New computer. Opinions on parts?

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Culex

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Sep 13, 2008
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My uncle builds and sells computers and has offered to price check and get me a new computer. Now, I was wondering. What should I get?
I have limited cash (Read: Zero) but Mom and Dad might help me cost it due to dying computer, and I am gonna start saving up.

Things I planned on getting:

New motherboard, Windows XP, preferrably DDR RAM, with 1 gig RAM stick with 4 RAM slots and 3.0 GHz processor with a few PCI-Express slots. I plan on putting my two 256 sticks in and a 512 stick in to get 2 gigs Ram.

New power supply unit.

Geforce 8 or 9 PCI-Express card.

200+ gig HDD.

Multi-button gaming mouse (7 buttons, including the right-left click and middle wheel plus four on the sides for weapons.

What do you think?

My primary concern is running TF2 at no-lag great graphics speed. Maybe Crysis later, too.

And overall performance.

Budget near 500 dollars, a bit over at a stretch please.
 
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newegg.com has awesome prices, if you want you could look into one of those complete kit pcs? like the ones they sell at wal-mart, compaq ones for like $500. Theyre decent got my wife one awhile back and works good for her, shes an avid COD4 player too and it handles that fine.
 
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Case is all personal preference.

Motherboard, depends if you plan on running a crossfire or SLI setup, and if so, which one?

CPU: What are you going to be doing with it? Just gaming? Video encoding or something else multi-threaded?

GPU: You need to decide on ATI or Nvidia...I would suggest ATI. Nvidia has been planing the renaming game WAY too much lately, the G92 core can't last this long, or rather, SHOULDN'T.

RAM. I always suggest the G.Skill DDR2-1000 kit. It runs cool, it's cheap, 4GBs of RAM, and it has great support in case anything goes wrong.

PSU: You shouldn't need more that 600W or so.

HDD: Get a pair of the WD 640GB AAKS drives and put them in RAID0 (or 1 if you're paranoid). faster than a raptor, and a lot more space for about $10 more.

~Gooda~
 
Any cheaper alternatives?

Crysis is NOT mandatory BUT No lag high detail TF2 would be just fantastic.

Crysis can be run on med-low graphics, by the way. I don't care really, I just want to maybe get Crysis Wars.
 
How much cheaper?

You could swap the E7200 for a E5200 - $85.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072

You'll save: $35

Replace the DFI BloodIron with a Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3L - $100.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128345

You'll save: $10

Exchange the OCZ StealthStream for an Antec EarthWatts 500w ATX12v - $50.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371007

You'll save: $10

That brings the total below $500...which i think for the price that you're paying, you're getting a pretty darn good pc. :)
 
seriously culex, if u dont want to waste much of your family's $$, i would seriously suggest gettin a motherboard that has 1 pci-e slot. crysis can def come later (when its def cheaper & the 8 series cards go further down in price). also culex i have an extra motherboard that i really didnt need that i will sell to you. its still new, in the box, w/ all the extras that came with it. the following site is where i got it from originally (even tho newegg doesnt sell it ne more): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128084
ive had the motherboard for a few months now & havent had a single issue w/ it. i did post bout an issue tho but it was w/ the os that was installed on the hard drive (had to wipe most of the drive so that the motherboard could read it) but if ur interested in the motherboard let me know.

**EDIT** This is something you should consider. I did a check on the memory & since todays technology is always requiring more memory, I would personally suggest saving up $$ for this, I certainly will: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122
the current memory posted is only $10 less than when I got it & that was over 2 yrs ago & I would def suggest the 2x2gb sticks since my 2x1gb sticks have worked flawlessly.
 
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I'd stay away from any prebuilts if you're looking to only spend $500. They're going to give you a really ratty system, imo.

If you're set on $100 for the MB, I'd suggest:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131333

P5Q SE / $99

Good board: http://techreport.com/articles.x/14655

If you want to save $25 - this is a small micro-ized version of a good board:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131178

P5B-VM ( note: microatx ) - $75

Also, which version of the 8 series card is flashable to the 9 series? If it's still available - you might want to think about getting that one.

---

I like those Centurion cases myself - nice and minimal. I've got the previous model in blue/black on one of my systems.

OH YEAH!

http://www.slickdeals.net/

If you're in the market for parts, and buying slowly - CHECK THIS SITE - I always see memory kits for dirt cheap ($20-30), $100 PSUs for $40, cheap hard drives, everything (some stuff is just cheap, others are after-rebate.) Just make sure you check it in the morning for the best stuff.


Example - this is for today (9/24) :

MSI 9600GSO OC Edition 384MB PCI-Express Video Card + Rainbow Six Vegas 2 PC Game $45 After $50 MIR

This is from a few days ago (9/19) :

EVGA GeForce 8600 GT 256MB PCI Express Video Card + 2GB (2x1GB) OCZ DDR2-800 Desktop Memory $50 after $55 Rebate

( DAMN ... good price. )
 
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Meh, quick list, check the parts on newegg. Should be within budget

Case: You decide
CPU: E2180
GPU: 8800GT <--- Will play TF2 flawlessly at any res under 1920x1200/ATI Radeon 4850 will also perform flawlessly. There's a special for the 4850 on Newegg here (http://promotions.newegg.com/AMD/We...c=EMC-IGNEFL092308-_-MECH-_-EB3D-_-ASUSbanner) and at Fry's *INSTORE ONLY* here (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...oc=01&srccode=cii_11138&cpncode=07-73420309-2)
Visiontek is currently having $40 MIR for visiontek 4850 from Fry's. All you have to do is go in, tell the sales to do a price match with bestbuy (which is $149.99), and they will sell you one for $149.99 BEFORE $40 MIR.
Click to expand...
HDD: WD 640GB AAKS
Mobo: Gigabyte P35-DS3L
RAM: 2x2GB G.Skill DDR2-1000
PSU: Antec Earthwatts 500W

~Gooda~
 
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Ma said:
Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 590
MOBO: DFI BloodIron P35-T2RL
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 @2.53GHz
GPU: EVGA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB
RAM: G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2-800
PSU: OCZ StealthXStream 500W
HDD WD Caviar 320GB 7200 RPM

Total Price: $550 USD (after Mail-In-Rebates, before Shipping)

That should play Crysis just fine.. :cool:

EDIT:
Just found this for $5 more: WD Caviar 500GB 7200 RPM

And don't forget you can make that 4GB of DDR2 for only $40 more.
Click to expand...

That's quite a nice list.
 
I'll be looking for those parts and such on SlickDeals.

I really want a 1TB drive. Seems nice.

Thanks for slickdeals, though. That'll help a lot.
 
Quick question.

Is this:

Newegg has ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard for $105 after $15 Rebate and OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 Desktop Memory for $12 after $25 Rebate

A good deal? Might get it instead.
 
the only 7 button mouse i can think of is the razer lachesis but my roommate has that and its EXTREMELY unconfortable. very low sitting and long. but if you have lanky hands you might like it. maybe a sidewinder or a saitek cyborg mouse would have 7 buttons.
 
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