Before I buy......

[Black Hawk]

My first post here...... Anyhow, I want to buy a new comp with a 1000 dollar budget. I've snooped around, and looked at everybody's recommendations in related posts, and here's what I've ended up with:

Shuttle ak31A: 79.00
Athlon XP 1600+ OEM: 116.00
Lian-Li PC65 USB: 185.00
Ati Radeon 7500 OEM: 99.00
Crucial Micron 512MB DDR: 168.00
AOPEN 56x CD-Rom Retail: 28.00
Seagate Barracuda IV 40GB 7200rpm OEM: 87.00
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE: 9.00
Sparkle 400 Watts ATX Power Supply: 75.00
Sunnon 80mm High Speed Fans: 5.00 (x3)
Windows XP Home Edition OEM: 87.00
Vantec Cooling Pack for VGA: 10.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Total: 1067.00

This is all from newegg.com, and since I have ever OC'ed, (Done research, and won't do it until I'm positive I can get it right.) Nor have I built a computer (Read books on it, know how to do it.) I'm curious if there is anything incompatible, a way to get something cheaper or something new with about the same power for less, anything I should upgrade, etc. Tell me what you think of it right now. I'm trying to stay around 1k, like I said before. Thanks!

Black Hawk
The new guy.:burn:

[Jon]

I'd have to say you've done your homework. Looks good to me.

[cw823]

Shuttle ak31A: 79.00
Athlon XP 1600+ OEM: 116.00
Lian-Li PC65 USB: 185.00
Ati Radeon 7500 OEM: 99.00
Crucial Micron 512MB DDR: 168.00
AOPEN 56x CD-Rom Retail: 28.00
Seagate Barracuda IV 40GB 7200rpm OEM: 87.00
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE: 9.00
Sparkle 400 Watts ATX Power Supply: 75.00
Sunnon 80mm High Speed Fans: 5.00 (x3)
Windows XP Home Edition OEM: 87.00
Vantec Cooling Pack for VGA: 10.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Total: 1067.00

What warranty on that processor?
No shipping?
And don't know if I'd suggest a Seagate drive to my worse enemy.

But other than that....you should be ok

[Placid]

If the memory is 1x512 I would switch it for 2x256.
Is the aopen cd-rom a writer?
With one hard drive you really would want some way to back up stuff incase you get a hd crash or corrupt files.

[Black Hawk]

Okay....

I don't know the warranty, it doesn't say.

I'll change to maxtor drives,

Not a writer, just plain old CD-Rom

THanks for the suggestion, I'll look into it.

I'll post new list tomorow.

Black Hawk

[cw823]

Originally posted by Black Hawk
Okay....

I don't know the warranty, it doesn't say.

I'll change to maxtor drives,

Not a writer, just plain old CD-Rom

THanks for the suggestion, I'll look into it.

I'll post new list tomorow.

Black Hawk

Maxtor is a much better choice. Partition the hard drive with a small secondary partition....and backup to that. Easier (and more cost effective) than having two hard drives.

Make sure you're getting AT THE VERY LEAST a 30 day warranty....90 or 180 is much better. If you find a good vendor you can find a year warranty.

good luck

[Black Hawk]

Wow, that was quick. New list is up!

Shuttle ak31A: 79.00
Athlon XP 1600+ OEM: 116.00
Lian-Li PC65 USB: 185.00
Ati Radeon 7500 OEM: 99.00
Crucial Micron 256MB DDR: 73.00 (x2)
AOPEN 56x CD-Rom Retail: 28.00
Maxtor Eide Hard Drive 40GB 7200rpm OEM, Drive only!: 86.00
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE: 9.00
Sparkle 400 Watts ATX Power Supply: 75.00
Sunnon 80mm High Speed Fans: 5.00 (x3)
Windows XP Home Edition OEM: 87.00
Vantec Cooling Pack for VGA: 10.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00

Alright, the new total is:
1044!

So with the extra, I'm gonna buy:
AMD XP Unlocking Kit: 11.99

for a total of:
1055.99!

Alright, time for my questions:

1) OEM, do I need anything extra there? (You know, cables and whatnot. I'm a first time comp builder, if that helps)
2) Drive only, I'm positive I need cables. Do I? and what types?
3) Think I should swap the CD-Rom for a CD-RW? Bonuses of a CD-RW? (Besides creating your own music cd's.....)
4) Think I should swap out the 40gb for a 20gb?
5) What type of backup should I get? Zip? CD's with CD-RW?
6) Monitors, what kind should I get, where to buy, etc.?
7) Cooling, can I improve? (If it sounds like a plane, I'm perfecly happy with that, Just as long as I get the most OCing potential I can.)
8) Should I swap the Lian Li for a Antec around 80 or so bucks? Gives me 100 bucks or so, so I can swap out for the CD-RW or perhaps something better....
9) Should I get that unlocking kit?
10) Motherboard, should I get something else Instead? (If so, I'm more than wiling to pay those extra bucks.)

There you go. My newbie questions along with my new list. ENJOY!

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[cw823]

1) OEM, do I need anything extra there? (You know, cables and whatnot. I'm a first time comp builder, if that helps)
2) Drive only, I'm positive I need cables. Do I? and what types?
3) Think I should swap the CD-Rom for a CD-RW? Bonuses of a CD-RW? (Besides creating your own music cd's.....)
4) Think I should swap out the 40gb for a 20gb?
5) What type of backup should I get? Zip? CD's with CD-RW?
6) Monitors, what kind should I get, where to buy, etc.?
7) Cooling, can I improve? (If it sounds like a plane, I'm perfecly happy with that, Just as long as I get the most OCing potential I can.)
8) Should I swap the Lian Li for a Antec around 80 or so bucks? Gives me 100 bucks or so, so I can swap out for the CD-RW or perhaps something better....
9) Should I get that unlocking kit?
10) Motherboard, should I get something else Instead? (If so, I'm more than wiling to pay those extra bucks.)

1) can't think of anything off hand
2) you should get an ATA-100 cable with the mobo. You made need another IDE cable for your CD-ROM/CD-R if you buy OEM
3) CD-RW/s are great...and same answer for #5
4) Nah...I'd take the 40
5) see #3
6) I like KDS for the money....true flat screen of course. you can pick em up for around $175 (17").....19's aren't bad...but you're lookin at around $150-$250 any way ya go.
7) Nah....you're fine.
8) Yes. Everyone seems crazy about the aluminum cases...I could find better uses for the money quite easily
9) I dunno. If you haven't done anything like that before, I'd leave it alone. my XP 1700 runs at 1.7...just crank up the FSB
10) Up to you. Nice to have a board that'll let you crank the voltage and up the FSB 1 mhz at a time.

[Rezman5]

Shuttle ak31A: 79.00
Athlon XP 1600+ OEM: 116.00
Lian-Li PC65 USB: 185.00
Ati Radeon 7500 OEM: 99.00
Crucial Micron 256MB DDR: 73.00 (x2)
AOPEN 56x CD-Rom Retail: 28.00
Maxtor Eide Hard Drive 40GB 7200rpm OEM, Drive only!: 86.00
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE: 9.00
Sparkle 400 Watts ATX Power Supply: 75.00
Sunnon 80mm High Speed Fans: 5.00 (x3)
Windows XP Home Edition OEM: 87.00
Vantec Cooling Pack for VGA: 10.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00

Alright, the new total is:
1044!

So with the extra, I'm gonna buy:
AMD XP Unlocking Kit: 11.99

for a total of:
1055.99!

Alright, time for my questions:

1) OEM, do I need anything extra there? (You know, cables and whatnot. I'm a first time comp builder, if that helps)
2) Drive only, I'm positive I need cables. Do I? and what types?
3) Think I should swap the CD-Rom for a CD-RW? Bonuses of a CD-RW? (Besides creating your own music cd's.....)
4) Think I should swap out the 40gb for a 20gb?
5) What type of backup should I get? Zip? CD's with CD-RW?
6) Monitors, what kind should I get, where to buy, etc.?
7) Cooling, can I improve? (If it sounds like a plane, I'm perfecly happy with that, Just as long as I get the most OCing potential I can.)
8) Should I swap the Lian Li for a Antec around 80 or so bucks? Gives me 100 bucks or so, so I can swap out for the CD-RW or perhaps something better....
9) Should I get that unlocking kit?
10) Motherboard, should I get something else Instead? (If so, I'm more than wiling to pay those extra bucks.)


Have the shuttle, great board.
Althlon XP 1600+, very good for overclocking, great bang for the buck.
Lian-Li PC 65, I have this case too, it is worth EVERY penny!
Dont know about the vid card, never owned an ATI, but have heard they are great.
Good idea going with crucial, same mem I have.
CD-ROM looks fine.
Go with the Seagate, dont let anyone tell you otherwise. Maxtor has had to many negative comments in these forums, most people stay away from them and Western Digital.
If you can, get windows XP pro. Make sure you get come artic silver II for your HSF (heat sink fan) and search for information about lapping your HS.

You will need IDE cables for your CD-ROM and your Hard drive.
You will need a floppy cable for your floppy drive. If you are ordering from newegg.com, then you should have no problems with warentees. They are the prefered vender here. Stay with the most HD space you can...it will fill up fast. For backup, get a CD-RW, and just get rid of your CD-Drive. They are about $50 more, but you can make your own CDs and backup info. Moniters will cost you another $150-$200. Just wait for an add in CompUSA or bestbuy. Shipping is just to risky and expencive for buying over the internet. Also, make sure you have a modem or NIC (network interface card) so you can connect to the lovely forums.

Hope this helps, Email me if you need anymore help.

[Yodums]

Since this is your first time overclocking I wouldn't really take the risk of unlocking the chip buts thats up to you. You can just adjust the FSB by overclocking.

Usually for CD-RW you also need a CD-Rom to burn copy to copy although it would be great.

You'll definitely need cables as the hard drive is oem so cables are needed.

I would save the money from a Lian Li to buy a full tower since you didn't include shipping keep that in mind about shipping.

Although everything else looks cool, at least it makes me jealous :D

[cjlax5]

okay, first, you can do cd to cd copies with only one drive, it takes a little longer, thats what i do.

the shuttle AK31 comes with one ATA100 cable and one floppy cable, so it looks like the only cable you will need is for the cd burner.

you might consider getting a GF2 Ti over the ATA 7500, your choice

[Christoph]

If you're into privacy, you might want to go with Win2k pro. I haven't used either 2k or Xp, but I know that you don't have to register XP, and I know that the majority are happy with 2k pro.
I'd highly recommend using two partitions, ie one for the OS and one for everything else, as it makes reformatting the win partition soooooo much less painful.
But I digress. Looks like a nice system. It's always great to see a newbie (no offense) doing things the right way. Happy computing!!

[Arkaine23]

AK31a comes with 1 ide cable for hdd and 1 for floppy. You'd need one for the cd-rom or rw if it's oem. You could also cut up and wrap those cables so they don't interfere with the airflow as much.

XP1600+ rocks! I wouldn't unlock it though... seems a lot of ppl who have wind up just oc'ing with FSB anyway. Instead of the unlocking kit, I'd get cooling apparati for your video card, ramsinks if it doesn't come with any, and a better gpu cooler.

GF2 Ti has faster framerates than ati 7500. Also I just ran across a mod that makes the image quality better, on par with ati radeons. Haven't tried it yet though....

Cd-rw a good idea, or at least future upgrade. I decided on a dvd drive and use an old external cdrw (which I got for use on a laptop) until I decide to fork it over and get an internal cd-rw.

Partition your HDD into at least 2 or even 3 partitons. It saves a little bit of space in fat32 and makes format/reinstalling windows less of a hassle. IBM seems to be the most acclaimed brand.

Maybe I just overlooked it in your parts list, but how do you plan on connecting to the internet? I know the AK31 claims to come with a CNR LAN/modem combo, but it doesn't. And that optional cnr card costs $35 or so.

Win 2k has been great for me. Don't know about Win XP, seems a lot of ppl had various problems.

Crucial is a good way to go. If you don't plan on running gigs of ram though, you'd be slightly faster with 2x 256mb. Also DDR333 for PC2700 and PC3000 should be good real soon when the KT333a chipset boards come out, if you can wait that is...

Don't forget that Artic Silver 2!

[Black Hawk]

Alright, now that I have had so much help, I have to remodel my list again. It seems that I COMPLETELY forgot thermal paste, and I'll have to go back to newegg.com to search for some. So, here's what will be in the new list:

CD-RW (Possibly with CD-ROM, the CD-ROM is VERY cheap.)
Thermal Paste
GF2 or perhaps even ATI 8500, if I find alot of leftover money.
CD-RW Cables (Unless I buy retail... which I just might.)
swap win xp for win2k
I am using 2 256, maybe I put a typo on the list.....
for modems... I'm curious... can I use the crappy mobo modem and use dsl? Basically, I'm asking what do I need to use DSL.
I'll partition the HD, just gimme a sec to figure out what I need to do for that.:p

Alright, that's about everything that will change on the list. BTW, No offense taken for telling me I made the right decisions. List will be up later today.

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[Black Hawk]

Wow.... I saved SO MUCH buying Antec that can with a PS.

New list:

Shuttle ak31A: 79.00
Athlon XP 1600+ OEM: 116.00
ANTEC SX840 w/ 400 watt PS: 117.00
Plextor 24/10/40 OEM: 135.00
MSI GeForce2 Titanium 64MB DDR SDRAM: 96.00
Crucial Micron 256MB DDR: 73.00 (x2)
AOPEN 56x CD-Rom Retail: 28.00
Maxtor Eide Hard Drive 40GB 7200rpm OEM, Drive only: 86.00
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE: 9.00
Sunnon 80mm High Speed Fans: 5.00 (x3)
Windows XP Home Edition OEM: 87.00
Vantec Cooling Pack for VGA: 10.00
Thermaltake DRAGON ORB3 w/ HSF: 27.00
Arctic Silver II Thermal Paste: 6.00

Total: 1019

Wow... now with the extra 50 I switched:

Vantec Cooling Pack for VGA
for
Thermaltake Crystal Orb for VGA (+3)

Plextor 24/10/40 OEM
for
Plextor 24/10/40 Retail (+24)

And added:

Thermaltake Active Memory Cooler: (+13)

for a total of: 1059!

tell me what you think.

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[Yodums]

Are you planning to use the Corb for the GPU or the chipset?

The vantec I think comes with a GPU cooler as well.

But you should:

Use Corb for chipset(Optional) and use the Corb for the GPU w/ some type or copper or alluminum ramsinks.

Everything else looks great.

[Black Hawk]

Can you be a tiny bit more specific? I've looked at Vantec, but it didn't look that great, and it was the only one at newegg.com. Should I look someplace else?

Also:
For monitors, would having a 1200x1000 or whatever resolution bottleneck the performance of the video card? ( like gf3 or ati 8500). If so, what kind of resolution should I get?

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[Yodums]

Originally posted by Black Hawk
Can you be a tiny bit more specific? I've looked at Vantec, but it didn't look that great, and it was the only one at newegg.com. Should I look someplace else?

Also:
For monitors, would having a 1200x1000 or whatever resolution bottleneck the performance of the video card? ( like gf3 or ati 8500). If so, what kind of resolution should I get?

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

The best coolers for video cards aren't from Vantec, for the GPU(Basically the graphics card core like CPU core) best cooling is either water block or crystal orb or some short.

For ramsinks they either use alluminum or copper ramsinks as I mentioned Vantec isn't a good go fo for video card cooling.

People usually get like 1024x768 or the one above it resolution.

Yodums

[Black Hawk]

I read your post wrong, I though you said Vantec was the BEST. I have that on my list, I exchanged it for the vantec (crystal orb). Thanks for the monitor info.. now to shop for monitors! :)

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[Yodums]

You mean ThermalTake Crystal Orb right?

Monitor go with Samsumg or KDS.

Can't go wrong with either.

Yodums

[Black Hawk]

Yes, I mean the Crystal Orb. I might buy two, one of the vga, one for the chipset.

I'll take that advice, since everything you've said before has been true.

Anyhow, I will have a new list up, with (hopefully) room made for a few, if not all, of the following:
Monitor
Mouse
Keyboard
Modem
speakers

Blackhawk
Newbie:burn:

[Black Hawk]

WOO HOO! My parents are letting me show them a computer, and I get to use any budget I please. Of course, since I want them to let me build the computer, I kept it reasonably cheap. Check out this new setup:

AOPEN CRW2440 24x10x40 CDRW - Full OEM Pack: 82.00
AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
CREATIVE LABS SOUND BLASTER AUDIGY WITH 1394 - OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition - OEM Version: 87.00
MAXTOR HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, BARE DRIVE: 92.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
Thermaltake DRAGON ORB3+ Heatsink + Dual Ball-Bearing fan: 27.00
Thermaltake CRYSTAL ORB Chipset Fan: 13.00 (x2)
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
MICROSOFT OFFICE KEYBOARD USB VER. 1.0A - OEM: 30.00
3COM US Robotic v.90 56K2977 - No Voice: 42.00
FUTURA MODEL# LD712 17 INCH SCREEN - RETAIL: 120.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET AMOTHERBOARD - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
AMD ATHLON XP 1800+/266 FSB PROCESSOR CPU - OEM: 158.00

Total: 1382

Now tell me, for the 350 extra bucks I'm spending, tell me that is not a great system. (And no, none of these parts will be bought in a back alley, nor did I "Make them an offer they can't refuse.")

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

P.S. to see the difference, look above to my most recent list of components! :)

[Yodums]

Take out the Dorb and replace it with a Millennium Glaciator II the Orb's are horrible. Grab yourself Artic Allumina Adhensive just incase the clips of the Crystal Orb don't fit your chipset then the Adhensive is a thermal compound+glue so it'll stick without the clips as well it can be used for ramsinks.

Quiet expensive don't ya think even without shipping? :D

Yodums

[Black Hawk]

I'll switch fans.... but I just did the math. Buying this system commercially would cost 844 dollars more (this is at alienware, it would be MUCH more with peeps like dell). Now performance wise (once I overclock the thing), 1106 bucks. Plus, for the system, I think it's pretty darn cheap, considering my friends parents paid 2000-3000 bucks for a :snicker snicker: dell inspiron 8000, which tops at 1ghz, 256mb, and windows 2k.

Though it is expensive, I think it is worth it, don't you?

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:
BTW, Yodums, you've been a GREAT help. I really appreciate it.

[o770]

i think you could consider to get a better monitor. the futura you chose doenst seem to be as good as the sytem youll build. you have many options and id suggest you the lg 795ft, a bit expensive but a great deal. up to this one there r several other good values to search for. you can find the 795ft for about US$ 220. i saw you trade off the xp1600 for the 1800 but chose the futura monitor...
i would not get a modem and would try to pay for a broadband connection and my personal choice for the os would be w2k pro.
good luck with the deal and your new system.

[Black Hawk]

Alright, I'll swap out monitor, modem, and OS for better. I'll have the new list up shortly... once I can find someplace where the Glaciator isn't sold out......

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[Black Hawk]

New list is up:

AOPEN CRW2440 24x10x40 CDRW - Full OEM Pack: 82.00
AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
CREATIVE LABS SOUND BLASTER AUDIGY WITH 1394 - OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro OEM: 140.00
MAXTOR HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, BARE DRIVE: 92.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
Millennium Glaciator II: 33.75
Arctic Alumina Adhesive: 8.95
Thermaltake CRYSTAL ORB Chipset Fan: 13.00 (x2)
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
MICROSOFT OFFICE KEYBOARD USB VER. 1.0A - OEM: 30.00
LG Electronics 795ft+ 17 Inch Monitor: 208.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET AMOTHERBOARD - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
AMD ATHLON XP 1800+/266 FSB PROCESSOR CPU - OEM: 158.00

Total: 1496.70

Now it's starting to get expensive... well, at least I won't have to worry about having an outdated computer for a few years. :) Oh, I'm looking at:

DigitalDoc5 Multi-Sensor: 59.95

Is it any good? Worth my time or should I just skip it?

BTW, this is how much the system costs, shipping is gonna be worth more than processor at this rate. Think I should tone it down to GF2 and 1600, or should I just buy it all in one shot and not have to upgrade for a while?

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[o770]

i think you can downgrade the xp1800 to the first you chose, 1600 and id keep the ti200.
also, if you want to save a few bucks from the keyboard the microsoft 114 keys internet keyboard is so sweet and has everything youll ever need, the one at the top in the microsoft keyboard list at newegg.
i would personally not to get the two crystal orb for that purpose, you wont need a chipset fan nor a videocards, the gainward youre planning to get already has a good cooling solution and will let you overclock it to a very acceptable performance.
the cdr-w is also something you can get later; i think this kind of thing is important: if youre planning to keep the system for a long time as u said its kinda cool to let some not necessary equipment to be bought later.. you know what i mean.
this all will save some money; about the keyboard, if you really need more than the 114keys consider to trade off the office one for the logitech internet navigator which is about US$25.

[Shadow ÒÓ]

I didn't see any change above, so I would recommend a Retail Processor. Usually about $20 or so more, but the 3 year warranty is worth every penny.

[Christoph]

Originally posted by Shadow ÒÓ
I didn't see any change above, so I would recommend a Retail Processor. Usually about $20 or so more, but the 3 year warranty is worth every penny.

That only applies if he's going to leave the chip alone (duh). I know that most of the regular posters here void their warranties within a day of getting their parts, so for them it's US$20 thrown into the wind. If you're not going to unlock it for a while after you get the comp set up, then go for it. Nothing sucks more (as far as computers go) than losing your shiny new XP1600 and having no recourse other than your wallet.

[Black Hawk]

Thanks alot! I'll change the list some more right away. Also, I'm going to take a look at the Lg 795ft and try and find a similar monitor at newegg, try and cut down on shipping....

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[Black Hawk]

New list:

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
CREATIVE LABS SOUND BLASTER AUDIGY WITH 1394 - OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro OEM: 140.00
MAXTOR HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, BARE DRIVE: 92.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
Millennium Glaciator II: 33.75
Arctic Alumina Adhesive: 8.95
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
FUTURA MODEL# LS9 19 INCH SHORT-DEPTH SCREEN - RETAIL: 185.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET AMOTHERBOARD - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
Athlon XP 1600+ OEM: 116.00

Total: 1306.70

I swapped out the LG for almost identical monitor at newegg to cut down on shipping and whatnot. Anyhow, few questions:

Anyplace where I could buy the Glaciator II cheaper? Couldn't find it on pricewatch, and everywhere I've looked is sold out, so I've gone with the manufacturer (SP?).

Since the Black and White case both cost the same, think I should spend the 10-15 extra bucks and go black, or should I save the money? (Also will black cause some heating problems, since it absorbs heat?)

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[res0r9lm]

Originally posted by IdeaMagnate


That only applies if he's going to leave the chip alone (duh). I know that most of the regular posters here void their warranties within a day of getting their parts, so for them it's US$20 thrown into the wind. If you're not going to unlock it for a while after you get the comp set up, then go for it. Nothing sucks more (as far as computers go) than losing your shiny new XP1600 and having no recourse other than your wallet.
xp 1700+ has came down quite abit on pricewatch $7 more than
1600+. 1700+ is now the preformance per a dollar king. save your money by retail and not boxed cpu and get good hsf

[MadMan007]

As for the CPU, if you can wait until after the Intel price drops at the end of Jan, AMD will have to counter by the beginning of February.

Are there any computer shops in your area??

I would consider checking with some for 2 items to save a lot on shipping:
Monitors - see what brands and models stores have then look up the monitors for reviews using www.google.com.
Case - same as above. Unless you are really concerned with looks, just about any case with adequate cooling options and a slide-out tray would do just as well.

You could just call them to see what they have, saving you an extra trip.

For example, a local shop here sells an Antec mid-tower w/ 300W Antec PSU for $70. They also have specials on monitors, sometimes great ones like Viewsonic, Samsung, etc. Don't forget to check with Bestbuy, Compusa, Fry's etc if you have one in the area for monitors too.

[Black Hawk]

Checked best buy and compusa, both would cost more than newegg, with or without shipping. As for a local computer store, I only know of one, I'll check it out if I can. Anyhow, the system and good? I guess I should really know what I can change and then take my final list to the local stores and internet.

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

P.S. I'm looking at 1700+ now, so if anyone else has suggestions, give em' to me now, so I can create a new list again.

[res0r9lm]

I would think monitors would be cheaper locally due to shipping charges

[Black Hawk]

Well, you were right, 6 extra bucks for the 1700, so here we go:

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
CREATIVE LABS SOUND BLASTER AUDIGY WITH 1394 - OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro OEM: 140.00
MAXTOR HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, BARE DRIVE: 92.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
Millennium Glaciator II: 33.75
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
FUTURA MODEL# LS9 19 INCH SHORT-DEPTH SCREEN - RETAIL: 185.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET AMOTHERBOARD - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
Athlon XP 1700+ OEM: 122.00

Total: 1303.75

As a note, the only thing not from newegg.com are the Glaciator II. Think I should switch to another place, or even use pricewatch and use a bunch of places?

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[res0r9lm]

Originally posted by Black Hawk
Well, you were right, 6 extra bucks for the 1700, so here we go:

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
CREATIVE LABS SOUND BLASTER AUDIGY WITH 1394 - OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro OEM: 140.00
MAXTOR HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, BARE DRIVE: 92.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
Millennium Glaciator II: 33.75
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
FUTURA MODEL# LS9 19 INCH SHORT-DEPTH SCREEN - RETAIL: 185.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET AMOTHERBOARD - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
Athlon XP 1700+ OEM: 122.00

Total: 1303.75

As a note, the only thing not from newegg.com are the Glaciator II. Think I should switch to another place, or even use pricewatch and use a bunch of places?

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:
have you ever been to pricewatch.com? 1700+ $115

[MadMan007]

I think he is quoting prices all from newegg.com...

Anyway, one more word of advice on the monitor: do not skimp on the monitor. Realize that this is what you be be looking at and other than speed gives the most sense of how "quality" your computer is. I urge you to check reviews (other than on newgg ;) ) to make sure that monitor has good picture quality. There is a lot more to a monitor than just resolution. A quality montior can last for many years, and unlike most computer components can actually be a good investment: ie one that is $150 and starts to look like crap after 2 years versus a really good one that costs $250 but lasts for 5+ years. Often times a "brand-name" company will have an off-brand name that are nearly identical. I know Viewsonic does this, I just can;t remember their off-brand name.

Anyway, check around on that monitor. It may be a good one, but if it is mediocre it is worth another $75 for a great one...

[Black Hawk]

I have been to pricewatch, but it isn't worth it to pay 5-10 bucks cheaper on each part and pay the same or more in shipping from 6+ different places, so I'm sticking with all new egg except for the Glaciator and probably the Monitor now... Thanks for the advice so far everyone...

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[RangerJoe]

Originally posted by Black Hawk

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
CREATIVE LABS SOUND BLASTER AUDIGY WITH 1394 - OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro OEM: 140.00
MAXTOR HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, BARE DRIVE: 92.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
Millennium Glaciator II: 33.75
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
FUTURA MODEL# LS9 19 INCH SHORT-DEPTH SCREEN - RETAIL: 185.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET AMOTHERBOARD - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
Athlon XP 1700+ OEM: 122.00

Total: 1303.75


try to get as much non-oem stuff as you can, because being a first time builder you might mess things up, and OEM stuff doesnt come with a warranty to speak of.

Hard drive - get an ibm 40 gig deskstar, much better quality and they are only $89 from newegg and SOO much better than maxtor, it also has a 3 year warranty

HSF - i say you should stick with the alpha 8045. try to get the delta fan that does 47 cfm, its real quiet, and it has alot better air concentration. you can find it at www.heatsinkfactory.com

Mouse/keyboard - spend the few extra dollars and get retail versions of these, they come with a warranty from Microsoft and ms has REALLY good customer service so just in case, its worth the extra dollars...trust me.

it seems to me that with 4 extra fans, you are trying to get some really good airflow, so it might be worth it to get round IDE cables...not a big deal but just an idea

[Black Hawk]

Sounds like a good idea, now just let me fix the list and I'll have it up in about 15 minutes or so. Thanks alot!

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[RangerJoe]

hey black, that alpha is at newegg for $47 and that is with the fan i was talking about, just go with that if you are planning on getting everything from there

[Black Hawk]

I was looking at that fan earlier, I have it bookmarked. Saved me some time there...

Looking up the other parts as I type... new list should be up shorty.

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[Black Hawk]

At newegg.com, some things I have to get OEM, but here's the new list:

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy XGamer: 84.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro OEM: 140.00
IBM HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 89.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET A MOBO - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00

Total: 1161

I took out the monitor because I'm gonna look for a real good one later. Anyhow, think I need any extra cables with those OEM's I do have?

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:
P.S. I'm looking at rounded cables later when I look up the monitor, and I also want to know what cables I'll need to I can try and find them rounded.

[MadMan007]

heh, I was not saying "no way do not get that monitor for sure" I was just saying consider the monitor decision closely, b/c a good one would last you a long time, for relatively small amount of extra $$. Who knows, that one may very well be a good one just check out reviews on monitors...

[Black Hawk]

I understood, but I have to look up reviews to decide if that is a good monitor first. Anyhow, I'll have my monitor chosen soon. (I Hope.)

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[RangerJoe]

hey dude, about the keyboard and mouse, if you are gonna get oem stuff, at least get good stuff, you should get the internet pro keyboard, i have it, its SOO COOL.

heres what you should do.....go to www.axiontech.com

this is the mouse - MSMSINTEXPR3 <----exactly what you need(very good)
this is the keyboard - KBMSINTPROR <----retail internet pro keyboard (has two usb ports on the keyboard)

[fuzzba11]

Originally posted by Black Hawk

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy XGamer: 84.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro OEM: 140.00
IBM HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 89.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET A MOBO - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00

Total: 1161
[/B]

Looks pretty good, although I would recommend going back to the Maxtor hard drive. I have two of the 40GB 7,200 rpms and they're awesome! I was defragging my system the other day and I could barely hear them!! I wouldn't buy so many case fans right away, either, because you have to analyze your case to see what you can actually fit in. Also, you might as well get yourself a good heatsink/fan, when you first buy your system, I haven't heard the Alpha recommended...otherwise you're just going to end up buying something more expensive later and you've lost $50 or so. Keyboard and Mouse, I would get the new Logitech cordless combo...I have a cordless keyboard, and I wish I had gotten the combo. Cordless makes all the difference, you won't look back.

Oh yeah, and the 795FT+ is a GREAT monitor! It's a little old, but it hits those high resolutions with no problems, and has a USB hub in the back, which has come in infinitely handy. If you have room, however, try find yourself a good 19" Sony monitor! And I would buy everything at once, it makes things infinitely easier!!

[Black Hawk]

I've heard controdicting things on three things: Drives, first from segate to maxtor, than to IBM, then back to maxtor... second i've gone through 4 different keyboards and mice...., and finnaly about fans, from alpha to thermaltake back to alpha back to something else... So, i've decided to take this path:

Stick with Maxtor, since I've heard only good things about maxtor drives....

Stay away from thermaltake, and stick with alpha, staying with my first instinct. (btw, at least the alpha will be better than nothing...)

Stay away from cordless, gonna cost more to get cordless than with cords, and than I have to deal with batteries. I MIGHT go with newegg or Axion, just depends on how much more shipping I have to spend... (Shipping alone is gonna cost in the 100-150 area.... I'm certain of it.)

Gonna stick with 795ft+, if it looks cool and it is reccomended by alot of people, I'll spend 25 more bucks on it.

As for OEM, I've been trying to stay away from it, and if I buy the keyboards at axion, I'm gonna buy at least the Hard Drive there to, if it's retail.

That's about it, new list in half an hour. Tell me what you think then, and if it's worth showing to my parents.

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:
BTW, Nobody answered my color question: Go spend 10-15 extra bucks and buy black or stick with white?

[o770]

ive suggested that keyboard in order to save some money, were start to fight!! :D
it doesnt seem to be a bad keyboard, there r some revies at newegg. that is the one i would get even if i had the money to get one better, possibly the logitech internet navigator that is also so sweet but the 114keys is cheap and good.
i saw the 795ft+ being recommended by sharkyextreme and despite the quality - which must to be good - the resolutions and refresh rates supported r extremely good stuff. id definately wait sometime to get it. i would also get a trackball mouse. after i got mine, the first trackman marble version, i cant drive a regular mice anymore. i think that a marble will be about the same money that the one black hawk plan to get.

[fuzzba11]

Looks good, then, BlackHawk, I would go ahead and show your parents, just in case they refuse anything and we'll still be on to recommend other stuff :p

[eh?]

Originally posted by Black Hawk
New list:

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
CREATIVE LABS SOUND BLASTER AUDIGY WITH 1394 - OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro OEM: 140.00
MAXTOR HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, BARE DRIVE: 92.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
Millennium Glaciator II: 33.75
Arctic Alumina Adhesive: 8.95
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
FUTURA MODEL# LS9 19 INCH SHORT-DEPTH SCREEN - RETAIL: 185.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET AMOTHERBOARD - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
Athlon XP 1600+ OEM: 116.00

Total: 1306.70

I swapped out the LG for almost identical monitor at newegg to cut down on shipping and whatnot. Anyhow, few questions:

Anyplace where I could buy the Glaciator II cheaper? Couldn't find it on pricewatch, and everywhere I've looked is sold out, so I've gone with the manufacturer (SP?).

Since the Black and White case both cost the same, think I should spend the 10-15 extra bucks and go black, or should I save the money? (Also will black cause some heating problems, since it absorbs heat?)

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:
rather than shopping form just new egg, ill make a list for you so that you might save a little money.
Shuttle AK31- $80
AMD xp1600-$108
Supercase- $49
Memory 2x256- $55x2
Lite On 16x10x40-$64
Maxtor 60gig 7200 rpm- $111
Geforce 3 Ti200-$149
Sound Blaster live 5.1-$30
Windows XP home- $78
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
Total is $896 with out shipping
thats about all i can think of, and i was going for price, but thats not t abd little system (as a matter of fact i have most of those parts :).)

[RangerJoe]

dude, trust me with the ibm deskstar....its the best hard drive for the money....they are SOO much higher quality than maxtor, i have both kinds, both 40 gigs, and the ibm is fast, and quieter...plus you get a 3 YEAR WARRANTY FROM IBM!
the alpha pal 8045 is INFINITLY BETTER THAN THE DRAGON!!!, you people that havnt heard of alpha, you are dumb. go with the alpha without a doubt
good choice staying away from cordless, especially if you are planning on doing any sort of gaming. cordless SUCK with gaming, its all jumpy....get as much as you can from newegg, for they are prolly the best place on the web, and then get the keyboard and mouse from axiontech, because its retail, and are very good products, much better than the cordless and better yet, the corded optical logitec, so stick with the intellimouse explorer.

edit : hey dude, all those parts you just listed are prolly not the best quality, paying a little more and getting better quality is ALWAYS a better choice, because if you buy cheap parts, you are wasting money because you will just have to replace them. so go ahead and get GOOD parts to start, that way you wont have to deal with all the bull$h!T later

[Black Hawk]

you people post too fast! I have to replies up at once! before I post the second, since the IBM costs a whopping three dollars more, and has a 3-year warantee, I'll stick with IBM, even if it is the wrong choice, I only lose three dollars. So, the new list is going to be posted 3 seconds after this, along with a little poll is need everyone to answer.

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:
btw, I'm losing the newbie title the second I get two stars..., and when I have this system built, so I'll have a good siggie. :)

[Black Hawk]

Ah... the problem now is, the second I mention computers, my dad says, "Talk to me tomorrow about it." I ask tomorrow, same answer. My mom told me to work without a budget and create the PC you'd want, so I guess my first stop is there. I'll post my new list, wait for your opinions and then I'll show her. So here is the new list:

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy XGamer: 84.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows 2000 Pro OEM: 140.00
IBM HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 89.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
795FT+ 17IN 16VIS .24MM 16X12 FLATRON USB TCO99: 208.00
SHUTTLE AK31A KT266A SOCKET A MOTHERBOARD - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00

Total: 1369

Alright, here's what I need:
1) Your opinion of the system out of the following: Dung, Horrible, Poor, Average, Good, Very Good, Exelent, and I'm jelous.
2) Your opinion of price, in two categories:
Overall: Cheap, Average, Expensive, or ARE YOU BILL GATES?!
Performance wise: Cheap, Okay, Losing some money or SUCKER.
3) If you think it will tide well with my parents: Yes or no.

Thanks to all who've helped me out!

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

BTW, I liked the system posted above, Just that my mom asked me to design a system to my liking using any budget I desired, so this is my design, though If I get a low budget, that will definetly by my way to go. :)

[eh?]

Originally posted by RangerJoe

edit : hey dude, all those parts you just listed are prolly not the best quality, paying a little more and getting better quality is ALWAYS a better choice, because if you buy cheap parts, you are wasting money because you will just have to replace them. so go ahead and get GOOD parts to start, that way you wont have to deal with all the bull$h!T later
Whats wrong with what i posted? not to metion i copied most of what he had....

[RangerJoe]

ok, lets get this over with, i really think you will be ALOT happier going with the keyboard and mouse from axion i told you about, i have both, and i couldnt be happier

now thats done...
excellent setup there
thats way cheap, if you went to dell for something comperable to that, it would be well over $2000
if that price is pretty close to their original statement, then yes, you should get it

edit: its sooo much easier to get everythink from one place, sometimes its worth it to get 2 or 3 big boxes, rather than 15 small ones.
good ddr ram is not $55, good stuff is up towards $65 or $75
plextor drives are alot better, and plus you get the burn-proof stuff with them
supercase...WTF IS THAT!!??!?!??!! antec is SOO much better, and it comes with an EXCELLENT PSU also.
the gf3 prolly isnt a gainward golden sample..since those are one of the best out there, you prolly chose a visiontek or something crappy like that
audigy is soo much better than a sb LIVE!...even though you prolly wont use it, the audigy has a firewire port in it...
i would much rather have win2k than winxp home, the home version is a joke for a computer guy of any kind, xp pro is SOO much better of a buy..(speaking of which blackbird, you might want to look at getting xp pro...very good OS, i have it, i love it)
and the shuttle board, the new chipset should be bought because of the lack of the kt266 flaws, such as the usb shutting off if you up the fsb past 138 or 140 mhz (depending on the board)

i think that settles it

[o770]

just say my opinion about what ive heard of the ibm deskstars lately that is a lot of ppl who got them have been complainting about they have stopped working after using for 3 or 4 motnhs. thats a fact. ibm has got big trouble lately with the hard drives.
hawk in my opinion you got a nice setup there.

[res0r9lm]

newegg will soon have shuttle ak35gtr. the best thing I like about it is you don't need to do volt mod to get over 1.85 goes all the way upto 2.3 has ata 133 the eta on it has been raised to 1/25

[RangerJoe]

my ibm works soo well, my friend has two 60 gig deskstars in raid 0, an 80 gig deskstar, and a 40 gig deskstar, all of them work flawlessly, so black hawk, stay with the ibms

[Black Hawk]

Make up your minds. Maxtor or IBM? BTW, thanks for the positive feedback, keep it coming everyone!

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[res0r9lm]

Originally posted by oTTO
just say my opinion about what ive heard of the ibm deskstars lately that is a lot of ppl who got them have been complainting about they have stopped working after using for 3 or 4 motnhs. thats a fact. ibm has got big trouble lately with the hard drives.
hawk in my opinion you got a nice setup there.
yea I have heard that too. I think it's the 60 gig only though or is it the 80 one of the two

[Black Hawk]

I'm staying with the IBM's, cause if they mess up, I still got my 3 year warranty. :)
Anyhow, I'm going to ask my parents right now, dunno how long this will take, but wish me luck, I'll post results tonight if I can!

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[RangerJoe]

ibm is a good bet...you wont be disappointed

[fuzzba11]

Originally posted by RangerJoe
ibm is a good bet...you wont be disappointed

I still say Maxtor :D

Heard that IBMs are loud...

[fuzzba11]

Originally posted by Black Hawk

Alright, here's what I need:
1) Your opinion of the system out of the following: Dung, Horrible, Poor, Average, Good, Very Good, Exelent, and I'm jelous.
2) Your opinion of price, in two categories:
Overall: Cheap, Average, Expensive, or ARE YOU BILL GATES?!
Performance wise: Cheap, Okay, Losing some money or SUCKER.
3) If you think it will tide well with my parents: Yes or no.


1.) Excellent
2.) Cheap-Average
3.) Should, if you have good convincing skills. I would go to the Dell/Alienware site and build an equivilent machine to counter the price against.

[paupton]

First i wouldnt use a shuttle MOBO if I were you. They are average in the lineup. An Asus, Epox, Iwill or MicrostarInt. would be the best. I also wouldnt go with an Aluminum case. They are expensive and they tend to dent or bend easy. I would use the extra money for a Better video card, ATI 8500 or evern better an GForce3 TI 200 64 mb. This is an awsome card. Other wise everything looks good. Give it a go at building your own system. That is a great feeling when you do it and it works.
good luck. Ive been building for about 11 years. Will give any advice you need.

[Black Hawk]

I GOT THE SYSTEM APPROVED! GO ME!!!! WOOT! :D

Anyhow, now to get the funding:(
I'm hoping me and my bro have around 250-350 each in our savings accounts, and with the 100 we recnenty got for our b-days, we should have about half or over half of the money, which means our parents will supply the other half. If I don't have that much.... Snow Shoveling, anyone?:D

Black Hawk
newbie:burn:
as a note, this thread is still continued, because I need some more info, like:
When summer rolls around, and I get a job, (My dad's gonna hire me to work for him, and do typing and whatnot), I should get a bit of money, so what new types of hardware should I get? DVD? CD-RW? More Ram? Better MOBO? better processor? New Video Card?

[res0r9lm]

Originally posted by Black Hawk
I GOT THE SYSTEM APPROVED! GO ME!!!! WOOT! :D

Anyhow, now to get the funding:(
I'm hoping me and my bro have around 250-350 each in our savings accounts, and with the 100 we recnenty got for our b-days, we should have about half or over half of the money, which means our parents will supply the other half. If I don't have that much.... Snow Shoveling, anyone?:D

Black Hawk
newbie:burn:
as a note, this thread is still continued, because I need some more info, like:
When summer rolls around, and I get a job, (My dad's gonna hire me to work for him, and do typing and whatnot), I should get a bit of money, so what new types of hardware should I get? DVD? CD-RW? More Ram? Better MOBO? better processor? New Video Card?
yea come down here. good market for it nobody here shovels snow:D

[Black Hawk]

if you give me the 300 or so bucks to fly down to FL, I'll take that money and use it to buy the system, and SAY I shoveled your driveway, because you don't get any snow, so it woudn't matter. MUAHAHAHAH!

But anyhow, think I should add a cd-rw to the system, since it's in the funding stage?

Black Hawk
Newbie:burn:

[Black Hawk]

Out of curiousity, is there a final desicion on the IBM maxtor debate yet? :)

Black Hawk
:burn:

WOOT! TWO STARS! NO MORE NEWBIE TITLE FOR ME!

[o770]

if you want to compare hard drives and get some knowledge about them and their makers go here (http://www.storagereview.com/) at the storagereview website.
i could say my experience evaluating hard drives not exists. from what ive readed up to now the seagate history on releasing new technology and such things is very pleasant for me. anyway, that site is a good source to decide about hard drives.

[RangerJoe]

ibm, i have them, and they are not loud, much better than the maxtor's i have. maxtors are alot louder, expecially on startup, and ibm is higher quality, and you cant go wrong with a 3 year warrranty from the manufacturer

[eh?]

Originally posted by RangerJoe
ibm, i have them, and they are not loud, much better than the maxtor's i have. maxtors are alot louder, expecially on startup, and ibm is higher quality, and you cant go wrong with a 3 year warrranty from the manufacturer
i agree my IBMs are awesome and super quite

[res0r9lm]

Originally posted by RangerJoe
ibm, i have them, and they are not loud, much better than the maxtor's i have. maxtors are alot louder, expecially on startup, and ibm is higher quality, and you cant go wrong with a 3 year warrranty from the manufacturer
I can't hear mine at all fans must be too loud and drowning everything else out he he he...

[ColdMiser]

Oh Black Hawk, New Jersey is the pits.

[RangerJoe]

lets do some pros and cons for this if you want i guess

pros for ibm
quiet
high quality
3 year warranty
low seek time
nice buffer size

cons for ibm
none?


pros for maxtor
cant really think of any...
well....cheap.

cons for maxtor
CHEAP
low quality
higher seek time
maxtor is more of a "make more products to make up for lack of quality" company
no warranty to speak of

[fuzzba11]

Originally posted by RangerJoe
lets do some pros and cons for this if you want i guess

pros for ibm
quiet
high quality
3 year warranty
low seek time
nice buffer size

cons for ibm
none?


pros for maxtor
cant really think of any...
well....cheap.

cons for maxtor
CHEAP
low quality
higher seek time
maxtor is more of a "make more products to make up for lack of quality" company
no warranty to speak of

lol, man, your list of totally biased and opinionated pros and cons isn't going to change my mind...I just have a few friends with IBM HDDs and they're not to my liking, and they've had problems! I got Maxtor out of many recommendations, and the two hard drives are one of about 5 pieces of hardware in my system that hasn't given me problems, letting me keep all my data through 3 motherboards and 4 chips, among other things. I don't really care to debate it :p

And Blackhawk...damn, man, you don't need to get exact price quotes like that if you're only getting the system in the summer!! And if you're going to be paying for it, skimp off on some things!! I was under the impression you were convincing your parents of a system worthy of them to buy you...

[RangerJoe]

lol, i really dont hate maxtor, its just that i have ibms, my friends have ibms, and neither of us, out of the 6 hdd's from them, have never had any problems, my maxtor 20 gig hasnt given me problems, except when i comes time to format, but other than that, its decent, and my maxtor 40 gig, it used to freeze up at wierd times....then unfreeze and itd work fine....so not HUGE problems, but id rather buy a higher quality piece, with a better warranty, and pay the same amount

edit: lets not have to move this to the "Debate" forum because of the difference of HDD opinions...hahaha...thatd be funny...well it one o'clock in the AM, and i have to write a paper on -Inherit the Wind- by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E Lee. I slept during class when we read it, and there is a 20 sentence paragrah due tomorrow.....thanks God its only a rough draft....

[fuzzba11]

Originally posted by RangerJoe
lol, i really dont hate maxtor, its just that i have ibms, my friends have ibms, and neither of us, out of the 6 hdd's from them, have never had any problems, my maxtor 20 gig hasnt given me problems, except when i comes time to format, but other than that, its decent, and my maxtor 40 gig, it used to freeze up at wierd times....then unfreeze and itd work fine....so not HUGE problems, but id rather buy a higher quality piece, with a better warranty, and pay the same amount

edit: lets not have to move this to the "Debate" forum because of the difference of HDD opinions...hahaha...thatd be funny...well it one o'clock in the AM, and i have to write a paper on -Inherit the Wind- by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E Lee. I slept during class when we read it, and there is a 20 sentence paragrah due tomorrow.....thanks God its only a rough draft....

Haha, indeed. So truce! 20 sentence paragraph!? And it's a rough draft, and you're worried...why? I have two papers of 2 and 3 pages of length, due on Wednesday, one on the aesthetics of my favorite scene in a movie, and another on one of the short stories we've read in English. Oh yeah, and a test in Astronomy tomorrow where I have to know all the Zodiac constellations and 9 features of the moon in english and in latin. Remind me why I'm still here...signing off...

[Black Hawk]

I'VE READ INHERIT THE WIND! I had to do a paper on it last month! you need any help there? (Prolly too late, though.)

Black Hawk
:burn:

BTW, I like NJ.......

[Maddman]

Originally posted by RangerJoe
lets do some pros and cons for this if you want i guess

pros for ibm
quiet
high quality
3 year warranty
low seek time
nice buffer size

cons for ibm
none?


pros for maxtor
cant really think of any...
well....cheap.

cons for maxtor
CHEAP
low quality
higher seek time
maxtor is more of a "make more products to make up for lack of quality" company
no warranty to speak of

This is the same type of argument as AMD/Intel Ford/Chevy ect. What is best is what ever you have had good luck from and it is diferent for everyone

[Black Hawk]

I did some more reasearch on cases.... Anyhow, I won't be using most of the drive bays in the 1040, so I was thinking... should I downgrade to 840? I would cut back on the following:
case: 1040 down to 840: -10
-2 fans (Max would be 4, not 6.), -10.

I was also thinking of dropping the speakers: Anybody think these are worth my time:
Creative 4 speaker 1 subwoofer 4400 set: -50 dollars if I remove.

This would leave me with a nice lan case, and just under 1300 dollars.

Any thoughts?

Black Hawk

[o770]

hawk, how r u planning to listen to anything without the speakers?
for only that 10 dollars difference i would keep the 1040 if i had the space to use it. besides the black finish is much more cool. i didnt look at the drives youve chosen but i would also get black drives for a full tower case.

[RangerJoe]

you want as big of a case as possible, one because everything will not be bunched up, and two, better airflow...im getting the sx1200 pretty soon, it has 6 - 5 1/4 bays

[fuzzba11]

Originally posted by RangerJoe
you want as big of a case as possible, one because everything will not be bunched up, and two, better airflow...im getting the sx1200 pretty soon, it has 6 - 5 1/4 bays

I would say yes and no...remember that a bigger case is going to be harder to transport and find a big enough place to store. I wish I had gotten a slightly larger case, cause I have the tiny Lian Li PC31, but it has come in handy for transportation, even though getting decent airflow was(and is) a pain.

[RangerJoe]

alright, well i have tons or storage place, and im not a wuss, so i will be able to pick up a 45 lb case....not heavy at all

edit: with a big case, you can do whatever you want with it, and still have plenty of room, because now i wont have to buy a new case if i ever want to watercool, soo much easier

[Maddman]

A case is a personal decision you need to decide what need and then buy accordingly. If you want a large case that's greate if your preference is for a smaller one then go for it.

[Black Hawk]

Okay, I'll go black either way, because I don't want to have to paint it black later, so I can put in some fun mods! (Gonna carve out a custom logo, and put a black light to it.... freaky). So.... case wise, I could save 20 or so bucks, which means I'd have one 3.25 bay and one 5.25 bay left. So, I guess my next question is: Anybody in the NJ area know if there are any decent LAN parties? :D

Black Hawk

P.S. Think I should scrap those speakers for a two speaker set and buy a CD-RW with the money i've saved? (It will only raise the total 20 or so dollars, beause I've saved 60 and spent 80.)

[o770]

in my opinion you should get that speakers or something even better and let the cdr-w to be bought later. it would not be a wise decision in your case.

[Al Capone]

buy the plextor 40x when it comes out (it was released today), and leave out that cd-rom
Aopen are not so great for cd-roms

oh yeah why are you going to spend $140 on windows 2000????
get Windows Xp Home, its newer, cheaper and a lot better

[RangerJoe]

heres what you should get, get a good set of speakers, not 4.1, get 2 speakers and a sub set.....because the audigy has 3d sound, so it can make it sould like stuff is behind you.....get the antec 1040, this way you can put whatever mods you want in it, and you will have all the fans you will ever need.....dont get the 40x burner...ITS A WASTE. so i say get a plextor 16x burner that is burn-proof. trust me, those will burn a cd in less than 5 minutes......also, if you are going to go for winxp DONT GET HOME EDITION, IT SUCKS FOR ANYONE WHO KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT COMPUTERS...TRUST ME...newegg has winxp pro for $139, and this will be SOO much better than win2k or winxp home, and since you were gonna pay $140 for win2k, why not just upgrade to xp, its soo much better, i love xp pro.

[Black Hawk]

Alright...Win xp pro, new speakers, CD-RW. New list up soon!

Black Hawk

[Black Hawk]

Alright, New method. I'm gonna post two systems, tell me which one you like. One's a good LAN system, the other is the behemoth.

Behemoth:

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX1040B; 400 watt PS: 127.00
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy XGamer: 84.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
IBM HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 89.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
795FT+ 17IN 16VIS .24MM 16X12 FLATRON USB TCO99: 208.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET A MOTHERBOARD - RETAIL: 79.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00

Total: 1357


LAN Comp:

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC SX840B; 400 watt PS: 117.00
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy XGamer: 84.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x2)
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
IBM HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 89.00
GainwardGeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Golden Sample, Retail: 156.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver II: 6.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 73.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
795FT+ 17IN 16VIS .24MM 16X12 FLATRON USB TCO99: 208.00
SHUTTLE AK31A VIA KT266A SOCKET A MOTHERBOARD - RETAIL: 79.00
Labtec Spin 20 2 Piece Speaker: 6.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00

Total: 1304

Alright the differences:

Behemoth: Took out ethernet card, since I won't be using a network or dragging it to LAN parties anyways. Win XP took off 1 buck.

LAN: Swapped out speakers, since I don't really think I'll be wanting to drag along a 5-piece speaker set. Took out two fans, since max is now four, not 6, and swapped out the 1040 for a 840.

What does everyone think?

Black Hawk
Note: If I get the LAN computer, I will start to go to LAN parties, I've never been to one, because of having outdated junk computers. Anyhow, if I was wrong with the speakers, tell me, I'll put the 50.00 ones back in.

[o770]

if you want to use a broadband internet connection (cable, xdsl whatever) youll need the nic.

[RangerJoe]

well i found some baddass speakers from klipsch...it is 2.1 certified THX, but its $180 hehehe....so if you wanna look at them, check on newegg, under speakers....
look here (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=60&manufactory=1418&DEPA=1) check out there, the first one on the list is pretty sweet, and those a good speakers..also, altec lansing makes good stuff

[Black Hawk]

Alrighty then. Anyhow, oTTO, why shouldn't I get CD-RW, out of curiousity? I know it's prolly a good reason, but I'm curious none the less.

Black Hawk

[Black Hawk]

The Monsoon 6 piece 5.1 looks awesome! I'll look into it some more later, right now, I'm getting off fr the night. Anyhow, think I should build the LAN rig or the behemoth?

[o770]

Originally posted by Black Hawk
Alrighty then. Anyhow, oTTO, why shouldn't I get CD-RW, out of curiousity? I know it's prolly a good reason, but I'm curious none the less.

Black Hawk

if you read the reply i said that again, that was because youre concerned about saving some money. in your setup, the cdrw is the first thing id recommend you to cut out if you need to save the money. actually you have nothing more to cut out. try getting good stuff that youll not need to upgrade too soon, the monitor for ex, you made a good choice trading off the futura for the lg. i would not get poor quality speakers and would not also not to get the speakers. they r something youll always need to use, then, get good ones this time.

[RangerJoe]

i would definity get a cd-rw right when i get the system, just dont buy a regular cd-rom, i use my cd-rw soo much

[fuzzba11]

Originally posted by RangerJoe
i would definity get a cd-rw right when i get the system, just dont buy a regular cd-rom, i use my cd-rw soo much

Remember, to think about it...I turned out not using my cd burner at ALL. It just sits there, looking pretty, and holding secondary CDs. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but if I were you, I would hold off buying one at the start until there's something you absolutely need it for, like you decide to burn all your mp3s to disc. Oh yeah, or if you're prone to romancing girls and you can give them cds titled "can you still feel the butterflies"...GRRRRR, that *******! *ahem*. Get my drift?

[Black Hawk]

Alrighty. Now, to decide to get the monsoons, which look sweet, or the 4400, cheap and no so great looking. Any help there? Also, nobody answered my question, which would you want more, a behemoth, or a LAN party machine?

Black Hawk

[Al Capone]

Originally posted by RangerJoe
heres what you should get, get a good set of speakers, not 4.1, get 2 speakers and a sub set.....because the audigy has 3d sound, so it can make it sould like stuff is behind you.....get the antec 1040, this way you can put whatever mods you want in it, and you will have all the fans you will ever need.....dont get the 40x burner...ITS A WASTE. so i say get a plextor 16x burner that is burn-proof. trust me, those will burn a cd in less than 5 minutes......also, if you are going to go for winxp DONT GET HOME EDITION, IT SUCKS FOR ANYONE WHO KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT COMPUTERS...TRUST ME...newegg has winxp pro for $139, and this will be SOO much better than win2k or winxp home, and since you were gonna pay $140 for win2k, why not just upgrade to xp, its soo much better, i love xp pro.

i agree with windows xp pro, but thats quite a biased view towards 16x (maybe because you have one ;) ) at the end of the day it depends if you need a cd-writer at all and if so how much you are going to use it, if not much then maybe 16x will be enough.

maybe just put the D-Link ethernet card inside the behemoth (only $11), and don't drag the speakers with you

[Black Hawk]

Alot of things just popped up at once: It seems my parents are concerned about it. Here's what they have against me building a computer:

Has no warranty.

Has no tech support.

It's overkill

I told them the parts have warranties, so the system is covered, and I'll be voiding all of those warranties anyways. :D

I also said that a) I work for free and b) If I don't understand the problem, I'll just ask all the kick *** people at overclockers.com, since they always help out those who are having problems with their computers. (That's a exact quote.)

As for Overkill, I don't know what to say.

Did I miss anything? How do I respond to overkill?

Next:

ATI 8500 or stick with Ti 200? I seem to be hearing from people here that ATI is better, yet it seems the Ti performs better. Help?

Finally: Digital Doc 5 or no? I found it for 36 bucks, if that helps.

Thanks alot everyone!

Black Hawk
BTW, Al's Idea is brilliant. Thanks! Still, should I get the smaller case or the bigger?

[RangerJoe]

stick with the ti200, i got my abit in the mail today, and it ROCKS A$$. i got it from www.myinfinity.com it has tv-out and DVI.
about the overkill

just say, "yes, it is overkill, but if i buy everything that is at the top now, means i wont have to upgrade for a while"

thats what i said, my parents said fine

about the 40x burner or 16x burner.....NOONE NEEDS TO BURN A CD AT 7200 kb/s !!!! 16x burner will burn a cd in under 10 minutes anyway, and you will save yourself like $50 or more.

[Black Hawk]

I appreciate the help, RangerJoe. I won't buy a CD-RW now, because I really won't ever use it, and might as well save myself 100+ bucks for something else. Though if I buy, I'll get the 16x.

Black Hawk

[RangerJoe]

good choice, 40x is a waste.

and you are getting the ti200 right?

[Black Hawk]

what the title says.

Black Hawk

[o770]

black hawk wouldnt u like more to use a trackball mouse?

[Black Hawk]

Not to diss trackballs, but I really hate em'. They aren't for me, and they are more expensive. So I'll just stick with my mouse.

Black Hawk

[RangerJoe]

i agree, i dont like trackballs, you can move the mouse alot faster with a normal mouse

[o770]

well i got so used to mine that i would say the same thing about the regular pointer. but just to make a note, they r not more expensive than the one youve listed.

[Black Hawk]

Touche. Anyhow, I think I'm gonna build a portable LAN machine, so I can go to my friends how and bragg about how I spent half as much as they did and got a system 2x better than theirs. :D

Black Hawk

[fuzzba11]

How about this!

http://forums.overclockers.ws/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61048

Told ya so! Told ya so! Maxxxxtorrrr, yeah!

[Al Capone]

the 60gxp are notoriously known to have this problem, that's why you need extra cooling for them, like 2 extra case fans, as they get really really hot

[RangerJoe]

if you have good airflow, then you shoud not have any problems, my friend has two of them in RAID 0, and runs it constantly, and they are fine, i have ibm drives, and they rule, much better than my maxtors

[Black Hawk]

I've decided to take a MSI approach, but now the price has gone up a bit:

AOPEN CD-952 52x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC Workstation Tower SX830; 300w PS: 79.00
CREATIVE LABS SOUND BLASTER AUDIGY WITH 1394 - OEM: 62.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x2)
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
IBM HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 83.00
MSI PRO-DT GF3 TI200 64MB DDR with DVI+VGA CABLE+TV-OUT-RETAIL: 152.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver III: 7.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR - OEM: 82.00 (x2)
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
795FT+ 17IN 16VIS .24MM 16X12 FLATRON USB TCO99: 208.00
Thermaltake CRYSTAL ORB for VGA CARD COOLING: 13.00
MSI K7N420 PRO nForce MCP 200/266MHz FSB DDR- RETAIL: 146.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
D-Link 10/100 Mb PCI Ethernet NIC Adapter w/Wake on LAN: 11.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00

Total: 1377

I went back to OEM with the Audigy, and went with a Antec SX830 case with a 300w PS. Is there gonna be a prob with the PS? Tell me what you think of the design now. (Oh yeah, will this thing get too hot? It will have a CPU Fan, a Chipset fan for the VGA or the MOBO, whichever I decide, and 4 fans, in a mid-tower case.)

Black Hawk

[Rezman5]

the nForce chipset??? Are you sure you want to do that??? Sitck with the shuttle, and go for an Athlon XP 1800+ OEM, I heard they were better overclockers anyways, plus they run at 1.53Ghz at stock.

[Black Hawk]

Well, the question is: Why should I or shouldn't I do that? I am curious if that will cause any problems.

Black Hawk

[ThePunkGeek]

looks nice personaly i dislike windows xp (who knows why may because i used beta)
and had a sparkle psu and personaly think antec is a better choice

[RangerJoe]

you might look at getting an antec case with a 400 watt psu, all that stuff will use alot of power

dont get the nforce board, they suck ball sack
if you want msi, then get the k7t-266a pro2...GREAT board

stick with the gainward golden sample gf3 ti200, much better overclocker.

you could look at getting an OEM 1800+ xp chip, not a big deal though

stick with winxp pro...great OS for a computer proficient person.

the antec 1040 is a great case....400 watt psu, and plenty of room, look into it dude

[Black Hawk]

if the Nforce sucks, why did it get a good review at [H]ardOCP? Also, I'm trying to cut down on money, so I took a 300w mid-tower instead to make up for getting a better mobo. (As in Nforce, Soyo Dragon Ultra, Shuttle AK35....). Also, If I get a better PS, It'll either be when I can remove something from the list to make room for it. So, what I need is:

Nforce: Good or Bad. Why?
MSI Videocard or Gainward: which is your pick.
Nforce, Shuttle AK35 or Soyo Dragon Ultra?: Your pick again.
How big of a PS do I need? (I heard 300w will do fine for now...):
Chipset Fan: Yes or No?

If you have any other problems with the system, be sure to post em', thanks!

Black Hawk

[RangerJoe]

dont get nforce board, especially since you are getting a separate video card, the onboard video is about the same as a gf2 mx....so thats bad
gainward video card w/tv out....just in case...this is a much better overclocker, and the board is red!!!
the soyo dragon + is very good, RAID, 5.1 digital sound, onboard 10/100 lan
so what i suggest you do, get the dragon board, and delete the audigy and the extra lan card, then with the extra money, get a 400 watt antec psu.....(the sx 1040 case would be what you might want)....antec powersupply with that.
the dragon has a chipset fan on it already, so thats not needed

[Black Hawk]

SWEET BEJESUS!

Have any of your heard of the Razer Boomslang? HOLY COW! I just read up on it today and checked it out. 2000 DPI!!!!!!!! MY LORD! Plus it looks cool. So, I've decided to take this course of action:

Upgrade to 350w
Upgrade to Soyo Dragon+
Upgrade to Belkin Ergoboard: Black*
Upgrade to Black Parts*
Upgrade to Razer 2000*
Upgrade Monitor*
Remove Sound Card
Remove Lan Card
Remove Chipset Fan

*: In consideration, looking for your opinions.

Tell me what you think.

[Black Hawk]

Well, it seems that I'm gonna go with LAN and go with Gaming rig of abslolute destruction. So here's our new list!

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
ANTEC Workstation Tower SX635; 350w PS: 79.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x2)
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
IBM HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 83.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver III: 7.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 82.00 (x2)
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00
Gainward GF3 Ti200 64MB DDR. TV-Out. Retail: 156.00
Soyo K7V Dragon Plus!: 146.00
Microsoft 114 keys) Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
795FT+ 17IN 16VIS .24MM 16X12 FLATRON USB TCO99: 208.00

Total: 1299

So, I've decided to set the bar a little higher. So, I'm gonna keep this setup as one of my options, and now I'm gonna raise the bar to 1500 bucks as my budget. New list with this budget up tomorow!

[RangerJoe]

if you want to get a flat screen monitor, go all out, because a REALLY good monitor will last you a long time

i say go with a sony trinitron, THEY ROCK, you can get a 17" trinitron from here (http://direct.mwave.com/mwave/pwhome.hmx) , you will be REALLY happy with these things

also, GET A BIGGER POWER SUPPLY. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO BIG A POWER SUPPLY!.....enermax 431 watt psu's are like $75, and excellent, and thats a tiny case dude, i really recommend getting something like the 1040 or something, or get the sx1000 and get the enermax psu, but really, you will be thankful for a bigger case cause you wont have to smash everything in, you will get better airflow too

[Black Hawk]

I'm keeping all my options open. I guess I'll get SX1040 case, and get a two more fans.

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - Retail: 30.00
ANTEC SX1040B Black 400W PS: 127.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
Maxtor HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 83.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver III: 7.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 82.00 (x2)
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00
Gainward GF3 Ti200 64MB DDR. TV-Out. Retail: 156.00
Soyo K7V Dragon Plus!: 146.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
795FT+ 17IN 16VIS .24MM 16X12 FLATRON USB TCO99: 208.00

Total: 1359

I'm considering a Black Belking Ergoboard and a Razer Boomslang 2000 mouse, anybody think I should?

Black Hawk

[RangerJoe]

everything looks good, you might look at the ms internet pro keyboard, i love this thing, since it has so many buttons and the usb ports on the back make it easy to expand with..they are not expensive either..just a thought, other than that
did you look at that monitor i suggested? sonys are such a good product, and i think youd be glad to pay a little moreand grab the better one

[paupton]

I think the suggestion for a better PSU is a good one. I also think that you should look at the monitor. There is very little difference between the price of a 17 and 19 inch today. I think you might can get a 19" close to the price that you are quoting for the 17. Look at pricewatch.com, and pricegrabber.com. I know I can get a 19" Goldstar for 185.00 reseller cost and a Hyundai for 199.00 my cost. These prices are just a LITTLE lower than Sam's Wholesale, or Office Depot when they have a sale. I have a 21" Hyundai that i love for gaming. It makes a huge difference to have a large screen if you play games.
Everything else looks pretty good.

[RangerJoe]

im willing to bet those are not flat screen monitors though, they are much better for gaming, so if you want to get a really good monitor, then get a 17" or a 19" sony trinitron, they are the best

[Black Hawk]

I really don't need a flat screen monitor. Also, they are 300 bucks for a bad 15 inch screen, when I can buy a killer 19 inch screen for the same price, just alot larger in size. Anyhow, I think I'll look at mice and keyboards, and get back to everyone.

Black Hawk

[o770]

i think you might want to read some hardware reviews on internet.

[Black Hawk]

I actually have, and now I found the most interesting thing. A hyundai 19 inch flat screen for 200 bucks. It's at esystore mall. can anybody tell me if this is bogus or not? (Found it at pricewatch.com.....)

Black Hawk
Note: I might get this or the 19 inch CRT monitor for 50 bucks less if this isn't bogus... and I hope it isn't.... :D

[Black Hawk]

I looked up esystor.com (I added an E in my last post, my bad) at resellerratings.com and found nothing. So anybody know if this is a good place to buy or not? Also, this is gonna be a LAN rig, so, I'm curious if anybody has recommendations for mice/trackballs and keyboards. Thanks!

Black Hawk

[RangerJoe]

microsoft intellimouse explorer 3.0
microsoft internet pro keyboard

[Black Hawk]

new thought... trash the gf3 and the soyo and put in a Nforce board from MSI. This way I can wait for the GF4, and save a few bucks if I just decide to not buy a GF4. Anyhow, I want to know if this is a good idea or not. Note: I don't need raid, onboard sound, LAN, and video would work in this senario.

Black Hawk

[RangerJoe]

DEFINITLY DONT GET AN NFORCE BOARD...the video card is a gf2 mx, mx's SUCK...you will be much happier with a soyo and gf3, you dont need a gf4, they are a BIG waste, a gf3 will be PLENTY with your computer......besides, a gf4 is gonna cost like $500!!!! or more depending on the model you get, trust me, justy get the soyo plus, and the gf3 ti200, or maybe even a ti 500 gainward golden sample....you will eb very happy dude, trust me

[Black Hawk]

Just curious....... :) I hear mixed reviews, so I wanted to double check.

Black Hawk

[RangerJoe]

good deal, you should be very happy....just curious, how long till you get all this stuff?

[Black Hawk]

good question.... Technically, when there is money to get it. (Me and my bro have the first half, our parents won't give the second half. Why do you think we play scratch lotto all the time? :D ) Anyhow, my Dad has promised if there are good grades until the end of the year, I get the computer (They're paying 100%... which is kinda fair since they're making us wait....). I'm haggling for the end of ths term, and we'll pledge our money. I think that this deal is sealed, as today I just finished parent teacher student confrences, and there couldn't have been a better confrence. Anyhow, I give it 6 weeks.

Black Hawk

[Black Hawk]

I've decided to do this my way, and I'm curious for feedback besides Rangerjoe's (No offense, but I know your position on this topic.) I'm building a LAN party machine, so here are my two pics for computers:

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - Retail: 30.00
ANTEC SX635 350W PS: 79.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x2)
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
Maxtor HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 83.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver III: 7.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 82.00 (x2)
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00
Gainward GF3 Ti200 64MB DDR. TV-Out. Retail: 156.00
Soyo K7V Dragon Plus!: 146.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Hyundai 19 Inch CRT Montitor: 157.00

Total: 1250

And.....


AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - Retail: 30.00
ANTEC SX635 350W PS: 79.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x2)
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
Maxtor HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 83.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver III: 7.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 82.00 (x2)
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00
MSI 420Nforce Pro: 146.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
Hyundai 19 Inch CRT Montitor: 157.00


Total: 1094


Tell me what you think. (Note: Basically, would either setup work, and which would you pick.)

Also, I'm planning on buying a GF4 once it comes out, or a GF3 at the price drop of GF4 comming out, if I go the MSI way.

[o770]

between both id pick the first one and would trade off the monitor for the lg you chose before and would also trade off the hard drive for a seagate barracuda iv or a western digital caviar.

and as a personal choice i would also get a trackball instead of the intelli-mouse.

[RangerJoe]

no mice should have a ball attached to in any way anymore, optical mice are alot easier to use, and if you are playin a game, trackballs suck, you cant move around as much....especailly if you have always been using a regular mouse, stay with a regular mouse......

top one definitly....seriously though dude, i would opt to get the 1040 antec case, that system is going to use alot of power...and you want to have plenty for it....my system wouldnt even turn on with a 300 watt psu....you can never have too much power, and that case is a mini tower...you will not be getting good temps with a tiny case....thats why the mid tower is much better

[Black Hawk]

I'm hearing alot of different things, but it seems that I'll stick with the top. As for the monitor, I need reviews on it, and I really haven't found anything, so I don't want to change until I hear a little more about em. Anybody hear of Hyundai?

Note: I have a Behemoth case setup, along with a lan. I'm just getting the general idea of what people think of the LAN, than I'll move to behomoth, and from there make a desicion. Though I'm hearing praise for the Nforce chipset, and if it gets cheaper than Soyo, it would prolly be worth buying.

[RangerJoe]

trust me dude, ive seen the nforce boards at work, and my voodoo 3 overclocked would prolly be as fast as the video card on those things.....its not worth it to get it, you will be much happier with the soyo and gainward ti200

hyundai monitors are pretty good.....i say thats a fine monitor.

you definitly want the top computer though...without a doubt.

[o770]

i didnt see you changed the case. id also get the 1040.
i found out once some reviews of the 795ft+, ill try to find out them again and post the links here. thats an awesome monitor black hawk. you cant get disapointed at all. ill add the links later.

look, there r several reviews for the 795ft+, you can find them all on google.com. i chose one that i thought its more accurated and has also comparing tests. its from the zdnet uk: expert buyer - 17in flat-panel crts (http://www.zdnet.co.uk/pcdir/content/2000/03/peripherals/eb_flat_pan_crt/).

[Black Hawk]

for now I'm removing all peripherals from my lists, because I think I can get em cheaper locally, though I'm gonna double check on this. Anyhow, Sticking with Soyo and my LAN case for now. As for temps, Since I won't be overclocking for a while, I doubt it will be a serious problem. New list!

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - Retail: 30.00
ANTEC SX635 350W PS: 79.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x2)
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
Maxtor HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 83.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver III: 7.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 82.00 (x2)
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00
Gainward GF3 Ti200 64MB DDR. TV-Out. Retail: 156.00
Soyo K7V Dragon Plus!: 146.00

Total: 1002

Note: I am curious on why the 1040 case is better for LAN parties, which is where this will be a lot.

Tell me what you think

[Ice_Gargoylle]

is htat gainward dx8?......they are sweet for oc'n tho

[Black Hawk]

I found my new mid-tower case. New list!

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - Retail: 30.00
Koolance PC2-C Water Cooled Mid-Tower Case: 199.99
Sparkle 400w PS: 75.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x2)
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
Maxtor HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 83.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver III: 7.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 82.00 (x2)
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00
Gainward GF3 Ti200 64MB DDR. TV-Out. Retail: 156.00
Soyo K7V Dragon Plus!: 146.00

Total: 1197.99

No more need for a good airflow. :D Anyhow, I need to know what accesories I need for the case, I'm looking at 2 MB Chipset coolers and 1 HD cooler, but I dunno if they come with the package.

[Black Hawk]

Here, what does everyone think of this list:

Koolance PC2-C Water Cooled Mid-Tower Case: 199.99
Sparkle 400w PS: 75.00
Koolance MB Cooler (x2): 19.99
Koolance HD Cooler: 29.99
AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - Retail: 30.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
Pentium 4 2.2GHz Northwood 512K Socket 478 Processor RETAIL: 567.00
Asus SiS 645 Chipset ATX Motherboard Model P4S333: 110.00
Maxtor HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 83.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver III: 7.00
Gainward GF3 Ti200 64MB DDR. TV-Out. Retail: 156.00
CORSAIR MEMORY 256MB PC2700 DDR RAM 333MHz - OEM: 135.00 (x2)

1382.96

What do you think?

[RangerJoe]

nonononononononono no no no!!!!

for one, dont get watercooling especially if you are a beginner at making computers.

second, DONT GET A FREAKING PENTIUM CHIP!!!! HAVNT YOU LEARNED ANYTHING FROM US????

one of your earlier revisions was perfect

AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - Retail: 30.00
ANTEC SX1040B Black 400W PS: 127.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
IBM HARD DRIVE 40GB 7200RPM- OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 85.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
Thermal Compound Thermal Paste : Arctic Silver III: 7.00
CRUCIAL MICRON 256MB 32x64 PC 2100 DDR RAM - OEM: 82.00 (x2)
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
Athlon XP 1700+ RETAIL: 132.00
Gainward GF3 Ti200 64MB DDR. TV-Out. Retail: 156.00
Soyo K7V Dragon Plus!: 146.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00
795FT+ 17IN 16VIS .24MM 16X12 FLATRON USB TCO99: 208.00

this is WONDERFUL, nothing more, nothing less....you dont want to mess around with watercooling yet, aircooling is a much better idea. end of story, get this one.....

[Black Hawk]

Calm down... it's just to see peoples opinions. first off:

How does getting a pentium chip relate to learning about overclocking?

I've done research on the case, and it's gotten great reviews, and it's supposedly easy to set up.

Plus, the Northwood when overclocked will beat at AMD 2000+ overclocked. (Done research on this, it's at tom's hardware.)

BTW, I saved that revision as one of my options earlier on, since you liked it so much.

Anybody else hate this setup?

[Cooler666]

If you are getting Pentium (which you should) you might as well get RDRAM - its faster than DDR and same price.

[Black Hawk]

I'm looking at MOBOs for RDRAM now. Abit USA worth looking at?

[AMD'er]

Aiight here is my feelings:

I've read about OCing the Northwood and its sounds great and all. You said you had a budget and purchasing a P4 could put you way over the budget.

I also saw some say stick with 1 harddrive? Thats ok but, now you have to partition and worry about everything. What if the harddrive itself goes bad? How many times would you have to burn images of the harddrive? I don't know about you, but I have filled my 40 gig up and need to purchase another (100 maybe)

Its nothing like having a 2 drive setup.

Now the Lian Li case is a toss up. I love the PC68 but like everyone said, (you can always do something with the money)

check out http://www.colorcases.com/cases/cases.html
this case is a nice setup. and I might be getting one of these instead.

[Black Hawk]

Which one are you looking at?

I like the Nomad. It's 48 bucks, and it looks SWEET!

Well, At least I now know how to save big bucks on a cool looking case. :D THANKS ALOT!

BTW, I'll take your suggestions and remove the watercooling.

[RangerJoe]

let me get this straight, you want to spend the same amount on an overly priced chip, when you could get a faster chip, motherboard, and almost all the ram, for the same price. what is the logic in that, especially if you are working with a budget. amd chips are not only better for gaming, but they are higher quality, and AMD is a company that is more focused on what the public wants, than Intel, they price a chip at twice the amount of the comperable AMD. Unless you plan on doing alot of business stuff, which if you are a teenager, you will not be, then you SHOULD go with the xp chip. better price, better performance, and better buy.

personnally, when it comes to the case, i like a more plain look, antec cases are sharp, good priced, and made by a reputable company. antec's come with a high quality psu also.

[Black Hawk]

Calm down, I saved that list that you posted, and that prolly will be my best bet. Of course, I'm gonna add some thing, perhaps a dremmel, a bit of plexiglass, cold cathodes, fan grills... you know, the usual. :D

[RangerJoe]

dremels are nice to have, fan grills, what i suggest you get, go to www.caseetc.com and get some of the mesh grills they have, they dont restrict flow, but they keep the dust out. what do you want plexiglass for? a window? and what is a cold cathode?

[Black Hawk]

Yes, for a window, unless I get something from the case place. Cold Cathodes are like Neon Lights, exept I hear they are better in some way. Anybody know more about em?

[RangerJoe]

ohh, neons, www.sidewindercomputers.com has good ones i think

[o770]

i am not talking about the basic setup anymore, ive no longer followed up all the changes but about the cathodes and windwo, i think thats a bit much for you to pay attention to at your first time building a computer. i like modding and the way it looks but thats something you really dont need to care about now. you can easily get all that stuff later.
and for the water cooling, if you get a pre-installed system you wont get too much trouble to deal with, but again, unless you want to take the higher risk, watercooling demands some more skill; think twice if you really want to run into it before getting the best deal.

[RangerJoe]

i agree with otto, wait for the window and cathodes, you should either get better stuff now, or save you money till you have the computer up and running

about the watercooling, if you really want to do that, then wait, they will be making pre-made watercooling systems for a long time, they are not going anywhere

[Black Hawk]

It seems that I *MIGHT* have a new option.

Instead of building one computer, I might get to build two.

Thinking of doing this one of three ways:

Great Full-Tower Computer for Family, Cheap and Okay Comp for myself (To play around with.)

Cheap and okay full tower computer for family, Great Comp for myself.

Cheap and okay comp for family, and another for me.

The advantages of this are that I get my own computer to overclock, and if I mess up, at least one computer will still be running. Also, it means that I get to do networking, and it means that the family doesn't have to deal with me taking it apart and upgrading all the time, and gives me and my brother acess to computers. (We have one comp as of now for 4 people.)

The disadvantges are cost, fact that two comps are harder to manage than one, more electricity, etc.

Honestly, I think that the advantages are numerous, as we have multiple family members, and this allows everyone to have acess to a computer when they want, and allows me to have fun with my comp without having to worry as much about permanently damaging a part and the entire family lucks out. (Note: This also means I can build both a LAN comp and a full tower.)

I just want to know your opinion. (Note: I don't have an official budget, but I'd like to stay around or under 2000, 1500 or under my favorite spot, as this gets me kudos from the parents for keeping it cheap.

Thanks everyone, and note, everything I've said isn't official, I always ask for opinions before making any revisions.

[Black Hawk]

One of you has to at least have an opinion on this idea. Let's hear your thoughts!

[paupton]

I am married with 18 yr old son and 23 year old daughter and my wife likes internet too. So i had a problem. I let my son help pay for some parts and built him 1000 t bird. It is all he needs for college and games and such. I also found deals at TigerDirect for mobo and cpu and started collecting parts from friends for a third system for wife and daughter. I finally got them one put together month ago. I also have a laptop that is used by fourth person. I have DSL connection and they share a Cable connection. Now everyone can get on at same time and the fam. is happy.
It was a bit expensive but hey this is our hobby. Beats the heck out of mindless television.

[RangerJoe]

i say build a really good one for you, and get a pretty good one for the family.....thatd make everyone happy

[Black Hawk]

That's what I'm thinking, because I'll need the good parts while they don't need as good of the parts. I'd post my list now, but sadly I'm at school, so you'll have to wait until after school to get it. It's 100 bucks over 2000 dollars, and I think it looks very good. So around 5:30ish I hope to have the new list up, because I'll be at the hospital visiting my grandpa until then. (Liquid in his lungs....)

See ya!

[Black Hawk]

Here we go:

My comp

AMD Athlon XP 1700+: 132.00
SOYO Dragon Plus! Motherboard: 146.00
0103 NOMAD Mid-Tower ATX -P4 Ready: 49.50
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x2)
Gainward GF3 Ti200 64MB DDR. TV-Out. Retail: 156.00
AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
MAXTOR EIDE HDD 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 86.00
Crucial 2100 DDR Ram 256MB: 79.00 (x2)
Antec ATX12V 400 Watt Power Supply - Retail: 73.00
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
Hyundai 19 Inch CRT Monitor: 157.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00

Total: 1142.5

Family Comp

ANTEC SX1040 SOHO Servercase w/ 400w PS: 127.00
MSI Nforce 420 Pro MOBO: 146.00
AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
MAXTOR EIDE HDD 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 86.00
Crucial 2100 DDR RAM 256MB: 79.00 (x2)
AMD Athlon XP 1500+/266 FSB PROCESSOR CPU - OEM: 105.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Hyundai 19 Inch CRT Monitor: 157.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00

Total: 845

Both:
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
Artic Silver III: 6.00

Total: 145.00


Complete Total: 2132.5

Note: my comp doubles as my LAN party comp, the family computer stays put, so it' worth it to get the behemoth there. Also, I used MSI nforce because it's gotten pretty good reviews, and it means I don't have to buy sound, LAN, video card, raid card if I ever need it, etc.

Tell me what you think.

Black Hawk

[RangerJoe]

i guarnatee the power supply that comes with that nomad is both generic, and 300 watts. or less. so what i suggest you do, try to find a diff case, without a powersupply, and buy a 430 watt enermax. that would be good for what you plan on doing

[Black Hawk]

there's an antec 400W ps on that list.... for both comps. but other than that a good plan?

[RangerJoe]

oh, didnt see that...yea, thatd be great...totally missed the whole ANTEC 400 WATT PSU!!! hehe
my bad

[Black Hawk]

Well, now to convince my parents we need TWO computers.... I'm really pushing it, but I think that I can get them to submit, the computer crashed three times last night before I could get on the the internet sucessfully.

[RangerJoe]

sux dude, good luck though...why dont you get cable modem? always on

[Black Hawk]

I would, if cable was availible where I live. :(

[Black Hawk]

Hey, I just saw this case, and I was curious if anybody thought this was a worthy upgrade for my comp. Since the case is smaller han full tower, the aluminum will be nice, plus it has a bunch of front ports, and the possibilities for infinite for different mods I could do. Anybody think this is worth the money?

the link is www.colorcases.com/cases/cases.html

on the second to last line of models, the aluminum GT.

tell me what you think!

[Black Hawk]

hey, come on guys, I still need help! NEW LIST!:

AMD Athlon XP 1700+: 132.00
SOYO Dragon Plus! Motherboard: 146.00
MAXTOP CSX-147K-GF-USB-GRAY 350W PS 4x Fans Mid Tower PC CASE: 49.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x2)
Gainward GF3 Ti200 64MB DDR. TV-Out. Retail: 156.00
AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
MAXTOR EIDE HDD 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 86.00
Crucial 2100 DDR Ram 256MB: 79.00 (x2)
Creative Labs Inspire 4.1 4400 Speaker: 50.00
Hyundai 19 Inch CRT Monitor: 157.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00

Total: 1069


MAXTOP 147KG2F-USB Gray 4x Fans 350W PS Mid Tower PC CASE: 49.00
MSI Nforce 420 Pro MOBO: 146.00
AOPEN CD-956 56x CDROM - RETAIL: 28.00
SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE - OEM: 9.00
MAXTOR EIDE HDD 40GB 7200RPM - OEM, DRIVE ONLY: 86.00
Crucial 2100 DDR RAM 256MB: 79.00 (x2)
AMD Athlon XP 1500+/266 FSB PROCESSOR CPU - OEM: 105.00
ALPHA PAL8045U. Heat Sink + Fan: 47.00
SUNON 80x80x25mm Case Fan: 5.00 (x4)
Hyundai 19 Inch CRT Monitor: 157.00
Microsoft 114 keys Internet Keyboard PS/2 - OEM: 17.00
Microsoft Intelli-Mouse Optical - PS2/USB - OEM: 24.00

Total: 767

Both:
Microsoft Windows XP Pro OEM: 139.00
Artic Silver III: 6.00

Total: 145.00


Complete Total: 1981

I switched to the cheaper case because it's cheaper for a little less stuff. Also, with the extra money, think I should go aluminum for my comp? (I found an aluminum case for 118.00 bucks on new egg, by sky hawk USA, if you want to look at it.)

Thanks for your input! Especially to RangerJoe, who has yet to not answer my never-ending questions.

[RangerJoe]

aluminum is dumb, i guess it looks good, butnot worth the extra money, soo, if you want to spend that much, GET AN ANTEC CASE. they are cool, and come with great power supplies. the sx1040 is a wonderful case dude, just get that, and BUY THE COMPUTER. you have been debating for weeks now, so just get it
finish the list...and buy.

[Yodums]

I like the Soyo Rig (First one) although I'm not really a Soyo fan. You should just pick whats best from the recommendations the people giving you. Your going back and fourth, and not getting anywhere and gone on for 6 pages.

Yodums

[Black Hawk]

Well, actually, debating is near it's end. Personally, I also love the Soyo, which is why I'm getting it for myself and getting my family another computer. Anyhow, since you guys don't think aluminum is my best buy, I'll prolly stick to this plan. Thanks for all your help everyone, I know i've been a pain in the butt, but you've all be great to me. Well, thanks again for your help.

I'll hopefully have this computer soon, I'll post pictures and benchmarks the second it's done.

[Starfoxer]

make sure you used Pricewatch