First time building pc - need info please

[sihuda]

I want to know if this motherboard has a built-in video card for my monitor. (ie. I will not need a video card).

ASUS "K8N" NVIDIA nForce3 Chipset Motherboard For AMD Socket 754 CPU -RETAIL

Specifications:
Supported CPU: AMD Athlon 64 / Sempron Processor
Chipset: NVIDIA nForce3 250
FSB: 800 MHz
RAM: 3x DIMM Supports DDR266/333/400 Max 3GB
Slots: 1x AGP 8X/4X, 5x PCI
Ports: 2x PS/2, 1x COM, 1x LPT, 8x USB2.0(Rear 4), 1xRJ45, Audio Ports
IDE: 2x ATA 133 up to 4 Devices
Onboard SATA/RAID: 2x SATA RAID with 0, 1, 0+1, JBOD
Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC850(8-Ch)
Onboard LAN: Built-in MAC with external PHY 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
Form Factor: ATX

- If I need a video-card, got any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[mechBgon]

It doesn't have onboard video. Will you be building a gaming system with it? What resolution will you run your games at?

 

[fstime]

Either this:

http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=13-131-518&depa=0

or this:

http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=13-131-490&depa=0

The one you listed doesnt have on board video, it would say VGA port, I kniw socket 939 doesnt have any mother boards with onboard video but 939 will allow you to upgrade your cpu later on, you can always get a 939 w/ a $40 gfx card.

 

[sihuda]

Not gaming actually. I just need to connect my monitor (and i'll view dvds occasionally). Do I really need a video card?

 

[ts3433]

Get something like a Radeon 9200 or used GeForce4 Ti4200 if you get that setup (though I know there are some boards with integrated graphics for the A64). If you're not doing really CPU-intensive things that would require an A64, though, I'd get a mobile Athlon XP, a cheap heatsink (Speeze), and an NF2 IGP board with an AGP slot for any possible future upgrade (Biostar makes a good one called the MC7NG 400, IIRC).

 

[fstime]

On board is FINE as long as your not gaming, buy one of the mobos I posted. Something like a 9200 etc would just be a waste.

 

[sihuda]

Originally posted by: BouZouki
On board is FINE as long as your not gaming, buy one of the mobos I posted. Something like a 9200 etc would just be a waste.

Are you sure the second mobo you listed (see below) has onboard video? NewEgg dosn't say so....

ASUS "K8V SE Deluxe" K8T800 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket 754 CPU -RETAIL

Model# K8V SE DELUXE
Item # N82E16813131490

Specifications:
Supported CPU: Socket 754 for AMD Athlon 64 Processors
Chipset: VIA K8T800 + VT8237
FSB: Hyper Transport
RAM: 3x DIMM for DDR400/333/266 Max 3GB
IDE: 3x ATA 133(1 from Promise 20378) up to 6 Devices
Slots: 1x AGP 8X, 5x PCI, 1x Wi-Fi
Ports: 2xPS2,1xCOM,1xLPT,8xUSB2.0(rear 4),1xLAN,2x1394(rear 1),SPDIF Out,Audio Ports
Onboard Audio: AD1980 6-Channel audio CODEC
Onboard LAN: Marvell GbE
Onboard SATA/RAID: VT8237, 2xSATA, RAID 0/1; Promise R20378, 2x SATA, RAID 0/1/0+1
Onboard 1394: VIA VT6307, 2 Ports
Form Factor: ATX

 

[ts3433]

A K8V SE Deluxe has no onboard video and is no good compared to more recent offerings anyway. If this is just for DVDs and stuff, try Socket A.

 

[fstime]

Oh i'm sorry, I the first one is def on board, I dont know why newegg didnt filter it out when I put ON BOARD VIDEO: YES. Just go with the first one.

 

[sihuda]

Originally posted by: ts3433
A K8V SE Deluxe has no onboard video and is no good compared to more recent offerings anyway. If this is just for DVDs and stuff, try Socket A.

what's socket A?

 

[ts3433]

Socket A is also known as Socket 462. It takes the Athlon XP, Socket A Semprons, and all the older Athlons as well. Seriously--for HTPC use you shouldn't require more than what one of those can offer. Good processors for that platform can be found for less than $100--I'd take a mobile 2400+ and a cheap heatsink, then overclock it to 11x200MHz, the speed of the XP 3200+.

 

[Anubis08]

Yes, I would say you will need a vid card. Even for viewing movies most of the vid cards built in suck to begin with but they also share your ram. 9800 pro or 6600gt might be good cards if you can get eitehr. The 9800 is cheaper and older, but remember everyone who couldn't get an XT wanted one less than a year ago.

 

[sihuda]

One last question:

Will the following video card be compatible with the motherboard (listed below):

Rosewill ATI RADEON 9600XT Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-Bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "RW96XT-128D" -RETAIL

Specifications:
Chipset/Core Speed: ATI RADEON 9600XT/500MHz
Memory/Effective Speed: 128MB DDR/600MHz
BUS: AGP 4X/8X
Ports: VGA Out(15 Pin D-Sub) + TV-Out (S-Video) + DVI
Support 3D API: DirectX 9, OpenGL 1.5
Max Resolution@32bit Color: 2048X1536@60Hz
Cable/Accessories: DVI to VGA adaptor, S-Video cable, Driver CD, Manual
Retail Box (See pics for details)


ASUS "K8N" NVIDIA nForce3 Chipset Motherboard For AMD Socket 754 CPU -RETAIL

Specifications:
Supported CPU: AMD Athlon 64 / Sempron Processor
Chipset: NVIDIA nForce3 250
FSB: 800 MHz
RAM: 3x DIMM Supports DDR266/333/400 Max 3GB
Slots: 1x AGP 8X/4X, 5x PCI
Ports: 2x PS/2, 1x COM, 1x LPT, 8x USB2.0(Rear 4), 1xRJ45, Audio Ports
IDE: 2x ATA 133 up to 4 Devices
Onboard SATA/RAID: 2x SATA RAID with 0, 1, 0+1, JBOD
Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC850(8-Ch)
Onboard LAN: Built-in MAC with external PHY 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
Form Factor: ATX

 

[ts3433]

Why wouldn't it be compatible? That's also quite overkill, though. All you'd need for this usage is a 9200 if you don't go with onboard video--the suggestion above for a 9800 Pro or 6600GT is absurd for what you're using this for. (Integrated graphics will take about 32MB of your RAM for a reasonable setting, but you'll still have around 480MB left to run applications with 2x256MB of memory on an NF2 IGP. I usually don't use more than 300MB myself, and I can't imagine it being higher than 400MB with a DVD in there. Besides, good NF2 IGP boards like Biostar's have AGP slots in case you'd like to upgrade to a video card later.)

 

[sihuda]

Ok, I think I get the idea... basically I'm getting the following for the build:

ASUS "K8N" NVIDIA nForce3 Chipset Motherboard For AMD Socket 754 CPU -RETAIL
AMD Athlon 64 3000+, 512KB L2 Cache 64-bit Processor - Retail
Corsair Value Select Memory 184 Pin 1GB DDR PC-3200, Model VS1GB400C3 - Retail
Sony Internal 16X DVD+/-RW / Double Layer Drive Black, Model DW-D22A-B2, OEM
WD 120 Gig drive

Since I'm getting a gig of ram, I won't really have to worry about video eating some memory. I just want to make sure I don't get choppy video when I'm watching dvds (or if I get a tv tuner card). Think this is good (any suggestions)?

 

[ts3433]

Remember for that setup you need a video card... a Radeon 9200 will do. It looks like you're not open to the Athlon XP idea. I don't think you'll really require that much memory even with watching DVDs, though. I can go check on another machine here and see how much memory a DVD uses in there. [EDIT: I used our Dell, which has 512MB of RDRAM, to play a DVD with nothing else except AntiVir running in the background (maybe a few startup items that Dell or the users of that computer have installed), and my total memory usage never went over 230MB.]