First build

[imported_Nirvana]

After listening to the advice of fellow members, I decided to built it myself and I just ordered the parts from Newegg. I've done basically everything else except installing the processor + heatsink and fan, and mounting the MOBO to the case, and those 2 are the parts that makes me nervous. Hopefully everything will be fine.

I already have a 40GB and 80 GB IDE HDD to include in the system, also a CD-RW and DVD-RW, and a microsoft intellimouse optical. The monitor is the ever trusty Viewsonic A90f+ 19" flat CRT.

The system is going to be used for heavy gaming (for a long time hopefully), heavy 3d modeling and animation, and image editing, and basically everything else. I also hope it'd help me do some average multitasking, without having to go dual core, all within a budget of $1300. The final amount came to $1322, including shipping.

Processor - Athlon 64 3500+ venice Retail.

Motherboard - Free EVGA nforce4 SLI mobo that came with -
Graphics Card - EVGA geforce 7800 GT

Lifetime warranty for the card, also the 90 day step-up upgrade option, if needed.

HDD - Maxtor Maxline III 250 GB SATA

Case - Raidmax Samurai - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811156161

Power Supply - Apex 500W -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817154015

I decided to go with a reliable power supply instead of a generic p/s with Case.

Soundcard - Turtle Beach Reviera 5.1 -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829118105

The reason why I went for this one instead of the traditional Creative live!, is because from the reviews the perfomance is pretty much the same, has a specific mic-in, and has optical out (for connecting to my receiver when needed).

Speakers - Codegen 2.1 -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16836135006

I don't have much space for an ideal 5.1 setup, so I chose a 2.1 value set. I use headphones normally, but it's beginning to hurt my head.

RAM - OCZ Value 2GB (2*1) pc3200 -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820146841

Hopefully this would prove adequate for extreme gaming, and maybe allow me to do something else while the system is rendering.

Samsung Floppy disk drive with a 10 pack floppy (could come handy).

Aspire 20-24 pin power supply converter.

Logitech office pro keyboard - to replace my worn out HP keyboard.
Battlefield 2 and Unreal Tournament 2004.
An IDE round cable and an anti-static wrist strap.

---------------------------

Awaiting the package to arrive, and I can't wait to start building

 

[twitchee2]

can you change the power supply thats not very good.

 

[Bona Fide]

Get this. It's 450W but it's MUCH MUCH MUCH better than w/e you currenly have selected

 

[Sqube]

Case is alright, I guess; that's in the eye of the beholder for the most part.
Seagate --> Western Digital --> Maxtor. In that order.
Your PSU kung-fu is weak; go with Bona Fide's suggestion.
If you're gaming, don't you think you should step up that mouse?

 

[t3h l337 n3wb]

Hmm, I've never heard of APEX before... Souds kinda crappy to me. It has 20A on the +12V, which isn't too bad I suppose... I would probably return it if I were you though.

 

[imported_Nirvana]

Damn..Unfortunately the order is already processed. Well, I think I'll just see how it goes for a while before returning it.
My mouse is a Microsoft intellimouse optical. I used to have the logitech mx510. Though its perfomance is unbeatable, it died on my after 3 months. The 2 returns I got died within a week, so I switched to the intellimouse.
I've heard that Seagate is the most reliable, but I was hoping that Maxtor might be just as good with this one. Haven't seen any complaints yet..hopefully I won't regret it.

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: Nirvana
Damn..Unfortunately the order is already processed. Well, I think I'll just see how it goes for a while before returning it.

Ouch, that sucks. That power supply you bought looks like a POS. A power supply is the most important part of a computer, I just dont get why people go cheap on them.

 

[johnnqq]

i've never heard of that ps company.
the 7800gt deal died i wanted it too!
if you were gonna still go with the evga mobo, i'm pretty sure the ocz value memory didn't work with it.

 

[imported_Nirvana]

Uh oh..there's a problem with OCZ value? I really hope that isn't the case..Didn't see any memory issue with the mobo when I searched, so I assumed any of the major brands would work.
I was very lucky on the combo deal. Seems like though the offer died, since I saved my card a couple of days ago it was still there