Need Help Choosing Components...

[Playmaker]

I am choosing parts for a computer for a friend, and need some recommendations cuz I haven't been following this stuff lately. We can pick out the case, keyboard, mouse, and moniter. I just need some recommendations for all the internals, ie. mobo, cpu, ram, sound card, vid card, etc. EVERYTHING. No overclocking. It will be for gaming. Thanks in advance...

 

[QuestionsandAnsweres]

Price range?

why no overclocking?

Well if u consider overclocking here is what i would do
Get all this from newegg
Pentium 4 1.6Ghz
Asus P4S333
2 sticks of 256mb of PC 2700 samsung

OVerclock the 1.6ghz to 2.1ghz (i would say 98% of the time u can) Use the RETAIL HSF.

Then use the 4/5 divider (CPU/MEMORY) making your memory run at 166mhz (PC2700 speads meaning 2.7GBs)

Get a Geforce 4. If u can afford $275 get a Geforce 4 ti 4400 if u can afford $380 get a Geforce 4 t i4600 and if u can only afford $175 wait for the geforce 4 ti 4200

For the sound card get a SB audigy.

 

[HeinrichX]

CPU: Intel (1.8A, 2.0A, 2.2A, 2.4A)
Motherboard: Intel
Chipset: Intel (i845D, i850)
RAM: Samsung
HDD: Seagate
Video Chipset: NVIDIA
Video Card: PNY (Verto)
CD-X (RW, ROM): TDK
DVD-ROM: Pioneer
NIC: Intel
Sound Card: Philips
Add-in Cards (USB, Firewire, IDE, RAID, SCSI): Adaptec

 

[Playmaker]

Money isn't an issue within reason. You think I should go for Intel over AMD?

 

[MasterHoss]

<< OVerclock the 1.6ghz to 2.1ghz (i would say 98% of the time u can) Use the RETAIL HSF >>

NOOOOOOOOO

Be very very very careful. There is a huge difference between the Intel Pentium4 1.6GHz processor and the Intel Pentium4 1.6A GHz processor!!! Get the 1.6A GHz processor if you're choosing Intel.

 

[Cygni]

I dont suggest Intel. I dont think its really worth the extra $30+ dollars for performance equal to a cheaper AMD solution. But to each his own. For the AMD spectrum, I suggest:

Low Cost:

Mobo: ECS K7VTA3 (KT266A) = $65
CPU: 1.2Ghz Duron = $60
Ram: PC2100 256MB DDR = $63
Vid: ATI OEM RADEON 7500 64MB = $86
Sound: Hercules Fortissimo II or SOUND BLASTER LIVE! 5.1 = $31
HDD: Seagate Barracuda IV ST340016A 40gb 7200rpm = $77
DVD: Pioneer 16x Internal DVD = $49
CD-RW: ASUS CRW-2410A 24x10x40 = $75
NIC: Dlink DFE-530TX+ = $9


Medium Cost:

Mobo: MSI K7N415 PRO = $100
CPU: Athlon 1700+ = $102
Ram: PC2100 512MB DDR = $127
Vid: Hercules 3D Prophet FDX 8500 LE 64mb or GAINWARD/CARDEXPERT GeForce 3 Ti200 64MB = $130
Sound: Sound Blaster Audigy = $63
...All the rest the same...

High Cost:

Mobo: MSI KT3 ULTRA-ARU (KT333) = $128
CPU: ATHLON XP 1900+ = $140
Ram: 2x Samsung PC2700 333 DDR = 81 x 2
Vid: PNY GEFORCE4 TI4400 128MB = $243
HDD: Go bigger ;] = $$$
.....Same....

Max Cost:

Mobo: MSI KT3 ULTRA-ARU (KT333) = $128
CPU: Athlon XP 2100+ = $241
Ram 2x MUSHKIN DDR 512MB PC-2700 = $195 x 2
Vid: GAINWARD/CARDEXPERT GeForce 4 Ti 4600 = $429
Sound: Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum = $166
HDD: 2x WESTERN DIGITAL "SPECIAL EDITION" 120GB 7200RPM (RAID)= $210 x 2
...Same....

Of course, there are tons of other goodies you might want... we could help ya more with some more detail ;]

 

[Playmaker]

So your max cost is basically the best of the best within reason right now? He's loaded, so he can afford it. Only question I have is the vid card. He plays a lot of SC and CS, and I heard GeForce 3 and 4 don't like CS much. Is that true? Thanks again...

 

[jar5tyle]

d5tyle!! heh

 

[QuestionsandAnsweres]

OK if hes loaded get this

Pentium 4 2.4Ghz
P4T-E motherboard
2 x 256mb of SAMSUNG PC-800
Sound Blaster Audigy
GAINWARD/CARDEXPERT GeForce 4 Ti 4600
WD WESTERN DIGITAL "SPECIAL EDITION" 120GB MODEL # WD1200JB
ANTEC Performance PLUS Model PLUS880- with Antec Original TRUE P4 Power Supply 430Watt
CHIEFTEC Server Chasis (Workstation Tower) Model DX-01BD- IBM
Lite-On 16x DVD Model LTD-163
Lite On 40X12X48 CDRW Model: RTL40125S-Full

The pentium 4 2.4Ghz is the fastest processor u can get atm. (well u know what i mean)

 

[Playmaker]

LOL jar, trying to build a comp for Lance Shonert...

Q&A...I wanna go with an Antec SX1040 I think. He might move it to LANs and stuff. Is Intel the way to go if you have the $$$ to spend? Also, 120gb might be overdoing it, and I kinda wanna do raid since I've never set a raid system up before. I was thinking about 2 60gb of some kind. Thanks again...

 

[Cygni]

If hes absolutly not worried about price, ive gotta go with the 2.4 P4 too. Its over $530, so its DEFFINITLY not for anyone who is even REMOTELY worried about money. Also, if you do go with the 2.4, might as well get 512 of rambus... the more the marrier In my oppinion, the P4 is the route to go only if you can afford a 2.2 or 2.4... otherwise, save the money and get the better performance of a high end athlon.

 

[jar5tyle]

LOL Lance.....

Ya he's loaded, christ

 

[freebee]

Sx1040s are being replaced (or at least for the time being sold alongside the 1060/80s). And if this individual attends LAN why in the world are you burdening him with a massive steel case. Go with a similar size but lighter aluminum if cost is not a factor.

 

[Playmaker]

I carry an Antec SX1030 w/ Enermax 431w and it's not as bad as you'd think. Come on, I can lift 50 pounds lol, I'm buff ask jar5tyle. I basically want a case that I don't have to mess with and put another PSU in, and I am familiar with this case. I'll check out those other Antecs tho.

Also, he told me "money doesn't matter, but within reason". I don't know how far he means, haven't been able to talk to him since I've read these suggestions, but that much for a CPU just seems stupid anyway. I'm more familiar with AMD on top of that, so what would your suggestions be for an AMD set up?

 

[Playmaker]

Oh yeah, he does want an aluminum case I guess. I'll just leave that up to him, just make sure it has a 400w or better in the end. Keep the suggestions coming...

 

[QuestionsandAnsweres]

the case i told u is an antec

just bya different company. SAME EXACT THING i think one company makes the cases and sells to other companies like antec etc and they put there name on it and sell it...

Pentium 4 2.4ghz is the fastest. believe u can get one for around $450 now. go to pricewatch.com

Raid is nice but if u loose 1 drive u loose all your info

the 120GB drive i told u about is the fastest singe IDE drive u can buy. it has 8mb cache. and its tad faster than the 100GB version.

I have it and only use about 10GB of space

I had raid to and i dont see any benefit from it. But all i do is play games.

According to sandra (crappy benchmark yes) my 120GB 8mb cache hard drive is the same speed as ata-66 raid with 2 drives.


Get a 430 TRUE POWER antec POWERSUPPLY. or a PC power and cooling SILENCER 400 watt.

I bet if u get the stuff i said above u can get the full copmuter (not mouse, monitor etc just the computer part) for $2000

so if hes loaded that shouldnt be that muhc and he will have a very fast computer

 

[Cygni]

If he wants an aluminum case, my 2 picks are Lian-Li and Coolermaster. Im not a big fan of the straight silver look though, as your drives stick out like sore thumbs... and some can be a pain to spraypaint. Go with an aluminum case thats black, as you can get every drive in black now a days, and it looks pretty damn cool... especially if you get a black keyboard, a MS Explorer mouse, black speakers, and a black flat panel.... if only i had some money to spend... mmm... *drool*

 

[Playmaker]

Alright, he'd like to keep it under $2000 I guess for everything, so I figure $1200 ballpark for the internals, since I am letting him worry about keyboard, mouse, monitor and case.

Mobo: MSI KT3 ULTRA-ARU (don't know much about latest chipsets, they change so much, is this the best?)
CPU: Athlon XP 1900+ (best bang for buck? or something different?)
Memory: 2x 512mb Mushkin PC2700 DDR
Vid Card: PNY GEFORCE4 TI4400 128MB (seems to be good bang for the buck, this sound good?)
HDD: WESTERN DIGITAL "SPECIAL EDITION" 120GB MODEL # WD1200JB
Sound Card: Sound Blaster Audigy
NIC: Linksys 10/100 LNE100TX ? (what ive always used)
Floppy: whatever
DVD: Lite-On 16x DVD Model LTD-163 (strictly recommendation based, can this read pretty fast for on-the-fly?)
Burner: Lite On 40X12X48 CDRW Model: RTL40125S-Full (again recommendation based)

How does that look? I'm not forgetting anything am I? LOL. Also, does anyone know if Counter-Strike has issues with the GeForce4 like the GeForce3 does?