Budget performance office system: $600, e7200 + eVGA 112-CK-NF75-K1 ?

[DanKegel]

I'm doing my once-every-couple-of-years build-new-system-for-wife
dance.
Looks like I'm going for:
* Intel Core 2 Duo e7200: $132
* evga 112-CK-NF75-K1 motherboard: $75 (- optional $20 rebate)
* Western Digital 750GB green drive: $120
* Mushkin's 5-4-4-12 2GB PC6400 DDR2 RAM: $45 (- $10 rebate
optional).
* Acer AL2216Wbd Black 22": $230
Total: $601 + $50 tax + $26 3 day shipping = $677,
comfortably between the min and rank 10 prices from pricewatch

I've written up the selection and pricing process I went
through, complete with handy links, at
http://kegel.com/new-computer-2008.html

Two questions:
1) am I insane to propose using that motherboard?
2) can someone recommend a good, quiet case
that can handle all that plus DVD and floppy drives?

Thanks,
Dan Kegel

 

[Dave]

I'm doing my once-every-couple-of-years build-new-system-for-wife
dance.
Looks like I'm going for:
* Intel Core 2 Duo e7200: $132
* evga 112-CK-NF75-K1 motherboard: $75 (- optional $20 rebate)
* Western Digital 750GB green drive: $120
* Mushkin's 5-4-4-12 2GB PC6400 DDR2 RAM: $45 (- $10 rebate
optional).
* Acer AL2216Wbd Black 22": $230
Total: $601 + $50 tax + $26 3 day shipping = $677,
comfortably between the min and rank 10 prices from pricewatch

I've written up the selection and pricing process I went
through, complete with handy links, at
http://kegel.com/new-computer-2008.html

Two questions:
1) am I insane to propose using that motherboard?

Not at all. EVGA is an excellent brand, one of the best. Don't know about
their mainboards, but if the quality is the same as EVGA video cards, you
have made a very wise choice! I wouldn't hesitate to build with an evga
*anything*.

2) can someone recommend a good, quiet case
that can handle all that plus DVD and floppy drives?

Cases are generally pretty quiet. It's the power supply and cooling fans
(that you add to the case, or REPLACE on the case) that can cause noise
issues. I'd recommend just about any mid-tower case with 120mm fan mounts
(for quieter cooling fans) and the following to add to it:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371006
(if you confirm that your mainboard needs a 4-pin cpu power connector, and
not an 8-pin)
Now watch someone post that the power supply I recommended is "puny". I
know it's not fashionable to use anything less than a 1000 watt power supply
these days. But a good name brand 80% efficiency rated power supply of 430W
is actually a bit oversized for the system you spec'd. I'm running more
powerful systems off of 350-380W power supplies with no problems at all.
It's a good match. -Dave

Oh, I think you mentioned you want to upgrade your monitor. Be aware that
going from a 19" 4:3 aspect ratio to a 22" widescreen LCD is NOT an upgrade
in size. If anything your "old" monitor might be just a tad larger. The
viewing area is still measured the same. Problem is the rectangular shape.
Wider but SHORT. If you're going widescreen, you should look at 24" or
larger, if you want to upgrade in size at the same time. I'm serious when I
say your wife will probably think that a 22" widescreen is "small" compared
to a 19" 4:3 aspect monitor.

 

[Paul]

I'm doing my once-every-couple-of-years build-new-system-for-wife
dance.
Looks like I'm going for:
* Intel Core 2 Duo e7200: $132
* evga 112-CK-NF75-K1 motherboard: $75 (- optional $20 rebate)
* Western Digital 750GB green drive: $120
* Mushkin's 5-4-4-12 2GB PC6400 DDR2 RAM: $45 (- $10 rebate
optional).
* Acer AL2216Wbd Black 22": $230
Total: $601 + $50 tax + $26 3 day shipping = $677,
comfortably between the min and rank 10 prices from pricewatch

I've written up the selection and pricing process I went
through, complete with handy links, at
http://kegel.com/new-computer-2008.html

Two questions:
1) am I insane to propose using that motherboard?
2) can someone recommend a good, quiet case
that can handle all that plus DVD and floppy drives?

Thanks,
Dan Kegel

According to this Asus manual for another 7100/630i motherboard,
the memory is single channel.

http://dlsvr03.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/socket775/P5N-EM_HDMI/P5N-EM-HDMI_manual_E3488.zip

That is not stated on the Nvidia web page.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/mcp_intel_techspecs.html

A manual for a 7050 based board from Asus, states the same thing,
that the 7050 is single channel.

Not a big deal, but should have been mentioned in someone's
advertising material. It'll still compute just fine.

A small number of companies, don't make their own motherboards.
Instead, Nvidia contracts to one larger manufacturer, to make
boards and presumably test that they work. Then, companies like
EVGA, fit their own coolers and install nametags and such. One
way to detect this, is download the user manual and check the
font used in the manual. If the manual is written in "Nvidia font",
that tends to suggest one of the Nvidia manufactured boards.
BIOS fixes will come from Nvidia and be distributed to the small
companies, and should fix all boards sold by the small companies
at about the same time.

http://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=112-CK-NF75-K1
http://www.evga.com/products/pdf/GPUMBQuickGuide.pdf

These are presumably the analog (VGA) display options, as the
digital options should be more limited. See PDF page 44 and 43.
Your monitor's 1680x1050 is covered by the VGA. The DVI digital
probably stops at about 1920 (but I'd really prefer to see that
in print, due to the history of DVI).

http://us.download.nvidia.com/Windows/169.25/169.25_WinVista_Forceware_Release_Notes.pdf

640 x 480 32bit 60 72 75 85 100
720 x 480 32 60
720 x 576 32 60
800 x 600 32 60 72 75 85 100
1024 x 768 32 60 72 75 85 100
1152 x 864 32 60 70 72 75 85 100 120 140 144 150 170 200
1280 x 768 32 60 72 75 85 100
1280 x 1024 32 60 72 75 85 100
1440 x 900 32 60 70 72 75 85 100 120 140 144 150 170 200
1600 x 900 32 60 72 75 85 100
1600 x 1200 32 60 72 75 85 100
1680 x 1050 32 60
1920 x 1080 32 30i <--- interleaved? not sure what that means.
1920 x 1200 32 60 72 75 85
1920 x 1440 32 60 75
2048 x 1536 32 60

You don't say what OS you're using in the above, but 2GB
should cover whatever you choose.

Paul

 

[sdlomi2]

I'm doing my once-every-couple-of-years build-new-system-for-wife
dance.
Looks like I'm going for:
* Intel Core 2 Duo e7200: $132
* evga 112-CK-NF75-K1 motherboard: $75 (- optional $20 rebate)
* Western Digital 750GB green drive: $120
* Mushkin's 5-4-4-12 2GB PC6400 DDR2 RAM: $45 (- $10 rebate
optional).
* Acer AL2216Wbd Black 22": $230
Total: $601 + $50 tax + $26 3 day shipping = $677,
comfortably between the min and rank 10 prices from pricewatch

I've written up the selection and pricing process I went
through, complete with handy links, at
http://kegel.com/new-computer-2008.html

Two questions:
1) am I insane to propose using that motherboard?
2) can someone recommend a good, quiet case
that can handle all that plus DVD and floppy drives?

Thanks,
Dan Kegel

Coincidentally, saw this today: "Dell Inspiron 530 Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz
Desktop PC + 24" LCD for $699 + free shipping". Link is:
<http://dealnews.com/229519.html?ref=txt_dealnewsletter>. I'm not such an
advocate of namebrand-purchases, just such similarity to your specs, plus
has the "really" bigger 24-inch screen. s

 

[DanKegel]

Not at all.  EVGA is an excellent brand, one of the best.  Don't know about
their mainboards, but if the quality is the same as EVGA video cards, you
have made a very wise choice!  
ok

Cases are generally pretty quiet.  It's the power supply and cooling fans
(that you add to the case, or REPLACE on the case) that can cause noise
issues.  I'd recommend just about any mid-tower case with 120mm fan mounts
(for quieter cooling fans) and the following to add to it:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371006
(if you confirm that your mainboard needs a 4-pin cpu power connector, and
not an 8-pin)

the mobo prefers 8 pin, but can take 4 pin. Thanks for the
recommendation!
I sorted cases by rating and chose the first one under $50, will add
ps.

Now watch someone post that the power supply I recommended is "puny".  I
know it's not fashionable to use anything less than a 1000 watt power supply
these days.  But a good name brand 80% efficiency rated power supply of 430W
is actually a bit oversized for the system you spec'd.  I'm running more
powerful systems off of 350-380W power supplies with no problems at all.

The 380 watt power supply by same vendor has a $25 rebate, that sounds
fine.

Oh, I think you mentioned you want to upgrade your monitor.  Be aware that
going from a 19" 4:3 aspect ratio to a 22" widescreen LCD is NOT an upgrade
in size.  If anything your "old" monitor might be just a tad larger.  

ok, going with 24".

Revised specs:
* Intel Core 2 Duo e7200: $132
* evga motherboard: $75 (- optional $20 rebate)
* Western Digital 750GB green drive: $120
* Mushkin's 5-4-4-12 2GB PC6400 DDR2 RAM: $45 (- $10 rebate
optional).
* Acer AL2416WBsd Silver 24" 5ms Widescreen LCD: $350 + $22
shipping
* Compucase hec 6C28BS ATX Mid Tower Case: $32 + $5 shipping
* Antec earthwatts EA380 380W: $55 + free shipping (- optional $25
rebate)

Total: $809 + $67 tax + $38 3 day shipping = $913 (- $55 rebate)

The Dell deal somebody mentioned is competitive, but not a clear win
(although 8MB
of L2 cache and a quad core processor sound at least somewhat
tempting).

Whew. Thanks for helping me through all that.

Again, I've put clickable details online at
http://kegel.com/new-computer-2008.html
- Dan