Is this a good system?

[jmiasi]

We have:
http://www.creative.com/products/produc...ategory=4&subcategory=27&product=10733

I don't think I need a 7.1 souncard for these right? I would have to buy new speakers for that.

 

[Bobthelost]

The XFI gives better sound quality than the soundblaster. Even for headphones.

 

[tafate]

where you serious about donating it?

 

[jmiasi]

I feel like I have left something out:
Price as configured (changes with your selections): $2178.33
You guys both said it came to around 2500
80327 Monarch Furia Custom Workstation (PCI-E) 1 $89.00 $89.00
Case: 100587 - No PS - Antec SLK3000B ATX Mid Tower (Bla $51.71 $51.71
Power Supply: 100338 - PS 500W - Enermax Liberty ELT500AWT ATX 2 $93.99 $93.99
Case Fan: 100887 - 120mm - Antec 120mm SmartCool Case Fan $18.92 $18.92
Motherboard: 110460 - DFI NF4 Infinity nForce4 Audio/GB-LAN/IEE $85.64 $85.64
Processor: 120242 - AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ Dual-Core 512K Per $555.75 $555.75
Thermal Grease: None
Heat Sink Fan: 800083 - None - Fan REQUIRED - except with RETAIL
Memory: 140210 - DDR (400) 3200 - 2 GB (2 pcs 1GB) Corsair $198.87 $198.87
2nd Memory: 140210 - DDR (400) 3200 - 2 GB (2 pcs 1GB) Corsair $198.87 $198.87
Hard Drive: 150175 - Western Digital Caviar SE16 400 GB SATA 1 $230.74 $230.74
2nd Hard Drive: None
3rd Hard Drive: None
4th Hard Drive: None
RAID Setup: None
RAID Controller: None
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/CD-RW: 160081 - DVD±RW - BENQ DW1640 16X DVD±RW DL (Black $51.85 $51.85
CD-RW/DVD-RW: None
CD-RW Software: 210613 - Ahead Nero 6.6 Suite DVD+-RW Software (OE $15.99 $15.99
DVD-ROM Software: 210600 - nVidia DVD Decoder 1.00.58 (OEM) $15.97 $15.97
Floppy: None
More Storage: None
Sound Card: 180425 - Creative Labs X-Fi XtremeMusic 7.1 24-Bit $113.62 $113.62
Video Card: 190406 - ATI (Sapphire) Radeon X700 Pro 256MB DDR3 $176.69 $176.69
Modem: None
Network Card: None
Wireless Network Card: None
Add On Card: None
Case Function Add On: None
Round Cable: None
Operating System: 210111 - Microsoft Windows XP Professional w/Servi $155.72 $155.72
Additional Software: None
Antivirus: None
Warranty: 800010 - Standard Tech Support, 3 Year $125.00 $125.00
Hot Rush: None - Standard Order ( ships within 10-15 busines
Nero 7 Promotion: None
Molex Connector: None
Video Capture: None
TV Tuner: None
Lance Armstrong: 270447 - Lance Armstrong LIVE STRONG wristband
Free Giveaway: 270251 - Patriot Pen Blue and Grey - Free!
Subtotal for 80327 with your selected options: $2,178.33

 

[Asthmaboy]

There's no point in gettgin a SLI mobo if you're only gonna be getting one GPU.

 

[Bobthelost]

Originally posted by: Asthmaboy
There's no point in gettgin a SLI mobo if you're only gonna be getting one GPU.

It's not SLI!?

 

[jmiasi]

Originally posted by: Asthmaboy
There's no point in gettgin a SLI mobo if you're only gonna be getting one GPU.

That motherboard was just so I could use firewire? What is a GPU?

 

[Bobthelost]

GPU = graphics card (roughly)

SLI is a system where you use 2 graphics cards to get more frames per second in computer games, it's utterly useless for you so i stuck to normal boards that don't have SLI ability.

I included the most expensive tech support option they had and a bit of basic software when i did the calculations. Which would be why my quote was so much higher, not to mention the rush build option.

You chose the retail version of the CPU didn't you? Otherwise you'd need a seperate HSF, but other than that it looks ready to go!

 

[jmiasi]

What is the non-retail version? Would it be better to get that and then a seperate fan?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: jmiasi
We have:
http://www.creative.com/products/produc...ategory=4&subcategory=27&product=10733

I don't think I need a 7.1 souncard for these right? I would have to buy new speakers for that.

You only need 2.1 output for that.

Your currend soundcard would be fine if you wanted to use that again somehow.

There is also going to be sound integrated into the motherboard you choose. That would work fine too.

It just looks like you're throwing away a perfectly good soundcard from your current computer and then getting a new equivalent card for about $45. (The card on itself is only worth about $30 or $35)

What you have picked out will work just fine, but it seems like a waste when you already have a card right now. You'd have to transfer it to the new computer though to use it.

 

[Bobthelost]

Yes and no. The retail version has a heatsink that it comes with, the stock heast sink, the OEM version is a bit cheaper (because it doesn't have the heatsink) and that would save some money towards a new Heat Sink and Fan (HSF), but i'm not all that overawed by the options they do have, and as the stock HSF that you get with the retail version is good enough i didn't see the point in spending more money on it.

YoYo's right, you could just drop the sound card and use the old one, if you're not hardcore audiophiles then it's probably not worth the extra cash to you.

 

[jmiasi]

Yeah, I'll leave the sound card because I'd rather not try and dig into our computer to transfer anything.

Other than Monarch, is there anywhere else we could do a price comparison? Or would you guys recommend Monarch?

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: jmiasi
I feel like I have left something out:
Price as configured (changes with your selections): $2178.33
You guys both said it came to around 2500
80327 Monarch Furia Custom Workstation (PCI-E) 1 $89.00 $89.00
Case: 100587 - No PS - Antec SLK3000B ATX Mid Tower (Bla $51.71 $51.71
Power Supply: 100338 - PS 500W - Enermax Liberty ELT500AWT ATX 2 $93.99 $93.99
Case Fan: 100887 - 120mm - Antec 120mm SmartCool Case Fan $18.92 $18.92
Motherboard: 110460 - DFI NF4 Infinity nForce4 Audio/GB-LAN/IEE $85.64 $85.64
Processor: 120242 - AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ Dual-Core 512K Per $555.75 $555.75
Heat Sink Fan: 800083 - None - Fan REQUIRED - except with RETAIL
Memory: 140210 - DDR (400) 3200 - 2 GB (2 pcs 1GB) Corsair $198.87 $198.87
2nd Memory: 140210 - DDR (400) 3200 - 2 GB (2 pcs 1GB) Corsair $198.87 $198.87
Hard Drive: 150175 - Western Digital Caviar SE16 400 GB SATA 1 $230.74 $230.74
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/CD-RW: 160081 - DVD±RW - BENQ DW1640 16X DVD±RW DL (Black $51.85 $51.85
CD-RW Software: 210613 - Ahead Nero 6.6 Suite DVD+-RW Software (OE $15.99 $15.99
DVD-ROM Software: 210600 - nVidia DVD Decoder 1.00.58 (OEM) $15.97 $15.97
Sound Card: 180425 - Creative Labs X-Fi XtremeMusic 7.1 24-Bit $113.62 $113.62
Video Card: 190406 - ATI (Sapphire) Radeon X700 Pro 256MB DDR3 $176.69 $176.69
Operating System: 210111 - Microsoft Windows XP Professional w/Servi $155.72 $155.72
Warranty: 800010 - Standard Tech Support, 3 Year $125.00 $125.00
Hot Rush: None - Standard Order ( ships within 10-15 busines
Subtotal for 80327 with your selected options: $2,178.33

Changes you might still consider:

The 500W PSU is overkill. I'm not sure which options they offer, though. Certainly a good 350-400W unit would be PLENTY.

Dropping to a 4400+/4200+/3800+ CPU would save several hundred dollars. A fast CPU will help with Photoshop performance, but even the 3800+ will be easily twice the speed of your current system, and is by no means 'slow'. Also, as noted, make sure you have the 'Retail' CPU (which comes with a fan).

You don't really need a $113 sound card. Just use the onboard sound from the motherboard, or a regular Audigy/Audigy 2 if they offer those as options and you want something a little nicer. You could always add one later if you really decide you want/need it.

A RADEON X300 video card would work just as well for 2D and save you over $100. If you want to do some gaming occasionally, get a GeForce 6600GT instead; it's faster and probably cheaper than the RADEON X700.

You could get WinXP Home if it's noticeably cheaper than WinXP Pro. It shouldn't make any real difference unless you want to build a domain-based network in your house or you need the extra security features.

 

[Bobthelost]

Yeah, the liberty 400W would be fine wouldn't it.

I don't know on the graphics card front, i know some apps do use the graphics card to do some of the hard work, but i think mathias is right and yours wouldn't benifit from it.

You certainly could save money on the CPU, any of the dual core options will be blindingly fast compared to your current computer, up to you, but i'd stick to one of the following:

3800X2
4200X2
4600X2

 

[jmiasi]

Does it count that I play the Sims occasionally and my Husband plays age of empires

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: jmiasi
Does it count that I play the Sims occasionally and my Husband plays age of empires

Sims2 or Sims1?

 

[Bobthelost]

Neither qualifies you as a "gamer" around here, but you might want to stick with the X700 graphics card, i'm not sure how much graphics power they need.

 

[jmiasi]

sims 2

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: jmiasi
sims 2

You're probably going to want to go with a 6600gt or X700 then.

Sims2 does benefit from a decent videocard.

Bob, how does the X700 compare to the 6600gt, I don't remember.

 

[jmiasi]

I do not remember, how many USB ports will this have? It seem like everything connects that way. Both my printers, ipod, scanner, media card reader, ext hard drive....

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: jmiasi
Does it count that I play the Sims occasionally and my Husband plays age of empires

Yes, a bit.

From Monarch, they have a bunch of video card choices that aren't too bad (from best to worst):

eVGA GeForce 6800GS ($219)
eVGA GeForce 6800 ($168)
ATI RADEON X800 GTO ($168)
eVGA GeForce 6600GT ($133)

I doubt you'd really want to spend more than that on a video card, and most of the cheaper ones just aren't very good in comparison.

Edit: The X700 is not a bad card, but even the 6600GT is faster than it. It's not a very good buy given their pricing.

 

[Bobthelost]

Umm, not sure, at least 4, probably a lot more...

*goes to check*

You can get an external powered USB hub as well, cost $10 or so and very useful.

I don't know about how the X700 compares tbh, i just picked ATI for no apparent reason.

I'd go with mathias's answer on this, looks about right.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: jmiasi
I do not remember, how many USB ports will this have? It seem like everything connects that way. Both my printers, ipod, scanner, media card reader, ext hard drive....

I believe that motherboard has at least four ports onboard... you can use an external powered hub if you need more ports, though.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Originally posted by: jmiasi
Does it count that I play the Sims occasionally and my Husband plays age of empires

Yes, a bit.

From Monarch, they have a bunch of video card choices that aren't too bad (from best to worst):

eVGA GeForce 6800GS ($219)
eVGA GeForce 6800 ($168)
ATI RADEON X800 GTO ($168)
eVGA GeForce 6600GT ($133)

I doubt you'd really want to spend more than that on a video card, and most of the cheaper ones just aren't very good in comparison.

Yeah, I just looked back at Monarch's site. For ATI the X800GTO seems like the best deal.

Otherwise a 6600gt or 6800gs that Matthias has up there.

 

[Bobthelost]

Just checked you'll have 4 ports on the back of the motherboard, 2 ports on the front of the case and maybe another 4 on expansion slot things at the back.

I'd still buy a Hub, you don't know how useful they are till you get one.