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Anything I can do to reduce my new systems cost?

K

km23

Member
Here is the new system I have configured:
Case: Lian Li PC-61 USB Black
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811112025
110 + 15.99 + Tax = 135.75

PSU: Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-550
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103931
115 + 6.99 + Tax = 131.44

Motherboard: DFI LANPARTY nF4 SLI-DR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136151
199 + 3.50 + Tax = 229.51

Video Card: eVGA 6800GT 256MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130215
345 + 0 + Tax = 371.73

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103539
295 + 3.99 + Tax = 317.86

RAM: CORSAIR XMS 2GB (2 x 1GB)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145575
303 + 0 + Tax = 326.48

Hard Drive: Western Digital Raptor 74G
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144160
166 + 0 + Tax = 184.21

DVD Burner (DL): NEC Black ND-3540A
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827152047
45.99 + 2 + Tax = 49.55

Sound Card:
Not out yet - X-fi
129.99 + 0 + = 129.99

Total - $1876.52 🙁

I can take out the sound card and add one later.
New cost = $1746.53

Anything else I can do to reduce the cost? Proc prices just came down and tomorrow, VC prices should drop as well. Any suggestions?
 
$100 - mobo
$150 - CPU
$200 - 6800 GPU (unlock features)
$200 - Corsair Value @ 2GB
$160 - 250GB w/NCQ + 16mb cache
$100 - Audigy 2 ZS
$100 - DVD-RW16x + DVD-RW16x

~1,000 USD
 
Well, do you really need SLI? You can easily drop 70-110 bucks if you go with a cheaper mobo. If you really need SLI, go with MSI's Neo4 or whatever. Thats $120 or so with SLI and creative live! sound chip onboard. The raptor, while fast is about $2.2/GB in cost. Buy a 160gb sata drive for $85 tops, get twice the space for half the cash and 3/4 drive speed. Unless you really really really need the extra seconds shaved off loading times. You can always upgrade to it later to run games/os off of it. I've always thought that the raptors while nice, are really a scsi alternative for servers and an extravagance for anyone else. If you can't afford it, it really makes no sense to get it IMHO. The ram seems pricey but I'm guessing you want to overclock?
 
Ur wasting ur money on expensive mobo, ram and psu/case. Why don't you spend it on a decent vidcard instead. And carry over the optical drive from your current system to save money.
 
I second the dropping of the SLI mobo. Like Ranulf said, about $100 bucks.

If you plan on overclocking, the lower end A64 CPU (3000+ Venice) overclocks very easily to very high speeds. You could shave off about $150 there.

The raptor could also be switched out for a SATA drive. Could get about $80 back if you pick a 120GB or 160GB drive.

That's $330 off the price.
 
Id say go with the 36 gig raptor, its cheaper and all you really need it for is running the OS and program files... all your media stuff can go a cheaper second hard drive. You can get a 250 gig seagate IDE drive at tiger direct for $85 after rebate... with a 5 year warranty!!

Dont buy a video card for a few weeks until the prices drop when ATI brings out its new line and NVIDIA cuts its prices.

Just buy one gig of value ram now and more later. If you are planning to overclock then maybe you should get some better ram but if not then just get value ram for around $85.

If you are going to overclock get a 3200+... it can go a long way

If you really want to cut costs get a cheaper case too

And geezus that motherboard is expensive... unless you are planning on buying another video card for SLI somewhere down the road just get a regular one for around $120. I think SLI is way overrated anyway. Most programs dont support it and how much of a difference do you think you are actually going to see? I suppose if you are WAY WAY WAY into FPS games then it is good but oh well whatever floats your boat.

Be sure and buy from a retailer that doesnt charge tax and does free shipping.
www.pricegrabber.com will let you put in your zip code and will factor those in for you. Newegg is a terrible site to buy from if you have to pay tax. I like www.monarchcomputer.com. Tax and shipping will add hundreds of dollars onto the final price. That power supply might be overkill too... I would go with something like this.

What are you going to use all those top of the line components for? Invest in something that is easy to upgrade as parts become cheaper. Id get on board sound and use that for a year until X-Fi prices drop.

Think of all the other things you can do with money you dont spend on a computer. Going outside to play soccer is free you know. So is making love to a woman. Go cheap on something with high future proofing when your buying a computer. New stuff comes out every day... your brand new top of the line parts today wont be brand new or top of the line in a few months... just keep that in mind.
 
The case you picked is great, but you could go even cheaper. There are some nice cases around $50 such as the Cooler Master Centurion 5 and Cheiftec Dragon.

As for the PSU get a Fortron AX500-A. Get a DFI NF4 Ultra-D. Get a X800XL from Monarch for $250. Get a 3000+. Get crucial value RAM. Seagate 7200.8 drive.
 
Find value-ram for that system and put that extra money toward the OEM version of the 7800 GTX.

Find a cheaper case... Plenty of cool looking cases out there. But that is your choice. Get a different motherboard. I am using the Asus A8N-E and it works like a charm. I am sure you can find even cheaper.

Go with the 36G Raptor and install only the OS and the items you use on a daily basis. Get another drive for data storage Music, DVD, etc...

Drop down to the 3500+ Venice, You going to notice 3% performance? I doubt it.

Most of all, let me stress that if you are going to spend 350 on a 6800 GT, please just spend the extra 120 and get a 7800 GTX...
 
Get your CPU at Monarch.

Case: Antec P-160 is cheaper

PSU: Get a Seasonic deal at EWiz. I warn you that there are some incompatibilities sometimes w/ Seasonics and DFIs. I know a friend who couldn't boot. I however have no problems yet w/ my Seasonic 600 + DFI. I know lots of ppl have been fine, but there are some people w/ problems.

Edit: Deleted the video suggestion. I would go with x800XL. I was mistaken... the cheap 6800GT was an AGP ver. Or you can wait for a 7800GT like I'm waiting for ^^
 
nVidia's countdown on their website ends tonight at midnight. You might want to wait a day before dropping ~400 on a 6800GT. We could be seeing 7800GTs for that tomorrow.
 
Originally posted by: djmihow
I don't see the point on paying 300 dollars for XMS ram when you can get Regular Corsair Ram for 200 bucks 2 x 1Gb.
Click to expand...


Aren't those the ones with leds on them? 🙂

I will add that you can save more by dropping the case. I think the lianli is worth it given the quality of the case and the removable mobo tray that makes installing so much easier. The chieftec stuff is generally good though or chenming (antec clones of old).

Oh and Creative damn well better put some decent digital out ports on that new X-fi crap. $120 for a retail audigy and not even a pcm coax jack for digital out is same ol creative bs that went with my old live card.

/rant
 
Why spend money on a vid card that is more than 250 bucks? Technology changes so fast I dont see the point. I say find a decent midrange card for 200 or 220 bucks, skip hte sound card, most MB's have pretty decent integrated sound and go from there.
 
Yeah just go with cheaper components, you pretty much picked out the highest end stuff imaginable. If you want to cut costs just go with components that will give you 80-90% of performance the stuff you picked will give you yet costs 40-50% less.
 
If I don't go with an SLI motherboard? What would you reccomend? I would like to overclock, although reliability is VERY important.

Also, a 480W power supply is good enough to handle a nextgen VC with all of my components?
 
i just loooked at your first posting for approx 5 secs....and at the FIRST line i was "ehrm....$135 case...NOT expensive....but still"

And then i almost fell over when i saw that you want to pay over $200 just for the mobo alone... 🙂

I'd REALLY recommend a pricegrabber.com and/or froogle.com search and i am sure you might be able to save a BIG chunk of money


raptor: is just my opinion...its the fastest sata drive, yes...but 74gb ???? My videos alone are 74 gb.....and for the second best, very fast SATA drive i really highly, highly recommend a Hitachi 7k250 160gb Sata, 160Gb and is $88

Also..San diego 3700 ???? I got a winchester 3500.....and i think a 3500 or 3200 is a much better deal especially if you overclock

then.,..you NEED 2 GB of mem ?

Look.....you list a kickass system here with the most expensive motherboard, the most expensive HD and the 2GB of ram..and THEN ask how to save money ? 🙂 The point is that you might be able to build a system like that for half the cost if you really think what you need and if you start up...eg. with 1GB of ram and the ultra-d motherboard (instead of SLI-DR) etc...a cheaper case

And yeahg..sorry...the Create x-fi for $129...thats the biggest joke i've ever read....you pay $129 for a soundcard because you believe that NOW FINALLY creative released a soundcard which MAKES ANY TONE sound 10000x better than before..and its such an incredible comparison to the, say, audigy...

Thr truth is that you might have the HARDEST time ever to hear a difference between this $130 card and say an Audigy 2, i got a Audigy 2 Value OEM and i paid $42 shipped for it 🙂

Creative uses to release "incredible" new souncards each year or so....but if you really care about 2db more s/n ratio,gold plated connectors and firewire (which you already have on the board etc)....and a totally useless (?) software bundle etc...then please pay them 🙂 Otherwise an Audigy2, even A 2 OEM or even value might be plenty.

Besides, you also have onbaord sound (pretty good one actually), you wouldnt even NEED a soundcard....but then i have one for myself since it gives more flexibility in case of hardware conflicts.

You could save a LOT of money 🙂
 
Agreed to the post above... I did mention in my post that I won't get the card which subtracts $129 More than 5 seconds please. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: km23
Here is the new system I have configured:
Case: Lian Li PC-61 USB Black
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811112025
110 + 15.99 + Tax = 135.75
Click to expand...
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...uct_Code=100147&Category_Code=C1-antec
(no tax) -$28

PSU: Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-550
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103931
115 + 6.99 + Tax = 131.44
Click to expand...
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...uct_Code=100238&Category_Code=ps-antec
-$25

Motherboard: DFI LANPARTY nF4 SLI-DR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136151
199 + 3.50 + Tax = 229.51
Click to expand...
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...oduct_Code=110224&Category_Code=AMD939
-$100

Video Card: eVGA 6800GT 256MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130215
345 + 0 + Tax = 371.73
Click to expand...
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...Code=190181&Category_Code=nvidia-PCI-E
-$56

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103539
295 + 3.99 + Tax = 317.86
Click to expand...
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...roduct_Code=120273&Category_Code=AMD64
-$27
or get
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...roduct_Code=120211&Category_Code=AMD64
and overclock and save another $135

RAM: CORSAIR XMS 2GB (2 x 1GB)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145575
303 + 0 + Tax = 326.48
Click to expand...
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...duct_Code=140291&Category_Code=DDR-PDP
-$87

Hard Drive: Western Digital Raptor 74G
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144160
166 + 0 + Tax = 184.21
Click to expand...
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...de=150239&Category_Code=SATAHardDrives
-$9
or just go with a 7200, which is slower, but not a ton:
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...de=150606&Category_Code=SATAHardDrives
-$85

That takes off over $300 with no significant substitutions except non-SLi in place of SLi.

Personally, if you're primarily going to be gaming, I'd also drop the hard drive and processor down, then get a 7800GT instead. You will generally get more benefit from a high end video card than a high end processor. Plus the 3000+ or 3200+ can easily reach in the 2400-2700 MHz range, which is perfectly adequate for all gaming.
 
Instead of the 6800 GT at newegg go for the 7800 GT at Monarch for 399 shipped.
I would not get everything at newegg since you are havingto pay tax on everything ouch...
 
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