Building an AMD 64 system - what is the best options and what should I pick?

[The Stigenator]

I have been out of the hardware market for AGES! and its changed a million ways.

So I got the job for building an AMD 64 ( i dont even know what the damn processor is called) - i just know its a 64 bit processor.

So I need a motherboard (pin type), memory, processor, video card.

Assume onboard network and possible audio (i might use an older SB Live card) but if it wasnt onboard its not a big deal.

I also need a powersupply (watts??) assume reusing case.

use MWAVE.COM (might pick up parts tomorrow morning) for pricing and all.

I know SATA drives and PCI-Express are the latest fad.. so i guess we need those two on the mobo.

thanks guys!

edit:

cost budget 2000 (assume)
and for mid level gaming and workstation.

 

[mOeeOm]

Well first off, is this going to be a gaming or workstation computer? do you multitask and what is your budget?

 

[daftpunkit]

what is the budget?

 

[The Stigenator]

i havent been given any.. i guess it will be more gaming than workstation but decent mid level gaming graphics (not top end 600 dollar video card).. not sure if the video card is getting reused.

lets keep a budget of 2000.

 

[PSUstoekl]

well, if it's going to be a workstation then go with the athlon 64 X2 processor- it's like having two processors, but can only really be taken advantage of in workstation environments where several apps are running on top of each other.

with a budget of $2000, you can afford a reasonably high end computer, anyway, especially if you don't completely splurge on processing and video cards (that 7800 is just way to overpriced, methinks).

 

[The Stigenator]

humm i didnt know there was an X2 processor.. well what hardware should I buy? what's good??

 

[nick1985]

Are people still waiting outside your GF's classes with signs?

 

[bREwIn dOdgEr dUDe]

here's a $1845 with tax (2-cents) worth for workstation/gamer rig:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ $366.81 (TankGuys)
Antec P180 Silver Case & DFI LP NF4 SLI-DR Mobo (Bundle) $299.44 (TankGuys)
OCZ EL Platinum R2 Dual Kit (2-512MB) DDR400 1GB $149.95 (Newegg)
Antec TruePowerII 480W PSU $99 (Newegg)
WD Caviar SE16 16MB-Cache 250GB SATAII HD $122 (Newegg)
BenQ 16X DVD-DL DW1625-Black with Lightscribe OEM $59.99 (Newegg)
eVGA GeForce 7800GT 256MB DDR3 Nvidia SLI PCIe GPU $409 (Mwave)
Zalman CNPS7000B-CU CPU-HS & Fan $37.50 (Mwave)
Mitsumi Floppy Drive / 7-in-1 Card Reader USB2 404M Black $21 (Newegg)
Zalman ZM-OP1 80MMX15MM 2-Ball Cooling Fan for Video Card Duct $8.99 (Newegg)
MS Windows XP Pro with SP2 $131 (Mwave)

with extra leftover from $2k, a 17" LCD & Keyboard Mouse Combo to close it out...

 

[ajikan]

^ the Antec P180 is REALLY nice. MWAVE has it, go check it out.

brewin dodger covered almost everything.
-if you have extra money, go for 1.5GB or 2GB of RAM
-or.. a higer level processor

 

[The Stigenator]

sounds good.. any other options??

 

[bREwIn dOdgEr dUDe]

Originally posted by: ajikan
^ the Antec P180 is REALLY nice. MWAVE has it, go check it out.

brewin dodger covered almost everything.
-if you have extra money, go for 1.5GB or 2GB of RAM
-or.. a higer level processor

the beauty of MWave if you're in the L.A. area is you can will-call your purchases for $5 (and on saturdays), but since Newegg is in La Puente, orders shipped in L.A. are pretty much next day even if you do super-saver delivery... BTW, a higher processor would be close to an additional $300, if staying with Dual-Core... the 3800 x2 is showing some good promise check CPU boards on AnandT...

 

[Skyhanger]

Originally posted by: bREwIn dOdgEr dUDe
here's a $1845 with tax (2-cents) worth for workstation/gamer rig:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ $366.81 (TankGuys)
Antec P180 Silver Case & DFI LP NF4 SLI-DR Mobo (Bundle) $299.44 (TankGuys)
OCZ EL Platinum R2 Dual Kit (2-512MB) DDR400 1GB $149.95 (Newegg)
Antec TruePowerII 480W PSU $99 (Newegg)
WD Caviar SE16 16MB-Cache 250GB SATAII HD $122 (Newegg)
BenQ 16X DVD-DL DW1625-Black with Lightscribe OEM $59.99 (Newegg)
eVGA GeForce 7800GT 256MB DDR3 Nvidia SLI PCIe GPU $409 (Mwave)
Zalman CNPS7000B-CU CPU-HS & Fan $37.50 (Mwave)
Mitsumi Floppy Drive / 7-in-1 Card Reader USB2 404M Black $21 (Newegg)
Zalman ZM-OP1 80MMX15MM 2-Ball Cooling Fan for Video Card Duct $8.99 (Newegg)
MS Windows XP Pro with SP2 $131 (Mwave)

with extra leftover from $2k, a 17" LCD & Keyboard Mouse Combo to close it out...

You should get 2gigs(2x1024) of RAM for the latest games, not one. You can get an OEM BenQ DW1640 for less than $50. You do not need an SLI board unless you plan to run 2 GPU cards at once, get a nF4 Ultra. The XP-90 w/ a panaflo is preferred as a HSF.

That's what I can think off the top of my head for now... do you really need a X2? cuz games do not benenfit much from dual cores yet.

 

[bREwIn dOdgEr dUDe]

Originally posted by: Skyhanger

Originally posted by: bREwIn dOdgEr dUDe
here's a $1845 with tax (2-cents) worth for workstation/gamer rig:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ $366.81 (TankGuys)
Antec P180 Silver Case & DFI LP NF4 SLI-DR Mobo (Bundle) $299.44 (TankGuys)
OCZ EL Platinum R2 Dual Kit (2-512MB) DDR400 1GB $149.95 (Newegg)
Antec TruePowerII 480W PSU $99 (Newegg)
WD Caviar SE16 16MB-Cache 250GB SATAII HD $122 (Newegg)
BenQ 16X DVD-DL DW1625-Black with Lightscribe OEM $59.99 (Newegg)
eVGA GeForce 7800GT 256MB DDR3 Nvidia SLI PCIe GPU $409 (Mwave)
Zalman CNPS7000B-CU CPU-HS & Fan $37.50 (Mwave)
Mitsumi Floppy Drive / 7-in-1 Card Reader USB2 404M Black $21 (Newegg)
Zalman ZM-OP1 80MMX15MM 2-Ball Cooling Fan for Video Card Duct $8.99 (Newegg)
MS Windows XP Pro with SP2 $131 (Mwave)

with extra leftover from $2k, a 17" LCD & Keyboard Mouse Combo to close it out...

You should get 2gigs(2x1024) of RAM for the latest games, not one. You can get an OEM BenQ DW1640 for less than $50. You do not need an SLI board unless you plan to run 2 GPU cards at once, get a nF4 Ultra. The XP-90 w/ a panaflo is preferred as a HSF.

That's what I can think off the top of my head for now... do you really need a X2? cuz games do not benenfit much from dual cores yet.

good points... the SLI can still run as a single GPU card with the capability of eventually doing dual-cards if need be (or 'mo money)... and the X2 is a future-proof thing for not only gaming but video encoding and such if the needs ever arise...

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Skyhanger
do you really need a X2? cuz games do not benenfit much from dual cores yet.

maybe he'd like to burn a dvd or crunch some numbers in the back ground while he's playing his games?

 

[JME Fidelity]

AMD 64 4000+ San Diego (socket 939)
Asus A8N-SLI Premium
1GB OCZ EL Platinum
BFG 7800GT
Antec PSU

 

[biostud]

Get a Seasonic S-12 PSU. 430W if you want the most quiet active PSU made, 600W if you want to have enough power to add all kind of expansions later.

 

[munchow2]

X2 3800, OC it to 4600 speeds.
e-vga 7800GT bundle with the motherboard (if not then 7800GT and a ASUS deluxe/MSI neo 4 platinum)
2 gigs of value ram should suffice.
19'' LCD
The rest is what brewin dodger dude said.

For $2000 you can get a really high end machine if you know where to look and don't get ripped off by some overpriced retailers.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: Skyhanger
do you really need a X2? cuz games do not benenfit much from dual cores yet.

maybe he'd like to burn a dvd or crunch some numbers in the back ground while he's playing his games?

If he's building a whole new PC, then he can use his current PC as a second machine for that.
I just went through the exact same dilemma, deciding between an X2 or a regular 64, and went for the regular 64 on my pure gaming machine because I would have my current system to use for DVD's etc and not take up anything on the new PC.
He can always upgrade later when more things take advantage of dual cores (and when they are cheaper)

 

[DavidoFoo]

Seasonic S12 600W
OCZ EL Platinum 2x1024MB
DFI UT Ultra-D
A64 X2 3800+/4400+
eVGA 7800GT

BenQ DW1640
Seagate SATA 250GB/400GB