[help] Looking to build a new PC..

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pyrot3chnic

Veteran XX
I'm looking around newegg as I type this, I figure I might as well start a thread or two on a few forums. I can safely say that I've been completely disconnected form the tech world over the past year.. the last PC I built was back in 2003. Now I'm considering building a little something so I can separate business from pleasure, a laptop just doesn't cut it.

I'm mostly picking based on price first, reviews second, and specs third. As I mentioned.. been hiding in a cave for the past year. I'd like to keep the price as low as possible. CPU, Motherboard, Video Card, RAM, and HDD.. maybe $400-$600 range. Not sure about the case and power supply atm.. I have both, but I'm kinda hesitant about using the power supply since it's 5 years old, don't wanna have it fuck up a brand new system. I'm not looking for a supercomputer here, but something that will hold me over for the next year or two. I'll mostly be playing EVE Online, a few HL2-engine based games, and probably CoD4. Even then I'll end up turning the gfx down for the performance boost.

I have no idea what the status of the Intel vs AMD and nVidia vs ATI wars are at the moment, so I'm having a bit of trouble starting out... too much shit to choose from. :(

I'll update this thread with some links in a bit..


...


And here's a dump of stuff, feel free to comment on how much it sucks/rocks..

MOBO:
(combo 1) ASUS P5B LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
GIGABYTE GA-M61P-S3 AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
GIGABYTE GA-M57SLI-S4 AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
ASUS M2NPV-VM AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6150 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
ABIT Fatal1ty F-I90HD LGA 775 ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ Windsor 2.8GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM2 89W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 Allendale 2.2GHz 2M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 Allendale 2.4GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E6750 - Retail
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 Conroe 2.33GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E6550 - Retail
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Black Edition Processor Model ADO5000DSWOF - Retail
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Brisbane 2.7GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Windsor 3.2GHz Socket AM2 125W Dual-Core Processor Model ADX6400CZWOF - Retail
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz Socket AM2 125W Dual-Core Processor Model ADX6000CZBOX - Retail

RAM:
(combo 1) Kingston ValueRAM 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
Kingston 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model KVR800D2K2/2GR - Retail
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400C4 - Retail
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400 - Retail
Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT12864AA1065 - Retail
Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PDC22G6400LLK - Retail
Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PDC22G6400ELK - Retail

HDD:
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM



I guess am important question to ask would be, is there anything due to come out soon that would significantly drive the prices of the current mid to top range stuff down?
 
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Nothing that I know of right now. Intel is slowly switching its manufacturing processes at the moment to 45nm along with a new resistor. Prices will drop slowly as more and more plants go online. I think the price drops there will be fairly slow.

The 8800GT just came out and its a wonderful card. I'd wait till after the first of the year. Right now they are hard to find any more expensive then they should be.

Ram prices are great right now. The market is flooded with memory and prices are at rock bottom.

I just built my brother a pretty damn good PC for $1200. It runs all games at high settings with good framerates(including COD4 and Crysis).
 
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Model #: GA-P35-DS3L
Item #: N82E16813128059

In Stock
$96.99 $96.99

EVGA 256-P2-N761-AR GeForce 8600GTS 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Model #: 256-P2-N761-AR
Item #: N82E16814130084


In Stock
Mail-in Rebate
$164.99 -$5.00 Instant $159.99




Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E6750 - Retail
Model #: BX80557E6750
Item #: N82E16819115029


In Stock
$189.99 $189.99



Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT12864AA804 - Retail
Model #: BL2KIT12864AA804
Item #: N82E16820146565


In Stock
Mail-in Rebate
$99.99 -$25.00 Instant $74.99

Thats like $475 after rebates
 
So Intel and nVidia are the way to go for gaming nowadays? What's going on with the amd X2's? I take it they still run a hell of a lot hotter than the intel chips?

Doc, wait till the 1st? hmm, I was hoping to get most of the parts in the next week or two, see if I can get some christmas discounts or whatnot.. bad idea? Also, would you mind posting the specs of the pc you built for your bro?


Here's two pairs I'm pondering..

AMD:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Windsor 3.2GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM2 125W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
ASUS M2N-E AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 Ultra MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

Intel:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E6750 - Retail
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Either option with one of the following:
Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
GeIL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400 - Retail (cheaper, but timing is not as good..?)
 
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Yes Intel is the clear winner now
My post above is what I'm planning on getting, and I'm shooting for the same price range as you.

As for Nvidia/ATI. The newish Nvidia Geforce 8800's are really hot right now at the $250-300 price range. I'm going with the 8600gts because ATI doesn't have a solid competitor in the ~$150 price range that I'm looking for. I can't say for sure that Nvidia is way ahead in the market or anything.

Basically I am just regurgitating stuff I've read on other forums (also from my own thread a week ago about building a new mid range pc--search)
 
I see.. so the 8800's are overpriced atm then? mmk.

Are the 512mb 128bit cards significantly better than the 256mb 128bit? I noticed there's barely any price difference between the two.. 10-20 bucks.
 
An Intel Core2 Duo with an nVidia 8800GT (albeit, they are hard to find currently, they run $200 for an standard, up to $280 for an OC) or the ATi 3850/3870 card, which run cheaper, but don't get quite the performance of the 8800GT. Still a good bet.
2GB of RAM will work just fine.
Consider getting a 550W or higher PSU, or you will be pushing the limits of stability and generating undue heat inside your system.
You cant go wrong with an ASUS P5N-E board, your choice of SLI or 32-SLI.
 
Thanks for all the feedback fellas, ended up over budget as usual, but fuck it.. tis the season, is it not? :D

$190 Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E6750 - Retail
$ 84 GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Rev. 2.0 LGA775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard Retail
$289 EVGA Geforce 8800GT Superclocked 512MB 256bit GDDR3 PCI-Express 2.0 HDCP & SLI Ready Video Card Retail 512-P3-N802-A1
$ 75 Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
$ 70 Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$109 RAIDMAX AZTEC ATX-619WYP Black/ Yellow SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail

$792 after rebate(i think i might be 1 day too late for it, gah).. all in all, not bad.


Hmm, am I tempting fate with the 500W PSU? Can't imagine you'd need more than that..
 
If you spend that much on a PSU I'd get a 600-700 to allow some upgrade potential.

Also the 8800gt will drop in price next month as Nvidia catches up with demand. I think they underestimated the demand plus aren't hitting the numbers they anticipated.

That looks like a solid build and you should be pretty happy with it as long as all the hardware is stable.
 
Well, when I ordered the parts for my brothers PC I got lucky and got a 700watt OCZ for like $115. It was 15% off that weekend.
 
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