So pretty much every 5th thread here is of the "help me upgrade," "what parts should I get" variety. This is totally fine, I've done it myself quite a few times. But it occurs to me that in every category of hardware the same products are recommended over and over and over again. There are exceptions and discrepancies, of course, but for the most part people recognize quality when they see it, and they recommend it.
So I thought I would compile a list of the MOST RECOMMENDED products at the moment (to be updated as things change) to help people who need to start their research for an upgrade, or who are simply looking for list that has already done most of the narrowing down already.
The links are all going to be through Newegg, not due to price, but because they are well known and have lots of information and user reviews for people to skim through.
I've only listed categories that I personally have knowledge of and have researched myself. At the moment I have not included a bunch of stuff and I hope that you all might contribute and as information is gathered I will update the thread. Of course, if you think I have made a mistake in recommending something please post and we can talk about it (but no "DFI SUX0RS STAY AWAY" type posts).
So here goes:
PROCESSORS:
AMD X2 3800+ Dual Core 2.0GHZ This is the slowest of the X2 dual core chips that AMD offers and is prized for its overclockability. Thus this is a perfect option for people who want to save some money and OC this chip to 2.5ghz and beyond. However, the OC ability is rivaled and often beaten by...
Opteron 165 Dual Core 1.8GHZ These Opteron chips, also made by AMD, are cherry-picked X2 processors that are specially designed for server environments, and thus are more stable and have higher heat tolerance (and/or lower heat output). This makes them particularly good (even better than the 3800+ at overclocking). Most people on these forums are going to reccomend an Opteron 165 over an X2 3800+, and there are often sales from stores like Monarch Computer that sell these for less than the X2 3800+, so if you shop around you can get a good deal.
Those are the only 2 processors I'll put up here simply because they are, *by far* the most recommended.
MOTHERBOARDS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136152">DFI Lanparty Ultra-D</a> - Considered one of the best overclocking boards out there, this board offers most of the bells and whistles you might expect, though it is not true SLI ready, and many people report instability (often due to the fact that it is very picky with hardware and has a plethora of bios settings that can cause trouble if you're not careful). Lots of people love this board, lots of people hate it.
Asus A8n32-SLI Deluxe AT put out a review recently (which mirrored many others) that pretty much pinned this board as the king of the hill as of right now. It has more features than anything you'll see elsewhere, 2 16x pci-e slots (true super SLI), is passively cooled via a heatpipe system, has great OC ability (on par with DFI) etc. etc. Problems - well, its probably the most expensive board out there. Also, of course, some people have problems with it (as is true with all boards).
Epox 9NPA+Ultra A great middle-of-the-road board, it is more stable than the DFI, not quite as good at Overclocking, not quite as many features as the Asus, but is much cheaper. Has a loyal fan base.
MEMORY
Corsair Value Select 2gb DDR400 The debate still rages as to whether or not more expensive memory is worth the cost and thus many people opt for the cheapest DDR400 possible. This is usually it, though prices change and sales are a factor.
G.Skill 2gb DDR500 For about $50 more than the Value Select stuff you can get DDR500 which is worth it only if you are overclocking, because you can push this stuff to a FSB of 250 (and often higher) while still running it synchronously, which makes things easier. There are a bunch of other varieties of this DDR500 stuff, but G.Skill has become very popular recently, mostly due to its very low price.
POWER SUPPLIES
One of the biggest things new builders tend to skimp on is the power supply, and if you post a build here with a cheapo power supply, be prepared to get punished. The following are some of the favorites around here:
Fortron 450w The cheapest option that people will suggest is this Fortron 450w. Good build quality, stable dual 12v rails, everything you need for a non SLI, non overclocked system. If you're going to overclock or are running alot of stuff (or newer stuff, for instance the newer X1900XT graphics cards) then you'll need something a bit beefier, but this PSU will be great for people who want a cheap stable PSU.
Enermax Liberty 500w A great choice, this modular power supply has everything the fortron has, plus it is (as said) modular, which means you can plug it whatever amount of cables you need. this cuts down on clutter. The cables all come pre-sleeved and are longer than normal which is great if you have a larger case (or if the PSU is in an odd spot in your case, as is true with the Antec P180).
Seasonic S12 600w of pure quiet stable power from a very reliable brand. However if you are using a DFI motherboard stay away as there are known compatibility issues.
Others will also suggest PC Power and Cooling as an option, and while this is very true, they are far more expensive than even the Seasonic, and are often out of people's price ranges. They also aren't the quietest PSUs out there, as they are designed for rock stability (read: more cooling). But they are also a great choice. This is a popular one - 510w,
VIDEO CARDS
This is a very contentious area, since lots of people have different loyalties. But, previous association aside, the two most recommended cards at this point are, hands down:
7800GT CO SE Or any other variant of the 7800GT family, but this one is factory OC'd which is nice. These are great Medium to Medium-High end cards for people playing at resolutions LOWER than 1600x1200. If you need to bump up the screen size a bit, then you should consider...
X1900XT this bad boy. The newest ATI card and currently king of the hill (we'll see how things pan out once the 7900's are released). The version I linked is an OEM version, just because it is the cheapest Newegg offers - but do some reading on the different types and companies that offer them, there are subtle variations.
6800GT CO SE A budget alternative for those still looking to get great power. For around $150 you can get some version of the Nvidia 6800, a very slick card that will run most modern games at lower resolutions.
CASES
This is a highly personal choice, but I'll list a few of the more popular ones, ranging from cheap to VERY expensive:
Coolermaster Centurion 5
Antec Sonata II Made to be a quiet PC, this is a small mini-tower design (still full ATX) that dampens noise as much as possible. Its bigger brother is:
Antec P180 Specially designed by the head of SilentPCReview.com to increase airflow while keeping things as quiet as possible. 3-layered walls, 120mm fans with 3 speed settings, compartmentalized setup, etc. Just make sure your PSU can reach from the bottom to the top 4-pin and 24-pin connector.
Coolermaster Stacker 830 A jump to the higher end cases, this is great for Watercooling (lots of room) and has great airflow as well.
Thernaltake Tai-Chi Super high end. Read the AT review to see why.
Silverstone TJ07-S Again - very high end, I'll let you find out why.
Hard Drives
Western Digital Caviar SE16 Line This is the 250gb version, but they also come in 320, 400, and 500. These drives are quiet, fast, reliable, and often times are close to the speeds of early raptors. Plus they're relatively cheap at this point. All are SATA II.
KEYBOARDS
Logitech G15 New and very popular, though it has its bugs and quirks. It has an LCD screen that can be programmed to display all kinds of stuff, as well as programmable macro keys that can follow all key strokes. It is quite big, however, and some people complain that the paint comes off. It is beautifully backlit, and has lots of fun buttons for gaming (like one that turns off the windows key so you can't hit it accidentally).
Microsoft Natural 4000 The newest offering from Microsoft's ergonomic line of keyboards. New Gull Wing design and an option 7 degree reverse tilt.
Saitek Eclipse An oldie but a goodie, backlit and sexy.
That's where I'll leave it for now - to be updated more as people suggest changes and/or additions.
I'd like to add categories for Speakers, Sound Cards, Mice, LCDs, DVD-RW drives, and others.
I hope this helps guys.
So I thought I would compile a list of the MOST RECOMMENDED products at the moment (to be updated as things change) to help people who need to start their research for an upgrade, or who are simply looking for list that has already done most of the narrowing down already.
The links are all going to be through Newegg, not due to price, but because they are well known and have lots of information and user reviews for people to skim through.
I've only listed categories that I personally have knowledge of and have researched myself. At the moment I have not included a bunch of stuff and I hope that you all might contribute and as information is gathered I will update the thread. Of course, if you think I have made a mistake in recommending something please post and we can talk about it (but no "DFI SUX0RS STAY AWAY" type posts).
So here goes:
PROCESSORS:
AMD X2 3800+ Dual Core 2.0GHZ This is the slowest of the X2 dual core chips that AMD offers and is prized for its overclockability. Thus this is a perfect option for people who want to save some money and OC this chip to 2.5ghz and beyond. However, the OC ability is rivaled and often beaten by...
Opteron 165 Dual Core 1.8GHZ These Opteron chips, also made by AMD, are cherry-picked X2 processors that are specially designed for server environments, and thus are more stable and have higher heat tolerance (and/or lower heat output). This makes them particularly good (even better than the 3800+ at overclocking). Most people on these forums are going to reccomend an Opteron 165 over an X2 3800+, and there are often sales from stores like Monarch Computer that sell these for less than the X2 3800+, so if you shop around you can get a good deal.
Those are the only 2 processors I'll put up here simply because they are, *by far* the most recommended.
MOTHERBOARDS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136152">DFI Lanparty Ultra-D</a> - Considered one of the best overclocking boards out there, this board offers most of the bells and whistles you might expect, though it is not true SLI ready, and many people report instability (often due to the fact that it is very picky with hardware and has a plethora of bios settings that can cause trouble if you're not careful). Lots of people love this board, lots of people hate it.
Asus A8n32-SLI Deluxe AT put out a review recently (which mirrored many others) that pretty much pinned this board as the king of the hill as of right now. It has more features than anything you'll see elsewhere, 2 16x pci-e slots (true super SLI), is passively cooled via a heatpipe system, has great OC ability (on par with DFI) etc. etc. Problems - well, its probably the most expensive board out there. Also, of course, some people have problems with it (as is true with all boards).
Epox 9NPA+Ultra A great middle-of-the-road board, it is more stable than the DFI, not quite as good at Overclocking, not quite as many features as the Asus, but is much cheaper. Has a loyal fan base.
MEMORY
Corsair Value Select 2gb DDR400 The debate still rages as to whether or not more expensive memory is worth the cost and thus many people opt for the cheapest DDR400 possible. This is usually it, though prices change and sales are a factor.
G.Skill 2gb DDR500 For about $50 more than the Value Select stuff you can get DDR500 which is worth it only if you are overclocking, because you can push this stuff to a FSB of 250 (and often higher) while still running it synchronously, which makes things easier. There are a bunch of other varieties of this DDR500 stuff, but G.Skill has become very popular recently, mostly due to its very low price.
POWER SUPPLIES
One of the biggest things new builders tend to skimp on is the power supply, and if you post a build here with a cheapo power supply, be prepared to get punished. The following are some of the favorites around here:
Fortron 450w The cheapest option that people will suggest is this Fortron 450w. Good build quality, stable dual 12v rails, everything you need for a non SLI, non overclocked system. If you're going to overclock or are running alot of stuff (or newer stuff, for instance the newer X1900XT graphics cards) then you'll need something a bit beefier, but this PSU will be great for people who want a cheap stable PSU.
Enermax Liberty 500w A great choice, this modular power supply has everything the fortron has, plus it is (as said) modular, which means you can plug it whatever amount of cables you need. this cuts down on clutter. The cables all come pre-sleeved and are longer than normal which is great if you have a larger case (or if the PSU is in an odd spot in your case, as is true with the Antec P180).
Seasonic S12 600w of pure quiet stable power from a very reliable brand. However if you are using a DFI motherboard stay away as there are known compatibility issues.
Others will also suggest PC Power and Cooling as an option, and while this is very true, they are far more expensive than even the Seasonic, and are often out of people's price ranges. They also aren't the quietest PSUs out there, as they are designed for rock stability (read: more cooling). But they are also a great choice. This is a popular one - 510w,
VIDEO CARDS
This is a very contentious area, since lots of people have different loyalties. But, previous association aside, the two most recommended cards at this point are, hands down:
7800GT CO SE Or any other variant of the 7800GT family, but this one is factory OC'd which is nice. These are great Medium to Medium-High end cards for people playing at resolutions LOWER than 1600x1200. If you need to bump up the screen size a bit, then you should consider...
X1900XT this bad boy. The newest ATI card and currently king of the hill (we'll see how things pan out once the 7900's are released). The version I linked is an OEM version, just because it is the cheapest Newegg offers - but do some reading on the different types and companies that offer them, there are subtle variations.
6800GT CO SE A budget alternative for those still looking to get great power. For around $150 you can get some version of the Nvidia 6800, a very slick card that will run most modern games at lower resolutions.
CASES
This is a highly personal choice, but I'll list a few of the more popular ones, ranging from cheap to VERY expensive:
Coolermaster Centurion 5
Antec Sonata II Made to be a quiet PC, this is a small mini-tower design (still full ATX) that dampens noise as much as possible. Its bigger brother is:
Antec P180 Specially designed by the head of SilentPCReview.com to increase airflow while keeping things as quiet as possible. 3-layered walls, 120mm fans with 3 speed settings, compartmentalized setup, etc. Just make sure your PSU can reach from the bottom to the top 4-pin and 24-pin connector.
Coolermaster Stacker 830 A jump to the higher end cases, this is great for Watercooling (lots of room) and has great airflow as well.
Thernaltake Tai-Chi Super high end. Read the AT review to see why.
Silverstone TJ07-S Again - very high end, I'll let you find out why.
Hard Drives
Western Digital Caviar SE16 Line This is the 250gb version, but they also come in 320, 400, and 500. These drives are quiet, fast, reliable, and often times are close to the speeds of early raptors. Plus they're relatively cheap at this point. All are SATA II.
KEYBOARDS
Logitech G15 New and very popular, though it has its bugs and quirks. It has an LCD screen that can be programmed to display all kinds of stuff, as well as programmable macro keys that can follow all key strokes. It is quite big, however, and some people complain that the paint comes off. It is beautifully backlit, and has lots of fun buttons for gaming (like one that turns off the windows key so you can't hit it accidentally).
Microsoft Natural 4000 The newest offering from Microsoft's ergonomic line of keyboards. New Gull Wing design and an option 7 degree reverse tilt.
Saitek Eclipse An oldie but a goodie, backlit and sexy.
That's where I'll leave it for now - to be updated more as people suggest changes and/or additions.
I'd like to add categories for Speakers, Sound Cards, Mice, LCDs, DVD-RW drives, and others.
I hope this helps guys.
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