Questions about my parts

[jibby06]

Hey i have a few questions about my parts. I may ask more later.
First, i was just wondering if there are any other cheaper video cards that are good quality cards. Right now, i chose this video card: ATI RADEON 9600PRO Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP -RETAIL
It's pretty pricey, but maybe there is a nice card good for gaming but cheaper than this one. You know? if not, then i can stick with this.

secondly, the heatsink and fan that comes with my cpu is just for the cpu right? i still can get my two other fans for the case. just making sure.

okay, i know what oem is but i have this question. Almost a lot of my parts that i chose are oem. Does that mean i might have to get extra parts that don't come with it or no. Oem is just repackaging, so maybe all the parts and cables and all that are there right? i hope so. Someone told me though that manuals don't come with it. okay...well hopefully you understand this...ask if you don't..i'm sometimes a bad explainer

this next one is stupid, but i'd like to know...this xp says i have to get hardware with it( from newegg) what does that mean? Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack SP1a - OEM


okay, i think that is it. But if i have more i'll ask. If you can do me a favor and look at my list and where i found my parts. Suggest anything and tell me if they're compatible or if the parts are good. Take a look at the cd-rw and dvd rom and floppy and see if they're okay. Thanks.

My Computer Parts List Check It Out please

Sorry this is long ha. thanks

By the way...Merry Christmas Eve Eve. hehe

[Jack Horner]

OEM parts do not come with anything extra, no cables, no manuals, and sometimes no drivers. Also warranties are different.
If you are buying any hardware, you will qualify for the OEM version of XP as long as you buy it from the same place and at the same time as the hardware. With windows, OEM also means no manuals,and no Microsoft support. Still if you know what you are doing you can't beat the price.
Good Luck, and Have Fun.

[jibby06]

i see thanks

[morriswindgate]

Gigabyte RADEON 9600SE Video Card, 128MB DDR, 64-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "GV-R96S128D" -RETAIL $94.99 on newegg.com
It ain't the one you picked out but it has zero problems running any of the game out there today with great frame rate and no problems drawing the scenes as fast as you can move.
Video cards are like a lot of things on computers, buy the best now and you pay through the nose, take something a little lower on the scale get a godd price with great performance at this time and upgrade later when the cards are down to where this one is now.

[bigandy]

I would go with the 2500+, instead of the 2600+. The $20+ difference just isn't justified by the difference in speed.

[morriswindgate]

I would just order the fans from Newegg also as the shipping on them is going to cost as much as the fans do.
If this was my rig I would also be rethinking the side window case, I have built them for other people and no matter how you dress the wiring and route it, they end up looking cluttered. Plus, with the exception of the fan nothing moves so the only thing you get to do is watch dirt and dust bunnies build up through the window (not very much fun or entertaining). There are some really great looking non window cases out there also.

[bigandy]

Morris has a good point on the case. That is one of the reason's I decided to not get a case with a window, it's not really worth it (to me anyways). Now, if you want to add lights and colored cables and such, then you might want to do that, but it's obviously not necessary. If you do want to look into mods, check out the Case Modding Forum here at PCMech.

[jibby06]

i see, i took your advise for the video. hehe..the case thing, well i was thinking about modding it, but i'll think about it.

well now i have a question about the Floppy, Cd-rw, and Dvd-rom. They're OEM, so would i have to buy extra cables or no?

-Merry Christmas Eve-

[bigandy]

Your MB should come with the necessary IDE and Floppy Cables, and if it doesn't they're dirt cheap. The thing with OEM drives is that you may not get any drivers, and more than likely no software. If you feel you need/want this, don't go OEM.

[jibby06]

oo okay...thanks

[jibby06]

does that also apply to my hard drive?

-merry Christmas Eve!-

[jibby06]

so would i need anything else for my OEM hard drive? cuz it just comes with the hard drive. unless, just like the others, the motherboard supplies the cords and cables

[Cricket]

The IDE cables will come with the motherboard...you don't need anything else for the hard drive as it doesn't require any special software or drivers to work.

Cricket

[jibby06]

hehe oh okay thanks

-Happy Boxing Day- for those in Canada, i'm not though lol

or

-happy day after christmas-

[bigandy]

Really the only thing that you can't get OEM (or if you could, I sure wouldn't) is the MOBO. Just about everything else you can get by with OEM instead of Retail. It's just about what you feel most comfortable with.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by bigandy Really the only thing that you can't get OEM (or if you could, I sure wouldn't) is the MOBO. Just about everything else you can get by with OEM instead of Retail. It's just about what you feel most comfortable with.

Not true, you can get OEM motherboards from Newegg.com and they work fine. They come with everything except the box.

Cricket

[bigandy]

I did not know that (obviously). Thanks Cricket.

Do they still come with the manual?

[Cricket]

Originally posted by bigandy I did not know that (obviously). Thanks Cricket. Do they still come with the manual?

Some will come with a normal sized manual, some will come with just a small booklet, some will come with just a few sheets of paper...but the motherboard CD usually has the electronic version of the complete manual in .pdf form.

Cricket

[bigandy]

Thanks again Cricket. Good stuff to know. I guess you could download the manual from the manufacturers site if it didn't.