New computer (rebuild)

[JiF]KellysHero · Post by **[JiF]KellysHero** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:19 pm

[JiF]Smuckers wrote:Step, my pc has yet to be approved by the war department.

ASUS M2N4-SLI Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI ATX AMD Motherboard $88.99
ASUS EN7950GT/HTDP/512M GeForce 7950GT 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Splendid Video Card $264.99
COOLER MASTER RS-550-ACLY ATX12V / EPS12V 550W Power Supply 115/230 V UL, cUL, TUV, NEMKO, BSMI $117.99
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+(65W) Windsor 2.0GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor $135.00
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory $280.00
Microsoft Windows XP Pro SP2b 1pk w/Upgrade Coupon for Vista $139.99

Hopefully the department head will approve my budget soon. If not I will be at the lan with the same old same old. P4 2.8 1gig ram ATI Radeon X850 video.

Not bad but I'd go with the GeForce 8800 GTS 320 mb Ram graphics card of the 7950GT. It's only $35 more, and it'll be Direct X 10 ready.

As for Intel based motherboards, here's a pretty good round up of MB's.
http://anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2914&p=4

Either the Asus P5B or the Gigabyte would work (probably gigabyte for you since you aren't planning on overclocking)

And the gigabyte store has 59% 5 star rating on Newegg and 21% 4 star, with close to 400 reviews.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813128012

[JiF]Rhykin · Post by **[JiF]Rhykin** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:14 pm

[JiF]Stepovich wrote:
[JiF]KellysHero wrote:
[JiF]Stepovich wrote:Mobo for the E6600?
Asus P5N-E, There are quite a few out there.
RAM for the board? I noticed in the
Newegg reviews some people had problems installing the sticks, any particular kind work
better?

RAM ( Kingston HyperX 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 900(PC2 7200) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820134017

MOBO ( ASUS P5N-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813131142

If you don't plan on over clocking ever, get an Intel Manufactured motherboard, they are incredibly stable but you'll never be able to overclock it. If you do plan on over clocking, spend a little extra money and get a decent motherboard, I was on a $1000 budget so I got the ASUS P5N-E. It is a great bang for the buck--but the more buck you got, the better bang you can get.

[JiF]Dandyman · Post by **[JiF]Dandyman** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 1:39 am

I just read an excellent review of a system builder called Puget Systems on Anandtech. The review was pretty good. Regardless of whether or not you would purchase from a builder like this, I love sites that have configuration pages like they have. They're great for seeing a variety of standard products you know will work together. Definitely worth checking out.

[JiF]Stepovich · Post by **[JiF]Stepovich** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:22 pm

So, it looks like so far I'm going with:

Core 2 duo, E6600 (sorry Riot!)
Asus P5NE Mobo
Either: Kingston HyperX 2gb or Corsair XMS2 2gb (more for Kingston, not sure if worth it)
Thermaltake ATX 12V 2.0 550W
Rosewill RCX-Z3 Ball CPU Cooler

Big question is, do I keep my new BFG GeForce 7600GT or return it and move up?
...or, I could get a second one and SLI

[JiF]rIot · Post by **[JiF]rIot** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:01 pm

Don't appologize to me, we all know how one thing leads to another

[JiF]Rhykin · Post by **[JiF]Rhykin** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 4:20 pm

Rosewill RCX-Z3 Ball CPU Cooler

Make sure there's no fitting issues with the cooler before you buy the motherboard. Judging by the look of it and the fimiliarity I have with the board, you should be all set. I had to physically modify my Tuniq Tower (by grinding down the medal bracket that helps it screw in, which yours does not have) in order to get a nice fit on it. All worth it though. CPU is still cool and I can keep OC'ing higher if I want to

[JiF]LtWaterboy · Post by **[JiF]LtWaterboy** » Mon May 14, 2007 8:10 pm

[JiF]Stepovich wrote:So, it looks like so far I'm going with:

Core 2 duo, E6600 (sorry Riot!)
Asus P5NE Mobo
Either: Kingston HyperX 2gb or Corsair XMS2 2gb (more for Kingston, not sure if worth it)
Thermaltake ATX 12V 2.0 550W
Rosewill RCX-Z3 Ball CPU Cooler

Big question is, do I keep my new BFG GeForce 7600GT or return it and move up?
...or, I could get a second one and SLI

Step,

Did you ever get a new system such as this??

When I get back to Cincy, I plan to replace mine from scratch with a top-line system.
I am struggling to go back to Dell, since they screwed me AGAIN on my vid card (fried this one - that's why I have been MIA the past 8-9 days).

I was looking into this:

Intel Duo Core Extreme (E6700 or E6800 - overclocked) as the basis
motherboard - to support the above (and the next couple below!!)
vid/sound card - at least a 512MB vid card (wondering if my Audigy 2 card is still usuable for new system - it is a PCI)
memory - 2 to 4 GB, probably Kingston
Case - looking for most expandable (and looks cool) with probably 700W power supply and maybe liquid cooling (if reliable and not cluttered inside case).
Reuse my new DVD-RW and CD-RW drives, and ethernet PCI card
maybe replace my PCI Hauppage HVR-1600 TV tuner with ATI Theater 650 TV tuner card
Keep my Logitech MX5000 Laser Desktop and THX Digital Surround speakers (Z-5150??)
Will hold onto my 22" Dell Ultrasharp 1905 flat panel, but will eventually go to the 30" one.

With monitor (above) and dual 768MB vid cards, the complete system from Dell is approx $7000 (monitor is $1400).

I'll probably be posting a similar request to everyone later on how to check compabilities of the above items if I do go that route.

LT

[JiF]Stepovich · Post by **[JiF]Stepovich** » Mon May 14, 2007 8:40 pm

I did and it's been fantastic.
All the games playing at maxed out settings.

The build was really smooth, everything fit
perfectly and it started right up first try....amazing
considering this was my first time building a system
from scratch.

Too bad you aren't coming the the NorEaster, you
could win a new CPU

[JiF]Lonewolf · Post by **[JiF]Lonewolf** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:32 am

I plan on winning one of those CPUs so I can sell it and build me another system.

If I would win one of those I guess my new AMD system that I'm going to build tomorrow would have a buddy setting beside it.

I just got all of my parts today.

MSI K8N Diamond Plus
2xXFX 7800GT 256mb
AMD 64 3800+ X2
2G Corsair TwinX2048 - 3200PRO
2x 160G WD SATA2 hdd
Silverstone ST60F 600W PSU
Sony DVD+/-RW Black

When I bought all of this in February of of last year (06) it was all top of the line and now its outdated. Oh well, I'll still enjoy it all till I build another top of the line system this summer I hope.

[JiF][AARP]Grimp · Post by **[JiF][AARP]Grimp** » Tue May 15, 2007 10:49 am

The most important part is what the case looks like

[JiF]Lonewolf · Post by **[JiF]Lonewolf** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:07 pm

[JiF][AARP]Grimp wrote:The most important part is what the case looks like

Well my parts wont be in the new KickButtComputers.com case that they was suppose to be in but I have a nice WC case they are going in.
Case
Case2
Case3
New parts

[JiF][AARP]Grimp · Post by **[JiF][AARP]Grimp** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:47 pm

Wow its looks large. I am not sure it has enough drive bays though

[JiF]rIot · Post by **[JiF]rIot** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:59 pm

Yeah, I see a definite lacking in drive bays as well, what a shame, otherwise, its a great case

[JiF]Stepovich · Post by **[JiF]Stepovich** » Tue May 15, 2007 2:00 pm

This is the one I went with-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811156062
looks nice, but function-wise, it's amazing.
both side panels are bottom-hinged so they can be opened out-
and the many-fan venting system has kept everything nice and chilly.

[JiF][AARP]Grimp · Post by **[JiF][AARP]Grimp** » Tue May 15, 2007 2:33 pm

Thats nice, but does it have bullet holes like the last one