Help with building

[Stuy]

Hey,
Alright, I'm a first time builder, but I know what I'm doing, (I think).
Ok here's what I'm getting. I need to stay under 1000 dollar no matter what, but it'd be really nice the lower it is. I don't know what heatsink/fan I'm going to get so suggestions on that would be helpful too.

[Stuy]

Chip
-AMD Athlon XP 2500+ "Barton", 333 FSB, 512K Cache Processor
Mobo
-ABIT "NF7-S" nForce2 Chipset
Video Card
-ATI RADEON 9800PRO Video Card, 128MB DDR, 256-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP
Hard Drive (can't decide)-
-Western Digital Special Edition 120GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive
-Western Digital 200GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
RAM (I'm not sure which one to get here either)
-OCZ Performance Series 184-Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 Rev 3
-Kingmax 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3500
-OCZ Premier Series 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200
Case
-Aluminum Plated Scorpio 868 Green Case w/550W Power Supply

[Stuy]

Sites
Chip (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-378&depa=1)
Mobo (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-166&depa=1)
Video Card (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-286&depa=0)
Hard Drive 1 (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-144-118&depa=0)
Hard Drive 2 (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-144-153&depa=0)
RAM 1 (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-898&depa=0)
RAM 2 (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-156-008&depa=0)
RAM 3 (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-917&depa=0)
Case (http://str8buy.com/str8buy/raalplsc868g.html)

Sorry about the 3 post, wouldn't let me post all at once. Too long.
O and I forgot, this is a surfing the web/gaming/word porcessing. Mostly gaming.

[gwallen4]

I like the proposed system. I have the core system you described and it is very fast for the money.

I use two of the OCS Performance Series 184-Pin 256MB DDR PC-3200 which I run in a dual configuration.

The ATI RADEON 9800PRO Video Card is an overkill unless you are a hardcore gamer. You could go less expensive there.

You could also do with a smaller harddrive unless you are doing alot of multimedia, like home movies, maybe 80 GB.

I would go with a DVD burner as your only optical drive - the Liteon 812 DVD+-RW is a good drive for $71:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-106-934&depa=0

[Stuy]

Well I was wanting to play UT2K4 and Halo and such games. I don't know if that goes into hard core gamer. I want a card with great proformance, but cheaper that the 9800 pro there.
Thanks

[gwallen4]

Well, you might need the 9800Pro. It doesn't hurt to have a more-than-adequate video card, should hold you for several years. Also I didn't realize that they are getting cheaper - slightly over $200.

Tom's Hardware compares graphics cards here:

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20031229/index.html

[Stuy]

Tom's is awesome. Ok sorry for the amazing amount of questions, but what about compatiblity issues and proformance. I was talking with someone and they said that building your own system would never compare to having someone like dell build it for you. (Dell is a good company, I'm not dissing them in any way shape or form) Said that the rig would never be optimized and tweaked and all the compatiblity issues would hinder it.
Thanks

[gwallen4]

You can usually buy a whole system cheaper than you can build it yourself. The large PC manufacturers can get the parts much cheaper than you can.

The reasons for building it yourself are:

1) Better choice of components
2) Experience
3) Fun

Part of the fun is in tweaking your system. Compatibility used to be more of an issue than it is with modern components.

I did very little tweaking on my system but it still runs plenty fast and matches benchmarks for similar systems according to SiSoft Sandra.

[Stuy]

Ok, now for another round of questions, or just one. I was looking at product reviews and news about CPU cooling. I looked into Vantec Aeroflow and the aeroflow 2. Also the coolmater aero 7 lite, aero7+, and the Jet 7. I don't know which one would cool my CPU the best, cause I want to do some overclocking. Or if you know of some other I haven't seen, lemme know!
Thanks

[saphalline]

I was talking with someone and they said that building your own system would never compare to having someone like dell build it for you. Said that the rig would never be optimized and tweaked and all the compatiblity issues would hinder it.Ok, to be fair, this could be true if you don't know what you're doing and try to build your own anyway. However, if you do know what you're doing, an "I-built-it" system is generally going to perform slightly better than a Dell or HP.

The reason is that Dell/HP/others put extra software on that runs in the background all the time, like back-up programs, extra control panels, IM programs, monitoring stuff, etc. Not only that, but they often sacrifice performance for price - and oftentimes they charge large gobs of money for high-end upgrades. Pricewise, I can't build a low-end system for cheaper than Dell or HP, but I can build a high-end gaming system for over 50% less! :eek:

Companies like Alienware and Voodoo PC do actually make awesome systems using off-the-shelf, high-quality parts, and they will install the latest drivers and Windows updates for you. The downside is they cost even more than Dell or HP.

Now I'm not saying there isn't a place for companies like Dell and HP, but just so you know, I built my own computer. It has crashed once in the last year, and I'm not the one who did it. ;)

[Stuy]

Chip
-AMD Athlon XP 2500+ "Barton", 333 FSB, 512K Cache Processor
Mobo
-ABIT "NF7-S" nForce2 Chipset
Video Card
-ATI RADEON 9800PRO Video Card, 128MB DDR, 256-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP
Hard Drive (can't decide)-
-Western Digital Special Edition 120GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive
RAM (I'm not sure which one to get here either)
-OCZ Premier Series 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200
Case
-Aluminum Plated Scorpio 868 Green Case w/550W Power Supply

Ok I have settled with this. Now I was looking at heat sinks and fans. There are SO many of the things I would like some input from people about what they thought was good. And yes I want my CPU like ice....but no water cooling, not enough cash. :D
Thanks

[gwallen4]

This thermaltake is on sale until 4PM PDT today and is pretty highly rated by users.

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=35-106-037&DEPA=0

[HeadachesAbound]

I was talking with someone and they said that building your own system would never compare to having someone like dell build it for you. Said that the rig would never be optimized and tweaked and all the compatiblity issues would hinder it.

/BEGINDISCLAIMER/
This is somewhat of a rant. The views expressed are my own and are based on 10+ years of supporting a variety of machines in a variety of settings with a variety of users.

/ENDDISCLAIMER/

/BEGINRANT/

The person that you spoke to is correct. A custom built machine would never compare to a Dell / HP / Compaq / Insert Brand Name Here. This is because a custom built machine is designed to leave those name brands behind. It is designed to provide you with performance and compatibility that you CANNOT get with a name brand computer. The reason for this is that a custom built machine is just that, it's built for you (hence custom built).

I have worked with almost every name brand computer out there and I will grant that you do get something special with a name brand computer. I would not recommend getting a name brand computer to anyone simply because they do cost more and tend to do less when compared to a custom built machine. I have built 10 machines in the last 2 years and have been asked to "fix" at least 30 "name brand" computers in that same amount of time. I have not had any calls on the custom built machines and have only received calls on the "fixed" machines where the customer didn't want me to get rid of the proprietary garbage that came with their name brand computer.

In Summary.

If you build it, it will keep going, and going, and going, and going, and going...

This is your computer, this is your computer from DELL. Get the picture?

/ENDRANT/

:cool:

[BigBlue66]

I have to agree with HeadachesAbound, a custom built do-it-yourself machine is going to have the components that you choose.

The cost of the machine will of course correspond directly with the components you choose. And then there's the software. Store bought machines come with a lot of software nowadays...and in my opinion, that's the only thing that may be better than an IBUILTIT.

I have built over a dozen systems in the last two years, from budget builds to screamin tear-your-face off powerhouses. I, too, have not heard back from one of these people. And when it comes time to upgrade their systems, I will use easily accessible hardware components that will no doubt work together with the other components of the system. I personally have not seen compatibility issues between different pieces of hardware in an IBUILTIT system.

On the other hand, over the last two years, I have fixed HPs, Dell and Gateway machines...they were the biggest pains in the posterior when it came to to work inside the case or trying to find off-the-shelf components to upgrade them. Usually, the last resort was to go with the proprietary stuff that the system was based on in the first place.

[HeadachesAbound]

Store bought machines come with a lot of software nowadays...and in my opinion, that's the only thing that may be better than an IBUILTIT.

I'm working on a list of software that I can offer to install on any machine I build for free. It's a work in progress but I am getting close to being able to offer almost the same level of software as the big boys. Everything from Office Packages to Anti-Virus.

[123456]

HeadAches, do you have Mozilla Firefox in your project? Sorry for going off topic...

[HeadachesAbound]

Originally posted by 123456
HeadAches, do you have Mozilla Firefox in your project? Sorry for going off topic...

In the list that I install?

No. I will usually offer to install the entire Mozilla suite rather than just the individual components (ie Firefox or Thunderbird). However, if a client requests it, I will install them.

I use Mozilla at home (currently 1.7 I think) and have since it was pre-1.0. I can't stand websites that are designed specifically for IE and look like crap everywhere else.

...Back on topic.

I have built over a dozen systems in the last two years, from budget builds to screamin tear-your-face off powerhouses. I, too, have not heard back from one of these people. And when it comes time to upgrade their systems, I will use easily accessible hardware components that will no doubt work together with the other components of the system. I personally have not seen compatibility issues between different pieces of hardware in an IBUILTIT system.

On the other hand, over the last two years, I have fixed HPs, Dell and Gateway machines...they were the biggest pains in the posterior when it came to to work inside the case or trying to find off-the-shelf components to upgrade them. Usually, the last resort was to go with the proprietary stuff that the system was based on in the first place.

Same thing here with the following exception. Most of the people I deal with have very little concept of making the computer last longer than a couple of years. Usually when I get a proprietary computer it is need of some serious help. This almost always results in me recommending that they simple pay $500.00 to get a custom-built machine and transfer out specific pieces of hardware from the proprietary systems as it is almost always cheaper than them coming back every 2 years to get more proprietary hardware replaced.

This also works well from the business side of things because I get more business by word of mouth when a machine can be used for 2 months straight without requiring a reboot. It also means that the next time they come back (in a couple of years) they will actually be willing to spend another $500 to have upgrades done on the machine rather than what would be considered maintenance for a proprietary system.

It has, thus far, served me well.