Help me Build a System < $700

[rsatat]

Hi, I'm not a gamer or an overclocker but am into movie media conversion from one form to another (VCD to DVD and vice versa). I dont even use any hi-tech tools for it other than Nero.
Please help me decide a configuration that will stay current atleast for a year.
I was thinking of the Opteron 170 (maybe from newegg) only for its 1+1MB L2 Cache over the X2 3800.
I have no idea what Mobo to use and what memory to buy.
I have about $700 for this.
Thanks for any help.
I know there are tonnes of rigs and configurations available already, but makes my head spin reading all of that.

 

[ribbon13]

$395 Opteron 170
$126 G.Skill F1-4000USU1-1GBHZ
$100 Epox EP-9NPA+ ULTRA
$53 Asus Geforce 6200

 

[rsatat]

Thank you ribbon13. That was quick. Do you recommend I wait for a week or two for maybe the 165 to become available?
Do you think I should up my investment for longevity of the configuration?

 

[ribbon13]

Well, the only things you could really upgrade it more to an Opteron 175 and/or 2GB of RAM. I wouldn't go for an Opteron 165 unless you are sure you're going to overclock it and meet tight temperature tolerances while doing so. Transcoding requires a very stable CPU. I'd go for the Opteron 175 because that's whats going to bottleneck the one taxing thing you actually do on your machine. I doubt 2GB of ram will help a whole lot. And Opteron 175 should keep you happy for more than a year.

 

[rsatat]

Thanks again. For the dual core processors, is it better to go for 2X512 or just 1 stick of 1Gb?

 

[ribbon13]

2x512MB would be better but the difference is miniscule, but it doesn't matter except if you want to upgrade to 2GB later. A single 1GB is better. For running two encoding operations at once, you'll eventually want to get another 1GB stick. But that's a whenever you get $120 down the road, pop of the side of the case, insert RAM, done in 3 minutes kinda upgrade. Whereas selling your 2x512MB to get 2x1GB would be a pain in the ass.

Be sure to update to the latest BIOS, and install the AMD driver

 

[kamranziadar]

Well i would Recommend .

Opteron 165 =$ 280
PQI Turbo PC4000 2 X 512MB = $107
DFI Lanparty Ultra D= $110
Used 6600GT = $90
ULtra X powersupply 500watts = $15 AR
COMPUSA Black Friday Case = $29AR
CompUSA Black Friday 200GB hard drive = $29AR
Thermaltake Big Typhoon = $40


Total -----------------------= $700

 

[rsatat]

Getting hold of the 165 is an issue now. One reason why I considered the 170. Thanks for you input. Are the rebate deals available anywhere slightly higher though without the hassle of rebates?

 

[ribbon13]

His recommendations are highly inferior. No 2GB upgrade path. Sh!tty power supply that will kill your machine. old IDE hard drive. And wishful thinkinh on most of those prices. I always expect never to recieve the rebate back. If you get it then, its a suprise (because it usually should be)

if your computer blows up because of the Ultra-X PSU, I won't help you. You said you only needed 4 components for that price.

 

[Avalon]

Neither one of you should be recommending PC4000 memory for a computer that won't even be overclocked. Find some value ram for $80 and be done with that.

Then again...I guess you wouldn't want CAS 3, 1GB modules.
Text

You won't save much more than $15 for this option, but it's an option. Not all PC4000 can run PC3200 at low timings. Who knows.

 

[rsatat]

I actually intend running Windows Server 2003 64 bit edition and also the latest suite of products Visual Studio 2005, MSSQL Server 2005 and do some form of OLAP programming too.

I dont mind the extra $20-30 here and there as long as the config is a bit future proof.

Will the PC4000 fare poorly compared to the PC3200 for day to day work?

 

[rsatat]

Newegg has increased prices on the AMD 170. Am wondering whether to buy now from other places or wait for after thanksgiving. Any advice.

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: rsatat
Newegg has increased prices on the AMD 170. Am wondering whether to buy now from other places or wait for after thanksgiving. Any advice.

Newegg usually is not the cheapest, just one of the more well known. Try checking out Mwave, Zipzoomfly, Monarchcomputer, Tankguyz, Chiefvalue, etc.

 

[ribbon13]

PC4000 will perform better than PC3200 even at stock speeds. Get the Opteron 170 at mwave. Newegg wants $60 more, hell no

 

[ribbon13]

Look here

Fastest RAM on the market, but all the other models review demonstrated the same thing. Faster bandwidth slower latency > slower bandwidth faster latency. And you can run the RAM at DDR500 without overclocking your CPU using the 5/4 divider.

 

[rsatat]

Thanks Avalon for the other sites. Wasn't aware of some of them.

And I'll stick to the PC4000 RAM

 

[forumposter32]

Asus A8N
OCZ Platinum 2x1GB
Geforce 6800 GS
Athlon 3700+ or higher

\EDIT: Whoops! I only noticed later you said you don't game. So, replace the 6800 GS with an X300 or X550 or Geforce 6200, whatever. And put that money towards a dual core (if you don't mind all the messages here about dual core "issues").

 

[klocwerk]

I HIGHLY suggest getting 2gb of ram OR MORE if you're doing video work.