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03-02-2006, 02:42 PM
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#1 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 13
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Researching First Build
Hi all, new to the forums here as well as building CPUs. I own a small graphics/web design company that I started up recently and I am looking to build a new CPU that can replace my old one. I am currently doing everything on a Dell Inspiron 9100 laptop that is running XP with a P4 3.2GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. The machine is less than 2 years old and runs very well but for the more demanding stuff it just binds up all the time. Not to mention that the fans are ALWAYS running and its loud as heck. I believe these machines are known for running way hot and I believe that is one of the reasons it has slowed down.
Anyway, I would like to build a new desktop cpu for my work that will be able to stand up to the toughest of tasks. It will also be used as a daily computer and some of the apps that I use from day to day are: ms office suite, adobe suite (ps, illustrator, imageready) and the marcromedia suite. I am not sure of what the build timeline is as I have to get the $$ together but I am starting my research now to see what types of components I need to get. For example: I am not going to be using this machine for heavy gaming but would like a video card that can handle some of the less demanding games. However it needs to have enough raw power to process my graphical tasks with ease. So I was thinking an Intel Dual Core processor (with compatible mobo) 2 or 4 gb of ram and a midrange video card. Does that sound about right?? My budget might be around $2000 but that also needs to include a 20" LCD monitor. If I need to break that I will but not by much. Thanks for reading this essay of a thread as I appreciate any help you can provide. |
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03-02-2006, 02:53 PM
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#2 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,509
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That sounds pretty easy to do with that budget.
Motherboard: Intel or Asus with an Intel 945 or 955 chipset; Case and power supply: One of the Antecs that meet Intel's TAC standard. Optical drives: I like the liteons, they come with burning software and several have the lightscribe option. Hard Drives: Seagate with 16Mb cache Floppy drive with card reader: Mitsumi has a nice 7 in one, and there others that will support more formats, depending on what types you need. Definitely go with the Dual Core Intel processor. Midrange video card will be fine. No aftermarket processor fan/heatsink needed. Take a look around newegg and put yourself together a parts list and post it and someone will check it for any issues.
Last edited by jayb1234; 03-02-2006 at 03:04 PM. |
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03-02-2006, 03:54 PM
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#3 |
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Forum Administrator
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Joplin MO
Posts: 37,764
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If you are doing primarily graphics design, an ATI card would be a better bet than Nvidia due to pure display quality. I'd say that a $150 card would game well enough for you.
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03-03-2006, 08:52 AM
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#4 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 13
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Thanks for the replies guys. So I took some time this morning and looked at newegg to get an idea of what I liked and what seemed to fit together. Please take a look and let me know. This is in no way a complete or solid list, just more of a first jab.
Cases This is my top choice - Thermaltake XASER, Armor Series VA8000BWS Black Computer Case With Side Panel Window - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133154 Thermaltake Armor VA8000SWA Silver Computer Case With Side Panel Window - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133155 ASPIRE X-Navigator ATXA8NW-AL/500 Silver/Black Computer Case With Side Panel Window - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811144089 Motherboard ASUS P5WD2 Premium ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131534 ASUS P5LD2 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131538 Intel BOXD955XBKLKR ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813121286 Processor - Is it worth the extra money for the 950?? Intel Pentium D 950 800MHz FSB LGA 775 Dual Core Processor - Retail (3.4 GHz) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116240 Intel Pentium D 940 800MHz FSB LGA 775 Dual Core, EM64T Processor - Retail (3.2 GHz) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116239 Hard Drives Western Digital Raptor 74GB 3.5" Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM (For OS & Applications) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822144160 Western Digital Caviar SE16 320GB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136003 Video Card - No clue what to go with here  ATI Radeon X800XL 100-435513 Video Card - OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102592 RAM CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145590 Floppy Drive MITSUMI Black Internal 8 in 1 Floppy Drive Model FA404A/404M BLK - OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16821104104 Monitor ViewSonic VX2025WM Black-Silver 20.1" 8ms gray-to-gray (avg.); 16ms white-black-white (typ) Widescreen LCD Monitor Built in Speakers - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824116381 Mouse Logitech MX1000 Blue/Black Mouse - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16826104158 Keyboard Kensington Keyboard-in-a-Box Black Wired Keyboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823155009 Optical Drives BenQ Black ATA/ATAPI DVD Burner With LightScribe Model DW1655 - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827101008 Ok, now that puts me a little over 2 grand with all the more expensive stuff so is there anywhere I could save a few bucks without killing the system? I am really unsure of what mobo and graphics card to get so help in that area would be great. Thanks again!!!! 
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03-03-2006, 10:20 AM
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#5 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,509
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The thermaltake cases are pretty expensive and don't include power supplies, the Aspire has a power supply, but thier power supplies are very poor quality.
None of the 3 cases is compliant with Intel's thermal specifications, which could lead to overheating issues. Processor: That's a pretty big cost difference for .2Ghz. You could save by going with the 940 and taking a slight performance drop from the 950. The 2 Asus boards will handle either of the processors, but i am not sure if the Intel board will. An Intel 945 board will handle them. You can get Corsairs value select RAM for about half of what the XMS runs.
Last edited by jayb1234; 03-03-2006 at 10:37 AM. |
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03-03-2006, 11:12 AM
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#6 |
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Forum Administrator
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Joplin MO
Posts: 37,764
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If you are pushing budget here, get the P5LD2 and the value select ram. Fit the processor into your budget - there's a huge difference in price going from the 920 up to the 950, the actual performance differences are not that considerable. With what you are doing, ram quantity and disk I/O is more important. You also don't need a $262 video card for what you are doing - a $150 card should do what you need just fine.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102628 I'd recommend an Antec Sonata II case - it's very high quality and comes with a solid 450 watt power supply. |
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05-06-2006, 04:28 PM
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#7 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 488
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woops, didnt notice how old this thread was.
Last edited by DonVito; 05-06-2006 at 04:32 PM. |
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