Building new system--case/powersuply

[galaxy2575]

Hi everyone,

I'm building my first system and have a couple of questions. Let me give you some background first...I am a graphic designer and am tryin to build a system(pc) that will function similar to the G4(way too expensive)....I know completely different but its worth a shot....I have decided on the mobo and processor-they are: Soyo Sy-K7Vdragon+ and the AMD athalon XP 1800+ or the 2100+(still not sure$$$)

my questions are:
1.Can anyone recomend a case/powersupply that will allow for ultimate cooling, expansion, and upgrade potential for a good price?

2.Any recomendations for graphics/sound cards?
unfortunately I am a begginer in the pc construction game so go please go slow. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

Thanks
g

[YODA74]

http://www.antec-inc.com/product/cases/enclosu.html
http://www.hwextreme.com/reviews/cases/lian-li_pc68/


If you want expandability Antec is probobly the way to go I love mine you have the room for a bunch of fans and excessories.It also come with a great Pwr.Supply

If your wanting to water cool then I would have to say that a Lian-Li is probobly the most useful for this purpose.It also has a great Pwr.Supply.

The 2100 is a fairly new processor so make sure that the soyo board will handle it or it is on the list of recomended AMD Boards? I think it is but am not possative? I have been looking my self for a board to go along with the 2000xp I wanted to use the Abit KR7A-Raid but I believe AMD changed there mind on the recomendation so it is back to the drawing board for me.

------------------
Death has come to our windows.

-- Jeremiah 9:21
(undoubtedly a Biblical reference to a Microsoft product!)

YODA74@windows-sucks.com

[galaxy2575]

thanks yoda,
I was thinking Antec would be the way to go, are the value series as good as say there power series?...WOW I didn't know they had water-cooled systems

your right about the 2100, but the soyo dragon does support the 2000+ and AMD has it listed as a recomended mobo...

here are the specs for the Dragon plus:

DESCRIPTION

200/266MHz System Interface Speed AMD Socket-A based VIA KT266A ATX Motherboard
Support AMD XP Processor
AMD Recommended Motherboard
DDR SDRAM

RAID controller on board

Audio on board, with 6-chanel Hardware Audio

Graphic, Universal AGP Pro slot

Overclocking, setup FSB by 1MHz increment

Network, 10/100 Mbps Ethernet

PROCESSOR

Supports AMD Socket-A type Processor, up to 2000+ MHz

Including Duron & Athlon & XP CPUs


CHIPSET

VIA KT266A/8233 CE Ver chipsets

Support 200/266 MHz FSB

SYSTEM MEMORY

Three 184-pin DDR SDRAM 2.5V DIMM sockets Support up to 3GB

EXPANSION SLOTS

Five 32-bit Bus Mastering PCI slots (V2.2 compliant)

One Universal AGP Pro slot (support 1x/2x/4x mode)

On Board Audio Subsystem

On board CMI 8738 Audio chip to provide 6 channels audio solution

Supports optical output & SPDIF output

On Board Ultra I/O CHIP

Two RS-232 Serial Ports (16550 UART compatible)

One Parallel Printer Port (SPP/EPP/ECP mode)

One FDD port (supports 3 mode, 1.2/1.44/2.88 MB FDD)

Provides IrDA port with optional cable for transceiver

Provides 6 USB ports (2 rear, 4 front)

Ultra DMA IDE Ports

Four independent channels for eight IDE devices (two for Raid)

Supports up to PIO mode 5 & UDMA 33/66/100

Two PCI bus mastering ATA E-IDE ports

Boot-Block Flash BIOS

Award PCI BIOS with ACPI function

Supports multiple-boot from E-IDE/SCSI/CD-ROM/FDD LS120/ZIP

2M byte Flash ROM

Board Dimensions

Four Layer PCB, 30.5cm x 23cm(12" x 9.05")

ATX form factor

Enhanced PC Health Monitoring

On-board voltage monitors for +3.3, +5V, +12V, Vcore,(TBD)

CPU fan speed monitor (TBD)

CPU temperature monitoring through flexible thermal sensor (TBD)

DOUBLE STACK BACK-PANEL I/O CONNECTORS

PS/2 Mini-DIN mouse & keyboard ports

2 USB ports

One RJ45 connector

Two D-Sub 9-pin male serial port

One D-Sub 25-pin female printer port

Audio I/O: LINE-OUT x1, LINE-IN x1, MIC JACK x1

One Game port

FCC CLASS B AND CE EMI REGULATION COMPLIANT

PC 99 COMPLIANT


I really like the soyo boards....check em out at www.soyousa.com (http://www.soyousa.com)
any recs on graphics cards?

thx again,
g

[This message has been edited by galaxy2575 (edited 03-22-2002).]

[YODA74]

http://www.nvidia.com/docs/CP/3281/SUPP/GEF4Ti_3D.gif

Don't think much else needs to be said http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

------------------
Death has come to our windows.

-- Jeremiah 9:21
(undoubtedly a Biblical reference to a Microsoft product!)

YODA74@windows-sucks.com

[This message has been edited by YODA74 (edited 03-22-2002).]

[mjc]

Not sure exactly what you are after in the way of a graphics card......but the ne geForce 4 (GeForce4 Ti 4600...the current top end) cards would probably fill that AGP slot quite nicely...

------------------
mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[hiredgoonz]

The Dragon+ is a great board...I imagine Soyo will put out a BIOS update to support the 2100+ but you may want to email them and ask...

------------------
When all else fails, read the instructions.

Microsoft Knowledge Base (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;rid;kbinfo)

Drivers (http://www.driverguide.com)

Google (http://www.google.com)

[YODA74]

Just to show you a nice custom case mine is exactly like this except it is Black the next one will be candyApple red W/10 coats of emron paint.


http://www.virtual-hideout.net/articles/project_tivoli/090.JPG

------------------
Death has come to our windows.

-- Jeremiah 9:21
(undoubtedly a Biblical reference to a Microsoft product!)

YODA74@windows-sucks.com

[galaxy2575]

Thanks for the replies hg, mjc, yoda...

mjc,
bein a graphics designer I need one that will push all of the softwares with high end 3d rendering and video prod. without many lockups..ex. the entire adobe suite and quarkexpress.
well the Geforce 4 ti is a little outa my "newpc budget" at my local stores...(no creditcard!@#$) I was thinkin more the Geforce 3ti 500

Yoda: http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif Nice case!

ok so now onto more questions. lol
as far as hard drives go: I was thinkin western digital 100gig 7200rpm
any feedback would be appreciated...

[Rick]

If your going to go with the Geforce 3 Ti 500
You may want to drag your heals a bit.
The GF4Ti# are not in many stores yet
When they get there the GF3's will drop in price.

However waiting to long can backfire on you.
The GF3 cards are not being restocked by many retailers


Also One thing you should look at IF you go with the value series of Cases.
The power supply in those Value cases tend to be small / low power units.

If you can get the Case you want with out a power supply then Invest in a Good power supply
with a little extra guts for future upgrades

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 03-22-2002).]

[galaxy2575]

thanks everyone.
I think I just found the deal I was lookin for. I found a case/mobo combo from TigerDirect.com (soyo recommended) for only $199.00 which saves me some $100 or so bucks. Granted it isn't the Antec SX840, but...the all important $$$ speaks! lol.... anyways its a Soyo DragonPlus barebones w/300w AMD powersupply.

Rick: thanks for the catch on the value series cases, you were right...I was going to go for the SX840 performance case {400/w power supply} after I read your post then good ol' TigerDirect pops up with the money saver!!!

On the GeForce:
I read most of the other posts regarding the GF series debate and think I am going to go with Saphalline's advice and go for the GF 4 Ti4200

again thanks for the input I will let you know when I get the system up and running.

g

[This message has been edited by galaxy2575 (edited 03-23-2002).]