. When I have the urge to build a new computer, I tend to go with newegg for all my purchases.

As a thought -- Microsoft is reducing the price of some versions of Vista. I'd check to see the actual date of the price change and take advantage of it. If I were to build a computer today, I'd probably go with Vista Ultimate edition as my OS.

[Michael D'Angelo]

being a big newegg.com fan, I would take a look at their motherboard listings and check the customer reviews. When I have the urge to build a new computer, I tend to go with newegg for all my purchases.

As a thought -- Microsoft is reducing the price of some versions of Vista. I'd check to see the actual date of the price change and take advantage of it. If I were to build a computer today, I'd probably go with Vista Ultimate edition as my OS.

Thanks Charlie, I am buying everything from newegg.com. I always do. They are a great company and I have never had a problem with them.

[Michael D'Angelo]

Thanks Pinion413, since you and Chris both said the 9600GT I have already made that change to my list. I am changing everything right now and I will post when I am done to see what everyone thinks.

[Pinion413]

Thanks Pinion413, since you and Chris both said the 9600GT I have already made that change to my list. I am changing everything right now and I will post when I am done to see what everyone thinks.

Sounds good.

And I'll echo Charlie on Vista Ultimate. It works quite well, and it's the only version of Vista that isn't gimped in some way. And wait for the price drop. As for which version to get (x86 or x64), I'm quite happy with x64. Every processor out for the last couple of years supports it. All my 32-bit programs run great, and what stuff I do have that is 64-bit runs better than their 32-bit counterparts, both on XP and here on Vista.

[Michael D'Angelo]

Chris or Pinion413, if either one of you get a chance can you take a look at the link below and tell me what one of the 3 9600GT's I should get? I am not sure the difference.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048+50001669+1305520548&name=XFX

Thanks

[Pinion413]

Of the 3 you listed, this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150282 is the best.

If you're not dead-set on XFX, may I recommend this card. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130329

I have used 5 eVGA nVidia cards now and they all have been excellent.

[Pinion413]

Or, if you want to save yourself $10 and only lose a hair of performance....http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130328

[Michael D'Angelo]

Of the 3 you listed, this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150282 is the best.

If you're not dead-set on XFX, may I recommend this card. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130329

I have used 5 eVGA nVidia cards now and they all have been excellent.

Thanks for the input. I am not set on anything. That is the reason for this thread. I know some about PC's but a lot of people here know a lot more about PC's than I do.

What is the difference between the two?

[Pinion413]

Thanks for the input. I am not set on anything. That is the reason for this thread. I know some about PC's but a lot of people here know a lot more about PC's than I do.

What is the difference between the two?

Honestly, not much. I have just never bought any XFX products. Though I have never heard anything bad about them, I can't recommend them either since I've never used one. :grin:

[LarryFlowers]

Have you looked at this brand new Intel chip: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037

Big bang for the buck.

I agree with everyone about choosing DDR2.

You didn't mention if you are going X64 or X32, If X32, go with 3GB of memory... 2x1GB and 2x512MB.

I have very good experiences with Asus Motherboards and lately I have been building computers with 2 or 3 hard drives depending on what I want to store. I use one drive strictly for the OS and software and all files stored on the other drive. Simplifies backups.

[Michael D'Angelo]

Have you looked at this brand new Intel chip: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037

Big bang for the buck.

I agree with everyone about choosing DDR2.

You didn't mention if you are going X64 or X32, If X32, go with 3GB of memory... 2x1GB and 2x512MB.

I have very good experiences with Asus Motherboards and lately I have been building computers with 2 or 3 hard drives depending on what I want to store. I use one drive strictly for the OS and software and all files stored on the other drive. Simplifies backups.

Thanks Larry, I did not see that processor before. I just added that to my list. It looks like a very nice processor and has great reviews. I'm just surprised it is cheaper than the other. I wonder why?

I am going with Vista Ultimate but not sure if it will be X64 or X32. Once I get the hardware figured out I am going to figure that out.

[LarryFlowers]

Not sure why either except that it is new and Intel has been pushing it out there..

I knew about it because I just ordered it from NewEgg to replace the 2.4GHz that your were contemplating. I heard about first at Extremetech. Specs are very good.

[Michael D'Angelo]

How does this look?

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16819115037)

Mother Board: ASUS P5K-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16813131225)

Video Card: XFX PVT94PYDD4 GeForce 9600GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16814150282)

Memory: OCZ Platinum 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16820227178)

I am going to do two packs of this to give me 4GB of memory.

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16822136074)

I am thinking about using this to run the PC.

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD7500AAKS 750GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16822136131)

I am thinking about using this for storage.

OS: Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Ultimate for System Builders Single Pack DVD (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16832116215)

Is there anything I should change?

[lostman72]

I am not sure about your area. I like buying computer parts from a local mom and pa store and there prices are the same as a lot of big sites. The cool thing is they put the chip and ram together for you and test it before they give it to you. I will never buy things like that from a big box store. Also your setup sounds good. Good luck.

Just my 2cents

[Pinion413]

How does this look?

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16819115037)

Mother Board: ASUS P5K-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16813131225)

Video Card: XFX PVT94PYDD4 GeForce 9600GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16814150282)

Memory: OCZ Platinum 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16820227178)

I am going to do two packs of this to give me 4GB of memory.

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16822136074)

I am thinking about using this to run the PC.

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD7500AAKS 750GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16822136131)

I am thinking about using this for storage.

OS: Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Ultimate for System Builders Single Pack DVD (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16832116215)

Is there anything I should change?

That looks pretty good to me. Just don't forget Optical Drives, the Power Supply, and Case. Well, and obviously Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, etc. :grin:

[Michael D'Angelo]

That looks pretty good to me. Just don't forget Optical Drives, the Power Supply, and Case. Well, and obviously Keyboard, Mouse, Monitor, etc. :grin:

Yea I know. I am going to do a DVD burner and possibly a Blu-ray player.

This is the case and power supply I am looking at.

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16811119136

[BudShark]

I wouldn't do 64-bit at this time. The main reason is that while it will give you more memory support - it still requires some level of compatibility with 32-bit apps, particularly games.

Basically, even though your Proc is 64-bit and the OS "can-be" I'd still go 32-bit Vista Ultimate OEM pack.

Watch this *Super* DVD drive... this thing is incredible in my opinion. Its been cheaper too (close to $225)... Blu-Ray, HD-DVD, DVD Burning, Lightscribe... kitchen sink :D
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?nm_mc=AFC-SlickDeals&cm_mmc=AFC-SlickDeals-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&Item=N82E16827136133&Tpk=GGCH20L

Chris

[Michael D'Angelo]

I wouldn't do 64-bit at this time. The main reason is that while it will give you more memory support - it still requires some level of compatibility with 32-bit apps, particularly games.

Basically, even though your Proc is 64-bit and the OS "can-be" I'd still go 32-bit Vista Ultimate OEM pack.

Watch this *Super* DVD drive... this thing is incredible in my opinion. Its been cheaper too (close to $225)... Blu-Ray, HD-DVD, DVD Burning, Lightscribe... kitchen sink :D
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?nm_mc=AFC-SlickDeals&cm_mmc=AFC-SlickDeals-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&Item=N82E16827136133&Tpk=GGCH20L

Chris

Okay, than I will probably go with the 32-bit. But should I say with the 4GB of memory or do 3GB (2-1GB and 2-512MB) like the one post above says?

As for the "Super" drive should I go with that or just a Blu-ray drive/DVD burner? I only own one HD DVD and don't plan on buying any more.

[BudShark]

Okay, than I will probably go with the 32-bit. But should I say with the 4GB of memory or do 3GB (2-1GB and 2-512MB) like the one post above says?

As for the "Super" drive should I go with that or just a Blu-ray drive/DVD burner? I only own one HD DVD and don't plan on buying any more.

A standard Blu-Ray/DVD burner (Pioneer's or others) would be fine. I wouldn't pay more than $200 for one, and if you aren't going to hook it up as an HTPC I actually wouldn't even buy one right now - just a DVD burner. I like the super drive because it has Lightscribe which I am a huge fan of.

3GB - Vista 32-bit won't use anymore so save the money... if there is a savings.

Chris

[Pinion413]

Yea I know. I am going to do a DVD burner and possibly a Blu-ray player.

This is the case and power supply I am looking at.

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16811119136

Holy crap that's an expensive case! :eek2:

Must be nice to have a little money to burn. :grin:

[Michael D'Angelo]

Holy crap that's an expensive case! :eek2:

Must be nice to have a little money to burn. :grin:

Well I hope I will have the money for it. If not I will probably just replace the power supply in my old Antec case and use that.

[Pinion413]

Well I hope I will have the money for it. If not I will probably just replace the power supply in my old Antec case and use that.

You can find a Power Supply by anyone for as little or as much wattage as you desire.

But, speaking of Antec. I have this case and absolutely love it. Cools like a dream, pleanty of room, and best of all, QUIET! Antec Nine Hundred (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021&Tpk=antec%2bnine%2bhunderd)

[Michael D'Angelo]

You can find a Power Supply by anyone for as little or as much wattage as you desire.

But, speaking of Antec. I have this case and absolutely love it. Cools like a dream, pleanty of room, and best of all, QUIET! Antec Nine Hundred (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021&Tpk=antec%2bnine%2bhunderd)

I was actually looking at that one the other day.

[TBoneit]

any 32 Bit OS will only use approx 3.5 Gb of memory. Including Vista. If you feel brave go 64bit OS and use more memory. Keeping in mind that drivers and software will more of a problem with a 64 bit OS.

DDR2 is still a lot cheaper. Asus has nice Motherboards for Quad core and latest processors that take DDR2. Keep in mind that the new Mobos will only have one IDE port.

Striping will give somewhat of a performance boost at the cost of doubling your chances of hard drive failure. If either drive in a striped set dies all is lost. Mirroing will protect against that happening. What do I use? Nothing. If a boot drive dies I just replace it and re-install the OS. I've created DVDs wity the Software I use on them along with the product keys for any I've bought that are downloadable.

Personal opinion on my part is that it is still to soon to be buying a Blue ray burner. Early Days and you won't find it easy to play a BD movie to the TV or monitor unless all the pieces are in place. HDCP equipped Video card and monitor or TV. Otherwise the player S/w Will downres the video. Not much choice in authoring software either. BD burners are IMHO at the place where DVD burners were when they were 2X or 4X.

[BudShark]

BMore -

Are you doing anything for video capture/tuner? What about backups? Keyboard/Mouse? (I love the Logitech Lasers...)

Chris

[Michael D'Angelo]

BMore -

Are you doing anything for video capture/tuner? As of right now no, but things could change. That is why I want to build a nice PC so it will be fine for anything I may need/want to do down the road.

What about backups? Are you talking about backing up music and things like that? If so it would be nice to be able to do but it does not really matter.

Keyboard/Mouse? (I love the Logitech Lasers...) I have a Logitech Laser on another PC. I will probably buy another. I have not look at keyboards yet.

Chris

Answers are in the quote.

[Doug Brott]

Speaking of building a new PC and attempting to make this thread even more confusing :D :grin: .. consider this a mini-hijack and we'll carry on two conversations now :)

I'm considering the following options and wondering if anyone can see if I'm missing something or making a mistake on certain items.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819115029)

Memory: CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820145194)

HDD: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822136218)

Optical: LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827106072)

Case/Motherboard: Shuttle SG31G2 Intel Socket T(LGA775) (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16856101039)

The intention is to run as a Linux server and replace my current redh.com server. I'm not married to the shuttle, but I don't need extra video and the smaller package would be a good fit for me but not required.

I may even drop the optical drive and use the one I already have even though it's just a 1x DVD R/W from a few years back .. haven't decided yet.

[smiddy]

What is the NIC? Intel on board, is it dual? Do you need redundancy on the drive or do you have backup?

[naijai]

What is the NIC?

Network interface card

[phat78boy]

Cooler Master makes some really nice cases. I prefer them and Thermaltake. I would highly recommend a power supply that is 80+ certified and one with removable cords.

The efficiency is both for power savings and heat reduction. The removable cables make it much easier for routing cables and for keeping the case clutter free, which also helps with heat reduction.

[OverThereTooMuch]

Processor - E8400. Hard to find now, starting next month it's supposed to get easier. Wait until the price is closer to $200. People are really price gouging right now.

Memory - Like others have mentioned, I haven't seen any recent tests showing a real advantage for DDR3 yet, so stick with DDR2.

Hard drive - You don't really need a multi-drive solution. But if that's the way you want to go, I'd suggest one smaller drive for Windows, one larger one for data. For the Windows drive, you'll get the best performance out of a Western Digital Raptor (10k RPM vs. 7.2kRPM of most drives). It makes a huge difference. Unlike other suggestions here, I'd advise that you stay away from any RAID solutions. The raptor will provide better real-world performance. For the data drive, a 500GB drive should be about $100, 750GB about $150 on sale.

Video card - Both ATI and Nvidia just released their latest gen chipsets. I think the top of the line Nvidia chip comes out later this month, but for now there's the mid-range 9600GT. It's around $180 right now, with the equivalent ATI part (3850 I think) going for closer to $150. Microcenter currently has the best 9600GT deal (< $160 shipped).

As far as the parts you selected:
You need to check out a site like fatwallet.com or slickdeals.net to look for better prices. Tons of RAM deals especially.

I think the RAM you selected PC2-8500 is overkill, unless you know you're going to overclock.

The case you selected is way beyond overkill. It's ridiculous, bordering on criminal :) That's at least twice what you should pay for a case with similar features, and the power supply is probably 2x what you need. Check out the Antec P180 if you need a lot of space for drives and/or fans.

I've seen a blu-ray drive from lite-on I think for < $200 recently.

I'd suggest 64-bit Vista. Before making that jump, make sure your favorite antivirus app has a 64-bit version, and make sure any of your current peripherals offer 64-bit drivers (I'd bet everything new that you order already has 64-bit drivers).

[Pinion413]

What is the NIC? Intel on board, is it dual?

Network interface card

:lol:

I think it's safe to say he knew that. !rolling

[Pinion413]

I'd suggest 64-bit Vista. Before making that jump, make sure your favorite antivirus app has a 64-bit version, and make sure any of your current peripherals offer 64-bit drivers (I'd bet everything new that you order already has 64-bit drivers).

Speaking as someone who's used Vista x64 for awhile now, I can honestly say that I have been able to obtain 64-bit drivers for all of the components in my machine (even my Audigy 2 card which is a few years old). Anything new will more than likely have drivers.

As for Antivirus, both avast! and AVG Free (both are still 32-bit) work quite well in Vista x64. I believe most others will also work, so there are very good solutions available for no cost if for some reason your favorite doesn't.

[smiddy]

Network interface card

You're funny, I suppose I should have said, which NIC are you using, is it a part of the motherboard and is it dual? :D

[Michael D'Angelo]

Processor - E8400. Hard to find now, starting next month it's supposed to get easier. Wait until the price is closer to $200. People are really price gouging right now.

Memory - Like others have mentioned, I haven't seen any recent tests showing a real advantage for DDR3 yet, so stick with DDR2.

Hard drive - You don't really need a multi-drive solution. But if that's the way you want to go, I'd suggest one smaller drive for Windows, one larger one for data. For the Windows drive, you'll get the best performance out of a Western Digital Raptor (10k RPM vs. 7.2kRPM of most drives). It makes a huge difference. Unlike other suggestions here, I'd advise that you stay away from any RAID solutions. The raptor will provide better real-world performance. For the data drive, a 500GB drive should be about $100, 750GB about $150 on sale.

Video card - Both ATI and Nvidia just released their latest gen chipsets. I think the top of the line Nvidia chip comes out later this month, but for now there's the mid-range 9600GT. It's around $180 right now, with the equivalent ATI part (3850 I think) going for closer to $150. Microcenter currently has the best 9600GT deal (< $160 shipped).

As far as the parts you selected:
You need to check out a site like fatwallet.com or slickdeals.net to look for better prices. Tons of RAM deals especially.

I think the RAM you selected PC2-8500 is overkill, unless you know you're going to overclock.

The case you selected is way beyond overkill. It's ridiculous, bordering on criminal :) That's at least twice what you should pay for a case with similar features, and the power supply is probably 2x what you need. Check out the Antec P180 if you need a lot of space for drives and/or fans.

I've seen a blu-ray drive from lite-on I think for < $200 recently.

I'd suggest 64-bit Vista. Before making that jump, make sure your favorite antivirus app has a 64-bit version, and make sure any of your current peripherals offer 64-bit drivers (I'd bet everything new that you order already has 64-bit drivers).

Thanks for the info. I am still making changes and will probably keep changing things around for another few weeks. I do plan on going with the E8400, so until I can find that in stock I am not going to order anything. But I will change a few things around and repost. Do you think 240-Pin DDR 800 is what I should go with?

[phat78boy]

Thanks for the info. I am still making changes and will probably keep changing things around for another few weeks. I do plan on going with the E8400, so until I can find that in stock I am not going to order anything. But I will change a few things around and repost. Do you think 240-Pin DDR 800 is what I should go with?

Not sure how long you plan on waiting for that chip, but the Quad core version will be out shortly and will only be about $60 more. A lot of people will say its overkill, but if you plan on keeping the machine for a 3-5 years, it would be a good choice. The chip is the Q9450.

DDR2 800 is a great choice, but once again if you are planning on keeping this machne for 3 or more years I would get the 1066. DDR3 will be come prevalant in about 2 more years and DDR2 1066 memory can be clocked up to be close to the DDR3 speeds.

If you replace machines every 1-2 years, then its not as big of a deal.

[LarryFlowers]

BMoreRaven... sorry about the E8400 chip.. I may have got the last one at NewEgg:lol: :lol: :lol:

Hang in there that chip is hotter than a firecracker, they wont be out of stock long.

I am expecting mine tomorrow, I will let you know how it performs.

The computer you spec'd out in post 19 looks really good and I want to hear how those new nVidia 9 series cards work.

[OverThereTooMuch]

Speaking as someone who's used Vista x64 for awhile now, I can honestly say that I have been able to obtain 64-bit drivers for all of the components in my machine (even my Audigy 2 card which is a few years old). Anything new will more than likely have drivers.Yep, that's my experience as well. Just making sure the person asking all of the questions here knew that he should look into that too :)

As for Antivirus, both avast! and AVG Free (both are still 32-bit) work quite well in Vista x64. I believe most others will also work, so there are very good solutions available for no cost if for some reason your favorite doesn't.Even though they are 32-bit apps, underneath they must have 64-bit drivers. I didn't find any clarification on the AVG site, but avast's site confirms it - http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html#24. Looks like they combine the x86 and x64 packages into one executable.


Thanks for the info. I am still making changes and will probably keep changing things around for another few weeks. I do plan on going with the E8400, so until I can find that in stock I am not going to order anything. But I will change a few things around and repost. Do you think 240-Pin DDR 800 is what I should go with?I think DDR2 800 is a great choice and you'll be able to find plenty of reasonably priced high performing options there.

Hang in there that chip is hotter than a firecracker, they wont be out of stock long.Actually, they probably will be out of stock for a while (or priced high because of demand), because Intel can't crank them out fast enough :) I saw a news item on another board that said Intel has communicated to major OEM's that they won't be getting many (any??) of the e8x00 chips until sometime in Q2.

As far as the Q9450 that was mentioned earlier, the last price I saw for it was $316 in 1k quantities, vs. the $183 price for the E8400. For the first month or two, I would assume the 9450 will be priced closer to $350, making the price difference over $100 for sure, and about $150 when the 8400 drops back to a more reasonable $200 :) Depends on what you'll be doing before we can make a reasonable assessment on whether or not that extra $100+ will be worth it.

[tcusta00]

Anyone see woot.com today? I know it's a Gateway, but it looks pretty slick for the price. I was going to build my own as well but this is pretty tempting...

* Intel® Core 2 Q6600 2.4GHz Quad Core Processor
* 3072MB PC2-5300 RAM installed (two 1024MB and two 512MB modules)
* 500GB 7200 RPM SATA II hard drive
* DVD ±RW 18X multi-format dual layer drive
* NVIDIA GeForce® 8500GT 256MB with DVI and VGA
* 15-in-1 media card reader
* Integrated 8-Channel (7.1) High Definition Audio
* 56K ITU V.92 ready Fax/Modem
* Microsoft Vista Home Premium Installed

$599.00 plus $5 shipping

[OverThereTooMuch]

Anyone see woot.com today? I know it's a Gateway, but it looks pretty slick for the price. I was going to build my own as well but this is pretty tempting...

* Intel® Core 2 Q6600 2.4GHz Quad Core Processor
* 3072MB PC2-5300 RAM installed (two 1024MB and two 512MB modules)
* 500GB 7200 RPM SATA II hard drive
* DVD ±RW 18X multi-format dual layer drive
* NVIDIA GeForce® 8500GT 256MB with DVI and VGA
* 15-in-1 media card reader
* Integrated 8-Channel (7.1) High Definition Audio
* 56K ITU V.92 ready Fax/Modem
* Microsoft Vista Home Premium Installed

$599.00 plus $5 shipping

That's a really good price. But it's a refurb with only a 90 day warranty.

Another option:
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=DDCWDB3&cs=19&dgvcode=ss&c=US&l=EN&m_3=2GB62&dgc=CJ&cid=24471&lid=566643

Pick the quad core proc, add other options to get it to > $999 and then use code KT?W?81GW759MK to take 30% off. If you pick the 20" monitor upgrade along w/ the quad core, you hit the $999 requirement. So you'd get the monitor and a 1yr warranty for $100 more than the woot deal. Then again, you get integrated Intel graphics w/ the Dell instead of the Nvidia adapter.

[Pinion413]

Yep, that's my experience as well. Just making sure the person asking all of the questions here knew that he should look into that too :)

Gotcha. :)

Even though they are 32-bit apps, underneath they must have 64-bit drivers. I didn't find any clarification on the AVG site, but avast's site confirms it - http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html#24. Looks like they combine the x86 and x64 packages into one executable.

Interesting..... I hadn't actually come across that info, and have been running avast! for a couple of years now between XP and Vista. I had always just assumed it ran the way it was supposed to on the WOW64 32-bit emulation layer. That's what I get for assuming...... :lol:

[TBoneit]

Anyone see woot.com today? I know it's a Gateway, but it looks pretty slick for the price. I was going to build my own as well but this is pretty tempting...

* Intel® Core 2 Q6600 2.4GHz Quad Core Processor
* 3072MB PC2-5300 RAM installed (two 1024MB and two 512MB modules)
* 500GB 7200 RPM SATA II hard drive
* DVD ±RW 18X multi-format dual layer drive
* NVIDIA GeForce® 8500GT 256MB with DVI and VGA
* 15-in-1 media card reader
* Integrated 8-Channel (7.1) High Definition Audio
* 56K ITU V.92 ready Fax/Modem
* Microsoft Vista Home Premium Installed

$599.00 plus $5 shipping

I was poking around the Dell site yesterday and a somewhat similar machine was $609. Q6600, 2 Gb DDR2, 320GB Hdd, 16X DVD-RW 19-in-1 meadia card reader was optional as was a video card and modem. However it was new and being a Dell I know it will be silent when running. Most importantly for me Windows XP. I'd tend to steer clear of refurbs with a short warranty. 90 Days is not enough to make sure it is a solid unit. They could play the support game, have you do re-install of the OS and in general drag it out over 90 days and then you are stuck.

Myself I'll either build it myself or go the Dell route. Whichever is cheaper. If I build it myself I can keep the old drive with the OS and apps already installed. Do a repair install and install drivers and updates and done reverything as it was. Dell = A clean install that will run better than a older install that has gunk built up in it over time. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

[tcusta00]

Support was ultimately why I didn't pull the trigger. I've read some horror stories about Gateway support. I would hope that they're the exception, but I wasn't willing to take the chance.

Plus since I like to tinker with new things I figured I'd stick with the build-it option. Hope I don't fry anything! :)

[Michael D'Angelo]

Here we go again. Please let me know what you think now. I used the recommendation of newegg.com as I selected parts. When you select an item they give you a few recommendations what works well with it. Every item that I did select got a 4 or 5 star review from a lot people. So I think it should be a nice PC.

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8400 (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16819115037)

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16835186134)

GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX All Solid Capacitor Intel Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16813128059)

EVGA 512-P3-N801-AR GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16814130318)

Kingston HyperX 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model KHX8500D2K2/2G (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16820134218)

It will be 4GB of RAM.

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD7500AAKS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16822136131)

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model LH-20A1L-06 (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16827106072)


I will be adding a Blu-ray drive later when I get more money and the price comes down.

I am thinking about using my old PC case but need to replace the power supply. What do you think I need to power the above system?

Should I change anything posted above?

Thanks

[TBoneit]

I'd bet you could get by with 300watt to 400 watt power supply except for the video card.

If you go to the ASUS website they have a power supply calculator buried in it somewhere.

If you are planning to run a 32 bit OS then you won't have the full use of the 4Gb memory. What happens is that the 32bit OS can address 4Gb however that includes memory adresses for hardware so that you can usually use about 3.25 to 3.5Gb of the 4Gb.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx

Power calculators
http://forums.amd.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=15&threadid=85004
http://support.asus.com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator.aspx?SLanguage=en-us

Asus power calc shows 650 watt needed. Lots of it by the video card.

Think of a new Case with 4 fron USB and if the motherboard has firewire then a firewire port in front too.

[Michael D'Angelo]

I'd bet you could get by with 300watt to 400 watt power supply except for the video card.

If you go to the ASUS website they have a power supply calculator buried in it somewhere.

If you are planning to run a 32 bit OS then you won't have the full use of the 4Gb memory. What happens is that the 32bit OS can address 4Gb however that includes memory adresses for hardware so that you can usually use about 3.25 to 3.5Gb of the 4Gb.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx

Power calculators
http://forums.amd.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=15&threadid=85004
http://support.asus.com/PowerSupplyCalculator/PSCalculator.aspx?SLanguage=en-us

Asus power calc shows 650 watt needed. Lots of it by the video card.

Think of a new Case with 4 fron USB and if the motherboard has firewire then a firewire port in front too.

Thanks for the info. I was aware of the only being able to use 3GB RAM with Vista 32 bit from a earlier post. But I am thinking about going with 64 bit.

I will go with a power supply of 650 watts or more.

[OverThereTooMuch]

Looks great, especially the price on that RAM.

I've heard lots of good things about Corsair PS's. I believe they rebrand Seasonic PS's, and those are some of the best/quietest around.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=corsair+power+supply

At the time I was looking, they only had 2 PS's. Now they have 6. Might want to do a little more investigation to see if that's really their OEM or not.

TBoneit - I went to that calculator and I only got 550W. What options did you select?

Desktop
Intel
Intel core 2 processor
E8400
Nvidia
Geforce 8800 x1
DDR2 x4
HDD/DVD-RW x2
Fan x1

I noticed that they added 50w for each drive. That is serious overkill. http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=311 Your HD needs < 10W.


Another calculator - http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

Single socket
regular desktop
Intel C2D E8400
85% TDP
4x DDR2 RAM
Nvidia 8800GT
single card
1 7200RPM HD
1 Blu-Ray (just to make sure you have the option)
Nothing for PCI, additional PCI, additional PCIe, external devices, other devices, cold cathodes
4x high perf 120mm fans (overkill, but again want to make sure the PS can handle it)
Nothing for TEC, or any water cooling stuff
90% system load

281W

Each vendor's spec sheet usually includes power requirements. The best way to calculate this is to look at those.

Another thing you need to look at for power requirements w/ that video card are the vendor's PS suggestions:


Minimum of a 400 Watt power supply.
(Minimum recommended power supply with +12 Volt current rating of 26 Amp Amps.)
Minimum 450 Watt for SLI mode system.
(Minimum recommended power supply with +12 Volt current rating of 28 Amp Amps.)
An available 6 pin PCI-E power connector (hard drive power dongle to PCI-E 6 pin adapter included with card)


You should also look at getting an 80PLUS power supply. It'll be the most efficient. IIRC, you want to be running at about 80% of the capacity of the PS. Anything less than that and you're wasting a lot of energy.

The PS is the most important component in the system. Don't get the cheapest option :)

[TBoneit]

Well I always figure in extra drives for expansion..... I'd rarther have the calculator overestimate tnan under. As for drive power usage they are being conservative. Some drives use more than others. Different types use different power. Older drives use more than newer ones. Laptop drives use the least.
7,200rpm vs 10,000RPm vs 15,000 RPM power usage. SCSI vs IDE vs old models. If you are building your own you are probably going to use some old parts again.
Anyway that is my suspicion that thre are or were drives that used near 50 watts at one time so they have to take that fact into account for a safety factor.
this is why any power use calulator can only be a guideline.

Fans I used four. One blowing in at the bottom, two in the back blowing out and if possible one for the hard drives or on top of the case exhausting out too. I have seen brand name cases with that many fans. I have a Aluminum Lion-li case that has 4 USB in front, can hold 12 drives and came with three fans. I have for sell here in the store a motherboard for Core 2 Duo cpus that has three IDE and four SATA ports. I have customers with External drive farms that would jump on that motherboard if they were upgrading so that is why I like to keep a margin for power.

Somewhat OT: I have a 250Gb SATA that must be a power hog. It runs so hot you can't hold your hand on it. I use it with a cooling fan now to keep it cool. it fails S.M.A.R.T tests with an overtemp fail. Makes me wonder how much power it is using.

281 watts from that other P/S Calulator seems very low with that video card.

Going totally off topic: I've built mine for years and I build to order and do repairs for a living and I'm looking to go Q6600. It should be approx 3 time faster than what I have now. I'm thnking Dell.. Cost about what I can build for but with XP Home vs reusing my old XP MCE and based on past experience repairing Dells it will be quieter.

That's why Dell amongst other have killed small computer store sells on computers.

Too much free time today.

[Slip Jigs]

I'm getting ready to order a Dell XPS 420 system, as maxced out as I can get it, almost. Q6600, 4G RAM, two HDD's, 512 video card and a 24in monitor plus a few other minor upgrades. This is coming in around 2k.

Now, what are the pros and cons about going this route vs doing what the OP is doing (and apparently many of you), assembling your own system?

Will you be paying more or less? If more, will you see a difference in performance that matches the extra cost? Will I have problems with my system that you won't have?

[OverThereTooMuch]

I'm getting ready to order a Dell XPS 420 system, as maxced out as I can get it, almost. Q6600, 4G RAM, two HDD's, 512 video card and a 24in monitor plus a few other minor upgrades. This is coming in around 2k.

Now, what are the pros and cons about going this route vs doing what the OP is doing (and apparently many of you), assembling your own system?

Will you be paying more or less? If more, will you see a difference in performance that matches the extra cost? Will I have problems with my system that you won't have?

$400 off 1899 coupon (good for XPS 420's only, limited number of redemptions) - BMQPX9673ZT31M

My gut feeling - $2k is too much for that system. There has to be a better deal out there.

$250 Processor
$150 RAM
$200 2x500GB HD's
$200 512MB video card (8800GT)
= $800

Add a mobo for $100 and a case with power supply for $100 or so and an OS for about $150 and that still leaves you close to $850 for the other upgrades + the monitor.

The cost is generally pretty close, especially if you find great deals (Dell has better deals than HP or Gateway). The advantage of BYO is that you can pick each individual component. OEM's give you limited customization options. You can choose to optimize for performance or silence. Most of the OEM machines these days are pretty quiet. It takes a lot of investigation to get parts that will end up being that quiet.

Either kind can be frustrating as hell to work on. :D

[duck33]

One more question (actually I am sure I will have a lot more as I go through this). What brand mother board should I go with? I am thinking about a ASUS board.

I'd look into MSI motherboards.

[TBoneit]

We replace more MSI boards than ASUS when doing repairs.

Not a fan, no pun intended, of any motherboard with fans on the chipsets. Videocards with fans = more problems as the fans clog or die. So I suggest buying that kind of card from a seller with a long warranty.

Slip Jigs, poking around on Dells site you can configure a Q6600 with 2Gb and one hard drive and built-in video for $609. Windows XP Home.

Differences? Maybe no PCIe slot, less memory slots, May not have mounting brackets for for extra drives.

OTOH Video card, Sound card and 4Gb and XP Pro were options.
If wanted they add $190 for a 19" WS display.

XPS as I understand it is more expandable.

Other thoughts. Dell No Printer port or Serial port as a general rule. No IDE ports. usually very quiet. Optional extra cost warranty out 3 or 4 years if that is a factor for the buyer.

Build your own. Depends on Motherboard but in general One or more IDE, Printer port and a serial port. SATA raid capability etc. Case may or may not be quiet and provide enough cooling for your chosen motherboard without extra fans. Some trends I've seen is heat pipes so that the Chipset cooling uses the CPU fan. ASUS an extra fan to install for cooling the chipset if you go Watercooled.

[Michael D'Angelo]

I think I finally figured everything out. Please let me know what you think and if I should change anything before I buy it.

Thanks

Processor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037

Heatsink: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

Mother Board: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128059

Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130318

Hard Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136131

Memory: 4GB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134125

DVD Burner: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106072

Monitors: 2x - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001096

OS: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116215

Keyboard & Mouse: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126033

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

Power Supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371011

UPS: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842101066

[OverThereTooMuch]

heatsink - Any reason you don't want to stick with the Intel cooler?

OS - You can get it $9 cheaper at newegg's sister site:
http://www.chiefvalue.com/product/productdetails.aspx?submit=&item=CE00090416010060&ATTSoftware%20Operating%20S (look on the page for the coupon code you need).

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?SCriteria=AA66810 - they have it for 170.

I was also under the impression that there were some important licensing differences for OEM versions of the OS vs. retail versions. The main one I remember - and I can't find any details to confirm it now - is that with the OEM version, the license is tied to the "machine" (mainly mobo), so if you got rid of that machine, your license was gone with it. Like I said, I can't find any details on this now so it's possible that it changed. The only details I can find from a reliable source only mention the retail licenses. http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2006/11/02/news-revision-to-windows-vista-retail-licensing-terms.aspx

The current price for the case is too high. It was $70 after rebate in January, and it's been $60 AR many times before that.

PS - what moved you to pick that one? Reviews, or was it mainly price?

UPS - Not sure what the difference is between the BR and BX series, but the BX is $173 + tax at staples (vs. $215 @ newegg). Some Staples stores have this on clearance now for $86. If you can't get that, the BX is on sale at circuit city for $140 + tax.

Everything else is making me drool :P

[Michael D'Angelo]

heatsink - Any reason you don't want to stick with the Intel cooler?

I always heard you should upgrade the heat sink from the one comes with the processor but you are the 2nd person that ask why I am upgrading it. So I think I will just stick with the one that come with the processor.

OS - You can get it $9 cheaper at newegg's sister site:
http://www.chiefvalue.com/product/productdetails.aspx?submit=&item=CE00090416010060&ATTSoftware%20Operating%20S (look on the page for the coupon code you need).

Thanks for the info.

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?SCriteria=AA66810 - they have it for 170.

I was also under the impression that there were some important licensing differences for OEM versions of the OS vs. retail versions. The main one I remember - and I can't find any details to confirm it now - is that with the OEM version, the license is tied to the "machine" (mainly mobo), so if you got rid of that machine, your license was gone with it. Like I said, I can't find any details on this now so it's possible that it changed. The only details I can find from a reliable source only mention the retail licenses. http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2006/11/02/news-revision-to-windows-vista-retail-licensing-terms.aspx

I knew that the OEM version was licensed to the PC it was first installed on. At first I didn't think that would be a problem but after reading your reply and thinking about it a little with Vista still being so new I will go with the retail version because I will end up building another new PC probably before there is a new OS. Also I just saw that the retail version comes with the 64 bit and 32 bit version. I wanted the 64 bit but it will be nice having the 32 bit in case I have any problem with the 64 bit.

The current price for the case is too high. It was $70 after rebate in January, and it's been $60 AR many times before that.

I will look around to see if I can find it any cheaper. If not I guess I will have to pay the price it is at now. The price is actually cheaper today with PS packaged in a combo.

PS - what moved you to pick that one? Reviews, or was it mainly price?

The reviews were good and it was packaged in a combo with the case.

UPS - Not sure what the difference is between the BR and BX series, but the BX is $173 + tax at staples (vs. $215 @ newegg). Some Staples stores have this on clearance now for $86. If you can't get that, the BX is on sale at circuit city for $140 + tax.

I will also look around and check some prices at other places.

Everything else is making me drool :P

Thanks for the info. The reply's are in the quote.

[TBoneit]

Exactly, You are paying more for a retail processor that comes with a Heatsink and fan assembly and three year warranty as compared to a OEM processor with much shorter warranty and no fan/heatsink.

If you plan to overclock it then you'd want to use a aftermarket fan/heatsink.

Pretty much one of the reasons you pay more for retail is it can be moved to another computer rather tyan being tied to the Mobo. However whether or not that makes sense depends on teh price differential between them. I have changed the Mobo on a Vista Ultimate OEM. Pain in the neck as I had to get on the phone and explain why. Old mobo ate the OS three times. Once after changing for the same model. So I went ASUS and they finally activated it.

On this subject I'd check the MS website as I recall hearing they changed it for Vista even retail versus what they do with XP.

Looks like the OEM version of the Lite-On we sell and I've been using Lite-On for a while now for my own use.

Antecs are nice but a lot of money. Have you looked at Lian-li? This one while not quite as Spiffy looking as the case you chose is nice. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112100
Read the reviews

I'm including this link as it shows some of their line. http://www.xoxide.com/lianli.html
I've been using the same Lian-Li case since I built an athlon 750Mhz computer. Did I mention mine holds total of 12 drives and has four front USB ports.

[OverThereTooMuch]

I always heard you should upgrade the heat sink from the one comes with the processor but you are the 2nd person that ask why I am upgrading it. So I think I will just stick with the one that come with the processor.

I only asked because I've heard pretty good things about their latest coolers. They're not as loud as the older ones and I think they do pretty well with cooling too (I guess that's important ;)

[TBoneit]

One reason they were loud in the past was that they are thermal speed controlled and as an example the Pentium D dual cores ran hot. The Newer Core 2 Duos run much cooler so the fan can be quiet.

Some of the aftermarket solutions with huge heatsinks and fans can actually be to heavy unless supported properly.

[LarryFlowers]

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had ordered the Intel E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz processor. I received the processor and installed it. No problems with the install, very routine.

The computer booted up normally. There was a very noticeable bump in speed from the 6750 2.4GHz chip.

I do NOT run my PC's overclocked but I did run this one up to 3.8GHZ as a test. I ran it all afternoon just to see how it would perform.. again no problems. I returned the chip to its normal 3.0GHz.

I also noticed that at no time did the system approach the operating temperature of the system with the 2.4GHz chip. I seem to be running about 10 degrees cooler.

I give this new chip :) :) :) :) :) (5 stars)

[Michael D'Angelo]

Thanks for the update Larry. Now if newegg.com would get more in stock I could order everything and get started.

[OverThereTooMuch]

Newegg has your case on sale for $80 after rebate. HURRY! :)

Here's a review of some of the Intel box coolers (not the e8xxx series though):

http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/03/03/cpu_cooler_charts_2008/

[Michael D'Angelo]

Okay, I still have not order everything to build my PC yet. I can't find the processor in stock any where. But as soon as I can find it I am going to order everything.

Anyway, while waiting to find it in stock I keep looking at different things to see if I should change anything. Well I am a little confused on something now and I hope someone can help. It is probably a stupid question but I really don't know the answer.

On power supplies the main connector for the motherboard, what is the difference between a 24-pin and 20+4-pin connector. The motherboard I am getting says 24-pin but there is a much larger selection of power supplies with 20+4-pins connections. Will one of them work or do I have to find a power supply with a 24-pin connection?

Actually have another question too. Is a power supply with too much power bad?

Thanks

[OverThereTooMuch]

Okay, I still have not order everything to build my PC yet. I can't find the processor in stock any where. But as soon as I can find it I am going to order everything.If you have a friend that lives near a fry's, you might want to ask them to check and see if they have any in stock. In several regions today, they ran an ad listing the proc for $270, which is a horrible deal, but when bundled with the GA-P35-DS3L it's $309. I think that is a somewhat reasonable deal.

I highly doubt that Fry's actually has any of these in stock, but it's not you that's driving so why should you care? :D

On power supplies the main connector for the motherboard, what is the difference between a 24-pin and 20+4-pin connector. The motherboard I am getting says 24-pin but there is a much larger selection of power supplies with 20+4-pins connections. Will one of them work or do I have to find a power supply with a 24-pin connection? I don't believe there's any difference. http://www.jonnyguru.com/ Try searching there to see if you can find details (I tried to search on "24-pin", but the lying search thingy told me there were no hits...even though the power supply FAQ in the forum has this phrase in it.:mad: )

Actually have another question too. Is a power supply with too much power bad?Pick a random PS from this page: http://80plus.org/manu/psu_80plus/psu_join.php

It shows efficiency at various load percentages for many PSU's. Looks like there's no efficiency problem at even 25% load for most modern PSU's.

[TBoneit]

to put it another way the 20+4 power connector can be used as a 20 pin power connector or a 24 pin power connector which makes the power supply cover both needs. The 4 pins are attached to the 20pin and are removable if on 20 pins are needed.

Logic says that any electric or electronic device will only draw the proper amount of needed power when fed the proper voltage. Think about it, why does a 20 watt light bulb not burn out when it is used along with a 100 watt bulb? because even though their is killowats of power on that line available the bulb will only draw the desgined wattage. Watts = Voltage times amperage. and amperage drawn is based on the resistance of the load. Thus a fixed voltage will feed a higher amperage through a low resistance versus a lower amperage through a higher resistance. That's why the same mobo socket can have a 90watt processor or a 65 watt processor for example. For more details look up Ohm's law.

Now is too much power supply bad? Only to your wallet. Given a choice between a good 400 watt PS that is adequate or a cheapo 800 watt PS I will take the 400.

IMHO most of the people buying these monster power supplys are overbuying by a lot. I see Dual core intel & AMD computers with 1 Hard drive and one Optical drive etc... running on 300 watt supplies. These are home and business computers and do not have power hungry gaming video cards of course. If the modern power supply is overloaded it won't even turn on or it will shut down to protect itself.

The more efficient a power supply is the less electric it will use and the less heat will be generated. It's your electric bill. That's why mine is off when I don't need it.

[Michael D'Angelo]

Thank you very much for the reply. I was doing some more reading this morning and I started coming to that conclusion about the 20+4-pin. But you now confirmed it for me.

[OverThereTooMuch]

There are some posts over on fatwallet.com that say at least some Microcenter stores have the e8400 back in stock for $199. You can even order online, though it says 5-7 days before it ships. With a delay that long, it usually means that they don't have the item in the warehouse. They're probably expecting an order soon, but I'd bet so is everyone else :)

[Michael D'Angelo]

There are some posts over on fatwallet.com that say at least some Microcenter stores have the e8400 back in stock for $199. You can even order online, though it says 5-7 days before it ships. With a delay that long, it usually means that they don't have the item in the warehouse. They're probably expecting an order soon, but I'd bet so is everyone else :)

I actually ordered one from the this morning but it was and still is showing in stock. About a hour after placing the order I got a email saying it is back ordered and they hope to ship it March 29th (next Saturday).

[OverThereTooMuch]

I actually ordered one from the this morning but it was and still is showing in stock. About a hour after placing the order I got a email saying it is back ordered and they hope to ship it March 29th (next Saturday).

Sweet! I guess I'll go place an order too :) I hope it's not just an automated system guessing when they'll have it back in stock.

[Michael D'Angelo]

Sweet! I guess I'll go place an order too :) I hope it's not just an automated system guessing when they'll have it back in stock.

Well newegg.com is saying ETA of March 28th. So I am thinking all companies may be getting them on the 28th and getting them shipped out on the 29th. At least I hope so. I will have everything else on Monday from newegg.com and I am trying to get started.

[OverThereTooMuch]

So 2 weeks after I ordered, and more than a week since it was supposed to ship, I FINALLY got an email from them saying they can't fill the order :mad: I knew it was coming, since the CSR's have been telling people ever since they went on sale that they didn't have anywhere near enough stock to fill the orders they accepted.

So they made a special offer to the people that ordered them - instead of the boxed processor, they're offering an OEM one (no heatsink/fan) for $190 along w/ a Microcenter 3yr warranty on the processor. Oh, and I'll have to wait some undetermined amount of time before they'll get them in stock at this price :rolleyes: Meanwhile, I've missed them a few times at newegg. :mad: :mad:

MC gets a thumbs down from me on the way they handled this one. But if you want the latest and greatest reasonably priced quad core (Q9450), they have it for $299 + shipping.

[Michael D'Angelo]

I just want to thank everyone for their help. Last night my nightmare of trying to get my processor came to a end. I too got screwed ordering one from Micro Center just like OverThereTooMuch did. So I ended up ordering one from eBay the only place that had them instock. Then when I received that one it was refurbished when it was suppose to be new. Not too happy again but I contact the seller and he overnighted me a new. Installed it yesterday and it has been rock solid for the 4 hours I was able to test it last night.

[LarryFlowers]

Mike, congratulations on ending the processor nightmnare... I almost feel I should apologize for bringing that model to your attention :) .

Hopefully you can now enjoy the new PC!

[dave29]

i have been working on putting an htpc together. this is what i have so far. how is everything looking?

case
http://www.mce701.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16

mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131237

processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037

video card
http://www.visiontek.com/products/cards/retail/2600XT_PCIe_256_hdmi.html

memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227248

power supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

optical drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136133

[LarryFlowers]

[QUOTE=dave29;1679556]i have been working on putting an htpc together. this is what i have so far. how is everything looking?


memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227248

Dave29... if you are using an ASUS motherboard you absolutely MUST check their memory compatibility chart, not all chips will work with their mobo's.

That Wolfdale 8400 chip is a hot ticket... I love it!

[koji68]

i have been working on putting an htpc together. this is what i have so far. how is everything looking?

optical drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136133

Nice. If you want to play Blu Ray movies, plan on spending another $100 to get the software needed. The included software doesn't play HD movies. :(

[dave29]

Nice. If you want to play Blu Ray movies, plan on spending another $100 to get the software needed. The included software doesn't play HD movies. :(


what software do you suggest

[koji68]

what software do you suggest

I use PowerDVD from Cyberlink because I already owned the regular DVD version at it was cheaper to upgrade.

There is also WinDVD, now owned by Corel, and ArcSoft's TotalMedia Theater.

I think those are the major players. They all have a 30 day trial version.

I really can't recommend one over the other. They all worked fine for me. I just got the cheaper one.