Upgradeable PC build

[lecoyte]

I have been procrastinating over this question for sometime. I need someone to make my mind up for me.

I have been struggling with an old Dell D600 as my home pc for some time. I am really tired of it. What I want is this:

1. Speed in booting up.
2. It will be on all day, so pretty good power consumption
3. No delays in opening applications / opening Outlook etc.
4. Excellent response in opening photo's.
5. Good graphics to display photo's and run flight simulator.
6. Quiet
7. Other applications are
a. Web Video conferencing (skype)
b. Web surfing.
c. Sling box
d. Sonos

Right now I use MS Office, but am keen in moving away from this to something like Lotus Symphony (free).

I may want to use this as an HTPC in the nearish future, but not right now.

Other info:
I will probably build another pc in a few months time as my young daughter's pc. So I am happy to mix and match better/worse components now, since I will probably take the worse components out to build the second pc. (make any sense??)

Here is part of my dilemna;

i) I don't really want more than I need, but
ii) When I look at the price of components there is really not a lot of difference in price between fair and good components. So am always tempted to spend the extra money.
iii) I don't know whether to wait for the next gen and enjoy some future proofing, (for example: DDR3 ??). (I do know the answer, but don't like it !).

I don't really want to mention budget, coz' I want to see what comes back. But with this in mind,I think it would be fair to say between $700 to $900 all in, case and all.

I don't want an AMD processor. I have a leaning towards getting a decent Video Card and next gen such as the Nvidia 9600 GT.

I don't need a large Hard Drive.

One last question....should I go for Vista or go for a linux based os ? When say Skype says that they have downloads for Linux, does that mean all Linux based systems (Ubuntu etc) ?


Thanks.

[lecoyte]

This what I am thinking about at the moment.

HDD
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 250GB SATA2 8.5MS 7200RPM 16MB Cache $60
MOBO
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 Conroe 2.33GHz 4M shared L2 $180
VIDEO
PALiT NE/960TSX0252 GeForce 9600GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 SLi - $210
MOBO
GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3P LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX - $155
RAM
G.SKILL 4GB(4 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 $110
Case
Ultra Black MicroFly Aluminum Micro ATX Tower Case with Clear Sides, Front USB, FireWire and Audio Ports and Ultra V-Series 400-Watt Power Supply $85

This totals $800 right now. I could start to downgrade some stuff, but what am I gonig to shave off ? $150 to $200 then have some thing that I can't greet with a smile e in the morning ?

I am tempted for an extra $50 to go to the E8400 Wolfdale CPU.

Is the case OK ? Will everything fit ? Will it cool ok ? Is the power enough ?

This will all run on Linux, if I decided to go that way ?

Where is the cheapest place to get a 64 bit version of vista ?


I am sure that I am configuring way more than I need, but like I say, when I go downwards the difference between good and cheap is not a whole lot of money.

[Ajmukon]

This what I am thinking about at the moment.

HDD Good
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 250GB SATA2 8.5MS 7200RPM 16MB Cache $60
MOBO (CPU??) Good
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 Conroe 2.33GHz 4M shared L2 $180
VIDEO Good, but might be overkill... but then agian, anything less and Flight Sim will not even run....
PALiT NE/960TSX0252 GeForce 9600GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 SLi - $210
MOBO Good
GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3P LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX - $155
RAM Good, but pricey
G.SKILL 4GB(4 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 $110
Case Bad. You want ATX, not micro ATX. Get a bigger case- you should be able to find a full tower for around $100
Ultra Black MicroFly Aluminum Micro ATX Tower Case with Clear Sides, Front USB, FireWire and Audio Ports and Ultra V-Series 400-Watt Power Supply $85

This totals $800 right now. I could start to downgrade some stuff, but what am I gonig to shave off ? $150 to $200 then have some thing that I can't greet with a smile e in the morning ?

I am tempted for an extra $50 to go to the E8400 Wolfdale CPU. <--- IF you can fit it into the budget, GET IT

Is the case OK ? Will everything fit ? Will it cool ok ? Is the power enough ? <--- Get a thermaltake, Zantec, Antec, Coolermaster or OCZ PSU. Never use the PSU that comes with a case, it is usually the cheapest one and will not last all that long.

This will all run on Linux, if I decided to go that way ? Yes, but flight sim WILL NOT RUN.

Where is the cheapest place to get a 64 bit version of vista ? <--- www.newegg.com


I am sure that I am configuring way more than I need, but like I say, when I go downwards the difference between good and cheap is not a whole lot of money.

i have made the suggestions in the quote.

[lecoyte]

As ever thanks for the advice.... I will check out the cases

[lecoyte]

Would I be mad in getting a Coolermaster RC-1100 for this. I know that this blows the budget, but the other point is, will it blow my power miserlyness ?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119150

It does not state that it fits mATX boards, can they still be fit ok ?

What draws me to this is the look and perceived quality of this.

[Ajmukon]

the case i was talking about, includes a 1000W PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119136

[lecoyte]

Oops, Ajmukon,

I posed this in the wrong spot, I have another thread going in which I jumped ship and decided to run down the HTPC route with the new 780G Chipset.

My question is the same, would this case be over kill ?

I am very confused / disorientated as to which direction to go in.

I have some conflicting aims.

1. I want to build a quiet, low power, slim pc that I could actually mount under my office desk (which is small itself).
2. I want to build a pc that is close to my TV viewing area, but for which form factor is not an issue, because I want to put it under the floor (in the basement, but feeding the TV upstairs).
3. I also want to build a mid range gaming pc, but maybe not right now.

So....I thought that maybe I might get this coolermaster, mount my 780G stuff in it. But then again.....

HELP !!!!!!

[Ajmukon]

please post in one thread.

it is very confusing on what you are trying to do. Are you trying to build SEVERAL computers?

[lecoyte]

Ajmukon,

You are right to be confused. This thread will explain a little better...

http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=62624

In short, I am shelving my gaming build in favour of my lower cost, low power consumption, quiet, always on, pc.

Advice would be appreciated on this.