I'm finally scrapping my old 1800++ machine, and I want to get it right this time! On my old soltec motherboard the batteries around the cpu have started to melt due to an insufficient cpu cooler I had for the first year (cpu ran at about 75+ degrees celcius at the time, a fact that I was blissfully unaware of), my GPU was GF4 (now r9800) but didn't work for games (stupid mx 440 series, my old GF2 was better). I have a 512 and a 256 mb memory working side by side ( I didn't know better! ) After having studied THG for bout a year now I've come up with a blueprint for my next computer. Just wanna run it past the pro's to make sure I get it right this time. Please have a look:

AMD Athlon 64 4000+ 2.4 GHz Socket 939, 1MB cache, BOXED

Zalman CNPS7700B-Cu CPU-Fan Socket A/478/775/754/939/940

Corsair TWINX1024-3200XL DDR-DIMM 1024MB Kit w/two matched CMX512-3200XL DIMMs

Cooler Master Stacker Chassi Svart (Inget nätagg)

Antec NeoPower 480W ATX 12v 2.0 PSU

Asus A8N-E, nForce4 Ultra, Socket-939, ATX, S-ATA, GbLAN, Firewire, PCI-E

Xtasy Radeon X850 XT Video Card, PCI Express, 256MB GDDR3

Western Digital Raptor 36.7GB S-ATA 8MB cache 10000RPM

Seagate Barracuda 7200.8 250GB S-ATA 8MB cache 7200RPM NCQ

LG Electronics GSA-4160 Dual-Layer DVD -R/RW +R/RW /RAM 16X DVD-R 4X DVD-RW 16X DVD+R 4X DVD+RW 40X CDR 24X CDRW black bulk IDE

Netgear GA311IS GB PCI-kort 10/100/1000Mbps

Figure I won't shell out a fortune for the FX-55, so that I might upgrade to a dual amd in the future. I'm not to sure bout the memories.

Here's what I plan to use my comp for:

games like Mafia 2 (still praying it will come before 2006),
HL3, CSSource, well you get the idea...

Windows applications like Office, Firefox, occasinal map making for games and the compilation that follows, some 3d modelling.

watching dvds, movies etc.

Oh and I don't plan to O/C...
Any opinion is much appreciated!

1. Do yourself a favor and get a higher capacity PSU. <b>Minimum</b> I would go with that system is the <A HREF="http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA21102" target="_new">Enermax 535W Whisper II</A>. Read this <A HREF="http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20050228/index.html" target="_new">THG PSU review</A>.
2. If you're gonna spend the money for a Raptor, then get the 74GB. Read on the performance differences in this <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2073" target="_new">Anandtech HDD review</A>. For the Seagate HDD you don't need one with NCQ.
3. Why separate NIC? That mobo has Gigabit onboard.
4. If you aren't planning on OCing, then you could save some money on the RAM by getting this good <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-220-006&depa=1" target="_new">Patriot PDC1G3200LLK</A> instead.
5. What monitor will you be using?

__________________________________________________
<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

Thank you for those excellent points. Just saved me 30 bucks that I would have spent on that NIC. Fact is I originally wanted to go with Enermax, but I was seduced by the ability to plug in cables separately. But since stability is king, and I'll want to upgrade things like the CPU I think I'll take you up on that advice (might save me some money on the electrical bill as well). Since I can get the bigger raptor for only about 25-30 $ more at compusa than the 36 gb costs where I live, you bet I'll get the 72 gb one! I had the silly idea that the 36gb would be faster.
About the memory however, I'm not so sure. I read somewhere that these high performance CPU require the best of RAM to work well... If I want to squeeze out every bit of performance from the CPU, shouldn't I get kick-ass memory or is that just a waste of money?
monitor-wise I plan to get a new flatscreen CRT sometime in the future, but for now I'll keep to my age old 17 inch compaq v75 monitor. At least until my next paycheck arrives. Any suggestions here? (want a black monitor to match the case, naturally )

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by walterblackberry on 03/10/05 12:16 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

I'd go with samsung. Dell uses them, and so do I. My crt still runs so well after 3 years, I've decided to postpone getting a new LCD. Check online venders, and compare prices to best buy or fry's. Mine still goes for about $100-140 in the 17 inch model.

I thought about samsung, but they are hard to find in black! The best one I found so far is this one <A HREF="http://www.datorbutiken.com/se/default.php?artId=VSG90FBL" target="_new">http://www.datorbutiken.com/se/default.php?artId=VSG90FBL</A>
sorry that the page is in Swedish... Its about 314 $ , but thats pretty cheap around here (Taxes are sky-high)
I've been looking all day for an Enermax PSU in the 530-550W area, but there just aren't any sold in Sweden. I could only
find the 600W one, which I think will bring my electric bill
to astronomical figures. I wish I could get by with
450W, but to be safe I'm getting

Antec Truepower 550W ATX Silent


Oh, and after some careful reading of THG buyers guide I've decided to go for the 3800++ insted of 4000++ (if I can just
convince myself a little bit more that is the economically and rationally best way to go )

See if you can find a Fortron Source or Sparkle with the FSP in the model number.A 500 watt fortron is about equal to most 550 to 600 models.

I aint signing nothing!!!

Well for performance that 4000+ is very nice, but really it just depends on how much you have to spend. Also, the PSU is only going to draw the power it needs to run your system, it's not going to be pulling 600w all the time! If you do end up having to get that 600w enermax psu, then think of it has good future proofing.

<font color=green> Woohoo!! I am officially an <b> Addict </b>!! </font color=green>
<i> <font color=red> One new Firefox fan </font color=red> </i>

Thanks for the pointers. I was a bit unsure if the 600W would be pulling that amount of energy all the time, thanks for clearing that up. Maybe that Enermax 600W PSU isn't such a bad deal after all... A lot of people on this forum recommend Fortron, and it's widely available where I live. Problem is I just don't know anything about the brand.. Unfortunately it wasn't even in the latest THG review of ATX power supplies. The antec PSU seems like a fool proof choice, even if it makes a bit of noise... But the efficiency of the Enermax is better, plus the futureproofing of having 600w of raw power! Seems like I'll have to think this over a bit more.

___________________________________________________
amd 1800++, soltec mobo w VIA chipset, r9800xt, chieftec 350w psu, Kinston PC3200 @ 333mhz
<i>noone really needs sleep</i>

Fortron did have one unit in the THG article - the Fortron Blue Storm 500W.

__________________________________________________
<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

Lol so FSP = Fortron, I feel like an idiot Quite good results too. But I think I've finally decided on ordering the Enermax.

___________________________________________________
<i>formerly known as walterblackberry</i>

I think you'd be good with either one and the Enermax will run great for you.

Do you have a symbol? That must be next...

__________________________________________________
<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

must've been watching to much dave shapelle show. I assure you I'm not sitting here in a purple suit w a large scarf around my neck!

___________________________________________________
<i>formerly known as walterblackberry</i>

Sure you aren't...

__________________________________________________
<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>