$650 build Please review......PLEASE!

[teh_boxzor]

ok so i just sold my computer on craigslist for 650 dollars. the on in my signature. And i want to build a new one with that money what i have come up with is:


AMD 5000+ Black edition
Gigabyte 6100 ATX - minus $30 with black edition
Antec sonata 3 with 500w PSU
AC 64 freezer pro
1gb Pqi turbo memory CAS 4
HIS Hd3850 512mb with kick @$$ cooling
samsung DVD burner w/ lightscribe

Total is ~ 645 with shipping and before rebates.

Am i forgetting anything? anything you suggest i change?

 

[rgeist554]

Can you provide a link to your motherboard? I can't find a "Gigabyte 6100" anywhere. All I see is a Gigabyte board with a built in GeForce 6100 chip, but they are all mATX.

You may want to go with another board. Onboard gpu's are just a headache anyway. I'm thinking you may also want some Crucial Ballistix or Patriot Extreme. Both are pretty cheap and over clock extremely well. Pqi could be a good over clocking brand, but I've never really dealt with it, maybe someone else can comment on it's reliability.

Also, let me know how the AC 64 Freezer fits. I've been curious as to how well after market coolers first with the AM2 clip mechanism.

 

[teh_boxzor]

Heres the mobo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128034 (sorry don't know how to link)

but i'm not using onboard im using the HIS hd3850.

and i'll tell you how the cooler does...i've heard only good reviews about it.

 

[rgeist554]

I know you're using the HD3850, I'm just stating that your board has an onboard GPU. The GeForce 6100, you'll have to disable this before you install your 3850... Other than that, the board looks decent.

 

[Plyro109]

Well, personally, I'd downgrade to CAS 5 RAM for another gig of the stuff. I noticed a HUGE performance increase from 1 gig to 2 gigs, even with cheap RAM.

Just my two cents.

 

[zenmaster]

HDD?
OS?
A 2nd GB of RAM is you an squeeze it.

 

[happy_fanboy]

1 gig of RAM wont even load most myspace pages..

 

[teh_boxzor]

i have 2 hdd and OS already good ol xp sp2.

won't cas 5 be slower than cas 4? or will the extra gig outweigh the benefits of the faster timing?

 

[DAVIDMCDIARMID]

The difference between Cas 4 and Cas 5 is very small, but the difference between 1GB and 2GB is huge. Go for the 2GB.

 

[rgeist554]

Yeah, you can get 2GB of RAM really cheap anyway. I got 2x1GB of Patriot Extreme DDR2 800 (4-4-4-12) for $36.00 after a $40.00 MIR. Also, they don't tell you this, but the RAM is only rated for those speeds, so you often won't find them set to 4-4-4-12 by default. It could be something like 4-5-5-18 or something.

Also, by getting 2GB, you can run them in dual-channel mode. So you'll get a little bit more performance out of them.

 

[Onus]

Do you have a monitor? Rodent? Keyboard? Speakers? Surge protector?
It will be maybe $7 more, but get a Retail rather than OEM optical drive in order to get all the software you'll need to use it. That includes a decoder for watching DVD movies.

 

[doghills]

Are you overclocking? If your not I don't see why you care that much about the differents CASs of the RAM.

Also if your overclocking then why aren't you going with intel. It isn't to hard to find a e21x0 with a motherboard for under $120. With overclocking those things can truly be beasts.

 

[rgeist554]

I certainly hope he would be over clocking, since I'm assuming that's the reason he chose the 5000+ BE. Which is a pretty decent over-clocker.

As for the e21xx, they are pretty nice, but you do become limited by FSB at some point. Not to say they aren't fast, but that is certainly their limiting factor.

 

[teh_boxzor]

hmmm i considered intel but i have no experience with the core 2's and don't want to spend money on a new motherboard when Nehalem comes out.

With that said yes, i have all the others, mouse, keyboard, monitor, speakers. Do i need a surge protector? will it be beneficial here in california?

and yes i am OC thats why i chose the BE 5000.

thanks

 

[Noya]

"Building an AMD system is like giving to charity" - someone on this forum.

Here's a much better system for similar pricing.

$72 - e2180 (OC to 3.0ghz)
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=E2180
OR
$67 - e2160
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=E2160
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/09/12/pentium_dual_core/

$21 - AC Freezer Pro 7 CPU cooler
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=FAN-AC7PRO
$99 - Gigabyte P35
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128059
$50 - 2gb DDR2-800 Ballistix
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146565
$51 - Corsair 450vx (450watts, 33amps on+12v)
http://www.buy.com/prod/corsair-vx-450w-power-supply/q/loc/101/205466485.html

$259 - Gigabyte 8800GT w/$30 Zalman kick @$$ cooling
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125081
Check out the blue lines 3850 vs 8800GT OC
http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=1057&model2=1061&chart=278

$50 - Coolermaster Centurion case (free shipping)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119068
$30 - DVD burner your choice ( I like Samsung and Pioneer)

For a total of $632 before shipping (you could even get the CPU cooler at Egg to save a little more on shipping) but after two small rebates (RAM $25 PSU $10) (case is free shipping AND the Corsair PSU is free shipping, remember). This system is 10x better than the AMD you chose. You're welcome, haha.

*edit* Ground shipping on the e2160/80 and AC Freezer Pro from ewhiz is only $8.83.

 

[teh_boxzor]

Thanks Noya, but i'm trying to get it all from the same place, to save on shipping and all, seems like that build would total to be > $650. But i will consider the build.

So i guess question now is 5000 BE or E2180?

 

[rgeist554]

The E21x0 is limited by a 800Mhz FSB. Just FYI in case you missed it. I really don't think it will matter either way you go, it's not like the performance difference is going to be night and day.

 

[teh_boxzor]

Yeah thats the thing about Intel systems, i don't understand what FSB is as opposed to HT link on AMD systems...which is why i went the AMD route because i don't want to get Intel and not know how to OC it lol.

 

[Noya]

"The 5000+ Black Edition is the ideal choice for users who wish to upgrade their existing AM2 systems."
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/10/22/budget_overclocker/page31.html

You're building a new system. AMD's Athlon64 architecture is old (2003?), as you well know. A 3.0ghz Core 2 based chip will be faster in EVERY benchmark than a 3.0ghz AMD Athlon64 based chip = there is no reason to buy an AMD Athlon64 based chip.

Yeah thats the thing about Intel systems, i don't understand what FSB is as opposed to HT link on AMD systems...which is why i went the AMD route because i don't want to get Intel and not know how to OC it lol.

That is a lame excuse to not buy a Core 2 chip ROTFL :lol: You're a fanboy, admit it

 

[bliq]

The E21x0 is limited by a 800Mhz FSB. Just FYI in case you missed it. I really don't think it will matter either way you go, it's not like the performance difference is going to be night and day.

e21xx is also limited by a 1MB L2 cache which makes them much slower than even the E4x00 series which has 2MB L2 cache with the 800FSB.

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

Here's my board, a little more but very very nice. Got it for Christmas, and if you go nvidia, will allow you to SLI.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128014

Also has HD sound output, only complaint is it's not long enough in the case to reach the very back screw holes, almost though, so what you can do, take some of the plastic standoffs that come with your cases, cut the bigger top piece off, and put them in those holes to keep the board from touching the case.

Also, I second the motion of 2 gb, you will LOVE it. Oh, if you do opt for the above board, you must hit control-F1 in the bios to bring up the HT Link options and what not for overclocking.

If you are interested in a seperate PSU, decent cooler master cases can be had on newegg for 50 bucks with free shipping. Might give you a little to go toward that memory.

 

[teh_boxzor]

Noya i guess i just can't cope with change =[

with that said i will go the route of 5000+ to hold me over until Phenom dual cores come about....or until i get a job and can finally afford a penryn or a quad core phenom.

i took the advice of dropping the 1gb cas 4 for 2gb cas 5. I got 2 x 1 gb crucial ballistix tracers. 25 dollars after rebate.

Ohiu i saw the board and i have a 570 MCP SLi on the computer im sellgin (waiting for it to get picked up) and see that i have no use for it...im running 15" LCD @ 10 x 7 and would probably only get Sli to show off and say i can afford sli. lol.

as for the other case i saw a cooler master case that came with a 550W PSU....my question is how reliable are cooler master real power PSU's?

i heard nothing but good reviews about the 500w basic earthwatts on the other antec case.

 

[TSIMonster]

The ASUS M2A-VM 690G would be a much better motherboard choice and is only $65 shipped. I just built 3 systems using this board. 2 with 4000+ Brisbanes and one with Phenom. Mine booted with Phenom out of the box, so that is something to consider if you plan to upgrade later.

Also, I got 3.0Ghz on the 4000+ with an AC64 and 2.9Ghz from quite a few 3600+ brisbanes, so I definitely do not think the Black Edition is worth the money

 

[teh_boxzor]

i was considering the ASUS m2a-vm 690g since it is bundled with the 5000 BE and is 10 dollars cheaper...i was afraid it wouldn't overclock well. now for the 4000+ to hit 3.0ghz did you use the ASUS?

 

[zenmaster]

e21xx is also limited by a 1MB L2 cache which makes them much slower than even the E4x00 series which has 2MB L2 cache with the 800FSB.

They are not "much" slower.
The are about 5% slower Clock for Clock vs the 2mb E4xxx Series and 10% slower than the 4mb 6xxx series.

However, They are are excellent OCers and will hit well beyond 3.0Ghz and beat an E6850 at Stock.
They will also beat any AMD Chip, even OC'd.

Yes, the E4500 may be wind up giving you about a 5% bonus clock for clock, but the cost is $50 more and that could mean a better GPU or better other components.

The difference will be very tough to notice.