Whats the best place to buy these parts?

[semlethe3rd]

Take into consideration I dont just want the cheapest things i want the best thing for my money/performance. I've been searching and just want to make sure im not missing some big deal on one of the parts =) Thank you for any help given!

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Abit IP35-E Mobo
250 gig Harddrive SATA
4gigs of memory

 

[rgeist554]

Where do you live? The best place to buy them is somewhere like newegg or tigerdirect (among other places) if you're in the US. If you're in the UK or somewhere else - I'm not really sure which places are good for you, but I'm sure someone will have some more information.

If online isn't an option for you... there are little "hole in the wall" computer stores that should be able to help you out. Other than that, you can try Fry's Electronics for a decent price.

My estimate on prices (off the top of my head):

CPU: ~$279-315
Motherboard: ~$99-130
HDD: ~$80+ (Make sure the one you're looking at has a 16MB Cache and runs at 7200RPM)
RAM: ~$120-200 (Maybe less after MIR or if you buy 4x 1GB. I'm guessing 2x 2GB may cost a little more, but probably worth it if you want to add more RAM in later.)******

* Are you going to be using a 64 bit OS? If not - you really won't utilize all of that RAM. I'd recommend 2GB for a 32bit OS, but if you plan on upgrading OS within the year, I'd say it's worth the cost just to buy the 4GB now.

 

[semlethe3rd]

I live in the US and know of tiger direct and newegg. I have been searching through every site i know and have found all the parts from all of them and compared them. Im just wondering before i jump on it, if im missing any deals right now? or if anyone could come up with a combo lower then what i have. My current best was all from newegg with shipping include / rounded numbers. Anyone beat that? Oh yes and why 16mb cache on the HD? this 8mb cache was was recommended to me.. to be better anyways.

ABIT IP35-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127031&Tpk=IP35-E
97$

mushkin 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146692
$140

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250310AS 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148261
$70

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017
$290

 

[rgeist554]

16MB cache will just speed things up a bit.

More detailed information if you're interested:

Larger cache will always help with performance, especially on a OS disc. Cache is basically an area of RAM in the drives electronics that temporarily stores files that have been written or read to the drive. Drives are slower than memory; it means if you are reading a file several times from disk, subsiqent reads may come from a cached copy rather than a disk copy, meaning much faster response. Also sometimes you get write caching - if the drive is very busy writing a file to disk and you ask it to write to another file at the same time, the drive can cache this write and defer it actually being written to disk until the disk is less busy - again speeds things up. A larger cache improves all disk access speeds.

As far as prices. The motherboard is price really well imo. I've noticed that newegg has jacked most boards (ASUS, Gigabyte, and Abit at least) over the $100 mark.

The Q6600 is priced ok as well. I'd say it's about the average, but the only better deal I've seen was from Fry's for $199 (mobo + Q6600 combo) on Black Friday.

 

[zenmaster]

I would get the CPU at CLUBIT.COM or another site that promises the G0 Stepping. No point in taking the rist.

Check there as well as ZIPZOOMFLY for the mobo.

 

[celewign]

I'd go with Newegg. I have shopped quite a bit from them personally and have never had any problems, any bad items. The shipping is very cheap and fast, and the components are delivered packaged properly and carefully. My two cents.
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