Holiday build

[bamj6]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: this month

BUDGET RANGE: don't know yet

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: gaming, multimedia, word processing, internet

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, sound card, wireless card,

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg, Bestbuy (more for getting it now than price, Amazon prime

PARTS PREFERENCES: MSI G31TM-P21 intel quad core

OVERCLOCKING: possibly

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1152x864

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: want gpu with no extra power

 

[bamj6]

bump, i adjusted it to the right format, sorry forum newbie

 

[gkay09]

^ Well if the budget is unknown, then it would be very hard to suggest you a config...
You can get a Gaming/ Multimedia build, even for $500 and $5000...
Maybe just give a range or rough value...

 

[bamj6]

Well i'll try

I spent $21 on the mobo a few hours ago. I had a $50 best buy gift card
My processor will be be a quad core of at least $150. I'll buy that from Amazon because i have prime shipping
memory i will buy in store so prob more expensive than online. 4 gb on 2 sticks as i plan to install vista 64
video card, looking at 9800 GT with no power connector so at least $100

So far, it's $300-350

 

[gkay09]

^ Have you bought the mobo and CPU then ?
So how much have you left with to spend on the rest of the components ?

 

[bamj6]

^ Have you bought the mobo and CPU then ?
So how much have you left with to spend on the rest of the components ?

I bought the mobo already, not the cpu yet.

The prime shipping ones from Amazon are

Q9400
Q9300
Q8400
Q8300
Q8200

 

[gkay09]

You shouldnt have gone with the LGA 775 socket...
An AM3 770 chipset mobo + a Tri core would have been better...So with the money saved, you could ahve go a better graphics card like the 5750...

As for the CPUs that you have listed, Q8400 would be a good option(Q9400/ Q9300 if the price difference is very less)...

 

[bamj6]

I only went with that because I had a $50 Best Buy gift card and the mobo price pre shipping was 49.99 I only paid fastest shipping price. Without the gift card, i wouldn't have bought it

I did take the Q8200 out of the running because it's the weakest, and the Q9300 due to the price too similar to the Q9400 in Amazon Prime

My choices are

Q9400
Q8400
Q8300

BTW I will also buy a new PSU. Antec in store Best Buy or Staples, care more about getting it quick over price

 

[gkay09]

^ If you overclock, then get the Q8300/ Q9400 as for the extra cache...
But you can also go for the Q8300 and with the money saved, get a faster graphics card...
As for the PSU, if Antec, then the Antec EA 500 would be good...

 

[bamj6]

Ahh, I was wondering why the Q8300 was priced higher than the Q8400. Now I know

As for the PSU. That's possibly what i'll buy. I'll buy the memory tomorrow and the psu by friday

 

[gkay09]

^ If the Q8400 is cheaper, then get that one...I thought the Q8400 is costlier than the 8300...

 

[bamj6]

How about a GPU rocommendation. What is the fastest single slot card in the market right now?

 

[gkay09]

^ What is the budget that you are willing to spend on it?

 

[bamj6]

Whatever I have to as long as it's a normal sized card. My mobo is a micro ATX one

 

[gkay09]

^hmm...
$100 - $125 - HD 4850 1GB/ GTS 250 1GB, which ever is cheaper...
$125 - $150 - HD 4870
$150 - $175 - HD 5770
$175 - $200 - HD 4890

But for your screen resolution, at the max get HD 5770... More than that it would a overkill(actually even the 5770 is an overkill)...

 

[bamj6]

Because of my resolution i'm leaning towards the 9800 GT EE unless the pcomng 5670 won't need a power connector

 

[gkay09]

^ Hmm...Then for about $115 get the HD 4770, it would be more powerful than the 9800GT, and would use less power...Even though it would require a separate power connector, but wouldnt draw that much power...
But if you are willing to wait, then the HD56xx might be a good choice...

 

[bamj6]

I also need it to be a normal sized card, like when i stand the card up, it's shorter than my current 9600 GT

 

[bamj6]

Update

I bought a 2 GB KByte memory from Staples today.

My mobo will arrive from UPS tomorrow

 

[gkay09]

The HD 56xx series card would not be long...

 

[bamj6]

I have an WD 500 GB IDE hard drive i have no reason to change. The GPU has to clear the IDE plug so anything as long or longer than my 9600 GT now will suck.

Also has to be single slot because of my mobo

 

[gkay09]

^ Check this...possibly a HD 5670 ...
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=21437

 

[bamj6]

That's EXACTLY the card size I want. Hell could even be THE CARD i want

 

[bamj6]

update.

My mottherboard arrived this morning

http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=prodcpu2&prod_no=1833&maincat_no=1

The next step is a CPU and regular sized video card.

The CPU favorite is the Q8400 and i plan to have it on Monday
The GPU favorite is a 9800 GT with no power connector brought from Best Buy

 

[bamj6]

I bought this a couple of days ago and it arrived 12+ hours ago

What I want to know is what CPU can i use for putting my first build together. I'm looking to buy quad but am not sure if the current unboxed BIOS is good enough. I don't want to buy a CPU that winds up not working in the first bios