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Ok I have made a decision and need your expertise

M

micharei

Member


I know you are all sick of these kinds of threads, but i promise to return with the results of your advice, i thank you for all of your help. Now onto the problem....

I am getting exactly $750.00 back from my federal tax returns.

You know what comes next, this is the part where i ask what componants to purchase for a new comp. But........

I know that $750.00 is probably not going to build me a machine capable of what i want to use it for. Hence the problem.

Now, my goal is to build a comp that can (most importantly) play the latest games (mainly mmorpg like WoW and EQ2, FarCry, Doom 3, HL2, etc...) in high resolutions without noticable slowdown. The Framerate is irrelevant to me so long as i cant physically notice a slowdown.
Secondary uses of the PC will be Internet browsing (often), downloading (programs and music and videos), and eventually programming.

Now i know that 750 is pushing it, but i can use parts that i already have in my current system, and i may be able to raise another couple hundred if im lucky.

My biggest concern is that i have this idea in my head that if i cant spend like 2000 on a comp then im going to regret it in about 6 months when i feel all outdated and games are coming out that i cant play.

I will list my current specs below and thanks in advance for your time on this matter.

AMD Athlon XP 1800+
1.53 GHz
512 MB RAM
NVidia GeForce 4 MX 440
Creative SB Live (WDM)
20 GB Hard Drive
I have a Network adapter i currently have cable internet.
I will be acquiring a 21" CRT in a few weeks
And i have a pretty good 5 speaker system (that doesnt work as surround maybe becasue of the crappy sound card???)

Again i appreciate all your help in this and other posts ive posted, im glad ive found this place.
 
read the sticky thread as a starting point.

A64 3000+, motherboard, 1 GB RAM, nvidia 6600GT, or 6800GT for resolutions above 1280x1024.

For a little more longevity, spend a little more for an A64 3200+.
 
thank you for your response, i read the sticky when i first came here, but i wanted some more personalized opinions. That system you just described, do you have a particular CPU/Motherboard combo in mind?
 
If you don't plan to upgrade the CPU, and want the 6800 GT, then a socket 754 motherboard and retail CPU (Gigabyte and Chaintech both have good nforce socket 754 motherboards for $70-80).

If you only want a 6600GT now and plan to upgrade the video in a year, socket 939 and pic-e might make sense.
 
i do plan to upgrade the CPU. Others on this board have convinced me that it would be wise and is pretty much inevitable if i want a good gaming machine.

Newegg has a A64 3200+ socket 939 for $193.00

Is this i good option to explore?
 
Sure, but you might need to step down to 3000+ depending on how much you're willing to spend on the rest of your parts.

Graphics: If you think you want to keep this one motherboard long enough to upgrade instead of just replacing it, you might need to go with a motherboard with a PCI-E slot so you can upgrade that too.
 
Socket 754
Motherboard - EPoX "EP-8KDA3J" nForce3-250Gb Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket 754 CPU -RETAIL
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-123-219&depa=0
~$70.00

CPU - AMD Athlon 64 3000+, 512KB L2 Cache 64-bit Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-486&depa=0
~$150.00

Video - Leadtek nVIDIA GeForce 6600GT Video Card, 128MB GDDR3, 128-Bit, DVI/HDTV-Out, AGP 8X, Model "A6600 GT TDH" -RETAIL
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-122-206&depa=0
~$220.00

RAM - Kingston ValueRAM Dual Channel Kit 184 Pin 1G(512MBx2) DDR PC-3200 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-141-423&depa=0
~$130.00

Total: ~$570

Socket 939
Motherboard - FOXCONN "NF4UK8AA-8EKRS" NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra Chipset Motherboard For AMD Socket 939 CPU -RETAIL
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-186-037&depa=0
~$119.00

CPU - AMD Athlon 64 3000+, 512KB L2 Cache, Socket 939 64-bit Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-501&depa=0
~$155.00

Video -Leadtek nVIDIA GeForce 6600GT Video Card, 128MB GDDR3, 128-Bit, DVI/TV-Out, PCI-Express, Model "PX6600GT TDH" -RETAIL
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-122-201&depa=0
~$195.00

RAM - Kingston ValueRAM Dual Channel Kit 184 Pin 1G(512MBx2) DDR PC-3200 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-141-423&depa=0
~$130.00

Total: ~$599

these setup are not the "top of the line" but have good components that are reliable. this skt 939 board does not support sli, but those board are ~$200, which would still keep you in your limits if you wanted to put another 6600gt card in there later. also, this is assuming you will use your same case, optical drive, floppy drive and hdd. when it comes to computers, i am cheap because the technology is always changing, so i agree with you and not drop serious monies on things that will be out of date in 12-18mos. i spend more money on good cases, since they last and don't really go out of date for quite some time. you also might want to pick up a newer hdd though as that 20GB will slow you down, but i see those quite often for ~$60 for an 80GB pata all the time a the local b&m stores.
 
i have to admit i am more than a little confused here. I have been reading so much that everything is starting to blend together in my head. Ive been going back and forth over all of this. It seems like no matter what i decide to do, there is a trade off for everything, unless you have a couple thousand to spend. I just wanna be able to MMORPG with my friends again and not worry about whether or not my system can play a game like Doom3 on high settings without stuttering so much i think im having a siezure.

my problem is now and always has been that i am looking at the big picture and worrying too much about it. I need to just shut up and take the first step.

you guys know what my needs are, tell me a specific component.

just one componant.

Whether it be a CPU, Motherboard, Video Card, Memory, Whatever.........

something good to use as the starting point for my system.

and i will order it.

Then i will be back to ask what i should buy next. I just need to do it.

Thanks.
 
Originally posted by: micharei
i have to admit i am more than a little confused here. I have been reading so much that everything is starting to blend together in my head. Ive been going back and forth over all of this. It seems like no matter what i decide to do, there is a trade off for everything, unless you have a couple thousand to spend. I just wanna be able to MMORPG with my friends again and not worry about whether or not my system can play a game like Doom3 on high settings without stuttering so much i think im having a siezure.

my problem is now and always has been that i am looking at the big picture and worrying too much about it. I need to just shut up and take the first step.

you guys know what my needs are, tell me a specific component.

just one componant.

Whether it be a CPU, Motherboard, Video Card, Memory, Whatever.........

something good to use as the starting point for my system.

and i will order it.

Then i will be back to ask what i should buy next. I just need to do it.

Thanks.
Click to expand...


the two systems i outlined for you should be at least a good starting point... although to play doom 3 on high setting on high resolutions you are going to need more gpu power, but that wouldn't fit into your budget... look at this article about fps in doom 3 with the 6600gts
 
yes i understand, but i am going to toss that 750 dollar price tag out the window now and instead of being so concerned with the final cost im just going to take it one componant at a time.

So new question.

What in your opinion is the best item to purchase first?

I was thinking either the Motherboard, CPU, or Video card. But maybe i should work from the outside in, and purchase a cool case to put the componants in as i buy them, it may keep me motivated.

Opinions?
 
i would keep with the price limit, as you can attain what you want well within it. but if you must start first, i would get the video card first since you can use it in your current rig, if you get the agp version...KEEP WITH THE PRICE LIMIT
 
Originally posted by: micharei
yes i understand, but i am going to toss that 750 dollar price tag out the window now and instead of being so concerned with the final cost im just going to take it one componant at a time.

So new question.

What in your opinion is the best item to purchase first?

I was thinking either the Motherboard, CPU, or Video card. But maybe i should work from the outside in, and purchase a cool case to put the componants in as i buy them, it may keep me motivated.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

I would go for the sokcet939 bob4432 suggested it's very balanced system and faster than my current setup 2100+@2700 and 9800pro@XT. I can run all new games fine at 1280x960 (D3 at 1024x768). You can't run with full AA and AF at 1200x1600, but most games are designed so they will play fine with the 3000+ + GT6600, as only very few gamers actually have the high spec machine. With this combo you will be able to get a dualcore CPU in the future and next generation videocards when you think it's needed.
 
Originally posted by: biostud
Originally posted by: micharei
yes i understand, but i am going to toss that 750 dollar price tag out the window now and instead of being so concerned with the final cost im just going to take it one componant at a time.

So new question.

What in your opinion is the best item to purchase first?

I was thinking either the Motherboard, CPU, or Video card. But maybe i should work from the outside in, and purchase a cool case to put the componants in as i buy them, it may keep me motivated.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

I would go for the sokcet939 bob4432 suggested it's very balanced system and faster than my current setup 2100+@2700 and 9800pro@XT. I can run all new games fine at 1280x960 (D3 at 1024x768). You can't run with full AA and AF at 1200x1600, but most games are designed so they will play fine with the 3000+ + GT6600, as only very few gamers actually have the high spec machine. With this combo you will be able to get a dualcore CPU in the future and next generation videocards when you think it's needed.
Click to expand...

thanks for the kudos 😉
 
I'll second the suggestion to just get Bob's socket 939 - pci-e combination, and probably a new power supply. Nice work, I hadn't looked to see a pci-e motherboard was available so cheap already.

The 6600GT pci-e card should work great for at least a year. At that point having a pci-e slot will give you the most choice over what to replace it with (by then agp cards will be much more rare).

Even with your $750 budget you could bump up Bob's parts a little and get an A64 3200+ instead of the 3000+.

You should buy it all at once, since none of the parts will work with your current system except the RAM.
 
ok i am pretty confident in this setup. As one last nudge, could everyone here look at what ive decided on and tell me that it will be a pretty good gaming machine with "upgrade" potential.

AMD Athlon 64 3200+
Foxconn Nvidia NForce4 Ultra Chipset motherboard
Leadtek NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT Video Card w/ 128 MB GDDR3 and PCI-E
Kingston ValueRAM Dual Channel Kit 184 pin 1G(512x2) DDR PC-3200

These four componants total around 650.00 with shipping

I already have a case i can use
I already have a NIC
I can use my current 20GB HD

I think all i need to worry about then is a new power supply.

Can yall recommend one?

(oh yeah, thanks guys for the input so far)
 
An OCZ 420W seems to be among the best ATM, and I would also recommend getting a new HDD. It will speed up your loading times greatly and add more spaceas well.
 
With $750, you can bump up most of Bob's suggestions a little. You can get:

Leadtek PX6600 GT TDH w/ Doom 3 $215 Newegg (shipped)
A64 3200+ S939 Retail $190 Zipzoomfly (shipped)
Foxconn mobo above $119 Newegg? (shipping?)
Kingston Ram above $130 Newegg? (shipping?)
Seasonic 400W Super Tornado PSU $82 Newegg (shipped after rebate)

Total $736+ alittle more

I am ordering a VERY similar setup for about $780 (getting DFI mobo and diff ram). You can get the CPU and shipped free if you shop zipzoomfly, but the rest (of these models) are only at Newegg.

The above is a good setup. YOu can upgrade the hard drive later and it sounds like you got a nice monitor on the way. Windows XP???

EDIT: Sorry for the sloppy layout, i should never use quick reply!
 
thanks Blain but i already read the sticky. The reason people like me post in here is because spending a couple months rent on something is a big deal, and as such, we feel that it warrents some personalized advice from those that are knowledgable in what we are about to invest in. No one is obligated to help me. The sticky is very well written and was a great help when i first came here, but opinions vary so much on this board that i wanted someone other than the author of that thread to give me their opinion based on my specific needs.
 
Originally posted by: micharei
thanks Blain but i already read the sticky. The reason people like me post in here is because spending a couple months rent on something is a big deal, and as such, we feel that it warrents some personalized advice from those that are knowledgable in what we are about to invest in. No one is obligated to help me. The sticky is very well written and was a great help when i first came here, but opinions vary so much on this board that i wanted someone other than the author of that thread to give me their opinion based on my specific needs.
Click to expand...

Sell your old system, and use the money to buy the "end system" in my guide.

Switch out the motherboard, hard drive, and so on to a manufactuer of you choosing. You are going to get a difference answer from everybody here. Just do a search like I suggest in my thread, and you can read what has already been asked and answered.

There are ton of these threads in the past, and it is always the same questions and same answers.

Most everyone here at one point was where you are at, however you need to read the reviews and come back with a system and ask if eveything looks good. We are here to give you a helping hand, not hold your hand.

I don't mean this to come across hard, but the hardware reviews exist for a reason. They do it good enough to have their own sites and have people want to go there and read their opinions.





 
Originally posted by: UsandThem
Originally posted by: micharei
thanks Blain but i already read the sticky. The reason people like me post in here is because spending a couple months rent on something is a big deal, and as such, we feel that it warrents some personalized advice from those that are knowledgable in what we are about to invest in. No one is obligated to help me. The sticky is very well written and was a great help when i first came here, but opinions vary so much on this board that i wanted someone other than the author of that thread to give me their opinion based on my specific needs.
Click to expand...

Sell your old system, and use the money to buy the "end system" in my guide.

Switch out the motherboard, hard drive, and so on to a manufactuer of you choosing. You are going to get a difference answer from everybody here. Just do a search like I suggest in my thread, and you can read what has already been asked and answered.

There are ton of these threads in the past, and it is always the same questions and same answers.

Most everyone here at one point was where you are at, however you need to read the reviews and come back with a system and ask if eveything looks good. We are here to give you a helping hand, not hold your hand.

I don't mean this to come across hard, but the hardware reviews exist for a reason. They do it good enough to have their own sites and have people want to go there and read their opinions.
Click to expand...
UsandThem, This may help you illustrate your point :laugh:

 
Blain i want to thank you for making me feel so welcome on this board. Your compassion has been commendible to say the least. I wish i was more like you and i was born with superior knowledge and intellect.

I came here to learn as much as i can before making a huge financial commitment. Most people on this board seem to understand this. Some of them im sure were in my position at one time or another. Im not looking for someone to hold my hand through this entire process. What i am looking for is advice that i can feel confident with. Someone who can verbally push me out of the airplane and assure me that my parachute is going to work. I am not looking for someone to pull the cord for me!

To those of you who have helped me i am thankful. This includes usandthem for the very informative sticky, and the rest of you for answering my more specific questions after i read it.

But especially to you Blain. For your one word answers are abundant on this board. And i love it when someone who has knowledge in something is so reluctant to share it with someone who is aspiring to be at a level closer to them. I love it when my current situation has me feeling so confused and helpless that when i reach out for help i get made to feel like an idiot.

Thank you so much.
 
Originally posted by: micharei
Blain i want to thank you for making me feel so welcome on this board. Your compassion has been commendible to say the least. I wish i was more like you and i was born with superior knowledge and intellect.

I came here to learn as much as i can before making a huge financial commitment. Most people on this board seem to understand this. Some of them im sure were in my position at one time or another. Im not looking for someone to hold my hand through this entire process. What i am looking for is advice that i can feel confident with. Someone who can verbally push me out of the airplane and assure me that my parachute is going to work. I am not looking for someone to pull the cord for me!

To those of you who have helped me i am thankful. This includes usandthem for the very informative sticky, and the rest of you for answering my more specific questions after i read it.

But especially to you Blain. For your one word answers are abundant on this board. And i love it when someone who has knowledge in something is so reluctant to share it with someone who is aspiring to be at a level closer to them. I love it when my current situation has me feeling so confused and helpless that when i reach out for help i get made to feel like an idiot.

Thank you so much.
Click to expand...

Blain was just having some fun with "the new meat". I thought the picture was kind of funny myself 🙂

Seriously, you say you are getting back $750.00. You have a sytem that will get you another $250.00 or so. That gives you $1000.00 to play with.

You could get this:

AMD Based Computer $1036.00

AMD Athlon 64 3000+, 512KB L2 Cache, Socket 939 64-bit Processor $160.00

GIGABYTE "GA-K8NS-939" NVIDIA nForce3 ULTRA Chipset Motherboard $85.00

Thermaltake SOPRANO VB1000SWS Silver ATX Mid Tower Case $79.00

Antec 430W Power Supply, Model "TRUE430" $79.00

Corsair Value Select (Dual Pack) 184 Pin 512MBx2 DDR PC-3200 $131.00

Modem if needed $14.00

Windows XP Home $88.00

SAMSUNG 160GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive $94.00

Samsung 160GB 7200RPM Hard Drive $88.00

Leadtek nVIDIA GeForce 6600GT Video Card $218.00

If you notice I have two hard drives, a very nice case, a very nice power supply, a Gig of ram, a fast CPU, a 6600 GT, and a solid Gigabyte motherboard.

You could get a cheaper motherboard, drop a hard drive, and so on.

You stated that "my goal is to build a comp that can (most importantly) play the latest games (mainly mmorpg like WoW and EQ2, FarCry, Doom 3, HL2, etc...) in high resolutions without noticable slowdown."

The above system is for you on your budget. Just look at the sytem in my profile. I play HL2 and many other games with no slow down. I play HL2 at 1024 X 768 with details and effects on high.






 
Wow...

Hold onto your cash if you're confused about what parts to buy. After all, they will only get cheaper.
There's not much worse than buying hardware and then regretting the purchase.

Google reviews for the parts you have in mind and then read them. People here will give you every opinion from A to Z and then some. It's best to find reviews that test and evaluate as many aspects of a part as possible.

An example would be Tech-Reports reviews on power supplies. They not only test the different voltage rails at different loads, but they also check AC ripple and fan noise.
To top it off, they test the PS using different types of MB/CPU combos.
Some review site would just check the voltages for the different rails, maybe fan noise and let it go at that.
 
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