Lets Play:Build My Computer [Archive]

seanieboy77

02-01-2007, 12:23 PM

Well it all depends what games you are looking to run. And what quality you might be looking to run. Those are the main factor when deciding what to buy and what type to buy. Now if it was up to me I would get something like this:

-3.0+ Ghz CPU Dual Core or AMD
-2.0 gigs of RAM PC3200 or better
-LCD monitor 17" or better
-Radeon X series 512mb Video Card (PCI Express/AGP)
-A 500w Power Supply
-So I would go with 300+ GB
-Probably a wireless keyboard and mouse (logitech)
-Creative Xtreme Sound Card ( not too familiar with sound cards so look around)
-SLI mobo
-Whatever case you want

*******NOTES*******

**Depending what you have on your computer, file wise (DVD, Music)
That will determine what hard drive you want. I have 350mb or HD space now

**Also if you want a high end video output you can get a nice SLI mobo from Nvidia and buy some medium level video cards that allow dual connection and thats gonna blow away most single video cards.

**If you are getting a case make sure you have enough cooling in your system otherwise you are gonna be here posting because your comp is restarting

Thats all I can think of now. People might rip me apart for Radeon but whatever thats my input.
-BTY

USNavy

02-01-2007, 01:03 PM

Well what parts specifically... Im looking at the core 2 duo line... roughly 500 gb HDD... I want something overclockable

seanieboy77

02-01-2007, 08:23 PM

Ok I can see that but if you let us know what games we can help narrow down to the best parts.
-BTY

USNavy

02-01-2007, 09:07 PM

Games like F.E.A.R. , The new CRYSIS coming up, I also play CS and WoW but i can build a comp for 400 and play those.

MadPistol

02-02-2007, 10:41 AM

I'll check out what i can do later today.

However, take a look at the rig in my sig. That combined with a few other components cost about $2300. Does that rig sound good to you? It was worth every penny. :D

USNavy

02-02-2007, 12:12 PM

tasty danish

02-02-2007, 06:41 PM

i'd recommend stepping the cpu up a speck to the e6600: more cache and argueably the best overclocker out.

you may also consider getting a cheap (maybe 6x00 or or x800 level) card to tide you over until dx10 hits and ATI releases their r600, just to see how the whole dx10 thing works out. it'd be a shame to buy a new card just to have all the new games you play have features it can't utilize.

I know waiting in the computer realm is fruitless, but when we're so close to a big software jump, i'd recommend to stave off just a little for recon. purposes.

seanieboy77

02-03-2007, 05:50 AM

Questions: Windows XP Pro or Windows Vista?
8800gts or wait for the 8600?
Any suggestions on overclockable motherboards?
Air Cooling or Water Cooling?

-Windows XP Pro Vista is in first stages
-8800gts will play the games nicely
-Nope
-Air Cooling is easier water would be more tricky but might be better
-BTY

USNavy

02-04-2007, 10:46 PM

Well for 1790 after shipping

C2D e6400
Asus p5n-e sli
2 gb of kingston hyperx 800mhz ram
evga nvidia 7950gt KO 512mb at 575mhz
500gb western digital hd
650w antec psu
Cooler Master Cavalier Case
Dvd burner
Windows Xp Pro w/ free vista upgrade
Sceptre 20in wide screen monitor
Saitek eclipse 2 keyboard
Razer krait mouse
Logitech gaming headset
and I think thats basically it.

Im looking to OC the cpu to about 3ghz
and in a month or so im going to pick up an 8800gtx
still going to wait on that vista upgrade.

tasty danish

02-05-2007, 02:33 AM

if you're getting a 8800, i'm telling you: get something cheaper to hold you over than a 7950, you're throwing money away that will be better spent on that E6600

USNavy

02-06-2007, 01:51 AM

7950 is going to go to a second rig im building for my little brothers... Im ok with the 6400... ive read many places that people are getting 3200mhz stable on air with my same mobo. Worst comes to worst Ill throw my little brothers the 6400 and up it to the 6600. Not a big deal. Nor do i see it as a waste of money.

tasty danish

02-06-2007, 07:54 AM

well if you'll have a use for the 7950, after you buy the 8800 then they're excellent but IIRC the ati 1950 is cheaper and faster. things to consider.

if you can live with the 6400 that's all well and good too, just know the 6600 is money well spent. they can oc close to 4ghz on air.

USNavy

02-06-2007, 11:45 PM

Well Say I drop the 6400 and the 7950gt... If i were to spend the money... should I upgrade that Mobo too?

tasty danish

02-07-2007, 12:18 AM

quite honestly i'm not terribly hip to the best mobo out these days, i will say that the 650i isn't a bad chipset. if you don't plan to use SLI or dual LAN i see no issue with it. i know the asus board had some strange quirks. i'd just hit up some tech sites and do some reading.

Rabbitrunner51

02-07-2007, 09:01 PM

One of the better mobos out today period is hte Nividia 680i. Probably the best overall performer with use of the DC duo setup.
Logically speaking , any 8800 model GPU will last for some time. It was built with the DX10 update in mind...
From all the posts and reviews out, yes.. the 6600 DCduo is betteror best.

Keep in mind that around 1700.00 is a nice figure, but you might have to compromise some in some areas... like the GPU card. That way ..later on you could go with a 8600 or whatever.

I have a Saitek gaming keyboard, and to be honest, they are away..overated. My spacebar broke after a short time, and i just read some reviews about the Elipse 2 model and they have some problems.. Might want to go with a cheaper but just as good Elipse 1 model. I have used and seen them.. nice keyboard.

Just some thoughts... I read up alot ,even though my rig is medium at best

Remember, sometimes its too easy to overspend and in truth only gain a minimal pereformance gain overall... Look at the PSU esp. get a high end one for starters, that is proven, and will last and be stable. ;)

USNavy

02-08-2007, 01:58 AM

System is in the works right now back home... my father is throwing it together while I am at work on base 2 states over. Did a little more reading and i just found out that evga has the step up program. You register your card and you have 90 days to upgrade your gpu and all you have to do is pay the difference. In other words... if you just bought a 7950gt today for 270 (me) and in 2 months you want to upgrade it to an 8800gts (should be about 380 at that time...), you ship your card to evga... pay them $110, and then they overnight you your new 8800gts. So thats what im looking to do. Around the end of march ill just do the ol switcheroo with the cards and be DX10 equipped.

Rabbitrunner51

02-08-2007, 03:31 AM

My current card is a EGVA.. very good company and product. My last FX5900 I had was still operating like new after six years... maybe i'm lucky, but i gamed like snot over that time and put it through the ringer..
That stepup program..I wonder if that applies to my card.I'm happy enough, but when the DX10 games come out, then i will have to get both 'Vista' and a new card. This is definitely something to keep in mind. If you love gaming, then maybe getting a 8800 GPU is not such a bad idea. These days with all of us, that seems to be the most important thing. Scrimp just a tad on the lesser CPU and other.

You kids are so.. lucky these days..When i was young, the best thing my parents ever bought me was a bike and I was very happy about that. Cost was porbably around $150.00 tops .

tasty danish

02-09-2007, 05:17 AM

have you seen the price of bikes these days? quit yer yappin' ;)

Rabbitrunner51

02-09-2007, 06:14 AM

TD..How can you be a senior member with 773 posts.. maybe you should update that thing..or?? LOL

By the way.. I'm a verteran also.... hope things are going well for ya over there. Are youy really in the navy?? My older brother is now in Hawaii and was a Navy man. He is retired and has two grown daughters, both married. ;) :t

USNavy

02-10-2007, 12:49 AM

By the way.. I'm a verteran also.... hope things are going well for ya over there. Are youy really in the navy??t

Yes I is.... Happy to be here proud to serve. I got vvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrryyyy lucky getting stationed so close to home.Stationed in PA and from LI,NY. I know I know, no water in PA. Im a Sand Sailor. I work on C-130 Hercules'.
And my dad didnt buy it for me lol. God I wish my parents were loaded like that. This was from tax return money. My father is actually PC build saavy like myself so I bought everything from Newegg monday and had it all shipped to his house.

Its all done; Up and running. But to my dismay, MANY peices were missing from MANY items. Mobo had missing cables along with the monitor. Of all things for the monitor to be missing - the power and vga cable MIA.

rockinup1231

02-10-2007, 12:53 AM

TD..How can you be a senior member with 773 posts.. maybe you should update that thing..or?? LOL

I've been trying to figure that out myself, I am a senior member, but being a senior anything doesn't mean you have to accomplish much to reach that.

Once you reach senior status, my guess would be that it means you have been a member for a certain set amount of months.

Rabbitrunner51

02-10-2007, 01:02 AM

yeah..i see. Whos to understand logic anymore.... I had to post way more than that to be listed as one.... maybe they changed the format. No.. it really does not mean diddly... they might think it does but i'm way too smart and wise for all of that, and don't give a hoot anyways..

I just have too much time on my hands and i get all these posting emails, so I guess its in my nature to respond.

USNavy.... good for you. feelfortunate that you are not over in this current war fiasco.. I'd rather be in Vietnam and get shot at,then be over there today.
I myself was in the Air Force and worked on F-4 aircraft... I got like three diplomas and graduated form two tech. schools when i was in. I also had great duty and felt lucky to be able to travel overseas and see a new countyr. Wonderful experience, as was my off time and other unmentionables.. LOL

rockinup1231

02-10-2007, 01:12 AM

My uncle is overseas right now; funny thing happend to him.

He met one of his brothers (my other uncle, trying to keep it anonymous) at a cafe over there, and despite the fact my first mentioned uncle was wearing a fake moustache, sunglasses, trenchcoat, and the works, his brother yells out his name, and he just freaked out on him. Hel, that could have been a good enough que to tip off a sniper!

Maybe the disguise was the give away. :rolleyes:

Hope you don't get thrown into that mix, Bush is throwing everyone into that mess, and I feel bad for the people that now are missing a son or brother or father because of it.

RR51, I finally convinced my dad to let me do something with this thing, I installed Ubuntu Linux. Well, I did, but I made one big mistake, I didn't set a username, mostly because it wouldn't let me type in a password, so I couldn't make one, and got locked out of it, so right now, I am still recovering the system. I had to reinstall XP Pro on this thing, my back-up CD wouldn't work, so now I have to start over.

Just when something nice happens, well, yeah, bad luck occurs.

P.S. I noticed my account flipped over to the senior status yesterday, but I never really look so maybe it was like that a month ago.

I dunno.

tasty danish

02-10-2007, 02:43 AM

IIRC it's at 500 posts. i've been around for 4 years, but i was only very active the first 1 or 2.

honestly gents, if you make 500 posts, you either HAVE to know your shiznit or HAVE to be a moron saying useless things.

usnavy, what companies did you end up getting things from (manufacturers) everytime i order things i get a gross excess of cables. this perplexes me.

otherwise, have you fired that baby up and played any games? what's the scoop?

Rabbitrunner51

02-10-2007, 03:08 AM

It really makes me feel glad that finally, you get a post form a builder who definitely has earned it... ( not that others have not ) In truth, i always feel as though i want so much stuff..,and even a $5000.00 machine, but still its not my mindset. I am very good with money and knowing where to get things, do the most with... but haven't the need for alot of the extras aloto of you display here. Still, my list is pretty big of what i need. Around $800-1000.00 would top me out.

If indeed you feel you have not gotten everything from whatever seller you paid for, then by all means LET THEM KNOW. Most good reputable places will appease and or replace. Hopefully, if your dad is building it, he did not scavage some of it :eek:

I feel probably alot worse than most about losing so many to this war. its pointless for me to go on and say my views about mothers losses,as already i have gotten wayy off the main post topic here already.

For me the monitor is out of the pic.for me again, as my CRT is just fine and dandy and i took a look at sevral top brands out for widescreen and ?? That pic. quality is alot worse than what i have now. As soon as it dides i will debate then.

TD, yeah.. sometimes i feel as though i'm a bit of a moron. No need to anser alot of these posts, but younger people always get to me. Shoot.., his dad may evenn be younger than me. LOL

Its very excitng for anybody to finally get thier new build up and running. I know i feel like a ten year old when i did mine.. and everything worked fine and dandy. ;)

USNavy

02-10-2007, 04:50 AM

Ill get off topic right off the bat and than jump back on... This war... in my eyes as a service member, is nothing more than a job to me. But in my eyes as a person, Is a waste of money, time, resources, and of course valuable lives of both men and women of the United States military.

So back on topic. My dad, who is 44 by the way, called to confirm that the computer is up and running as hes spewing out rounds in GRAW that came with the cpu i think.

I bought every last part from newegg. And about 4 hours ago... I spoke to a rep on over the live chat that they have and listed everything that was missing or broke and they had it overnighted and it costed me not a thing.

The cost of Just the system was roughly 1100-1300 I believe, Monitor was 250, and all of the odds and ends costed around 150 (keyboard,mouse,headset etc).
I cant see spending more than what I spent. I dont need the absolute best of everything and the people that buy it, rarely do IMHO. Only reason I got it was do to a large tax return that covered the whole computer and left me with 600 to spare.

And thanks RR51, i appreciate that.

Rabbitrunner51

02-10-2007, 08:03 AM

Your welcome.

Since this is a computer posting place, and since i admit i am probably the one that kept it off topic, I admit that every so often, its good to hear from someone who is a bit more practical. Thats not saying your not getting the best.I bet your system kicks mine all over. I spend around $14-1500.00 back in 2001 I believe, and now i have three main parts sitting on a shelf. All i've gotten since then was a newer HD,(old by todays standards, a new CPU and motherboard, and recently a mid range newer video card. I'd say i have spent around $2000.00 or more all together in that time till now. Boy..., what i could get today for that... i just try and stay happy with what i got.. eventually i will get what i want.

If i had it to do over again,i suppose, i would have stayed in the service and retired. The benefits today are just awesome. makes me sick to see all the young people laying around our streets where i live and pan handling, when they could get so much more. Not everybody goes to Iraq or the war. I was only one of two on my first duty base to go overseas... must have been a reason... but... i got very disillusioned at the end of the vietnam war as did most everybody else...

USNavy

02-12-2007, 03:27 AM

Yeah Im not a squanderer... only take what i need.

But i must say... this computer is amazing... i really love it... its fast and more than what i was expecting... Im very happy with it. Im going to overclock it alittle just to see what this thing really has the power to do.

Rabbitrunner51

02-12-2007, 04:23 AM

yes.. thats a very nice rig... hope you enjoy it. LOL

salandar

02-16-2007, 10:38 AM

Well looks like 1700 isnt cutting it for what im looking for.
This is what im going with.

C2D e6400
2gb of Corsair XMS2 Ram 800mhz
evga 7950gt 512mb
p5n32-sli
WD 500gb HD
antec 650w PSU
Cooler Master Cavalier ATX
Windows XP Pro
Saitek Eclipse 2 Keyboard
Razer DiamondBack
This for Roughly 1350 shipped

Im looking at the Dell 2007 monitor and the Viewsonic VX2235wm
Both are around $300.

Questions: Windows XP Pro or Windows Vista?
8800gts or wait for the 8600?
Any suggestions on overclockable motherboards?
Air Cooling or Water Cooling?

hope you realize that consumer reports (or some magazine..i think it was CR though) stated that the dell lcd monitors were one of the worst purchases you could make in 2006 for the money. I would get the below from costco.

Sceptre 22" W DVI/HDMI
5ms 1200:1 300 cd/m²
1680 x 1050 WSXGA+
VGA, DVI, & HDMI
Headset & Microphone Jack
2 USB 2.0 Ports
Super Slim Bezel
$299.99

richard_cocks

02-16-2007, 10:00 PM

USB ports and sound ports on a monitor? why why why! Get something designed just for the job, I'd recommend a samsung monitor for a good compromise between cost and quality.

USNavy

02-16-2007, 10:02 PM

yeah your a day late and a dollar short... Ive already purchased and built the pc along with a sceptre 20" almost 2 weeks ago

Kahnabus

03-29-2007, 06:53 PM

****, I wish I would have caught this thread before you bought it, You could have went through Newegg and got that system for less, I bought mine for $1380 (not including the rebates ill be getting back soon) and not including a monitor. But heres my specs:

C2D E6600
XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 320mb
OCZ Gold XTC PC8800 DDR2 1100mhz ram
MSI 975X Platinum V.2 Power Up Edition Motherboard
Seagate 250gb SATA II 3.0gbs HDD
Lite-On 20x DVD R/W Lightscribe Dual Layer
Cooler Master Centurion Mid Tower Case
Ultra X-Finity 600w PSU

That would have left over $300+ for you to get a nice 22inch widescreen LCD from Newegg, they just have the best prices on the planet right now. Everything is new, no open box or refurbished **** neither..

Could have cost me less too but I decided to got with the faster ram instead of what my board was max capable of which is the 800mhz, but I figured since I was gonna overclock anyway that I would get the 1100mhz that was when I push the cpu to its max I would barely be touching my rams stock speed.

Oh well, maybe this will help others with a fairly tough decision when that time comes.