I just found this site last night doing a google search, and after reading through some of the posts and seeing the amazing responses by the admins as well as other members, I think I will try my luck. Bear with me on the length.

First a little background. Right now my wife and I have a Dell computer that we bought back in the spring of 2000. It has the following hardware:

533 MHz Pentium 3
128 MB RDRAM (yes, that's not a typo)
20 GB hard drive
SoundBlaster Live sound card
nVIDIA GeForce 64MB video card
CD-RW drive
19" monitor
Standard Dell keyboard
Logitech mouse
Road Runner high-speed Internet

The reason we want to get a new computer is that the hard drive only has 3 GB left of space, and there is something funny going on with the computer because it won't transfer large files back and forth (not sure if it's a RAM issue or what).

Our current and anticipated future uses include:

Standard office uses (e-mail, word processing, spreadsheet, etc.)
Digital picture viewing/editing/storage
Music CD creation (mp3, wav, etc.) and storage
Hard drive-based and Internet games (i.e. Half-Life 2, casino games, sports games)
Digital video storage/editing at some point (don't own a digital video camera yet)

We do not anticipate wanting this new unit to act as a TIVO-type device, and we won't be using it to watch DVD movies on our TV in the living room. This computer will reside in our home office. It won't be our digital home entertainment hub.

We plan to re-use the following items from our Dell computer:

19" monitor
Speakers (Harmon Kardon 2-speaker setup with a subwoofer)
Keyboard & mouse

I have done some research here and at places like www.extremetech.com, cNet, etc. Based on what I've read and my goal to strike a balance between performance and price, here is what I am thinking right now for hardware:

3.2E GHz Pentium 4, 800 MHz FSB, 1 MB L2, Hyper-Threading Processor - $219.00
Chaintech 9CJS Zenith i875P Chipset MOBO - Socket 478 - $165.00
Kingston ValueRAM Dual Channel Kit 184-Pin 1 GB (2 x 512) DDR PC-3200 - $168.00
Maxtor Ultra Series Kit 250 GB 7,200 RPM SATA Hard Drive (L01M250) - $205
Asus 16X DVD-ROM Drive (DVD-E616P1) - $28.50
Sony 12X DVD+/-RW Dual Format Recorder Drive (DRU-540A) - $95.00
Powercolor ATI Radeon 9800XT Video Card, 256MB DDR, 256-Bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP - $319.00
Creative Labs SOund Blaster Audigy 2ZS PCI Sound Card - $85.99
Mitsumi USB Digital Card Reader/Writer with Internal 3.5" Floppy - FA404 - 25.50
Have not decided on a case
Not sure how big of power supply to get
Not sure if I'll need aftermarket CPU cooling device
Not sure if I'll need aftermarket fans

Total so far is $1,310.99

I'm not worried about software right now, as I can get all the software I need for free.

The 2 big things I haven't picked out yet are a case and a power supply. I think I would like a black case, one that doesn't have a swing-out door covering the drive bays. I don't need an acrylic side panel or led lights... this will sit under a desk largely out of sight. I think an ATX Mid-Tower size should be fine, I don't think I will need a full tower will I?

Here are the questions I want you to answer for me:

1. Is there any hardware I'm missing?

2. Is the hardware I've listed above going to be overkill for what we will use it for? There will be timed where we have multiple software apps open at the same time, and there may be times where more than one program will be running at the same time.

3. How much money would I save if I went to an apples-to-apples AMD-based system instead of Intel-based? Would I lose or gain performance?

4. What case would you recommend based on my desires above?

5. How many watts of power would I need? 400? More? I'm clueless on how to make this decision.

6. If you had to shave $200 to $300 off the total price for the above hardware, what would you give up and replace with? In the end I really would like to keep the total (for all hardware) at around $1,100 but am willing to go as high as $1,500.

Thanks in advance for any help and insight you can provide. I'm really excited about building my first system, but I need to work on my wife some. She's not so enthusiastic about me spending this kind of money and doing it myself for the very first time.

Jason

Ok welcome to BC!
I think you can get those parts cheaper. Ok try looking around here:
www.newegg.com
and www.ebay.com
Those two places might get your parts cheaper than what you have posted.
(im sorry looks like you have been to new egg.)
q&a
5. How many watts of power would I need? 400? More? I'm clueless on how to make this decision.
I would go for a bigger amount of watts. If your running a big cpu then you will want around 500- 550+.
If you would like a case here is a cool one!
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc....-147-006&DEPA=0
Its a neat one with a 400watt ps included.
Just some of my opinions.
Also If you say you have never built a pc before I found this place for a cheap how to guide on how to build a pc(im not sure if you want it but you could take a look.)
Build your own pc

Yeah, those prices I listed are all off of newegg.

For what I have listed for hardware, would I need more than 400W of power?

If you have only 3GB of space left, and you would like more, you could always add an external HD. Since you plan on getting another computer, personally, I would recommend that you get a hard drive enclosure kit. These boxes will allow you to add any internal HD, and install them, without having to turn the computer off. It makes transferring files from one computer to another much easier. The kit will be around $30-40, with the HD sold separately.





I would not recommend that you re-use the 'old' parts. Since you purchased those parts with your Dell, it is likely that the drivers are on the restore CDs that came with it. Even though you can find drivers for these to work on another computer, they may not function as well then newer models. 19" monitors can be bought under $200 (sometimes under $150 if you get them with the computer parts), a decent set of 5.1 speakers will often come with the sound card (or you can find one that will come with them), and the mouse and keyboard can be found together under $40. With the sound card that you are looking at, it would function far better with 5.1 speakers anyway. I realize that you are on a budget, but I build computers all the time and can get them under $1000 with printer and monitor.

On with the parts that you listed.



For your needs on your computer, I would recommend that you get a Pentium 4. The 3.2E is a little high priced right now, and you would not see much of a difference between this one and a 3.0Ghz-I would get one that is certified HT (Hyper Threading). The last time that I looked at a motherboard/CPU combo,
I seem to remember one that was in the 3 Ghz range, w/ HT, and the mobo, for under $300. When I find the link, I will post back.

The ValueRAM is a little high priced as well. For $84 ea 512 MB, you could get a better name brand.

Even if the motherboard supports it, you do not need a SATA HD. These are a little more expensive, and they are really used for if you want to add more HDs down the road. Even if you run out of room, the ATA HDs can still have 2 on the same IDE channel.

The DVD drives are a good price and name brand.

The 256MG video card is high priced. If you can wait for the PCI-X video cards come out (in about 30-60 days MAYBE), then AGP video cards will fall down in price. If you can not wait, then I would shop around a little more. You should be able to get a 256MG vid card under $200.

The sound card is a good model and about the right price.

The floppy and card reader is entirely optional. Since you are planning to get a dig cam, it is a good purchase and price.

One thing to point out though. I would purchase all of your equipment at one time. You will save a bundle on the shipping and handling.



Does that include Windows XP? If not, add $100 to the price for the Home version.



Most cases are standard sizes that will fit the motherboard. The main differences between them are the number of bays, color (including clear), and the PSU (Power Supply Unit). Most are standard and come with 2 bays, but since you need one for DVD-RW, DVD-ROM, and floppy/card reader (Im assuming that it need one, some do not), then you just need one with 3 bays. If you wanted more then that, then the height of the tower will be higher, and you need to take that into consideration for space. Yes, a mid-tower should fit your needs.



Some hardware will not come with the wiring. It will say that on the product description. You may need to purchase these separately.



It will not be overkill. Sure, there will be times that you may not need the 256MG vid card, and the 1 GIG RAM, but if you plan to play Half-life 2, then you will need all that you can get. When having multiple programs running, that also uses up RAM and video RAM (from vid card).



You may save money, and it may take a hit on the performance. It is really a matter of opinion. IMHO, I would stay with Intel.



I would not spend much on the case, if it is going to stay under a desk. Just go based on the PSU. I have not had any bad experiences with any particular name-brand.



I would go with a 450wt PSU. The price difference is not much from the 400, and it will give you plenty of power. You could go higher, but you would not get much benefit from it.



I will be able to answer this question better by providing a link for a different set-up. Bear with me on this, as I will post it later tonight.



My wife was the same way. Now, I build them for a living. Currently, I am writing a tutorial on how to upgrade hardware, and working on another one, on how to build your own computer. My wife may not like them much, but she is interested in learning how to do things. If you include her on the build, she will see how easy it is, and how much money you saved by doing it yourself.


Like I said, I will provide a link for a build, that will be fast enough for your needs.

Well I would re-use the monitor......

One Jason to another is a great combination, in my opinion. (where's that ditto emoticon...) ah, heck, I'll use the horse, instead. I'm also in agreement with CGM3 'bout the monitor. If it's not main entertainment, and you're used to it...The PC itself will show-off on it, for a while at least. The fact that you've gotten 4 years out of da' Dell is noteworthy. I'm using a late 1999 17" compaq (at all of $50.00 recent retail price). I usually surface as a cheap AMD user, too. A couple years on a 1.73 GB now and it works fine. I read your list and sincerely concur with JEServices. Await the second-round of links, I'd say. Include the Mrs. Build yourselves a handy reference manual as you go, for offline with all the product info, and then scan it in to a pair of the ATA 133 250 MB Maxtors (@ under 150.00 most all the time on sale at retail places like Fry's or Office Depot). Buy big on the tower if you have the space, and skip the after-market cooling except for 1 additional side case fan, 1 in back 1 in front with a good one atop a good beefy heat sink over that cpu. That's my 2 cents worth. If I felt inclined to modify my signature, it would say "Build It, It's Better For You"

Sorry I cant help you much with the processer since I am not that familiar with Pentium processers. I buy strictly AMD Processers for my builds. I agree with the others in here you can probably find comperable components or identical components for a little cheaper if you shop around a little. A good resource I have found for this is www.pricewatch.com. Sounds to me like you have a good grasp on the hardware you will need/want. Best of luck with your first forey into home built computers.

Once again I am amazed by the great responses. Thank you very much!

Some follow-up discussion and questions:

I am definitely going to get a hard drive enclosure kit for my current hard drive. That is a great idea and it seems like the best way to eventually transfer the data I want from the old hard drive to the new. Thanks for the suggestion JEservices.

My current monitor is the Dell P991. I have been nothing but happy with this monitor. It has performed flawlessly. I am using the EVEREST application that can show me everything about my computer, and here is what is shows for the monitor:

Model DELL P991
Monitor Type 19" CRT
Manufacture Date Week 5 / 2000
Max. Visible Display Size 37 cm x 27 cm (18.0")
Picture Aspect Ratio 4:3
Horizontal Frequency 30 - 107 kHz
Vertical Frequency 48 - 120 Hz
Maximum Resolution 1600 x 1200
Gamma 2.50
DPMS Mode Support Standby, Suspend, Active-Off

Supported Video Modes
640 x 480 120 Hz
800 x 600 120 Hz
1024 x 768 120 Hz
1152 x 864 115 Hz
1280 x 1024 95 Hz
1600 x 1200 80 Hz

On the topic of video cards, how much of a performance difference will there be with a card that is 256MB and 128-bit versus a card that is 256MB and 256-bit? Cards that are 256MB and 128-bit are the ones you can find for under $200 retail or OEM. But as soon as you go for 256MB and 256-bit you jump to $250+ retail. What I noted in my original post was a card that has 256MB and is 256-bit.

I don't know why, but I seem to be migrating to high-end cases when searching through newegg. These cases have caught my eye:

Lian Li Black Aluminum - Model PC-65B - $110 @ newegg (need PSU and fans)
Cooler Master Praetorian Black Aluminum - Model PAC-T01-EK - $98 @ newegg (need PSU)

I know I could go with a cheaper case/PSU combo, but for some reason I don't think I want to skimp on the case, fans, or PSU since these will have a big effect on the overall performance and cooling of the internals. But feel free to try voice your argument and try to get me to accept something less, because this is causing my budget to increase a good amount.

Again, thanks for all your help so far. I'm really getting pumped about doing this, and I'm slowly wearing the wife down.

Later guys.

Jason

Since you are building a computer for the first time, you really might want to go with a full sized case because it is easier to work in, especially if you have big hands. Be sure your case has at least two fan openings (front and rear) for best ventilation. I am using an ANTEC black case, with two sets of fans, and a dust filter on the front. You might also wish to reconsider the option of having a door, both for dust/animal hair and for general security (it is lockable). Also check to be sure the peripheral plugs are located well and there are enough of them.

AMD processors, in my experience, are as every bit as good as Intel, especially for multitasking, and less expensive.

Cheers,
John

As mentioned before, here is the research that I have done. All of these prices came from newegg.com, and I also provided links to the specific products. I also have a line-by-line comparison from your original post.



(This processor requires a Socket T (LGA775) on motherboard ONLY!!)

2.6c GHz P4, 800MHz FSB, 512K cache, Hyper-Threading-$165.00. This processor uses Socket 478, and will save you some money on both the CPU and motherboard. If you can concerned on the GHz rating, you can VERY easily overclock this chip, for much less then the saving on the CPU alone. Newegg CPU



(You need a socket 478 processor for this motherboard)

Chaintech S848P I848P Chipset motherboard-Socket 478- $53.00. This motherboard may not have a very good on-board audio and video, but you are going to bypass them anyway. It does support the 800 FSB, P4 HT processors, up to 2GB RAM, 1-8x AGP, and 5-PCI. Newegg motherboard



(The motherboard needs to support the memory speed (PC-3200))

Finding the right RAM for a motherboard can be confusing because of the terms. Some manufacturers list speed as PC-3200, and others may list it as DDR400, 200 MHz. You also may be concerned about words like registered, unbuffered, ECC, and latency. First off, the PC-3200 and DDR400-200 MHz, is talking specifically about the speed. The other terms are referring to error checking, and its different methods. Personally, the only thing that you need to worry about is the speed, and if it fits as the type (184-pin ect...). The other descriptive words are really if you are concerned with benchmarking tests.

pqi POWER Series 184-Pin 1GB (2x512) DDR PC-3200 - OEM- $142. Although I have not personally used this brand, I did take the time to call a few local stores and asked their opinion. In the informal poll, they gave it a 4 out of 5, with 5 votes total. newegg RAM




Maxtor Ultra Series Kit 80GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model L01P080, Retail -$84.00. Now you may be thinking, why would I choose a 80GB over a 250GB one? Answer is simply the price. 80GB will last you easily a year, and by the time you need another one, the prices will drop even more. I personally use a 60GB one, use it everyday for over a year, and not even come close to filling up half. Sure, you may d/l files from the Internet all the time, but IMHO you do not need anything more then 80GB. newegg Hard Drive




Even though these prices are about right, I wanted to provide newegg links, just in case you decide to get everything from them. As mentioned before, if you buy all your parts from one place they will often give you a break on the shipping and handling.
Lite-On 52X32X52X16 Combo Drive, Model SOHC-5232K, Retail -$46.00. This DVD-ROM also burns CDs. I like to have both a CD burner and a DVD burner as separate drives, so that I can burn 2 disks at a time. newegg DVD/CD-RW drive
Lite-On 16X DVD Dual Drive, Model SOHW-1633S Beige, Retail -$83.00. This DVD burner can burn +- formats and can also burn the dual layer disks. It also includes Nero. newegg DVD burner. Lite-on name brands have earned a very good reputation in the last few years for quality products at low prices.




Rosewill nVIDIA GeForce FX5500 Video Card, 256MB DDR, 128-bit, DVI/TV Out, 8X AGP, Model "256-A8-N313" -RETAIL -$58.30. IMHO I dont think there is enough of a difference between 128-bit and 256-bit, to warrant the difference in price. Not only does the motherboard need to support it, but so does the processor(really to a lessor extent), and the software that you are going to be running. Just like the RAM, the only noticeable difference would be in the benchmarking tests. As long as it supports DirectX9, which this one does, then it can run all the latest games. newegg 256MB 8x AGP video card




Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS PCI Sound Card, Model "SB0350" -RETAIL -$85.99. I found the same model at nearly the same price. I wanted to provide a link, so that you can read the reviews from over 150 buyers. I was not able to find one that had a speaker set with them. It is possible that it was an in-store special, and not one that is posted on line. newegg PCI sound card

I did take the liberty to find you a 5.1 speaker set-up, even though you was talking about re-using the speakers that you already have. With yours, you only have 3 speakers, 2 plus subwoofer. To take full advantage of this sound card's quality, you really need 6-center, front left, front right, rear left, rear right, and the subwoofer. The .1 in 5.1 stands for subwoofer.
ALTEC LANSING 251 5.1 Amplified Speaker System -RETAIL-$40.00. This is the set that I personally use. Only costing $40, with a subwoofer, you can't go wrong. The sound is very crisp, and does not distort when it is loud. newegg 5.1 speakers



Mitsumi USB Digital Card Reader/Writer W/FD INTERNAL, Model FA404A/404M -OEM-$25.50. I found the same item, with the same price. I wanted to include the link so that you can purchase at newegg, if you prefer, and read the reviews. newegg USB floppy/card reader


The total for my parts, including the speakers is:...(drum roll please)...$782.79. Of course this does not include shipping or taxes, but if you was to compare these parts to a name-brand, already made computer, you would easily spend over $1200.



If you have any additional questions, please feel free to ask.

I wanted to start a different reply for the other ideas that you was asking about. I did not want to confuse an already long post from the parts.



You are very welcome on the suggestion.



If you are happy with the monitor that you have, then the video card should not have any trouble with it at all. 'Recycling' the monitor is one of the ways to save some money on an already expensive purchase.



There is not much of a difference. IMHO it is not worth the extra money.



If you dont mind, tell me what you think of the cases below. It will give me an idea of what you are looking for, and a direction to go.

JustPC Silver/Black ATX Mid Tower Case With 450W PSU & Side Panel Window, Model "JPC767P-SILVER" -RETAIL -$48.00 (they also come in black/red for the same price)newegg case 1

A-Top XBlade Blue/Silver Gaming Machine With 450W PSU & Side window, Model "AT859A-BL" -RETAIL -$65.99 (These also come in a wide variety of colors). This one I would show off. newegg case 2

AsiaPro ASYS Blue/Silver ATX Mid Tower Case With 450W PSU, Model "180 BEIGE/BLUE" -$26.00 This one is fairly inexpensive, and comes w/ a 450wt PSU. It does look a little plain compared to the other two. newegg case 3



Let me know what you think.

Here is the drum roll...dbddddddbddddddbdddddddbddddddbddddddb good job, Jason

I just love the banana

Thanks phawgg

Holy CRAP! All this information is making my brain hurt!

In all seriousness, thanks for the research you did JEservices. You obviously know what you're doing.

In response to your many suggestions from last night's post:

The 3.2 GHz processor I originally posted was listed on newegg as socket 478... here's a link to it. 3.2GHz Processor The processor you listed is OEM, not Retail, which would require me to get a heat sink and fan for the PCU also... correct?

For $28 I can go up from that 2.6GHZ OEM CPU to a 3.0GHz Retail CPU (cost of $193 at newegg). Here's a link to it. 3.0GHz Processor Seems like a pretty good deal since I would also be getting the heat sink and fan. Your thoughts?

Your motherboard suggestion looks like a good one. One of the newegg reviews concerns me a little when the person says "It only has a SMBIOS 2.2 and no upgrade offered from chaintech. It will not boot from cd so i have to buy floppies to load win xp Pro. Besides that its a good motherboard for the price." Should I be concerned with this?

On the RAM, I saw that listing on newegg as well. What threw me off was the customer review about instability of his computer. Granted he's not sure if it's his RAM or the MOBO or what. It sounds like you've done some research and it shouldn't be an issue. Thanks!

The more I think about hard drive capacity, the more I think you're right. We've had this computer for 4 years and haven't completely used up the 20GB we have now, so having 4 times that amount should be okay. I guess I was thinking down the road of not having to add another HD or replace it. I will probably use your suggestion to save the money. Anyone tell you you're good?

Regarding CD & DVD burners, your suggestions are excellent. Having the ability to burn a CD and DVD at the same time is intriguing. Would I have enough RAM and CPU power to do this given the above parts?

On the issue of video cards, I am under the impression that nVidia cards don't do as well as ATI cards (at least in benchmarking) when comparing apples-to-apples cards. I do have an nVidia card right now so it's not a huge consideration. But if I want to play Doom3 or Half-Life 2 will an nVidia card handle the job as well as a Radeon? It is a huge price difference.

On speakers, the hard thing is that we really do not have a room setup that will allow us to take advantage of rear speakers (no good place to put them). I wonder, for $40, if I could just use the front speakers (left, center, right) and the subwoofer? It would probably be an upgrade from our 4-year old speakers, and would allow for expansion to surround sound if we move or change up the configuration of our office.

Your case suggestions are interesting. Here's my thing about cases... the case will be sitting on the floor under our desk. The way our desk is shaped, the case is about a foot away from our legs. While the idea of a door that would cover the drive bays may be good from a dust and security standpoint, when the door is open it will be very close to my legs and I don't want to bump it for fear of ruining the door or jarring something internally. If I can get over that, having a door covering the drive bays is fine.

And for some reason I am leaning towards black just because I think black is simple, sleek, and modern. Our Dell is that boring beige color right now, and I'd like to have something different. I'm not entirely opposed to silver or blue or a combination of colors.

I'm also not terribly concerned about having neon or different color led lighting. I'm not a LAN party person so having a flashy case is not something that matters to me.

My biggest concerns are having a case that has easy access to the internals, is not terribly cramped, offers good airflow options to keep everything cool, and that is laid out well so a newbie like me can install the internals without getting too frustrated (I'm sure I'll get frustrated being a newbie no matter what!). Will slide-out drive bays and MOBO tray be worth it from a ease-of-install standpoint?

Specific comments on the three cases you linked to at newegg:

The JustPC case looks like it will require me to buy front fans (from looking at the pictures on newegg)... do you agree? The color is neat, I like the side fan thing (even though the led light part of the fan is not a seller, but not a turn-off either), and it has enough drive bays. It doesn't seem to have a FireWire port on the front, am I correct? I'm thinking down the road that this might be a nice feature when we get a digital video camera. Would black-colored drives look okay in there?

The A-Top case is actually really cool looking. What is that opening at the top of the front panel for? A temperature readout device? From the ictures it looks like I would need to buy a front and rear fan (I only see the side fan). All-in-all, not a bad choice. What color drives would I want for this case? I guess it doesn't matter if the door is mostly closed (a positive for having the drive bay door I guess).

On the AsiaPro case, something about it just doesn't attract it to me like the others. Maybe it's the color of the front panel, maybe it's the led lights on the front, it just doesn't attract me like th other 2 you listed, or the ones I listed. It is cheap though.

I have to run off to watch the Astros wrap up the NL Wild Card now (yep, I'll be there at Minute Maid Park rooting them on). I want to post the combination of the parts JEservices listed with mine and see what you think. I'll do that later this afternoon/evening. Again, thanks to everyone here who has taken some of their valuable time to offer suggestions and help. I really appreciate it!

Jason

Enjoy the Astros game. By the way, oh wait, I want to mention it at the end of my message...




The 3.2 processor that I found had that warning on it. I guess some do, and some do not. That is correct that the retail version does come with heatsink and fan, which you do need. That was my mistake. In the majority of the parts, you do want them to be retail. The upgrade to 3.0 retail, for the little price difference would be a good investment. Good call




He did not mention that you can flash the BIOS. When you upgrade to the new BIOS, then it will boot to CDs. Also the BIOS update is small enough to fit on a floppy, and since you was going to have one anyway (from the parts), then you can do it this way. Even if all of this did not work, floppies are VERY cheap. I can give you some to get it going, if you need them.




I was a little concerned for the reviews as well. That was why I wanted to get more opinions.




With HDs becoming cheaper the higher you go, many people wonder why there are even smaller ones available. Some people do not know that once you start getting to the higher capacities (some even suggest that you do this with a 80 GB HD), that it becomes easier to use if you partition it. There is even a limit of space that Windows will even read, and many out there do reach this, in which you HAVE to partition it, just to see it. To make it easier and smoother, especially being your first build, 80GB is more then enough. To anyone who may say to you, 'well for only $20 more, you can get more space', you would be better off spending the $20 on something else, like a surge protector, or something that you would actually use.




Yes, you will have plenty of RAM and CPU to burn a CD and DVD at the same time. I would not recommend that you play a graphic intensive game full-screen while doing both of them. You should be able to surf the web while doing both of them though. Because burn-proof has become standards in CD/DVD burners, then the computer will allocate CPU and RAM to them, when they need it. If you are doing anything else doing the burns, then it will slow that application down, while keeping the discs burning at a constant speed.





It is true that the NVidia cards do not do as well as ATI cards, but it is not as bad as you may think. In benchmarking, they will put both cards in computers with big monitors, and basically see what they can handle at the highest possible settings. The key word here is BIG monitors. I do not know of any benchmarking test that uses only 15" or 17" monitors-they start at 19" and some even do them with 21"s. They push the resolutions and the refresh rates to the max, and see what happens. A video card is only as good as the monitor that you are using. If this video card can push out 2048X1536@60Hz max, but your monitor can handle 1600x1200@80Hz, then the monitor will only display what it can use. On newegg, it did not show what the Hz rating is for this card at 1600x1200, but I will be willing to bet that it is more then 80. FYI-Hz stands for the refresh rate. 80Hz means that the monitor is cycling through all of the pixels at 80 times a second. If Im not mistaken, we can only see up to 60 times (or frames) a second when viewing it on a TV or monitor. If you was considering using a larger monitor (over 24"), then you would notice the difference in the cards, but for your size monitor, then it would not matter.




Im not sure if you can only use 3.1, as I have not tried this. What you can do, if you do not have the room for rear placement, is to have them next to the front 2. Phyisically, all of them are the same size (except for the sub), at 3 1/2"x3 1/2"x5 1/2" high w/ stands.



I would like to continue my comments later tonight. I wanted to send this part out, so that you have something to look at when you return.




I dont like to watch baseball much, but I do like watching football, especially the home team. That is why I wanted to wrap up this message so that i can catch the game. I am very happy that you like to watch games at Minute Maid Park, especially since because you mentioned that, it told me that you live in Houston (or surrounding area). My home team in football, is the Texans. Sound familiar? I live in Pasadena. It looks like I will be able to help you out with the build physically. We can build it together, and I can show you some tricks of the trade.

Funny how as big as the globe is, you happen to be just across town. I'm in Richmond.

It was a good day for Houston pro sports teams. The Texans won and the Astros clinched the NL Wild Card. A good weekend indeed.

I do have a question or two. On the nVidia video card you suggested, I noticed it lists an effective speed of 400MHz whereas the Radeon card I mentioned in my original post has an effective speed of 730MHz. What real-world performance difference will there be?

So as of right now, here is my modified parts list:

Processor: Intel 3.0E GHz Pentium 4, HT, 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache - $193.00
MOBO: CHaintech S848P i848P Chipset for socket 478 - $53.00
Memory: PQI Power Series 184-pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 (2 sticks) - $142.00
Case: A-Top XBlade Black/Silver Model AT859A-BK with 450W PSU - $63.50
Extra Case Fan: Kingwin 80mm Ball Bearing Case Fan, Model F-01B-4PIN - $2.99
PSU: comes with case
Hard Drive: Maxtor Ultra Series Kit 80GB 7,200RPM IDE Drive, Model L01P080 - $84.00
CD Writer: Lite-On Black 52x32x52x16x Combo Drive, Model SOHC-5232K - $45.00
DVD Writer: Lite-On Black 16x DVD DUal Drive, Model SOHW-1633S - $89.00
Grapics Card: Rosewill nVIDIA GeForce FX5500, 256MB, 8X AGP, Model 256-A8-N313 - $58.30
Audio Card: Creative Labs SOund Blaster Audigy2 ZS PCI Card, Model SB0350 - $85.99
Floppy Drive: Mitsumi USB Digital Card Reader/Writer w/Floppy Internal, Model FA404A/404M - $25.50

Grand Total: $842.28 If all purchased from newegg.com

One thing I would like to add, since it appears the case has a space for it on the front panel, is a temperature readout unit. Does newegg sell those? I have no clue on these things, so I would need help on which one to get, etc.

JE, I'm curious as to your thoughts. Thanks again, and I may just get your help on the build since you're close enough.

Jason

Yes, it was indeed a good day for Houston sports teams. I dont know why, but I have a feeling that David Carr will be sporting his new look in the front page of the paper tomorrow.



It is not a noticeable difference. If you have them side-by-side, then you could see the difference, but since you would not really be doing this test, the 400MHz is more then fast enough for your needs.




It sounds like we are getting it in your price range.




I could not find any temp readout units in Outpost. I went through a few other searches for it, and still nothing. The only thing I can think of, is that I am not calling it right, for the searches to recognize what Im looking for. Maybe someone else would have better luck. Something like this, is really for when you want to overclock the CPU, and you want to keep a constant eye on the temp. I am not sure exactly what size it is, but a graphic equalizer display may fit in there. Ya know, the one like you have in your car, with the bars moving back and forth? I will check it out tomorrow.

I would be more then happy to help you with the build. I am curious as when you would like to do it. We still have some details to go through and all, but I just wanted to get an idea on a time-frame. Next weekend, I will be making a trip out to Frys to get some parts that I do not want to wait for the shipping. I may even have some extra parts that you can have.

JE, yeah I didn't think I would need one of those temp & fan control units, but I was trying to think of what that opening at the top of the A-Top case would be useful for.

Here are a couple of temp/fan control units that I found on newegg, I don't know if they would fit in that opening at the top of the front panel of the A-Top case or not:

Thermaltake Hardcano 12
Enermax Multifunction Transfer Panel

Also, I have no clue what other hardware, tools, etc. that I am going to need. This will be my first ever build so I don't want to overlook anything. If it's something I can get through newegg, that would be the best since I plan to buy everything possible from them.

And as far as timing goes, I'm ready to plop my credit card down at any time. Just need to go to newegg and put it all in a cart then checkout.

Next Saturday my wife has a show planned so I will have the house to myself. That day works for me. I can make sure there is beer and pizza at the house if you're interested...

Thanks,

Jason

That was why I could not find them-I was doing the search with tempature, and not sensors. Some people like that, and some people do not. Personally, I think the second one is better.

We need to go over the parts again, to make sure that the colors match. Even though it does have a front panel, I would not want the colors to be distracting when you open it. I will look at them and comment about it, in my next message.

Next Saturday sounds good. Dont feel like you need to rush just to meet the time frame though. Something like these products could take up to a week just for the shipping, unless you want to spend extra on overnight or two-day delivery. What I would do is place them in the cart and have it figure out the shipping, to see exactly how much it is going to be. Figure in an extra 10% for parts that you may need to purchase local for things that we may not have and does not come with. It is not to say that you will need it, but it is better to be safe then sorry. Sleep on it for a day. I know that you are anxious, and that Saturday could not come soon enough for you, but trust me when I say thatpatience is a virture.

Before the end of the week, I will send you a IM with my phone number. The only thing that I ask, is that some questions may be repeated from the phone and here. This community learns from the experience of others, and I would want that to continue.

BTW pizza and beer sounds great, but I will have to skip on the beer. I do not drink and drive, and I know I will need to be driving a little that day.

I second that opinion. The nuts n' bolts of your project and the tightening them down to the conclusion is remarkably informative to many readers. Current info is valuable, and the basics that remain unchanged, for the most part, are too.

Thanks for the comments guys. Yeah, I am a little anxious, but also nervous. While I would like to do it this coming Saturday, I'm not sure the parts will all arrive by then.

Here is a quick run-down of the parts I put in my cart on newegg this morning. You can click on the description of the items to see the description on newegg. Unfortunately, I had to go with a different hard drive than the 80GB Maxtor since it was no longer in stock. I bumped it up to a 120GB one.

Processor
Pentium 4, 3.0E GHz, 800 MHz FSB, Hyper-Threading, Socket 478
Cost: $192.00

Motherboard
CHAINTECH "S848P" i848P Chipset Motherboard for Intel Socket 478 CPU -RETAIL
Cost: $53.00

System Memory
pqi POWER Series 184-Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 - OEM
Cost for 2 Sticks: $144.00

Hard Drive
Maxtor Ultra Series Kit 120GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model L01P120, Retail
Cost: $104.00

Optical Drive 1
Lite-On Black 52X32X52X16 Combo Drive, Model SOHC-5232K BLACK, Retail
Cost: $45.00

Optical Drive 2
Lite-On 16X DVD Dual Drive, Model SOHW-1633S Black, Retail
Cost: $86.00

Floppy Drive
Mitsumi USB Digital Card Reader/Writer W/FD (Black)INTERNAL, Model FA404A/404M -OEM
Cost: $25.00

Video Card
Rosewill nVIDIA GeForce FX5500 Video Card, 256MB DDR, 128-bit, DVI/TV Out, 8X AGP, Model "256-A8-N313" -RETAIL
Cost: $77.00

Sound Card
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS PCI Sound Card, Model "SB0350" -RETAIL
Cost: $85.99

Case
A-Top XBlade Black/Silver Ultimate Gaming Machine With 450W PSU & Side window, Model "AT859A-BK" -RETAIL
Cost: $63.50

Extra Case Fan
KINGWIN 80mm Ball Bearing Case Fan, Model "F-01B-4PIN" -RETAIL
Cost: $2.99

External Hard Drive Enclosure For Old 20GB HD
COOLMAX SILVER Aluminum USB 2.0 Enclosure for 5.25" Drives, Model "CD-510-U2" -RETAIL
Cost: $36.99

If you add all that up, you come up with $915.47. Newegg is calculating shipping at $52.92 for all that, for a shipped total of $968.39.

One item I did not include here, that I mentioned in a previous post, was a temp sensor/fan control unit. I looked at the A-Top web site and they make the multifunction LCD panel that goes in the top of the front panel. They are selling it for $15.99 and it has 3 heat sensors, controls for 4 fans, clock, time, date, and warning beep when temps exceed a pre-set temp. Here's a link to it: A-Top Multifunction LCD Panel.

Another thing I didn't think about until now was a broadband router. I'm thinking that maybe, once I get everything off the old hard drive that I want on the new hard drive, I may re-install the old hard drive back into the computer it's coming from and use that computer for Internet surfing or something. Which broadband router should I get? Linksys, Netgear, D-Link, others? And should I go wired or wireless? The computers will probably live in the same room and right now I don't have a laptop that would cause me to want to surf the Internet from my couch.

How do I know if I am going to need any wires, thermal grease, and those sorts of sundry items. I assume this is what you mean when you say figure in an extra 10% for things you need to buy locally?

JE I am going to sleep on it tonight. I can still live with $915.47, even if I need to spend that extra 10% for things not contemplated here. If you don't mind, take a look at the items above and see what else you recommend I get from newegg. I'd like to make a single purchase and get as much as we can think of once. I'm not exactly around the corner from a computer parts store.

No worries on passing on the beer, I applaud you for your responsibility. I do have a couple friends who may come over also... one of them has all the software I need (and is well-versed in computers), and the other will enjoy watching this process first-hand. I may take pictures also, in case we want to turn this into a tutorial or something. Pictures can reveal a lot that words can't.

Thanks a bunch guys, this is going better than I had planned. I'm so glad I found this place, otherwise I probably would have ended up getting a Dell and spending more money for less computer. I just pray it all works... that is still my biggest fear.

Jason

A little late, but I found this site that lists recommended parts for a $1500 computer:


http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1626388,00.asp

The writers have put together recommendations for other prices, and for computers for other uses.

FYI, Patrick Norton also has some good information on building your own PC:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...=1739&ncid=1729

Cheers,

john

Im sorry that I have not posted lately. With you now having my phone number, Im sure that we will be talking more often. Allow me to comment on a few things in your posts.



Well, yes and no. The parts to actually assemble everything properly will be included with the parts. While it is true that some do use better wires or thermal grease, for this build, we will use what comes with the parts. When you consider overclocking, then you may need to change and add some items. This does NOT mean that I am suggesting that you overclock the CPU. I will be bring some extra cables and wires, just in case we need them. Everybody has a spare tire in their trunk (well, suppose to), but it does not mean that you will ever actually use it. The extra 10% is for blank media (CDs/DVDs), longer cords, if you need to physically move items further, and other minor items. This % is really for options, and in now way will prevent the computer from operating.




That would look nice in your case, especially since it matches the color nicely. Unfortunately, it is out of stock.




Speaking of extras for the 10%.... . A router would be a good investment. The only down side that I really see, is that since you are sharing resources from the old computer (monitor, keyboard, and mouse), then you would not have a need to have both of them connected to the internet at the same time. It is even possible that if you take your equipment off the old computer while it is running, it will freeze up. I will be bringing a brand new keyboard and mouse, so you do not have to take them off. As far as name brands-they are all about the same really-it is just a matter of preference. I use a D-Link one personally, but I have used other brands, and I have not had any problems with any of them. If you do not have any laptops, then your best choice would be a wired one.




You mentioned something earlier about there being a Firewire port on the motherboard. Although I am still confirming it, I do NOT believe that it comes with it. I looked at your external HD kit to verify that it uses USB 2.0, and it does so you will not need this connection for that device. There are some that do use it, but the vast majority also has USB 2.0. If you wanted to in the future, add those ports, then you can get a PCI card that has them. Usually, they run around $30. Even though you are not running out of USB ports already, I would recommend that you get a USB 4-, 6-, or 8-port hub. It will make it easier for when you want to add more things, because they often come with a 6-8' cord, so you do not have to reach around the computer to plug them in. These run around $20. I believe that I have a 4-port one, still in the package, and if I do, then I will bring it with me when we put it all together.




That sounds like a great idea. Taking pictures and even posting them here (maybe as a new thread), could convince many people just how easy it really is. As much as I would love to do a tutorial on it, I am still working on my first one here, with general hardware upgrading. When I finish that one, I may start another one...that is if my wife does not kill me for the time from the 1st one.



Thanks jgweed for the links. Would you mind looking over the parts that Woody wants, and comment on if there is anything that we missed?

Okay, after sleeping on it another night or so, I'm now wondering if spending some additional money to upgrade the MOBO, processor, and vid card are worth it. Here is what I am calling my "base" system at this point in time:

Pentium 4, 3.0E GHz, 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2, Hyper-Threading
Chaintech "S848P" i848P chipset MOBO, Prescott-ready, socket 478
2 sticks of PQI Power Series 184-pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 memory
Maxtor Ultra Series Kit 80GB 7,200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Lite-On 52X/32X/52X/16X CD-RW Combo Drive
Lite-On 16X DVD Dual Drive (DVD+/-RW)
Rosewill nVIDIA GeForce FX5500, 256MB DDR, 128-Bit, 8X AGP
Audigy 2 ZS Sound Card
Combination Floppy/Card Reader, Internal
External HD Case for old hard drive (to transfer files from old HD to new HD)
A-Top X Blade Black/Silver case with 450W PSU & side window

Total Cost: $904.47 (at newegg, not including shipping & handling)

As mentioned above, I'm debating whether any combination of the following upgrades would be worth the extra money... this is where you experts come in. Here are the upgrades I'm contemplating and the additional money it would cost:

Upgrade to 3.2E GHz P4 processor, for $31 more than 3.0E GHz processor above
Upgrade to Chaintech "S865PE" i865PE chipset MOBO, for $13 more than i848P MOBO above
Upgrade to ATI Radeon 9800 Pro Vid Card, 256MB, 256-Bit, 8X AGP, for $182 more than vid card above

The total increased cost for these three upgrades would be $226 (bringing the total to $1,130.47), or thinking another way, these three upgrades would increase the total cost of the system by 25%.

Please understand that I have the money to get the upgrades (not to mention the wife has approved it if warranted ), I just don't know if any of these are worth that incremental cost increase. This will not be a dedicated gaming system... it needs to do normal office tasks well, and be able to do digital picture and video editing. However, I do want to be able to play Doom3 and Half-Life 2 at "decent" resolutions and refresh rates.

Oh yeah, one more question: should I go with Windows XP Home or Windows XP Pro? I'm clueless which one is better for the things we will be doing.

Thanks guys, I'm actually getting very close to making this system build a reality! With the help of JEservices and a couple other friends, I'm pretty confident my first build will be a good one. When this goes down, I will try to remember to take pictures during the build and post them here.

hey, Woody, I'm excited for ya' bud. I'm following the thread closely, as it falls into the category of wisely spent time IMO. My opinion regarding the windows question is another matter, as I have a seriously entrenched love/hate affair goin' on with winXP pro. I spent some time with a friendlier win98se, and kinda miss the features of it. However, the XP pro does have file properties that are worth having, and optionals up the ying yang regarding multiple users and some additional security because of it. If you configure it well.

But make up your mind based on more than that, cost factors are one thing, (I can get a licensed OS disk at Computer Surplus...$99.00 home, $135.00 pro any day. I live close to Redmond, tho). Heres more info I found right here at Bleepin' Computers Mr. Snausage discusses winXP versions

phawgg, thanks for that link. It sounds like either OS will not have an issue with online gaming? I probably don't need the additional features of Pro over Home so I probably will go with Home. Unless online gaming works better with Pro.

To go back to my earlier thread discussing the possible upgrades to the MOBO, processor, and vid card, I've compared the descriptions of them on newegg to see what it is listing for differences. Here they are:

MOBO: Chaintech i848P MOBO does not support dual channel memory, but the Chaintech i865PE MOBO does. Basically, for $13 I can have dual channel support. Other than that they seem the same. The pictures even look pretty much idential.

Processor: The 3.2E GHz P4 is 200 MHz faster, and has SSE3 multimedia instruction (the 3.0E HGz P4 does not have SSE3). Basically, for $31 I can have a 7% faster speed (3.2 vs 3.0) as well as SSE3.

Vid Card: Radeon card is 256-Bit versus 128-Bit for nVIDIA card; the Radeon card has a clock speed of 380MHz versus 270MHz for the nVIDIA card; the Radeon card has a memory speed of 680MHz versus 400MHz for the nVIDIA card; and I can't get a good comparison at newegg on the 3D acceleration features. I'm not sure if the additional $182 for the Radeon card will make games (offline and online) that much better?

Okay guys, I know you have opinions (that's partially why we're here, right?) so what say you?

Thanks,

Jason

Opinions, you ask?

The first two are in my mind no-brainers...

Upgrade to 3.2E GHz P4 processor, for $31 more than 3.0E GHz processor above?
a $31.00 cost differential for what I see as a significant increase fundamentally in processing speed? YES

Upgrade to Chaintech "S865PE" i865PE chipset MOBO, for $13 more than i848P MOBO above?
Dual channel DDR? Most definately YES.

The modest price range mobo I use states this about the board:
"The mainboard provides 3 slots for 184-pin DDR SDRAM DIMM (Double In-Line Memory Module) modules and supports the memory size up to 3GB. You can install DDR200/266/333/400 modules on the DDR DIMM slots (DIMM1-3). Please note that the system supports 128-bit dual channel DDR when you install DDR modules on DIMM1 (purple slot) and DIMM3 (green slot), or DIMM2 (purple slot) and DIMM3 (green slot). DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM is similar to conventional SDRAM, but doubles the rate by transferring data twice per cycle. It uses 2.5 volts as opposed to 3.3 volts used in SDR SDRAM, and requires 184-pin DIMM modules rather than 168-pin DIMM modules used by SDR SDRAM. High memory bandwidth makes DDR an ideal solution for high performance PC, workstations and servers".

Upgrade to ATI Radeon 9800 Pro Vid Card, 256MB, 256-Bit, 8X AGP, for $182 more than vid card above? MAYBE

9800 Radeon Pro has some supporters I 've heard speak of it right here at BC ATI support. I'm not much of a gamer, but those who are seem to like it. You can query one Here. He is a member who has a forum and dispenses good advice.
ATI manufactures it. Go to their site, and check in particular Products & Product Comparison links. This will take you where they support the discontinued products as well. You can learn a lot about things from how well a company takes care of not just the leading edge stuff, but also the stuff that was formerly so. ATI Products. With the comparison database you might find one in-between.

now...more opinions, please. BTW, I learned about this freeware a couple monthes back. You will want to test out your new machine. Futuremark provides for this. You now use:
533 MHz Pentium 3
128 MB RDRAM (yes, that's not a typo)
20 GB hard drive
OK. Download the 3DMark2000, which is presently discontinued, but you'll see as the versions progress, the system requirements demand more. That version only requires 500Mhz processor & 128MB RAM (I d/l'd 3Dmark03.exe ...178 MB monster 8 hour deal on dialup, and it's out-of-date, too, but only requires 1Ghz processor) When you run it it will test your machine for it's graphics capability. It runs you through video game type tests, and lets you know both how your machine is working compared to how the same kind should and it'll compare to others built around the same time. Then, once you get your new system up & running, you'll want the 3DMark05 which will test you against your specs, as stated by the manufacturers of the components, as well as current PC's on the market. (homebuilt & retail-type boxes). You can only participate in the additional support available with the latest edition. Anyway, check it out, when you have the time.

That is a wonderful idea, Phawgg. By benchmarking what you currently have, and for your new machine, it will show you how much faster it is.



The increase of $13 for Dual channel memory is a good choice.



The increase of $31 for the increase of speed is not as big as a seller as the inclusion of the SSE3 instruction sets. I would go with the faster processor.



The price difference, to me, is a big no. Yes, you do get faster memory, a faster bit transfer rate, and higher clock speed, but is it worth the extra money? I don't think it is. At this time, the card is still in the phase of "your money is still paying for the research."

Okay folks, I am really, really close to making this a reality. In fact, I'm probably going to finalize and place the order today. How exciting!

For those of you who plan on ordering all the parts over the Internet as I will be doing, a note is warranted here. Prices for parts at Internet sites change quite often. I have noticed, on some of my components, that the prices have changed 3+ times since I first posted here. Sometimes multiple times in the same day! Just something to be aware of if ordering components off the Internet.

The only components I continue to ponder are the motherboard, router/print server, and additional case fan. I'll ask some questions on these in a moment. First, here are the parts I am set on:

Case: A-Top XBlade Black/Silver with 450W PSU - $58.95
Processor: 3.2E GHz P4, 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2, Hyper-Threading - $225.00
Memory: 2 sticks of Rosewill 184-Pin, 512MB DDR PC-3200 - $148.00
Hard Drive: Maxtor Ultra Series Kit 120GB 7,200 RPM SATA - $108.00
Optical Drive 1: Lite-On 16X DVD Burner (dual-layer capable) - $84.00
Optical Drive 2: Lite-On 52X/32X/52X/16X Combo Drive - $45.00
Graphics Card: Rosewill nVIDIA GeForce FX5500, 256MB, 128-BIT, 8X AGP - $90.00
Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS - $91.99
Floppy Drive: Mitsumi Internal Combination Floppy/Card Reader - $25.00
External HD Enclosure: Coolmax Silver Aluminum USB2.0 for 5.25" Drives - $36.99

The total for these components is coming to $912.93.

Now for my questions on the motherboard, case fan, and router/print server:

Motherboard
My initial choice was a Chaintech S865PE MOBO with the Intel 865PE chipset. It supports dual channel memory, only has 2 DIMM sockets, 5.1 channel integrated audio, 10/100 LAN, and no firewire. The cost is $66.00.

For $50 more, I can upgrade to an AOpen AX4SPE Max II MOBO with the same chipset, but 4 DIMM sockets, 7.1 channel integrated audio, Gigabit Ethernet, 2 firewire ports onboard, and a Silicon Image SATA controller for 4 additional SATA 150 channels. The cost is $116.

Would these upgrades be worth $50? I'm going with a sound card so the integrated audio difference is a non-factor. The biggest factors for me, in my mind, seem to be integrated firewire and Gigabit Ethernet. Both MOBOs support dual channel memory so unless I need 4GB of RAM I'm not sure if having 4 DIMMs versus 2 is valuable. Would you spend the $50 to get Gigabit Ethernet, firewire, and an additional SATA controller?

Case Fan
The case I've listed above comes with one 80mm fan up front and one 80mm fax on the side panel, but no fan on the back. SO I want to get a fan for the back, but I'm not sure if I should go with another 80mm fan, or a larger one. The back of the case will accept 80mm, 90mm, and 120mm fans. That fan doesn't need any led lighting. So I'm debating whether to go with an 80mm fan for $2.99 or go with a 120mm fan for $14.99. Which would you go with?

Router/Print Server
I want one of these primarily for the security/firewall protection it will offer, but I also want a router that has print server capabilities built in so if I ever have 2 or more computers hooked up at home I can print from either one to my single printer.

My printer is an HP 895Cse and has parallel as well as USB1.0 connections. I was tinking of getting an EDIMAX router that has 4 LAN ports and one parallel print server port. What do you think? It would cost $32.99. Is this a reasonable price for a wired router? I'm not interested in wireless right now.

As you can see, I'm just trying to finalize the last details before placing the order. I really want to place the order today/tonight so if you don't mind responding soon I would be very grateful!!!

Thanks,

Jason

Your analysis is paying off, Woody,



The Chaintech mobo seems more like my MSI, a little bit on the modest capability side of the coin. I think the $50.00 would be well spent on the better board. IMO



It's the fans that make the noise you hear when operating your PC. (just like at a football game). One of them will probably be the loudest, and drown out the others. Quality in this area of purchase is not a waste. Having the maximum number and size is also not a bad idea. (I have a homemade baffle panel on my front fan to better direct the airflow over my hard drives, which is to say, I take the fans' operation seriously)



Another foresightful consideration. I have no information on alternatives, and for $32.99 I'd tend to simply buy it & try it.

The air is getting electric with anticipation of your end result. Be sure and use the static containment info. LOL

Thanks phawgg. The frustrating thing is all the while I am doing this research, certain pieces of the puzzle are increasing in price. Literally more than once a day. Like the RAM... it's gone from $71 per stick to $73 per stick, and a couple of the sticks I had originally chosen are now not available where I'm doing my on-line shopping. Now I'm looking at A-Data RAM instead of Rosewill. Keeping track of what's available and at what price is a never-ending task until you actually prucahse the tiems!

Back to the topic of the router/print server. Which connection would be better for the printer to the print server - USB 1.1 or parallel? I''m not sure on the speed differences, reliability, etc. Any idea? Reason I ask is I'm narrowing the selection to either the EDIMAX one I mentioned above (parallel connection for the printer), or a D-Link that has a USB connection for the printer. The D-Link is $25 more and I don't want to spend the money if a USB1.1 connection isn't worth the difference in the price.

Slowly narrowing things down, hopefully it will be over soon!

Jason

So are you suggesting that I should look to upgrade the fans that come with the case right now also? I was thinking about it, but figured I'd give them a try and see what happens.

Here's a diagram of the case from the A-top website:

Well, after much research and toiling over the components, the deed is done. I have made my purchase. Rather than buy from multiple on-line companies, I used a single company that I am familiar with and that friends have used in the past with great satisfaction. I probably didn't get the lowest price on every component, but I just feel better getting it all from one company. The only component I have not purchased yet is the video card. I'm still debating on which one to get. See my other thread in this forum on the video card.

Here are the details of what I purchased. I will try to give as many details of each part that I can, including pictures. I ended up purchasing everything as the "retail" version instead of the "OEM" version with the exception of the RAM and floppy drive. With this being my first build I wanted to have as much of the parts be just as I would buy in a brick-and-mortar store just to be sure I have everything.

Case
A-Top XBlade Black/Silver Ultimate Gaming Machine with 450W PSU & Side Window

• Mid-tower case
• Steel material
• 4 external 5.25" drive bays
• 2 external 3.5" drive bays
• 5 internal 3.5" drive bays
• 7 expansion slots
• 2 front USB 2.0 ports
• 2 front audio ports
• One 80mm front blue LED fan
• One 80mm side blue LED fan
• Cost: $63.50 before shipping

Replacement Case Fans
2 Antec All Clear Pro 120mm Double Ball Bearing Case Fans

• Replaces 80mm front fan that comes with case and fills spot for rear case fan (side window fan stays 80mm with blue LED)
• Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 25.4 mm
• Double ball bearing design
• 2000 RPM nominal speed
• 79 CFM max air flow
• 12V DC
• 3-pin and 4-pin connectors
• 29.8 dBA noise rating
• Cost: $14.99 each, $29.98 total for 2 before shipping

Motherboard
AOpen AX4SPE Max II Intel 865PE chipset for socket 478 CPU

• Supports P4 and P4 Extreme Edition (with Hyper-Threading) and is Prescott core ready
• I865PE + ICH5
• Four 184-pin DIMMs for Dual Channel DDR400/333/266 with a max of 4GB
• Two UDMA 100 IDE channels supporting up to 4 devices
• Two SATA 150 channels by the ICH5 and 4 SATA 150 channels by a Silicon Image SIL3114 controller
• Silicon Image SIL3114 supports SATA 150 RAID 0/1/0+1
• Four fan connectors (CPU, system, chassis, power fan)
• Two internal IEEE 1394 connectors by Agere IEEE 1394 controller
• Four internal USB 2.0 connectors
• Four back panel USB 2.0 connectors
• Intel GbE onboard LAN
• Cost: $116.00 before shipping

Processor
Intel Pentium 4/ 3.2E GHz 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache, Hyper Threading Technology

• Socket 478
• MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3 multimedia instruction
• Includes retail heatsink and fan
• Cost: $222.00 before shipping

System Memory
A-DATA 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200

• 2 sticks purchased for a total of 1GB or RAM
• Unbuffered
• Non-ECC
• 2.5 Cas Latency
• 2.5V Support Voltage
• 3.2GB/s Bandwidth
• 64M x 64-Bit Organization
• Lifetime Warranty
• Cost: $70.00 each, $140.00 for 2 before shipping

Hard Drive
Maxtor Ultra Series Kit 120GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive

• 9.3 ms average seek time
• 8MB buffer size
• 3.5" form factor
• SATA 150 interface
• Ultra-quiet fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) motor
• 1-year manufacturer warranty
• Cost: $108.00 before shipping

Optical Drive #1
Lite-On 16X DVD Dual Drive

• Write Speeds: 16X Max DVD+R; 4X Max DVD+RW; 8X Max DVD-R; 4X Max DVD-RW; 48X Max CD-R; 24X Max CD-RW; 2.4X DVD+R9 (dual layer)
• Read Speeds: 48X Max CD-ROM; 16X Max DVD-ROM
• 2MB buffer size
• ATAPI / E-IDE Interface
• Random Access Times: 160 ms DVD-ROM and CD-ROM
• Features: supported double layer DVD+R9 recording function; SMART-BURN avoiding buffer underrun error; automatically adjusting writing strategy & running OPC to provide the best burning quality; SMART-X function adjusts CD-DA / VCD / DVD data extraction to a fastest allowable speed according to both data request rate from host and disk quality; VAS system reduces vibration and noise during recording and reading
• 1-year manufacturer warranty
• Cost: $84.00 before shipping

Optical Drive #2
Lite-On Black 52X32X52X16 Combo Drive

• Write Speeds: 52X CD-R (CAV); 32X CD-RW (ZCLV)
• Read Speeds: 52X CD-ROM (CAV); 16X DVD-ROM (CAV)
• 2MB buffer size
• ATAPI / E-IDE Interface
• Random Access Times: 120 ms CD family; 140 ms DVD family
• Features: SMART-BURN avoiding buffer unerrrun error; automatically adjusting writing strategy and running OPC to provide the best burning quality; SMART-X smart monitoring and adjusting read-speed technology for extraction; VAS to reduce vibration and noise during recording and reading
• 1-year manufacturer warranty
• Cost: $45.00 before shipping

The parts list is continued below. Apparently I can only have 10 pictures in any one post. So I'm splitting it up into multiple posts.

Here's the continuation of my parts list:

Floppy Drive
Mitsumi USB Digital Card Reader/Writer W/FD (Black)INTERNAL

• Digital card reader formats supported: Compact Flash Type I and II; Microdrive; SecureDigital; Multimedia; Memory Stick; Memory Stick Pro; SmartMedia
• Interfaces: USB 2.0 for card reader; Legacy (32-pin STD) Interface for floppy
• Cost: $25.00 before shipping

Sound Card
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS PCI Sound Card

• 7.1 channel support
• 108dB signal-to-noise ratio
• Dolby Digital EX hardware decode
• 24-bit digital audio
• On-board connectors: line level out (front, rear, center, sub, rear center); digital out for 5.1 support; mic in; line in; IEEE13194; telephone answering device in; analog/digital CD audio in
  15-pin MIDI / joystick port extension header; internal IEEE1394 header and AD-EXT extension header to Audigy 2 ZS internal I/O drive
• Cost: $91.99 before shipping

External Hard Drive Enclosure
COOLMAX SILVER Aluminum USB 2.0 Enclosure for 5.25" Drives

• Applications: CD/DVD drives, 3.5" hard drives
• All aluminum frame and metal tray
• Accomodates up to 1 terabyte
• Comes with a cooling fan
• Cost: $36.99 before shipping

Router/Print Server
D-Link 4-port Broadband Router plus USB Print Server

• Standards: IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3u, IEEE802.3 NWay Auto-Negotiation, USB 1.1
• Protocols: IP, ARP, ICMP, DHCP, PPTP, PPPOE, HTTP, L2TP, IPSec
• Security: NAT, MAC/IP Filtering, Virtual Server, DMZ Host, pass-through of VPN sessions
• Ports: One 10/100Mbps Ethernet WAN port, Four 10/100 Mbps Ethernet LAN ports
• Dimensions: 7.56" length, 4.64" width, 1.22" height
• Cost: $58.00 before shipping

Total cost for all of this before shipping: $1,020.46. Shipping ended up being $46.90, bringing the grand total to $1,067.36. Order processing time is 24-48 hours (no processing on weekends), and their standard FedEx shipping time is 4-6 business days. So if all goes well, I may have all the parts by next Saturday. JEservices, you got plans?

The only component left, as mentioned earlier, is the video card. I will keep you all posted on which video card I end up going with, and when all the parts arrive JEservices and I will be putting this baby together. I can't wait!

Jason

WOW. . Under budget, way over the specs of a "standard sedan", I know that babe's goin' fly through computin' tasks. You're goin' love it, Woody. I swear, over half the work is already done...more like three-quarters. The parts will fit together!! Thanks so much for including BC in your plans.

Very good job on the research!!!

I will be available next Saturday-no problem.

I have to check with my social coordinator (wife) to see what we have lined up next Saturday. I know she wanted to go to the TX Renaissance Festival one of these weekends.

I'm still mulling over the video card thing. GeForce FX5500 256/128 for $90 + shipping or Radeon 9800 Pro 256/256 for $250 after tax. Or maybe something in between. If I plan on playing Doom3 or Half-Life 2 or FarCry or any games like that, will the FX5500 256/128 be adequate?

Well, I decided on a BFG GeForce FX6800 OC for $280 shipped. Now I have no excuses on video performance!

I really can't wait for everything to arrive now. I will start a new thread to document the build (including digital pics) in the next week or two.

I will be starting another thread that will detail the build process. Look for that thread to begin soon as build day will probably be Saturday!

Oh yeah, I got the video card from Fry's Electronics, actually their on-line ordering arm. It's Outpost.com. $249.99 plus tax and shipping.

Here's the link to it:

BFG GeForce FX6800 OC Video Card



For the additional $30 over the 9800 Pro, the reviews I read made it seem well worth it. And since I originally budgeted $1,500 I still had room to go for it without making my wife crazy. The budget would have allowed for the 6800 Ultra but $500-600 is really crazy for me personally. In fact, a $100 card would probably have been just fine for me but I guess I was sucked in by the 6800 OC's tractor beam. Oh well!

Jason

Big 1300 post here lol!
I say you said 1500.00 budget for a pc! Wow wish I could buy a pc like that!
I almost had one like that one your building but the freak took my money and ran! You are making me jealous! I want a pc just like that 100% just aint got no money!
Come back to BC anytime!
CGM3