1st time computer builder...look good?

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Akosarz

New Member
I want to eventually build my own system. I will be using it for a variety of purposes: internet browsing, dvd burning, videogames (wow and half life 2, but I also want it to be able to run some recently released games as well), and maybe some photoshop. Let me know how these parts sound and if they are compatible. THANKS

GPU

CPU + MOBO

RAM

Case

Hardrive

Transferring DVD burner from old machine.

That adds up to 421.95 excluding shipping and OS

I plan on getting a new monitor as well as a TV tuner to plug in as well.

I also have this external hardrive that Ill be hooking up to it. Would it help to have a firewire port to plug it in to or would a regular USB port do fine?

THANKS FOR YOUR INSIGHT!:)
 
epidemik

epidemik

Active Member
I think you can do better...
What is your budget?

I would recomend going intel. They currently are doing very well as far as cpus go.
 
A

Akosarz

New Member
Honestly im on a very low college-student budget. haha.

Ive really itching to build a computer lately but it is a big financial commitment.

Im not looking for the latest and greatest parts, just something that I can have fun learning to put together and that will hold up with some of the current applications out there.

Ive kind of hit a wall as far as upgrading my old pc goes. This option, i think, is far better than my current dell.
 
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Akosarz

New Member
imsati said:
Yes.

Edit: ((Although I must admit, I personally find the case hideous! :p I love simplistic case designs, and it looks very busy!))
Click to expand...

haha yea it is kind of busy. Do cases usually have a led light power toggle switch so that if you wanted to you could turn it off at night?
 
porterjw

porterjw

Spaminator
Staff member
Oh, I like my cases far too simple to know anything about that! Honestly, I've no idea how common they are. None of the systems I service (mostly small-business, some home-user, nothing to extravagant) use LED's or the like, so I wouldn't know.
 
porterjw

porterjw

Spaminator
Staff member
Heh - sorry I wasn't more help. I know they sell switches that occupy an external Drive Bay or card slot at the back. I haven't looked, but I'm sure you can find them on Newegg or the like. I wouldn't be surprised if they made cases with them built in as a feature, but I've just never come acorss any, nor had the desire to look for one. Good luck with it though!
 
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Akosarz

New Member
so if i were to stretch my money a bit more on one specific part of the build what would it be in? The motherboard maybe?
 
A

Akosarz

New Member
I thought it already was a SATA. Do you mind explaining that? I'm kind of new to this stuff.

I was thinking about going with Vista 32bit for the OS
 
porterjw

porterjw

Spaminator
Staff member
The HDD you posted is IDE. IDE is a flat ribbon (or rounded ribbon if you look for one) and a bit slower than SATA; SATA is a much smaller cable (better airflow) and will be capable of faster transfer speeds. Do you have an installable copy of Vista (ie - not from Dell, HP, etc. as they will only work on similar systems)? If not, Keep your current setup and put the $ towards that.
 
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Akosarz

New Member
Yea im gonna have to buy a copy of vista to put in. I think ill go with the home edition and then put in a tv tuner card in.

Im gonna need to get a nice monitor to go with this setup as well. Do you recommend any that are affordable?
 
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m0nk3ys1ms

Active Member
Intel Pentium E2200
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116063
Gigabyte GA-P31-S3G Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128077
G.SKILL 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2-1066 RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166
Seagate Barracuda 250GB HDD (16MB Cache)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148262
HIS Radeon 3850 GPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161214
XION Solaris Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811208011
Rosewill 500W PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182016

$509, but a lot better than the build you put together.
 
Dazzeerr

Dazzeerr

New Member
As an owner of a 8500GT, i advise you not to get it.

Since the prices of higher 8 series cards have come down your much better off getting a 8600GT 512mb, its suprising how much difference there is between the two. Frankly, 8500's are crap.

Sure i can run CoD4 etc on medium settings, but not very well and without it running overclocked and pretty hot.

I'm big on HL2 etc, and it runs all the HL2 games fine if that's all you want out of it, but if you want newer games just save a bit more for a 8600.


I would go for the E2200, then try and get a decent overclocking board. If you can afford it get a DS3L for good overclocking potential so the processor is a bit more futureproof and still very cheap :)

For a harddrive, go for a 250gb instead of 160. Small price difference and it's suprising how they can fill up when you have a half decent games system.
 
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oscaryu1

VIP Member
As an owner of a 8500GT, i advise you not to get it.

Since the prices of higher 8 series cards have come down your much better off getting a 8600GT 512mb, its suprising how much difference there is between the two. Frankly, 8500's are crap.
Click to expand...

And from there, see if the 8800GS is possible.
 
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