Wowsers, a computer!

[the wombat]

Hey everybody, before I posted saying that I was going to build my system over my March break (Last week). Well, it didn't happen, and right now the tentative date for the build is this Thursday. This is probably the 5th or 6th time I've changed around what I'm going to put in the rig. Hopefully I can get some good suggestions about the configuration and what to expect during the build. Any tips or tricks from the veteran builders out there? And, could someone tell me how the whole SATA drivers during Windows installation works? Where do I get the drivers from? Thanks for all your help.

My Configuration:

Case Coolermaster Centurion 5

PSU OCZ Modstream 450w

Mobo ASUS A8N-E (Non-Premium, but based on NF4 Ultra chipset)

CPU AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (Could someone tell me how to tell the difference from the Newcastle Cores and Winchester Cores?)

RAM 2 Sticks of Corsair Value Select 512MB DDR400 PC3200 in Dual Channel

Hard Drive Seagate 80GB SATA (Might get 120GB model if i get more money)

Optical Drive NEC 3520A Dual Layer DVD Burner

Floppy Drive Mitsumi 7-in-1 Internal Floppy Drive w/ Card Reader

Video Card MSI NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT PCI-e

Keyboard/Mouse Logitech Cordless Desktop LX300

Monitor Envision EFT720 (Silver) 17" Flat CRT

Speakers Logitech X-530 5.1 70w Speakers

Thanks again! I'm looking forward to your feedback!

 

[nick1985]

newcastle = socket 754
winchester = socket 939


i would suggest maybe toning down your case, PSU, and motherboard and using the saved cash for a 6800GT. you could probably get away with toning down just the case and PSU and be able to step up to the x800XL

 

[bluewall21]

I think that the SATA on the that board is native, but I'm not sure.

 

[the wombat]

Originally posted by: nick1985
newcastle = socket 754
winchester = socket 939


i would suggest maybe toning down your case, PSU, and motherboard and using the saved cash for a 6800GT. you could probably get away with toning down just the case and PSU and be able to step up to the x800XL

I don't think that I will be able to take enough off of the price to get a x800xl. But I may get one later on. (The x800xl costs $400 cdn and the 6600gt costs about $250. I would have to take off $150 off of other things to afford it. I don't think it would be worth it anyway as I'm not a hardcore gamer.)The motherboard is the cheapest NForce4 Ultra board I've seen and I don't want to step down to the plain NForce4.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'm almost sure there are 939 newcastles. I want to know how tell the difference between the boxes of the two 939 processors.

I think that the SATA on the that board is native, but I'm not sure.

Hmm...by native do you mean on the actual chipset? Then you would probably be right. If they're native, would I have to do any of that floppy disk stuff when installing windows?

 

[imverygifted]

ya make sure you get the matching processor w/ motherboard since a 754 wont fit in a 939 motherboard and vice versa. you might want to stick w/ AGP for now since you'll get better performance for buck. for speakers i'd go w/ the klipsch 2.1 set quality over quantity. if anything i'd really save up to replace that monitor a 19" CRT would make a world of difference. as far as sata and windows goes- when you boot from the windows disk and its loading the drivers (lil blue screen w/ the drivers flashing in the bottom bar) it will say press f4 or something to install extra scsi drivers and then you click f4 or whichever key it was. then put a floppy disk in and install the nforcex sata drivers for winxp or whichever os your loading.
edit: whats your budget?

 

[the wombat]

Sticking with AGP has its good and bad points...but I've already decided to go with PCI-e so let's not get into that. I've heard very good things about Klipsch speakers but their 2.1 set costs around $200 CDN but the logitech x530's cost only $80 CDN. (Read: Klipsch are out of my price range.) I've heard mixed things about the windows/sata ordeal, so the drivers would be included with the mobo? My budget is $1600 CDN..and i'm pretty much there already.

 

[the wombat]

This might help a little: Price Breakdown.

Case Coolermaster Centurion 5 w/window $115

Power Supply OCZ Modstream 450w PSU $99

Motherboard ASUS A8N-E $154

Processor AMD Athlon 64 3000+ $187

RAM Corsair Value Select PC3200 DDR400 512MB 184-pin DIMMx2 $150

Hard Drive Seagate 80GB S-ATA, 8MB cache $81

DVD-ROM NEC 3520A Dual Layer DVD Burner $75

Floppy Mitsumi 7-in-1 Internal Floppy Drive w/ Card Reader (Black) $32

Video Card MSI GeForce 6600GT 128MB DDR3 PCI-E $249

Keyboard/Mouse Logitech Cordless Desktop LX300 w/ Optical Mouse $40

Monitor Envision EFT720 (Silver) 17" Flat CRT $133

Speakers Logitech X-530 5.1 70W Speakers $78

Total w/ Tax $1605


(All prices are in Canadian dollars)

 

[the wombat]

......bump.......

 

[sniperruff]

just do what nick said, and skip the CRT and get a dell 173FP or something for $200 (US).

just get a case you really like, and then get a cheaper PSU. i know OCZ is now a reputable brand and all but i still can't forget the times when they were a bunch of scammers 2,3 years ago.

 

[the wombat]

I don't want an LCD, waste of money IMO. Would rather spend the money on better graphics card...Any suggestions on how to cut costs?

 

[the wombat]

Also, does anyone have experience with the mobo I chose (ASUS A8N-E)?

 

[the wombat]

bbuummpp

 

[the wombat]

BUMP!?!?

 

[the wombat]

Anyone?

 

[qbek]

Originally posted by: the wombat

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'm almost sure there are 939 newcastles. I want to know how tell the difference between the boxes of the two 939 processors.

Newcastle is the older core based on a 130nm manufacturing process. You should buy a Winchester, which is based on a newer 90nm process. The Newcatle core has been mostly phased out, so if you buy from a larger retailer it's pretty sure you will get a Winnie anyway.

3000+ version retails about $150, and the manufacturer's code for the retail version is ADA3000BIBOX

 

[ribbon13]

nevermind...

 

[the wombat]

Thanks...so if I look for a 3000+ that has a serial number on the box with ADA3000BIBOX on it, it would be a Winchester?

 

[ShadowBlade]

Originally posted by: nick1985
newcastle = socket 754
winchester = socket 939

 

[the wombat]

Originally posted by: ShadowBlade

Originally posted by: nick1985
newcastle = socket 754
winchester = socket 939

But there are 130nm S939 3000+.

 

[Ike0069]

Originally posted by: the wombat

Originally posted by: ShadowBlade

Originally posted by: nick1985
newcastle = socket 754
winchester = socket 939

But there are 130nm S939 3000+.

Yes there are S939 Newcastles. I have one. Nick should know that.
But..... There are no S939 3000+ or 3200+ Newcastles. Those are all Winchesters. S939 Newcastles are only 3500+/3800+/4000+.

 

[Markfw]

If you got a Sonata case, the PSU in it is find, and that would save over $100. Also, if you get the dfi lanpart mobo, that would also save bucks. Then you could get a 6800GT or 6800 OC

 

[Ike0069]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
If you got a Sonata case, the PSU in it is find, and that would save over $100. Also, if you get the dfi lanpart mobo, that would also save bucks. Then you could get a 6800GT or 6800 OC

Good point. Exactly why I got the Sonata. Best deal in the case/PSU area.

 

[Erok55]

Winchester = 90 nanometer
Newcastle = 130 nanometer

 

[the wombat]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
If you got a Sonata case, the PSU in it is find, and that would save over $100. Also, if you get the dfi lanpart mobo, that would also save bucks. Then you could get a 6800GT or 6800 OC

Where I'm buying it from, the Asus A8N-E is cheaper than the DFI Ultra-D. It was recommended by many people to get a ATX 2.0 PSU (The Sonata's is ATX 1.0 I believe.) I don't believe that if I had the extra money I would go for the 6800GT or OC, I would probably go for the x800xl.

 

[Trente]

Originally posted by: the wombat

Originally posted by: Markfw900
If you got a Sonata case, the PSU in it is find, and that would save over $100. Also, if you get the dfi lanpart mobo, that would also save bucks. Then you could get a 6800GT or 6800 OC

Where I'm buying it from, the Asus A8N-E is cheaper than the DFI Ultra-D. It was recommended by many people to get a ATX 2.0 PSU (The Sonata's is ATX 1.0 I believe.) I don't believe that if I had the extra money I would go for the 6800GT or OC, I would probably go for the x800xl.

I'm using an Antec 350W PSU to power an nForce4 rig... works like a dream. I suggest you go with Sonata instead and use the saved cash to upgrade the videocard (6600GT->X800XL).