$700 Build

epidemik

epidemik

Active Member
Well, im hoping to build this month. Goal was 600, max is like 750.
Low on cash so the cheaper the better.

MSI ATI HD 3870 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127315
Intel C2D 8400 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037
Gigabye P35 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128084
Patriot 2GB RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220144
Rosewill 600W PSU- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182032
WD Caviar 320 GB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136074
LG DVD Burner - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136117

Video Card: Just sorta grabbed a 3870 that was a top seller. Im open to suggestions around $175. When does the 4800s come out. Will the be in that price range? IS it worth waiting. Should I find a cheap video card and wait for 4800s?

CPU: Pretty sure this is what I want.

MOBO: Have a friend who likes this mobo. It got good reviews. I liked the price :D Open to suggestions though.

RAM: Was cheap. So cheap, im tempted to get two of them. Are they decent quality?

PSU: I dont really know how to pick psus. It got good reviews. Except the fan. I dotn really want a loud fan but thats not really a big deal. But, feel free to recomend a PSU around that price.

HDD: I want 320 GB. I went for the 16MB cache version. I figured $5 wasnt that much extra. It got decent newegg reviews.

DVD Burner: Just grabbed the cheapest top seller. Honestly, unless its complete crap, it doesnt really matter to me. I wont burn more than probably 20 dvds/cds a year so as long as it can install OS and a couple games, i think ill be fine.


Well, thanks in advance for all the help i hope to recieve :P
Im super excited...just hoping i can work enough to buy within this month.
 
What about this PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153052

Its a bit cheaper with the mail in rebates n such.
And I probably wont be doing crossfire with this rig (mobo cant do it either).

I forgot to talk about myself too :D I'll probably do a bit of gaming. Some video editing. Web surfing and music. Pretty much just hoping to get through the next 2 years and then Ill get a lappy for college.
 
Lets see.
GPU: I'd get the Diamond HD3870 over the MSI 3870, as it's cheaper, and has a higher memory clock. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103050)
If you are going to look at the 8800GT, EVGA, XFX, and BFG make a good card. Make sure you look carefully at the clock speeds as
CPU: Looks good.
Mobo: DS3L, not that POS you have in there. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128337)
RAM: Patriot is good, but theres better ram out there for that price for 2 gigs. Up to you.
PSU: I heard somewhere from someone that Rosewell made complete shit PSU, but I dunno. You could probably get something better with Corsair, OCZ, or TT.
HD: Looks good. That's what I got and it's big enough.
DVD: Looks fine.

At least you'll have a different case than mine, so you won't be copying me THAT much.
[/sarcsam]
 
why not get the Q6600 for the extra money??? and why not get 4GB of ram??? and what OS will you be running?
 
I have a copy of XP Pro. Trying to keep the budget down. I think i will get two of those rams (giving me a total of 4gb)

So you think itd be worth another $20 to get a Q6600? (i didnt realize they were that close in price) How does it compare to the E8400?

Are games starting to better utilize the quad cores. I thought a while ago, games werent really taking advantage of quad cores (but ive been out of the loop for a while)

For CPUs, should I go OEM and get a cheap heatsink which i probably wouldnt have gotten anyways or just go retail and use stock heatsink. I probably wont overclock for a while.


Any advice on PSUs?



So at this point im thinking.
Ill get an ATI 4860 and Q6600. The parts above (mobo tux recomended). Thatll be around 700 (including PSU) but im still not sure about PSU.
Thanks for the help so far.
 
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OK XP will be fine then..... and Quad core is the future..... and more things are getting to use quad cores.
 
cohen said:
OK XP will be fine then..... and Quad core is the future..... and more things are getting to use quad cores.
Click to expand...

Its the future...but how does it compare with the E8400 (mainly in gaming)? The E8400 has quite a bit higher core speed...but theres only two of them.

I googled around and it seems that for games within the next 12 - 18 months, E8400 is the way to go but if I want the computer to last longer, I should go with the Quad. Is this true? Which one do I want lol? I'd like the computer to last but how much gaming power will i loose in the meantime if I go with the Q6600?


maroon1 said:
Yea get 8800GT
Click to expand...

Recomend one? Theres so many different brands n such to choose from.
And you think it will out preform a 4860 (which are going to be released around when i build)



Hows the mobo that tux recomended? What about the P45 (they get a little spendy though)?
 
epidemik said:
Its the future...but how does it compare with the E8400 (mainly in gaming)? The E8400 has quite a bit higher core speed...but theres only two of them.

I googled around and it seems that for games within the next 12 - 18 months, E8400 is the way to go but if I want the computer to last longer, I should go with the Quad. Is this true? Which one do I want lol? I'd like the computer to last but how much gaming power will i loose in the meantime if I go with the Q6600?
Click to expand...

Well the Q6600 is good for gaming and the newer games will use the 4 cores.... so i would get for the extra $20 and then you don't have to pay the $200 odd next time when you go to upgrade.
 
If you got an overclocked E8400, it will outperform a quad in games.

For example, a 4Ghz E8400 vs a Q6600 @ 4Ghz in 3dmark, the E8400 will give higher SM scores. Which means, more FPS.
 
ThatGuy16 said:
If you got an overclocked E8400, it will outperform a quad in games.

For example, a 4Ghz E8400 vs a Q6600 @ 4Ghz in 3dmark, the E8400 will give higher SM scores. Which means, more FPS.
Click to expand...

Agreed, the only problem is it doesn't translate into actual gameplay for really any scenario. Unless you like to play 3dmark or have some kind of ridiculous video card setup, you're completely gpu-bound. Guess the future will be the real story, am curious to see which one falls first. :)
 
All of it looks great. Either one of the two power supplies you suggested would be a nice deal. I would tell you to get the DS3L version of the motherboard instead of the S3G simply because I have the DS3L and I can recommend it but since you're on a budget the S3G seems to fill the spot.

Also, since you're on a budget, why don't you try the E7200? It is an extreme overclocker just like it's older brothers (E8xxx) and it's $60 less! With that money you could get the DS3L motherboard or the new MSI P45 chipset mobo for $100 I think.

Heres the E7200: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115052&Tpk=E7200

cohen said:
why not get the Q6600 for the extra money??? and why not get 4GB of ram??? and what OS will you be running?
Click to expand...

He is on a budget ;)
 
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epidemik said:
Budget is like 700ish.

Right now, with
Q6600
8800GT
4GB RAM
DS3L
(And everything else)

Im at 680ish after mail in rebates

But im still split between Q6600 and E8400
Click to expand...

IMO, if you are an overclocker, I would lean towards the Q6600, if not I would go for the E8400. Really, it doesn't matter which you pick, and very solid cases could be said for both...when overclocking and when not. When do you plan to upgrade? If it is relatively soon, just go for the E8400, as it is simply cheaper. No one on this forum has enough knowledge to give you a definitive answer as to which to choose....as we cannot see into the future.
 
Steelshivan said:
IMO, if you are an overclocker, I would lean towards the Q6600, if not I would go for the E8400. Really, it doesn't matter which you pick, and very solid cases could be said for both...when overclocking and when not. When do you plan to upgrade? If it is relatively soon, just go for the E8400, as it is simply cheaper. No one on this forum has enough knowledge to give you a definitive answer as to which to choose....as we cannot see into the future.
Click to expand...

Your opinion is wrong. And your a total dumbass.
First of all, on topic, the E8400 has better multipliers, 45nm technology (aka colder and less voltage), and better stepping. So your in the wrong there.
Second of all, we don't need to see into the future. We know which one would overclock better. Don't come in here telling us that we don't know enough about computers.
ggkthx.
 
Steelshivan said:
IMO, if you are an overclocker, I would lean towards the Q6600, if not I would go for the E8400.

When do you plan to upgrade? .
Click to expand...

Ive heard E8400 is a better overclocker due to the 45nm n such.

I dont plan on upgrading for a long time. Maybe go SLI in a yearish but i doubt it cause the mobo isnt sli.
 
epidemik said:
Ive heard E8400 is a better overclocker due to the 45nm n such.

I dont plan on upgrading for a long time. Maybe go SLI in a yearish but i doubt it cause the mobo isnt sli.
Click to expand...

I've heard the E8400 is a better overclocker too. I am basing it more off 4 cores vs 2 cores though. I would rather have 4 cores at 3.0Ghz than 2 cores at 4.0Ghz. Just an example...guess what I'm trying to say is: if you have both processors overclocked they both have crazy clock speed. Might as well go with the quad-core in that situation. :)

Lol no more comment from me on the E8400 vs Q6600 thing. For the time being, I think it's just one of those things that is a personal preference or flip a coin deal. Possibly one of if not the most debatable processor duels ever? At least with the whole Athlon 64 2.0Ghz vs P4 3.0Ghz duel, there WAS a right answer depending on whether you wanted to game or multitask.
 
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