Building my new computer - Thoughts?

[Lord of the Farce]

Final specs (unless I go and modify it some more, LOL):

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ "Newcastle" CPU ($346.70)
Arctic Silver 5 ($9.90)
Gigabyte GA-K8NSPRO Motherboard ($186.50)
XSONIC 2719C Case w/ 400W PSU ($49.00)
RAIDMAX 500W Power Supply Unit ($119.00)
Paradise 128MB Geforce 5700 ($160.00)
Kingston 512MB PC3200 DDR RAM - CL3 ($145.80)
Copper RAM Heatspreaders ($9.90 for 2)
Seagate ST3120026AS 120GB SATA Harddisk ($135.35)
LITEON Internal 16x/48x DVD-ROM ($39.65)
LITEON Internal 52x/32x/52x CD-RW ($40.20)
Panasonic 1.44 Floppy Disk Drive ($14.68 )
Omni Keyboard & Optical Mouse ($20.00)
2x Panaflo 80mm High Speed ($17.50)
Thermaltake Polo 735 Heatsink & Fan ($39.50)
Generic Case Fan ($8.00)

Unfortunately, I can't use the Polo 735 Heatsink, as the retention frame & backing plate of the motherboard use plastic clips rather than screw setup. So unless I can find a threaded backing plate that fits, I'm limited to using the stock heatsink & fan setup... And the Polo 735's fan as a case fan, LOL.
And for now, I'm still using my 17 inch IBM E74 monitor... But only until my new (used) DELL UltraScan P780 pure flat 17 inch monitor arrives.

[weemadando]

The graphics card is a good price and a cool option, but if you can find one a gen higher (not a budget varient) for a decent price go for that.

Possibly switch to a Intel processor, slightly less "gaming" performance, but a greatly increased CPU life. (Yes, i know that this is going to start a debate, but its just my opinion on the matter).

[weemadando]

P.S. Did I mention that it's my 21st birthday today (10th October)? :mrgreen:

Oh and happy birthday. Its a liberal gov't. Just for you.

[Lord of the Farce]

P.S. Did I mention that it's my 21st birthday today (10th October)?

Oh and happy birthday. Its a liberal gov't. Just for you.

I was joking with my step-father about that yesterday.

Anyway, on topic, I've marked with * all of the ideas that I've already purchased.

[Crayz9000]

Possibly switch to a Intel processor, slightly less "gaming" performance, but a greatly increased CPU life. (Yes, i know that this is going to start a debate, but its just my opinion on the matter).

If he wants increased CPU life, then he should NOT get a Prescott-core P4.

The new Athlon 64s surprisingly are running many degrees cooler than their Intel counterparts now, but the same is not true for the older Athlon XPs. So a non-Prescott P4 would be a good alternative, so would an Athlon 64.

[Dahak]

Isn't a 500W power supply seriously overdimensioned for your system?

[Meest]

*XSONIC 2719C Case w/ 400W PSU ($49.00)
*RAIDMAX 500W Power Supply Unit ($119.00)

Hmm typo? Can never have enough power, but paying 100 or more for unnecessary power is another thing, unless that is a type and you're going with the 400W (which is plenty for this system).

For the CPU life issue, how long do you expect to have your computer, but with your planned extra fans I wouldn't worry about CPU life anyways.

[SPOOFE]

Isn't a 500W power supply seriously overdimensioned for your system?

Very much so. He should take that money and instead invest it in a gig of RAM, or a better video card.

You only need a 500-watter if you're getting, like, an X800XT or a 6800 Ultra. C'mon. You're not gaining any performance, or fulfilling a necessity, by getting a redundant and overpowered PSU.

[Sokartawi]

I don't know the mobo, and why don't get some memory with CL2? Kingston is still a good brand though. You could always get one and try to run on CL2 anyway. I've got a Twinmos 512MB CL2.5 266MHz and it runs fine on CL2 400MHz, unless you use it in dualchannel, in which case I must it run at CL2.5

As for videocard, look if the following is available:
ASUS NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700, 256MB DDR
425 MHz engine / 500 MHz memory / 400 MHz Ramdac

I got one of these for 110 Euros, a bargain I know, in the shops they are around 150, which is still a bargain. The standard NVidia all-in-one drivers give problems though, you should use the ones at the ASUS website for this one, if you plan on buying it.

Oh yes, the AMD3200 gets hot. Very hot. Especially if you have other parts in the PC that also produce much warmth. Mine was around 65-70 degrees, but after I replaced my videocard, used better cooling paste, and got a new CPU fan, it dropped to 50-60. It was never unstable at the higher temperatures though, but it couldn't be good either. I'm still very satisfied with this CPU, good performance, and superb stability.

[Ace Pace]

Drop the AMD XP based CPU and move to 64-bit, you won't regret it even if you have to upgrade your mobo, the advantage is worth it.

Also, by saving on PSU (you can keep the one the case comes with) you can upgrade your GPU to a radeon 9800 Pro or XT (both should be under 200$ now)

[Lord of the Farce]

Isn't a 500W power supply seriously overdimensioned for your system?

Very much so. He should take that money and instead invest it in a gig of RAM, or a better video card.
You only need a 500-watter if you're getting, like, an X800XT or a 6800 Ultra. C'mon. You're not gaining any performance, or fulfilling a necessity, by getting a redundant and overpowered PSU.

Besides the GFX card, I actually got the PSU (and the HS&F) before everything else. In fact, I only got that particular case (yes, with the 400W power supply unit) because it was the cheapest case I found with a spot especially for a case fan directly in line with where the CPU would be placed (though I must admit that I didn't really look that hard).

Besides, the power supply unit just means future expandability (and I can chuck the 400W PSU into my current computer).

P.S. Don't forget that the price is in Australian dollars. Plus, I'm hoping to get some discount when I grab what I haven't brought yet.

[weemadando]

I'm running a P4-2.8C and a RX800Pro off a 450W PSU and it LIKES having power.

The bigger PSU might be overkill but for upgrades down the track its not a bad starting point and it will be a system mainstay for quite a while.

[Lord of the Farce]

I don't know the mobo, and why don't get some memory with CL2? Kingston is still a good brand though. You could always get one and try to run on CL2 anyway. I've got a Twinmos 512MB CL2.5 266MHz and it runs fine on CL2 400MHz, unless you use it in dualchannel, in which case I must it run at CL2.5

*Shrug* The KVR400X64C25/512 was the one specifically recommended by Kingston (for that motherboard), and since I was looking for quality (without budget blowout) when it came to RAM, I thought I might as well go for it.

And I just found out something that hasn't made me quite happy: It turns out that the little computer shop where I plan to get what I haven't purchased yet has that exact same RAM unit for only $166.70... Fuck.

Oh well, it's only $20, and this is suppose to be a learning experience anyway.

[Dalton]

What's the case look like?

[Lord of the Farce]

What's the case look like?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 6710846267
I'm going to wait and get the case so I can do measurements before I buy the case fans.
Or I could just look up XSONIC 2719C and find the measurements... But I then I need to get to bed ASAP.

[Lord of the Farce]

Going back to the CPU, one alternative I've found (same store as where I'm planning to get the rest of the stuff) is: AMD Athlon XP 2800+ without Fan ($175.50)... That's a $151.30 difference, and now I can't decide. Is the difference between 3200+ and 2800+ really worth the $151? Or perhaps I should I nab an extra 512MB of RAM instead?

[Dalton]

What's the case look like?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 6710846267
I'm going to wait and get the case so I can do measurements before I buy the case fans.
Or I could just look up XSONIC 2719C and find the measurements... But I then I need to get to bed ASAP.

Yow. Is that a full-metal case?

[Lord of the Farce]

What's the case look like?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 6710846267
I'm going to wait and get the case so I can do measurements before I buy the case fans.
Or I could just look up XSONIC 2719C and find the measurements... But I then I need to get to bed ASAP.

Yow. Is that a full-metal case?

For $50 Australian dollars? I wish. Nah, it's just silver paint.

To clarify, most of it (frame, top and side plates) would be metal (outside spray painted) like typical computer cases, though the front would just be spray painted plastic (I think).

Or maybe you're talking about something completely different... *shrug*... And now I've got 4 and a half hours before I have to get up again... *sigh*... sleep...

[Crayz9000]

Going back to the CPU, one alternative I've found (same store as where I'm planning to get the rest of the stuff) is: AMD Athlon XP 2800+ without Fan ($175.50)... That's a $151.30 difference, and now I can't decide. Is the difference between 3200+ and 2800+ really worth the $151? Or perhaps I should I nab an extra 512MB of RAM instead?

Go for the extra RAM, you won't regret it.

Unless all you run is SETI@Home or 3D rendering.

768 MB seems to be a nice sweet spot now, you could get a DVD+-RW drive instead of that CD-RW using the money you would have used to buy the other 256MB of RAM.

[The Kernel]

Spend the extra money on a GeForce 6600GT or a Radeon x700. You won't regret it; these cards are MUCH faster then your 5700 that you have specd.

[Sokartawi]

Going back to the CPU, one alternative I've found (same store as where I'm planning to get the rest of the stuff) is: AMD Athlon XP 2800+ without Fan ($175.50)... That's a $151.30 difference, and now I can't decide. Is the difference between 3200+ and 2800+ really worth the $151? Or perhaps I should I nab an extra 512MB of RAM instead?

The 3200+ is the only AMD 32-bits CPU that runs with a 400MHz FSB, and that made me buy it, because it would be in sync with my memory which also runs on 400MHz. The 2800 runs on 333. I have both a 3200 and a 2600, and the difference between those is very noticable. Well not entirely fair cause the 3200 runs on win98 and the 2600 on bloatware XP, but meh...

[Crayz9000]

The 3200+ is the only AMD 32-bits CPU that runs with a 400MHz FSB, and that made me buy it, because it would be in sync with my memory which also runs on 400MHz. The 2800 runs on 333. I have both a 3200 and a 2600, and the difference between those is very noticable. Well not entirely fair cause the 3200 runs on win98 and the 2600 on bloatware XP, but meh...

Not entirely correct. The Barton-core 3000+ is the first Barton-core processor that supports a 400MHz FSB. The Thoroughbreds only supported 266MHz FSB, and the early Bartons supported 333.

The only problem is that there's actually two Barton 3000+ processors, one which has a 333Mhz bus and the other has a 400MHz bus. Amusingly enough, the 400MHz bus processor is less expensive than the 333 one, according to Newegg.

[Ace Pace]

Again, you should get 64-bit and a new motherboard, even if it sacrifices something else, gives you more future compability and speed.

[Sokartawi]

Not entirely correct. The Barton-core 3000+ is the first Barton-core processor that supports a 400MHz FSB. The Thoroughbreds only supported 266MHz FSB, and the early Bartons supported 333.

The only problem is that there's actually two Barton 3000+ processors, one which has a 333Mhz bus and the other has a 400MHz bus. Amusingly enough, the 400MHz bus processor is less expensive than the 333 one, according to Newegg.

Cool, didn't know that. Learn something new every day. Haven't ever seen those at my distributor or other shops though...

[Sokartawi]

Again, you should get 64-bit and a new motherboard, even if it sacrifices something else, gives you more future compability and speed.

But if you do so, get a socket 939 I'd say.