$500 Core Parts

lilxvietxboi · May 29, 2005

Okay, I have 500 of graduation money just to spend on core parts of a computer. I need a Motherboard/CPU/Video Card/Case(I know thats not a core part but its something I don't have laying around).

Motherboard suggestions? I was looking at the Foxconn NF4 Ultra Motherboard. It got really good reviews on Newegg. Or MSI K8N Neo4 Plat (for an extra $40? isnt that a tad bit to much)
What are you opinions on this and what would you suggest?

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Venice (Any better suggestions)

Videocard: nVidia GeForce 6600GT (Not sure which brand would fit in my budget suggestions are welcome, but I'm pretty much stuck on this card)

Case: Open suggestions

Flip-Mode · May 29, 2005

Ok, first thing is first: What is the comp used for? Heavy gaming? Audio/Video editing? Word/Excel?
Are you going to sell your current system? If so you can get some more money?
Will you be OCing?
In order to provide the best system for the cash we need to know those things.

{PMS}fishy · May 29, 2005

If you are getting a new video card and a new MB, it would be stupid not to go PCI-e.

Get an NF4 DFI Ultra D and 6600Gt if you are on a budget.

lilxvietxboi · May 29, 2005

@Flip Mode:
Heavy Gaming

Not selling my current computer.
Oc'ing, slightly not heavily

@fishy
of course PCIe
lookin at that mobo... it has 2x pci x16 but not a sli chipset. is it still sli compatible?
edit: upon further reading.. can be moded to sli

{PMS}fishy · May 29, 2005

lilxvietxboi said:
@fishy
of course PCIe
lookin at that mobo... it has 2x pci x16 but not a sli chipset. is it still sli compatible?

With a minor mod.

I saw you mention MSI, and figured you were looking at their 939 AGP MB.

Get the DFI Nf4 if you are going 939. Nothing else is worth your time/money.

As much as I didn't like my P4 MB, this AMD MB is great. It really is the best a64 MB out, and probally the best DFI product to date. Its clear that this is where all their R&D goes. Its deffinatly not into the 875-T

infinitevalence · May 29, 2005

Im with PMS get the DFI Ultra-D and either 6600 or X800XL if you can swing it, venice is your best choice at your price, just make sure you have a good power supply for all this figure that you need to put some money into that, because to really get anything out of the DFI and Venice your going to need plenty of power, 450w+ name brand. Fortron, Antec, OCZ, Seasonic, Enermax....

lilxvietxboi · May 29, 2005

So... So far mwave has the best "deal" on this. DFI NF4 Ultra-D w/ AMD 3000+ Venice for total of 263. Leave 237 for video card and case. Have any suggestions for brand of videocard for a 6600Gt, i would go bfg tech but thats <200. Looking at gigabyte, msi, evga. wats up with the msi being opengl 2.0 and the rest 1.5? isnt it all 2.0?

edit: how would that mod work, i posted this in the mod thread too. i have a phobia on moding expensive electronics so is it just solder the two connectors together? or like have the metal thing and melt some inbetween to connect it. is there a noobies guide to soldering carefully.

edit2: I was thinkin case would come with a high wattage psu. :-/

i was thinking of upgrading it later once i get some money from working.

infinitevalence · May 29, 2005

Unless you get an Antec case the included PSU is nothing but a paper weight, dont use it if you value the life of your new componats as the can kill your rig, plus its most likly to be a 20pin psu not a 24pin, and no adapters are not good enough you can fry your mobo.

The mod is easy just use some car defroster repair kit stuff to bridge two contacts on the top of the chipset and your done.

{PMS}fishy · May 29, 2005

lilxvietxboi said:
So... So far mwave has the best "deal" on this. DFI NF4 Ultra-D w/ AMD 3000+ Venice for total of 263. Leave 237 for video card and case. Have any suggestions for brand of videocard for a 6600Gt, i would go bfg tech but thats <200. Looking at gigabyte, msi, evga. wats up with the msi being opengl 2.0 and the rest 1.5? isnt it all 2.0?

edit: how would that mod work, i posted this in the mod thread too. i have a phobia on moding expensive electronics so is it just solder the two connectors together? or like have the metal thing and melt some inbetween to connect it. is there a noobies guide to soldering carefully.

edit2: I was thinkin case would come with a high wattage psu. i was thinking of upgrading it later once i get some money from working.

Not an eVGA, they have some weird mounting for water blocks.

Id probally get a BFG or some other high quality brand.

lilxvietxboi · May 29, 2005

infinitevalence said:
Unless you get an Antec case the included PSU is nothing but a paper weight, dont use it if you value the life of your new componats as the can kill your rig, plus its most likly to be a 20pin psu not a 24pin, and no adapters are not good enough you can fry your mobo.

The mod is easy just use some car defroster repair kit stuff to bridge two contacts on the top of the chipset and your done.

ok thanks for the suggestion.

about the mod car defroster repair kit? and how would i bridge it specifically. sorry for being such a noob

infinitevalence · May 29, 2005

There are two contact pads that are connected with a resistor on the SLI chipset, when you go to modify the Ultra all you do is bridge these two contact points with the repair kit. I dont have pictures so just look around im sure you can find a guid somewhere.

lilxvietxboi · May 29, 2005

Okay, Thanks.

So for the PSU problem, how can you tell a 24 pin from a 20 pin atx connector besides counting the pins :-/

Flip-Mode · May 29, 2005

Ok, how about this:
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Venice 153$
DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D 132$
XFX Geforce 6600GT 128MB 164$
FSP Group (Fortron Source) FSP400-60THN-R ATX12V 400W Power Supply 69$

Now this is a basic setup, all the "core components", without memory. I assume you will be using a memory from your old comp?
This setup is without case as I went 20$ over budget.
Maybe you can find it few bucks cheaper somewhere else.

Flip-Mode · May 29, 2005

lilxvietxboi said:
Okay, Thanks.

So for the PSU problem, how can you tell a 24 pin from a 20 pin atx connector besides counting the pins

Well, they usualy say in the item decription and as far as I know all ATX 2.0 PSU's are 24PIN.

infinitevalence · May 29, 2005

If it is EPS 12v or ATX12V 2.01 complient then it has 24pins also look for PCI-Express ready

lilxvietxboi · May 29, 2005

ok thanks guys humm over budget without shipping without the case.. and the board suggests 480W :-/

i wont be ordering this comp till later(a couple weeks) so hopefuly the prices will go down. I already have memory, a couple of identical pc3200 512 ecc sticks laying around that my uncle handed to me.

Flip-Mode · May 29, 2005

I don't think you will get any lower then this, maybe you will stumble on a sale or something.
You can save on the mobo, go with the MSI K8N Neo4-F for 86$.

lilxvietxboi · May 29, 2005

Probably Ill go with just the DFI Non-Ultra NF4-D (save $15).. the processor is 146 at mwave.(save 10 bucks) not sure about that xfx lol. ill probably shell out the extra cash for a MSI. Maybe I'll get some more cash for graduation. The 500 is just from my uncle, my grandparents will probably give me more, hopefully haha. But, Im trying to stay as near as possible I can to 500, but because of the PSU, probably 600.

infinitevalence · May 29, 2005

XFX is one of the best 6600's out ther, they tend to be good overclockers.

Flip-Mode · May 29, 2005

Actually, the non MSI, ASUS, ABIT cards tend to be par with them and even better.

$500 Core Parts

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