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New Gaming System

B

Brent588

Junior Member
Background Information

1. What your PC will be used for.
Mostly gaming and graphics design. I don't need maximum settings on Crysis, however. Medium on 1024x768 is enough for me.

2. What your budget is.
Preferrably less than $800 altogether.

3. What country you will be buying your parts from.
Newegg, though I am open to other suggestions.

4. If you have a brand preference.
None.

5. If you intend on using any of your current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
I already have a monitor and operating system. ViewSonic A90f and Windows XP Professional.

6. If you have searched and/or read similar threads.
I have read through various threads on this forum, Newegg reviews, and Tom's Hardware.

7. If you plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
I will most likely be overclocking the CPU, but am also open to doing so with other components. Ideas?

Computer Parts

1. CPU
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ 2.6GHz Socket AM2 65W Black Edition Processor
Price = $110.98 (Combo deal with heatsink/fan)

2. Heatsink/Fan
Rosewill RCX-Z3 92mm Ball CPU Cooler
Price = Combo deal, see above

3. Motherboard
BIOSTAR A770 A2+ ATX AMD Motherboard
Price = $67.99

4. RAM
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Memory
Price = $44.99

5. Video Card
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 3870 100225L Video Card
Price = $149.99

6. Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda ES.2 250GB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
Price = $79.99

7. Case
XCLIO A380PLUS-BK Fully Black High Gloss Finish Computer Case With Side Panel Window
Price = $119.99

8. Power Supply
Rosewill RP600V2-S-SL 600W Power Supply
Price = $69.99

9. CD/DVD Drive
SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S203B
Price = $29.99

10. Operating System
I have access to Windows XP Professional already.

11. Rear Fan
SILVERSTONE FM121-B Case Fan
Price = $15.99

Mouse
Logitech MX518 2-Tone Wired Optical Gaming-Grade Mouse
Price = $39.99

Wrist Pad
BELKIN WaveRest F8E244-BLK Gel Wrist Pad
Price = $3.99

Mouse Pad
XTRAC RIPPER XL Optical Mouse pad
Price = $16.99

Keyboard
Logitech Black Internet 350 USB Keyboard
Price = $9.25

Speakers
Logitech R-20 2.1 Multimedia Speaker System
Price = $18.99

Total Cost = $850.44 ($789.11 subtotal, -$10 on video card, +$61.33 s/h)

The total cost includes shipping and the video card mail-in-rebate.

Thank you for the feedback. I am open to any and all suggestions.
 
This PSU for 60$ when using the google checkout: http://www.buy.com/retail/user...p&display=col&dclksa=1

Here's a nicely priced HSF: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835185038

You're links ain't working btw, but like roguestar suggested, you could gte a abit ip35-e or gigabyte ds3l, and a e2180, that should enough money to get a better HSF. At 3.0ghz it will be faster then the athlon X2.

You could save a LOT of cash if you get this btw: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811129024 it's a decent case and has a qaulity 500w PSU, the antec earthwatts 500w. You're looking at spending almost double on the PSU+CASE, and I doubt you'll like the xclio case once you've got it. OR take a look at this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811129042 it's new, and should be pretty good, it's the little brother of the antec 900. There's also the coolermaster centurion 590, or have a look at this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811146025

Perhaps spend a little extra on the speakers?
 
Originally posted by: MarcVenice
This PSU for 60$ when using the google checkout: http://www.buy.com/retail/user...p&display=col&dclksa=1

Here's a nicely priced HSF: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835185038

You're links ain't working btw, but like roguestar suggested, you could gte a abit ip35-e or gigabyte ds3l, and a e2180, that should enough money to get a better HSF. At 3.0ghz it will be faster then the athlon X2.

You could save a LOT of cash if you get this btw: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811129024 it's a decent case and has a qaulity 500w PSU, the antec earthwatts 500w. You're looking at spending almost double on the PSU+CASE, and I doubt you'll like the xclio case once you've got it. OR take a look at this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811129042 it's new, and should be pretty good, it's the little brother of the antec 900. There's also the coolermaster centurion 590, or have a look at this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811146025

Perhaps spend a little extra on the speakers?
Click to expand...

His links are working fine for me...
 
I fixed the first two links.

Roguestar: The E220 apparently has no hyper-threading or virtualization technology support, whereas the 5000+ model does. How does this affect performance? I do intend on keeping the CPU for several years, so I don't want to be stuck without technological support on my parts.

MarcVenice: I have no problem with selecting a less expensive case and PSU. I am worried about cooling, however - wouldn't I need to buy additional fans for the Antec Sonata? All it comes with is a single rear fan. I don't want any overheating in my system.

Thank you for the responses.
 
It looks like there's an optional slot in the front of the case for a 120MM fan. I'm ordering the same case and will get the additional fan to put up front.
 
Oh, I would definitely be ordering a second fan, but I don't know if that would offer enough air flow. I am inexperienced with building computers, but I do know that it's important to take into consideration.

MarcVenice: On speakers, I'm not sure how much I will be using them. I generally play games with my headphones.
 
Originally posted by: Brent588Roguestar: The E220 apparently has no hyper-threading or virtualization technology support, whereas the 5000+ model does. How does this affect performance? I do intend on keeping the CPU for several years, so I don't want to be stuck without technological support on my parts.
Click to expand...

Not to offend, but if you don't know what you'd use hardware virtualisation for then you definitely don't need it 😉. Regarding gaming and standard PC use, hyperthreading is rarely used, unfortunately. Basically, there's nothing in it you're missing compared to any other PC. The E2180 and E2200 are simply low-end Core 2 chips that happen to overclock really well.
 
Roguestar: I'm sold on the E2xxx Intel models after looking at some of the CPU chart comparisons. I can't believe how badly the 5000+ was blown away. Which would you recommend, the E2180 or the E2200? There's a $5 price difference. 😀

Now I need an Intel motherboard, but I couldn't find the exact Abit IP35-E you had mentioned. Here are two others:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813127004
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813128059
Good?

Marc: How does this case/psu combo look?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811147044
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817148027

Now, I saw that there is an 8800GT for $160 after the rebate. The prices on the 3870 and 3850 have risen again, so it appears to be a very sweet deal. Agree/disagree?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814130318

I'm also deciding to stick with a cheap Microsoft optical mouse, since it's effectively free with a combo deal attached to the 8800GT. However, I've never used a high precision one before. Should I still splurge on the MX518? I do play FPS games, but I don't need to be the best.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16826105026
 
The second motherboard, the gigabyte ds3l is good, the first not so much.

The mouse should be fine

The case, not sure how good that particular rosewill case is. The PSU is PURE suckage though, this is what I would buy if I would be on a tight budget: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817371007 The very VERY least you should buy is this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817371005 which should power your rig, but a little more headroom can't hurt.

Why not spend 100$ total for a decent to pretty good case + good PSU, like the antec sonata III ?
 
Originally posted by: Brent588
Roguestar: I'm sold on the E2xxx Intel models after looking at some of the CPU chart comparisons. I can't believe how badly the 5000+ was blown away. Which would you recommend, the E2180 or the E2200? There's a $5 price difference. 😀
Click to expand...

The E2200 if the price difference is that low, it has a higher multiplier so overclocking should be easier. :thumbsup:
 
Okay, here is the updated list. Please tell me if everything looks good, and if I should switch out any particular part.

Computer Parts

1. CPU
Intel Pentium E2200 2.2GHz LGA 775 65W Processor
Price = $84.99

2. Heatsink/Fan
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
Price = $31.99

3. Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L ATX All Solid Capacitor Intel Motherboard
Price = $89.99

4. RAM
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM Desktop Memory
Price = See case, combo deal

5. Video Card
EVGA GeForce 8800GT 512-P3-N801-AR Video Card
Price = $159.99 ($30 rebate)

6. Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda ES.2 250GB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
Price = $79.99

7. Case
Antec Sonata III 500 Black Computer Case
Price = $103.95 ($70 in rebates)

8. Power Supply
Antec earthwatts EA500 ATX12V v2.0 500W Power Supply
Price = See case

9. CD/DVD Drive
SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S203B
Price = $29.99

10. Operating System
I have access to Windows XP Professional already.

11. Rear Fan
SILVERSTONE FM121-B Case Fan
Price = $16.99

Mouse
Microsoft N71-00007S Black Wired Optical Wheel Mouse
Price = See video card, combo deal

Wrist Pad
BELKIN WaveRest F8E244-BLK Gel Wrist Pad
Price = $3.99

Mouse Pad
XTRAC RIPPER XL Optical Mouse pad
Price = $16.99

Keyboard
Logitech Black Internet 350 USB Keyboard
Price = $9.25

Speakers
Logitech R-20 2.1 Multimedia Speaker System
Price = $18.99

Total Cost = $694.17 ($747.10 subtotal, -$100 rebates on video card/case/memory, +$47.07 s/h)

The total cost includes shipping and the video card/case/memory mail-in-rebate.
 
Glad to hear that nothing produced any red flags. I would probably go for that, but the combo deal nets me -$15 off the case. Altogether:

-$40.00 Instant
-$15.00 Combo
$30.00 Mail-in Rebate
$40.00 Mail-in Rebate
 
s44: Is the Xigmatek truly superior to the Freezer 7? Do I need it if I plan on overclocking my processor to around 3.0 ghz with the multiplier? Some of the reviews state that installation is a major bitch, and this will be my first self-built system.

angry hampster: The Antec III only comes with one rear fan, and I would probably like to have more air flow than what it can provide. Do you suggest a cheaper fan? Most seem to be somewhere between $10-20 in price, and the Silverstone FM121 has great reviews.

Also, any other recommendations? Noticeable compatability problems that I've overlooked? Better hardware for less money?
 
Originally posted by: Brent588
Also, any other recommendations? Noticeable compatability problems that I've overlooked? Better hardware for less money?
Click to expand...

Haven't built a system recently...

I do notice that the P35 chipset motherboard you currently have listed doesn't support PCI-Express 2.0, which that 8800GT is. It's still compatible though.

I believe you'd need a P45 or X38/X48 for PCI-E 2.0.

EDIT: Although I imagine there might not be much difference.
 
I'm uncertain as to how my graphics card capabilities would be affected. Why would there not be much of a difference? What difference would there be? I noticed the average price of P45 and X38/X48's to be nearly twice as expensive. If the 8800GT is incapable of utilizing 2.0, should I perhaps seek a less expensive video card?
 
Originally posted by: Brent588
I'm uncertain as to how my graphics card capabilities would be affected. Why would there not be much of a difference? What difference would there be? I noticed the average price of P45 and X38/X48's to be nearly twice as expensive. If the 8800GT is incapable of utilizing 2.0, should I perhaps seek a less expensive video card?
Click to expand...

The reason I'm thinking the difference might not be much is because video cards weren't limited by PCI-E 1.1 in the first place. PCI-E 2.0 increases the interface speed, but I don't think video cards are fast enough to actually take advantage of it yet.

I wouldn't change the card. You'll probably be just fine using the 2.0 card on the 1.1 motherboard. A lot of people do it anyways. I didn't realize the other chipsets cost much more. 😛
 
Thank you for the explanation. I will hold onto the 8800GT then, and if at some point the motherboard isn't up to par, well, it was only $90 or so.

One last question before ordering my parts: Should I purchase any additional peripherals or accessories? Maybe a surge protector? My current one is around 4-5 years old.
 
Originally posted by: Continuity28
PCI-E 2.0 increases the interface speed, but I don't think video cards are fast enough to actually take advantage of it yet.
Click to expand...

They definitely aren't. Even the new 9800GTX isn't limited by PCI-E 1.1. Now, the 9800GX2 might possibly be, since it's a dual GPU card, but that thing isn't worth the money in the first place.

Originally posted by: Brent588
I will hold onto the 8800GT then, and if at some point the motherboard isn't up to par, well, it was only $90 or so.
Click to expand...

That motherboard's PCI-E slot can handle much more than any 8800GT can send it, so no problems there. Good choices, BTW.
 
Thanks to everyone for their input. As it stands, I have a screwdriver, flashlight, pliers, and tweezers to assist with the hardware installation. Anything else that I should be aware of and include? This is my first self-built system, so I want to have everything laid out and not realize then that I forgot an important item.
 
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