I'm feeling suicidal AKA Help me build my girlfriend a system

[Windogg]

In a moment of stupidity I have decided to build my girlfriend a system. Workwise, she will mostly be doing Photoshop and AutoCAD. Funwise she will use it for surfing the web, playing MP3s, Counterstrike, and Q3. Finally the system has to be as silent as possible. I am trying to convince her that a 21" CRT is better than a LCD but she wants a TFT display.

1.4Ghz AMD TBird CPU w/ Zalman CNPS3100
Epox 8K7A Motherboard
512MB PC2100 DDR SDRAM
60GB IBM 60GXP Hard Drive
52X Sony CD-ROM (Black Bezel)
3.5" Floppy Drive (Black Bezel)
10/100 Intel PRO100+ NIC (Got a bunch lying around)
64MB MSI StarForce Geforce Pro
3 Piece Crative Labs Speakers
Lian-Li PC61+USB Case (Black)
2 Sunon Quiet Output Fans
18.1" NEC LCD1830 (Black)

Anyone know where I can get the following?

1. 12X or 16X CD-RW Drive with a black Bezel? I know there is a Yamaha model out there buy it costs an arm and a leg
   
   Black cordless mouse and keyboard combo?
   
   Quiet AMD approved powersupply?

Windogg










BTW, I was lying about CS and Q3

 

[z0rglub]

as I said in anotjer thread, I advise you not to take a GeForce 2 card if she want to use photoshop she will need a good 2D quality, what the GeForce 2 do not offer.

 

[randomlinh]

for a quiet PS, i hear the enermax(or something like that) silent PS's are good (www.directron.com has em... i just mention them cause i'm lookin at some of their stuff to build me a divx box ).



heh, missed that last part about CS/Q3... i was thinkin to myself "damn, he gots a gf that actually likes to game too?? lucky SOB"

 

[Windogg]

z0rglub I was thinking Matrox G450 for 2D but do you know how it will do with AutoCAD? Perhaps I can break out the soldering iron and mess with the resistors.

lnguyen, Enermax sounds good. I am just wondering if there is an even quieter model.

 

[slpaulson]

You might want to get 2 quite panaflo fans instead. Those Sunons still aren't all that quiet.

 

[z0rglub]

well you can try to modify your card, but it seems to be dangerous !!! I didn't really understant what you said in fact (sorry, I'm french)
Matrix G450 would be a best solution but it will be really less powerful in Q3 or CS, that's sure.

 

[Windogg]

cRazYdood, wow the Paneflos are a hell of a lot quieter. Thanks. I will thinking of using the Lian Li option to slow the fans but 21db is pretty good already.

 

[jobberd]

for the video card, I would recommend getting a Radeon product, whether it be the Radeon LE or Radeon 64 mb VIVO. They will offer performance slightly less then a Geforce2, but the 2d quality is appraised quite often and IMHO is second only to Matrox. A Kyro II also has similar 2d quality to that of a Radeon, but since your gf is going to be doing AutoCAD, the card will drop to the performance of a TNT card, since it cant use TBR in CAD design. Go for the Radeon, you wont regret it (not the radeon SDR or radeon VE though )

 

[z0rglub]

there is a pb with Radeon product : the 1280*960 (which is the only 4/3 resolution) is not available. And if you want a good 2D quality and the very useful 1280*960 resolution, Radeon is not the solution.

 

[jobberd]

i thought you could fix that with any of the radeon tweakers available over the internet?
plus, chances are with a 21" CRT you'll be working in 1600*1200 conditions anyway

 

[Windogg]

The big problem is convincing her to get a 21" CRT. She is dead set on a TFT LCD display. What can I do to bring her to her senses?

 

[jobberd]

I would just get her to compare the two. Bring her into a store and let her decide which would be better for her.

 

[MGMorden]

I'd say the Matrox if she wants the best 2d solution, but as mentioned earlier that's not gonna do well for the games. A Radeon (or the G550 if it would ever come out) would probably be a good solution. It has very good 2d support, lots of features, and won't give you any letdown when it comes to game performance (and as said a 21" monitor can do 1600x1200 without hurting most people's eyes). I'd also recommend dropping that 1.4 T-Bird and getting a 1.2 Athlon MP. You'll loose some speed but the Palomino core runs cooler (so you can use a smaller hs/f) and hence the system is quieter.

 

[TunaBoo]

LCD's are sweet, I would take a 18LCD before a 21CRT.

 

[andalas]

Well If you want to do Photoshop work, Using TFT will limit your color since TFT can only do 24Bit. CRT screen can do 32Bit.

I like LCD though. I will probably never buy CRT again in my life.
I'm using Eizo L771.

 

[randomlinh]

the only lcd i've heard that can touch the gaming is teh SGI one....

but that's beside the point here... why is she deadset on an LCD? It will cost a hell of a lot less, and a trinny has amazing color that i don't think any LCD could touch... for the cost (ok, if you can prove me wrong, i would LOVE to know.. i WANT ONE! hehe).

As for the radeons... are you serious that it won't do 12x9??!?!!?!? AHHHH...

 

[TripperJoe]

Stay away from the LCD. CRTs are better for graphic work. In my opinion, LCDs are only cool if you're just doing business desktop work at the native resolution. With photoshop, the colors are much more vivid and you get much better color contrast. Also, with BNC cables the colors are more accurate (i'm not sure if the LCD offers BNC connections). For the $$$ of the LCD, you could get a Sony 24" GDM-FW900. Also if it needs to be so quiet, why not ditch the two case fans? If you're not o/cing the box, why bother? Especially since you have an aluminum case.

 

[andalas]

The color is more vibrant on my Eizo L771 than my 2060u.
LCD are not supposed to use for graphics works since
it can only handle max 24bit color (16.7 million)

The only problem with LCD is "Cost".
LCD is the best for programming work when you have to
stare at those screen everyday looking at those
code that full of bugs and need some fixing.

I can still see clear after 18 hours work using LCD
but with CRT. My vision is a bit blur at the end
of the day.

 

[TunaBoo]

<<
LCD is the best for programming work when you have to
stare at those screen everyday looking at those
code that full of bugs and need some fixing.
>>



Exactly why I want one.

Is 15&quot; sufficient to code in? I have my 17&quot; bubble screen I would use to game, but need something else to code in.

 

[andalas]

Hmm, I don't know your preference
for me, it's going to be painful to code at 1024x768
since I can only see a small portion of the code.

I think 1280x1024 is should be sufficient.

 

[Windogg]

The reason she wants one is because she likes the one I have right now.

 

[TunaBoo]

<< Hmm, I don't know your preference
for me, it's going to be painful to code at 1024x768
since I can only see a small portion of the code.

I think 1280x1024 is should be sufficient. >>



15's run native 1024 right?

So I need a 17 to go 1280? Thats like 700 bucks. Boo.

 

[drewski]

You can find some black accessories here

 

[MGMorden]

TunaBoo: Just wait a little longer. I'm guessing there will be some 17&quot; LCD's for ~$500 by Christmas. I'm about fed up with my 19&quot; CRT. It's huge, puts out more heat than my athlon, and burns up power like there's no tommorow. When I see CRT I see old technology. I want to dump this thing so bad I can taste it.