Building Gaming Computer, need tips and suggestions.

[imported_Xanadu]

Ok, so i decided that I would like to build a computer mainly for playing games, I have a computer right now for music, movies, and such. It is a Velocity Micro p4 3.2 ghz, gig of ram, 2 hdd, so on, well now i would like this computer to play games fast, smooth, and lag not to be a worry in my mind. Games I play or would like to start playing include CS, CS:S and all the other source, i would like to run Medal of honor, Battelfied 2, and prolly look into more games. I chose what to be in my Velocity comp. but have not yet to actually build my own comp which i plan to do now. I will also have help on hand with people that know what they are doing. Now i need your guys help to tell me how this comp i have in mind would run and such, here it is....

OPINIONS GREATLY APPRECIATED AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICIZM, cause i am no comp. expert, and just a beginner.

MOBO - ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce SPP 100 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

Processor- AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Toledo 2000MHz HT Socket 939 Dual Core Processor Model ADA4800CDBOX - Retail

Vid Card- XFX PVT71UZDF9 Geforce 7950GX2 1GB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Xtreme Video Card - Retail

RAM- CORSAIR XMS 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model Twinx2048-3200c2pt - Retail

HDD- Western Digital Raptor WD1500ADFDRTL 150GB 10,000 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - Retail

CPU- COOLMAX CW-650T EPS12V 650W Aluminum ATX v2.01 APFC Power Supply w/ "SLI" - Retail - Retail

Drive- SONY 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DWQ120AB2 - OEM

Case- Thermaltake Tsunami VA3000BWA Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

Monitor- Westinghouse 22" Widescreen Flat-Panel TFT-LCD Monitor

PRICE- I would like to stick around $1800ish, this all priced comes up to $1872.50 not including the monitor, also monitor is not going to be included in the amount i would like to spend on the computer itself.

O and also, I do not know how to overclock anything as of now, I would like to learn though.


Thanks to all, please dont flame if i did something wrong, just let me know what you recommend and all.

 

[Howard]

Go with AM2 instead of 939. Socket 939 is a dead end now. Or, for better performance, go with Intel's Core 2 Duo.

That Coolmax, if it's anything like its bigger brothers, is very, very loud.

You can certainly get the Tsunami, although it seems like its intake is very restricted. Still, HDs don't need too much air, but personally I don't like designs where function follows form.

That Westinghouse LCD you mentioned has a resolution of 1680x1050. Honestly, an X1900XT would be able to drive that resolution just fine. Read this. You'd be saving over $200.

How about this?

---

Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 - $185
Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 - $140
Shipping from ewiz.com - $10-15

Thermalright Ultra-120 - $43
Yate Loon D12SL-12 120mm - $4 (you will need to do this)
Shipping from jab-tech.com - $7-10

Western Digital WD740ADFD 74GB 16MB - $159, free shipping

mushkin 2x1GB DDR2-667 5-5-5-15 1.9V - $151
Sapphire Radeon X1900XT 512MB - $320, $30 MIR
Samsung Spinpoint T HD400LJ - $140
NEC ND-3550A - $29
Masscool PS-PSU460 - $58
Shipping from newegg.com - $12-15

 

[imported_Xanadu]

Ok yah reason to go to AM2 so that I am more up to date and can keep up with the times easier as I upgrade more, later in the future?

One thing I also did not like is that the Mobo i have now does not accept ddr2, would going with AM2 and ddr2, be faster? if i went with an AMD processor, what kind would you recommend that would fit AM2. Also the Core 2 Duo would run just as good or better then the one i have selected as of now?

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Xanadu
Ok yah reason to go to AM2 so that I am more up to date and can keep up with the times easier as I upgrade more, later in the future?

Yes. There will be no more new processors for Socket 939.

would going with AM2 and ddr2, be faster?

Not significantly. The main difference is that you'll be able to keep your memory and motherboard when you upgrade the CPU.

if i went with an AMD processor, what kind would you recommend that would fit AM2.

Any of them will do just fine, but for value, an X2 3800+, overclocked.

Also the Core 2 Duo would run just as good or better then the one i have selected as of now?

Much better.

 

[big4x4]

From at's review on the conroe:

"The Core 2 Duo E6300 is a better performer than the X2 3800+ but is also more expensive, thankfully for the E6300's sake it is also faster than the 4200+ and the 4600+ in some benchmarks. Overall the E6300 is a better buy, but at stock speeds the advantage isn't nearly as great as the faster Core 2 parts. In many benchmarks the X2 4200+ isn't that far off the E6300's performance, sometimes even outperforming it at virtually the same price. Overclocking changes everything though, as our 2.592GHz E6300 ended up faster than AMD's FX-62 in almost every single benchmark. If you're not an overclocker, then the Athlon 64 X2 4200+ looks to be a competitive alternative to the Core 2 E6300. "