First Build, Help me fill in the blanks

[imported_neloX]

This is a first build for me, and luckily a friend will be helping me out. I'm currently running a PII 450Mhz, and have occasional access to a P4. This machine will be used for running Linux, playing games (HL2, BF2146, BF2 all in windows), listening to music and usual office type stuff. I've got input devices, speakers, monitor already covered.

This is what I've picked out so far:

CPU
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz 2M sharing L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819115004

MOTHERBOARD
GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128012

GPU
POWERCOLOR X1950 PRO Extreme 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 VIVO PCI Express x16 Extreme Edition Video Card With AC Cooling - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131027

PSU
Enhance ENP-5150GH 500W ATX12V Rev.2.2 (24/20+8/4+6), 80+ RoHS, Quiet PSU
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=PS-E5150GH

HARD DRIVE
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 (Perpendicular Recording) ST3320620A 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148139
Maybe a second one next year.

As you can see I haven't picked out memory, case, or a sound card (have I forgotten anything?). This is what I thought you AT forum users could help me out with. I've heard about problems with certain memory on the DS3, but as I'm not on par technically with many of you I couldn't really figure out which memory would do the trick. I'm looking at buying 2GB, either as a pair or individually at a justifiable price.

I'm also going to be using the stock cooler initially, and I hope to overclock a little so if you have a better (quiet) reasonably priced cooler(below $40-50) you could recommend please do. I've heard of the Scythe, and Zalmans offering good cooling but im not sure. I'm planning to run this 24/7 in my room, so if you notice any overly noisy parts, with alternative less noisy products at around the same price bracket, please let me know. On the same note I haven't picked out a case, its been the last thing on my mind, but again if you know something quiet please let me know, I'm not really too concerned about how it looks, windows, aluminum/steel; I'm just looking for a solid case with enough quiet fans for cooling I'm all for it.


Finally, a solid sound card would be good in the under $80 range, I'd be looking for the best bang for the buck as well something that can support a moderate 5.1 speaker system. Over the years I've preferred Turtle Beach cards (mostly because of price) and have been happy with the 3 I've bought, the last of which was a Montego 4 years ago. I'm weary of Creative as I've always thought their cards are over priced, but if their cards are the best on the market I'll be happy to pay for them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Okay, most of your choices look good. However, I would make some minor modifications:

1) Motherboard- The Gigabyte board is great, but personally I'd save $31 and get the GA-965P-S3, instead. It's almost exactly the same as the GA-965P-DS3 you had picked out, except without RAID (which you're obviously not using).
2) Power Supply- Enhance isn't exactly a proven manufacturer. What's worse, ewiz.com has an unsatisfactory record with the Better Business Bureau. I suggest the FSP Group AX400-PN from Newegg. It's both cheaper and more reliable.
3) Hard disk- 320GB models are still a bit too expensive. I suggest a 250GB drive. Western Digital makes a nice product for $70 plus shipping from Newegg. If you do choose to get a 320GB drive, however, for God's sake go with the Seagate ST3320620AS! It's cheaper *and better* than the drive you picked out.

Now, then, about the rest....

Your motherboard (whether you go with your initial choice or my recommendation) supports DDR2-800. The problem is, DDR2-800 memory is ridiculously expensive. DDR2-667 will do you just fine. If you want 1GB, go with the Corsair ValueSelect 1GB (2x512MB) DDR2-667 for $107 plus shipping; if you'd prefer 2GB, get the same Corsair ValueSelect 2GB (1GBx2) for $200 plus shipping. Generic RAM is fine, but why not pay a few dollars more for reliability?

For a case, I only see one possibility: the Rosewill R6A34-BK. It's a fantastic design with no sharp edges. You can't ask for more from a sub-$50 item, and you don't want to spend any more than that (since a case adds absolutely nothing to performance).

So what about a sound card? Well, personally I recommend trying out the onboard audio before you purchase a PCI device. Motherboard sound is usually pretty bad, but occasionally you get a winner--saving you dozens of dollars. If you do buy a PCI card, I recommend an M-Audio for musicians or a Creative (SoundBlaster) for non-musicians.

You are right to try the stock cooler, first. Usually it is plenty--even for overclocking. And CPU coolers are not cheap, so you definitely want to avoid a third party solution if possible.

Good luck!

 

[imported_neloX]

Thanks for the reply. Just one question about DDR2-667, how much of a bottleneck would it be on the parts I've already ordered? What I mean is would it 'cripple' the parts I've already got on my list? How much would it effect overclocking (remember I'm a noob at this)? I know this is not a high end system but I want to be able to get the most out of the parts I've ordered. Keep in mind I need something for current games like HL2, BF2, and BF2146. So basically is DDR2-800 really worth the extra cost or is it really worth getting because my other parts will run faster/perform better because of it? I like the idea about buying DDR2-667 now and DDR2-800 later, but my only fear is prices won't drop too far. I found this G Skill DDR2-800 2x1GB on newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustratingReview.asp?item=N82E16820231098 for $209, which seems like a steal to me, but at that price i feel its either not the same quality or its lacking in someway am i right/wrong? Is it compatible with the DS3/S3?

Oh and on the drives, on my list I put the ST3320620A, and you've recommended the ST3320620AS, but the first of which is SATA while the second is ATA, I thought the SATA would be better, although I could be wrong?
Thanks once again.

 

[bamacre]

Great deal on sound card...

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/5017775?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

As for a case, looks are up to you. But I really like this one...

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=141774

I would replace the side duct with an 80mm fan though. Very easy to do, just need a screw driver. This should provide more cooling. The reason I like the case is the fact that the door is extremely sturdy, all metal, and uses a small magnet to keep it closed, unlike a plastic piece that could easily break. I have used a LOT of cases, and IMO, this case is much better than even the Thermaltake Tsunami, which IMO, uses cheap thin metal. It also has front USB and Firewire connections.

 

[imported_neloX]

Originally posted by: bamacre
Great deal on sound card...

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/5017775?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

As for a case, looks are up to you. But I really like this one...

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=141774

Thanks, could you comment on the quietness of the case? If you had to sleep around 5 ft. away would you be able to get to sleep?

I was thinking about a Antec P150 I heard it runs quiet and some elastic hard drive slots. Anyone here know if its any good?

Also that memory I posted earlier, anyone care to comment or have first hand experience?

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
2) Power Supply- Enhance isn't exactly a proven manufacturer. What's worse, ewiz.com has an unsatisfactory record with the Better Business Bureau. I suggest the FSP Group AX400-PN from Newegg. It's both cheaper and more reliable.

i have to disagree here. the Enhance 5140gh and 5150gh got excellent reviews form jonnyguru and are very nice power supplies for that price range. if anything, the cheap fortron models are suspect (where as the more expensive ones are of very high quality). the 5150gh is a good choice, so stick with it.

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
3) Hard disk- 320GB models are still a bit too expensive. I suggest a 250GB drive. Western Digital makes a nice product for $70 plus shipping from Newegg. If you do choose to get a 320GB drive, however, for God's sake go with the Seagate ST3320620AS! It's cheaper *and better* than the drive you picked out.

the seagate 7200.10 16mb cache hard drives use perpendicular recording and are some of the fastest (non raptor) HD's you can get. $95 for the 320gb version is a good deal and with google checkout or the paypal discount (search hot deal forums for more info), you can get it for as little as $75... oh, and definitely go with SATA II: although the performance increase over ATA is tiny if any (that is, SATA II has greater bandwidth, but most HD's today can't utilize all of ATA's bandwidth), most modern motherboards are limited on ATA connections and you might as well go with the new standard (esp, for the same price).

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
Your motherboard (whether you go with your initial choice or my recommendation) supports DDR2-800. The problem is, DDR2-800 memory is ridiculously expensive. DDR2-667 will do you just fine. If you want 1GB, go with the Corsair ValueSelect 1GB (2x512MB) DDR2-667 for $107 plus shipping; if you'd prefer 2GB, get the same Corsair ValueSelect 2GB (1GBx2) for $200 plus shipping. Generic RAM is fine, but why not pay a few dollars more for reliability?

if the OP will OC, ddr2-800 is a must, or he will be very limited by the RAM. 1GB (2x512MB) should be enough for now, but eventually (when Vista is out), he'll prob. wanna drop in another gig. if you aren't OCing, ddr2-667 or 533 will do.

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
For a case, I only see one possibility: the Rosewill R6A34-BK. It's a fantastic design with no sharp edges. You can't ask for more from a sub-$50 item, and you don't want to spend any more than that (since a case adds absolutely nothing to performance).

In my experience, Rosewill is total junk. i don't have any experience with this particular case, so i can't really argue against it in particular, but the ones i've seen/read about are very poorly put together (flimsy), loud, sharp, heavy, cramped, have terrible airflow, etc. that's why they are so cheap. i would recommend sticking with brands known for decent cases, such as Antec, lian li, etc...

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: neloX

Originally posted by: bamacre
Great deal on sound card...

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/5017775?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

As for a case, looks are up to you. But I really like this one...

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=141774

Thanks, could you comment on the quietness of the case? If you had to sleep around 5 ft. away would you be able to get to sleep?

I was thinking about a Antec P150 I heard it runs quiet and some elastic hard drive slots. Anyone here know if its any good?

Also that memory I posted earlier, anyone care to comment or have first hand experience?

Well, the case will only be as quiet as the stuff you got in it.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: neloX

Originally posted by: bamacre
Great deal on sound card...

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/5017775?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

As for a case, looks are up to you. But I really like this one...

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=141774

Thanks, could you comment on the quietness of the case? If you had to sleep around 5 ft. away would you be able to get to sleep?

I was thinking about a Antec P150 I heard it runs quiet and some elastic hard drive slots. Anyone here know if its any good?

Also that memory I posted earlier, anyone care to comment or have first hand experience?

Well, the case will only be as quiet as the stuff you got in it.

that's true to some extent, but some cases are much better than others at insulating sound. namely, those with some kind of cushioning/padding (such as silicone) against vibration and those with thicker walls will typically dampen sound much better than a flimsy, rattly case. while you always want to get quiet fans, a good case is a big part of a quiet computer. check out silentpcreview.com for recommendations.

 

[imported_neloX]

well i checked out silentpc and their reviews and forums. it looks like im going to get the Antec P180B, its 79.99 AR at outpost.com till tomorrow. Unless someone suggests an equivalent case at the same or lower price.

So i still have no idea about memory. I'm looking for 2x1GB sticks pack/packless doesn't really matter to me. All I know is I need DDR2-800, and something that overclocks adequately (looking for around a 3ghz+), I'm not gonna pay for the premium stuff either around the low $200-250 range would be good. Also I've read some forum posts about incompatible memory with DS3, I'd like to avoid those problems too. I should hopefully be ordering the rest of the parts Friday!

Thanks for the help so far!