1000$ Build, Canadian, please comment

[Dr_asik]

UPDATED:

I'm looking for a cheap build in Canada, not for gaming, but might add a video card later. Now I dumped NCIX completly, but I still need tigerdirect as they are the only store left with a CRT 19" in stock, something I can't miss. This CRT is cheap, 155$, but the shipping is over 100$ so overall that screen costs me around 260$. Yeah, that's what true quality is worth. Now if I switch to a crappy LCD on directcanada, I save on the shipping, but the screen itself if you want any sort of acceptable quality with that technology, will be around 250$. Since that's the price I have to pay, I prefer the superior monitor.

Plus, tigerdirect has an Athlon64 4000+ for 114$, this is really superior to what can be found at this price on other sites.

For the rest of the build I used directcanada as suggested, and yes their prices are pretty low and free shipping is just cool.

I also dropped the PSU since I'm not using any video card, and however crappy the integrated 450W PSU is, it should be enough for what there is to power.

Switched to DDR ram as mentionned - phew! :lol: Now I'm buying two separate identical 512MB sticks. Together that's 90$. Now the same manufacture, Kingston, is selling these two in a dual-channel combo for 137$. But it's the same RAM, isn't it? Won't the two identical 512MB ram sticks work in dual-channel just as well? Why the 47$ premium?

So here's the build:

TigerDirect:

Athlon64 4000+ S939 $113.99
Viewsonic E90B CRT 19" $132.99

+TAX, S&H, TOTAL = $421.13

DirectCanada:

Logitech X-230 Speakers : $43.55
Microsoft Value Keyboard and Mouse: $17.97
Logysis CS-51WBK Case with 450W PSU: $46.76
ASUS A8N-E Motherboard : $96.85
Seagate 320GB SATA2 16MB hard disk: $98.99
Pioneer DVR-111D DVD-RW: $38.81
Kingston Value RAM DDR400 512MB: $45.52 x2 = $90.83

TOTAL = $466.69

CUMULATIVE TOTAL = $887.82

Yeah, that's 152$ cheaper than my last try, which makes me happy.


As usual I am looking for
- Incompatibilities
- Meaningful upgrades for the same price, or
- Meaningful savings for the same performance

Thanks.

 

[skyguy]

Check out Direct Canada:

http://www.directcanada.com

Excellent prices. If you live outside of B.C., then you don't need to pay PST, just the GST. PLUS they have free shipping on orders for more than $300 and less than 100 lbs.

That should save you $100 right there.

 

[Insania]

Check out Direct Canada:

http://www.directcanada.com

Excellent prices. If you live outside of B.C., then you don't need to pay PST, just the GST. PLUS they have free shipping on orders for more than $300 and less than 100 lbs.

That should save you $100 right there.

My thoughts exactly. DirectCanada owns, go with them over NCIX. Great customer service.

And just a warning, TigerDirect rebates usually don't work.

 

[locky28]

Whoa there settle down slippery you've got DDR2 memory listed, your setup takes standard DDR memory (eg 333,400,433).

Look for some DDR400 PC3200 Memory or something close to that.

 

[skyguy]

WOW, totally missed that one! GOOD CATCH there Locky.

yea, socket 939 only needs DDR, not DDR2.

 

[Dr_asik]

Thanks for you input. Updated the OP. Please take another look.

 

[bruce555]

where do you live?

 

[skyguy]

Asik, your list looks alot better now, except one thing I noticed:

You're get HOSED on the 19" LCD. The shipping costs almost as much as the monitor itself :!:
:?:

Buddy, you seriously need to consider a different option. I'm gonna throw one out that may seem blasphemous, but consider it anyways: Buy a used one at a local shop. Seriously. You can find a very respectable 19" CRT for $175 less than what you're getting ripped for. NO joke.

You may ask: what if it dies? Well, most shops offer a 30 day warranty/replacement. If it doesn't die within the 30 days, then you're probably fine. But for argument's sake, let's assume it dies in a few months. Ok, you lost a bit of money, no big deal. You're still ahead ALOT of money regardless.

Consider a 19" CRT used. If you still can't swallow that idea, then pitch in a bit more and get a 19" LCD. You're obviously not getting the CRT for better space or for better price, so then why are you getting a CRT? Superior quality? Sure, there's some, but if you notice it that much, then your ability far surpasses your computer's ability, and you would be getting a high-end rig to begin with. So that logic wouldn't wash.

LCDs are so much better than a few years ago. Brighter, cheaper, quality.

My best advice to you is that you're flushing money down the toilet on not only getting a CRT, but more so that you're getting hosed on the shipping costs. Might as well flush that money away, you just made Purolator RICH. Keep that money for yourself man, look around the local shops.....trust me, they'll be HAPPY to get rid of a 19" CRT to you for CHEAP.

Just my $0.02 worth, but give it some serious thought.

 

[Dr_asik]

K, I live in Montreal and I haven't got much of a clue of where to look at for a used 19" CRT. Yeah I might save some 100$. But I don't consider paying 260$ for such a screen to be a rip-off; that's what it's worth. I could hardly care less what money goes to who.

And an LCD would cost the same.

LCDs are so much better than last year, yes, that's what I hear every single damn year since they came out, and yet my friend who just bought a "really high quality! super good picture" one at over 250$ shows ghosting everywhere. Every single LCD I have seen, and I've seen hundreds, shows ghosting whenever something contrasting moves on the screen. If you're on an LCD, do this: click on the scroll bar and move it slowly. Now look at the text. Notice how it looks blurred while moving? You don't need to be playing FEAR at high resolution to notice it, you just need to move you goddamn cursor to see how much LCDs suck, and keep sucking year after year of getting so much better than the last one. Plus, CRTs have the mighty ability to change resolution! That's something I like, seriously, and I don't need no stinkin new technology to rob me this flexibility.

Compare on a CRT and your best LCD and tell me wether this looks much more alive on a traditional display than on a cheap pixel matrix ?!

Anyhoo, I'm not attacking you, I'm attacking stupid new technology that's actually much more crappy than what it has set to replace. And I see the prospect of acquiring whatever good old CRT I can get my hands on as very desirable.

Still nobody answered the question of whether the RAM would work in dual-channel or do I need to specifically buy the dual-channel kit?