Building a Computer Over the Summer and Definitely Open to Suggestions!

[-=Squid=-]

Dude, get a dell. lol. Seriously though, you SHOULD look into it because I just got a catalogue in the mail that would make for a killer gaming PC, for only $450, and thats with a flatscreen monitor, but as usual im sure there is some catch

[Loser]

The Dell computers are at a good price, but at $450, the catch is flatscreen NOT included.

[-=Squid=-]

Originally posted by Loser
The Dell computers are at a good price, but at $450, the catch is flatscreen NOT included.

[MantisMag]

i poop on Dell. i don't care what model you get.

[mjs1217]

Okay, I have taken all of your suggestions into consideration, and with great pleasure, I present to you...
[Triumphant music] The New And Improved Computer Parts List!![/Triumpahnt Music]
Here are the parts that I am now most likely going to buy: (See Attachment)

[devildog]

change your motherboard, if you want to keep it cheap and still get the performance, go for the ABIT nf7 model boards, the nforce2 chipsets are the fastest gaming wise right now and abit is the agd of motherboards, so go that route. if you dont mind spending a bit more, they are coming out with the nforce3 chipset, so get the abit board with that chipset in it, should be out soon.

[Kellen_p8nt]

try www.pricewatch.com they list the online prices for just about every computer part imaginable. They are the first place i usually check when i buy somen new...Oh And i recommend using Linux Redhat as primary and seeing about running Windows XP professions al as the dual boot if you can spare the cash because its allways worth it and it just makes for alot more interesting setup

but as we all know Windows is the devil...XP crashes on me everyday atleast once....i need to format this POS

[bornl33t]

Originally posted by Crimson_Turkey
Looks good. Pe4rsonally I suggest an Asus A7V333 mobo. Has onboard sound too.

FREAKING AWESOME MOBO, I like mine

check out googlegear.com too they got free 2nd day shipping. It's asolutly splendid

[WickeDKlowN]

I like KDComputers.com They have flat shipping charges($8 fro 2nd day air). and usually have good prices

[ASDadam]

Wow, amazing about the heat issues. I run a 1.6 Pentium on a MSI mb. I've overclocked the ram and the 1.6. THe 1.6 is running at 1.8 at 76 degrees F, and the case usually runs in the mid to high 70s. Overclocked the Video card too. I've got 1 fan blowing from the front to the back. STOCK Proccessor Fans and Heatsinks, One PCI Fan. 1 Fan on the Video and heatsinks on the ram. Plus one fan blowing out the back. No real big cooling system but it works. BTW, i live in Eastern NC where it is HOT and HUMID. Just my two cents on the cooling issue with the AMD........

[MarkM]

Well to only have pushed it .2 gig you haven't exactly taxed it have you, when you over clock an AMD from 800 to 1.8 then you do generate heat....ram overclocking? whatever program you are using is lying to you...up the power to them and they go pop pure and simple you "can" optimise the ram with software to free up the cache figures but thats it...video card yeah I'll give you that one but the "stock" cooling fans are pretty kak anyway they spin is about all that can be said for them. Pentiums are good processors but overpriced for the performance benchmarks especially when you put them in a direct chip for chip comparison with AMD.

mjs1217, you are nearly there with your MB but as you will switch off the on-board graphics...why pay out for a board that has them?

[Star_Base_CGI]

Originally posted by Kellen_p8nt
try www.pricewatch.com they list the online prices for just about every computer part imaginable. They are the first place i usually check when i buy somen new...Oh And i recommend using Linux Redhat as primary and seeing about running Windows XP professions al as the dual boot if you can spare the cash because its allways worth it and it just makes for alot more interesting setup

but as we all know Windows is the devil...XP crashes on me everyday atleast once....i need to format this POS

All the nerds goto Pricewatch.com. I LIked Directron.com Computergeeks.com and Newegg.com.

I would get a AMD Socket A Athlon Motherboard. The Motherboard Manual tells you all the parts you need and the type of memory. The Athlons is very cheap. The Intell Pentium 4 Blah Blach Monopolizer is $200 the Atholon < $100. The RDRAM memory for the Intel is more. The DDRAM memory is cheaper. You want lots of memory like 512 and like a CPU around 1-2 Gigahertz. You want a big fat heatsink. SOmething big and cheap like a brick.

I would get the Case at Directron. The Owner is a cocky arogant Chinese Guy that Gets good cases from CHina. He has the older model Alien Ware Cases. The Owner is also a Nice guy has contests like Tom. Even though I called him Cocky and Arogant. Geta keyboard and a mouse from Directorn. Get a optical mouse.

For your harddrive spend $100. Get something fat like 40 or 60 Gigabytes.

FOr your video card get a Ge Force Clone Card with TV out.

Some Motherboards come with Audio and stuff. So definetly get the motherboard first and read the manual.

$100 CPU AMD Athlon XP Barton 2500+
$50 Case
$100 Hardrive
$100 Motherboard with DDRAM 333 Bus
$100 Ge Force clone with 128 megs memory
$30 Keyboard and mouse
$40 Speakers
$50 DDR MEMORY Memory
$20 NIC LAN CARD
$20 CPU cooler

$100 Case of Paintballs

Total $700

Now obviously depending on what you want you can go up or down. Its your decision. First thing you want is a rocking case and than a motherboard. Than go on from there.

directron.infopop.com has a tech forum but I left it because alot of scene whores come in and act like there all that when they dont know anything. You can still read through it. Its good.

[ASDadam]

Ram overclocking is based on its Mhz speed. You can change this and increase the flow of your ram. Anyway, Pentiums MAY be over priced, BUT, they come with a built in shutdown if the CPU gets too hot. AMD's do not do that, they just melt......done it to alot of AMD's when i was teaching CET at the highschool. I only have my PIV clocked .2 higher because thats all i need. All my programs run maxed out on graphics with no slowdown (except when smoke comes into play, still running a Geforce 2Ti, hardcore beast it is but no T&L). And i agree with you on the on board. NEVER buy a board with on board sound or video if you plan on ever upgrading. Its a waste and alot of trouble.

[MantisMag]

bah! overpriced? it's only recently that amd's prices have dropped. i've been watching prices since march because i too am going to be building a computer. up until a little over a month ago amd and intel were going for almost the same price. the top of the line 3000+ and 2800+ were actuallly selling for more than the P4 3.06 and 2.8GHz. it's only since around the end of april that amd prices have fallen. amd just posted their official price cuts down to centrino level prices last week. retailers haven't cut their prices down that low yet. they probably won't. although i do agree amd is the better buy now it wasn't not too long ago. if they still thought they could get away with it they would be charging the same as intel's prices. it's only since intel came out with the 3.0C that amd prices have come down. amd doesn't have anything comparable so they have to make cuts.

not too bad. the only thing is the harddrive. it'll be a lot cheaper if you go internal (i got my WD800JB at best buy $60 after rebates ) and i don't really see firewire being any faster. unless that harddrive is at least going 10000 rpm. and even then you could go scsi or sata. and good luck finding that 9500 pro.

from what i hear onboard sound on the nforce2 boards is actually pretty good, although there is a small amount of overhead for your processor. i'm not familiar with soyo's model designations so i don't know if that is one. so if you're going to be sticking with onboard sound for a while and that board isn't an nforce2 look into that. your computer will be decent it's not going to be the best but you're trying to hit a price point here. if you can i'd say get a little bit more powerful processor. the 2500+ is going for under $100. the 1800+ is just a little dated.

[mjs1217]

Okay, thanks for the suggestions. I think I am going to go rethink my motherboard. I will still need onboard sound, but not video, seeing as I am buying a video card immediatly, but the sound card purchase will be delayed.