Please review my new AMD build...

[gamehoist]

I'm getting ready to build a new PC for my father. His budget is around $600 and $700. He mainly does internet browsing, photo editing, family tree and other business/office type of applications. He is going from an old Gateway that was Win98, first edition so anything will seem like a supercomputer to him. I'd say little to no gaming.

Also, he's already got a monitor, mouse (not USB), keyboard (not USB), floppy drive, CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive and a fairly new Seagate 100G+ IDE hard drive. What I have spec'd right now is:

CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Venice 1GHz FSB Socket 939 - Retail

Mobo:
ASUS A8N-E - Retail

Power Supply:
Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-400 ATX12V 400W Power Supply - Retail

Video:
SAPPHIRE 586L Radeon X300SE 128MB DDR PCI Express x16 Low Profile Video Card - Retail

Memory:
CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System - Retail

DVD Burner:
NEC Beige IDE DVD Burner Model ND-3550A, w/Nero - Retail (if black comes in stock I'll get black)

OS:
Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2 - OEM

Please let me know what you think. I'd like to stick with his current HD if it's compatible instead of going to SATA right now. I'm hoping to order sometime in the next week or so, from Newegg.

Also, I'd like to say a quick thank you to everyone participating on this forum. I did my first build several years ago (Duron 750) with the help of this place. I will never buy a prebuilt machine again. Thanks, again!

[blue60007]

As long as that video card isn't a hypermemory one, it looks pretty good.

Don't forget to pick out a case. It's unlikely this will fit in the Gateway.

EDIT: There's an Antec case that includes that power supply you've got picked out. Antec is one of the few brands I'd use a bundled power supply.

[gamehoist]

Thanks for the reply. The video card is not the hypermemory version (I'll double-check). I did have a case spec'd out but failed to list it.

Case:
Antec SLK3000-B ATX Mid Tower

Anything else?

[Panama Red]

Those parts look like overkill for your dad's uses. I'd lean toward a mobo with onboard video and a PCI-e slot for upgrade later if needed, a Sempron in a 754 Socket and an Antec SLK1650B case w/350watt psu. Those components are pretty much a standard build for my customers with the same needs. Unless of course you have this hidden agenda to do a little gaming on dad's pc. lol

[Cricket]

The old Seagate HDD should work fine with the new motherboard.

I agree with Panama Red...I'd spec out a motherboard with on-board video for a computer like this.

Cricket

[gamehoist]

Thanks for your input, Panama Red & Cricket. I agree and feel like it is a little overkill, too. In fact I originally spec'd out a socket 754 but went back and upgraded. Just curious, by going 'down' to onboard video w/socket 754, we're roughly speaking a $200 difference in price or so, eh?

Sorry, I hope I didn't mislead. A couple of reasons (don't know if they justify or not). Even though he doesn't really play games, I can see him buying the latest Nascar or whatever game and trying to get it to run on his computer. Also, he will hang onto this computer for a long time (7 yrs, maybe) and I want the ability to upgrade processors, video card, etc. Even though his budget is 600 to 700 that's in no way a big hit for him in terms of money. He could easily spend more $$ but just doesn't want to right now. I just want to maximize his purchasing power. Make any sense?

Not that there's a hidden agenda, really. If there was a hidden agenda I guess it's that I can see me getting this computer from him down the road when he upgrades again. Better for him = better for me

Thanks!

[Panama Red]

That's the tuff part about building today. No way to tell which sockets/cpu's are gonna be around even next year! The 754 is already planned to disappear and even the 939 may be replaced. I gave up trying to plan for years ahead. The only area I make sure new mobo's will keep up right now is to use a PCI-e board instead of AGP. AGP is all but done.

[Cricket]

The rig you spec'd out is overkill right now but it won't be in a year or two. What you said makes lots of sense. Since you're planning ahead and if the build is within budget I'd say go for it.

Cricket

[gamehoist]

Just for conversation purposes, here's my list again with prices from Newegg:

CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Venice 1GHz FSB Socket 939 - Retail $174

Mobo:
ASUS A8N-E - Retail $110

Power Supply:
Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-400 ATX12V 400W Power Supply - Retail $55

Video:
SAPPHIRE 586L Radeon X300SE 128MB DDR PCI Express x16 Low Profile Video Card - Retail $50

Memory:
CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System - Retail $86

DVD Burner:
NEC Beige IDE DVD Burner Model ND-3550A, w/Nero - Retail (if black comes in stock I'll get black) $45

OS:
Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2 - OEM $93

Case:
Antec SLK3000 ATC Mid Tower - $49

[Science_guy]

Looks like a solid machine to me. High-quality parts and plenty of upgrade potential.

[blue60007]

Yeah, looks good. As everyone else said, it may be a bit more now, but it will last longer (in terms of speed and upgradability).

[jayb1234]

You might need a floppy drive at some point in the setup process.