Best Desktop For The Price

EMO-TOCROSS · 07-15-2004, 06:33 AM

Man I couldnt be happier that I met you Praetor!! Im gonna spend the next hour or so, going over everything, picking through the cases, double checking on the drives, fans, cards and all that stuff.. Meanwhile, Do you think I should go for a better video card since I still Have like 200$ more? Or is the video card good enough? Thanks man, Your seriously appreciated!

**Praetor** · 07-15-2004, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Rosewill ATI RADEON 9600LE Video Card, 256MB DDR, 128-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "96LE-AD-256C" -RETAIL

I'm not an ATI fan so I wasnt initially aware of the specs on this card. Now I am more informed. I would go after the standard 9600 or even the 9600Pro. The 9600LE doesnt have active cooling (i.e., a fan). That's because it doesnt have the graphical horsepower to require cooling.

Quote:

ASUS "P4P800S" i848P Chipset Motherboard for Intel Socket 478 CPU -RETAIL

Forgive me i'm slow (i dont sleep and I have stuff on my mind). I would avoid this motherboard if you have $200 to spare. This mobo doesnt support Dual channel DDR as well as a bunch of other small things I would have expected. I would reccomend the P4P800 which runs off the much more presigious i865PE chipset. This board has supports Dual Channel DDR

Quote:

Western Digital 80GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD800BB, OEM Drive only

If you've still got money after the above two (or at least a jump to the baseline 9600), get a bigger drive ... if its an 8MB cache version all the better.

Quote:

Man I couldnt be happier that I met you Praetor!!

Glad I could help... it's nice to help people who care to learn heehee

darkd3vil · 07-15-2004, 07:33 AM

make sure you buy all the right parts and everything if you have a ? about what you need to just boot it up ask me i know what you need now

EMO-TOCROSS · 07-15-2004, 07:42 AM

Okay here it is.. My Second Draft of my custom built computer plan.. let me know your thoughts again. I greatly appreciate this.

Operation system: Windows XP Professional

Case And PSU : ENERMAX Silver 10-BAY ATX Mid-Tower Case(Aluminum Front Panel) with 400W Power Supply, Model "CS-EN5171LBFS-S" -RETAIL

Processor: Intel Pentium 4/ 2.8C GHz 800MHz FSB, 512K Cache, Hyper Threading Technology - OEM - Retail

Motherboard: ASUS "P4P800-E Deluxe" i865PE Chipset Motherboard for Intel Socket 478 CPU -RETAIL

RAM: OCZ Ultra High Performance Dual Channel Kit 184-Pin 512MB(256MBx2) DDR PC-3200 - Retail X2 (Will purchase 2 of these since motherboard can support up to 4gb!)

Graphic Card: Info-Tek ATI RADEON 9600PRO Video Card, 256MB DDR, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "R9600-PRO D3H" -RETAIL

Sound Card: (motherboard Says Onboard Audio: ALC850 8-CH ?? This mean no soundcard?)

Hard Drive: Western Digital Special Edition 120GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, 8mb cache, Model WD1200JB, OEM Drive Only

CD Drive: Lite-On 52X32X52X16 Combo Drive, Model SOHC-5232K, Retail (Dont need a dvd burner, I can buy one later)

CPU Processor Fan: Thermaltake POLO 735 Extreme 3 in 1 CPU Cooler for AMD K7 & K8 and Intel P4 processors, Model "POLO 735" -RETAIL

Fans(2-3): AeroCool UV LED Case fan 80MM, Model "AeroFans-UV-BG-SV" -RETAIL (3, brighten the color up! and cool down the system)

Speakers: Already have some

Monitor: Very good friend lending me his extra flat screen

Mouse: Have Extras

Keyboard: Have Extras

TOTAL: $ 847.70 (I have $864.. phew)

darkd3vil · 07-15-2004, 07:50 AM

awsome and make sure you buy the right parts and cables my first builds boot up was delayed 3 days because i didnt buy a sata/raid card

come on newegg be extra speedy for me today!

**Praetor** · 07-15-2004, 07:53 AM

For next time, since you're on the page anyways, gimme the link so i dont have to go hunt them down

1. Case: solid decent case

2. PSU: cant be bad because otherwise Enermax would have used theirs (and Enermax makes nice PSUs with solid rails)

3. Good call on the proc. No need buying a faster one when you can just OC

4. Nice job on the mobo

5. For the RAM there are two approaches: (a) Get a crapload of RAM to make up for the loss of Dual Channel DDR ('sides PC3200 isnt bad either) or (b) get the 1GB set (two sticks of 512MB) in order to make the most of DualChannel DDR

6. Solid harddrive.

7. w00t! You wont be dissapointed. It runs loud. It runs fast (you can turn the speed down at night if you have to and its quite sleepable)

8. Nice choice of chassis fans although you may need/want to change them for the bigger 92mm versions which push out more air. Why? If i'm not mistaken, the rear chassis mounts look to be 92mm. The side fan is still 80mm so get one for that at least. The front fan might be a 92mm fan too. Look into that before you buy it ... i havnt slept in a couple days ... my perception is fried (email Enermax or look around on the Enermax website they'll know)

REAR

FRONT

All in all VERY nice. A friend of mine put it to me this way, "You're not saving money. You're gonna spend the same amount anyways, you might as well get more stuff" <Nephilim>

EMO-TOCROSS · 07-15-2004, 08:20 AM

Oh sorry about not linking the pages, I'll make sure I do that in the future to save your time. I feel confident about what I've chosen, and I did make some changes based on your suggestions. I also added 2 Antec 92mm SmartCool Fans( http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE ), So that whether they are 80mm or 92mm or both, I have them covered. I also changed the ram to this: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE
Which I believe is what you said would be smarter.

But I also have a few n00b questions running in my head. Okay here they are:

1.) Do I need a sound card, even if the motherboard says it has a audio card?

2.) I obviously need to hook up to my dsl, so does any of those parts have an ethernet adapter for like those hub cords or something.

3.) Do any of the cards have USB connectors, or do i need to buy a separate card for that?

4.) Do I need any extra cables, wires, or anything to mount it all, and connect all the parts to eachother? Like, Do they all just connect to eachother with what they come with?

5.) Will this all fit in the chassis?

6.) Any tips on making your own computer? Could I fry the motherboard or something easily? What do I need to be aware of?

**Praetor** · 07-15-2004, 08:33 AM

This RAM is slightly faster http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...145-440&depa=1 (and cheaper)

Quote:

Do I need a sound card, even if the motherboard says it has a audio card?

If you're into play games all the time or listening to music all the time yeah. If you casually listen to musics (say, as ur surfin the net or something) then probably not. If you're budget is tight, get a SoundblasterLive .. they are quite cheap nowadays

Quote:

I obviously need to hook up to my dsl, so does any of those parts have an ethernet adapter for like those hub cords or something.

The motherboard comes with a NIC .. all you need is a RJ45 cable (which usually comes with the DSL model anyways). If you need to split your internet over several machines then you'll need a router. Shouldnt cost more than $50USD

Quote:

Do any of the cards have USB connectors, or do I need to buy a separate card for that?

Unless I'm horribly mistaken, the mobo has a whole bunch of USB jacks (at least 4 I would imagine)

Quote:

Do I need any extra cables, wires, or anything to mount it all, and connect all the parts to eachother? Like, Do they all just connect to eachother with what they come with?

Worst case scenario:
- 2 x IDE connectors (ATA133 cables)
- 1 x CDROM audio connector (probably optional)
- 1 x power cable
- ? x power splitters depending on the number of fans your MOBO/PSU can directly support
I would only expect you to actually need the last one if anything.

Quote:

Will this all fit in the chassis?

Yeah

Quote:

Any tips on making your own computer? Could I fry the motherboard or something easily? What do I need to be aware of?

1. Never operate while it's on
2. If you're not comfortable installing the CPU/HSF, pay some dude $5 to pop it in for ya... better than scratchin something
3. Take things slow. Read the manual. Be able to picture whatr ur about to do in your head without referring to any drawings. If it doesnt make intuitive sense then its wrong
4. Plugs, memory, CPUs and damn near everything else fits only one way
5. Be careful with the screwdriver
6. You may be concerned about ESD (im not but a bunch of my friends are paranoid over it)

EMO-TOCROSS · 07-15-2004, 08:51 AM

Okay Im starting to get it. Music is very important to me, and my budget has closed in. So Im gonna try to squeeze in a Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy ES PCI Sound Card, Model "SB0162" -OEM (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE)
how do you feel about that one?

This sounds like everything is gonna be good. This will be my final setup: (unless of coarse you find something to change)

Operation system: Windows XP Professional

Case And PSU : ENERMAX Silver 10-BAY ATX Mid-Tower Case(Aluminum Front Panel) with 400W Power Supply, Model "CS-EN5171LBFS-S" -RETAIL

Processor: Intel Pentium 4/ 2.8C GHz 800MHz FSB, 512K Cache, Hyper Threading Technology - OEM - Retail

Motherboard: ASUS "P4P800-E Deluxe" i865PE Chipset Motherboard for Intel Socket 478 CPU -RETAIL

RAM: OCZ Ultra High Performance Dual Channel Kit 184-Pin 1GB (512MBx2) DDR PC-3200 - Retail

Graphic Card: Info-Tek ATI RADEON 9600PRO Video Card, 256MB DDR, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "R9600-PRO D3H" -RETAIL

Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy ES PCI Sound Card, Model "SB0162" -OEM

Hard Drive: Western Digital Special Edition 120GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, 8mb cache, Model WD1200JB, OEM Drive Only

CD Drive: Lite-On 52X32X52X16 Combo Drive, Model SOHC-5232K, Retail (Dont need a dvd burner, I can buy one later)

CPU Processor Fan: Thermaltake POLO 735 Extreme 3 in 1 CPU Cooler for AMD K7 & K8 and Intel P4 processors, Model "POLO 735" -RETAIL

80mm Fan: AeroCool UV LED Case fan 80MM, Model "AeroFans-UV-BG-SV" -RETAIL x1

92mm Fan: Antec 92mm SmartCool Thermally Controlled Case Fan with Temperature Sensor, Model "75009" x2

Speakers: Already have some

Monitor: Very good friend lending me his extra flat screen

Mouse: Have Extras

Keyboard: Have Extras

TOTAL: $ 899.21 (I have $864.. yikes! Time to start finding things for ebay!)

--* so all of these parts are compatable with eachother? And If I order all of the above, Will I be able to put it together, and have a running computer once i add the moniter, keyboard, and mouse?

--*Im gonna be slowly getting questions the more time off, so i'll be checkin in often with questions.. Your the best Praetor!! Thanks for the help man

**Praetor** · 07-15-2004, 08:57 AM

1. Good call on the Soundcard... I used to use a SBAudigy until it started givin me trouble ... then again im not a audiophille so I popped a SBLive in ... im ranting ... the SBAudigy is a good card

2. If you need to "free" up money, drop the videocard down to 128MB ... not that much performance jump when u use 256MB

3. Good job on the Litey!

4. For the fans, make sure you dont buy too many (not that its a bad thing) ... the case may come with a fan or two: read up ... I only glanced by

Quote:

--* so all of these parts are compatable with eachother? And If I order all of the above, Will I be able to put it together, and have a running computer once I add the moniter, keyboard, and mouse?

I dont see any particular compatibility issues. Course I'm not an Intel/ATi expert so I might be missing some small stupid technicalities you never know. It seems ok by me.

Quote:

Thanks for the help man

Not a problem. It's nice to help people who care to learn.

07-15-2004, 07:53 AM	#46 (permalink)
Praetor Administrator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canada Age: 25 Posts: 19,949	For next time, since you're on the page anyways, gimme the link so i dont have to go hunt them down 1. Case: solid decent case 2. PSU: cant be bad because otherwise Enermax would have used theirs (and Enermax makes nice PSUs with solid rails) 3. Good call on the proc. No need buying a faster one when you can just OC 4. Nice job on the mobo 5. For the RAM there are two approaches: (a) Get a crapload of RAM to make up for the loss of Dual Channel DDR ('sides PC3200 isnt bad either) or (b) get the 1GB set (two sticks of 512MB) in order to make the most of DualChannel DDR 6. Solid harddrive. 7. w00t! You wont be dissapointed. It runs loud. It runs fast (you can turn the speed down at night if you have to and its quite sleepable) 8. Nice choice of chassis fans although you may need/want to change them for the bigger 92mm versions which push out more air. Why? If i'm not mistaken, the rear chassis mounts look to be 92mm. The side fan is still 80mm so get one for that at least. The front fan might be a 92mm fan too. Look into that before you buy it ... i havnt slept in a couple days ... my perception is fried (email Enermax or look around on the Enermax website they'll know) REAR FRONT All in all VERY nice. A friend of mine put it to me this way, "You're not saving money. You're gonna spend the same amount anyways, you might as well get more stuff" <Nephilim> __________________ ASUS P5K Premium WiFi-AP, Q6600@3.7 / ASUS P5ND, E6400@3.8 4GB OCz Platinum XTC 8500 / 4GB CorsairXMS2 6400 5x500GB Seagate 7200.10 / 2x500 Seagate 7200.10 OCz 8800GTX 768MB @ 630/800 / 2x Galaxy 8800GT SLI

07-15-2004, 08:51 AM	#49 (permalink)
EMO-TOCROSS Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Age: 19 Posts: 204	Okay Im starting to get it. Music is very important to me, and my budget has closed in. So Im gonna try to squeeze in a Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy ES PCI Sound Card, Model "SB0162" -OEM (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE) how do you feel about that one? This sounds like everything is gonna be good. This will be my final setup: (unless of coarse you find something to change) Operation system: Windows XP Professional Case And PSU : ENERMAX Silver 10-BAY ATX Mid-Tower Case(Aluminum Front Panel) with 400W Power Supply, Model "CS-EN5171LBFS-S" -RETAIL Processor: Intel Pentium 4/ 2.8C GHz 800MHz FSB, 512K Cache, Hyper Threading Technology - OEM - Retail Motherboard: ASUS "P4P800-E Deluxe" i865PE Chipset Motherboard for Intel Socket 478 CPU -RETAIL RAM: OCZ Ultra High Performance Dual Channel Kit 184-Pin 1GB (512MBx2) DDR PC-3200 - Retail Graphic Card: Info-Tek ATI RADEON 9600PRO Video Card, 256MB DDR, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "R9600-PRO D3H" -RETAIL Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy ES PCI Sound Card, Model "SB0162" -OEM Hard Drive: Western Digital Special Edition 120GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, 8mb cache, Model WD1200JB, OEM Drive Only CD Drive: Lite-On 52X32X52X16 Combo Drive, Model SOHC-5232K, Retail (Dont need a dvd burner, I can buy one later) CPU Processor Fan: Thermaltake POLO 735 Extreme 3 in 1 CPU Cooler for AMD K7 & K8 and Intel P4 processors, Model "POLO 735" -RETAIL 80mm Fan: AeroCool UV LED Case fan 80MM, Model "AeroFans-UV-BG-SV" -RETAIL x1 92mm Fan: Antec 92mm SmartCool Thermally Controlled Case Fan with Temperature Sensor, Model "75009" x2 Speakers: Already have some Monitor: Very good friend lending me his extra flat screen Mouse: Have Extras Keyboard: Have Extras TOTAL: $ 899.21 (I have $864.. yikes! Time to start finding things for ebay!) --* so all of these parts are compatable with eachother? And If I order all of the above, Will I be able to put it together, and have a running computer once i add the moniter, keyboard, and mouse? --Im gonna be slowly getting questions the more time off, so i'll be checkin in often with questions.. Your the best Praetor!! Thanks for the help man Last edited by EMO-TOCROSS; 07-15-2004 at 08:53 AM.*

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07-15-2004, 06:33 AM	#41 (permalink)
EMO-TOCROSS Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Age: 19 Posts: 204	Man I couldnt be happier that I met you Praetor!! Im gonna spend the next hour or so, going over everything, picking through the cases, double checking on the drives, fans, cards and all that stuff.. Meanwhile, Do you think I should go for a better video card since I still Have like 200$ more? Or is the video card good enough? Thanks man, Your seriously appreciated!

07-15-2004, 07:33 AM	#43 (permalink)
darkd3vil Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 132	make sure you buy all the right parts and everything if you have a ? about what you need to just boot it up ask me i know what you need now

07-15-2004, 07:42 AM	#44 (permalink)
EMO-TOCROSS Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Age: 19 Posts: 204	Okay here it is.. My Second Draft of my custom built computer plan.. let me know your thoughts again. I greatly appreciate this. Operation system: Windows XP Professional Case And PSU : ENERMAX Silver 10-BAY ATX Mid-Tower Case(Aluminum Front Panel) with 400W Power Supply, Model "CS-EN5171LBFS-S" -RETAIL Processor: Intel Pentium 4/ 2.8C GHz 800MHz FSB, 512K Cache, Hyper Threading Technology - OEM - Retail Motherboard: ASUS "P4P800-E Deluxe" i865PE Chipset Motherboard for Intel Socket 478 CPU -RETAIL RAM: OCZ Ultra High Performance Dual Channel Kit 184-Pin 512MB(256MBx2) DDR PC-3200 - Retail X2 (Will purchase 2 of these since motherboard can support up to 4gb!) Graphic Card: Info-Tek ATI RADEON 9600PRO Video Card, 256MB DDR, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "R9600-PRO D3H" -RETAIL Sound Card: (motherboard Says Onboard Audio: ALC850 8-CH ?? This mean no soundcard?) Hard Drive: Western Digital Special Edition 120GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, 8mb cache, Model WD1200JB, OEM Drive Only CD Drive: Lite-On 52X32X52X16 Combo Drive, Model SOHC-5232K, Retail (Dont need a dvd burner, I can buy one later) CPU Processor Fan: Thermaltake POLO 735 Extreme 3 in 1 CPU Cooler for AMD K7 & K8 and Intel P4 processors, Model "POLO 735" -RETAIL Fans(2-3): AeroCool UV LED Case fan 80MM, Model "AeroFans-UV-BG-SV" -RETAIL (3, brighten the color up! and cool down the system) Speakers: Already have some Monitor: Very good friend lending me his extra flat screen Mouse: Have Extras Keyboard: Have Extras TOTAL: $ 847.70 (I have $864.. phew)

07-15-2004, 07:50 AM	#45 (permalink)
darkd3vil Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 132	awsome and make sure you buy the right parts and cables my first builds boot up was delayed 3 days because i didnt buy a sata/raid card come on newegg be extra speedy for me today!

07-15-2004, 08:20 AM	#47 (permalink)
EMO-TOCROSS Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Age: 19 Posts: 204	Oh sorry about not linking the pages, I'll make sure I do that in the future to save your time. I feel confident about what I've chosen, and I did make some changes based on your suggestions. I also added 2 Antec 92mm SmartCool Fans( http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE ), So that whether they are 80mm or 92mm or both, I have them covered. I also changed the ram to this: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE Which I believe is what you said would be smarter. But I also have a few n00b questions running in my head. Okay here they are: 1.) Do I need a sound card, even if the motherboard says it has a audio card? 2.) I obviously need to hook up to my dsl, so does any of those parts have an ethernet adapter for like those hub cords or something. 3.) Do any of the cards have USB connectors, or do i need to buy a separate card for that? 4.) Do I need any extra cables, wires, or anything to mount it all, and connect all the parts to eachother? Like, Do they all just connect to eachother with what they come with? 5.) Will this all fit in the chassis? 6.) Any tips on making your own computer? Could I fry the motherboard or something easily? What do I need to be aware of?