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Wanting a $700-$900 gaming system

thecoolnessrune

thecoolnessrune

Diamond Member
Hi everyone. I'm wanting a new AMD system. It doesn't need a monitor or harddrive. What it does need is a gig of ram, and a a DVD burner WITH a DVD ROM drive. I think I would like to purchase from newegg.com plz. Refurbished parts aren't a problem for me. So can anyone help me out???

EDIT: Also needs a PCI Express x16 slot. Two is a plus but not necessary.
 
OKay. Sorry, but it's 1am here, so I'll look for prices on these tomorrow.

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3000+/3200+ Venice (socket 939)
MoBo: ASUS A8N-E(single PCI-E) or ASUS A8N-SLI deluxe (dual PCI-E/SLI)
RAM: 1GB Corsair Value Select
VC: 6600GT/6800GT/X800XL (depends on exactly what you intend to do)
OPT1: Generic DVD-ROM (e.g. Lite-On, LG...)
OPT2: DVD+/-RW (such as Pioneer DVR-109)
Case: You choose. Antec makes some nice ones, but so do some other companies.
PSU: Antec TruePowerII 430W (or get a decent one bundled with your case)

A few questions:
1)How soon do you want this computer. If you are willing to wait a few weeks, the 6600GT and 6800GT will fall in price, due to the 7800 series being released sometime in the next week or two.
2)Will you be overclocking? If so, get the 3000+ rather than the 3200+

RoD
 
1. I can wait plenty of time, this is just something I am looking into the next month or so.
2. Yes, I intend to overclock to 2.7Ghz on stock air
3. I would like to have a gig of DDR600 in the system to keep from using a divider. If possible on the budget, I dont know if it is or not.
 
Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune
3. I would like to have a gig of DDR600 in the system to keep from using a divider. If possible on the budget, I dont know if it is or not.
Click to expand...

running the ram on a divider doesnt hurt performance except for the fact that your memory is running a bit slower. but, that will only make a 1-3% performance drop in games, which translates into a few FPS. its not noticable. read the memory matrix at the top of the overclocking forum. its best to get valueram and get a better video card.

heres my suggestion:
DFi ultra-d
3200+ venice
6800gt; i would actually wait for the next gen cards to come out, and either get a 6800U or a upper midrange next gen card.
1gb corsair value select
nec 3520a
 
Originally posted by: theman
Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune
3. I would like to have a gig of DDR600 in the system to keep from using a divider. If possible on the budget, I dont know if it is or not.
Click to expand...

running the ram on a divider doesnt hurt performance except for the fact that your memory is running a bit slower. but, that will only make a 1-3% performance drop in games, which translates into a few FPS. its not noticable. read the memory matrix at the top of the overclocking forum. its best to get valueram and get a better video card.

heres my suggestion:
DFi ultra-d
3200+ venice
6800gt; i would actually wait for the next gen cards to come out, and either get a 6800U or a upper midrange next gen card.
1gb corsair value select
nec 3520a
Click to expand...


i agree what he said about the divider but the corsair value ram requires alot of tweaking from what i read on the DFI threads.
 
Why not try the OCZ value VX. It is only about $110 (my mushkin value cost $130 in January). It should do 2-2-2 timings at 240 MHz. You will need to give it quite a few volts (3.0 to 3.4), so be wary... You need a board that can supply that many volts (or a separate voltage boostser). I think that the DFI nf4 boards are the only ones that can do voltages that high...

Whole system (with my price estimates):

CPU: Athlon 3000+ venice ($150)
Mobo: DFI Ultra-D NF4 ($140)
GPU: X800XL ($280)
RAM: OCZ value VX ($110)
Case: Your preference. Do not go overboard on price. Front and rear 120mm fans are the most efficient and very quite.
PSU. A quality brand over 450W WITH 24 PIN CONNECTOR (at least with the DFI board). I recommend the OCZ modstream 520 ($80-100)...

That leaves you $120 for a case and DVD drives, not bad. Look at the NEC 3520A. It is one of the best and is pretty cheaper as well (under $50). Just a decent DVD-Rom drive should suffice (look at lite-on, NEC, pioneer, ben-q, etc.). Those should run around $70. Add a $50 case and you are set!
 
OK I'm just going to use NewEgg, because I'm lazy and they are sort of just a pricing standard. (and you said you were using newegg)

CPU
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Venice - $147.99

Motherboard
DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D - $135.00

Ram
mushkin XP3200 Dual Pack 1GB (tccd & brainpower) - $166.99

Video Card
POWERCOLOR R43C-TD3D/BULK Radeon X800XL 256MB - $285.00

DVD/RW
NEC Black IDE DVD Burner Model ND-3540A - $58.00x2= $116.00

In order to stay near $900 either go integrated and have aftermarket cooling, or get the sound card and stay stock with the cooling.

Sound Card
CREATIVE Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS OEM - $71.00

HSF
ZALMAN CNPS7700-CU 120mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan - $46.99

Personally I would get the HSF and not the soundcard, simply because your integrated will be OK and the HSF will get you farther overclocking. But at some point down the line I would invest in an Audigy simply because the sound quality really is better. Hope this helps 😀 .

Total (sound card) = $921.98
Total (HSF) = $897.97
 
Originally posted by: shoRunner
Originally posted by: DanDaMan315

CPU
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Venice - $147.99

Motherboard
DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D - $135.00

Ram
ocz value vx (great with the dfi's voltage)
$106

Video Card
x800xl
$276

DVD/RW
NEC Black IDE DVD Burner Model ND-3540A - $58.00


Sound Card
CREATIVE Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS OEM
$71

HSF
ZALMAN CNPS7700-CU 120mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan
$47
Click to expand...

$840 total with soundcard and heatsink

fixed
Click to expand...

LOL thanks for "fixing" it. I think the TCCD is worth the $60 IMO. And PowerColor is trusted brand and I think that is worth the $9 as well.

He said he needed 2 DVD drives, just so you know.
 
Wow I like Dandaman's and Sho Runner's sugestions. But i suppose I also forgot to mention that I got a Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live 4.1 card to go with my Altec Lansing 4.1 speakers. So take off the sound card, add a DVD ROM drive and I've got a kicker system!!!. Wow thx!
 
Originally posted by: DanDaMan315
LOL thanks for "fixing" it. I think the TCCD is worth the $60 IMO. And PowerColor is trusted brand and I think that is worth the $9 as well.

He said he needed 2 DVD drives, just so you know.
Click to expand...

to stay within budget and to get him everything he needs, things had to be changed. you didn't put a case or PSU in there and why would you go with 2 dvd burners, thats a waste.

the DFI was made for the ocz memory, its practically the only board that can give deliver the required voltage(for a good overclock) for them, and they are signifacantly cheaper. they often run at 250mhz @ 2-2-2
 
hmmmmmmmmmmm, I suppose I did forget the case and PSU there didn't I.... CRAP! And yeah, I need a DVD burner and a DVD drive.... haven't found a need to copy 2 DVD's at once.
 
Pioneer DVD-109 is only $55 at newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827129161
And unlike the NEC, I've only heard good things about the Pioneer. (There was a post just yesterday in General Hardware by somone who couldn't get their NEC to burn any faster then 32x, even with 48x and 52x media).

The 6800GT price should start falling as soon as the 7800 series is released, sometime in the next two weeks. So I'd say wait 'till then, and either get a 6800GT for cheaper, or get a 7800 (instead of an X800XL).

Also, if you want to get a good overclock, you may want to add a thermalright XP-90 (and a 90mm fan) or Zalman heatsink to that list, to keep everything cool.

RoD
 
Originally posted by: rod
Pioneer DVD-109 is only $55 at newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827129161
And unlike the NEC, I've only heard good things about the Pioneer. (There was a post just yesterday in General Hardware by somone who couldn't get their NEC to burn any faster then 32x, even with 48x and 52x media).

The 6800GT price should start falling as soon as the 7800 series is released, sometime in the next two weeks. So I'd say wait 'till then, and either get a 6800GT for cheaper, or get a 7800 (instead of an X800XL).

Also, if you want to get a good overclock, you may want to add a thermalright XP-90 (and a 90mm fan) or Zalman heatsink to that list, to keep everything cool.

RoD
Click to expand...

i've never seen any bad review of either model.

maybe if he more money to spend....
 
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