Seeking help from the ultimate hardware community.

[idriveabucket]

Hi, you guys helped me build my pc along time ago, I have to say I was very pleased with the results so im seeking your advice again.

I have a 1,000 budget to spend on a PC. I'm just looking for something that isn't very loud, runs and multi-tasks extremely well, with minimal/no heating problems, and something durable that I can leave on for a long time. I'm looking for the top of the line in speed and quality (but looking to save as much money as possible in the process) Any websites still good like "pricewatch.com" ? Please provide as much detail as you can so I know exactly what hardware to buy. Also when listing a peice of hardware make sure it is completely compatible with the rest of the system. Thank You

I do web design (i'm an internet marketer) and plan on using my pc for work at home, some pc gaming (nothing to graphicaly demanding) mostly old blizzard games. (Starcraft, Warcraft, hopefully starcraft 2) Most of my PC use will be running office type software, but i do want the power for the occasional killer - app PC game. I do want a DVD burner, and a CDR drive as well. If you dont mind putting the general price next to the part you recommend and deducting it from the $1,000.00 i would truely be greatful.

I will list my old PC specs, let me know if there's anything I have here thats worth keeping, (i'm guessing the case, and the monitor, and the speakers) if there's anything else i can keep that wont take away from having a top of the line system please let me know)

Budget: $1,000.00

Abit KG7 Raid MotherBoard
AMD 2000+ Athlon Processor
Aluminum Case (Lian Li PC-60) (nice case)
430W Power Supply
A 21" Viewsonic Optiquest Monitor (nice monitor)
4.1 Klipsch Pro Media Speakers (nice speakers)
Nvidia GF3 64MB Video Card
Sound Blaster Audigy 1
768MB DDR (PC-2100) Crucial RAM
60GB Seagate Barracuda Harddrive (7200 speed)
standard dvd drive
24X Plextor CDR Burner drive
CHeap old hit sink fan

This computer was purchased almost 4 yrs ago, you guys helped me purchase this originaly.

Thanks in advance for any help

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by idriveabucket on 07/19/05 02:26 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[idriveabucket]

Nice list. I'll have to look further into it.

Any noticeable differences from a SB Audigy 1(which I have) to whatever new card's are out there now?

 

[idriveabucket]

One last question:

will a 430W power supply be enough to run this system?

 

[endyen]

It depends who makes it. If Fortron, or enermax, yes. If generic or no name maybe not.

 

[idriveabucket]

Its an Enermax 450W 430True.

Very helpful, thanks alot. I already bookmarked the products it looks like all this together is putting me back about $600.00 (without including taxes or shipping)

 

[endyen]

Maybe you should get an A64 3400+ instead. They are only about $30 more.

 

[Rugger]

I second the 3400+ vote.

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<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

 

[liquidpaper007]

and the 3700+ is only like $260

 

[Guest]

What is the expected retail rpice of a X2 3800+?. If it fits in the budget it might be worth looking at it. He stated multitask very well. And when doing some web editing you do need quite a few programs and I beleive dualcore would make it smoother.

I guess for 1000$ overall it might be a little to much money but id tought I would throw the idea anyways...

Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-4-4-8, MSI 6800Ultra stock, 2X30gig Raid0

 

[liquidpaper007]

345 I think, but for socket 939 not 754

 

[Guest]

Oopsy didnt notice he recommanded a s754...
Its a rather good price but with a more expansive mobo its probly going to be over the budget...

Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-4-4-8, MSI 6800Ultra stock, 2X30gig Raid0

 

[Rugger]

Not a bad idea - we'd need to know more about what specific programs he's running and the multi-tasking he's doing. s939 mobos aren't that much more expensive than s754 and he has some reusable parts, so it might be realistic. It also might be wasted effort if he won't use the dual core capability...

__________________________________________________
<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

 

[idriveabucket]

I've read into the Amd X2, I dont need that kind of power.

If I were to get the Amd 64 3700+ can I still use the EpoX-9nda3+ MotherBoard?

 

[Guest]

The 3700+ is the fastest s754 AMD will make. If you go down that road just be aware that a CPU upgrade will automaticly mean a motherboard upgrade.

So yes you could still use that board.

My personal opinion is that a 3400+ should do the trick and the 3700(even tough I dont know the price) is probably not worth the extra money because performance is probably really close!

Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-4-4-8, MSI 6800Ultra stock, 2X30gig Raid0

 

[idriveabucket]

that seals the deal.

a 3400+ it is!

one last question: should i stick with the GF3 64MB VIdeo Card? any cards around $100.00 tops...that are huge noticeable difference from what I already have?

 

[sgamble]

I would check Toms VGA charts for cards with more power.

As far as running quiet, I just bought the Antec P180 case and installed a Thermal Take Sonic Tower heat sync. It is so quiet that I can't hear a thing from 3 feet away. The loudest noise is the clicking of my HDD. I highly recommend this for anyone looking to a quiet case and system.

 

[Guest]

Well if your happy with the card why change? A Gfti4200 would bring a good amount of power but newer games(BF2) are now dropping support for these cards. So I suggest holding to the GF3 until you feel its not enough.

Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-4-4-8, MSI 6800Ultra stock, 2X30gig Raid0

 

[liquidpaper007]

Why buy a 3400+ when you can buy a 3700+? So you can upgrade later?
If you awnt to upgrade go with socket 939

 

[Starfishy]

For a guy that just wants a DVD burner you really don't need the Plextor drive that has been suggested. I won't argue that it isn't a good drive because I know it is. Nobody competes with Plextor when it comes to DVD burner quality. But this drive is 3 times the price of a good DVD burner. You can buy the top of line Lite-On burner for $47. You don't need this drive and it is a waste of your money. I burn alot of DVDs and I just couldn't justify buying this drive, especially when great drives are offered at a third of the price.

 

[Guest]

Well my point was more the price he will pay for than 1% performance...
The fact that it cant be upgraded is applyed to put cpu really. And if in a year or 2 he needs that 1 % =), he'll have it for a really small amount of money!

Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-4-4-8, MSI 6800Ultra stock, 2X30gig Raid0

 

[Rugger]

You should look at some refurb vid cards like this <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102268R" target="_new">Sapphire 9800 Pro</A>. Better yet, get the $47 Lite-on DVD burner and spend $219 on this <A HREF="http://www.atacom.com/program/print_html_new.cgi?&USER_ID=www&cart_id=&Item_code=VIDA_ATIX_X8_Z6" target="_new">X800 Pro</A> - THAT would be a HUGE upgrade!



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<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

 

[dunklegend]

I agree with starfishy on the DVD burner. I could buy 3 NEC 3540 drives with the price of one Plextor.

<b><font color=blue>If you try to please everybody, nobody will like you<font color=blue></b>

 

[Starfishy]

I have chosen quite different specs. Mine is closer to meeting your budget but it is also far superior in gaming to the other rig suggested. I know you would be very disapointed for SC2 to come out and you not be able to play it. I know I would be. I stuck with the s754 because it seems like you don't do a lot of upgrading and it would appear that you build the entire system from scratch when you build.

<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827106966" target="_new">Lite-On DVD burner</A> $47.99

<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103484" target="_new">s754 A64 3400+</A> $212.99

<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148065" target="_new">250GB Seagate 7200.8</A> $116.00

<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813136147" target="_new">DFI NF3 board</A> $105.00

<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820146190" target="_new">Mushkin RAM of Wusy's</A> $79.95 (One DIMM works best in this board according to Anand)

<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130203" target="_new"> eVGA 6800GT</A> $309.00

This comes to a total of $870.93. This is still below budget, and it will be a pretty good gamer rig as well. That board will give you plenty of upgrading potential if you decide you need a little more punch a little while down the road. I didn't include a PSU because my opinion differs from the norm on what you should do for PSU's. I feel that people on this forum way overshoot what they "need" as far as PSU power goes.

 

[lockardaw]

The orignal post cited "minimal/no heating problems" as a criteria. Are the setups you guys suggest going to run cool enough with idriveabucket's "CHeap old hit sink fan" or is he going to need new cooler and a bunch of loud case fans? I am looking to upgrade a similarly built pc and have some of the same interests. But heat and noise are more important to me. I'm not very familiar with the latest CPUs, which is why I'm here. I've been advised by some to look at Pentium M (probably too expensive for the budget) or lower priced Celeron D and Sempron. Any thoughts?

 

[fate]

Just buy a retail cpu, he didn't say anything about overclocking so stock should be fine.