Need help on choosing power supply and case

yas

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Sep 27, 2006
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Hello

this is my first time on this forum and I know this is a bit of a newbie question but any help is much appreciated.

I wanted to put a new computer together as mine is getting rather old, I am planning on buying the geforce 7600GT, intel pentium 4 3GHz processor, gigabyte model GA-8N-SLI motherboard and around a 200GB hard disk.

My main problem is choosing the right power supply, I dont understand what i should look for when choosing one and which one i need. Ive seen alot of packs where you get a power supply with the case which seem good because ill need a case too.

thanks for anyhelp
 

clue69less

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I am planning on buying the geforce 7600GT, intel pentium 4 3GHz processor, gigabyte model GA-8N-SLI motherboard and around a 200GB hard disk.

Just curious why you are planning to build a P4 machine rather than a low-end AMD or C2D rig?
 

yas

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No particular reason i guess. Isnt it a fact that intel processors are generally better than amd. ALso i could update to dual core in the futur which is better than the amd equivalent.
 

yas

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Ive been looking around on the Internet and I like the antec Neo He series. It seems a good quality-price PSU?
 

clue69less

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No particular reason i guess. Isnt it a fact that intel processors are generally better than amd. ALso i could update to dual core in the futur which is better than the amd equivalent.

Until the release of the new Intel Core 2 Duo processors, AMD clearly was the leading CPU for many applications. The release of the C2D processors lead to massive discounts of AMD CPUs. So if I was to go with an older platform, it would be socket 939 AMD because an excellent performing machine can be built real cheap. But like the P4 you're planning, it will not be future-proof. My point is that if you compare S939 to a P4 machine dollar for dollar, you win big with the AMD. If you can add a bit of money to the build, you can have a new C2D processor that has many advantage over a P4. C2Ds perform great, run cool and are about as future proof as it gets right now.

Good luck! I just refurbed an old P4 machine so I know they have value in some apps. Heck, I refurbed a P3 a few months ago...
 

Doughbuy

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I'll ignore the baseless comments about which computers better and focus on the question at hand. If you want a decent case with a decent PSU, then I would suggest the Antec Sonata II. The case is nice, and the 450W PSU is enough for most people, and its not the worst of PSU's. It should get you where you need to go.
 

yas

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I suppose I never really thought about choosing an amd processor before seriously simply because i guess ive got used to the pentium series :D . But your point is well taken and ill have a look at the 939 amd. I could do with the extra bucks! :D
 

Robovski

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Cases are chosen on many criteria, and as it's going to be your case you need to think about these things and come up with an answer that is right for you (it's a lot like chosing a mouse in that what works afor Joe might not be right for Sam). Consider:

1. The form factor. What size motherboard will you be using? The mobo has to fit in the case - you can't get a ATX board into a mini-ATX case. You can get big cases that will take pretty much anything, but maybe you don't want a tower. Will it sit on your desk or under it? They come in tower and desktop (more commonly called home theatre now) for on your desk and still handle full size ATX boards. Will you want to haul it to places or will it always sit at home? If it's to travel, seriously consider the weight of a prospective case and avoid plastic and easy to scratch finishes. Will you be fitting a lot of components? Towers have lots of space, but if you aren't fitting more than 2 opticals and 2 hard disks then maybe something smaller will suit you.
2. Extras. Do you care if the case need you to use a screwdriver? Cases can come screw-less or the basic screwdriver option. Do you care about lighting or watercooling or showing off the inside of the case? You can get cases with windows, with fittings for watercooling (for easier installs) with cabling systems that run behind the mobo for a better display. Perhaps you would want a certain minimum or USB ports on the front or don't want headphone and mike jacks? Maybe you want an inbuilt fan controler or a DVD drive? These options while not necesarily as important as other considerations will help you weed down your choices.
3. Cooling. Are you going to overclock? You might need extra ventilation from fans or apertures. Does it have a 'cooling system' like a tunnel or zones? Do you need it? Will that be compatible with you cooling fan/water setup?
4. Looks. Do you care what color the case is? Do you want plastic or metal facias? Do you care? Do you want it to have a front door or maybe some kind of cover for the drive bays or ports? Maybe there is some kind of style that appeals to you or maybe you don't care what it looks like and just want it to do what it does or it's cheap.
5. Cost. Seriously, do you want to spend a lot on a case or would you rather spend the money on components? Maybe you want to fall in between? Set yourself a price-point and look in that range. More expensive cases generally have more features and a better finish, but they all hold your components together and control air-flow to some degree. The price runs from generic beige box for £10.00 all the way up to some fanless case for £500 I saw last week.

See, this is a very personal kind of thing. There are plenty of people who see the £10.00 case and think "that's for me" while other think about the times they cut their hands on unfinished steel and think they want to do better. Some people want to show off, while others will have the case sitting in a closet as a server, rarely to be seen. Keep the thoughts you have from these questions and then look at the selections of cases on some websites and see what appeals to you. Once you see something you like, look for a review or two and have a read, see if it suits you and your needs. You'll find yourself moving into some definite wants and needs and trying to find something that suits. If you are still stumped, then come back here with those specifics and I'm certain the good folks here will give you thier opinions as to specific cases or suggested cases.
 

yas

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Ok yeah, well ive narrowed by options down a little bit. For the case I dont really want something expensive, less that $50 and id like it to have the open window on one side i think that cool. The most important thing I think is that it will keep the case as cool as possible.

For the PSU Ive been looking around and I want something that is reliable, that will last long and that has enough amps in the 12v line to make sure all the components last for as long as possible too. I think at a maximum of aruond $60.

I like the look of the Antec Sonata 2 which comes with the smart power 2 PSU and a decent case for around $80. I dont know what you all think of that?? I also saw alot of good reviews about the antec NEO He??