Building a comp...what to buy?

[gOOters]

Okay I am nub. I keep trying to buy a new comp...but too many expenses keep popping up (just plunked over a grand today on plane tickets, ugh!)...plus I am saving for a wedding.

 

So...I am really getting sick of my comp right now. I have a fast internet connection, but my comp gives me 20 fps. It is so old and crappy, I dont think any part of it can be reused.

 

How much computer can I get for about $500? I will need a new case/power supply as well. I am thinking of having Fry's here in Dallas do it for me. I get to pick all my parts and they dont charge much at all to assemble it.

 

So...what should I get? Am I spending enough? Should I wait until I can afford more? I want to be able to play new games like Halflife II and BF 1942. Thanks in advance for your opinions.

[Asphyxiator]

Processor and mem prices are high right now, wait a month or two.

[gOOters]

Why are they high? How fast a processor do I need? Is DDR Ram okay? I found 256MB DDR for $50. Any suggestions for moBos? I need an ATX case right? Is 400W enough for a good vid card and processor? Hehe thanks guys.

[Gond]

Yes, 400 w is plenty. I run 350 with a 2.4 gig & an ATA 9500 pro, HD and 2 CD ROM's.

 

How bout you put up your specs and we can see what is salvagable. I don't think you can build a decent machine for 500 bucks unless you have lots of parts currently.

[gOOters]

450PII, 14GB 5200RPM HD, GeForce MX440 64 MB, Old Crappy MoBo, 250W Power Supply

Basically, I guess I can salvage the Vid Card (for awhile),the HD, and the CD-ROM.

 

I will need new case, mobo/processor, and RAM...I guess. Anything else?

[Gond]

Yea, HD and video card are about all you can save from that hookup. You might even be able to reuse the case & put a new power supply in it if it's an ATX case.

 

So, you need

*MoBo (without much research look at the Gigabyte GA-8IHXP or an equivilant) about $150

*Chip (look at the 2.4's 533fsb if you go intel) about $180

*Ram (at least 128 but more is always better!!! Make sure it works in the MoBo you get) You got your 256 down there for 50

*Sound card (or get one on MoBo)

*Ethernet card (or on MoBo)

 

Thats about $380 not counting a case/power supply which I'm sure you can get for 80...assuming you need it. That MoBo does have LAN & Audio on it.

[rackish]

my opinion is for you to wait, unless all you're gonna do is play cs?

[Playaa]

I'm technically with Rack on this one....I don't think you'll get a good enough system for $500....though what Gond built there doesn't look too bad pricewise...(don't know the specific parts though)

 

if you're not looking for the absolute best system in the world but still good I recommend looking for rebate deals on Newegg.com

there's a Biostar mobo with nForce2 Chipset for around $60 with rebate....I'd find the link but I'm on 56k and I'm lazy....maybe tomorrow morning.

[gOOters]

So...how much WOULD a decent system cost...ballpark? I find it hard to believe that I can't get a MoBo/Processor, Case, and RAM that will greatly improve my gameplay for <$500. I mean, I play on a TEN year old computer and I do allright. I just want to be able to play newer games and get better FPS so I can pwn you all with my |337N3S5

 

I mean...do I really need a 2.4G processor? Do any of you get good gaming performance on your machines with less processor speed than that? Oh, I will be upgrading the video card before too long also.

[Gond]

dood...that system I priced is fine for 500 and it will, with the exception of the video card, do anything you need for a few years at least. The top chip is like 3.09 so your not far behind.

 

Figure it this way. For 500 bucks you jump 2 generations and 5x your speed.

 

You want top of the line. Best you can probably do is 1,200...go all out and you can probably double that. Check out my boy Abyss' new rig...very top line stuff.

 

http://216.254.21.250/forums/index.php?act...t=ST&f=9&t=3075

 

Oh, and to answer your question. I could NOT play 1942 on my P3-600. I could barely play Jedi 2. CS was fine but only about 70 fps with a Radeon 9500 pro. Now CS rocks out at 99. I don't think smoke would cause it to drop.

 

fyi, I built a 2.4 ghz, 1 gig ram, 9500 pro, 80 gig hd, dvd burn, cd rom Audigy sound about 6 months ago for 1,500 at least.

Edited September 10, 2003 by Gond

[Guest zerodamage]

Intel is the more costly solution and you could probably get a little more if you went with an AMD solution.

 

 

For example:

 

AOpen AK79D-400Max

New egg has it under a 100 bucks.

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?...79D%2D400%2CMax

 

Here is Tom's review http://www20.tomshardware.com/motherboard/...tra_400-04.html

 

Here is the Barton 2500 which is what I have. You will want the Retail unless you plan on buying Heat sink and fan seperately. It is at 92 bucks right now.

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?...2Cbarton%2C2500

 

So far you have your CPU and Mobo for under 200. Still 300 to go.

 

RAM: CORSAIR MEMORY XMS Extreme Memory Speed Series 256MB 32MX8 PC-3200C2 With Heat Spreader OEM

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?...%2CSeries%2C256

 

3rd one down. That is what you want to take advantage of the 400 fsb speed. You really want 2 for the dual memory config but one for now will due if that is all you can afford. THat is another 130 bucks. You are now a little over 300. 200 or so to go.

 

For video, and i normally would not recommend this but that card you have now is junk. Try for the Geforce FX 5200 or better if you are willing to spend more than 500 for everything. That card is basically junk but better than what you have. It costs like 65 bucks or so but performs badly. It is a dx9 part but doesn't perform like one and do not expect much out of the way of AA and AF performance.

 

You can pick up a Power supply and Case for like 100 bucks or less depending on what you are looking for. That should be about your 500 dollar range.

 

But consider a better vid card like a Radeon 9600 pro (9500 pro is better if you can find one) or GeForce FX 5600. They are in the 180-200 range and better worth the money than the 5200 is. This will put you around 600 or so.

[gOOters]

Thanks Gond...Thanks ZD!

 

ZD...I am looking up the parts on the pinks to newegg...looks like the prices are $80 for MoBo, $85 for CPU, and $65 for RAM!?!? All include free shipping!

 

Christi gave me a gift certificate to Fry's that will more than cover the case&power supply! So...maybe I can do this thing for about $230 w/o the vid card, then limp along until I can jump up to one of the nicer Radeons!

 

I think I am going to do this. What do you think a decent computer shop would charge to put my stuff together? I could disassemble my old computer and just bring in all the components and software at once...I would let them wipe out my HD and start fresh...I like doing that, just need to find a way to save all my car racing .mpegs in the process.

 

Thanks for the advise guys!!

 

 

Edit: New Egg says the CPU has a 333 FSB...not 400?

Edited September 10, 2003 by gOOters

[Guest zerodamage]

They easily overclock to 400 in most cases. You may be out of luck and get one that doens't. Either way, That is what I am using. The 333 fsb one. You still cant beat the performance for the price. It is the same CPU I am using and I have just the Multiplier overclocked. So instead of being 1800~Mhz, it is 2200~ Mhz.

 

Keep in mind for the RAM that you want two of those 256MB sticks if you can. That helps a lot with performance and it will only add 65 dollars more.

 

As for putting it together, you could do it yourself easier and cheaper. But maybe ask someone you know who has done it before.

Edited September 10, 2003 by zerodamage

[Gond]

The intel is 533 fsb

[Guest zerodamage]

The intel is 533 fsb

Yeah but the AMD's and Intels are different and they do not compare in that way.

[Gond]

Who's mhz is faster? AMD 400 mhz fsb or Intel 533 mhz fsb?

 

Sorry...I'm an Intel biggot

[RiZad]

whats faster a AMD 3200+ or a P4 2.2Ghz?

[gOOters]

http://www.newegg.com

 

So...is it a concensus? I am thinking about going with ZD's suggestions. CHEAP! And it looks like a decent system too.

[Gond]

I'm sure AMD is a fine product and will do you fine. I've just never built one. I know there are quite a few people out there with AMD.

 

I just think they are stupid because they use numbers like 1300 in their product names which don't mean anything

[THX1138]

i run 3 AMD machines at my house and dont have any probs. If you want to save a little and get more bang for your buck go with AMD.

[NOFX]

i built my friend a comp last christmas, he got everything but monitor and video card for 420 bucks.

 

He got

512 DDR

AMD 2000+

Asus 333 mobo

and a 40 Gig WD i believe with a case and a 350W PS.

 

Im sure you can get that system for around 300 now....and that will be plenty to push any game, just as long as you have a decent vid card If your playin any games new than CS drop about 150-200 on a vid card

Edited September 10, 2003 by NOFX

[Playaa]

I'm sure AMD is a fine product and will do you fine.  I've just never built one.  I know there are quite a few people out there with AMD.

 

I just think they are stupid because they use numbers like 1300 in their product names which don't mean anything

the reason AMD puts those numbers in their product names is so the stupid consumers won't look at an Athlon 1.4ghz and think "well hey, I'll get this Pentium 1.6ghz cause it's faster".......in reality an Athlon XP 1600+ (1.4ghz) runs as fast and productive as a Pentium 1.6ghz (hence the 1600 in the name) and then the consumer will think they're comparable just by looking at the name because they ARE!

 

btw, the numbers on Athlons compared to Pentiums are rather screwy....I've heard everything from an Athlon is comparable to a 200mhz faster Pentium up to an Athlon is comparable to a 500mhz faster Pentium

 

the biggest problem is that Pentium is the one lying to consumers by upping the speeds without truly upping the processing power (and no they are not 100% directly related)

[NOFX]

the reason AMD puts those numbers in their product names is so the stupid consumers won't look at an Athlon 1.4ghz and think "well hey, I'll get this Pentium 1.6ghz cause it's faster".......in reality an Athlon XP 1600+ (1.4ghz) runs as fast and productive as a Pentium 1.6ghz (hence the 1600 in the name) and then the consumer will think they're comparable just by looking at the name because they ARE!

or it could be a gimmick so that ppl will be like oh.. a AMD 1.4 is faster than a P4 1.4 so therefore it must be better. I have always gone with AMD cuz they good processors, cheap and fast. But believe me...if I had the money Id get a Pentium.

[DJ Premier]

Go to www.pcprogress.com and use their configurator to spec it out. I'd use $550 to $600 from their configurator since you can get the parts elsewhere and only spend $500. It's a cool utility that'll get you going and create a basket with the parts you need.

 

I just upgraded to an AMD XP 2600+, 512MB DDR RAM (333Mhz Dual Channel), the best AMD motherboard out at the time (Asus nforce2 deluxe - comes with usb2, firewire, 2 network ports and a sound card) for under $300. Add a cool case, a power supply and you're in the ballpark area. You probably can get better than what I have now for less since it was a few months ago that I upgraded.

 

Here's what I would buy. It's a simple setup, nothing too fancy and it should suffice for all of your needs for some time.

 

ATHLON XP 2700+ SOCKET A (333Mhz BUS) WITH QUANTISPEED ~$130

Asus ASA7N8XDEL Motherboard (Comes with USB2.0, FireWire, Serial ATA, 2 Network cards and 3D Sound) $125.00

2 Corsair CMX256A-3200LLPT Memory Chips XMS3200 (400MHZ BUS) 256MB LOW LATENCY DDR 32X64 ~$75 each for a total of $150

 

That's $405. That leaves you $95 for case and power supply. Most places have free shipping lately.

 

================================

 

Some reasons why I chose these parts:

 

AMD 2700+ - AMD has great price/performance ratio. Although, I'd AVOID the AMD 2500+ Barton CPU. There's a really good reason why they are cheap. They are sometimes much slower than AMD 2100+ in some instances. The FSB of 400mhz is not taken advantage of by the low clock speed. I know you can overclock them but since you are a newbie, I'd highly recommend AGAINST overclocking. Keep it simple, use it for what you paid for. There are plenty of sites that have produced bad results with the AMD 2500+ Barton. Do a google search and you'll find dozens.

 

Asus motherboard - Asus consistently produces the most stable and reliable motherboards on the market. They also cost the most. This is because they are the premier motherboard manufacturer on the planet. Think about it, the motherboard is the most important piece of the system. Everything relies on it. That's why I choose only the most stable and reliable. Asus wins that title every time. Also, this motherboard comes with 2 network cards, a kick donkey sound card and USB2 and FireWire. Great stuff.

 

RAM - Get 512MB. Get 2 256MB Chips so you can run them dual channel. 256MB is simply NOT enough these days. There is a significant difference when I'm using 256 vs 512, especially for games. RAM is cheap, buy plenty.

Edited September 10, 2003 by DJ Premier

[Gond]

I still find it amazing that the mhz for AMD is faster than the mhz for Intel. Thats kinda like the mph for Ford being faster than the mph for Chevy.

 

I have heard that Intel chips are underclocked to keep them from getting as hot thus prolonging their lives...however, this generally has meant that a 2.4 is actually a 2.6.