I'm not really too budget restricted...but I want a bang-for-buck kinda of comp. Not over the top hardcore system.
I haven't done a lot of research, but I put together something I thought was a pretty solid machine, any suggestions for brands/parts/anything are welcome!
Keep in mind I'm not much of an ethusiast, no overclocking or tweaking at all, just out of the box performance. I'm an Asus/Antec fanboy aswell
Hard Drive : $120 WD Raptor 36GB 10k, I'm not worried about storage size as I have other HDs https://www.esng.ca/productDetail.php?pid=170200195001&isid=3844#
edit : going with seagate 32mb cache 7200rpm 500gb hard drive. since it's faster than a 10k rpm raptor? *shocked* http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=014525&cid=HD.443.877
Memory : $130 Crucial Ballistix Tracer DDR2-800mhz 4GB 4-4-4-12 (2x2gb sticks) http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=018904&cid=RAM.346.307
For my RAM, since I'm not going to overclock it, is it necessary to have low timings for RAM? Or will a set of valueRAM give the same performance? Also I went with ddr2-800 because it's cheap and not much of a performance diff with going higher? Or am I wrong?
edit: i think i'm going for OZC reaper 1066mhz instead, cheaper with mail in rebate and is faster/good timings aswell, $123 after mail in rebate http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=017451&cid=RAM.346.754
Motherboard : $148 after mail-in-rebate, Asus P5K Premium http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=015456&cid=MB.157
I have NO CLUE, what separates mobos besides FSB support/DDR2-3 support, and quad/tri video cards. What's the best mobo I can get based on my system parts? I'm going to run a 4870 for sure, and probably crossfire it when it gets cheaper. Any thoughts? Also, with nVidia SLI mobos, does that mean it only works with Nvidia GPUs? or can i slap on two radeons?
edit: decided to go with a x38 mobo after reading a little more, asus P5E, $232 http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=016083&cid=MB.157
Case : $100 Antec Nine Hundred Case http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=011391&cid=CS.664
PSU : $125 Antec neopower 650 , http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=015141&cid=PS.808
No idea here as well what I need, so I went for a top of the line Antec to make sure i got enough juice
edit : decided to go with corsair TX750W, http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=015709&cid=PS.808 $105 after rebate
CPU : $337 Intel Q9450 12mb L2cache, 1333mhz fsb, and 2.66ghz https://www.esng.ca/productDetail.php?category=Processors%20-%20CPU&subcategory=&pid=734200034263&isid=8013
This just looks mighty appealing...huge L2 cache, quad-core, and 1333mhz fsb, yummers.
GPU : $270 Sapphire Radeon 4870 512mb GDDR5, https://www.esng.ca/productDetail.php?pid=719300034319&isid=8062
I know this promotion is going to expire by the time I buy it, but whateverssss.
Sound Card : Can anyone recommend one for me? I'm running a logitech 5.1 x-540, http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=011908&cid=SP.323
I'm not that big on sound. As long as it's not distorted.
Total = $1230 CAD, which seems good for what I'm getting, or am I drunk?
edit : $1287 with revisions...
Thanks for any advice!!!
I haven't done a lot of research, but I put together something I thought was a pretty solid machine, any suggestions for brands/parts/anything are welcome!
Keep in mind I'm not much of an ethusiast, no overclocking or tweaking at all, just out of the box performance. I'm an Asus/Antec fanboy aswell
Hard Drive : $120 WD Raptor 36GB 10k, I'm not worried about storage size as I have other HDs https://www.esng.ca/productDetail.php?pid=170200195001&isid=3844#
edit : going with seagate 32mb cache 7200rpm 500gb hard drive. since it's faster than a 10k rpm raptor? *shocked* http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=014525&cid=HD.443.877
Memory : $130 Crucial Ballistix Tracer DDR2-800mhz 4GB 4-4-4-12 (2x2gb sticks) http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=018904&cid=RAM.346.307
For my RAM, since I'm not going to overclock it, is it necessary to have low timings for RAM? Or will a set of valueRAM give the same performance? Also I went with ddr2-800 because it's cheap and not much of a performance diff with going higher? Or am I wrong?
edit: i think i'm going for OZC reaper 1066mhz instead, cheaper with mail in rebate and is faster/good timings aswell, $123 after mail in rebate http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=017451&cid=RAM.346.754
Motherboard : $148 after mail-in-rebate, Asus P5K Premium http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=015456&cid=MB.157
I have NO CLUE, what separates mobos besides FSB support/DDR2-3 support, and quad/tri video cards. What's the best mobo I can get based on my system parts? I'm going to run a 4870 for sure, and probably crossfire it when it gets cheaper. Any thoughts? Also, with nVidia SLI mobos, does that mean it only works with Nvidia GPUs? or can i slap on two radeons?
edit: decided to go with a x38 mobo after reading a little more, asus P5E, $232 http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=016083&cid=MB.157
Case : $100 Antec Nine Hundred Case http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=011391&cid=CS.664
PSU : $125 Antec neopower 650 , http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=015141&cid=PS.808
No idea here as well what I need, so I went for a top of the line Antec to make sure i got enough juice
edit : decided to go with corsair TX750W, http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=015709&cid=PS.808 $105 after rebate
CPU : $337 Intel Q9450 12mb L2cache, 1333mhz fsb, and 2.66ghz https://www.esng.ca/productDetail.php?category=Processors%20-%20CPU&subcategory=&pid=734200034263&isid=8013
This just looks mighty appealing...huge L2 cache, quad-core, and 1333mhz fsb, yummers.
GPU : $270 Sapphire Radeon 4870 512mb GDDR5, https://www.esng.ca/productDetail.php?pid=719300034319&isid=8062
I know this promotion is going to expire by the time I buy it, but whateverssss.
Sound Card : Can anyone recommend one for me? I'm running a logitech 5.1 x-540, http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=011908&cid=SP.323
I'm not that big on sound. As long as it's not distorted.
Total = $1230 CAD, which seems good for what I'm getting, or am I drunk?
edit : $1287 with revisions...
Thanks for any advice!!!