thinking about building a system forthe first time

[perik57]

I had posted a request for card info yesterday and saw a reply that got me concidering building a system with my 14 year old son who has a budding interest in all this tech stuff.He wants to keep upgrading our family system but everything works fine now and I hate to open it up too much.(hate to put a hemi in a k-car)... If we had about $500.00 to spend what could we put togather that would give us good gaming and also digital camera video editing. We already have a decent moniter. Neither of us have any experiance doing anything like this and maybe it would be too frustrating but it would give us something to work on togather if it was possible to actually complete it. Am I dreaming or is it possible with $500.00 dollars. what would we need to get up and running?

 

[halkebul]

Hello. Well, I just crunched some numbers. I think I can come up with something that's high quality and has future upgradability. But I was curious to know if you have any other salvagable components from your old computer: graphics card, hard drive, speakers, mouse, keyboard, etc. And also, how flexible are ya on the $500 budget?

<i>It's your world kid!!!</i>

 

[perik57]

thanks for the interest... we do have the basics, key board mouse..etc but other than a real old acer desktop that sits in the closet(long since been retired) we would need just about everything else that would be nessary starting with the case and working our way in

 

[perik57]

we can handle the "10% rule" but thats about it. what mom doesn't know wont hurt her !!! perik

 

[the_Prisoner]

Hemi in a K-car why not, I have a 400hp engine in my Corvair.

With 500.00 you can do a decent system. I suggest going onto hardware sites to check prices. You will not be able to play high end games at the highest setting and digital editing does not take a powerfull computer. 500.00 will get you a midend system. If anything you will learn to build a new system.

And like the above poster said, what can use from an older system and upgrade ability in a system like this would be important.

the Prisoner

I'm not a number, I'm a free man!

 

[halkebul]

Asus A7N8X Deluxe Motherboard $150
AMD XP 1600+ RETAIL $60
One <A HREF="http://www.coldconcept.com/default.php/cPath/39_42/osCsid/bacb71282522ff2370ab505db85302d5" target="_new">OCZ 256 PC3500 Enhanced Latency (EL) memory module </A>$110
Chieftec Case & 450W Power supply (Model#: DX-01WD) ~$60
IBM 40GB 7200RPM Hard Drive $70
Logitech Z-340 2.1 Speakers $35
Gainward GeForce 3 Ti200 64MB Graphics Card $90

All products purchasable at newEgg.com (if out of stock, try to find it on pricewatch.com or pricegrabber.com) except memory. Down the road, 12-18 months, an upgrade to a 400MHz DDR FSB Barton processor would be dreamy and another 256MB memory module identical to the memory module above. I would've recommended a low-end ATi card, but I see too many problems related to those cards. So, I went with the GeForce3. Still very fast. And this system is primed for overclocking also. Enjoy!

<A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=527833#527833" target="_new">Official Asus A7N8X Thread</A>

<i>It's your world kid!!!</i>

 

[perik57]

thanks.. have started to check them out.. so I need ..case, psu, cpu, mobo, hd, memory, drives(cd-rom), cards. If I have the other acssesories(key, mouse, etc) other then alittle luck that should do it?Perik

 

[halkebul]

have started to check them out.. so I need ..case, psu, cpu, mobo, hd, memory, drives(cd-rom)

If you don't have a CD-Drive, i would add a DVD-drive(can also read CDs) because some of the apps and games you buy may come on DVD. Costs about $40. I recommend the DVD drive from Lite-On.

<i>It's your world kid!!!</i>

 

[the_Prisoner]

That list does not include a cd-rom drive or DVD-rom drive,floppy drive,modem, speakers, or an operating system!

the Prisoner

I'm not a number, I'm a free man!

 

[halkebul]

perik57, Do you have a full version of an operating sytem?
Do you need floppy drive and modem?

<i>It's your world kid!!!</i>

 

[perik57]

do have "xp" on our main if that is considered full version and transferable if not we do have "me" on a laptop and "98" on the old system.

 

[perik57]

again if we could use our old acers floppy and modem yes if not would have to go to the used parts dept of the local computer shop. I have an old girl friend that runs the place .. I think we parted on good terms !!!

 

[halkebul]

do have "xp" on our main if that is considered full version and transferable if not we do have "me" on a laptop and "98" on the old system.

Of the operating systems listed, xp would be the best. So, appears you don't need to buy another operating system.


<i>It's your world kid!!!</i>

 

[halkebul]

again if we could use our old acers floppy and modem yes if not would have to go to the used parts dept of the local computer shop. I have an old girl friend that runs the place .. I think we parted on good terms !!!

OK. So, you can get access to a floppy drive and modem (needed for dial-up internet connection) also. Your pretty much all covered. Cheers!

<i>It's your world kid!!!</i>

 

[perik57]

thanks again ... my son just might find a box full of parts under the tree this year....P.. the gift that keeps on giving !!!

 

[Spitfire_x86]

Maxtor D740X 40 GB is more reliable than IBM's 7200rpm 40 GB HDD. Just spend $10 more, and your data will be safer.

Let us know <A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/community/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=25703#25703" target="_new"> What File compression format you use? </A>

 

[Crashman]

d00d, never include the OS in the price when you build your own, simply transfer the OS from another system (he has two of them).

<font color=blue>You're posting in a forum with class. It may be third class, but it's still class!</font color=blue>

 

[Groveling_Wyrm]

The gift keeps giving if its installed right the first time.... Just make sure that you fully understand what you are doing before trying to do it. There are too many people that end up posting questions here because of mistakes that they made which could have easily been prevented.



Quick!!! Whats the number for 911?

 

[the_Prisoner]

Sorry Crashman, I am not a d00d. Also, he did not say he had an OS until a later post.

Best Regards,
the Prisoner



I'm not a number, I'm a free man!

 

[Crashman]

He said he had two existing systems, usually that means he has two OS licences.

<font color=blue>You're posting in a forum with class. It may be third class, but it's still class!</font color=blue>

 

[andyk]

You will have to buy a heatsink and a fan too. A lot of online stores offer "boxed" versions of the cpus where the heatsink and fan is included. As the cpu isn't the top of the line, you don't need any fancy (and expensive) cooling solution.

Regards and good luck
Andreas


<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by AndyK on 12/17/02 12:16 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[perik57]

Just about ready to order the parts but wanted to ask one more question. With the video camera needing a ieee1394 connect to transfer would the mother board you suggested(asus a7n8x deluxe) offer that connection. I see that the in picture it does have that but vid card does not. also if I found a few more dollars would it be alright to get the athlon xp 2000 as it is "retail box" and would have sink and fan with it ?

 

[halkebul]

With the video camera needing a ieee1394 connect to transfer would the mother board you suggested(asus a7n8x deluxe) offer that connection.

Yes, it has the firewire ports you require.

would it be alright to get the athlon xp 2000 as it is "retail box" and would have sink and fan with it ?

Good choice also and it will have the heatsink and fan included.

<i>It's your world kid!!!</i>