New system next month, suggestions?

Only one T-4 left to get, and I'm going to start buggin my boss tomorrow, then I'm off to H&R Block for instant cash back. I'm budgeting myself $1600 to $1800, but I'd like to stick closer to the $1600. So, here's what I have so far, all prices Canadian:

ABIT AA8XE $220.02
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=13515&vpn=AA8XE&manufacture=ABit

INTEL PENTIUM 4 540 3.2GHZ $299.98
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12132&promoid=0

MSI NX6600GT $250.80 http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=13799&vpn=MS-8983-010&manufacture=MicroStar

ULTRA X-CONNECT 500W ATX POWER SUPPLY W/ UV CABLE KIT HIGH-GLOSS TITANIUM $123.83
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12606&promoid=0

WD CAVIAR SE 120GB HARD DRIVE SATA 7200RPM 8.9MS 8MB 3YR WARRANTY $118.74
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=10005&promoid=0

LITEON BLACK 16X DVD-ROM INT E-IDE $32.90
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=8522&promoid=0

LG BLACK CDRW 52X32X52 INT EIDE ATAPI
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=10728&promoid=0

VIEWSONIC 19IN E90 .27MM 1600X1200 MONITOR $252.42
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=6912&promoid=0

And a $10 floppy, cause, well. I'm old school

Missing is the RAM, here I'm lost, I want Corsair, I know it's DDR2, does it have to be un-buffered and non-ECC? I'm a guy that's never used RAM faster than PC-133, so I'm lost with DDR2. I'm having a hard time figuring out what will work with this mobo. I'm willing to kick out $250 for a stick of 512, I can add another later, I just want to get the right stuff.

Is there something better than Corsair, or as good as Corsair, for less?

The DVD player, instead of a burner, because I have no desire to burn DVD's, but I may watch some, even that's debatable. I have a CD burner, but I'll leave that for #2 son and scoop a new one.

19" monitor, I just want a bigger screen, mine is a 17" with 16" viewable, the extra 2" will be nice.

There's no changing my mind on the mobo and 2.8(okay, that's changed, heh). The vidcard, it will be 6600GT PCI-E, I like the price on the MSI, but will go to $300 for something better. Suggestions? I have an "ethical" problem with BFG, so they're not an option.

The HDD, I'm open to suggestions, I like WD, haven't had a problem with them, and I like the 3 year warranty, hard to beat. Suggestions?

The PSU I like, the platinum finish will show up nice with some Duplicolour Metalcast on it, I'll just have to figure out a colour.

That's a grand total of $1,343.01 before taxes. I hate the tax man

Shipping $84.93
Insurance: $40.29
Subtotal: $1,468.23
GST(7%): $102.78
YOUR TOTAL: $1,571.01

The insurance covers the full cost of my purchase, and ExpressRMA.

My tower I will buy locally at Skunk Works, I want to lay all my parts out, check out the colours, and then figure out how I want to go with a tower, acrylic, aluminum, Plain Jane and mod the hell out of it, whatever, I just have to see everything in "the flesh" so to speak, before I decide on a tower. Same goes for keyboard and mouse, I have to decide on what kind of tower I'm getting before I snag them.

I intend to run with the onboard sound for now, I don't listen to tunes on my computer, I'll have to hear how it does with my games before I decide to buy a soundcard. I'll probably buy some new speakers, but don't want to spend more than $50. I'm well below my $1800 maximum, which leaves me lots of options, but of course my tower, KB/M, extra fans, speakers, Arctic Ceramique, all the little things that add up to a couple hundred real fast.

I have room to move on the RAM and vidcard, I can ghetto the monitor to a 19" IBM refurb for $100, but then I go from a 3 year warranty to a 3 month warranty, I don't like that. I have a 5 1/2 year old Daytek, as clear as the day I got it, but I get nervous about refurbs. Any experiences with refurb monitors anyone?

Thanks for any and all input, especially help with the RAM, I am really lost there.

check out ocztechnologies.com to see some high performance ddr2 ram that will more than match any of corsairs offerings.cant you find a 3.0 or even a 3.2 processor for a similar price?

edit:if you are that far away from your limit a 6800gt is a wise choice.

RAMMAN said:

check out ocztechnologies.com to see some high performance ddr2 ram that will more than match any of corsairs offerings.cant you find a 3.0 or even a 3.2 processor for a similar price?

edit:if you are that far away from your limit a 6800gt is a wise choice.

Click to expand...

From 2.8 to 3.2 is an $80 jump, and I plan to OC the 2.8, seems they get good numbers.

6800GT or Ultra here in Canada is running somewhere around $750 to $850, I just can't justify that to myself.

I'm willing to look at OCZ, I've read some good things about it, but I really have no idea what I'm looking for, aside from DDR2 and 240 pin.

for some reason the 2.8s and 3.0s just dont seem to overclock the same as 3.2s.i guess they are in a much lower speed bin.if your looking to overclock to 3.8+ a 3.2 is strongly recommended.i didnt realise the 6800,s are so expensive over there.show me a link to an ocz ddr2 kit and i will tell you if it is good or not .

edit:btw an extra $80 for a 3.2 is nothing.the ability to overclock up to 4ghz on air alone makes it definitaly worth it.

RAMMAN said:

for some reason the 2.8s and 3.0s just dont seem to overclock the same as 3.2s.i guess they are in a much lower speed bin.if your looking to overclock to 3.8+ a 3.2 is strongly recommended.i didnt realise the 6800,s are so expensive over there.show me a link to an ocz ddr2 kit and i will tell you if it is good or not .

edit:btw an extra $80 for a 3.2 is nothing.the ability to overclock up to 4ghz on air alone makes it definitaly worth it.

Click to expand...

Okay, I'll do the $80 upgrade to a 3.2, I can't argue that 4.0 on air is definitely worth it.

I'll drop a few links in to the DDR2 I was blindly surfing through, I look at it, say "that's nice", then go DUH!, heh heh heh.

I looked at this, I have no idea if it's any good to me or not, and the rest.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=13647&vpn=CM73DD512R-400&manufacture=CORSAIR

**edit** oops, forgot the link.

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Category/category_slc.asp?CatId=1554

I have no intention of buying here, but I'm having a hard time finding DDR2 online at a Canadian store, which is really buggin me. I may have to buy from the states, or shop locally, once I know what I'm shopping for.

Price and parts update up top.

ecc registered memory is only for certain amd mobos.

edit:just how much are you willing to pay? is 1gb an option?

Okay, so stay away from ECC registered memory, and it has to be un-buffered. I also keep seeing DDR2 PC4200 or PC5400, are they both compatible with my mobo?

*edit* I'm looking at the 1gig option, and then looking at the IBM 19" refurb, kinda evens each other there, price stays the same, but I get some killer RAM. Man, 1 gig sure looks nice, and I want to OC.

you may have no desire to burn DVD's but I be you could get a DVD+-RW drive for cheaper than a DVD-ROM drive and a CD-burner...the DVD-RW does burn CD's as well, so your getting DVD burnign capabilties and spending less...win win if you ask me.

ajrettke said:

you may have no desire to burn DVD's but I be you could get a DVD+-RW drive for cheaper than a DVD-ROM drive and a CD-burner...the DVD-RW does burn CD's as well, so your getting DVD burnign capabilties and spending less...win win if you ask me.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I figure I can save maybe $10 to $15 going with a combo. I think I have to lose my "old school mentality", I figure if I have a combo, the DVD screws up, I have to send the burner back too, and vice verse, it's a combo. Two separate items, only one goes back. My wife laughs at me cause of this kind of stuff.

*edit* The DVD burner combos I found run in the $80 to $100 range, while the DVD-ROM's with CD burner are around $50.

i just looked at your link to the cpu and saw that its a prescott.yes that cpu does overclock like a madman but with the stock heatsink trying for 4ghz would be quite literally playing with fire.any all copper heatsink with a decent fan speed should solve that problem.shouldnt have any problem with ram/mobo compatibility as long as the mobo is capable of running at over 250fsb.

edit:sure hope some as5 is on the menu.

edit:just seen your mobo.very good choice.any type of unbuffered 240-pin ddr2 ram will go well with that.

RAMMAN said:

i just looked at your link to the cpu and saw that its a prescott.yes that cpu does overclock like a madman but with the stock heatsink trying for 4ghz would be quite literally playing with fire.any all copper heatsink with a decent fan speed should solve that problem.shouldnt have any problem with ram/mobo compatibility as long as the mobo is capable of running at over 250fsb.

Click to expand...

The aftermarket HSF is no problem, I expected to snag one anyhow. I just realized that my mobo's "CPU Accelerator only works with 3.4's and up. I'll have to go check the reviews again, and see how it did with a 3.2. That's another $77 for the 3.4, which I can upgrade to down the road.

http://www.abit-usa.com/news/2004/20041109.php

I was looking at the Ceramique, not that I intend to be sloppy, but I'd hate to fry something because I was sloppy with the silver. I can't screw up with the Ceramique.

with stock heatsink 3.8 is the limit.with a copper heatsink you can break 4ghz.

edit:i dont think a 3.4 is necessary.from what i have seen it wont overclock any better and an overclocked 3.2 should be just fine on that mobo.

RAMMAN said:

with stock heatsink 3.8 is the limit.with a copper heatsink you can break 4ghz.

Click to expand...

That's what I like to see. Thanks for all your help so far, I'll go RAM hunting tomorrow after work and see what I can come up with. I want to buy all I can from NCIX, they have an excellent rating http://www.resellerratings.com/seller2064.html, and ship Purolator, who I've never had a problem with before, and I shipped a complete system, all in one piece, twice with them. Excellent condition both times, not even a dent in the box.

Now I have to sleep on this, 5:30 comes early, sadly enough. Thanks again.

1gb of ram seems to overclock just as much as 512mb.pc4200 or pc 5400, either one is great.for obvious reasons stay away from value ram (super slow timings, poor overclocking etc, etc.)

RAMMAN said:

1gb of ram seems to overclock just as much as 512mb.pc4200 or pc 5400, either one is great.for obvious reasons stay away from value ram (super slow timings, poor overclocking etc, etc.)

Click to expand...

I decided to go with this:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=13485&vpn=OCZ2533512EBPER2&manufacture=OCZ Technology
but I doubt I'll get it at NCIX, they seem to be rather high on the RAM pricing. Unless their "build a bundle" option can save me enough to make it worthwhile, I'll shop around for that stick of RAM.

Now for a rookie question, dual channel: would a matched pair of 256meg sticks be faster than one stick of 512? That would get me running in dual channel mode sooner, and I could upgrade with another matched pair later. If I just start out with a stick of 512, then add another later, they won't be a matched pair. Is that really a big issue, or is it not all that much of a performance hit? Basically, does a matched pair of RAM perform better than a un-matched set in dual channel mode?

that ram in your link is the fastest available so unless you can afford a 2x512 kit of the same thing there is no other option because there are no 256mb sticks for that type of ram.

RAMMAN said:

that ram in your link is the fastest available so unless you can afford a 2x512 kit of the same thing there is no other option because there are no 256mb sticks for that type of ram.

Click to expand...

I've been staring at too many types of RAM, I was looking at Corsair XMS2, a 512 kit, 2X256. I'll go with one stick of OCZ, that's what upgrades are for.

Brundle Fly said:

I've been staring at too many types of RAM, I was looking at Corsair XMS2, a 512 kit, 2X256. I'll go with one stick of OCZ, that's what upgrades are for.

Click to expand...

good choice .

oh ****.i just found out from batboy that that ram is not compatible with that mobo.you will have to shop around again for some corsair xms ddr2 unbuffered ram to be on the safe side.

edit:show me some links to some corsair ddr2 ram and i will pick one out for you.

Okay, back in a bit, I've been reconfiguring the smaller stuff, and can scoop a monitor cheaper here in town by $90(new, not refurb), trying to come up with more bucks for the RAM anyhow, I'll drop some links in shortly.