Originally posted by: dyzzy
The first burner is only $2 cheaper - doesn't make too much of a difference, since I trust Samsung burners. Really I think I only need one burner, since I've never had the need to have more than one, but if I need a second one I'll get it later.
If you like Samsung, go for it. Still, I wouldn't rule out the Philips drive I mentioned, which is the same price, but slightly faster and includes a legal copy of Nero. Either way is fine, of course, but the Philips is what I'd recommend.
It's a good case, I agree. However, I chose my case for a reason: it's small. I know there are downsides to mini-towers, but I move my computer around fairly often (moving in and out of school, also for the occasional LAN party). Thus, my priority is a small, light case. Also, I've heard good things about the Centurion series.
Hmm. I didn't notice it was mATX; interesting. Well, that is a nice case, I agree, but I see two... not problems, exactly, but drawbacks: Firstly, it has a front firewire port, which means that you either have to spend extra on a firewire card (which uses up an expansion slot, which is a big deal for mATX systems) or firewire-capable motherboard, or else you're stuck with an inoperative front port, which in my opinion seems a bit tacky. Second, you must mail in a rebate form in order to get a good deal, which is both inconvenient and unreliable.
Ordinarily, I'd recommend the Raidmax Apex mid-tower, but since you want something small, why not consider this:
Foxconn TLM436-CN300C-01 ($37.99+$14.84)
It's a nice-looking case, from the pictures at least. According to the reviews, it's solidly-constructed and has no sharp edges inside (a lot of cases will cut you up when you build your system). In the words of one reviewer:
This is a budget case. However, it is probably the best built budget case I've seen. It is sturdy, has rounded edges on internal metal, has lots of room for drives, and is an excellent match for a budget microATX board.
Plus, it has a few advantages over the Coolermaster: Like the Raidmax mid-tower, this too includes a PSU you can keep as a spare or sell on Ebay. It also includes a cooling fan, which is one less you need buy separately. Moreover, it's a couple inches smaller (7.0x14.0x16.5) than the Coolermaster (7.1x15.4x16.6). The Foxconn has only USB and audio ports in front, so you don't need to worry about non-functional ports or spending extra on firewire. Finally, the Foxconn is $12 cheaper out the door, $2 after Coolermaster's rebate (assuming you would actually get it), a few more dollars cheaper once you factor in the cost of case fans, and a couple dollars cheaper still if you sell the PSU.
Now, these differences are all minor, so if you *really* like that Coolermaster, you needn't worry that you're getting fleeced. Still, the Foxconn gives you an option to save money and avoid inconvenience without cutting corners. I definitely recommend it.
How I've always done things is have one small disc for my OS and programs to be installed on and another larger one for data. It works for me because I love to fiddle with my main partition and I feel safer if it's on a separate disk than the rest of my data. But having a RAID might not be a bad idea.
I do it that way, too, with a separate storage drive. However, on your budget I would definitely consider two Seagates in RAID 0 for important data, regardless of whether you decide to get a Raptor as well.
$45 mail-in rebate makes the OCZ cheaper in the end.
True--if you actually get the rebate. Remember, they're always hit-or-miss, regardless of the company. Even assuming you get the $45 back, though, don't you think it's worth an extra $5 net to avoid the hassle and wait?
I'm pretty much firm on micro ATX because, like I said earlier, I want a small computer. Also, I don't even use PCI slots (though I've always liked to keep one handy for a possible sound card upgrade), and somehow Newegg got the specs wrong on the memory - it does indeed support DDR2. On another note, I did consider
this Gigabyte mobo but decided it wasn't worth the $40 over the Intel one. But maybe it is?
Hmm. Good question. Regardless of what you choose, though, you *must not* get the Intel board you picked out. It does not support DDR2, which means it will not be compatible with the memory you're planning on getting. Instead, it takes DDR3 memory, which at the moment is ridiculously overpriced ($400 for 2GB).
Now, there are only a handful of mATX boards which support quad core. The cheapest of them are also the least reliable, which on your budget is unacceptable. In the end, although you could save a *few* dollars by going with, say, the
Asus P5B-VM DO ($116.99+$6.33), I'd go with the Gigabyte board you mentioned (
GA-G33M-DS2R, $134.99+$6.33)). It's reliable, has fantastic features, and, though it is a little expensive, isn't really that much more than anything else that you should consider.
Also, you linked to a PSU but didn't comment on it. What's up with that? On that topic, I'd prefer a modular PSU (like the one I linked) because I'm horrible at cable management. But how much wattage do I need (is 580 too much, too little, or just right)? I was thinking of
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817128006 but wasn't sure if it was enough wattage.
That has plenty of wattage, and is a good PSU to be sure. However, be sure to check out deals at
Frys B&M, if one is near to you. They change their ads about twice a week, and always have some PSU or another on sale.
Good luck, man!
Facebook
Twitter