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Thread: looking for a new computer
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04-25-2003, 09:39 PM #1Web Hosting Master
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looking for a new computer
I wasnt totally sure where to post this. But I decided this was as good as category as any. Feel free to move it if I screwed it up :-).
I'm looking for a new computer. I'm not really looking for one of the bigger companies (dell/gateway/etc), but something that has a good name. I don't need a monitor or anything, nor do I need tech support as I can solve pretty much any problem I come across myself.
I dont need a huge hard drive because I'm going to end up moving my 120gigs from this puter to the other one.
Why don't I make one myself? Because if I screw up, I can't afford to buy it again . I've never made one myself; while I'll eventually get to it..not this time.
I'll be using the puter for gaming mostly. That's not the only thing, but thats the most cpu intensive thing I can think of that I'll be doing.
So, any help is appreciated. It needs to be fast. Amd/Intel I dun care, I'd perfer Amd to keep it on the cheaper side, but I'll let you tell me who/what you've had good experiences with .
It can be online, or at best buy..whatever. Just want it to be fast.
Btw, my budget goes upto $900. More if they offer a month-to-month payment plan. That's without the monitor too..so I don't think that's too terrible.
All comments are appreciated.* Best Web Hosting - Submit your host to our directory and become one of our top 10 web hosts.
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04-25-2003, 09:47 PM #2Web Hosting Master
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Why don't I make one myself? Because if I screw up, I can't afford to buy it again . I've never made one myself; while I'll eventually get to it..not this time.
Building a computer actually isn't that hard - as long as you follow basic safety and common sense, there's little room for "screw ups"
But, if you want a brand name - check out compaq's cheap-o deals - not sure if they're still on the website (hp.com/compaq), but I'm sure best buy should have a couple (also hp deals )
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04-25-2003, 09:57 PM #3Web Hosting Master
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Well, my biggest problem is matching proccessor + motherboard. I've installed cdrom drives/hard drives/floppies/network cards, all that. But never a proccesser. I wouldnt know how to match up the proc with the mobo. (compatibility)
But thanks for the reply.* Best Web Hosting - Submit your host to our directory and become one of our top 10 web hosts.
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04-25-2003, 10:41 PM #4Web Hosting Master
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It's really quite simple.
Socket A (462) processors go with Socket A (462) motherboards.
Socket 478 processors go with--are you ready for this one? Socket 478 motherboards.
It's all quite logical.-Bruce
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04-25-2003, 10:42 PM #5Web Hosting Master
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I thought it was hard to build one, but it was quite easy, and i learned alot..
Don't look for a way out.
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04-25-2003, 10:44 PM #6Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by Phrozen
It's really quite simple.
Socket A (462) processors go with Socket A (462) motherboards.
Socket 478 processors go with--are you ready for this one? Socket 478 motherboards.
It's all quite logical.
Yep; and when you buy mobo and cpu combo's its even easier
If you live in the chicago area there's quite a few local dealers here that can give you pretty good pricing
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04-25-2003, 10:59 PM #7Web Hosting Master
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Hrmm, I'm thinking I might try that then. :-)
Any ideas on good proccessors for gaming? AMD Xp's? p4s?
I'm thinking ddr, would probably help lots.* Best Web Hosting - Submit your host to our directory and become one of our top 10 web hosts.
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04-25-2003, 11:10 PM #8Web Hosting Master
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http://store.apple.com/
...if you want good value for money and quality...Gone.
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04-25-2003, 11:11 PM #9Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by kfreak
Hrmm, I'm thinking I might try that then. :-)
Any ideas on good proccessors for gaming? AMD Xp's? p4s?
I'm thinking ddr, would probably help lots.
I'll give you some more specifics in a moment...-Bruce
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04-25-2003, 11:37 PM #10Web Hosting Master
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OK, here's something to give you an idea:
Cases (Computer Cases, ATX Form)
CHIEFTEC Server Chasis (Aluminum Workstation Tower with Plastic Front Cover) Blue w/acrylic window **Now with 2 x Front USB2.0 and 1 x Firewire IEEE1394 ports**
Specifications:
Material:Aluminum/Plastic
Form Factor:ATX
Bays:4 x 5.25", 2 x 3.5"
Expansion Slots:7
Fans:2 Rear Mounted Fans
Power Supply:450W AMD approved Power Supply, Powered by Foxconn (Austin)
Dimensions:473 x 205 x 522 mm (D x W x H) Weights Only 18LBs! more info>
N82E16811125200
$82.00
$82.00
CD/DVD Burners (RW Drives)
►Hot! Lite On 52x24x52 CDRW Model LTR-52246S Retail Buffer underrun error free & automatically adjust writing strategy plus running OPC to meet various burning condition.
Specifications:
Speed : Recording 52Xmax CAV Re-writing 24X High-Speed CLV Reading 52Xmax CAV
Interface : ATAPI-E/IDE, support up to Ultra-DMA Mode2 33.3MB/sec
Access Time : 80ms
Buffer Memory Size: 2MB
Operating System : Windows 95/98/NT/XP/2000/ME
Retail box, See pic for details more info>
N82E16827106184
$47.00
$47.00
CD/DVD ROM Drives
LITE-ON XJ-HD166S 16X DVD ROM Drive - OEM48X CD-ROM Access all format DVD-ROM/R/RW ,CD-ROM/R/RW title & disc
OEM Barebone No Cables or sofware included more info>
N82E16827131112
$32.00
$32.00
Fans (Case, CPU, Chipset)
YS TECH Adjustable 8CM cooling fan. Manual adjustable fan speed, VERIABLE SPEED FROM 800rpm to 3700rpm. 10.2CFM - 48.7CFM 18dBA - 39.5dBA
3pin connector. 80x80x25mm TWO Ball Bearings. more info>
N82E16811999604
$8.00
$8.00
Thermalright SK-7 ( Heatsink ONLY ). All Copper heat spread. Dimension: 85 (L) x 65.5 (W) x 42 (H) mm (without fan). Can be used with 60MM, 70MM, or 80MM fans.Retail. Please see the image. more info>
N82E16835109006
$25.00
$25.00
Hard Drives
Seagate 40GB 7200rpm EIDE Hard Drive OEM Barracuda 7200.7 ST340014A
Specifications:
Size: 40 Gigabytes
Interface: IDE ULTRA ATA100
Seek time: 8.5ms
RPM:7200
OEM(Drive alone) 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty more info>
N82E16822148013
$68.00
$68.00
Memory (System Memory)
►Hot! KINGSTON KVR333X64C25/512 512MB 32x64 PC2700 DDR RAM (better than 2100 2400)
6 Layers High Quality Board; CL 2.5; 184-Pin Unbuffered. Requires DDR supported Motherboard - Lifetime Warranty through Manufacturer. more info>
N82E16820144201
$64.50
$64.50
Motherboards - AMD
►Hot! Epox Motherboard for AMD Athlon/Athlon XP/Duron Processors, Model# EP-8RDA+
Specifications:
CPU Supported: AMD Athlon/Athlon XP/Duron processors
Chipset: nForce2
FSB: 333MHz Max
RAM: 3x DDR SDRAM PC3200, 3GB Max
IDE: 2x E/IDE Ultra DMA/133
Slots: 1x AGP(8X), 6x PCI(32-bit)
Ports: 2x PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard, 2x Serial, 1x Parallel, 4x USB, 1x RJ-45, 2x IEEE Firewire Ports
Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC650E 6-channel audio
Onboard LAN: Realtek RTL8201 PHY more info>
N82E16813123191
$96.00
$96.00
Processors
AMD ATHLON XP 2800 "Barton" 333 FSB PROCESSOR CPU- OEM
Specifications:
CPU: 2.08 GHz
Type: XP 2800 Barton Core
Cache: 512K L2, 128K L1, Total 640KB
BUS: 333MHz
Socket A
OEM (Processor Only)
more info>
N82E16819103376
$226.00
$226.00
Video Cards
ATI OEM RADEON 9700 ATLANTIS 128MB DDR 8X AGP BULK
Specifications:
Chipset:RADEON 9700
Memory:128MB DDR 256-bit
Bus: AGP 8X
8-pixel pipeline architecture
3D Features: TRUFORM™ 2.0, SMARTSHADER™ 2.0, and SMOOTHVISION™ 2.0.
128-bit floating-point color precision
Ports:VGA + DVI + S-Video Out
Oem Bulk Pack (see pictures for details) more info>
N82E16814102259
$232.00
$232.00
Subtotal »
$880.50-Bruce
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04-25-2003, 11:39 PM #11Web Hosting Master
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kfreak... I suggest building your own too. Don't think you can buy a packaged com built for gaming in your budget, though you might.
if your not in a really big rush to do this, spend a month or longer at www.hardocp.com or www.overclockers.com
both of these sites are full of oc'ers and gamers that'll help you out... do a lot of reading on old post though. They tend to get a bit nasty if you ask similar questions to others already answered well.Last edited by Southernman; 04-26-2003 at 12:20 AM.
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04-26-2003, 12:15 AM #12Web Hosting Master
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Sweet! You the man Phrozen! hehe, thanks a lot. I'm go look over everything.
Thanks a lot!* Best Web Hosting - Submit your host to our directory and become one of our top 10 web hosts.
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04-26-2003, 12:17 AM #13Web Hosting Evangelist
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Im using my own custom made PC built by me, here are the specs:
- AMD XP 1700+ (1.11ghz)
- on a Gigabyte M/B (GA7DX) <- Brand is very reliable
- 640MB of DDR RAM PC2100 (Crucial and Corsair)
- ATI Radeon 9500 Pro 128MB
- 40GB H/D Western Digital 7200 (my Maxtor one crashed 2 weeks ago, don't know why, very odd)
Total=approx. $700
Gaming and programs like Photoshop work perfectly fine. I can open up multiple programs along with Photoshop, and still be running smoothly. And gaming has never been so fun! I can play games like C&C Renegade, GTA: 3, Quake 3, ect. at high resolutions. This should give you an idea of what is needed if you want to build your own PC.AIM: AtonexCOM
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04-26-2003, 12:32 AM #14Web Hosting Evangelist
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Also, if you are going to build your own PC, and need help matching up a CPU and motherboard, ect., I'm available
AIM: AtonexCOM
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04-26-2003, 12:33 AM #15Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by kfreak
Sweet! You the man Phrozen! hehe, thanks a lot. I'm go look over everything.
Thanks a lot!
Axi, first of all, the 1700+ is 1.47GHz (try changing your FSB from 100 to 133). Second of all, I can't see why it cost you so much to build that. You could easily build that system for $4, maybe $500 at most.-Bruce
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04-26-2003, 12:36 AM #16Web Hosting Evangelist
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Oh, I didn't tweek the FSB, I did before, but changed it back to the original settings. And lastly, I built it since..lets see.. almost 2 years ago, so I'm just estimating the price. The only thing that was the most expensive was the video card, $210.
AIM: AtonexCOM
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04-26-2003, 12:41 AM #17Web Hosting Master
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No, it's XPs run at a FSB of 133. That's how the 1700+ runs at 1.47GHz...
Well the 9500 Pro is only about $160 now, but that's way too powerful for your processor. Your 1700+ is really bottlnecking the 9500 Pro. Might be time for an upgrade.-Bruce
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04-26-2003, 12:48 AM #18Web Hosting Evangelist
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Whenever I come to a black screen (like windows XP startup), I see scanlines moving up.. I know its not my monitors hertz... you think its the processor?
And Btw, I think AMD beats Intel with price and quality. Their slower CPUs beat the faster Intel CPU.AIM: AtonexCOM
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04-26-2003, 12:52 AM #19Web Hosting Master
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Ok, so after running through everything I decided upon everything except the dvd drive and the hard drive. Basically because I have one on the computer I use now and I _never_ use it. And the hard drives I'm going to be ripping outta this one. Every cent helps.
So http://www.creationcorner.org/specs.txt is what I'm looking at. I also was wondering about the problem with AMD's overheating. Any advice on that?
If no one has anything else to add I'm going to seriously consider the specs posted above.
Once again, thanks a lot Phrozen.* Best Web Hosting - Submit your host to our directory and become one of our top 10 web hosts.
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04-26-2003, 01:00 AM #20Web Hosting Evangelist
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Looks good besides the 2MB Buffer for the CDRW and I'm not too sure about ePox as a motherboard.
AIM: AtonexCOM
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04-26-2003, 02:13 AM #21Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by Axi
Looks good besides the 2MB Buffer for the CDRW and I'm not too sure about ePox as a motherboard.
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04-26-2003, 02:18 AM #22Web Hosting Evangelist
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I had a 2MB Buffer, and my burning process kept on failing. Just trying to keep him on the safe side.
AIM: AtonexCOM
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04-26-2003, 02:23 AM #23Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by Axi
I had a 2MB Buffer, and my burning process kept on failing. Just trying to keep him on the safe side.
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04-26-2003, 02:23 AM #24Web Hosting Master
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Originally posted by kfreak
Ok, so after running through everything I decided upon everything except the dvd drive and the hard drive. Basically because I have one on the computer I use now and I _never_ use it. And the hard drives I'm going to be ripping outta this one. Every cent helps.
So http://www.creationcorner.org/specs.txt is what I'm looking at. I also was wondering about the problem with AMD's overheating. Any advice on that?
If no one has anything else to add I'm going to seriously consider the specs posted above.
Once again, thanks a lot Phrozen.
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04-26-2003, 03:12 AM #25Web Hosting Master
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Sorry if i'm sloppy, but i'm so tired..
Ok guys, the barton is way overdone, very expensive. Also, the ati is overkill too, plus the drivers are not that great, as many people have told me.
For a heatsink, the SLK-900 is good, you can overclock alot with that.
Just to let you know, i game, and it is VERY fast for me, except for my video card (On higher end game) Here are my specs, cost me about $800 but you could get it for around $600 now then a few months ago -
http://nerdnations.com/cpu (Pictures)
Going through all of them in order will show you the steps to building a pc.
Windows XP Pro
Epox 8RDA+ nForce2
AMD Athlon XP 2100+ @ 2.1Ghz
SLK-800 /w SmartFan2
1GB PC2100 Kingston ram
WD 100GB HD 8MB Cache 7200
Maxtor 40GB 5200RPM Backup Drive
Xtasy GF 3 TI 200 64MB
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
Lite On 48x24x48 CDRW
16x DVD-Rom
Samsung 1.44MB Floppy
Chieftec Alum. Workstation
Two Chieftec Case fans- rear
2 Super cool "silent" fans
Nexus NXP101 -- Multifunction Panel
Cold Cath Sound activated module
Cold Cath Light kit Purple
KDS 19" CRT Monitor
HP Deskjet 648C Printer
MicroSoft MutiMedia Keyboard
Logitech Dual Optical MouseMan
Creative Inspire 5.1 5300 SpeakersDon't look for a way out.