I'm getting ready to order the rest of my computer and just wanted to do the standard "look it over please" post to make sure I didn't miss anything. I've read countless posts and reviews and think the choices I've made are pretty solid. It's not going to be a state of the art machine, but I'm around the $1000 range for my budget. That said, here are the parts I've already ordered:
Hard Drive: Hitatchi Deskstar 7K250 200GB, 7200RPM, Internal ATA/100 Hard Drive
RAM: Kingston ValueRAM 1GB (2x512MB) 184-Pin DDR 400 (PC 3200)
And what I'm planning on buying:
Motherboard: MSI K8N Neo4-F
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (Venice)
PSU: Antec True430 ATX 12V 430W
Video Card: MSI GeForce 6600 GT
Case: MAXTOP Signature CSX-147K2F
Floppy: NEC 3.5"
I don't see anything standing out as wrong, but I wanted to run this by everyone before I went ahead and started ordering. I'm pretty sure these are the places I'll be buying the parts from too (Chief Value, NewEgg, and Monarch). I've read nothing but good things about them and using Price Grabber pointed me to the cheapest source for these parts (well, at least the cheapest place I feel safe ordering from).
I do have some questions/comments though, and would be happy if someone could answer them for me.
1) Will a Venice chip work in this board without the v1.4 BIOS? I noticed that some boards had a problem booting with the chip until a new BIOS was released. According to MSI's site the new v1.4 BIOS makes this board Venice compatible. Will I have to verify it has the latest BIOS before ordering? Or, if it comes with an older version, will I be able to post to flash the BIOS with my Venice chip?
2) Because of the potential problem above, should I order a motherboard/CPU combo from the same place and have them tested before they ship? I know I've read Monarch does testing, would it be a good idea to invest a few bucks to make sure everything works? It looks like the combo would be $21 more at Monarch, but that includes Far Cry and Half Life 2. So maybe it would be better to just get the combo, have them install the BIOS, test it, etc, and get the free games for $21 more.
3) For the power supply, would it be better to get a Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-430 for a few dollars more? Does it matter? I'm not 100% sure I need the extra rail. I've read a lot (and I mean a lot) about PSUs lately still don't know if I need the 24 pin connector. I'm thinking probably not, but since it doesn't cost too much more maybe it would be a good idea.
4) I know I want a 6600GT, that's all I really need. But I'm not sure MSI brand is really the best choice. I've read about some of the comparisons etc, and have come to the conclusion that MSI is a pretty reliable choice. It's not the cheapest, but I feel comfortable with the company and with the reviews I read. I'm not going for the fastest card out there, just something that won't cause complications or have multiple fan failures like my BFG Ti4600 has.
5) The case isn't flashy, but the reviews it gets are pretty solid. It looks like a quality build with lots of room for expansion and airflow.
6) I already have a DVD/CDRW drive that I'll be throwing in there until I determine I really need a DVD burner. As cheap as they are I still can't justify the cost since I wouldn't use it. I also listed the 3.5" floppy drive so I won't forget to order it.
So, that's what I'm thinking. Like I said, I've done a lot of research and I'm pretty sure this is what I'm looking for. I'm mostly concerned with the Venice chip not working right without the v1.4 BIOS, but I suppose I could just ask whoever I order it from to test it out (unless someone here has experience). If anyone has any comments or suggestions I would love to hear them. I plan on ordering by the end of the week or so, but I'm not in a huge rush so time is not critical.
Thanks!
Hard Drive: Hitatchi Deskstar 7K250 200GB, 7200RPM, Internal ATA/100 Hard Drive
RAM: Kingston ValueRAM 1GB (2x512MB) 184-Pin DDR 400 (PC 3200)
And what I'm planning on buying:
Motherboard: MSI K8N Neo4-F
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (Venice)
PSU: Antec True430 ATX 12V 430W
Video Card: MSI GeForce 6600 GT
Case: MAXTOP Signature CSX-147K2F
Floppy: NEC 3.5"
I don't see anything standing out as wrong, but I wanted to run this by everyone before I went ahead and started ordering. I'm pretty sure these are the places I'll be buying the parts from too (Chief Value, NewEgg, and Monarch). I've read nothing but good things about them and using Price Grabber pointed me to the cheapest source for these parts (well, at least the cheapest place I feel safe ordering from).
I do have some questions/comments though, and would be happy if someone could answer them for me.
1) Will a Venice chip work in this board without the v1.4 BIOS? I noticed that some boards had a problem booting with the chip until a new BIOS was released. According to MSI's site the new v1.4 BIOS makes this board Venice compatible. Will I have to verify it has the latest BIOS before ordering? Or, if it comes with an older version, will I be able to post to flash the BIOS with my Venice chip?
2) Because of the potential problem above, should I order a motherboard/CPU combo from the same place and have them tested before they ship? I know I've read Monarch does testing, would it be a good idea to invest a few bucks to make sure everything works? It looks like the combo would be $21 more at Monarch, but that includes Far Cry and Half Life 2. So maybe it would be better to just get the combo, have them install the BIOS, test it, etc, and get the free games for $21 more.
3) For the power supply, would it be better to get a Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-430 for a few dollars more? Does it matter? I'm not 100% sure I need the extra rail. I've read a lot (and I mean a lot) about PSUs lately still don't know if I need the 24 pin connector. I'm thinking probably not, but since it doesn't cost too much more maybe it would be a good idea.
4) I know I want a 6600GT, that's all I really need. But I'm not sure MSI brand is really the best choice. I've read about some of the comparisons etc, and have come to the conclusion that MSI is a pretty reliable choice. It's not the cheapest, but I feel comfortable with the company and with the reviews I read. I'm not going for the fastest card out there, just something that won't cause complications or have multiple fan failures like my BFG Ti4600 has.
5) The case isn't flashy, but the reviews it gets are pretty solid. It looks like a quality build with lots of room for expansion and airflow.
6) I already have a DVD/CDRW drive that I'll be throwing in there until I determine I really need a DVD burner. As cheap as they are I still can't justify the cost since I wouldn't use it. I also listed the 3.5" floppy drive so I won't forget to order it.
So, that's what I'm thinking. Like I said, I've done a lot of research and I'm pretty sure this is what I'm looking for. I'm mostly concerned with the Venice chip not working right without the v1.4 BIOS, but I suppose I could just ask whoever I order it from to test it out (unless someone here has experience). If anyone has any comments or suggestions I would love to hear them. I plan on ordering by the end of the week or so, but I'm not in a huge rush so time is not critical.
Thanks!
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