Broke and needing a new computer

[mstegall]

This is my first post on this forum so im not sure if this is the right place to post this, so please dont be too tough on me. I've been reading alot about the athlon 64 processors and Asus motherboards and as cool as all of that sounds i just dont have much money, im looking to spend about 550 bucks, and i basically need a computer for web browsing and maybe playing some games such as BF1942. Anyway right now i have a pentium 1.2 so anything would be an upgrade. I was looking into this system :
Case: X-Dreamer Case 420watts ATX With 2 Neon Light Fans
Motherboard: PC Chips 848LMU SiS746 8x AGP
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 3000+ 333FSB
CPU Fan: AMD Heavy Duty Cooling Fan With Heat Sink
Memory: 512MB DDR400 PC 3200
Hard Drive: 80GB ATA 133
Video: GeForce FX 5200 256MB DDR 8x AGP
CDRW: 52x32x52 CDRW
Floppy: 1.44 3'5 Drive

I know that everything on ebay is too good to be true and the system wont be that good, but would it be exceptable for my uses, and does anything stick out as being horrible?

Thanks in advance,
Matt

 

[mechBgon]

Hate to come down on you right off the bat, bro, but linking to auctions is a faux pas here.

 

[mstegall]

I am really sorry, i edited the message but im not really sure if that gives any good information, i really dont want to step on anyones toes here because this forum is really great for someone trying to learn about computers.

 

[Corporate Thug]

NF7-s $90
2500+ $65
512 pc3200 $100 (you dont need top of the line stuff)
case + psu: antec slk2600 $55
wd 80 gig HD: $68
52x liteon CDRW: $30
9600 pro: $100

 

[mstegall]

ok that sounds good but i dont have the slightest clue about how to build a computer, is it just putting the parts together, sorry im a car guy who doesnt know much about computers.

 

[jdogg707]

Checkout the Hot Deals section on some Dell Computers that won't cost terribly much if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself. If you want to build a machine, checkout mechBgon's great tutorial for beginners...lots of pictures and is very informative.

Direct Link

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: mstegall
I am really sorry, i edited the message but im not really sure if that gives any good information, i really dont want to step on anyones toes here because this forum is really great for someone trying to learn about computers.

Don't feel bad, we all goof up once in a while Yeah, you can custom-build your own PC, it's not hard really. Look through my guide and see if you're comfortable with the mechanics of it all.

 

[ViRGE]

Check AnandTech's Buyers Guide; it'll throw together a computer for you for $500 or so.

 

[CSMR]

I'd say if you don't have any special requirements for the computer, just get a dell or hp.
(But look through mechBgon's guide anyway just for fun!)

 

[RS3RS]

Well, I don't know how custom you can get without building your own, but let me point out some things in the computer you posted:

Case: X-Dreamer Case 420watts ATX With 2 Neon Light Fans
Nothing wrong with the case, but the included powersupply probably isn't very good (wattage means NOTHING, the brand is everything). A cheap power supply can blow and kill all the main components of your system, and... That's not good

Motherboard: PC Chips 848LMU SiS746 8x AGP
PC chips is a pretty cheap brand. As in, the cheapest, no good at all, not worth the cardboard box they come in cheap. Try and get a good motherboard, from a company such as Abit, ASUS or Shuttle if you'll be overclocking (recomended on a budget rig), or a motherboard such as MSI if you won't be overclocking.

CPU: AMD Athlon XP 3000+ 333FSB
Not a bad processor, you have the right idea, however you can save some money by going with an AMD Athlon XP 2500+ 333fsb processor if you don't mind overclocking. Most of them will get 3200+ speeds easy, and I'm sure the people here on AnandTech will be happy to help you with first time overclocking. (Or, if you want to take it a step farther, you might consider a Mobile Athlon XP chip, they overclock niceeee).

Memory: 512mb DDR400 PC 3200
What are the timings (such as CAS latency) on that RAM?

Video: GeForce FX 5200 256MB DDR 8x AGP
Sucks. Just sucks. If you want to play games, don't get this card. The 256mb video ram is a waste on it too. Stick with 128 for a budget rig.

So, let me take a crack at it...
Case: ANTEC Solution Series Mid Tower Case with 300W Power Supply, Model "SLK2600AMB" - $69 shipped
Motherboard: Shuttle "AN35N-Ultra" nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset Motherboard - $59
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 2500+, 333FSB, 512K Cache - $80
RAM: Geil Value Series 512mb DDR PC-3200 - $94
Hard Drive: Seagate 80gb 7200RPM - $68
CD burner: SONY black 52x32x52 CD-RW drive - $34
Video: Sapphire Radeon 9600XT 128mb DDR BULK - $153

Total: $557 with shipping, right on budget.

Of course, this is assuming you build it yourself...... Not that hard though. Then again, you might say to me that working on cars is easy, where I would consider changing a battery to be a challenge of a life time. Guess it's all on how you look at it. Still... You can save some good cash and get a great system by building yourself.

If nothing else, you might contact one of those people that list home built computers on ebay and see if they can custom build you one with the exact specs you list, and then post it.

 

[bluemax]

If you don't need a million upgrade options, you could consider the Shuttle XPC line of mini-computers.

They're a little more expensive than a "good case" and "good motherboard" but are exactly that. A case, motherboard and cooling solution in a quiet, tiny case. Very neat if you ever want to bring your computer to a friend's house or something.

Best of all, all you have to do is plug in a CPU, RAM and video card and you're done! Possibly cheaper (in many cases) than paying a computer store to do it for you with regular parts.

Only downside is being limited to 1PCI, 1AGP, and 1 CD drive bay. If you can live with that - it's a really neat choice.

Shuttle USA I'd recommend the SN45G, an AMD 2500+ Barton and a Radeon 9600Pro/XT....
Or you could switch the SN45G with the SN41G2 if you can live with onboard GF4MX graphics, ala nForce2. I'm quite pleased with it..... then my gaming needs aren't excessive.

 

[mstegall]

First of all i just want to say thanks for all the help this board is GREAT. Anyway i think i might change my thinking and try to get a computer that will last a while, i figure if i hold out on the video card for a while, until I make some more cash i can afford this system:

MSI "K8T NEO-FSR" K8T800 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket 754 CPU
AMD Athlon 64 3000+, 512KB L2 Cache 64-bit Processor
Mushkin 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200
Western Digital Special Edition 80GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD800JB
Samsung 52X32X52 CD-RW Drive, Model SW-252FEN
ANTEC Solution Series Super Mid Tower Case with 350W Power Supply, Model "SLK3700AMB"

So my plan is too use this system with a ti4200 video card that i can get until i can afford the 9800 Pro and i will also later add another stick of 512. So how does this sound? Am i missing anything?

 

[mechBgon]

If it were me, I would consider these changes:

1) Albatron K8X800 Pro-II motherboard. MSI seems to be a little hit-&-miss lately, plus the Albatron has fancy hardware-accelerated onboard audio with 8-channel output, woooo

2) Maybe a Hitachi 8MB-cache 7200rpm PATA drive instead of the WD. I hear the Hitachis are fast, and the WDs sometimes turn really noisy (bearing noise going ZZZZZING! all the time, uh... no thanks)

3) Lite-On burners are really getting good comments and come with Nero Express (just make sure what you get comes with burner software, anyway)

You might also make a point of picking black drives if you think that would look nicer and that case is also made in a black extra-quiet version with some slight structural changes if the sound of black-on-black sounds good.

Hope that helps

 

[blodhi74]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Originally posted by: mstegall
I am really sorry, i edited the message but im not really sure if that gives any good information, i really dont want to step on anyones toes here because this forum is really great for someone trying to learn about computers.

Look through my guide and see if you're comfortable with the mechanics of it all.

thanks mecBgon for the guide .....e-mailed it to all of my non technical, question asking friends

 

[mstegall]

Alright i think i have the system in place that i am going to buy. I have left out the video card because ill get a new one later. This will be my first build, wish me luck, and i think ill make a small attempt at overclocking . Anyway here is goes:

ANTEC Solution Series Super Mid Tower Case with 350W Power Supply, Model "SLK3700AMB"
Samsung 52X32X52 CD-RW Drive, Model SW-252FEN
Vantec AeroFlow VA4-C7245 For AMD Socket 370/ A
SONY Black 1.44MB 3.5inch Floppy Disk Drive, Model MPF920
Hitachi 80GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive, Model HDS722580VLSA80
Corsair Value Select Dual Kits 184 Pin 512MB(256MBx2) DDR PC-3200
ABIT "NF7-S" nForce2 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU
AMD Mobile Athlon XP 2500+, 266 FSB, 512K Cache

The total with shipping comes out to 504 so any suggestions probably need to be the same price. Anyway if anyone has any comments let me know. This board is so great, its like finding stangnet.com when i trying to rebuild my 65 mustang.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[mechBgon]

I'd use a regular PATA drive instead of SATA if it were me. The PATA controller isn't stuck on the limited-bandwidth PCI bus, and is simpler to deal with when you're trying to get the computer to boot from hard drive. Also, I forgot whether you have a Windows license already, so remember to add that on if you need one.

 

[mstegall]

sorry but what is a PATA drive is that the normal IDE drive

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: mstegall
sorry but what is a PATA drive is that the normal IDE drive

Yep, you got it. PATA stands for Parallel ATA.

The PCI bus is what all your mobo's PCI slots use, but can also host soldered-down controllers too, like the SATA controller on the NF7-S. The PCI bus has a maximum practical capacity of about 120 megabytes per second. As a general principle, I'd prefer to leave the PCI bus as free as possible for devices that have no other option (say, a Firewire card, a high-end audio card, a TV-tuner card, a SCSI card, etc).

The regular PATA/IDE controllers are part of the motherboard's southbridge, and they ride on the 800MB/second Hypertransport bus, alongside the entire PCI bus and several other things. It may not be something you notice, but from a technical standpoint it seems superior, and it's probably going to be slightly simpler to get set up on PATA/IDE too.

 

[Chu]

Originally posted by: mstegall
This is my first post on this forum so im not sure if this is the right place to post this, so please dont be too tough on me. I've been reading alot about the athlon 64 processors and Asus motherboards and as cool as all of that sounds i just dont have much money, im looking to spend about 550 bucks, and i basically need a computer for web browsing and maybe playing some games such as BF1942. Anyway right now i have a pentium 1.2 so anything would be an upgrade. I was looking into this system :
Case: X-Dreamer Case 420watts ATX With 2 Neon Light Fans
Motherboard: PC Chips 848LMU SiS746 8x AGP
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 3000+ 333FSB
CPU Fan: AMD Heavy Duty Cooling Fan With Heat Sink
Memory: 512MB DDR400 PC 3200
Hard Drive: 80GB ATA 133
Video: GeForce FX 5200 256MB DDR 8x AGP
CDRW: 52x32x52 CDRW
Floppy: 1.44 3'5 Drive

I know that everything on ebay is too good to be true and the system wont be that good, but would it be exceptable for my uses, and does anything stick out as being horrible?

Thanks in advance,
Matt

First, a P3 1.2Ghz /w a decent video card is enough to run Battlefield. Secondly, I would strongly suggest visitng our other favorite deals site which I can't mention here (pm me for link) to search for good deals. For PC's under $500 building your own is rarely an option if you need a full computer, including keyboard, mouse, etc. Dell has deals that get you under $500 w/o monitor all the time if you stack the right coupons and such.

-Chu