Non-gaming first build since 2002

[herderby]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: January 2010 BUDGET RANGE: $700 - $1000 After Rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Edit graphics using Paint Shop Pro Photo X2, download and unzip/unrar archives of .jpg .psp and other graphic files for use in PSP Photo X2, copy and burn DVD movies using Roxio Creator 2009, DVD Shrink and DVD Decrypter, browse the web, send/receive email

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: (e.g.: Grand Fenwick)

PARTS PREFERENCES: by brand or type Intel Core2 Quad CPU

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1152x864 - 1280x1024

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Thanks all for looking! My first new build since about 2002. This one will be for my wife. She might not need a super fast pc, but I would like to get something decent for my price range.

She is upgrading from a 2005 model Dell system, so I'm sure just about anything will be an improvement.

Will all this stuff work ok together? Any suggestions to shave off some cost without building a much slower system? Do I need a better GPU for what she is using the system for? I'm at about $922 including shipping right now with this list:

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CPU Intel Core2 Quad Q9400 2.66GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail $189.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115131

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 92mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler - Retail $34.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148249&Tpk=CT2KIT25664AA1067

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $134.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358&Tpk=EP45%20UD3P

Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model CT2KIT25664AA1067 - Retail $109.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148249&Tpk=CT2KIT25664AA1067

MSI N8400GS-TD512 GeForce 8400 GS 512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Video Card - Retail $36.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127366

Antec earthwatts EA500 500W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.0 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC "Compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply - Retail $74.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371007

Antec Two Hundred Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail Front-loaded hot swap 3.5" SATA hard drive caddy $49.95
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129070

Sony Optiarc Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner with LightScribe LightScribe Support - OEM $30.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118032

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $74.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM $139.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758

 

[KeithMoonsLiver]

I'd go with an i5-750 over the Q9400. They are $195 on newegg and have an additional 5 bucks off with promo code EMCMNPM42 until january 6th.

 

[lunyone]

An i5 750 is a better buy right now. Intel's s775 is EOL, so it won't be financially logical to buy parts for a dying socket.

Here ya go:
CPU - $190 w/EMCMNPM42 promo code!!
Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215&cm_re=i5_750-_-19-115-215-_-Product

Mobo - $143 shipped!! Supports upcoming USB 3.0 and SATA 3!!!
GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128412

GPU - $80 shipped! You might need this much, but for this price you can't go wrong. It'll help out when/if you get bigger resolutions and/or if you get more monitors!! NO PCI-e Power connections either!! It also expels out the hot air out of the back of the case!!
HIS H467QS1GH Radeon HD 4670 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161287

Case/PSU combo - $100 shipped!! Same PSU you selected, but comes in a nice case too!! Saving you $40 over your selections!!
Antec Sonata III 500 Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129024

1st HD - $55 shipped! This will be your main OS and applications HD.
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181

2nd HD - $100 shipped!! This will be used for a scratch drive (mainly for manipulating images, etc.) or for a data drive.
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

RAM - $93 shipped!! Some of the better sets to get that run on stock voltages (1.5v)!!
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

DVD Burner - $39 shipped!! This retail version comes with the software to read/burn DVD's!!
LITE-ON Black 24X DVD+R 24X DVD-R SATA Black 24X DVD Writer - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106334

OS - $140 shipped! Your selection. Could also go with the Home Premium for $105 too!
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758

Total ~$941 shipped!! Obviously you can change a lot of these parts, but this makes up a pretty nice setup for under $1,000 w/no rebates!!

 

[herderby]

Thanks! I'll check these out. So many choices for someone who doesn't do this much.

The last one I built back in 2002 was from a list of parts from Tom's Hardware Guide site. I recently upgraded the hard drives, installed MS Home Server and that one is now a home server that runs 24/7 with no problems.

I considered the i5, but didn't read enough about it.

I forgot about the second scratch drive. She has 2 drives on her old setup for that reason.

I even thought about USB 3.0 and SATA 3, but didn't look hard enough for a MB to support it.

I wasn't sure if I needed XP mode for any of her older programs that I didn't list. That's why I went with Win 7 Pro.

And I'll look at any suggestions anyone else has too. Thanks again!

 

[herderby]

Thanks oh LunyOne! I took most of your suggestions and am typing this from the new pc. A few more tweaks and it will be done.

I went with a different DVD burner because she wants Light Scribe.
MSI Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM SATA CD/DVD Burner LightScribe Support - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827100059

And I went with a different 2nd hard drive (1TB) from Amazon.com to make them the same brand and to make them both the F3 version.
Samsung 1 TB Spinpoint 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.5 inch Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive HD103SJ
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001U3S5S0/ref=ox_ya_oh_product


And I went with Windows 7 Home Premium

Still less than $1000 and much better than buying a prebuilt junker from Dell.

An i5 750 is a better buy right now. Intel's s775 is EOL, so it won't be financially logical to buy parts for a dying socket.

Here ya go:
CPU - $190 w/EMCMNPM42 promo code!!
Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215&cm_re=i5_750-_-19-115-215-_-Product

Mobo - $143 shipped!! Supports upcoming USB 3.0 and SATA 3!!!
GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128412

GPU - $80 shipped! You might need this much, but for this price you can't go wrong. It'll help out when/if you get bigger resolutions and/or if you get more monitors!! NO PCI-e Power connections either!! It also expels out the hot air out of the back of the case!!
HIS H467QS1GH Radeon HD 4670 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161287

Case/PSU combo - $100 shipped!! Same PSU you selected, but comes in a nice case too!! Saving you $40 over your selections!!
Antec Sonata III 500 Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129024

1st HD - $55 shipped! This will be your main OS and applications HD.
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181

2nd HD - $100 shipped!! This will be used for a scratch drive (mainly for manipulating images, etc.) or for a data drive.
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

RAM - $93 shipped!! Some of the better sets to get that run on stock voltages (1.5v)!!
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

DVD Burner - $39 shipped!! This retail version comes with the software to read/burn DVD's!!
LITE-ON Black 24X DVD+R 24X DVD-R SATA Black 24X DVD Writer - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106334

OS - $140 shipped! Your selection. Could also go with the Home Premium for $105 too!
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758

Total ~$941 shipped!! Obviously you can change a lot of these parts, but this makes up a pretty nice setup for under $1,000 w/no rebates!!

 

[lunyone]

Those selections will be fine too. I just tried to inform you of "possible" options to consider. I'm glad all is working out for you and I'm glad I could help