buying a new computer...

[dimachka]

so the time has come for me to buy a new computer. im thinking that i will have monarch computer build it for me. I know there are some pretty smart people here so i was hoping i could get some feedback on this:

Case: PS 500W - Aspire ATXA8NW-BK/500 X-Navigator $165.00
Motherboard: Asus P5AD2-E Premium 925XE 1066FSB $269.99
Processor: Intel P4 540 3.2 GHz LGA775 1MB 800 FSB $220.00
Thermal Grease: Shin-Etsu G675 Thermal Grease $14.00
Heat Sink Fan: Thermaltake Jungle 512 for Intel LGA775 $34.00
Memory: DDR2 (667) PC5400 - 1 GB (2 pcs 512) Corsair TWIN2X1024-5400C4 $344.00
Hard Drive 1: SATA - Western Digital (WD360GD) 36 GB/10000 RPM Raptor $104.00
Hard Drive 2: SATA - Western Digital (WD2000JD) 200 GB/7200 RPM $116.00
CD-RW/DVD-RW: DVD-RW - NEC ND-3500A/GNB 16x-Dual Layer $77.00
Video Card: (Connect 3D) Radeon X600 PRO 256MB DDR $ $125.00
Keyboard and Mouse: Logitech® Cordless MX Duo $59.00
Monitor: ViewSonic 17" VG710B LCD Flat Panel (Black) $410.00
Fees: Molex connector and Build Fee $56.95

Total: $1993.95

So what do you guys think? any advice, suggestions on what i should change, yada yada? thanks for the help.

 

[imported_TimJ]

Do you plan on gaming?

Case: Get whatever you think looks nice.
PSU: Get an OCZ or PCP&C PSU (or similar). They rock.
Motherboard: MSI K8N Neo2 Pt or Abit AV8 (for A64)
CPU: A64 3500+
Thermal Paste: Arctic Silver 5
Memory: OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev2
HDD1: Get a 74GB Raptor, 36GB gets used up really quick.
HDD2: Fine
CDROM: Fine
Video Card: If you don't want to spend a lot of money get a 6600GT, do NOT get a X600 unless you never intend to game.
KBM: Personal preference, get whatever you like.
Monitor: Don't get an LCD if you want to game, otherwise an LCD is fine.

 

[Duvie]

What is the intent of this computer?? Uses??

Also ocing or not???

Right of the bat I will say I am not a fan of any of the prescott line of chips and the fact that not much of anything takes advanatge of SSE3, and that 3.2ghz would be handed its lunch by possibly a 3.0ghz or lesser northwood wouldn't make me happy....

If there is some feature you can explain to me that mobo would offer or that you see the prescott's offer??? I don't see any and I have followed them intent on an Intel upgrade. Alas I like many was not impressed and so I will be looking to Amd for test system to see if they are my next cpu to run with...

 

[dimachka]

im going to be doing a little gaming, mostly HL2 and CS:S. I dont play games too much though. Ill get myself an amd system proposal and post it here tomorrow. I was thinking amd but pci-e. ddr2, built in everything including wireless internet on mobo all sound fun. thanks a bunch for advice, keep it coming, i will be ordering in about a week.

I use comp for lots and lots of movie watching, also like to listen to music, i download a lot, would like to OC but probably not right away, in a while when i want more speed. i want an all around very fast comp. was gonna get the 36 gb raptor just to put windows and my proggies on it, keep all my files on the big drive.

 

[Duvie]

PCI-E, DDR2.....Hmmm a bunch of thingds that are new in product life (buyer beware, early adopters often get untested unmatured technology at an overflated price) with little or no increase in anything other then price. If you see this as a long term upgrade then maybe it makes more sense but I have afeeling as with most new stuff that first version everything usually sucks and should wate for the chipset to mature....DDR2 offers no advantage I see to date. Wireless internet is no big deal and who needs it for their main desktop PC anyways....Laptops and secondary systems yes but not main system. You cuold be a college kid though all sponging off of on cable setup but then it still isn't worth going with this chipset IMO...


MOst of the other uses can be done and have been able to done by PCs since they cracked 1ghz.....

The fact of OCing again I don't like the prescotts. start out hotter and require you to get to 3.5 to 3.6ghz (if you can even do that short of water) to just equal a northwood P4....

 

[dimachka]

so based on peoples recommendations i changed some things around, and am thinking about maybe going AMD. This config is amd but im still not 100 percent sure. I have read that intel cpu's are better at doing many things at once and that is probably my main problem with the p4 2.2ghz laptop that i have. I want to be able to run peer2peer software, possibly burn a dvd, and still be able to watch a movie, or play a game, or just use my computer in general without it being super slow. Will the 3500+ beat the p4 3.2 at that kind of stuff? Also changed the case to antec with antec truepower430 based on people not having the best things to say about aspire. I need to get a wireless network card because im in school and that is how we share internet at my house. otherwise i would have to route like 50 feet of ethernet cable to my room. lol. BTW, i think i only need the 36 gig raptor because i only plan to put windows, my swap file, and my games on that hard drive since they need the most speegd. There is no way i can fill 36 gigs with just that. Im figuring i will put all my random stuff that doesnt need too much speed on the big drive. let me know if this isnt a good idea. thanks so much for all your help.


Case: PS 430W - Antec Performance Plus 1080AMG $135.00
Case Fan: 80mm - Antec 80mm Quiet Case Fan $15.99
Motherboard: Abit AV8-3rd Eye K8T800 Audio/GB-LAN/USB/ $139.00
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3500+ 512K 90nm (939) $272.00
Thermal Grease: Shin-Etsu G675 Thermal Grease $14.00
Heat Sink Fan: Thermaltake Venus 7+ for AMD Opteron/64/6 $20.00
Memory: DDR (400)- 1 GB (2 pcs 512) Corsair TwinX1024-3200XLPRO $274.00
Hard Drive 1: SATA - Western Digital (WD360GD) 36 GB/10000 RPM Raptor $104.00
Hard Drive 2: SATA - Western Digital (WD2000JD) 200 GB/7200 RPM $116.00
CD-RW/DVD-RW: DVD-RW - NEC ND-3500A/GNB 16x-Dual Layer $77.00
Video Card: XFX GeForce 6600 GT 128MB DDR3/8x-AGP $229.00
Keyboard and Mouse: Logitech® Cordless MX Duo $59.00
Monitor: ViewSonic 17" VG710B LCD Flat Panel (Black) $410.00
Wireless Network Card: NetGear WG311 2.4GHz (802.11b/g) PCI $55.00
Build Fee: $49.00

Total: $1968.99