Help on First built computer system (lots of it too)

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Ok, here they are:
Motherboard: Need to make sure memory is compatible with it. I saw some conflicting data when it comes to ddr2. mobo: ddr2 1200 memory: ddr21066. Will that have any problems?

Memory: Look at the link it's a comparison chart. I can't tell if there is a difference and what is better.

Monitor: Look at the link for the comparison chart. Still can't tell what is better. The gateway monitor is on craigslist for $150 so ignore the price of that.

Those are the last 3
 
Motherboard: the Asus P5Q Pro is good, but the GA-EP45-UD3P is better and costs exactly the same.

RAM: you're looking at DDR2-1066 but you're not ready to overclock. You don't even have a high-end cpu cooler on the list. I think you're better off with some good DDR2-800. Here's an example:
G.SKILL HK 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 4-4-4-12 $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231219

Monitor: I'd pick the Acer. Same as with the case choice - if a monitor has 1188 reviews and another one has 46, chances are the first one is a better deal. Besides, it's $35 less and would help with your budget.
 
Well that solves most of the problems. I'll pick up the Acer, the new motherboard looks great. However I still need to find out if it can support a DDR2-1066 or a DDR2 800 if the motherboard has a DDR2 1333 memory standard.
 
I'm heading off to bed. I'll look at all responses in the morning! I don't know how many questions I have left to go. But I know it's either 1 or 2. I'll see in the morning what replies have been made. I just hope that the answer about the DDR2 memory standard problem can be solved by the time I wake up. That way it'll make life easier.

Good Night! 😴
 
The "memory standard" rating on a motherboard is just the maximum RAM speed it's rated to run. You really don't have a need for anything more than quality DDR2 800 RAM as aevm said. I'd go with the G.skill RAM aevm linked above.
 


true.

For any ram you are considering, do your own homework.
Go to the ram vendor's web site, and access their configurator.
Corsair, Kingston, Patriot, OCZ and others have them.
Their compatibility list is more current than the motherboard vendor's QVL lists which rarely get updated.
Enter your mobo or PC, and get a list of compatible ram sticks.

Core 2 cpu's are not very sensitive to ram speeds.
If you look at real application and game benchmarks(vs. synthetic tests),
you will see negligible difference in performance between the slowest and fastest ram.
Perhaps 1-2%. Not worth it to me.
Don't pay extra for faster ram or better timings unless you are a maximum overclocker.

Here is a good on corsair ram:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145184
 
Hm..., Tough decision, I'll go with geofelt just because of shipping and rebates. It really just had to come down to cost. Though I'll look into it a bit more than this because research is needed more especially when trying to figure out if it is compatible with the motherboard. I'll post everything in a while from now.
 
Here's a useful cheat: go to Newegg's site, display the reviews of the motherboard, then see what kind of RAM people are using with it. If they gave the MB 5 eggs and don't mention RAM problems it's most likely safe to get that RAM.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

It works the other way too, looking at the reviews of the RAM and seeing if anybody uses it with the MB you want. For example the G.Skill I mentioned works with GA-EP45-UD3R, which is not a 100% guarantee that it works with the GA-EP45-UD3P but it's very promising. The Corsair Geofelt recommended does even better - here's a sample review:

Pros: Great bang for the buck... works great with my GA-EP45-UD3P

Cons: NONE

Other Thoughts: NEW EGG ROCKS ... THANKS
Click to expand...
 
I looked at all ram suggested all of them are compatible with the motherboard. I'm actually going to readdress the monitor issue. Again I"m a newb when it comes to monitors as well.
I'm 99% sure on this but backup will do great a 2500:1 contrast ration is better than a 1000:1 ratio. Am I right?

And yes like I said before I will overclock at some point when I purchase it so I'll keep the OCZ but if not I'll go with the crosair that geofelt recommended.
 
In theory 2500:1 is better than 1000:1, yes. In practice, I have two monitors side by side, an LG with 2000:1 and a Samsung with 3000:1, and can't say there's a difference. In fact I had no clue until a minute ago which one had the better contrast ratio - I had to look them up.
 
Contrast ratio is mostly for advertising IMO. I can never tell the difference. When looking at monitors, pay more attention to the response time (2ms, 5ms, 25ms...ect). That is a much better indication of monitor performance, as well as resolution. Only the very well trained eye would probably be able to tell the differnce between 5ms and 2ms, maybe.
 
One spec which I think is important is the viewing angle. If you look at an LCD straight on, it will look good. When you move your head to the side, or up and down, then it will begin to look washed out. A top end LCD will have a viewing angle of 178/178 horizontal and vertical. A cheaper unit will be more like 160/160.
 
good point, but how often are you looking at your monitor from a 160 degree angle? I'm usually sitting in front of my monitor, If I want to watch a movie and sit on the couch, I have a TV for that.
 
Ok, thanks for the advice I have a new monitor to look at

Acer AL2216Wbd Black 22" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor
It will be the one I'll be getting by Craigslist for $150

or a

Gateway HD2200 Black-Silver 22" 4ms
I can get this at craigslist for $150 as well


Should I use one of those 2 monitors or stick with the

Acer X223Wbd Black 22" 5ms Widescreen

which is $10 more than the ones listed at craigslist.

If anything I may pick the Gateway for the cheapness. And it being a bit better than the other Acer listed in Craigslist
 
That would be ok, but I'll make sure to test it before buying it. Or at least ask the guy if I could test it (which I'm in the process of doing).

Awesome question for me to ponder on. I'll talk to the guy if I could look at it first. However, I don't know which one to talk to! I may talk to the gateway monitor guy first because I like that monitor but if you know which is the better monitor tell me so I can contact him first.
 
OK, this is totally unscientific, but did you notice that the Acer models have 1900 and 1200 reviews at Newegg, mostly 5 eggs, while the Gateway has only 47? The Acer models are safer, IMO.
 
I think the reason they have more reviews is because people are looking for deals at newegg, and acer's are always going to be cheaper than HP, Dell, Gateway monitors ect. But I think that the Gateway will probably be better quality. But definitely go test them both out before you decide which to buy.
 
True. Gateway does get good reviews in magazines.

@OP: when you test them out, try these two things:

1. look at the monitors from an angle (vertical and horizontal). Most monitors claim 160 degrees viewing angle, but there are big variations in real life.

2. open Paint, set the image size to something huge, fill it with white, view full screen. repeat with black and then with red. That should show you any dead/stuck pixels pretty fast.
 
Thanks for the advice when it comes to monitors. They haven't replied yet so it is starting to worry me. I'll put up a list about all the items that I'm getting
Right now as far as websites go I'm looking at
Newegg.com
Craigslist
Tigerdirect
Buy.com (maybe)
Amazon
Microcenter
mwave (recommended buy my comp sci teacher)
frys (recommended buy aevm)
ncixus (recommended buy aevm as well)
Zipzoomfly (Aevm again!)

Am I forgetting any?
 
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