planning a new computer

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rdukeman

Member
May 20, 2005
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It's that time again. With my current machine chuggin' along to meet todays expectation of games, I am overdue for an upgrade.

Luckily I still have a few components that are usable, but I am in need of the following:

Motherboard -High Priority
Processor -High Priority
Ram -High Priority
Video Card -High Priority
Fan -High Priority
Heatsink -High Priority
HD -Medium 200gig will do
Case -Medium, nothing fancy
Sound Card -Will go with audigy 2 if that is still good

This machine will be used for mostly gaming. I have done some research but it's been a while and I am not aware of what is expected to come later on this year.

I am willing to wait if there is something new that is immensely better than what's out currently. My budget is roughly 1000-1500$. I would even go as high as 2000$ if something really catches my interest.

I really appriciate the help I have recieved in the past from these forums. And I try to help out others but you guys always do it better than me. :p
 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
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No monitor?

6600
Intel Bad Axe
2GB RAM
7950GX2 -> 1900XTX -> 7900GTX
250GB Drive
450W/500W PSU (Enermax liberty, Seasonic, FSP etc etc.)
Case (Pick depending on taste, Lian Li are good, antec nearly as good and much cheaper as are coolermaster etc.)

That's if you're overclocking. If you're not then get a cheap conroe board and maybe a more expensive CPU. That should be under budget assuming you don't need a monitor.
 
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essasin

Platinum Member
Mar 4, 2004
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With your budget I would do a e6600 build with a 512mb gpu. If you would like more bang for your buck I would opt for a x2 3800 am2. Both use ddr2. Since the e6600 and 3800 am2 is not widely used yet we do not know which RAM or board outshines the others. Also you will need to change your PSU as well. I'm assuming you still have a 20-pin psu that does not provide enough juice for a higher end rig.
 
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rdukeman

Member
May 20, 2005
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Originally posted by: Bobthelost
No monitor?

6600
Intel Bad Axe
2GB RAM
7950GX2 -> 1900XTX -> 7900GTX
250GB Drive
450W/500W PSU (Enermax liberty, Seasonic, FSP etc etc.)
Case (Pick depending on taste, Lian Li are good, antec nearly as good and much cheaper as are coolermaster etc.)

That's if you're overclocking. If you're not then get a cheap conroe board and maybe a more expensive CPU. That should be under budget assuming you don't need a monitor.
Click to expand...


I just bought a Samsung 19" CRT. I don't mind the space it takes since I will never travel with it.

My machine currently was built for OCing but I didn't really do it. I built it myself but there is still a lot of things I don't know about such as the correct BIOS setup. I will be taking this new computer to someone I know at my local college to get it configured correctly.


I have done some more reading and the 6600's seem like the way to go, but is there anything worth waiting for in the next 6 months?
 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
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Ok, so you wouldn't mind if you can't overclock the living daylights out of the CPU. A stock 6600 is a hell of a CPU, competes with the FX-62 for the most part. So i wouldn't worry about it, it's nice and overclocking the CPU will make media encoding fly, but non essential.

CPU- 6600 Core 2 Duo - $350
Motherboard random 965 board - $100
RAM - DDR2 6400 - $175
Graphics card - 7950GX2 - $600
Hard drive - 250GB random - $100
PSU - 500W good brand - $125
Case - How high is up? - $100

~$1450 Total, you'd then need an OS to go with it. The prices are all very approximate, but if you want to save money then drop the 7950GX2 for a X1900XTX, the 7900GTX isn't as powerful a card and ATI have finally gotten their drivers to take advantage of the brute power.

Anything worth waiting for? Always :D Conroe was the big change for this year, DX-10 cards will thrash current gen cards like a sadistic jockey on a lazy racehorse, but that's always the case, a new generation is always round the corner.
 
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rdukeman

Member
May 20, 2005
90
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How far off are the DS10 cards?

I was thinking about just transferring my current OS (xp pro) until Vista comes out. Once the 6600 hits the market, I would love to hear about what MBs run well with it. I will probably go with the x1900, even though I have been with Nvdia since day one. But that all depends on how soon dx10 comes out.

I was looking at the Antec Solo case, it seems to fit my needs. I will want to go a bit over the top with fans and cooling. I live in so cal and my appartment gets VERY hot so I want to keep my baby nice and cool.
 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
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I don't think DX-10 is planned for the next three months or so. If you head over to the video forum the odds are there'll be at least two threads speculating on it at any point ;)

I'm going to be sticking with XP for a while, no matter when they release Vista, never buy newly released Microsoft software.
 
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rdukeman

Member
May 20, 2005
90
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ok, at this point I have a better idea of what I want

Case*
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129018
*I will take out the 380psu and throw it on my old computer. The PSU that came with my Sonata case won't even support the stock 1.6ghz anymore and I have to run at 1.1ghz. I am planning to give this computer to my younger brother so he can get a nice machine for 400$ or so. It still has a decent video card but it is AGP. It just needs a new psu and perhaps a faster processor.. but that's another thread.

PSU
450w should be sufficient? ...Haven't checked the brands out but I will go with what has been recommended. I understand the conroe uses less power than current processors but I will be using this computer for 3-5 years roughly so it's important I get a quality brand.

Motherboard
I will wait a few weeks and see what performs well. I am only looking to spend 100-200$ on one and might upgrade it in a year.

Processor
e6400 or e6600

Video Card
x1900XT 512mb this caught my attention ---> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102624
It's currently out of stock so I am taking that as a good sign that it's a good card.

Ram
DDR2 800 Going with corsair again
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145590
This ram is 100$ more but I don't see why
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145034

I am not worried about the HD. I will most likely go with WD again and will find a good offer when I am ready to start buying.

As far as cooling goes, does anyone have any tips or suggestions? I would like a nice reliable fan, a good heat sink, and anything else I can do to keep my machine running.

Right now I have a Sonata case and it is extremely quiet. But if I have to spend some extra money for noise reducing insulation(I read about this in a magazine), some good fans, a bigger than normal PSU, and whatever else (IDE Cables instead of strips?), then I will do it.




 
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