New Build- <$1000 Thoughts?

[Kid Icarus]

Hey guys, I'm really not great at this stuff, but this is what we came up with the other day. Right now it's just getting in under $1000 Canadian. However, I still need to find a decent keyboard that feels right, a good monitor under $300 (suggestions?), and get a copy of Vista.

Processor: Intel Core Duo E8400 3.0GHz 6MB
Motherboard: Asus P5Q LGA775 C2D P45 DDR2 PCIe 8-ch Snd/Lan
RAM: (4) Crucial Rendidtion 2GB PC6400 DDR2-800MHz Memory
Hard Drive: Western Digital 500GB 16MB Cache 7200RPM WD5000KB
+ current 500GB external loaded in bay
Video Card: BFG GeForce 9800GTX+ 512MB GDDR3 PCIe Dual DVI
Burner: Pioneer DVR-216 20x Dual Layer Sata DVD Burner
Case: Antec Sonata III Piano Black Quiet ATX Mid 500W

Any thoughts would be really helpful.

 

[Kid Icarus]

For the monitor, I was thinking either http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0926INGFS10100684&catid=26175 OR http://www.kdsusa.com/K22mdwb.asp

 

[theAnimal]

What is your total budget? What are the system uses?

 

[Kid Icarus]

I can spend a few hundred more if I need to. By the time I get Windows and Monitor tacked onto this, I'm thinking it'll be somewhere around $1500 Canadian. I really don't want to go much above that.

The main uses would be internet, producing/music with Adobe, and some gaming-- but nothing crazy really. I'm looking forward to Starcraft II when it comes out, and might play Crysis or something.

And sorry-- just read over your template for asking questions in this thread.

 

[john_smarty]

i would not buy a 9800gtx+
i think you should go with a 4870 1 gb or
a gtx 260 core 216

and with your budget in Canada you probally could afford a decent i7 build i am building one right now and i live in canada comes to 2000 with a gtx 295. use ncix and pricematch with newegg and you dont pay pst (if you dont live in b.c)

here is what you should get:

i7 920:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=34598

ram:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=34719

ps:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=26415

mobo:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=35603



you have to choose the case/gpu/heatsink

 

[Why_Me]

i would not buy a 9800gtx+
i think you should go with a 4870 1 gb or
a gtx 260 core 216

and with your budget in Canada you probally could afford a decent i7 build i am building one right now and i live in canada comes to 2000 with a gtx 295. use ncix and pricematch with newegg and you dont pay pst (if you dont live in b.c)

here is what you should get:

i7 920:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=34598

ram:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=34719

ps:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=26415

mobo:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=35603



you have to choose the case/gpu/heatsink

I'm pretty sure he said his budget it $1,000 CAD

You might want to take that into mind next time before you post a $2,000 CAD build on someones thread.

 

[Kid Icarus]

Thanks for your comments. I'm working with Greenlyph in Halifax, Nova Scotia. How do you think the 9800gtx+ will hold me back though? I'm not going to be huge gaming on this machine-- and I'm just worried about diminishing returns for the extra cash.

I was initially thinking of an i7 build, but the processor is not only about twice as much, it would require a much more expensive motherboard on top of it.

I like that RAM, but I don't see how it would be a whole lot faster than what I've got right now...

 

[Why_Me]

You have a decent build posted. You might want to take a look at this ram below. 4 gigs is the norm these days unless your heavy into video editing.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=26456&vpn=F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ&manufacture=G.Skill $69.99 CAD
G.SKILL F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ PC2-8000 4GB 2X2GB DDR2-1000 CL5-5-5-15 240PIN Dual Channel Memory Kit

 

[Kid Icarus]

Hrm... good point, and yeah, that RAM looks really good for the price. The only thing is that it would be nice if I could just get it all done up at Greenlyph, and I don't think they have that part. So maybe-- it would just take a bit longer to do it that way.

I see that I could swap my original 4 Crucial Rendidtion 2GB PC6400 DDR2-800MHz Memory for OCZ Reaper 4GB (2X2GB) PC9200 DDR2-1150MHz for an extra $20. Would that be worth it? I really don't understand a whole lot about RAM speed and it's actual payoffs practically speaking.

 

[theAnimal]

Antec Sonata III Quiet Super Mid Tower with 500 Watt power supply $140
http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=013961&cid=CS.664

ASUS P5Q Pro ATX LGA775 P45 DDR2 2PCI-E16 CrossFire 3PCI-E1 2PCI SATA2 Sound GBLAN eSATA Motherboard $156 (+$15MIR)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=30418&vpn=P5Q%20Pro&manufacture=ASUS&promoid=1065
*this mobo gives you free ground shipping for the entire order

Intel Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3 GHz Dual Core Processor (1333 MHz ) Socket 775 (6 MB L2 Cache) - Box BX80570E8400 $200
http://www.pcvonline.com/productDetails.aspx?prodID=6564

2 x Corsair XMS2 TWIN2X4096-6400C5 4GB DDR2 2X2GB PC2-6400 DDR2-800 CL 5-5-5-18 240PIN Memory Kit $60 (+ $30MIR) = $120
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=25228&promoid=1065

Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB 7200RPM 32MB Dual Proc 3.5IN SATA Hard Drive OEM 5YR Mfg Warranty $90
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=34286&promoid=1065

Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 Video Card - 512MB GDDR5, PCI Express 2.0 x16, CrossFireX Ready, (Dual Link) Dual DVI, HDTV $207
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4459666

Pioneer Pioneer Black 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD-R DVD Burner $29
http://www.pcvonline.com/productDetails.aspx?prodID=7474

Samsung T220 22IN Widescreen LCD Monitor Black 1680X1050 2MS 20000:1DC VGA DVI-D HDCP $209
http://www.bestdirect.ca/products/206765/Samsung/LS22TWHSUV_ZC/

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium w/SP1 - License and media - 1 PC - OEM - DVD - 64-Bit English (66I-01939) $130
http://www.infonec.com/site/main.php?module=detail&id=437246

Total: $1281 w/o MIR + free shipping & no PST outside BC (buy it all from ncix.com & price match)
Still need to add a keyboard and mouse and speakers.

 

[Kid Icarus]

Two n00b0t40n questions:

Is that monitor advisable? How does it compare to http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3986513&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs

I was also looking at this monitor, but I hear it doesn't come with a DVI cable: http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0665000FS10099710&catid=25074&logon=&langid=EN.

And I have gone over the NCIX page-- in one part they talk about a price match button, but somehow I am managing to not see it anywhere on the build page.

 

[Kid Icarus]

Also, if I was going to get Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB 7200RPM 32MB Dual Proc 3.5IN SATA Hard Drive OEM 5YR Mfg Warranty $90, why not a Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 3.5IN 500GB SATA2 8.5MS 7200RPM 32MB Cache NCQ Hard Drive OEM http://www.bestdirect.ca/products/125581/ST3500320AS/Seagate/ instead?

 

[theAnimal]

Also, if I was going to get Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB 7200RPM 32MB Dual Proc 3.5IN SATA Hard Drive OEM 5YR Mfg Warranty $90, why not a Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 3.5IN 500GB SATA2 8.5MS 7200RPM 32MB Cache NCQ Hard Drive OEM http://www.bestdirect.ca/products/125581/ST3500320AS/Seagate/ instead?

The WD is faster and Seagate HDDs are currently having issues so it's best to stay away.

 

[theAnimal]

Two n00b0t40n questions:

Is that monitor advisable? How does it compare to http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3986513&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs

I was also looking at this monitor, but I hear it doesn't come with a DVI cable: http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0665000FS10099710&catid=25074&logon=&langid=EN.

And I have gone over the NCIX page-- in one part they talk about a price match button, but somehow I am managing to not see it anywhere on the build page.

The LG 227 monitor is better than the Samsung.

When you add an item to your cart, scroll down a little and there will be a Start Price Match button.

 

[Kid Icarus]

The WD is faster and Seagate HDDs are currently having issues so it's best to stay away.

Fair enough-- I'll go with that. I thought the firmware issue had been addressed though. The only other concern I have is that the Seagate supposedly runs quite a bit cooler than the Caviar Black, and my machine doesn't have any special cooling.

 

[Kid Icarus]

Anyone have any idea how long to expect a NCIX backorder to be on http://www.ncix.com/products/index [...] re=G.Skill $69.99 CAD
G.SKILL F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ PC2-8000 4GB 2X2GB DDR2-1000 CL5-5-5-15 240PIN Dual Channel Memory Kit