First Home-Built PC

[Ethan]

Hi! I am looking to build my first DIY system, and I just want to make
sure that it will perform decently. I'm looking for a mid-range system
that won't break the bank. What do you think about the components
below?

Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard
Drive
BIOSTAR A770 A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
XFX PVT84JYDF3 GeForce 8600 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16
HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
Antec earthwatts EA380 380W ATX12V v2.0 Power Supply
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz Socket AM2 125W Dual-Core
Processor Model ADX6000CZBOX
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System
Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD
CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual
Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5
COOLER MASTER Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP Black SECC ATX Mid Tower
Computer Case
(Link: http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=10085048)

I can get all these with rebates for $569.93 + shipping. What do you
think?

 

[Ethan]

Hi! I am looking to build my first DIY system, and I just want to make
sure that it will perform decently. I'm looking for a mid-range system
that won't break the bank. What do you think about the components
below?

Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard
Drive
BIOSTAR A770 A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
XFX PVT84JYDF3 GeForce 8600 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16
HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
Antec earthwatts EA380 380W ATX12V v2.0 Power Supply
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz Socket AM2 125W Dual-Core
Processor Model ADX6000CZBOX
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System
Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD
CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual
Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5
COOLER MASTER Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP Black SECC ATX Mid Tower
Computer Case
(Link:http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumbe...)

I can get all these with rebates for $569.93 + shipping. What do you
think?

Sorry... The link above doesn't work, but the list includes all the
information.

 

[Ethan]

Look fine to me except the 64-bit Vista. Will all your software run on it?

Thanks so much for reading... Like I said, I'm new to this... I read
somewhere that you could get a 64-bit OS and 32-bit software would
still run on it, but that when you bought new software to make sure
and get the 64-bit version. Is this correct?

 

[Dave]

it?

Half right... SOME 32-bit software will run on Vista 64, but many apps designed
for Win XP and earlier simply will not run on it. In fact, many utilities
designed for XP need upgrades to run on Vista 32.

If you already have software, you should check with the vendors to make sure
they all run on Vista 64. If not, you may want to get Vista 32 instead of
spending all the $$ on new software.

Be aware, that if you get 32-bit Vista, you can send away to Microsoft for
the 64-bit version for a nominal fee. I don't remember what the fee was,
but I'm sure it was less than $20. So you don't have to choose one or the
other, you can try both. Oh, and the 32-bit version of Vista runs great on
64-bit hardware. -Dave

 

[Dave]

Hi! I am looking to build my first DIY system, and I just want to make
sure that it will perform decently. I'm looking for a mid-range system
that won't break the bank. What do you think about the components
below?

Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard
Drive

Great start

BIOSTAR A770 A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard

Interesting choice, going with an AMD chipset with an nvidia graphics card.
But it should work great. And I'm not suggesting you change this. It is a
good choice, just "interesting"

XFX PVT84JYDF3 GeForce 8600 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16
Awesome

Antec earthwatts EA380 380W ATX12V v2.0 Power Supply

OK, I'm not 100% sure on this. If any 380W power supply will handle this
rig, the earthwatts series, made by Seasonic, is the safest bet. I'd feel
better if that power supply were slightly larger though, like around 450 or
500W. You don't need something huge, but 380W might not be much of a margin
above necessary power requirements. You could bump up to the 500W version
of this same power supply. But of course, it costs a little more.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz Socket AM2 125W Dual-Core
Processor Model ADX6000CZBOX

Is this retail? If not, you will need a cooler for it.

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System
Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD
OK

CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual
Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5

Overkill. I'd suggest you drop to 2GB of RAM (1 stick), and use the money
saved to upgrade to the 500W version of your power supply. You won't miss
the extra RAM (really!) and you can always add more RAM later, but it's a
bit harder to change the power supply if you find it isn't adequate.

COOLER MASTER Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP Black SECC ATX Mid Tower
Computer Case
nice


http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=10085
048)




I can get all these with rebates for $569.93 + shipping. What do you
think?

You obviously did your homework. I have a feeling if you went with your
original list, no modifications, you'd probably be very happy with the
results. But again, if it was my build, I'd go with a slightly larger power
supply and less RAM to start with. On a side note, what monitor are you
using? I hope it's something decent, like a 19" or larger LCD. Oh, and
you don't mention a DVD burner. If you are buying one, make sure that it
comes with some version of Nero *7* (even the cheapie essentials), as
previous versions don't work on Vista. Something like the following, for
example. -Dave

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106265

 

[Ethan]

Great start


Interesting choice, going with an AMD chipset with an nvidia graphics card.
But it should work great.  And I'm not suggesting you change this.  It is a
good choice, just "interesting"  


OK, I'm not 100% sure on this.  If any 380W power supply will handle this
rig, the earthwatts series, made by Seasonic, is the safest bet.  I'd feel
better if that power supply were slightly larger though, like around 450 or
500W.  You don't need something huge, but 380W might not be much of a margin
above necessary power requirements.  You could bump up to the 500W version
of this same power supply.  But of course, it costs a little more.


Is this retail?  If not, you will need a cooler for it.


Overkill.  I'd suggest you drop to 2GB of RAM (1 stick), and use the money
saved to upgrade to the 500W version of your power supply.  You won't miss
the extra RAM (really!) and you can always add more RAM later, but it's a
bit harder to change the power supply if you find it isn't adequate.


You obviously did your homework.  I have a feeling if you went with your
original list, no modifications, you'd probably be very happy with the
results.  But again, if it was my build, I'd go with a slightly larger power
supply and less RAM to start with.  On a side note, what monitor are you
using?  I hope it's something decent, like a 19" or larger LCD.    Oh, and
you don't mention a DVD burner.  If you are buying one, make sure that it
comes with some version of Nero *7* (even the cheapie essentials), as
previous versions don't work on Vista.  Something like the following, for
example.  -Dave

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106265

Wow! Thanks for the great suggestions, everyone... I've upgraded the
power supply to 500W of the same brand, dialed the RAM down to 2gb,
and the OS to 32-bit. The CPU is retail, and it comes with a heatsink
and fan... I think I'm going to wait until I have it all installed to
see how much room there is for a more elaborate cooling system. Great
suggestion for the DVD burner, as well... I was just going to bring
over my old DVD drive that wasn't a burner, but for $30 I'm happy to
free up an additional IDE slot so I can bring over both my original
hard drives. Here's the updated list (I think this link works):

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=8579052

Thanks again for the great pointers!

Ethan

 

[Dave]

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=85790
52

Thanks again for the great pointers!

Ethan

That list looks awesome, I wouldn't change a thing. Heck, it's almost
identical to a system I was specing out for a friend of the family.

Just one more bit of advice. Don't know if you will need it, but if you've
got a floppy drive in your current system, KEEP IT. That is, don't throw it
away, mark on it "save" with permanent marker and put it somewhere you won't
lose it. Don't know if this is still an issue, but in installing operating
systems on SATA hard drives, you sometimes have to load SATA drivers from
floppy before the OS will recognize the drive. Not a big deal. Other than
that minor issue, the floppy drive is totally obsolete, no need to
permanently install a floppy drive in a new build. But if you've got one
handy, you can always hook one up temporarily just to load the SATA drivers.
After the OS is installed, I'd suggest you image the OS hard drive to DVD,
using ghost or acronis true image or something like that. This will bypass
the need to install a floppy drive later, to reinstall the OS. Plus,
installing from an image of a previous install is MUCH faster. Reduces
install time from hours to a few minutes. -Dave

 

[Paul]

I have the Earthwatts 500 in 2 similar systems, but neither system draws more
than 210.



IF you drop to 2 GB RAM, make it 2 x 1 GB sticks. For DDR2 to work correctly
(fastest rate) in most MoBos, you need 2 sticks.

Considering the price of this memory, I'd just stick with the 2 x 2GB config.
I mean, it is $67 for 4GB of memory. With 2 x 2GB, you'll never be tempted
to upgrade it again.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145184&Tpk=TWIN2X4096-6400C5

Paul

 

[Ethan]

Just a few comments...

1) Are you building this system to a budget? I assume you are as none of the
majour components (except memory) are anywhere near the best
price/performance value on the market.

2) Why are you going for an AMD chip rather than Intel? Personal preference
or price?  I only ask because generally Intel chips are better value than
AMD and have been for the last year.

3) Why did you choose the 8600GT? It was underpowered when it was new and
will struggle with a lot of games released in the last 6 months and most of
those release in the next year. Have a look at the ATI cards especially the
X1950Pro if you can find one...

4) Why Vista, and even more WHY 64bit Vista? Vista is OK for home/office
type usage but if you are a gamer WinXP is still the better bet if you can
get a copy.

Be careful of the rebates... find the thread on here about them. They are
not always easy to claim and often have loopholes that mean you dont get
your money.

Rarius

       ---- Posted via Pronews.com - Premium Corporate Usenet News Provider ----http://www.pronews.comoffers corporate packages that have access to 100,000+ newsgroups

I actually started out looking at Intel systems, but another board
advised me that I was probably buying more power than I needed... How
about this? (Everything else being equal...)

Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Wolfdale 2.53GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core
Processor Model BX80571E7200
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual
Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK
BIOSTAR TForce TP43D2A7 LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard -
Retail
POWERCOLOR AX3650 512MD3-P Radeon HD 3650 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI
Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=6697814

 

[John Doe]

POWERCOLOR AX3650 512MD3-P Radeon HD 3650 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI
Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

There is no reason to avoid NVIDIA, unless you want to protest their
market power.

 

[Ethan]

I actually started out looking at Intel systems, but another board
advised me that I was probably buying more power than I needed... How
about this? (Everything else being equal...)

Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Wolfdale 2.53GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core
Processor Model BX80571E7200
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual
Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK
BIOSTAR TForce TP43D2A7 LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard -
Retail
POWERCOLOR AX3650 512MD3-P Radeon HD 3650 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI
Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumbe...

A couple other thoughts:

- I do have an XP Professional disc from school that I have modified
with nLite that I could use, and I would always be able to upgrade to
Vista if I still wanted to.
- I am kind of on a $600ish budget so the above configuration without
Vista would definitely hit that mark.
- And, unfortunately, at this point I'm ready for pretty much
*anything* better than the computer I've been using for the last 4
years. I like to think of it this way: The CPU would be 3 times faster
than right now, 8 times more RAM, 16 times more video memory, and I
don't even want to know how fast my RAM and FSB are now

 

[John Doe]

I never said Ethan should avaoid nVidia.

Wouldn't matter anyway.

I was not attacking nVidea cards in general,

Nobody cares.

Buying components purely on the name has never been a good reason.
Right now ATI cards are better in the mid range (x3850-x4870),
while nVidia holds the top end (260, 280).

Says who?

 

[John Doe]

Incorrect. You dont care.. not the same thing!

Are you just naturally unpleasant or do you have to practice?
Attacking others points of view in the way you do does nothing for
your reputation and qudos.

You are advertising on USENET for a BDSM bitch you can tie down and
beat, and you suggest I practice at being unpleasant?

 

[Dave]

Especially as he is intending to run Vista on it! Vista on 2Gb? Hmm...
not pretty!

Rarius

According to Vista, Vista does not run better if you install more than
1.5GB. Vista might be the first Microsoft OS that does not benefit from
more RAM (after a certain point). This makes perfect sense. Although
programs keep getting more power-hungry all the time, there has to be an
upper limit for RAM use. I'd say we've just about hit it, considering that
systems with solid state hard disks are just starting to hit the
arket. -Dave

 

[Dave]

1) Are you building this system to a budget? I assume you are as none of the
majour components (except memory) are anywhere near the best
price/performance value on the market.

OK, let's see you spec a better system for the same price. You do realize
that his price was in U.S. dollars, right?

2) Why are you going for an AMD chip rather than Intel? Personal preference
or price? I only ask because generally Intel chips are better value than
AMD and have been for the last year.

Closest match in terms of performance is the E8400, for about twice the
price. I'd say he made a good choice going with that 3GHz AMD chip, in
terms of bang/buck.

3) Why did you choose the 8600GT? It was underpowered when it was new and
will struggle with a lot of games released in the last 6 months and most of
those release in the next year. Have a look at the ATI cards especially the
X1950Pro if you can find one...

Maybe he likes nvidia, and doesn't need bleeding edge? Sheesh, the 8600gt
is a great choice.

4) Why Vista, and even more WHY 64bit Vista? Vista is OK for home/office
type usage but if you are a gamer WinXP is still the better bet if you can
get a copy.

Another Vista basher without a clue. How droll.

Be careful of the rebates... find the thread on here about them. They are
not always easy to claim and often have loopholes that mean you dont get
your money.

Well at least ya got somethin right, Rarius

 

[Dave]

I actually started out looking at Intel systems, but another board
advised me that I was probably buying more power than I needed... How
about this? (Everything else being equal...)

Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Wolfdale 2.53GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core
Processor Model BX80571E7200
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual
Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK
BIOSTAR TForce TP43D2A7 LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard -
Retail
POWERCOLOR AX3650 512MD3-P Radeon HD 3650 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI
Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail



(my reply)

Your AMD system was better. Stick with that, don't double-guess yourself.
THere is NOTHING wrong with Intel, but the AMD system you spec'd is pretty
nice, you'll love it. -Dave

 

[Dave]

You can get a 500mb harddrive for $58 or a 750 for $89 or a 1tb for $125.

But does he need it?

I hate Biostar. That's a gommmy MB. Get a micro MCI or AS Rock.

Biostar is one of the best brands there is, in terms of build quality.
Biostar is certainly better than Asus/Asrock/Gigabyte (all same company)
though I know that a lot of people will disagree with me on that issue.
Basically, Asus(asrock/gigabyte) is the most over-hyped brand there is.
Asus is Mediocre quality, poor support, rave reviews from lots of so-called
experts who should KNOW better. Meanwhile, Biostar is this lesser known
brand that builds much better quality mainboards and amazingly, manages to
price them very competitively. Biostar is probably the best-kept secret in
mainboards.

380 Watt PS? That's an oddball. Get a 450 watt for $15.00

And watch it explode shortly after you start it the first time. FIFTEEN
bucks? Shit, I wouldn't power a calculator with that puppy.

I'd dump that Windows Vista and get OpenSuSE Linux 11.0 with Openoffice,
it's free.

So would I, but it seems stupid in the extreme to preach that to a new
Windows builder. -Dave

 

[Dave]

That may be true for a "naked" OS, but not for one running several apps...

doesn't matter. I'm planning to test this eventually. My 64-bit Vista
system has 2GB ram. I'm gonna disable the page file and run multiple apps.,
just to see if I can overwhelm it. Bet I can't. -Dave

 

[Dave]

doesn't matter. I'm planning to test this eventually. My 64-bit Vista

I bet I can... with one application. I run graphics and video applications
that use over 2Gb of memory regularly.

Vista uses about 550Mb as a fresh install with no apps running... Leaving a
2Gb machine with about 1.5Gb left. Thats plenty if you mainly use MS Office
or play a few games... But as soon as you start loading the machine up with
a memory intensive task like rendering and video editing the more memory the
better.

Rarius

Which goes back to what I've said many times. Unless you have a specific
application which you know to be a real memory hog, it doesn't make sense to
install more than 1.5GB of RAM for Vista use. But then, I do recommend 2GB
just because it makes more sense to buy 2 X 1GB sticks than it does to buy
exactly 1.5GB. -Dave

 

[Dave]

The specific application that "IS" a memory hog is Vista

That's a matter of personal opinion. Vista seems to need LESS RAM than
XP... so if it's a memory hog, at least it is an improvement over previous
versions of windows. -Dave