Think this is a good build?

[TestedAcorn]

I made a computer, and I just wanted to get everybody's opinion on it. I am open for suggestions, just keep it under $1,400.

https://secure.newegg.com/NewV...hDetail.asp?ID=6503786

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Might help if you just posted the components. The link isnt working

 

[TestedAcorn]

K then.
Case: Cooler Master Centurion
MoBo: MSI P6N SLI-FI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard
Vid. Card: XFX 8800 GT 512mb
Power Supply: COOLER MASTER eXtreme RP-500-PCAR ATX
CPU: intel e4300 Allendale 1.8 ghz
RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 675
RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 675
HD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS (Perpendicular Recording Technology) 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Monitor: Hanns·G HG-191RPB Black 19" 2ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 700:1
CD/DVD drive: Sony NEC Optiarc Black 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM IDE DVD-ROM Drive Model DDU1615/B2s - OEM
OS: Windows Vista Basic
CPU Cooler: Tuniq Tower
Thermal Grease: Arctic Silver 5
Speakers Logitech THX Z-5300e 280 Watts RMS 5.1 Speaker

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Love the Cent cases, cheap but nice.
MSI make turd boards
XFX are so so, Ive seen some really good ones and some really bad ones, personally I prefer BFG or evga
power supply should be either enermax or antec imo, seasonic are good as well.
no problem with the cpu
ram is ok, but why the uneven #?
hdd is ok
never heard of the monitor so i cant comment
check out a lite-on drive, they make the sony drives, save a few bucks.
If you are looking for the new gui, then you are out of luck with basic.
never used the cpu cooler, but unless you plan to oc heavily, the stock intel work pretty well
love the thermal compound
speakers are nice as well

 

[Build it Myself]

why not use vista premium? the basic is, well, BASIC... and it doesn't cost much more. What's with the small monitor? You could get something a lot bigger and better. Tuniq is a little overkill for a cooler unless you want to really overclock. nice RAM.

My build is $1350+/- and has a 22" monitor, 4gigs of Patriot Extreme RAM, 2DVDRW/CDRW's, Vista Premium 64, and an Abit IP35Pro...I think mine might be a little faster, but you've got a better HD and PSU, not sure about the MoBo though.

I menitioned my build @ the bottom of this thread http://forums.anandtech.com/me...id=32&threadid=2116252 I'm just starting it so I'm right where you are really. Good luck!

 

[Nadeem]

Originally posted by: TestedAcorn
K then.
Case: Cooler Master Centurion
MoBo: MSI P6N SLI-FI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard
Vid. Card: XFX 8800 GT 512mb
Power Supply: COOLER MASTER eXtreme RP-500-PCAR ATX
CPU: intel e4300 Allendale 1.8 ghz
RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 675
RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 675
HD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS (Perpendicular Recording Technology) 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Monitor: Hanns·G HG-191RPB Black 19" 2ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 700:1
CD/DVD drive: Sony NEC Optiarc Black 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM IDE DVD-ROM Drive Model DDU1615/B2s - OEM
OS: Windows Vista Basic
CPU Cooler: Tuniq Tower
Thermal Grease: Arctic Silver 5
Speakers Logitech THX Z-5300e 280 Watts RMS 5.1 Speaker

I think that you got yourself a good deal. Only thing that i would have changed is loading XP instead of vista. I"m not a vista fan.

 

[40sTheme]

Originally posted by: RadiclDreamer

MSI make turd boards

Then what do you suggest?

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Originally posted by: 40sTheme

Originally posted by: RadiclDreamer

MSI make turd boards

Then what do you suggest?

I suggest getting pretty much anything other than ECS/PCChips/Biostar/MSI etc.

Good brands like Asus, Abit, Intel, Gigabyte

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Originally posted by: Build it Myself
why not use vista premium? the basic is, well, BASIC... and it doesn't cost much more. What's with the small monitor? You could get something a lot bigger and better. Tuniq is a little overkill for a cooler unless you want to really overclock. nice RAM.

My build is $1350+/- and has a 22" monitor, 4gigs of Patriot Extreme RAM, 2DVDRW/CDRW's, Vista Premium 64, and an Abit IP35Pro...I think mine might be a little faster, but you've got a better HD and PSU, not sure about the MoBo though.

I menitioned my build @ the bottom of this thread http://forums.anandtech.com/me...id=32&threadid=2116252 I'm just starting it so I'm right where you are really. Good luck!

Since when is 19" a small monitor? Especially since its an LCD. 21" or so is the biggest you can go without getting into a significant price jump.

 

[TestedAcorn]

I have recently changed my wish list, and I'll post it up. Tell me if it is any better.

Case: Cooler Master Cavalier
MoBo: GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard

That is about all i changed. RadiclDreamer, I got the odd # of RAM because, well why have 2gb when you can have 3gb? And not 4 gb because windows vista 32 bit can only have 3.2gb of RAM anyway. So anyway is the motherboard better?

 

[robisbell]

I would agree with radical, if you want to have 4 GB of ram get XP pro 64bit.

otherwise the hardware looks like a good setup, make sure the PSU is 550 or 600 watts tho.

 

[TestedAcorn]

Yeah but i want Vista so that i wont have to upgrade when games actually start utilizing the DX10 features better. And 500 watt psu is plenty, I ran a full system with ATI x1950 pro on a 300 watt psu.

 

[robisbell]

okay, if you think so. I'll be playing my DX10 games on XP, while you fight to get them to run on vista. I played Halo 2 with better framerates under XP than I did under vista.

 

[TestedAcorn]

Yeah, but Halo 2 is about the shittiest port ever. Vista is perfectly fine, I've used it... all you need is like, a few updates. Then voila! all your games work perfectly. DirectX10 doesnt even work on XP. Unless you have got something really REALLY special, I don't think you'll be playing DX10 on xp.

 

[robisbell]

glad you feel that way, the system is nice except for the psu and os. but that's this tech's opinion.

one who beta tested every iteration of vista, and still says it's buggy with all the updates.

 

[TestedAcorn]

Aight.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Originally posted by: robisbell
glad you feel that way, the system is nice except for the psu and os. but that's this tech's opinion.

one who beta tested every iteration of vista, and still says it's buggy with all the updates.

Vista has its issues, thats for sure, but its slowly getting better as time goes by. I personally wont go back to it for a while (I ran it for about a year before I got to aggrivated with it)

The motherboard is a much better choice. I cant say it wont ever die, but Gigabyte have a much higher reliability/stability record than MSI

 

[TestedAcorn]

All in all, you can't really say ANY pc part will "never die"... Shit happens. Yeah i heard Gigabyte was very reliable though.

 

[Build it Myself]

I've got an antec 430 earthwatts that Serpent suggested to me and i'm running my 2180 OC'ed to 2.8 and an 8800GT, LED fans, ect. without any problems, so I don't think you need to shell out for a 600w PSU...

 

[QueBert]

I disagree about MSI, they make very good MB's for the price IMHO. I just picked up a P35 FR for $130, has nice big fanless heatsinks and I got my E6550 up to 3.2 with stock cooling. I think the build looks sweet man if I was pacient enough to wait a few weeks (just built my PC like a month ago) I would have gotten that 8800gt! Have fun with the build man