first build for 1300 bucks (gamer)

[messiah34]

So, about two months ago I would be considered a newb when it comes to computers as far as hardware is concerned. Im looking on Newegg for an external hdd to add to my labtop. Well two months later I find myself on a brand new comp I built with parts I selected after reading several books and doing hours upon hours of research. I think i read my first 300 page book for the first time in my life. Here are my parts and prices.

CPU-AMD Athlon64 4000 $334
VGA- Evga 7800GTX 256mb ddr3 450 + or - 10 bucks i forget
Combo price deal off newegg took 100 bucks
HDD- 74gig WD raptor $158 soon to get a second hdd seagate 250gig
Drive- Plextor DVD CD burner $122
Mobo- Asus A8N SLI $122
Case- ANtec sonota II with 450watt psu $99
Ram- 1gig ocz 2-3-2-5 cach latency 2 for $144 bucks
I got 4extra fans at about 10-20 bucks a piece but that was later and i added them.
Playing HLF2 i run about 44C load and about 30C idle
I get 98 FPS
I already had monitor and OS
Everything is also SATA! NO IDE (on its way out)
I already had a 19lcd monitor i got for my labtop last summer which works just fine. NO SOUND CARD Im fine with what came on the MOBo for now.

[toostrike22]

Originally Posted by messiah34 So, about two months ago I would be considered a newb when it comes to computers as far as hardware is concerned. Im looking on Newegg for an external hdd to add to my labtop. Well two months later I find myself on a brand new comp I built with parts I selected after reading several books and doing hours upon hours of research. I think i read my first 300 page book for the first time in my life. Here are my parts and prices. CPU-AMD Athlon64 4000 $334 VGA- Evga 7800GTX 256mb ddr3 450 + or - 10 bucks i forget Combo price deal off newegg took 100 bucks HDD- 74gig WD raptor $158 soon to get a second hdd seagate 250gig Drive- Plextor DVD CD burner $122 Mobo- Asus A8N SLI $122 Case- ANtec sonota II with 450watt psu $99 Ram- 1gig ocz 2-3-2-5 cach latency 2 for $144 bucks I got 4extra fans at about 10-20 bucks a piece but that was later and i added them. Playing HLF2 i run about 44C load and about 30C idle I get 98 FPS I already had monitor and OS Everything is also SATA! NO IDE (on its way out) I already had a 19lcd monitor i got for my labtop last summer which works just fine. NO SOUND CARD Im fine with what came on the MOBo for now.

Good choice on parts.I posted my new build yesterday on this site.I was going to get the 4000+ as my cpu,but decided to go with the 3700+and save over a hundred dollars.You can aways do a moderate oc.

[kram 2.0]

Looks good. Do you plan on overclocking? Otherwise, you could save money by cutting it down to the value series. Make sure, also, that the memory is DDR400 (PC3200) standard.

kram

[messiah34]

i actually posted the message with the computer that i was talking about. I was just wanting to poeple that what i built and that all the parts worked and it runs half life 2 at 98 fps. I was wanting to give someone an idea on a gaming rig who might want to build a new computer like i did. This was my first ever build and I didnt' have any problems other than the power connector in the front. THe mobo manual had the layout backwards and i just had to switch the plugs and it started right up. Runs smooth with no problems. I hope to get a second hdd and upgrade to 2 or 3 gigs of ram.

[bunker_king8073]

Why did you go with a dual core processor?

[messiah34]

Originally Posted by bunker_king8073 Why did you go with a dual core processor?

Well I didnt' go with a dual core processor. So im not sure I understand ur question, but if u meant to say why didnt' I? Itsbecause they have problems running games and sometimes u have to turn off a core just to play a game. Also games aren't formatted yet to take advantage of dual core, however with the release of 360 and ps3 on the way games are going to be headed for dual core platforming which will enable full utulization of the technology. I dont' know if u have noticed, but 360 doesn't have any good games and they have all ports either from pc or xbox and ps2 so even it doesn't take advantage of its tri core cpus. Besides im playing some older games right now that wouldn't be able to play with dual core like starcraft and warcraft. I left room to upgrade in a year when the prices drop. But why buy a dual core when u dont' need it and by next year i can get an even better dual core for less price. By then windows 64 will probably have all the buggs worked out and maybe apps will utilize it. A;so AMD is releasing a new socket type so im not gonna spend the money for a toledo which is what i would have got because of the 1mb L2 cache. Also i can always overclock to 2.6 or 2.8 which would give me an FX57 esentially.