First Build $1500

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usefullidiot

New Member
I'm looking to try building a gaming computer for myself, I already have a computer but its old as hell. I'm willing to keep the Monitor/Keyboard/Mouse/DvD Drive, everything else must go. Ive got a budget of around $1500 and I live in Canada but I can get shipments from Newegg.com via friends.

I would like a Duo Core, 2GB Ram, 250GB hard drive and a Graphics card that will handle DirectX10. If these specifications are over the top feel free to cut some stuff off.

Lastly I got bored and was looking on Ebay and I found this which seems like a dream come true considering the retail ones are $999.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Intel-Core-2-Extreme-QX6700-Kentsfield-2-66GHz-2-x-4MB_W0QQitemZ260095724765QQihZ016QQcategoryZ3674QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
That processor is going to jump in price in the remaining two days; there's no way a C2E will go for less than $700 (US)...

You could probably fit an E6600 and an 8800GTS into your budget, although on April 22 Intel will cut prices dramatically on the C2D's, and Nvidia will release new DX10 cards, like the 8600 Ultra that will cost only $180...just something to think about, if you can/want to wait until then.
 
Are you sure about this because if that is the case I am completely willing to wait for it, if you have any links to some written intel news on this id like to take a look.
 
Planning maybe but it is not official. Don't count on the rumor mill for price cut dates.
 
Don't go with what I am saying here unless at least one persons backs it up, I have never built a computer yet, but what I was looking at seems to be quite close to what you may want with the exception of the video card, but as I understand it, there are no directX10 cards out.

All prices from Directcanada.com

Case: Antec P180 ATX Advanced Mid Tower Aluminum Case http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10370AC3772&vpn=P180&manufacture=ANTEC
148$

PSU:Antec Neo HE500 http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10370AC9232&vpn=NEO HE500&manufacture=ANTEC
106$

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-965P-S3 ATX LGA775 http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=11830BD5155&vpn=GA-965P-S3&manufacture=GIGABYTE
151$

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=12200BD1282&vpn=BX80557E6300&manufacture=INTEL
230$

RAM: OCZ Special Ops PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=13220BD3144&vpn=OCZ2SOE8002GK&manufacture=OCZ
180$

Video Card: EVGA E-GEFORCE 7600 GT PCI-E 256MB http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=11610BD1558&vpn=256-P2-N615-TX&manufacture=EVGA
133$

HD: Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB SATA2 7200RPM 16MB http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15080DR2889&vpn=WD2500KS&manufacture=WESTERN DIGITAL
88$

This adds up to 1036$ w/o monitor, dvd drive, mouse, keyboard. You still have room to play with if you change the case for a cheaper one.
 
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lol that website lists the P180B as an aluminum case, even though it uses .8mm and 1mm steel.

Also, see if you can drop the Ram to DDR2 677 and bump the graphics card up to something DX 10, something midrange, like the 8600s (which aren't out yet).
 
Well, I may be wrong but on that site the cheapest ddr2-667 ram I could find for 2gig was costing 169$ which is 12$ less than the DDR2-800. I don't know a whole lot about ram, but I thought that perhaps such a small difference would be worth the improvement in speed even tho I presume it would be quite small.

Btw, how do you like the P180 ?
 
EVGA NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - $249
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813188009

EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 640MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Video Card - Retail - $389
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814130071

Antec True Power Trio TP3-550 ATX12V 550W Power Supply with Three 12V Rails - Retail - $99.99
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817371002

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz LGA 775 - Retail - $221
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819115004

OCZ Platinum 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit - Retail - $199.99
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820227089


Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s - OEM - $74.95
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822144701

Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro - Retail - $69.99
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16835186134


That subtotal is $1,305.94, which leaves room for tax, shipping, and your choice of a case. Enjoy!
 
I may be wrong, but I believe that usefulidiot's budget was in Canadian dollars since he mentionned that he lived in Canada.

1305 USD comes to 1530 CAD without shipping fees and possibly custom fees(?) and I believe there is the computer case missing too.

If I may ask, because I am here to learn too, what is the advantage of such a mobo over the Gigabyte I mentionned or an Asus P5B.

Also, what is the advantage of the ram you suggested over the one I mentionned. Someone was saying we could settle for less and you come up with something better ?
 
Well, I do wonder if his budget was in canadian dollars, maybe he will post and reply to that.

As for the motherboard, the EVGA offers a much stronger and more modern chipset, the Nvidia 680, which adds support for SLI and more overclocking options. This is better for gaming. The Gigabyte does not even have a second PCI Ex slot. The EVGA adds a second LAN, firewire, two more USB, not to mention all of the great accessories that come with it (SATA cables, rounded IDE cables, even more USB ports!). Just a stronger board overall.

As for the RAM, you have to watch the latencies! Your Ram is 5-5-5-15, mine is 4-4-4-12! Much better, especially for gaming - and it's only what, $10 more. Plus the OCZ Platinum series is something I use often and I know they work well.

If you're new to building you should really check out NEWEGG instead too. Note we picked the same hard drive only mine was $12 cheaper. You will find most deals will be like that.

You also understand wrong - DX10 cards are out and they are the Geforce 8 series.
 
Can you explain me a little better what latencies are and what they do... I see all sorts of latencies and don't understand. The better is the smaller numbers.

Also, for the mobo, what is the use of a second PCI-E slot and of a second LAN.

I know you used Newegg and I check it, but I chose that website because from my research it offers the cheapest Canadian dollar prices. So yeah, your HD is cheaper than mine, but mine is in CAD.
 
OCZ Does not work with Gigabyte boards unless it's 533MHz, the voltages are too high...

The GA-965P-DS4 is a good board for overclocking because the FET's and northbridge have a whacking great HeatPipe over them which helps keep the system cool.
 
Ok just to clarify, when I posted the money i was willing to spend i was writing in Canadian Dollars so $1500 canadian. To narrow down the specifics of what I want ill add a few things. I'm going to wait for the price slashes from Intel on the duo cores before I buy so use price estimates for that time if you can. I will be only using the computer for home use and will not be bringing it to Lan parties so it does not have to be versatile. Try to make it more able to be overclocked because I intend on overclocking it not extemely but a decent amount. Lastly I do want a Geforce 8 which is DirectX 10 capable and 4-4-4-12 Ram would be nice.
 
usefullidiot said:
Ok just to clarify, when I posted the money i was willing to spend i was writing in Canadian Dollars so $1500 canadian. To narrow down the specifics of what I want ill add a few things. I'm going to wait for the price slashes from Intel on the duo cores before I buy so use price estimates for that time if you can. I will be only using the computer for home use and will not be bringing it to Lan parties so it does not have to be versatile. Try to make it more able to be overclocked because I intend on overclocking it not extemely but a decent amount. Lastly I do want a Geforce 8 which is DirectX 10 capable and 4-4-4-12 Ram would be nice.
Click to expand...

you guys make it seem like 4-4-4-12 is better than the 5-5-5... so the lower the nuber the better?
 
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