Help me get a new computer

[NarcoticHobo]

Well, I will still have to wait about a month to get this thing as I definitely want to go SLI, but hey it never hurt to think it out in advance.

So here is the deal I have exactly $3700 USD to spend. This may at the absolute max go up to $3900, but it is unlikely. This has to include shipping and everything so...

Alright my main concerns are this, part of this money comes from my uncle who is fairly uneasy with me building it myself, which I would love to do. I may be able to talk him into it but imagine that I cannot for this moment.

What is the best way to allocate this money to the different parts. I will need an LCD monitor and as I said I want SLI which should be at least 6800 GT's. I already own a Audigy 2 ZS and some speakers so no need for that stuff, just computer and monitor. I have looked at the HP l2335 which i think I can get on ebay after shipping for $1200 and the dell 2005fpw which I can probably snaq for $630 through my mom's teacher discount, however I think having a nice computer without having an incredible display to culminate it is pointless so I'd like to go with the HP unless there is an absolutely phenomenal difference for the extra $600. Well, that the only requirements I have... let me know how to get the most bang for my buck with the rest.

 

[NarcoticHobo]

Oh, and do computer makers generally have large sales after christmas?

 

[Harvey]

Read the forums, and read various reviews, and build your own. For $3,700, you should be able to built two really hot machines.

 

[NarcoticHobo]

Well, right, I'm aware of all of the different pieces of hardware. I was just wondering as to some other peoples opinions on the best way to configure it (IE is it worth having a hp 23" and downgrading from a fx-55 to a 90nm 3500+), or whatever other considerations they may have.

 

[gobucks]

for that kind of money, you're looking at a rediculous PC.
FX-55
Asus A8N-Deluxe SLI (this board has PCIe x1 slots, unlike the MSI piece of crap)
2x 6800GTs or Ultras, depending on availability
2x74GB Raptors in raid 0
1 300GB Diamondmax 10 SATA drive (or the new baraccuda 7200.8, if it's out)
500-600W PSU (Zalman, Fortron, OCZ, etc.)
Arctic Silver 5 thermal grease
Thermalright XP-120 Heatsink (or you could even watercool, if you feel like it)
2x1GB low latency PC3200, like Corsair XMS or Crucial Ballistix

For the monitor, I'd recommend a 20.1" or 21" LCD. Make sure it has a response time of 16ms or 12ms, since the slower ones with 25ms aren't very good for gaming (I know, I've got one, unfortunately). I think Dell has a 20.1" LCD with 16ms response and DVI for $600.

The other alternative would be to get the new dual opteron nforce4 SLI board from Tyan, but I don't know when it will be available, and I don't think it's really worth it.

Oh, and by the way, I hate you, you rich bastard! Just kidding.

 

[NarcoticHobo]

With the monitor I was planning on the 2005fpw which has a 16ms response time but only 1680x1050 or the hp l2335 which has 16ms and 1920x1200.

As for the money I worked feverishly through high school to save up a mere $1200, but then for my graduation my uncle decided to buy me a new computer and told me yesterday that he had $2500 for it, so

 

[compcons]

OK, build a $2500 pc and keep the $1200 for games. Even $2500 for a pc is a whole helluvalot of money. As far as $3700 goes, I can't imagine spending that kind of money on a pc without putting some really unecessary crap into it.

EH

 

[NarcoticHobo]

Games are what birthdays and holidays are for

 

[slash196]

Damn...you are one lucky son of a gun.

 

[DanDrop]

Originally posted by: compcons
OK, build a $2500 pc and keep the $1200 for games. Even $2500 for a pc is a whole helluvalot of money. As far as $3700 goes, I can't imagine spending that kind of money on a pc without putting some really unecessary crap into it.

EH

Agreed! For about $2500, you can build a kick ass computer and save your money for upgrades down the line. The value of a $2,500 computer now will definitely take a depreciation hit specially after the holidays (hell, with technology rolling out new crap everyday, it depreciates almost everyday) and would be worth around $2,000 or less.

So i think it would be wiser to save some cash and get some upgrades as you see fit.

 

[ThePiston]

If you really want to spend it all then i'd blow my wad on the monitor (21" at least) and video cards. What are you using this thing for?

 

[NarcoticHobo]

I was planning on waiting till after xmas to get it, for the price drops and shit.

I figure best case I get a 3500+, two 6800 GT's, the HP 23", 1gig ocz plat rev2, a 74 gig raptor, and water cool the whole thing, to me that stuff seems like it won't be depreciating all that much anytime soon.

 

[ElementK1]

No it won't...and what you had listed above is about 1500 dollars, maybe more, maybe less :\

 

[cheesehead]

Niiice. Remember, see if you can get a NCQ-enabled Raptor.
Also, make sure the LCD is 16ms or less. a 23" monitor is worthless if it's too slow to play games on.

 

[NarcoticHobo]

Ok, how is what I listed above around 1500, I figure 800 for gfx cards, 500 for watercooled case and power supply, 200 for cpu, 200 for mboard, 200 for hard drive, 200 for optical drives, 300 for ram...

thats 2400 of the bat... maybe you think the prices will drop drastically after holidays?

As for the next guys post, yea def want ncq raptor and this is the monitor:

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/prod...onitors/tft/l2335.html

 

[NarcoticHobo]

Well anyone know better prices?

 

[RobCur]

Originally posted by: Harvey
Read the forums, and read various reviews, and build your own. For $3,700, you should be able to built two really hot machines.

3 top of the line or 6 budget system
Enough to satisfy even the most demanding user.
comprende?

 

[Blackjack2000]

Personally, I wouldn't buy a watercooled case if it cost that much... and an FX-55 is about $1000 AFAIK.

Sorry, misread
don't remember what the price of a 3500+ is

 

[RobCur]

Originally posted by: NarcoticHobo
Oh, and do computer makers generally have large sales after christmas?

after christmas, no
before christmas? definitely yes
are you rying to makeuslaught\?

 

[Mrvile]

Originally posted by: NarcoticHobo
Ok, how is what I listed above around 1500, I figure 800 for gfx cards, 500 for watercooled case and power supply, 200 for cpu, 200 for mboard, 200 for hard drive, 200 for optical drives, 300 for ram...

thats 2400 of the bat... maybe you think the prices will drop drastically after holidays?

As for the next guys post, yea def want ncq raptor and this is the monitor:

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/prod...onitors/tft/l2335.html

800 for graphics cards, I assume you are going SLI? If you are then budget about a thousand.

500 for watercooled case...you can set up your own watercooling for a bit less.

200 for CPU, that will buy you like a low-end (for your amount of money) 3200. You should get at least a 3500, if not a 3800 or even an FX-53.

200 for motherboard. SLI, right? Probably around 250 right when they come out.

200 for hard drive(s), RAID setup right? A single 200 dollar 7200 would be like a 300gb one.

EDIT: Wow, that is one expensive monitor! You can find ones just as good for like half the price.

200 for optical drives? That's like 4 dvd-rw/dual layers. Set aside about 100 (one dual layer, one CDRW)

300 for ram. Unless you're getting DDR500 ram, or more than 1gb, ram should only cost about 200.

 

[Mrvile]

Originally posted by: Blackjack2000
Personally, I wouldn't buy a watercooled case if it cost that much... and an FX-55 is about $1000 AFAIK.

Sorry, misread
don't remember what the price of a 3500+ is

FX-55 is about $50. A 3500+ is about 270 bucks OEM, and about 320 bucks RETAIL. This is for the 90nm Winchester, the only one that counts with your budget.

 

[NarcoticHobo]

So how would you suggest I allocate the $3700? Should I forget the 23" lcd and go with the much cheaper 20" to get better components?

 

[Mrvile]

And yes, at least in my opinion. 20" is more than enough (I use 17 right now), and you don't want something too big and bright for gaming unless you want to get sick and get a headache.

 

[Blackjack2000]

3500+ is $279 retail at Monarch.

What the? I thought all socket 939s were 90nm. Now I'm really confused

 

[NarcoticHobo]

So the dell 1600 x 1050 widescreen or the dell/viewsonic 1600x1200?