First Home Build

[alinger]

I'm moving up from a Pentium 4 1.6 ghtz computer to Intel Core 2 Duo gaming system. Only, this time I decided to build it myself. Here is a list of the components I've decided on so far. Your imput and advise would be greatly appreciated.

Case and PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371012

MOBO:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131232

CPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115132

Memory:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227298

Video:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130363

HDD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073

DVD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135156

Monitor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236028

OS:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488

CPU Cooler:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118020

It's a bit more than I expected to spend but all the above came in under $1400 so I'm pretty happy. I'd like to figure out how much it would cost built retail? Thanks again for your imput as this is my first attempt at a complete build.

 

[kamkal]

1) mobo, id avoid nvidia based MOBO unless you plan on doing SLI later
id opt for an x38 based mobo instead
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131219
ASUS P5E LGA 775 Intel X38 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
You can OC on these pretty well, you just cant do SLI, but you can do Crossfire

2) PSU, thats kind of over powered (and pricey) for your system
you could get this instead
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail

3) GFX card, the money you save from changing your PSU and Case (look below), you can get yourself a better GFX card like an ATI 4850 or GTX260 or something better than the 9600GT you have listed

4) mem looks good

5) HD looks good

6) dvd burner all good

7) OS is good

8) kinda sketchy on the cooler, you only need an after market cooler if you want to OC, i hear those zalman ones are a b!tch to mount

i personally have this one
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835109125
Thermalright Ultra 120

and I've got my e8400 CPU @3.8GHZ with no problems on this heatsink

you will also need a 12cm fan such as this for it
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999614
Vantec 120mm FAN
Best part is that you can slap on any 120mm fan, so if the one on it dies, you just get another one from anywhere

9) your case is ok but you can swap that for this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
its similar to the antec 900 but cheaper and comes with 2 fans and space for like 4 more


10) cpu is decent, its the 45nm Wolfdale you've got listed so you should be able to OC that to at least 3ghz


other than that i think you are good IMHO.

damn, i wish we could order from newegg up here in canada, f*ckers have got everything at the click of a mouse

 

[dirtmountain]

Way too much overkill on that power supply, even with the deal.
Same case for $80 with free shipping. That's -$40
http://www.buy.com/prod/antec-nine-hundred-steel-atx-mid-tower-computer-case-900-antec-nine/q/loc/101/202997579.html
Better power supply that's just fine for your system even with crossfire.
750w corsair $84 after rebate with free shipping -$140
http://www.buy.com/prod/corsair-tx-750w-atx-12v-power-supply-corsair-tx-cmpsu-750tx-atx12v/q/loc/101/206178325.html
get 1 8800GT for $110 -$40 or even better 2 8800GT for +$70
upgrade the processor to a E8400 + $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037
Get this RAM 2x2 GB DDR2 800 1.8v -$13
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146731

even with the changes you're spending $75 less and getting a much better system. That included the crossfired 8800GT. You could even go with a single 9800GX2 and still save money over the original system

 

[geofelt]

For a gaming system, spend your money on the best graphics system you feel comfortable paying for. With your budget, I would look at the GTX260,4870/9800GX2 class cards, going for about $250. For examole a EVGA GTX260 superclocked for $225.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130372

You can save a bunch on the PSU. You can't beat the PC P&C silencer610 for $79.99.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703005

I like the Antec 900 case, but the Antec 300 cools as well, and is cheaper. $54.95. No "bling" though.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
There is a good combo deal which gets you the case and an Antec 650w psu for $114.94.

4gb is good, but DDR2-800 is cheaper, and will perform just as well.

The zalman cooler looks nice, but it is a bit pricey. A more effective and cheaper cooler is the Xigmatek 1283 for $39.99.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233012
I would recommend the optional backplate also. Pushpin mounts are tricky.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233020

The monitor is OK, but can you get a 24" monitor. It is worth stretching a bit for a monitor; you will use it for several generations of PC. I have seen some good reviews of the SOYO 24" monitor, sold for $299 online.
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=93&Itemid=1
---good luck---

 

[shortstuff_mt]

SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 22X DVD-R 16X DVD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173 $26.99

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218 $79.99

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128344 $126.99 - $20.00 MIR

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=N82E16820146731 $82.99 - $20.00 MIR

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037 $169.99

POWERCOLOR AX4870 1GBD5-PPH Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131120 $299.99 - $20.00 MIR

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021&Tpk=ANTEC%20900 $129.99

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006 $129.99 - $20.00 MIR

XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003 $33.99

XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233019 $6.99

ARCTIC COOLING MX-2 Thermal Compound - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186020 $6.99

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488 $99.99

This build comes to $1,194.88 - $80 MIR

Newegg also currently has the Antec 300 case for $55 shipped:

Antec Three Hundred Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

That would almost save you enough to upgrade to this X48 motherboard:

GIGABYTE GA-X48-DS4 LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128336 $224.99

+ 1 for the 24" Samsung if you can fit it in.

 

[mexpedip]

+1 shortstuff, very nice build.

Hate to sound unoriginal alinger but the build by shortstuff is excellent with the only possible changes being to for preference only. It will give you more speed, much better graphics card, better RAM (DDR@ 800 @ 1.8v), faster HDD, better cooling etc. And if you want to be around the $1400 mark you can keep the Antec 900 and still upgrade to the x48 board he has listed above.

FYI, I have the x38 version of the board he has listed above and it makes OC'ing very easy, even for noobs like me.

 

[alinger]

Wow..thanks for such a great response. I've made some changes and here is what I have in my cart so far.

Case: (change)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137

HDD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073

GPU: (change)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130372

PSU: (change)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

Thermal stuff: (added)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186020

Memory: (change)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146731

CPU: (change)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037

OS:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488

I'm stuck on which MOBO to get for the GTX260. Here are three that I have in my cart. Which one if any whould you get, and if not any of the three which would you have?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128336

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128344

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131231

Thanks again!!!!

 

[mexpedip]

I would get the x48 and switch your video card to a 4870. If you are stuck on the nvidia card then get the 780i MOBO.

also, spend the extra $10 and get the HDD from shortstuff's post.

 

[geofelt]

#1=P45
#2=X48
#3= 780

 

[ke7diz]

go with a 640gb HDD they are only $10 more (the current platers are 320gb each so the 500 is the same as the 640 but with parts of the plater disabled)
+1 fore the 4870 but 260 still is good

 

[alinger]

Thanks mexpedip...I ended up going with the x48 and 4870 so I should have a screaming machine when all is done. Thanks to all!