Ultimate Gaming Config? Need help...!

[Guest]

Please let me know if you see any non-reliable or problematic parts in my config or if there is a way to improve this system. Also on another note, this will be my first PC that I build from scratch. Any helpful tips will also be welcome. All prices are from pricewatch mostly.

CPU: 1.33GHz Athlon (TBird) Socket- A (266Mhz FSB) - OEM, AMD
Where: BZBOYZ.com
Price: $220

Motherboard: ASUS A7M-266
Where: BZBOYZ.com
Price: $171

Cooling: Alpha PAL6035MUC heatsink with Sanyo Denki fan(20 CFM, highest quality available, extremely quiet) for Socket A(Thunderbird/Duron) , Socket 7/370 (FC-PGA Coppermine and Celerons) - thermal paste included.
Where: PowerUp, Inc. http://www.puicorp.com/fans.htm
Price: $35

RAM: 256MB CRUCIAL DDR PC2100 • CL=2.5 • Unbuffered • Non-parity • 2.5V • 32Meg x 64
Where: www.crucial.com
Price: $127

Sound Card: TBS Santa Cruz
Where: Mwave.com
Price: $70

Speakers: Have not decided yet, but they are gonna rule. Suggestions welcome.

Harddrive: DTLA307060 (07N3933) DESKSTAR 60.0GB 7200RPM ULTRA DMA 3.5 EIDE
Where: Global Micro Inc. Globalmicro.com
Price: $195

CDROM: PLEXTOR 16x/10x/40X internal cd-rw *retail version with softwares
Where: www.west-tech.com
Price: $204

Floppy Drive: Floppy Drive 1.44MB 3.5 Mitsumi Int. Beige (bulk pakaging) OEM-bulk package Quiet operation, durable magnetic heads
Where: www.allstarshop.com
Price: $10

Case:SX1030B BLACK FULL TOWER CASE FACTORY SEALED CHAS ATX FS 300W P/S 4 5.25 6 3.5 SMTPWR BLK SX 1030B
Where: EMS Computing, http://www.emscomputing.com/
Price: $84

Video Card: Free, I have a good Geforce 2 card that I'm going to use till Geforce 3 become cheaper.

NIC: EtherLink 10/100 PCI NIC for Complete PC Management (card only_ 3C905CX-TX-NM )
Where: Allstar Microelectronics, Inc. www.allstarshop.com
Price: $30

Cable: Cat5 Cable, Free, I have some at home.

Keyboard:

Mouse:

Operating System: Win ME Windows Millennium Full Version License Only Windows Millenium Full Version License ONLY. Ideal For System Builders
Where: ION Technologies http://www.ion-technologies.com/
Price: $65

So far the total price of all these options shown is $1211 + shipping costs which is about another $80 dollars.
So i'm lookin at around $1300 so far without speakers, monitor, keyboard and mouse.

 

[Guest]

I don't know how everybody else feels regarding this issue, but for CPU's, I ALWAYS choose to go with retail boxed for two main reasons. 1) By the time you add in the aftermarket cooler, you don't save that much money. 2) You get a certified chip from AMD that is guaranteed for 3 years. So, if it breaks, there is a slightly greater chance of you being successful working with AMD to solve your problem rather than working with BZBOYS. Just my opinion. And as long as your not oc'ing, then AMD will stand behind their chip for 3 years.

The only other issue I would have with that system is the TBS Santa Cruz sound card. Go with Creative.

 

[warmfuzzies]

cool, just go with the turtle beach, not creative, they have too many issues
Read the bulletin boards at OC/UK for that, far to many irq sharing probs, clicks and pops and generally not up to as much as people reckon. imho.

 

[BigRat]

i've seen a demo Dell using turtle beach. not a good choice. the sound isn't as good as the creative using the same speakers.
about the speakers, i recommend altec lansing's ADA or ATP series. i got an ACS65i and the 2 satelites are great but the woofer is sort of passive background sound. a friend of mine got a Creative Cambridge Soundworks FPS1000. The woofer is great but the 4 satellites are sort of lousy and not to mention light. i its stand by merely bumping into it softly.

Bill Gates? Never heard of him!

 

[toonces]

i have to agree with that other guy. you want a sb live! card from creative. you can get a retail version for almost what you're paying for your santa cruz card and it comes with 4 full versions of games and 5.1 surround sound support. if you want the best speakers go with the klipsch promedia 4.1. they're 300$ !!!! but they're also THX certified and any pc magazine will say they're the best.

oh and make sure you check out resellerratings.com and see how the company you're dealing with has treated it's past customers.

<font color=red>yeah baby, my kung fu's the best...</font color=red>