Building a New PC

[TheeeChosenOne]

I would replace the following options on your list for cooling and quietness:

Asus A7N8X Deluxe (for OC, stability, performance, features)
Thermalright Heatsink (thermalright.com)
Silenx PSU (silenx.com)
80 mm Panaflow fans throughout with Zalman fanmate for each fan to bring them down to a quiet 5 volts


The above ingredients are pretty much best in class and worthy of the rig you are building.

Also agree on former comments to go for an Athlon 2600+ chip. At this very second, it's best bang for buck by a GOOD margin. With a little reasonable overclocking, you can easily squeeze into 2800+ speeds.

 

[DisgruntledElf]

Thanks for responding TheeeChosenOne. Allow me to reply to some of your comments:
Asus A7N8X Deluxe (for OC, stability, performance, features): I doubt very, very, very seriously I'm going to overclock. I just don't see the point in this day and age of 3 gigahertz computers. My dad tells tales of the horrible days when they overclocked their 33 MHz's to 67 MHz.....how horrible that must have been. Although, OC'ing to twice your processor speed would be pretty sweet.
As far as the fans and heatsinks go, I have no idea how loud or hot this thing is going to get. =) Do you think I will need to up the cooling in it?
Finally, I would prefer to just stay with the P4. I refuse to go Athlon. It's a cult. =)

 

[randumb]

If you're spending that much money, get two Raptors instead of those Seagate drives.

 

[HokieESM]

Originally posted by: DisgruntledElf
Alright, here I will try and respond to everyone in a single post.
Vaporize: Virginia Tech. And I would rather do it myself, so I don't think I'll be going with Alienware. 😉

Well, congrats on going to VT.... I'm currently a PhD student here. 🙂

BUT, I will, ahem, mention, if you're going into the College of Engineering (and Comp Sci is moving to the COE), you are REQUIRED to buy a laptop. Just so you know. The required specs are listed on the webpage.

Oh, and on a personal note: with $4000, I would buy a $2000 desktop and a $2000 laptop (if you really want to spend all the cash). VT has wireless in nearly EVERY building (including the library)... so a laptop is very useful (especially to do group work on campus).

As far as your setup.... its a great computer. Its a shame you couldn't just spend $2000 now and spend $2000 later. Because, I guarantee you.... whatever you buy now will be REALLY slow in 6 years. I bought a Dell P2 350MHz when they came out in '98... and it was SLOW by the time I finished my masters in '01. I've upgraded computers SEVERAL times since then.

 

[DisgruntledElf]

Yes, I know you're required to have a laptop. I think, though, that by the time I must declare my major and whatnot, I will have been able to save up the money (I'll be working while I'm there, and during the Summer, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem).
As far as whatever I get being slow in 6 years.....believe me, I know. I got this 667 MHz when they were new. I'm still using it (and fairly successfully.....except in the newest of games, because I have 4 megs of video memory), but, well, I don't think I need to explain why I need an upgrade. =)
The laptop required by Tech isn't too bad. It's not top of the line, but it's not something I can pick up for $50 at a yard sale, either. But, as I said, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Thanks for the advice, though. =) Good to get it straight from someone who goes there.

 

[DisgruntledElf]

 

[DisgruntledElf]

Err, sorry about that blank message.
Anyway, what I meant for that to say is:

I've got a fun idea for everyone out there. I have a list of parts ready for my PC. A definitive list. However, I'm curious to see how what I picked compares to what you guys would have chosen.
So, if anyone wants to build a PC for me, list the parts here and I may decide to change designs. =) Who knows, it could be fun? Unless no one responds. Then I'd feel lonely and dejected.
A few rules, however:
1) No Athlons. I mean it. =)
2) Include everything (monitor, keyboard, etc.).
3) You have a $4,500 budget using NewEgg's prices.
4) Spend as much money as humanly possible up to $4,500. Remember, what isn't spent dissapears forever.
5) This PC will be used first and foremost for gaming, second for Maya (and similar programs), and third for music. Well, internet and whatnot too, but you never hear of anyone building a PC to surf the web.