Custom Computer on a Budget

[andvruss]

All these prices and in Canadian dollars, and also take into account I can't use newegg.com so....

Can you beat this computer I want to make?

CPU+ Motherboard:

Chaintech VNF3-250 Socket 754 ATX Motherboard and AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Processor
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicati...M-VNF3-3000%20C
$330.99 Canadian

Case and Power Supply:

Diablo ATX Mid-Tower Case with 450Watt Power Supply, Front Neon Lights, Front USB and Audio Ports
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/appl......75&Sku=D15-1010
$49.97 Canadian

RAM:

Ultra 512MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz Memory
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicati...RCCODE=CANEM246
$84.97 Canadian

Hard Drive:

Maxtor® 160GB Ultra ATA/133 Internal Hard Drive, 7200 RPM. (Only 1 year warrenty though..)
http://www.officedepot.ca/ddSKU.do?...02002_SK_447679
$99.97 Canadian

Graphics Card:

Currently can't find a Canadian site that has a Nvidia 6600GT (which is around 200 US).

DVD+CD Drive:

Toshiba 8x4x12x DVD±RW / 32x16x40x CD-RW / Dual / DVD Burner
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/appl......16&Sku=P34-2024
$64.97 Canadian

Sound Card:

Creative Labs SoundBlaster 16 PCI Sound Card
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/appl......20465&CatId=107
$21.99


Total: (without video card, networking or floopy drive)


$652.86 Canadian

 

[mechBgon]

I wonder if you know TigerDirect's dismal reputation yet :evil: Look 'em up at Resellerratings.com.

As for the case, can I suggest that you buy a known high-quality power supply, such as Antec, Fortron, Enermax or Sparkle Power. The cheapies that come in cheap-yet-flashy cases... :Q ~ I'll pass, thank you!

Also, if it were me, I'd use the onboard audio and skip that Creative Labs sound card. Onboard audio is free, and hey, you might find it's fine for what you'll use it for If not, then go ahead and pick up something else once you're sure.

Good luck with your new riggie!

 

[DetroitSportsFan]

First off ... TigerDirect like to offer you a nice price up front. Then gouge you to ship it all to you. Take the whole price into account before you buy anything. Its not only possible but maybe even likely that after shipping and handling, you've paid more than you would locally.

Second ... on board sound.

Its not like it use to be. Now a days, you can get some really impressive sound right in your board. Most people I know use it in more modern machines. Its not like onboard video where your system memory takes a hit and your gaming graphics are only so-so at best. Using your onboard sound will save you extra money either keep in your pocket or put in other areas of your machine.

 

[andvruss]

Would this site be better (they ship to Canada):
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/ However, I have no clue what free second day means...free shipping?
Also, does networking capability (netword card) come integrated with the motherboard? I am confused on that...

 

[mechBgon]

ZipZoomFly is pretty good. I'll see if I can get some other good Canadian stores recommended to you too

 

[DetroitSportsFan]

To answer your question about network capability .... its built into the board.

One thing though .... before you buy. You've got to decide exactly what you need. You absolutely DON'T want to cut corners on your power supply. Make sure that the one you choose has a beefy 12 volt rail. Consider minimum to be 22 amps. (Look on its side, its all listed there.)

Your mobo .... not a bad choice, but do you really need raid? You've only listed ONE drive. If you're considering running a raid array in the future, thats one thing. If not, don't spend the money on something you won't use.

mechBgon and I both already spoke of the sound card in our other posts.

Here's my idea .... trimming the fat off this so you get exactly what you'll use (with a decent upgrade path) and freeing up enough $$'s to buy an extra 512 ram chip. Your A64 will certainly appreciate the extra ram more than raid capabilities that you won't put in use.

 

[CraigRT]

hey andvruss, I would not order from Tigerdirect, but I have a list of good online PC vendors which you might want to check out.

I have ordered from the following, and have been happy:

http://www.ncix.com/
http://www.vibecomputers.com/
http://www.pccanada.com/
http://www.canadacomputers.com/ <-- only so so happy, they only accept C.O.D. for payment on shipped items!
http://www.bigfootcomputers.com/

I have not ordered from:

http://www.anitec.ca/
http://www.frontierpc.com/
http://www.dangeo.com/

 

[andvruss]

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Processor Socket 939 Retail ***Free 2nd Day***
w/Fan and Heatsink, 3 Years Manufacturer Warranty $163.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/...ode=80699-2&amp;ps=ho3

I am pretty sure the price is American however..


http://www.ncix.com/products/i...E&amp;manufacture=ASUS

This RAM looks pretty good. I want at least 512, if not 1 gig of RAM. 77.90

Corsair VS512MB400 512MB DDR400 PC3200 CAS2.5 Value Select Memory Retail *** Free 2nd Day ***
Lifetime Warranty

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/...ode=80098-6&amp;ps=ho1


TRUEPOWER 430 WATT ATX12V POWER SUPPLY $100.34

Most on the site for power, and got good reviews

http://www.vibecomputers.com/i...amp;if=n&amp;vID=35762


ASUS A7N8X-E DELUXE NFORCE2 ULTRA400 SOCKETA DUAL DDR 5PCI SATA 1394 SOUND 1000LAN $117.60 Can

http://www.ncix.com/products/i...E&amp;manufacture=ASUS


Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 ST3120026AS 120GB Serial ATA 7200RPM Hard Drive *** Free 2nd Day ***

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/...jsp?ProductCode=101436


Still cant find a Nvidia 6600 GT though (which is supposed to be very good for the price). Also, have no clue on cases for my gaming PC which I am trying to keep under $1000 or so Can.
Thanks for the help people .

 

[mechBgon]

I like those, except for the motherboard. The A7N8X-E Deluxe is for AthlonXP and not Athlon64, so maybe substitute the Asus K8N or K8N-E Deluxe.

Also, if it were me, I would use a standard PATA drive*. They have strong connectors, they perform the same, and they are overall the easiest type to use for setup purposes (although some motherboards will work just as easily with SATA, some will not, and the latter can be a real headache sometimes).




* mechBgon actually prefers 15000rpm SCSI :evil:

 

[andvruss]

ASUS K8N ATHLON64 S754 NFORCE3 250 DDR AGP 5PCI SATA SOUND LAN

http://www.ncix.com/products/i...Y&amp;manufacture=ASUS

Looks pretty good: $127.01
Also,
SX600II PERFORMANCE SERIES II - *NO POWER SUPPLY* $57.90 Can. I am pretty sure this will be good enough, I dont really care about aesthetics.

http://www.vibecomputers.com/i...mp;if=n&amp;vID=190894

I do need a floppy, however:
1.44MB BLACK 3.5IN FLOPPY DRIVE: $10.43 Can.

http://www.ncix.com/products/i...;manufacture=Panasonic

Also, I guess I need a decent cd-dvd drive. Sound and networking are integrated in the motherboard in this post I selected.

http://www.ncix.com/article.php?mode=amd
I got the processor fromt his site, so might as well the mobo and get free Farcry.

 

[mechBgon]

If they have the Antec SLK3700AMB case/power supply for near the same price, that's got a better power supply with 350W and two ball-bearing fans, plus it has more drive capacity and more cooling. Nice case, I used one for my building guide if you want to see it inside and out These days, with video cards taking more and more power, 350W does make sense... see what you think. Looks good with black drives, too

 

[DetroitSportsFan]

Looking much better now .... did you decide against the DVDRW by putting the CDRW/dvd combo in there instead? Only drawback to a DVD burner at this time is the cost of the blank DVD media .... however, having the capabilities to burn them makes good sense. The cost between the two these days is also not big.

ASUS K8N

ASUS = POWER HUNGRY! Not an issue to be concerned about as long as you don't cut the corner on the power supply. Otherwise, its an excellent board with a good price.

What about the ram? Are you going 1 512 chip? I still say consider 2 if you can .... otherwise plan to add it in the future.

PSU: 430 watt antec. Certainly more than adequate for what you're building with SOME over-head to grow. You throw that Nvidia 6600GT into the mix and your breathing room for upgrading begins to change. You still have some, but not nearly as much. Think about your future needs .... more drives? Extra PCI goodies? If they are in the picture .... may consider more "wattage" .... if not, you're good!

You're getting the idea and you're doing very well! 939 is the better of the A64 sockets for building on right now. Keep doing your research and you may find an area to fine-tune your new rig on your own. However, its looking pretty good as it is right now!

 

[CraigRT]

Regarding the case, I have an Antec SX600II and it's a great case.. VERY easy to work with, and solid... I think it has good aesthetics too

I would recommend to anyone for the price :thumbsup:

 

[andvruss]

I think I am going to get 2x 512 Corsair VS512MB400 512MB DDR400 PC3200 for 77$ each

For the CD-DVD drive, I dont care too much about speed. I just want to be able to have a drive that plays both dvds and cds, as well as burning them (dvd burning less important).

The case comes with 1 fan, and the procvessor with a fan and heatsink.
Now compatibility and room:

Processor(AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Processor Socket 93): Socket: Socket 939
MOtherboard ( ASUS K8N ATHLON64 S754 NFORCE3 250 DDR AGP 5PCI SATA SOUND LAN): unknown to me. both being 64, are they not compatibile?

The case can have up to 4 x80mm fans# - 1 rear (installed) 2 front (optional), 1 side panel (optional). Is this enough?
Motherboards up to Standard ATX: I am assuming this motherboard is compatible and can fit in this case along with everything else. Sorry for all the qustions, but I dont know too much about computer hardware, but just from this thread I at least doubled my knowledge. Thanks.

 

[DetroitSportsFan]

MOtherboard ( ASUS K8N ATHLON64 S754 NFORCE3 250 DDR AGP 5PCI SATA SOUND LAN): unknown to me. both being 64, are they not compatibile?

Nope, not compatible. Your cpu is a socket 939. Its the socket that appears to have the best upgrade path at the moment. Your Mobo is a socket 754. (I didn't catch the socket discrepancy before.) Match the 939's and you'll have a pretty good marriage! The Asus A8V Deluxe VIA Socket 939 ATX Motherboard / AGP 4X/8X / Audio / Gigabit LAN / Serial ATA / RAID / USB 2.0 / Firewire (I know, it has raid) would work with your A64 939. (Or wait for an nforce 4 board.)

You're on target with everything else.

 

[andvruss]

ASUS A8V DELUXE ATHLON64 S939 K8T800PRO DUAL DDR AGP 5PCI SATA 1394 SOUND 1000LAN

http://www.ncix.com/products/i...E&amp;manufacture=ASUS

$181.26 Canadian.

I think I found the video card:

CHAINTECH SE6600GT GEFORCE 6600GT VIDEO CARD 128MB DDR PCI EXPRESS VGA DVI TV OUT RETAIL BOX

http://www.ncix.com/products/i...e=CHAINTECH%20COMPUTER

$279.40 Canadian

Now, I dont really know the differences between PCI, AGP, and PCI-E, but would AGP be better sorted for me, and isn't there a 256 normal (nonSE) nvidia 6600GT for around the same, due to being AGP and not PIC-E.

 

[DetroitSportsFan]

There's bound to be some nforce lovers out there that will shoot me for recommending a VIA based board. I was merely offering an alternative that would fit your CPU choice. I think I'd research that board before making a final decision. I'd also look for nforce boards on the 939 platform.

The vid cards .... those slots are not the same! Before you buy an AGP card, be sure its supported in your board. Likewise, if you want PCI-E, make sure the board supports it before you buy the card. I can't answer the other vid card questions since I haven't really researched those yet.

You're moving along nicely. Your questions are all very good. Keep it up .... research things and keep asking your questions.

 

[andvruss]

All these Nvidia 6600GT and the like are for PCI-E, and the ATI ones have AGPx8
I am 'raised' on the ATI video card system, but herad great reviews about the 6600GT.
EDIT: I guess I will post this in the video forum.

 

[andvruss]

Currently:

Processor:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Processor Socket 939 Retail ***Free 2nd Day***
w/Fan and Heatsink, 3 Years Manufacturer Warranty $163 American (pretty sure)=194 Canadian.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/...ode=80699-2&amp;ps=ho3
Motherboard:

ASUS A8V DELUXE ATHLON64 S939 K8T800PRO DUAL DDR AGP 5PCI SATA 1394 SOUND 1000LAN $181.26 Canadian.

http://www.ncix.com/products/i...E&amp;manufacture=ASUS
RAM:

Corsair VS512MB400 512MB DDR400 PC3200 CAS2.5 Value Select Memory Retail *** Free 2nd Day ***
Lifetime Warranty (2 of them). Appr. 155$ Canadian

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/...ode=80098-6&amp;ps=ho1

RUEPOWER 430 WATT ATX12V POWER SUPPLY $100.34 Canadian
http://www.vibecomputers.com/i...amp;if=n&amp;vID=35762

Hard Drive:

120 GB Seagate Barracuda ATA-100 7200RPM 8Mb 9.4ms OEM - 8 Mb Cache - 5 Year Manufacturer Warranty $109.99 Can
Should I go with the 160 GB one listed on the first page for 10$ less than this one, or this one?
http://www.seagate.com/cda/pro...ail/0,1081,580,00.html]http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/discsales/marketing/detail/0,1081,580,00.html (info)
http://www.pccanada.com/inventory.asp?cat=harddrives

Case:

SX600II PERFORMANCE SERIES II - *NO POWER SUPPLY* $57.90 Can.

http://www.vibecomputers.com/i...mp;if=n&amp;vID=190894

Floppy Drive:

1.44MB BLACK 3.5IN FLOPPY DRIVE: $10.43 Can.

http://www.ncix.com/products/i...;manufacture=Panasonic

CD-DVD drive and video card pending. Total so far= $808.92.

I have a RAEDON 9200SE I can sell for around 75$ probably as well...

Looking at this extra fan (if needed):


COOLERMASTER TLF-R82 80MM LED CASE FAN 4 LED BLUE 2500RPM 32CFM 25DBA

http://www.ncix.com/products/i...nufacture=COOLERMASTER

 

[andvruss]

I have been having my doubts...should I go PCI-e or AGP?