Need Opinions for New Build

[WatsonCo]

I am planning on building my first computer soon and would like opinions on what to get. I am kind of a rookie, so if you could explain why I need certain things that would be great. I plan on spending around $900 total will a monitor, keyboard, speakers, os. I will use the pc for everyday web browsing, writing papers, and games such as Counterstrike, Day of Defeat, Diablo 3 (when released).

Should i go dual core or quad core?

Do i overclock?

Do i need a cpu cooler?

Should i plan to crossfire?

Thanks so much!

 

[fullmetall]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288
500gb seagate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209
G.Skills DDR2 800

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127383
HD 4670

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
Antec 300

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817148008
Apevia 520w

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131347
ASUS P5Q

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072
E5200

$ 527.99 all added up. ($25.00 M-I-R)

You want a monitor keyboard speakers or you already have them? cause if you have them already then i can upgrade that list alot.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

I'd get something like this:

Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072 $72.99

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3LR LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128368&Tpk=ga-ep45-ud3lr $102.99

G.SKILL PI Black 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209 $54.99

POWERCOLOR AX4850 512MD3-DH Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131125 $139.99 - $15.00 MIR

SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223F - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171 $23.99

WESTERN DIGITAL WD3200AAKS 320GB SATA 7200 RPM 16MB Hard Drive
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10005615&prodlist=celebros $49.99

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042 $59.95

CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139003&Tpk=450vx $79.99 - $10.00 MIR

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488 $99.99

Acer X223Wbd Black 22" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 2500:1 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009145 $169.99

Total - $854.86 - $25.00 MIR's = $829.86

The above build leaves about $45 for you to pick your own keyboard, mouse, & speakers. If you need more money for those components, you could go with a 4830 GPU, but I'd try to stick with the 4850 if possible.

MSI R4830-T2D512 OC Radeon HD 4830 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127394 $89.99 - $10 MIR

You should be able to overclock the CPU to around 3GHz on the stock cooler. I recently put together a similiar build, and the CPU overclocked to 3.4GHz using a stock cooler from an E6420 and only needed 1.2v.

I'd forget crossfire with that budget.

 

[fullmetall]

I'd like to mix a couple things with these 2 solutions me and shortstuff has going but, it have to wait till i get home around 3:50. its 2:45 now.

 

[theAnimal]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817148008
Apevia 520w

Wow, $60 for a piece of junk. You can get much better quality for $60.

 

[xthekidx]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288
500gb seagate.

Look at the reviews, the first three that pop up on the reviews are all 1 egg. DO NOT BUY SEAGATE DRIVES. The one shortstuff suggested will be faster and much more reliable.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127383
HD 4670

Won't work for gaming on anything larger than 1280x1024, especially not Diablo 3, it would do fine on Diablo II . Best to get at least a 4830, preferably 4850.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817148008
Apevia 520w

Junk Junk Junk. 1 year limited warranty? Look at this PSU, much better, and would run Shortstuff's build just fine and free shipping/$20 MIR:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008

+1 for shortstuff_mt's build, except for the PSU, mine is a better deal

 

[theAnimal]

I am planning on building my first computer soon and would like opinions on what to get. I am kind of a rookie, so if you could explain why I need certain things that would be great. I plan on spending around $900 total will a monitor, keyboard, speakers, os. I will use the pc for everyday web browsing, writing papers, and games such as Counterstrike, Day of Defeat, Diablo 3 (when released).

Should i go dual core or quad core?

Do i overclock?

Do i need a cpu cooler?

Should i plan to crossfire?

Thanks so much!

What size/resolution monitor?

 

[fullmetall]

Actually ive had that same seagate drive for the past 2 years with no problems, so its a +1 for me, just because you will see a couple of bad responses from people, doesnt mean the brand is a bad quality, you have to spec out the component. That person that said oh bla bla this sucks, they could of easily have had other sucky accessories. Now the 4670 i posted, can easily run cod 4, i ran a 3870 on high res with cod 4 and it has more pixelates then any of those old games.

I could have posted better quality things but, it was a 5 minute pick into things, I was at work. If you want me to pick out more things, then i will.

 

[xthekidx]

Actually ive had that same seagate drive for the past 2 years with no problems, so its a +1 for me, just because you will see a couple of bad responses from people, doesnt mean the brand is a bad quality, you have to spec out the component. That person that said oh bla bla this sucks, they could of easily have had other sucky accessories. Now the 4670 i posted, can easily run cod 4, i ran a 3870 on high res with cod 4 and it has more pixelates then any of those old games.

I could have posted better quality things but, it was a 5 minute pick into things, I was at work. If you want me to pick out more things, then i will.

No seagate drives suck, their firmware is awful. There were far more than 1 person saying the drive failed. Did you actually look at the reviews? 21% gave it 1 or 2 eggs, which almost always means the drive either arrived dead or failed on them. That means 1 out of 5 drives were bad. If a drive fails it is a headache to RMA and replace, and reinstall all of your programs, not to mention all the data you lose if you hadn't backed up your data. Those odds are horrible, and I would not recommend seagates to anyone.

 

[xthekidx]

Since 2/5/09 (one week ago), there have been 48 of those seagate drives reviewed on newegg, 29 of them said the drive failed on them and to not buy the drive. That is more than half. Do you need more evidence? Seagate recently changed their warranty from 5 years to 3, I wonder why...

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Anyone who's followed the tech industry at all lately knows Seagate is currently struggling with their quality/firmware. I'd avoid Seagate until they get this all sorted out.

 

[fullmetall]

Like i said, i recommended that harddrive because i've had it running for the past 2 years. Right now im doing another rig, it has a Western on it.

 

[fullmetall]

Will send the upate when i get home, much better now that i had time to research.

 

[Why_Me]

I am planning on building my first computer soon and would like opinions on what to get. I am kind of a rookie, so if you could explain why I need certain things that would be great. I plan on spending around $900 total will a monitor, keyboard, speakers, os. I will use the pc for everyday web browsing, writing papers, and games such as Counterstrike, Day of Defeat, Diablo 3 (when released).

Should i go dual core or quad core?

Do i overclock?

Do i need a cpu cooler?

Should i plan to crossfire?

Thanks so much!

Add this Asus and the thermal paste down below to the build "shortstuff_mt" put together, and give that E5200 a mild overclock such as 11.5x266= 3.0Ghz @ 1066 FSB. That way your not bottlenecking your vid card yet your still keeping your cpu from cooking. Shortstuff put together a very solid build for that price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835101027 $19.99
ASUS V52 92mm Sleeve CPU Cooler - Retail

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186020 $6.99
ARCTIC COOLING MX-2 Thermal Compound - Retail

 

[xthekidx]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835101027 $19.99
ASUS V52 92mm Sleeve CPU Cooler - Retail

That cooler will be barely better than the stock HSF. If you are going to buy an aftermarket heatsink, go for the Xigmatek s1283 with the LGA 775 bolt through kit. But to push the CPU to 3.0ghz you can just use stock cooling and you will be fine. If you get an aftermarket heatsink, also get the MX-2 Thermal paste.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233019

 

[fullmetall]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
Antec Case = $59.95.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359
Gig mobo =$119.99 - $15.00 m-i-r

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102770
Sapphire HD4850, $154.99
why, because they've out performed any other (4850)card so far, same with the sapphire hd 4870.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703015
PC Power Cooling $74.99 - $15.00 m-i-r.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072
E5200 high multiplier. $72.99 - free shipping

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209
PI Black G.Skill $54.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136320
Western - 500gb $74.99 - free shipping

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171
SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW $24.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488
Windows 62 bit - $99.99

$770.52

not knowing how big you would want your monitor, didnt look. but sure the 22inch acer would work.

cooler, would go with a stock unless u want a nice looking s1283 with the retention bracket because the rubber pushpins are a big hassle.

 

[xthekidx]

The 320Gb or 640Gb drive will both be faster than the 500gb drive, so get one of those. If you get the 640, go for the WD caviar black version.

FullMetall, the HD 4850 has never outperformed the HD 4870, and never will, even with super driver updates. You should do some research before you start making claims like that and giving advice to people.

 

[fullmetall]

Wow thats not even what that meant, i said this card, as in th sapphire brand, in 4850 (and) 4870 has out performed. not 4850's out performing 4870's..

as to the 320gb out performing the 500gb, i dont see how when there latencey and cache is the same and 500gb is more than 320gb..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319

if your referring to black version as this one then yea it would be better but,

black version is usually velociraptor which costs x2 more money sometimes x3 times the money.

 

[fullmetall]

Read before speaking please..

 

[xthekidx]

LOL. The 640 and 320GB drives are faster, ask anyone who knows anything about drives, you obviously don't. Platter density makes them faster. And the Caviar Black versions are not Velociraptors, they cost $5 more for twice the cache.

Research before speaking please...

BTW, I know how to edit old messages too to make it look like I said something different and the person who is quoting me look stupid.

 

[fullmetall]

So your saying the 320gb black version is faster than the 500gb black version?
Only difference in them both is how much gb's there is.

 

[fullmetall]

I switched it to black because the cache on a regular 500gb is 16mb as to the 32mb black 500gb

and for you to have an attitude because im picking things you seem to not like is pretty immature,

you post arguments about the 4850 that i posted to try and make me seem like a rip off for no reason because what i said ment totally different from your perspective. Thats why i rewrote what i put up there before to make others know what it really means.
thank you.

 

[xthekidx]

I switched it to black because the cache on a regular 500gb is 16mb as to the 32mb black 500gb

and for you to have an attitude because im picking things you seem to not like is pretty immature,

you post arguments about the 4850 that i posted to try and make me seem like a rip off for no reason because what i said ment totally different from your perspective. Thats why i rewrote what i put up there before to make others know what it really means.
thank you.

Why would I not like those parts? Probably because there are better parts out there. I didn't make the 4850 look like a rip off (and I don't know how it is possible for me to make you look like a rip off?), I said it isn't better than the 4870, which is what your original post said until you edited it. I recommend that card quite often to builders as a matter of fact.

My "attitude" is due to the fact that you came in and gave bad advice and then you admitted you didn't know what you were talking about, and then demonstrated it several more times. The OP came to the forum looking for good advice. He could just as easily gone to newegg and picked out random parts for himself too like you did, but he came here looking for the advice of people who know something about this subject. You do not fit in this category yet, and should not advise people on what to get until you know more than they do. Do some more research on the items you are suggesting. You are the first person I have ever seen on this forum recommend getting an Apevia PSU, they are crap.

 

[xthekidx]

@OP
I would go with the build that shortstuff_mt put together, substituting in the PSU that I picked out, only $30 after MIR and it is an awesome PSU. If you can, then Get the CPU cooler I showed you too, it will allow you to OC your CPU higher with lower temperatures. However, you can OC that CPU to probably around 3.2 or so using just the stock HSF without much issue.

 

[fullmetall]

i showed the apevia for the lifetime people used it for, 5 people showed using that 1 psu for 3 years+

i gave the op my advice on the 2nd rig i put together, im done with this post, im pretty sure i know what i pick, i've been on here quite a while and have been recommended by toms for best pick and from a couple people.

since you know oh so much more than me you can take care of this one.