Under $800 Power User Computer

tfreec

Distinguished
Jul 15, 2009
1
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18,510
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: within the week

BUDGET RANGE: About $800 at most (with tax and shipping), but less is always nice

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: heavy duty web surfing (I regularly have 20 to 30 windows open), Fritz for chess analysis, movies, low end gaming

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: I'd prefer to order everything from newegg.com

PARTS PREFERENCES: I don't really have a preference, as long as it works and is good quality.

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No idea

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1280x1024

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I've never built a computer before and I'm not the most tech suave person around, so any help is appreciated. I'm not much of a gamer, only the occasional CS 1.6, but I am a heavy multitasker and do a lot of computer engine chess analysis. I have already have an old 17 inch monitor that I'm satisfied with and plan on continuing to use.

These are the parts I've chosen, but I wanted to have them looked over by someone else first and make sure they were okay:

$429.97 Combo with:
AMD Phenom II X4 945 Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor Model HDX945FBGIBOX - Retail
213770ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
213770CORSAIR XMS3 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TW3X4G1600C9DHX - Retail
213770SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16819103675
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16813131366
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820145200
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16822152102

$72.99 OCZ StealthXStream OCZ700SXS 700W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817341019

$64.99 XFX GeForce 9500 GT PVT95GYDQ3 Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16814150332

$107.99 Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16811129021

$6.99 TRENDnet TE100-PCIWN 10/ 20/ 100/ 200Mbps PCI Ethernet Adapter 1 x RJ45 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16833156107

$31.99 Sony Optiarc Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD/CD Rewritable Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118030

Not a part but also ordering:
$8.95 Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16835100007

Total before tax and shipping: $723.87

 
You dont need the ethernet adapter, the board comes with gigabit ethernet so that card is actually significantly worse.

Also for a 9500 GT you dont need a 700 watt power supply and with 1 card you dont really need an antec 900 either. This combo would more than suffice.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.213672
That saves you $95 and you can save money by actually not going for that first combo, that ram is over priced significantly.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227297
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.212580
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284
Ends up costing about the same but will give you even better performance with tighter timings on the ram, a faster HDD, and a faster processor that is easier to OC.