New System $1550 Budget

[CeilingHoles]

Currently, I'm running an old Compaq 5000 series and I just can't take the crapiness anymore so I've decided it's time for a new system. I've never built a computer before but I'm pretty confident I can get the job done. Any advice for a first time builder?

Okay, the new machine will be be used a lot for the following:
- Web Design, Graphics Design (Macromedia Dreamweaver, Flash)
- Photoediting software (Photoshop)
- Productivity Apps (MS Office)
- Listening to Digital Music
- Web Surfing, E-mail
- Light-Moderate Gaming
- CD & DVD Burning
- Possibly Some Programming

I'm unsure whether to go AMD Socket 754 or Intel LGA 775. Here are the parts I need for $1550. My goal is for the pc to be solid, reliable, and capable in the future:

Motherboard
Processor
Memory (I think I need at least a gig because I'm very big on multitasking)
Hard Drive (120GB or 160GB. I don't plan on RAIDing)
Video Card
Optical Drive (NEC ND-2500A any good?)
Case w/ Power Supply (considered Antec Sonata 380W $100)
Floppy Drive
LCD Moniter (17" is good enough)
Speakers (considered Logitech Z640 5.1 Speakers $55 )
Keyboard
Mouse

Thanks for your help!

P.S. I'm buying all from Newegg because I've heard too many good things about them.

 

[jpeyton]

FRIENDSHIP!

AMD Athlon 64 2800+ OEM - $168

Chaintech VNF3-250 - $85.99

Thermaltake Silent Boost K8 - $29.99

Mushkin 1024MB PC-3200 - $158

eVGA Nvidia GeForce 6800 128MB - $289

NEC 8X DVD +/- RW - $69.99

Hitachi 7K250 160GB SATA 7200RPM 8MB Cache - $93.99

Antec Sonata w/ 380W PSU - $99.94

BenQ FP951 19" LCD Monitor - $539

TOTAL: $1533.90

BTW, don't limit yourself just to Newegg. ZipZoomFly is just as good, if not better in some regards. There is a thread in General Hardware dedicated to them and filled with good feedback.

And Newegg's site has been very sketch lately; I can't access it half the time.

The parts listed above are a mix of both sites; you can spend a little extra if you want to get it all from Newegg, and it'll still be within your budget.

The 2800+ should overclock nicely in the Chaintech board; people have had a lot of success with that combination. No insane overclocks like 2.5GHz on air, but 2.2GHz is within reason (3200+ speed).

The GeForce 6800 is a no brainer; about the same price as a 9800XT, but faster in nearly every regard at stock speeds, and they also overclock like a mufuga. Here's a good review.

And the BenQ 19" LCD is BEAUTIFUL. Trust me. Don't take the monitor lightly; don't settle for 17" when 19" is well within reach. Read the reviews for the BenQ on Newegg.

 

[mrwxyz]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
FRIENDSHIP!

AMD Athlon 64 2800+ OEM - $168

Chaintech VNF3-250 - $85.99

Thermaltake Silent Boost K8 - $29.99

Mushkin 1024MB PC-3200 - $158

eVGA Nvidia GeForce 6800 128MB - $289

NEC 8X DVD +/- RW - $69.99

Hitachi 7K250 160GB SATA 7200RPM 8MB Cache - $93.99

Antec Sonata w/ 380W PSU - $99.94

BenQ FP951 19" LCD Monitor - $539

TOTAL: $1533.90

BTW, don't limit yourself just to Newegg. ZipZoomFly is just as good, if not better in some regards. There is a thread in General Hardware dedicated to them and filled with good feedback.

And Newegg's site has been very sketch lately; I can't access it half the time.

The parts listed above are a mix of both sites; you can spend a little extra if you want to get it all from Newegg, and it'll still be within your budget.

drop the 6800 and get a 9600pro instead. save around $150 and put that towards A64 3200+. 9600pro is excellent for light gamming and the performance bump from 2800+ to 3200+ is something u will see everyday rather than a vid card that will only show u improved performance when u game once in a while

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: mrwxyz

drop the 6800 and get a 9600pro instead. save around $150 and put that towards A64 3200+. 9600pro is excellent for light gamming and the performance bump from 2800+ to 3200+ is something u will see everyday rather than a vid card that will only show u improved performance when u game once in a while

The difference between an 9600PRO and a 6800 in gaming is night and day. In current generation games like Far Cry, and DEFINITELY in Doom3 and Half-Life 2. If this guy is going to want to play either one of the biggest titles of this year, he wants a 6800 over a 9600PRO.

And you can always lightly overclock the 2800+.

 

[PhoenixOrion]

You mentioned 3 content creations apps. Better spring for two hard drives. Have one hard drive with the OS and application and have the other drive with the pagefile/virtual mem and as a "scratch disk" for all the work-in-progress items.

You'll see what I mean once you get into heavy editing.

 

[CeilingHoles]

Does chaintech make good motherboards? I've never heard of them.

Maybe I'll go for two hard drives.. Would partitioning work as well instead?

 

[mrwxyz]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: mrwxyz

drop the 6800 and get a 9600pro instead. save around $150 and put that towards A64 3200+. 9600pro is excellent for light gamming and the performance bump from 2800+ to 3200+ is something u will see everyday rather than a vid card that will only show u improved performance when u game once in a while

The difference between an 9600PRO and a 6800 in gaming is night and day. In current generation games like Far Cry, and DEFINITELY in Doom3 and Half-Life 2. If this guy is going to want to play either one of the biggest titles of this year, he wants a 6800 over a 9600PRO.

And you can always lightly overclock the 2800+.

ur rite, no question....the difference is night and day
but if gamming isnt the real purpose for the system (he mentions light gamming and emphasizes other things) then y spend a good deal of money there? spend the money where ur going to feel it the most every day. he can also o/c a 3200+ lightly for even more performance.

the 9600pro im sure will handle d3 and hl2 with restrictions(perhaps at 1024x786 with some good eye candy, who knows)