Ok... I did some checking around locally, and think I pretty much got it almost narrowed down...
If I build from parts...
CASE:
don't have much info available about local ones. I may get one from NewEgg, but I'll probably also check around at the local stores in person, too. I don't want to spend more than necessary. Under $25 would be best, but I could go up to $40 or $50. Minimum 4 each external 5.25" and internal 3.5" bays, front USB and audio, 2 fans at least one of which is 120mm (or POSSIBLY 2 80mm fans), side air vent (and no, this case, if it's my own build, will not be going into the aforementioned cubbyhole)
PSU:
Antec 430W is $65 at a local store, $60 at Fry's (online). The Basiq 350W is $40 @ Fry's. NewEgg has the , or for the [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371004]same price, the Basiq 500W.
Los Huevos also has the Basiq 350W for $20 for the OEM or $40 for the retail. Would the $20 one be ok? I don't want to spend any more on the PSU than I have to. If I ever get a high-end video card, or plug more than a total of 6 HDs or DVDs in at once, I'll probably upgrade to a better PSU when the need arises. For now, though, I'd like to spend no more than $40 for the PSU.
MOBO (all AM2):
Asus M2N-MX SE = $53 @ Technology Depot. (It only has 2 SATA ports and 2 RAM slots, though)
Asus M2A-VM = $65 @ Technology Depot.
Gigabyte GA MA69GM-S2H = $69 @ Best Deal Computers (in Chula Vista)
(Note: all 3 links are for images of display ads in a local magazine, with other things advertised on the same page)
CPU (all Athlon):
3200 = $46 @ Technology Depot
3800+ = $55 @ Technology Depot
X2 4000 = $70 @ Technology Depot
(note: Technology Depot has CPU listings here but there seems to be a bit of a discrepancy on prices listed there vs the ones listed in the magazine display ad.
X2 4200+ = $75 @ Micro PC Outlet (Chula Vista) or $79 @ ChipsAndMemory.com (Kearny Mesa - more convenient location (I'm in El Cajon))
RAM:
1GB Kingston DDR2-667 = $25 @ Best Bytes Computer Sources
2GB (1 stick) Kingston DDR2-667 = $49 @ MicroPC Outlet (Chula Vista)
HDD (all Western Digital SATA-2 7200rpm 16mb):
500GB = $99 @ chipsandmemory.com (shows as $104 online for the KS version
750GB = $129 @ Best Bytes Computer Sources
DVD+-RW
not much info on the locals. For an 18X, there's a Sony for $31 or a Samsung for $35. For a 20X, LiteOn or Pioneer is $29. Add lightscribe, and ASUS or LiteOn is $37. Chances are I might be better off browsing the local stores. I would like to have lightscribe available, but considering I have to get special discs to use it, I'll probably not require it.
Keyboard & Mouse
We have an unused set sitting around here so I'll use that for now.
OS
We have a Windows 2000 CD that I'll most likely use (although I'll want to get XP Professional later - it's about $125 at one local place, but you have to purchase hardware too.) One concern is the large HDD I'm planning to purchase, that I would like to have as all one partition, and the 28-bit (127 or 137GB) LBA limit.
Should any MOBO I'm considering support it?
Also, I have a Promise Ultra100 TX2 card in my parents' PC (with the K6T266 Pro2 Mobo, Win 2000 SP4, a 200GB HDD of which 127GiB is formatted). Should I take it out (it's mine anyway) and put it in my own build?
Also, what about getting 2000 to work with the large HD? I see that I need at least SP3 (I'll plan to have probably SP4, or if there is such thing, MAYBE SP5), and I'll need to add an EnableBigLBA registry key.
What about the installation and HD partitioning, though? I also have an 80GB HD, and a 250GB HD split into 2 120GiB partitons. Should I install the OS onto one of those, patch it, etc, THEN install the 500GB or 750GB HD? (Once the larger HD is installed, something upwards of 60 to 80GB (won't all fit on the 80 or 250 I now have) of my stuff will be coming off my parents' 200G (127 formatted) HD.
OR.... buying a pre-built system locally:
Technology Depot - looking at the Advance System, but it doesn't seem like all that good of a deal.
Best Bytes Computer Sources:
P4 775 System: Cel 3.0 for $199 or Cel 3.2 for $209 or P4 for $249, OR...
AM2 System: probably X2 4400+ for $279, or where's the sweet spot on these for price/performance?
Core2Duo System: probably E4500 2.2GHz for $329, or is there a sweet spot somewhere above that?
Best Deal Computers:
BD System #1 AMD Dual-Core - X2 4200+ 2.2Ghz = $295 (others also available, but leaning toward economy for now)
BD System #0 barebone - Intel 327 Cel 3.0GHz $229, Intel 631 P4 3.0GHz $258, Intel E4500 Core2Duo 2.2Ghz $321.
BD System #4 Intel Core2Duo - E4500 2.2Ghz $333, other options also available.
If I get a pre-built, I can, although very temporarily, live with a 160GB HD. Chances are, though, I might buy that 750GB WD linked/mentioned above cause I believe it's a very good deal.
What would you say, generally, is the best deal on the pre-builts? If I haven't already made it clear, I do NOT want to get one of the national brands, i.e. Dell, Gateway, Lenovo, HP, eMachines, etc. I prefer to buy from a local store if I get a prebuilt.
Another hybrid option would be to get one of the prebuilts, then get a better PSU (unless whatever one comes with it is fine for my use), a bigger HD (although I can live with 160 for a few months - it's just that 500 or 750 is a much better deal if I'm building my own), another GB or 2 of RAM (considering I'm going with onboard video) but would the 1GB be fine? (Note: i very regularly take my parents' PC - 256MB plus swap, up to over 600 or 700MB peak limit, and have been known to tax my brother's 1GB (Athlon 1.2MHz) sometimes.)
I'll probably want to upgrade later (but not within 12 months). This, for now, is basically to get me off my parents' computer. Later additions would include, but not be limited to, a decent video card (but not necessarily an 8800 series), a better PSU, faster CPU (and a new mobo if I have to - I'm not requiring quad-core support on my current DIY), XP Professional, larger HD when I run out of room on the 750, etc...
If I build from parts...
CASE:
don't have much info available about local ones. I may get one from NewEgg, but I'll probably also check around at the local stores in person, too. I don't want to spend more than necessary. Under $25 would be best, but I could go up to $40 or $50. Minimum 4 each external 5.25" and internal 3.5" bays, front USB and audio, 2 fans at least one of which is 120mm (or POSSIBLY 2 80mm fans), side air vent (and no, this case, if it's my own build, will not be going into the aforementioned cubbyhole)
PSU:
Antec 430W is $65 at a local store, $60 at Fry's (online). The Basiq 350W is $40 @ Fry's. NewEgg has the , or for the [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371004]same price, the Basiq 500W.
Los Huevos also has the Basiq 350W for $20 for the OEM or $40 for the retail. Would the $20 one be ok? I don't want to spend any more on the PSU than I have to. If I ever get a high-end video card, or plug more than a total of 6 HDs or DVDs in at once, I'll probably upgrade to a better PSU when the need arises. For now, though, I'd like to spend no more than $40 for the PSU.
MOBO (all AM2):
Asus M2N-MX SE = $53 @ Technology Depot. (It only has 2 SATA ports and 2 RAM slots, though)
Asus M2A-VM = $65 @ Technology Depot.
Gigabyte GA MA69GM-S2H = $69 @ Best Deal Computers (in Chula Vista)
(Note: all 3 links are for images of display ads in a local magazine, with other things advertised on the same page)
CPU (all Athlon):
3200 = $46 @ Technology Depot
3800+ = $55 @ Technology Depot
X2 4000 = $70 @ Technology Depot
(note: Technology Depot has CPU listings here but there seems to be a bit of a discrepancy on prices listed there vs the ones listed in the magazine display ad.
X2 4200+ = $75 @ Micro PC Outlet (Chula Vista) or $79 @ ChipsAndMemory.com (Kearny Mesa - more convenient location (I'm in El Cajon))
RAM:
1GB Kingston DDR2-667 = $25 @ Best Bytes Computer Sources
2GB (1 stick) Kingston DDR2-667 = $49 @ MicroPC Outlet (Chula Vista)
HDD (all Western Digital SATA-2 7200rpm 16mb):
500GB = $99 @ chipsandmemory.com (shows as $104 online for the KS version
750GB = $129 @ Best Bytes Computer Sources
DVD+-RW
not much info on the locals. For an 18X, there's a Sony for $31 or a Samsung for $35. For a 20X, LiteOn or Pioneer is $29. Add lightscribe, and ASUS or LiteOn is $37. Chances are I might be better off browsing the local stores. I would like to have lightscribe available, but considering I have to get special discs to use it, I'll probably not require it.
Keyboard & Mouse
We have an unused set sitting around here so I'll use that for now.
OS
We have a Windows 2000 CD that I'll most likely use (although I'll want to get XP Professional later - it's about $125 at one local place, but you have to purchase hardware too.) One concern is the large HDD I'm planning to purchase, that I would like to have as all one partition, and the 28-bit (127 or 137GB) LBA limit.
Should any MOBO I'm considering support it?
Also, I have a Promise Ultra100 TX2 card in my parents' PC (with the K6T266 Pro2 Mobo, Win 2000 SP4, a 200GB HDD of which 127GiB is formatted). Should I take it out (it's mine anyway) and put it in my own build?
Also, what about getting 2000 to work with the large HD? I see that I need at least SP3 (I'll plan to have probably SP4, or if there is such thing, MAYBE SP5), and I'll need to add an EnableBigLBA registry key.
What about the installation and HD partitioning, though? I also have an 80GB HD, and a 250GB HD split into 2 120GiB partitons. Should I install the OS onto one of those, patch it, etc, THEN install the 500GB or 750GB HD? (Once the larger HD is installed, something upwards of 60 to 80GB (won't all fit on the 80 or 250 I now have) of my stuff will be coming off my parents' 200G (127 formatted) HD.
OR.... buying a pre-built system locally:
Technology Depot - looking at the Advance System, but it doesn't seem like all that good of a deal.
Best Bytes Computer Sources:
P4 775 System: Cel 3.0 for $199 or Cel 3.2 for $209 or P4 for $249, OR...
AM2 System: probably X2 4400+ for $279, or where's the sweet spot on these for price/performance?
Core2Duo System: probably E4500 2.2GHz for $329, or is there a sweet spot somewhere above that?
Best Deal Computers:
BD System #1 AMD Dual-Core - X2 4200+ 2.2Ghz = $295 (others also available, but leaning toward economy for now)
BD System #0 barebone - Intel 327 Cel 3.0GHz $229, Intel 631 P4 3.0GHz $258, Intel E4500 Core2Duo 2.2Ghz $321.
BD System #4 Intel Core2Duo - E4500 2.2Ghz $333, other options also available.
If I get a pre-built, I can, although very temporarily, live with a 160GB HD. Chances are, though, I might buy that 750GB WD linked/mentioned above cause I believe it's a very good deal.
What would you say, generally, is the best deal on the pre-builts? If I haven't already made it clear, I do NOT want to get one of the national brands, i.e. Dell, Gateway, Lenovo, HP, eMachines, etc. I prefer to buy from a local store if I get a prebuilt.
Another hybrid option would be to get one of the prebuilts, then get a better PSU (unless whatever one comes with it is fine for my use), a bigger HD (although I can live with 160 for a few months - it's just that 500 or 750 is a much better deal if I'm building my own), another GB or 2 of RAM (considering I'm going with onboard video) but would the 1GB be fine? (Note: i very regularly take my parents' PC - 256MB plus swap, up to over 600 or 700MB peak limit, and have been known to tax my brother's 1GB (Athlon 1.2MHz) sometimes.)
I'll probably want to upgrade later (but not within 12 months). This, for now, is basically to get me off my parents' computer. Later additions would include, but not be limited to, a decent video card (but not necessarily an 8800 series), a better PSU, faster CPU (and a new mobo if I have to - I'm not requiring quad-core support on my current DIY), XP Professional, larger HD when I run out of room on the 750, etc...