evaluate parts for new pc

[salvorhardin]

I'm going to build my first computer for my sister. She needs a pc that is cheap, black and can be upgraded in the future. I have a general idea on what parts I should use but I need help in making sure that I'm choosing the right parts. Everything is from newegg.com, the parts I think I should use are:

Case: Full Tower Black Chieftec w/450W PSU
Video Card: Apollo Radeon 7000 32mb sdram or Palit Microsystems TNT2 M64
Processor: Athlon XP 1700+ Thoroughbred OEM
Heatsink: Thermaltake Volcano 6Cu+
Motherboard: Shuttle AK37GT or MSI KT4VL
Sound: Built-in
Memory: Crucial 256mb PC2100
Hard Drive: 80GB WD not SE
CDRW: will get from a brick and mortar that has rebates, don't care if beige
Floppy: Alps black floppy

Total comes to about $420
Thanks.

 

[arynn]

I just built a computer using the MSI K7N2G-L and had no problems with the buid.

You can get the MSI K7N2-L w/o the integrated video for about $20 more than the KT400 board. The nForce2 board's integrated sound and LAN should have a lower CPU utilization than the KT4VL. You could also get the board with the integrated video and save on the video card (although, the Radeon would probably have better image quality and using the onboard video with only one stick of RAM would degrade performance).

The nForce2 is currently the best performing Athlon chipset and is very stable.

If you buy the memory from Crucial directly and use their memory selector they guarantee it will work with the motherboard (any standard PC2100 RAM should work with any motherboard, but...).

I would get the Radeon over the TNT2. I'm not sure of the actual age of each card, but I think the Radeon would perform much better and would have better image quality.

 

[KidChaos]

Ditto on the MSI K7N2G-L motherboard. Get at least PC2700 memory for sake of future 333MHz DDR FSB processor upgrades. In which case, you can run your memory in sync with your FSB - results in better performance.

 

[cleverhandle]

I'd second the nForce2 idea, probably keeping the Radeon if the cost is not a huge factor. Or, if you want the Radeon's image quality, maybe go with a KT333 over a KT400 to save a few more bucks. KT400 vs. KT333 doesn't get you much.

Also, a Volcano 7 is only $4 more and lets you use a quieter 80mm fan compared to the 6cu+'s 60mm. Everybody likes quiet.

 

[techfuzz]

Originally posted by: salvorhardin
Case: Full Tower Black Chieftec w/450W PSU

I can't believe I'm going to say this but 450W is overkill for what you've described. You could easily get away with a quality 330W. I don't know what PSU the Chieftec's have in them though.. Unless you plan on adding like 5 fans, 2 more hard drives, a DVD, CDRW, a peltier, etc. you don't need all that power... Get it only if you think you're going to upgrade a lot in the future and need that much room to grow.

Total comes to about $420

Hmmmmm..... rounding error? I think not! heheh

techfuzz

 

[CaptnKirk]

Might consider the XP1700+ Retail, as you get a better heatsink, fan, and a 3 year warranty, for less that the separate fan and H/S price difference.

Mitsumi is the worlds leading manufacturer of floppys, 80% of ALL brands are really Mitsumis, probably the Alps is too, but Alps does save a buck with free freight.

Brick & Mortar - Look for Pacific Digital or CenDyne specials, they're really LiteOns. PCWorld did a 'Top 10' CD-RW's and 6 of the 10 were LiteOn or LiteOn Re-Packages.

Consider Crucial Direct for the memory, they have a Motherboard configuration Matcher, and 2nd Day Air Free.
Sometimes they offor a coupon, or can beat NewEggs prices. Not always - Sometimes, but check.

Remember - the BIG THREE Motherboards are: Abit, and Asus, and Epox. They're the big three for a reason, if you don't know why - you've never had one.
MSI KT4VL = $ 75
Shuttle AK37GT = $ 85
ABIT KD7 = $ 94
ASUS A7V266-E = $ 71.99 *****BEST DEAL****
EPOX EP-8K5A2 = $ 84

Also look into the Antec and Chenming cases - all made by the Cheiftech/Chenming factory in China, the difference is the Power Supply.

Tough call on the Video Card, I have no suggestions within the budget constraints for that.
Might as well do the Apollo Radeon 7000 - we know the ATI chipsets good.

 

[KidChaos]

I have a retail heatsink with my 1700+ and I can say first hand that it's barely adequate. Do yourself a favor and get a thermalright heatsink and panasonic or ys-tech fan.

 

[Macro2]

RE:"Brick & Mortar - Look for Pacific Digital or CenDyne specials, they're really LiteOns"

Be careful. Cendyne is sending mainly NON-Lite-on Drives now.


As for the HSF, The stock HSF is pretty good. The Volcano 6cu is a good HSF keeps my 1600+ under , 40C socket temp on the MSI board with a mobo temp over 32 C. Volcano 7 would be better and is larger.

As for the Mobo...look at the soltek KT 400 board

Mac

 

[Macro2]

And you don't need a 450 w PS either. Quality is better than quantity. How about a nice Sparkle, Enlight ot Antec?

 

[mboy]

Get a better video card off the FS/Ft froums and get a GC-68 cooler from svc w/80mm fan instead of volcano.

 

[salvorhardin]

Thanks for all of the replies. I hadn't considered the nForce2 since I believed that they were two expensive. I'm planning on sticking with pc2700 ram since she probably won't need it since it will be used in a dorm for word processing and music. As for the power supply it's an Austin 450W power supply with 220W combined 3.3V and 5.5V. wasn't really considering the quantity of wattage, but price, since for $84 I get the case and the power supply. I might buy the retail 1700+ since the price difference between oem and retail is $13, at the time of my first post it was over a $20 difference. As for the motherboard i'm considering the MSI nForce2 since it has the built-in video card, the only thing that has me concerned is that it will have only one stick of 256mb ram. As for sound, it going to have a mini plug to RCA cable hooked up to a 60W stereo. So far I have two possible systems specs. Also, I forgot to mention in my first post that this will be my first system build and am open to overclocking as long as it doesn't affect the longetivity of the system. Thanks again for all the suggestions.

Specs system1:
Case: Full Tower Black Chieftec - $65
Power Supply: Enlight 360W - $38
Video Card: Built-in - $0
Processor: Retail Athlon XP 1700+ - $65
Heatsink: retail - $0
Motherboard: MSI K7N2G-L - $115
Sound: Built-in - $0
Memory: Crucial 256MB PC2100 - $48
Hard Drive: 80GB WD not SE - $96
CDRW: B&M
Floppy: Mitsumi black - $11

Total : $438 not including cdrw, tax and shipping

Specs system2:
Case: Full Tower Black Chieftec w/450W PSU - $84
Video Card: Apollo Radeon 7000 32 MB sdram - $30
Processor: Athlon XP 1700+ OEM - $52
Heatsink: Volcano 7 - $15
Motherboard: MSI KT4VL - $75
Sound: built-in - $0
Memory: Crucial 256MB PC2100 - $48
Hard Drive: 80GB WD not SE - $96
CDRW: B&M
Floppy: Mitsumi black - $11

Total : $411 not including cdrw, tax and shipping

 

[nick1985]

id rather have the nforce 2 onboard video than that nasty ati card

 

[CallTheFBI]

I don't think I could stand using a system that crappy. I feel sorry for your sister.

 

[Macro2]

RE:"I don't think I could stand using a system that crappy. I feel sorry for your sister."

Thats not a bad set up unless you're a major gamer.

 

[CallTheFBI]

Originally posted by: Macro2
RE:"I don't think I could stand using a system that crappy. I feel sorry for your sister."

Thats not a bad set up unless you're a major gamer.

Sucks for 3D animation, graphic design, video editing and DVD ripping too.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Built in video isn't good for much more than office applications where text display such as Word and Excell are the primary task.
Quality suffers, and the CPU/RAM get their processing capabitity consumed by video processing.
NewEgg has the Crucial PC2100 for $ 46.99, that's the lowest it's been since last July.

 

[salvorhardin]

This is the current specs for the system. Instead of pc2100 ram I changed it to pc2700 ram since it was only $8 more. Also, would it be possible to run it a 166fsb with 9 multiplier with stock cooling and fan? Or should I buy an OEM version and a volcano 7 heatsink and fan? Thanks again.

Specs system:
Case: Full Tower Black Chieftec w/Austin 450W PSU - $84
Video Card: built-in
Processor: Athlon XP 1700+ Retail - $65
Heatsink: included
Motherboard: MSI K7N2G-L - $115
Sound: built-in - $0
Memory: Samsung 256MB PC2700 - $55
Hard Drive: 80GB WD not SE - $96
CDRW: B&M
Floppy: Panasonic black - $9
Keyboard & Mouse: KEYBOARD-2000 - $10

Total : $434 not including cdrw, tax and shipping

 

[Dreadogg]

I think you should get one more stick of ram just because if you are loading XP it will use it, plus nforce needs two sticks to take advantage of the dual channel feature (is that what its called). Also I think that when you use onboard video with the nforce setup it steals some ram, like 32MB's not sure though.