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01-09-2008, 07:20 PM
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#1 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9
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How CHeap can I get?
Ok, I am new here, and have been looking at other sites on how to build your own pc, and I know the parts needed, but I am trying to figure out what to get, seems like so many options. So I figure this would be the best place to maybe see what weould be the best for my budget.
My laptop just crashed and I will buy another one but that will be a few months down the road. Currently I am using a 99 model E-Machines of my wifes with a Intel Celeron 400, 5 gig's, and 128 megs of ram, with a floppy and cd drive. I need a new desktop too. Whats the possibilities of keeping the internals of the computer under $300, Motherboard, processor, memory, video card, hard drive, cd/dvd drive, and other misc. parts, I already have a usable case, but I need some internals. basically I want something better than what I am using at the moment, but under $400, doable? My buddy is giving me a dell optiplex gx270 that needs a processor, hard drive, and RAM, could I keep the build under $300-400, The computer is mainly used for school workl and internet, but I do play games once every blue moon(because all of my computers are slow) I would play more if I had a better computer. So my Emachines 400 will do at the moment, but it is slow compared to my laptop, I just installed another 256 RAM and it picked up a good bit. Can someone build me a shopping list, and point me in the right direction? Thanks Cap'n |
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01-09-2008, 08:55 PM
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#2 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 2,358
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So are you getting a new build using a useable case, or do you want to get the dell working or both? Either one should be possbile to do if you have the OS and monitor. Either way, it should be a lot faster than your current computer, and you should be able to get some of the games working. Let us know what kind of games you'd be looking to play since it affects the priority of the video card and cpu.
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01-09-2008, 09:04 PM
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#3 |
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Member (10 bit)
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 720
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Welcome! The best way to do it is go to a good site and build a shopping list first. (The self education is indispensable and the build can be serviced much better by yourself) Newegg.com is a very good source for doing this because of it's reviews and resources. Have a look and get back to us after you get an idea.
That budget is very do-able using decent components. (Not a fire breather. But definitely very fast performing for what you want to do.) Start out with the motherboard and work from there. Intel based boards are mostly the route to go these days, (Great value can be found with AMD based boards too. Both are quality.) Last edited by bd1886; 01-09-2008 at 09:17 PM. |
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01-10-2008, 01:57 PM
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#4 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9
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Ok, I have a list, this puts me at about 720 before shipping. Are these good selections, anything I can do to cut the pricing down a good bit, didn't really want to spend over $500, but there are so many choices out there and so many different opinions. What could I change, the cheaper the better. Also wouldn't my monitor run off my mother board for now, so I can save up a little more for a better Graphics card?
Case RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WBP Black SECC STEEL ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811156062 $85 Motherboard ASUS P5K-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131225 $140 Processor Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 Conroe 2.33GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail $170 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131225 RAM CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail $50 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145590 Hard drive Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $50 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136075 Optical DriveLITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM $33 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106073 Graphics Card EVGA 256-P2-N751-TR GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail $100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130085 OS Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2B 1 Pack - OEM $90 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116056 Last edited by CapnMorgan; 01-10-2008 at 02:00 PM. |
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01-10-2008, 03:14 PM
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#5 |
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Kickin' it
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: USA
Posts: 7,723
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I'd suggest swapping your motherboard for the Asus P5KPL-VM and dropping the video card. That should shave off a bit. However, that Raidmax power supply is a no-go. They are junk. You'll need to replace it. I'd suggest looking at the Antec Sonata III. Great case and power supply in one package.
__________________
Fold for PCMech: Team 13761 |
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01-10-2008, 11:14 PM
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#6 |
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Member (6 bit)
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 57
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Try to get a case and power supply separate. Usually, cases that comes with a power supply are bad quality. One thing you can never be cheap about is the power supply.
__________________
First Build: Core 2 Duo E6750, Corsair 2 x 1GB DDR2, Gigabyte Motherboard, Seagate 200GB, Lite-On 20x DVD Burner, Vista Home Premium, EVGA 7600GT, Cooler Master Centurion 5, Thermaltake 500W. Friends Build: core2quad q6700, ocz 4gb ddr2, evga 8800gtx, 500gb seagate, liteon 20x dvd, vista ultimate 64 |
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01-11-2008, 07:54 AM
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#7 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9
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Ok, Since everything can be uprgraded later, I need to get something up and running, I am going to use these parts instead of the others, I will wind up upgrading to a video car within a couple of months. All of this puts me around $550, would this build be better then going to buy a Dell, or something prebuilt at Best Buy or Circuit City?
Processor Intel Pentium D 935 Presler 3.2GHz 2 x 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Dual-Core Processor - Retail $135 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116262 Motherboard ASUS P5KPL-VM LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $75 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131197 PSU Rosewill RP550-2 ATX12V v2.01 550W Power Supply 115/230 V CSA,UL,TUV, FCC - Retail $57 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182017 Case XION Onyx XON-303 Black/Blue Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $50 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811208021 |
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01-11-2008, 08:22 AM
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#8 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 2,358
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The processor you picked out is quite a bit slower than even the low end core 2 duos which are about the same price, and the power supply is from a unreliable company, so you should look into a good brand like Antec or Forton Source, this is a good list of parts for about $550:
LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model LH-20A1L-05 $35.99 XION Onyx XON-303 Black/Blue Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case $69.99 HITACHI Deskstar 7K160 HDS721616PLA380 (0Y30006) 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive $48.99 FSP Group AX500-PN ATX2.2 500W Power Supply $69.99 CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400 $49.00 ASUS P5KPL-VM LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard $74.99 Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 Allendale 2.2GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E4500 $124.99 Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2B 1 Pack - OEM $89.99 Subtotal: $563.93 If you are looking for a cheaper build, like down to $400 range, you'll have to go with AMD. AMD is not currently the fastest, but has a stable platform that works great for upgrading. Getting a good desktop pc mostly for school work and with decent graphics (for older games, like 2 years or older), is possible for around $400. Building yourself a computer will give you much better choices for upgrading in the future, and if using the right parts, it will be a decent amount faster than a store bought computer at the same price. |
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01-11-2008, 08:39 AM
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#9 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 2,358
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Here's a good reference build for an AMD computer under $400:
LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Black SATA Model LH-20A1S OEM BK $27.99 Antec NSK4480 Black/ Silver 0.8mm cold-rolled steel construction ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 380W Power Supply $74.95 Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive $49.99 ASUS M2N-MX SE AM2 NVIDIA GeForce6100 / nForce430 uATX AMD Motherboard $49.99 OCZ Vista Upgrade 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2VU8002GK $42.99 AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ Brisbane 2.1GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADO4000DDBOX $59.99 Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2B 1 Pack $89.99 Subtotal: $395.89 Last edited by Masaki 7-11; 01-11-2008 at 01:43 PM. |
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01-11-2008, 11:51 AM
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#10 |
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Kickin' it
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: USA
Posts: 7,723
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Masaki's lists are excellent. The only thing I disagree with is the hard drive choice. Hitachi is not the top quality when it comes to drives. I'd stick with WD or Seagate.
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01-11-2008, 01:42 PM
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#11 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 2,358
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I'm not too familiar with hard drives, so I would appreciate any corrections to it, have had problems with Seagate in the past, and I've been using mostly Maxtor (before they were bought out), Hitachi for laptop, and WD for laptop and desktop. From what I understand, hitachi drivers are quite reliable, but not as fast as WD or Seagate, so first thing I try to do in the list is put together a list of good reliable parts, which is important especially in a budget build. I've probably had the best experience with WD out of all the hard drive companies, so I've changed my list to reflect that.
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01-12-2008, 08:16 AM
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#12 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9
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Thank you very much for the build lists, how much better would the Intel build be than the AMD build? Also, what about something like this? http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...=P459-1236%20F
Last edited by CapnMorgan; 01-12-2008 at 11:00 AM. |
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01-12-2008, 03:15 PM
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#13 |
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Member (10 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Central Southeastern Texas
Posts: 634
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For a solid cheap build, definately go with AMD Athalon 64X2. I have the one that Masaki recommends and it works great for basic to moderate computer use. You can get your price tag down a bit further by going with InWin Case/Power supply. That are solid and less expensive than Antec. You could probably save $25. Another way to save a little money would to have just 1GB or ram. This should be sufficient as long as you are not using Vista. You should also be able to find a good motherboard for $50. Look at what Gigabyte has to offer.
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01-12-2008, 05:10 PM
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#14 |
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Member (10 bit)
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 720
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Tigerdirect has been changing for the worse these last few years. Their rebate program has been spotty and their descriptions on most products is very product centric. (Everything can't be the best thing since sliced bread!)
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01-13-2008, 03:47 PM
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#15 |
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Member (5 bit)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 26
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You might look at the Gigabyte GA-MA69GM-S2H mobo. The onboard video gets very good reviews and you'd save by not buying a video card. For around $200 you can get the mobo, 2G of ram and a decent AM2X CPU at newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813128056[/url] http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146118[/url] http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103774[/url] |
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01-13-2008, 07:13 PM
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#16 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9
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I think I might go with AMD, I went and checked out all of my local computer stores, and they all seem to reccomend the AMD processor. I already have the OS from my Dell, so I save money there too, so I can keep this lower. AMD or Intel, I guess thats my only big decision now. What about the new AMD Phenom (sp?)?
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01-13-2008, 07:15 PM
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#17 |
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Kickin' it
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: USA
Posts: 7,723
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The copy of Windows that comes with Dell computers is tied to the Dell BIOS and can not be transferred. Unfortunately you'll need a new copy for this build.
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01-13-2008, 08:58 PM
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#18 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9
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Damn that sucks, the CD says it is for the reinstallation of XP.
Cap'n |
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01-14-2008, 07:16 PM
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#19 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9
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Case XION Onyx XON-303 Black/Blue Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $49.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Onyx%2bXON-303 PSU Thermaltake Purepower W0100RU ATX 12V 2.0 500W Power Supply 115/ 230 V UL, CUL, TUV, FCC, and CB certification - Retail $39.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182017 Motherboard ASUS M2N-MX SE AM2 NVIDIA GeForce6100 / nForce430 uATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $49.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131183 Processor AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Black Edition Processor - Retail $99.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103194 Hard Drive Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $49.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...E%2bWD1600AAJS RAM CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail $49.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145590 Optical Drive LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM $31.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106073 $372 in parts, still under $400 after shipping, how does everything sound, my Celeron 400 E Machines is killing me. Is there any changes that might make this better and still keep it close to where I am at? |
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01-15-2008, 12:20 AM
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#20 |
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Member (10 bit)
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 662
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I say get the 5200+ if you are not planning on overclocking. Plus, the 52 got more L2 cache and that is nicer I think.
Also, you can even get lower price for ram, around 30, if you willing to wait for the rebate. |
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01-15-2008, 12:35 AM
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#21 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 2,358
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The power supply listed in your list goes to a Rosewill power supply which are bad quality, so make sure you get something like an Antec power supply. Regarding your processor, you shouldn't go for it unless you want to overclock and use more money to buy an aftermarket cpu cooler since it comes without one. Any of the Athlon X2 series will be a huge improvement over your celeron machine, so if you're looking to cut the price of your computer more, go for a cheaper retail AM2 processor. Also make sure you get a OS installation disc since the one you have is most likely tied to the motherboard and won't work with a new motherboard. An option if you want to use your computer now is to download a linux image and burn it to a disc and use that until you can afford a windows installation disc.
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01-15-2008, 09:26 AM
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#22 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9
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Sorry, it was the Thermaltake unit, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ower%2bW0100RU
Would that Black box processor be good, overclocked with a cpu cooler? Any reccomendations on a cooler? Is it any good? Last edited by CapnMorgan; 01-15-2008 at 09:30 AM. |
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01-15-2008, 01:07 PM
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#23 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 2,358
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Regarding the power supply, I would go for a different one since you normally want at least 18A on the +12V rails. Take a look at something like Antec Basiq or another one from a good company.
The Black Edition processor is a good one, but only if you're overclocking. It will be a decent amount faster once overclocked, so if you can afford a total of around $120 for the processor, it's a good buy. The CPU cooler I reccommend is the ARTIC COOLING Freezer 64 Pro, I have the intel version which is basically the same, and it brought down my CPU temperatures about 20-30 degrees both at idle and at load, it's also pretty inexpensive and isn't hard to install. Here is a link to it: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835185125 Last edited by Masaki 7-11; 01-15-2008 at 01:12 PM. |
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01-21-2008, 09:40 PM
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#24 |
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Member (4 bit)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9
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Well here's my build, parts should be here Thursday, had to get something quick, did some reviews and came up with this, any thoughts?
Case- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811156090 $59.99 Power Supply- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817171016 $24.99 Motherboard- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128043 $59.99 Processor- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103056 $109.99 Hard Drive- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822144701 $69.99 RAM- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231098 $44.99 Optical Drive- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106228 $27.99 Graphics Card- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150258 $79.99 $480, around my budget. SHould do decent on some games right? Cap'n |
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