tibwrcsbj

tibby, heres a couple of pics :





:-)

alz99

http://www.hyundaiperformance.com/forums/t...pic.php?t=58446

this might help.. just seen it on hp

01tibby

i found a case i like. i will be getting it tomorrow unless anyone says its horrible. looks cool, cheap, and its aluminum. plus all the reviews say its pretty good.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-144-074&depa=1

as far as mobos, what makes the one here
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-131-511&depa=0

not as good as the rest on this page....
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?...property&DEPA=0

would that first one be sufficient for me?

a_gut

Each motherboard will tell you the processors it supports, maximum processor speed, FSB speed, etc. The spec sheet will also tell you what kind of RAM it supports. Whatever motherboard you get, buy the fastest RAM it supports (P2 is usually DDR400 I think) and as much as you can, RAM is the #1 factor in performance for a PC, don't skimp on cheap RAM either. It'll more likely cause you more trouble than its worth. I prefer 1GB in my PC's laugh.gif .

If you really want your PC to scream, get a 10krpm or 15krpm hard drive (SATA goes up to 10krpm, have to go SCSI for 15krpm).

ATI and Nvidia make comparable products imo, whatever your price range and preference.

As someone suggested above, http://www.pricewatch.com can save you a lot. If you don't mind spending the time, look around at different retailers and build a parts list at their website, see how much it is + shipping (multiple items usually get lowered shipping), then build a seperate item list for each part from where it's cheapest. It'll take some time, but you'll find out what's the best deal.

Legend

Or just wait for PCI Express and SATA2

Wait until Christmas time. Early / Late december is when we're supposed to get them.

But then again, we were SUPPOSED to get HL2 about a year ago and just got it now. So who knows, personally I'd wait until they come out before I buy anything else new.

majik

use
www.pricewatch.com
and www.pricegrabber.com
to get an idea of what prices you should be paying for things. Most links do refer back to newegg.com though.

UltraTibby

PCI Express has been out for a few months. As for SATA2 I have regular SATA and trust me you dont really need anything faster.

My PC:

P4 3.2 HT
1.5 GIG DDR 400 running at Dual Channel
(3) 80 GIG IDE 10k RPM drives on a Raide Array
(2) 150 GIG SATA 10k RPM drives on a separate Raide
256 MB GeForce Graphics Card
Giga-Byte Motherboard with DPS
(7) Inside fans (not counting CPU fan)
Gigabyte and 10/100 dual LANs
450 Watt Power Supply

I know there is more I am forgetting. I built this PC about 8 months ago and ended up costing about $1100. Considering it is still faster than any PC they sell in retail stores even 8 months later I dont think I did too bad of a job. If you need any help matching Processors and MB's (or anything else) feel free to PM or IM me and I'll give you a hand.

01tibby

ok guys, i bought everything, and i think i did ok. total cost is barely over 1k. heres what i got. i decided to get a MOBO w/ an integrated sound and video card, because right now it suites me better(i will prolly ask for a vid. card for my bday in march). i just put links to newegg to show what i bought, i didnt buy it all from there.

MOBO
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-131-508&depa=0

CPU
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-116-185&depa=1

MEMORY
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc....-144-323&depa=1

MONITOR(i know, it prolly sucks, but its cheap and has warranty)
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-180-022&depa=1

DISK DRIVES
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetai...ductCode=170254
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-131-329&depa=1
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-103-116&depa=0

KEYBOARD/MOUSE
logitech cordless duo thing(im not finding a link for that.)

PRINTER(need scanning)
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-104-196&depa=1

SPEAKERS
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-157-003&depa=0

CASE
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-170-012&depa=1

i already ordered it all, half has already showed up. now, im starting to second guess my case selection. the kingwin case was still expensive, using pricewatch. what do you guys think about me going with this one instead.....

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc....-162-027&depa=1

im thinking of going with the braodway because:

1. lower price. i could return the kingwin case and get all the money back. save 50 dollars or so with the broadway one(it comes with its own PS too, the kingwin did not = $$$).

2. fan control. after examining, i dont think i will like the fan knob on the kingwin which is behind the front panel. the one on the broadway is easier to access, and looks cooler.

3. i really dont need the cooling capabilities of an aluminum case. i hardly ever play games on the computer.

4. ive been reading that the firewire port on the kingwin is designed crappy. its just a cable and is not designed for a motherboard header. now, i was thinking, this should be easy to fix, correct?(other than routing it outside and plugging it into a port)

5. im thinking the main reason for the price on the kingwin is its um, tear-down ease. thumbscrews everywhere, and a removable motherboard tray. things i DONT need. also, it has rolled edges everywhere, which are nice, but i dont mind getting cut up if it means saving 50 bucks.

so guys,

1. did i do pretty good in my selection?
2. what the hell should i do with this case problem. i know its not really that important as far as its relative price, but its driving me crazy.

any help is appreciated(especially after all that reading). i wouldnt have been able to get this far without all the help in this thread already. thanks fellas.

tanc

lookin good tibby, id go with another stick of ram
and your monitor is okay..nothing special..but nothing shitty.

01tibby

oh yeah, i know on the ram, im just to broke to afford it right now. i figured it would be better going with the 512 single stick though, instead of 2x256 so i could upgrade later.