Buying Parts Tomorrow! Any Last Advice?

[ssteeg]

Hi,

Here are the parts I've selected:

CPU
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Manchester 1GHz HT 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket 939 Dual Core Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103547

Motherboard
DFI Lanparty UT RDX200 CF-DR ATI Socket 939 ATX Motherboard / Audio / PCI Express / Dual Gigabit LAN / S/PDIF / USB 2.0 & Firewire / Serial ATA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136165

Memory
Corsair Value Select Dual Channel 2048MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz Memory (2 x 1024MB)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145579

Video Card
ATI Radeon X1900 XT / 512MB GDDR3 / PCI Express / Dual DVI / VIVO / Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814195002

Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 SATA NCQ 3.0Gb/s 300GB 16MB Cache (OEM)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148110

Case
Antec Sonata II Piano Black Quiet Mid Tower ATX Black 450 Watt Power Supply (ATX12V 2.01)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129155

Will all of these parts be compatible?

Any last thoughts on the hardware selected?

 

[shadowduck]

Hi,

Here are the parts I've selected:

CPU
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Manchester 1GHz HT 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket 939 Dual Core Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103547

Motherboard
DFI Lanparty UT RDX200 CF-DR ATI Socket 939 ATX Motherboard / Audio / PCI Express / Dual Gigabit LAN / S/PDIF / USB 2.0 & Firewire / Serial ATA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136165

Memory
Corsair Value Select Dual Channel 2048MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz Memory (2 x 1024MB)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145579

Video Card
ATI Radeon X1900 XT / 512MB GDDR3 / PCI Express / Dual DVI / VIVO / Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814195002

Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 SATA NCQ 3.0Gb/s 300GB 16MB Cache (OEM)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148110

Case
Antec Sonata II Piano Black Quiet Mid Tower ATX Black 450 Watt Power Supply (ATX12V 2.01)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129155

Will all of these parts be compatible?

Any last thoughts on the hardware selected?

2 changes:
1) Change your Corsair RAM to the XMS series
2) Change the 4200+ to an Opteron 165 for $325 and overclock it to beyond a 4200+. The DFI boards are great for that as is the XMS RAM.

 

[sandmannight]

shadowduck hit the nail on the head. Do this and you have a great system

 

[ssteeg]

Are these suggested changes to make it more compatible or will this make it perform better?

I don't plan on overclocking. Sorry for not mentioning this.

 

[shadowduck]

Are these suggested changes to make it more compatible or will this make it perform better?

I don't plan on overclocking. Sorry for not mentioning this.

Perform better. The XMS series RAM has lower timings. However since you are going to overclock its not as important. However overclocking is easy, and you cannot harm your system as long as you are careful. The Opteron 165 as I said can easily (and safely) get to 2.2GHz with the stock cooler.

 

[courtney4]

safely? then why doesnt it come @ 2.2 ghz to start with. I dont get it.

 

[sandmannight]

safely? then why doesnt it come @ 2.2 ghz to start with. I dont get it.

If you do it horribly wrong it will fry it

 

[dorion]

If you do it horribly wrong it will fry it

However overclocking is easy, and you cannot harm your system as long as you are careful. The Opteron 165 as I said can easily (and safely) get to 2.2GHz with the stock cooler.

You guys are sending mixed messages.

Overclock only if you want to. Sure if you do it right you'll get a cheaper faster system. But it can sometimes be very frustrating, and it takes time.

safely? then why doesnt it come @ 2.2 ghz to start with. I dont get it.

Its your garuntee. That AMD64 3000+ will run at 1.8Ghz no problem. Same as the AMD64 X2 4200+ is rated to run at 2.2Ghz. When you go above those speeds their performance can become less reliable. As you get higher speeds the chance a processor can run that high get lower and lower. So the top of the line processors(and in this case the Opterons) are the cream of the crop, and can sustain these high clocks, while those that can't are rated at more stable clocks.

 

[Dr_asik]

Even though the PSU of the Antec Sonata II has a good reputation, I am not sure it will be sufficient for the X1900XT. For almost the same price, you can get a Cooler Master Centurion (case w/o PSU) and the FSP 450, which is more reliable.

I think your corsair RAM is fine. I would reccomend Western Digital Caviars instead of Seagate Barracudas, if for the same price.

 

[donnagual]

I have the case you are looking at, and I love it. Beautiful case. But, I agree with the poster above in his concern about the PSU being enough for your system. 450W just may not cut it for you. The FSB psu he recommends above is also a great one, but it too is only 450W.

With that 1900 card and a dual core CPU, you need to be in the 550w range I'd say.

Go here and calculate your Watt needs.

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp

Then pick a PSU that can handle it. Also a good idea to get a PSU with dual 12v rails totalling 30amps or more.

Good luck!

 

[ssteeg]

I calculated that I'll need around 460. Thus, is this a good combo?

Case:
Cooler Master Centurion 5 - Blue ATX Mid-Tower Case with Front USB, Firewire and Audio Ports
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811119047

Power Supply:
Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-500 ATX12V 500W Power Supply 115/230 V TUV, UL, CUL, CE, CB, FCC - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103937

 

[shadowduck]

I calculated that I'll need around 460. Thus, is this a good combo?

Case:
Cooler Master Centurion 5 - Blue ATX Mid-Tower Case with Front USB, Firewire and Audio Ports
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811119047

Power Supply:
Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-500 ATX12V 500W Power Supply 115/230 V TUV, UL, CUL, CE, CB, FCC - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103937

Case is fine, get the Truepower II 550 for your PSU.

 

[ssteeg]

Case is fine, get the Truepower II 550 for your PSU.

Even though I am not going to using SLI?

 

[sojrner]

my 2 bits:

I am essentially running that system. WITH the antec case/ power...

runs fine, no issues.

ppl saying you need more that 450w for a single card system are wrong.

The only time you need more is if it is a cheap/generic brand ps. when they say "450w" on generic ones, they never get there. Antec's get there easy.

buy the sonatta2 and enjoy it. best price/performance/look of any out there.

 

[donnagual]

I have the same case/psu as well. And yes, it is an AMAZING deal both in quality and quantity.

But I still think that 450w isn't a good idea. Sure it is running fine on your system, but without a doubt, you are MAXING out that PSU. It is working very hard with a dual core and an X1900XT card. VERY hard.

The PSU calculator I linked to above is calculating that those parts need about 460W.

When building a new system, why start with a maxed out PSU? I say there are two good reasons to NOT get a 450W PSU to the user above:

1. You want to leave yourself some room for future upgrades (additional PCI cards, hard drives etc)
2. You don't want a PSU that is running at near full capacity all day every day. Even a major brand like Antec doesn't want to be stretched to its' limits anytime you have your system turned on.

You are spending some good money on a high performance system. Don't set it all up with a PSU that is going to be running at a sprint all day. Get a good psu that can handle your system at a nice, calm, jogging pace. 550w or so I'd say.

My two yen

 

[sojrner]

man, i dont know what you did to configure your system...

i just put mine in there, including an additional pci card ON TOP of the xfire (for future expansion), With usb and firewire components (printer, game pad and ipod), the 2 drives I have (pioneer dvd burner and lite-on dvd rom), and oc'ing the proc I could not get above 400 watts. I got 380, and even with adding another sata drive on a whim it only got to 400. That is hardly 460 like you said... remember, this is not a multi-proc system, it is only one processor. (two cores, one proc)

that is not taking into account what the opening of that page says about amps. That is more important and I agree w/ it.

like I said, you do not need more than a GOOD ( i cannot stress good enough here) 450w power supply. THAT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH. my antec is not sprinting, it is jogging fine... not even winded.

sli/xfire, large drive arrays, or huge multi-proc servers are the only items that need more.

dont believe da hype, fight da power and live free knowing that 450 is enough.