Opinions Please....

[taf]

Newbie here...

I'm ready to build my first PC....and am very much undecided on the components. This pc will be primarily used for for surfing the net and on line stock trading. I am not a game player. I have about $700.00 to spend. Of course, I want the best bang for my buck. I'm mostly concerned about the cpu & mb. All comments are welcomed. Thanks to all...

 

[o1die]

I would go for an sis 645 or 645dx chipset board and P4 1.6a to run at 133 fsb for overclocking, or wait for the next Intel price drops, which will come around sept 1st. Someone reported that a recent article in the inquirer expected the 2.53 to drop to about $250-275, about half what it is now.

 

[10GHZ]

i dont' think the guy is gonna overclock his computer, he's not even into gaming. so i think it's better off if he gets a Xp or maybe a Duron setup with 256mb what ever ram, and a decent video card. i live in australia so i dont' know how much stuff costs in the US.. so some one else?

 

[WillD]

Do you already have a monitor? do you need a case? any peripherals?

I have to agree with the previous poster, an intel system would do you well, since they run cooler, more stable. But you could get better bang for your buck with a new AMD XP. I need more info though.

 

[taf]

Hi Willd....Yes, I have a monitor, Maxtor 30 Gig HD, & atx case. My main concern is the cpu, mb & type of ram. I have about $350 to spend on these items. I have no intention to over clock. I'm looking for stability/reliability.

There are so many combinations of cpu/mb ...I have no idea of which to go with. Any opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks again...

 

[PCcashCow]

do you know what the max output of your power supply? Chipsets theses days need atleast atleast! 300w.

So you need:
video
ram
mobo
cpu
sound
NIC?

Well you can go to www.tcwo.com and get a motherboard bundel with:
Gigabyte 7VRX w/AthlonXP 1900+ CPU + fan/sound and usb 2.0(no nic)
And for a cheap basic video card you can get the GeForce2 MX400 64mb Agp card
All (with shipping) for 325

There are some cheaper options, but this mobo offers 333 memory and ata 133 hdd support, and will go up to a 2200+ amd, so you want to up greade it will be easier,

-Tim

Ps its a stable system, just build 2 for my cousins

It seems that every time I reboot my wallet gets smaller.

 

[Spitfire_x86]

I have an totally different solution for you. It's also AMD based. As you will use your computer mainly for surfing the net and line stcok trading, a Duron may be enough for you.

I recommend the following items

Duron 1 GHz or faster (Retail boxed)
MSI K7N420-Pro mobo (nForce 420-D Chipset)
256 MB PC2100 (DDR266) DDR RAM


The motherboard comes with integrated GeForce2 MX graphics card. So you don't need to spend for a graphics card. It also comes with high quality sound and a 10/100 Mbps NIC. This system should cost about $250. Go to pricegrabber (www.pricegrabber.com) for exact prices.

Of course, this system is 100% stable. I am personally using it and built for one of my friends.

If you want to spend more and want longer life of your pc, get an Athlon XP 1700+ or 1800+. Don't buy higher clocked 1900+, 2000+ etc cpus. They will perform almost same compared to 1700+ or 1800+ cpus and cost extra bucks.


If you plan to buy PCcashCow's system, I will say don't get 1900+ cpu, get 1700+ or 1800+. Athlon benefit very little form PC2700 (DDR333) memory. So get PC2100 (DDR266) memory. It will save few bucks.

Any configuration you buy, try to get 512 MB Ram, it should increase overall system performance.

 

[PCcashCow]

Very true, I agree, Infact most ofthe 333 chipsets will take a duron aswell, i was maybe pointing to peace of mind in having a machine that will not be substandard within a few months but rather have a large amount of upgradability.

MSI combos are nice aswell

-tim

It seems that every time I reboot my wallet gets smaller. <P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by PCcashCow on 07/24/02 11:25 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[taf]

Thank you for the advice. I will seriously consider your suggestion. I'm leaning toward the Anthlon XP, but cost is a factor. I have a limited budget. May have to go with the Duron. I keep hearing about heating problems with AMD. Am I better off with the Duron as far as heat?

 

[taf]

Thanks Spitfire...I may have to go with the Duron to keep the cost down. I'm also concerned about heat. Is the Duron a better choice as far as less heat?

 

[WillD]

Excellent idea. I have to say im pleased with my 1.1Ghz Duron and for the price you cant beat them. I love this Gigabyte 7VRXP. And with the stock cooling I get between around 42C idle, 49C stressed. Its been a while since I checked, but basically the heat isnt bad at all, but for more serious people with money to spend, theyd buy another HSF.
Infact. My system is:
Duron 1.1
Gigabyte 7VRXP
Geforce 2 GTS
256 PC2100 DDR (crucial).

Id be willing to sell this for 210..maybe... The system is stable as a rock, and the GTS is a lot better than the onboard video that comes with the Nforce. Mine also has pretty decent onboard sound ( I compared it with my current card, the only differnce is amplification. The onboard Lan works well, I checked it. USB 2.0 also setups fairly easily in XP. Anyway..good luck