Need Advice on building and buying a PC

lotos

Distinguished
Feb 2, 2010
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18,510
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: within next month
BUDGET RANGE: ~700$
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Graphics - Adobe Package (Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign), Corel, 3DsMax, Maya, CAD... and some games.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: monitor, keyboard, mouse.. and other peripheral items, OS, Power Supply...

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: don't know, I think sites what are shipping to Moldova; I will make a price comparison and will take a decision.
for example: the core 2 quad Q9550 - on e-bay will cost me 251$ with shipping, here in Moldova it will cost 275$ to buy it from a store
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Moldova

PARTS PREFERENCES: was thinking at intel core 2 quad Q9550 2.83Ghz, 1333Mhz, 12MB cash, LGA775 Socket - but it is too expensive;
If the AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 3.2GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor Model HDZ955FBGMBOX - will make face, I am thinking about it to.

Don't know what to do, normally the preferred is Intel based computer (Q9550 -> 12 Mb cash...)

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

Generally I am thinking to a quad processor from Intel (intel core 2 quad Q9550 2.83Ghz, 1333Mhz, 12MB cash, LGA775 Socket), but there is one problem, I've read a lot of information about it, and it is specified that socket LGA775 is enough old, and there will be problems in the further with upgrading it (but it is still a good socket). So I don't know what to do. I like here the cash level. Know that it is an important detail.

Have an idea how to reduce the cost of mother board and video by the time, may to buy a mother board with a integrated video, and within few months to buy/add another good video card, that's to reduce the budget, and to invest it in other more important items as processor or motherboard, about RAM I can say the same, the first time it's enough 2 GB DDR 3, and within few weeks I will buy more x*2Gb... etc. I am investing in the most important parts, and by the time I will add the other components if that will be necessary.

Please if you have some good ideas, help me!
Many thanks to all!
Hope I'll get the right answer... :hello: ;)
 
There are problems upgrading the LGA 775 socket. So what you should do is buy an AMD CPU and board.

Here's what I would build (Newegg.com prices):

CPU: Phenom II X4 955 $166
Mobo: Asus M4A79XTD EVO $110
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x2 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 7 $115
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 500 GB $55
Case: Antec 300 $60
GPU: HD 5770 $155
Optical: Cheapest SATA DVD burner $25

Total: $686. With the cheaper price of AMD CPUs and boards, you can easily afford a great video card with your budget already. Of course, that also means we need to know what PSU you have already to tell if it could power the system...