Home build, South Africa R6000/$800, advice please.

DefecTalisman

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I looked around for an introductions forum, and came short. So let me introduce myself in my first thread.

I am from South Africa, yes that’s in Africa (so many people ask that question). We are classed as a first world country, but we are really more like half a first world country. A couple of months, if not a year sometimes behind the times (technology, movies and so on).
I lived in the UK for most my childhood and have been playing games almost every day of my life since my Commodore Amiga 500+ with 2 meg ram upgrade.
I am not new to tom’s charts, I have used them for a few years. Also trying to use the advice given in these forums lately.

I know it’s such a noob thing to do asking for advice/help straight off the mark :non: but I am in need of some ;)


My current desktop (don't laugh at it too much please, its hanging on by a string) was put together by myself around about 2004, I was able to play games up until BF II and it struggled with SIMS II with some add-ons. So since then I have been glued to the Xbox 360 or attempted using my lappy to play newer games :s
My old sys. specs :
AMD Athlone 1400 with an oversized copper heat sink,
2gig ram (been through a whole load of different modules),
80 gig hdd(again must have been through 2 shoe boxes of these, at 1 point I had 4x 20gig's),
some AGP FX5500 128mb graphics card(been through a few of these also),
PSU's (let’s not mention them too much, as this is what’s made me get a new PC),
2 x 19" CRT's,


Now I apologise for all the South African currency and links, but we are a tad limited here :( The current US dollar -> Rand exchange rate is : 1 U.S. dollar = R 7.43

Intended new sys. specs.

Motherboard : Gigabyte/Asus G31 or Gigabyte G41 - R700(max)
CPU : Intel Core2 Quad Q8200 2.33(R1253) - R1300(max)
CPU cooler : Some thermaltake job for around R350
Case & PSU : Coolermaster RC-335 - R800(max)
RAM : 2 x Corsair 2Gb DDR2-800 or 2 x OCZ 2Gb DDR2-800 Plat XTC - R1000(max)
HDD : Seagate Baracuda 500gb(R402) (3 partitions, dual boot win xp pro/linux & and storage)
Graphics card : 1 x Sparkle GTS250(R1481) or 1 x Asus EAH4770 FML/HTDI/512MD5 Formula edition - R1500(max)
Optical media : (any reasonable DVD-writer) - R300(max)
Monitor : I want to keep the 2 x 19" CRT's and also be able to use my 32" Sony HD LCD
All other peripherals are still fine and will suffice for now.

(The prices in the some of the links aren't the same that I pay, I have a account with a supplier)

Now I am not looking to be able to play games for years to come. I just want to be able to play my SIMS II without lag, maybe SIMS III, Diablo III. (StarCraft II if it ever comes out)

Thank you for taking the time to read this thread :) If you could give me any advice on my intended build, please speak up. I hate unexpected surprises :(
 

DefecTalisman

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I could get 1 local, but it would be R1800(the amazon one at $199 with shiping is going to work out about the same), but would a motherboard of that low spec really benafit from such a cpu ?
 

DefecTalisman

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Ok, after a few days of searching and a few phone calls, I have revised the specs a little thanks to your guys advice :)

:) :) and great advice it is ;)

CHASSIS : Coolermaster RC-334 nVidia Edition - R571

PSU : Coolermaster RS-500-PCAR eXtreme power 500w - R517 -from what it sounds like, he has a 550w for like R20 more which I will take ?

CPU : i5 750 2.66 - R1800 (yes I can get it at this price:))

MOTHERBOARD : (still not decided on this, so I have a list of posible candidates)
Asus P5G41-M LE
ASUS P5KPL/1600 (I like this for the 4 ddr2 slots)
ASUS P5G31D-M Pro
ASUS P5KPL/EPU
Asus P5QPL-AM
Gigabyte GA-EG31M-S2
Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L

RAM : OCZ PC2-8500 DDR2 4GB Low-Voltage Blade Series 2x2GB KIT or OCZ PC2-9600 DDR2 1200MHz 4GB Flex EX XLC 2x2GB KIT or something around the same price level ;)

GRAPHICS CARD : still the 1 x Sparkle GTS250 - R1481

HDD : Seagate Baracuda 500gb - R402

DVD : (any reasonable DVD-writer) - R300(max)


I forgot to mention, looking at harvesting all parts needed around the end of this month.

Please if anyone could recomend a motherboard and let me know if I am being stupid with this setup

So far estimated system value is around R7000 with a exchange rate of 1 South African rand = 0.135327 U.S. dollars.
I am not willing to stretch it any further than that :( But would be willing to wait a month or 2 and then start adding extras :)
 

DefecTalisman

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I CAN'T EDIT THE ABOVE POS and all the url's are funny :s

SO HERE IT AGAIN (if a mod could please delete my post directly above this)

Ok, after a few days of searching and a few phone calls, I have revised the specs a little thanks to your guys advice :)

:) :) and great advice it is ;)

CHASSIS : Coolermaster RC-334 nVidia Edition - R571

PSU : Coolermaster RS-500-PCAR eXtreme power 500w - R517 -from what it sounds like, he has a 550w for like R20 more which I will take ?

CPU : i5 750 2.66 - R1800 (yes I can get it at this price:))

MOTHERBOARD : (still not decided on this, so I have a list of posible candidates)
Asus P5G41-M LE
ASUS P5KPL/1600 (I like this for the 4 ddr2 slots)
ASUS P5G31D-M Pro
ASUS P5KPL/EPU
Asus P5QPL-AM
Gigabyte GA-EG31M-S2
Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L

RAM : OCZ PC2-8500 DDR2 4GB Low-Voltage Blade Series 2x2GB KIT or OCZ PC2-9600 DDR2 1200MHz 4GB Flex EX XLC 2x2GB KIT or something around the same price level ;)

GRAPHICS CARD : still the 1 x Sparkle GTS250 - R1481

HDD : Seagate Baracuda 500gb - R402

DVD : (any reasonable DVD-writer) - R300(max)


I forgot to mention, looking at harvesting all parts needed around the end of this month.

Please if anyone could recomend a motherboard and let me know if I am being stupid with this setup

So far estimated system value is around R7000 with a exchange rate of 1 South African rand = 0.135327 U.S. dollars.
I am not willing to stretch it any further than that :( But would be willing to wait a month or 2 and then start adding extras :)
 
You dun really need a quad to game - if you are tight hows a Phenom 2 Tricore and w/e cheap AM2+/AM3 mobo where u at sound? Dependable PSU and GPU with enuff teeth and u set ^^
total.png
 

DefecTalisman

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DefecTalisman

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How come when I try click "Usefull message"(I am guessing its rep) its seems to do the ajax thing amd I see a 1. But after refreshing the page it shows 0 :( ? ? ?
 

DefecTalisman

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Sorry, I forgot to mention that the computer will be running Apache server with a whole load of database services and server side languages, almost 24-7 on my home network. So the faster and bigger the cpu the better.
 

DefecTalisman

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I checked Esquire has the Assus P7P55D at just under R1600, but looking closer at the specs of that and the MSI. The MSI has sli and 2x RJ4510/100/1000 lan and the assus only has 1x RJ4510/100/1000 lan(not that I would have the chance to use both RJ45's).