Suggestions on a new build

[DragonMaster]

I am in the process of building a parts list for a new pc for my sister's graduation gift. I would like to stay under $1000, if possible. Currently she has the old family gateway machine with something like a 600 MHz proccessor. Here's what I've come up with so far.

1 GENERIC 2-Head Red SATA (SERIAL ATA 150) Cable Model SERIAL ATA 18 - OEM
Item #: N82E16812104150 $2.99

1 LITE-ON Combo Drive Black SATA Model SHC-52S7K-05 - OEM
Item #: N82E16827106040 $30.99

1 Antec Performance One P180 Silver cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811129154 $129.99

1 SONY Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive Windows 98SE/ ME/ 2000/ XP - OEM
Item #: N82E16821103116 $7.99

2 Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3120811AS 120GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Item #: N82E16822148161 $109.98 ($54.99 each)

1 Thermaltake W0090RU ATX12V 470W Power Supply - Retail
Item #: N82E16817153027 $64.99

1 Microsoft Laser Mouse 6000 B7G-00004 Black 5 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Laser Mouse - OEM
Item #: N82E16826105183 $27.99

1 OCZ Gold Series 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ26671024ELGEGXT-K - Retail
Item #: N82E16820227077 $105.99

1 Intel BOXD945GNTL LGA 775 Intel 945G ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813121291 $98.99

1 Intel Pentium D 915 Presler 2.8GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80553915 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819116253 $109.00

1 Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 SP2b w/Upgrade Coupon for Vista - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116171 $109.99


Subtotal: $798.89


also have the lit-on sk-1789 keyboard in mind. She does a lot of music and video. Her major is going to be Business/Accounting. I just want to make sure that this can get her through at least the next 4 years.

[hitchface]

If you want to keep her going for 4 years, you might consider bumping up to a Core 2 Duo. I don't usually like mice from Microsoft myself, I have had too many problems with them dying or malfunctioning, but thats just me. I'd go with a Logitech...always reliable.

Aside from that, thats a cool grad present! Way to be a good brother!

[glc]

Looks like we have $200 to fudge with - I may use some of that up with my suggestions.

1. You do not need that drive cable - the motherboard comes with them.
2. Get a DVD burner instead of a combo drive - and get the retail box so you get software. SATA recommended.
3. Excellent case, but it's HUGE - and requires a power supply with extra long cables. An Antec Sonata II is a better way to go, it comes with a quality power supply.
4. Floppy? What can I say - a floppy drive is a floppy drive.
5. Why 2 hard drives? Keep it simple and get *one* 7200.10, a 320gb is under $100 now and a 250gb is even less. If you want to do backups, get an external drive. RAID 0 or 1 isn't going to do anything for you without increasing complication.
6. Power supply is not needed with a Sonata II.
7. Mouse? Whatever you like. Same with the keyboard.
8. Consider 2gb here - look at Corsair Value Select DDR2-667. If you stick with 1gb, also look at the Corsair.
9. How about an Asus P5B-VM or Intel DG965RY/WH board if you want onboard video?
10. How about a E6300 Core 2 Duo?
11. Windows - yes, that's necessary.

[hitchface]

glc, what is the gain in not getting a combo drive? Doesn't that limit you to burning only DVDs?

Not only that but a floppy drive is always handy to have around. I can't tell you how many times I've hit a wall because I don't have one.

Other than that, good recommendations! I sure wish I had 2 gigs of RAM...

[LeftyAce]

DVD Burners also burn CDs.

And I've had no problems w/o a floppy....but I haven't been messing with the bios or anything.

[hitchface]

So then why did someone come up with a combo drive if it was essentially pointless? It doesn't make much sense.

[LeftyAce]

I believe the combo drives started coming out before DVD burning was commonplace; the one he has listed reads DVDs but only burns CDs. I don't see any SATA dvd burners from liteOn on newegg; only IDE (for $1 more than the one he's got listed). Zipzoomfly has a SATA for $45.

[glc]

My comment on floppies was meant to indicate it doesn't matter what brand you choose - a floppy drive is a floppy drive. If you need one or want one, you get one.

Combo drives read CD's and DVD's, but only burn CD's. DVD burners read and burn both. Lite-On SATA burners are out of stock at Newegg right now, but the one at ZZF is a decent deal with the free shipping. Mwave has it a lot cheaper but they soak you on shipping.

[hitchface]

I happened to have a combo drive that does both though...it was specifically listed as a combo drive.

EDIT:

glc, I misunderstood your comment. It didn't make much sense for you to be discouraging a floppy drive, so sorry 'bout that.

[LeftyAce]

So the winner is.... check the specifications 'cause who knows what's being called what :-)

[hitchface]

Yeah thats basically what I did...if it doesn't burn both, it's useless to me. Either way, now that I have sufficiently hijacked DragonMaster's thread...

[DragonMaster]

Thanks for the suggestions. Don't worry about it hitchface.

[DragonMaster]

glc, do you think the one bigger hard drive would outperform the 2 drives in a raid 0. I run raid 0 on my machine and I think it helps a lot, but I haven't had a chance to try out any of the new SATA II drives (mine are both SATA I).

[mevensen]

Just a few questions, what does it mean, "she does a lot of music and video"?

Does this mean she uses iTunes or some other music service alot, or is she a musician?

Same with video, is she a YouTube nut, or does she into video editing, etc.?

I assume she doesn't game at all?

For my $0.02 about a RAID 0 setup in a system like this, it's a waste of complexity. She won't need the performance, and she definitely doesn't need the added potential for instability (data loss) and problems should anything go south.

[hitchface]

Yeah, for a basic user, and even an experienced one, RAID 0 just hasn't proven its worth enough for people to wrestle with data loss a whole lot.

[DragonMaster]

sorry to keep adding posts, im checking out all the suggestions you guys made. I was wondering if there is a specific mobo that you would recommend. I would like to go with onboard video for now, maybe upgrade to a pci experess x16 later. I am having some difficulty finding a board to go with all my components.

[hitchface]

I am not suggesting that you start over, but for future reference I guess, the motherboard should be one of the first things that you choose, because it will basically decide many of your remaining parts. As for actual suggestions, I'll let somebody else direct you...I just don't know enough about them yet to give you a super informed decision. My recommendation would be to just keep going on www.newegg.com and reading reviews on boards. You might end up switching out some components if you find one that you like, you may not. Depends on how hard you look

[DragonMaster]

She is uses her machine to rip her cd's and burn compilations, not a musician. As far as video, she's pretty much just a YouTube nut, but she enjoys photography and I figure she might get into video sometime. No she doesn't game at all. Like I said, I'm just trying to plan ahead so she doesn't run into any performance issues the next few years.

Thanks for the advice on the Raid setup.

[DragonMaster]

I usually start with the motherboard because I run into this problem if I don't, oh well. I've tried about four different configurations so far. I just always find something I like better for this build. I will just have to check on some more mobo reviews. Thanks again guys.

[hitchface]

You'll basically want to give her lots of storage. A decent sound system might not be a bad idea if she is a music nut. Basically, I'd put the money into storage, sound and the monitor. That doesn't mean cheap out on everything else, but you go with what makes sense, right? I dunno about the rest of the folks in here, but I have a lot of photos too, as well as a decent amount of music, plus work files, plus games, and I still have 25 gigs left on my 80 gig drive. Like glc said, save the money on the 2 drives, and just get 1. Heck, a 120 gig would probably do her just fine.

[glc]

I made a motherboard suggestion in my first post - 3 of them, actually. The Asus is micro ATX and the 2 Intels are full ATX, only significant difference between the 2 Intels is one has RAID.

[DragonMaster]

sorry glc, apparently i missed that part, I see it now. thanks.