Help!!! First Computer Build!

V-PV-P State College, PA Member
edited January 2006 in Hardware
Hey guys,
I am thinking of building my first system in a few days. I had a few questions. First, is a 3700+ AMD San Diego worth $25 more that the 3500+ Venice. I am planning to over-clock and i heard the Venice does just as good or better than the Sandy core. Next, Should i go with a HIS Radeon X800 GTO or the card i have selectedbelow. I am trying to stay nelow $1,360.00, and if the 3700+ is a better choice, I'll sacrifice the card reader/fan controller. Also if any of you guys is a Newegg veteran and has any promotional codes from catalogs, etc. please post them or if you don't want to you can e-mail them to me. Ask for my email if u want to. HERE IS THE **** IVE COME UP WITH SO FAR (ALL FROM NEWEGG WITH THE ITEM NUMBER SO YOU GUYS CAN EASILY PUT IT IN THE SEARCH BOX):
1. Monitor –
CMV CT-712A (Upgrade) Black/Silver 17" 8ms LCD Monitor Built in Speakers – Retail ($204.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16824024008)

2. Anti-Static Wrist Band –
BELKIN F8E093 Anti-Static Wrist Strap – Retail ($5.49 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16899888207)

3. CPU Fan –
ARCTIC COOLING Silencer64UltraTC L 87 x 87 x 33 mm Blue LED Light Cooling Fan - Retail ($22.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16835186123)

4. Power Supply –
Rosewill RV450-2 ATX 2.01 450W Power Supply - Retail ($39.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16817182015)

5. Case –
RAIDMAX X1 ATX-909WB Black/ Silver SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail ($49.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16811156179)

6. Extra 120mm Fan –
MASSCOOL BLD12025S1M 120mm Sleeve Blue LED Light Case Cooling Fan – Retail ($6.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16835150066)

7. Motherboard –
ASUS A8N-E ATX AMD MOTHERBOARD - RETAIL ($109.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16813131530)

8. Processor –
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Venice 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor Model ADA3500CGBOX - Retail ($202.00 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16819103603)

9. Memory –
Patriot Signature Series 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail ($71.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16820220037)

10. Video Card –
SAPPHIRE 100106-RD Radeon X850XT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - OEM ($218.00 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16814102483)

11. TV Tuner –
KWORLD VS-TV878RF TV Tuner, Video Capture Card, REMOTE - Retail ($35.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16815100103)

12. Floppy Drives –
MITSUMI Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive - OEM ($7.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16821104101)

13. Hard Drive –
Western Digital Caviar SE WD2500JS 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM ($103.00 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16822144417)

14. DVD Burner –
LITE-ON Black ATAPI/E-IDE DVD Burner Model SHW-160P6S - Retail ($41.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16827106013)

15. Mouse –
Sunbeam FireLine Optical Mouse MS-2011-BK-BL Black 3 Buttons 1x Wheel USB Optical Mouse w/Blue Light – Retail ($6.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16826178003)

16. Keyboard –
Logisys Computer KB607BK Illuminated 104 Normal Keys USB + PS/2 Wired Slim Black Keyboard - OEM ($19.00 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16823184008)

17. Modem –
Encore ENF656-ESW-NDPR 56Kbps Internal Fax Modem(NetoDragon) - Retail ($5.25 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16825180003)

18. Speakers –
Logitech S200 30 watts 2.1 Speaker - OEM ($17.75 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16836121129)

19. Half-Life 2 –
Half Life 2 PC SIERRA – Retail ($44.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16832128131)

20. Light –
Spire NeonBarII Cold Cathode NeonBar II, Blue - OEM ($5.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16800881201)

21. F.E.A.R
F.E.A.R.: First Encounter PC VIVENDI - Retail ($34.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16832202019)

22. Fan Controller/Card Reader –
Sunbeam sp-3.5-sv Silver Superior Panel - Retail ($19.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16811998813)

TOTAL - $1,370.00 MAX

Thanks a lot guys!! (SO MUCH RESEARCH :rant: !!)

Comments

  • NightwolfNightwolf Afghanistan Member
    edited January 2006
    i'd get a better power supply.
  • tmh88tmh88 Pittsburgh / Athens, OH
    edited January 2006
    I've never found tv tuners to be that great, unless you have a horribly ****ty tv dont get one. (unless you really want it though)

    maybe its just me but ive never been fond of them. It could be good for a college dorm room though or another limited space area.

    also check out this ram, it has better timings than the stuff you picked out. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820146190

    hope this helps some. Also you should check out antec PSU's. theyre more expensive, but very nice.
    :thumbsup:
  • GrayFoxGrayFox /dev/urandom Member
    edited January 2006
    Definatly get a better psu get something from someone like antec enermax or ocz.
  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited January 2006
    thing you probably wont need, unless you have a specific need for them:

    the floppy drive
    the modem
    the TV tuner
    the fan controler card reader, i do not know how this thing hooks to the inside of the computer, but it may not be completly compatable with the board depending on how it hoosk up

    that will more then make up the $25 of savings for a 3700+ if you want to go that route.

    be careful on the shipping for the fans, shipping usually costs more than the fans.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited January 2006
    Get a new PSU, Antec Truepower or Neo power are always good choices. along with CoolerMasters offerings..
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited January 2006
    I'll throw in my comments.
    Better PSU, it doesn't need to be too great. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817153006
    I have a few of these and they work well for me.

    As for the tuner, either get a real good one or don't bother. You want one that runs the ATI Theater 550 pro chips, that will set you back at least $80.

    If you need a modem, buy a hardware modem.http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16825104131
    This is a good one, but it is $68. Don't use software (Winmodem).
  • V-PV-P State College, PA Member
    edited January 2006
    Armo wrote:
    thing you probably wont need, unless you have a specific need for them:

    the floppy drive
    the modem
    the TV tuner
    the fan controler card reader, i do not know how this thing hooks to the inside of the computer, but it may not be completly compatable with the board depending on how it hoosk up

    that will more then make up the $25 of savings for a 3700+ if you want to go that route.

    be careful on the shipping for the fans, shipping usually costs more than the fans.

    Thanks all of you and kepp posting guys. First off - Armo i need the floppy drive cauz i'm 14 and i got a lot of school stuff that just isnt big enough to put on CD's and i dont want a flash drive (cant keep track of small things). i need the modem just incase anything ever happens to my stupid COMCAST (:mean:) internet service and i think i can live wiht a cheap software modem because i probably wont be using it. i could live without the fan controller/card reader and i want to get a tv tuner just so i can connect my PS2 to it (feel free to suggest something else that may work for under $50). As for the CPU, no one answered my question (not that i'm not thankful already or anything) about wether or not i shoulg waste an extra $25 on a 1 mb L2 instead of the 3500+'s 512. Also, the 3500+ has a venice core which I've heard is the best AMD core for regular use AND O/C. One more question guys - wat is this e3 and e4 core ive heard so much about? BTW, ANYONE HAVE NEWEGG PROMO CODES??? I HAVE ONE FROM LAST YEAR FOR FREE SHIPPING (HGG2205) BUT ITS EXPIRED.


    ***FORGOT TO MENTION ABOUT PSU*** - I NEED A PSU WITH OVERVOLTAGE PROTECTION AND IF POSSIBLE ACTIVE PFC. THE ROSWILL HAS THE OVERVOLTAGE PROTECTION WHICH IS WHY I PICKED IT. THE CIRCUIT IN THE ROOM I'M PLACING THE COMPUTER IN IS VERY, VERY, UNRELIABLE :doh: AND GOES OFF SOMETIMES WHEN VACCUMING. MY DAD'S LPANNING TO GET IT FIXED BUT I WANNA BE ON THE SAFE SIDE. I WONT MIND IF I LOSE A WORD DOC IM WORKING ON OR SOMETHING IF THE POWER GOES OUT BUT IF THE CIRCUTRY OR SOMETHING BLOWS IN ONE OF THE COMPONENTS AND I DONT HAVE A WARRANTY OR WATEVER FOR IT I'M SCREWED FOR PROBLY MORE THAT $200. THANKS A LOT GUYS AND IF U FIND BETTER PARTS LET ME KNOW IM PROBLY GONNA HAVE UNTIL THE 11 OF FEB. TO RESEARCH THINK ABOUT IT ETC SOOOOOO KEEP POSTING!!!!!!!
  • V-PV-P State College, PA Member
    edited January 2006
    guys help me out.... ordering in about 4 hrs scratch wat i said about ordering in february
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited January 2006
    This Antec PSU is the same price as the one you listed, but has a $10 rebate. I think it will serve you better over the long haul.

    As for the Over Voltage Protection:
    +5V trip point < +7.0V, +3.3V trip point < +4.5V, +12V trip point < +15.6V

    I think you're going to like that Patriot RAM. For the money it is a great value.

    Looks like a nice system. :D
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited January 2006
    SCAR wrote:
    Hey guys,
    I am thinking of building my first system in a few days. I had a few questions. First, is a 3700+ AMD San Diego worth $25 more that the 3500+ Venice. I am planning to over-clock and i heard the Venice does just as good or better than the Sandy core. Next, Should i go with a HIS Radeon X800 GTO or the card i have selectedbelow.

    3. CPU Fan –
    ARCTIC COOLING Silencer64UltraTC L 87 x 87 x 33 mm Blue LED Light Cooling Fan - Retail ($22.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16835186123)

    4. Power Supply –
    Rosewill RV450-2 ATX 2.01 450W Power Supply - Retail ($39.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16817182015)

    7. Motherboard –
    ASUS A8N-E ATX AMD MOTHERBOARD - RETAIL ($109.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16813131530)

    8. Processor –
    AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Venice 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor Model ADA3500CGBOX - Retail ($202.00 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16819103603)

    9. Memory –
    Patriot Signature Series 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail ($71.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16820220037)

    10. Video Card –
    SAPPHIRE 100106-RD Radeon X850XT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - OEM ($218.00 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16814102483)

    12. Floppy Drives –
    MITSUMI Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive - OEM ($7.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16821104101)

    13. Hard Drive –
    Western Digital Caviar SE WD2500JS 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM ($103.00 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16822144417)

    14. DVD Burner –
    LITE-ON Black ATAPI/E-IDE DVD Burner Model SHW-160P6S - Retail ($41.99 on Newegg.com Item #: N82E16827106013)
    If you plan to keep this system a few years, You might want to consider the Nvidia 6800GS instead of the Radeon X800/X850XT choice as it has SM3.0 (Shader Model) hardware whereas the Radeons are only SM2.0. Check out the 3DMark06 Thread

    Also the AMD Retail heatsink is good for a 2.4-2.6ghz Overclock so you can save some bucks by not buying the Silencer64

    MOST Importantly - DONT Skimp on the PSU. It's the foundation of your system.

    Consider the FSP Group (Fortron Source) AX450-PN ATX12V 450W Power Supply $49.99 + $7 S/H
    Output +3.3V@30A, +5V@28A, +12V1@18A, +12V2@18A, -12V@0.5A, +5VSB@2A

    FSP Has a Top Notch reputation for Power supplies, Rosewill...Not so much.
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited January 2006
    One last note, ATI intros new Video cards nest week and Nvidia new series arrive Late Feb/Mar. So the Video card market is going to see a lot of changes (& price drops) over the next 2-3 months
  • V-PV-P State College, PA Member
    edited January 2006
    Omega65 wrote:
    One last note, ATI intros new Video cards nest week and Nvidia new series arrive Late Feb/Mar. So the Video card market is going to see a lot of changes (& price drops) over the next 2-3 months

    thnx omega and all u other people. omega thnx for the advice but ur just about 2 to 3 hrs tooooo late. i alreaady ordered. awwww sux for me. o well ill live with my sys as long as itll plpay hl2 and fear. anyway i wanted to no. is LITE-ON Black ATAPI/E-IDE DVD Burner Model SHW-160P6S - Retail a bootable drive?
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited January 2006
    I couldn't find anything which flatly states that it is, but I've never seen a LITE-ON drive that wasn't bootable. (Or any other modern optical drive, for that matter.)

    I think you'll be fine with it. :)
  • V-PV-P State College, PA Member
    edited January 2006
    profdlp wrote:
    I couldn't find anything which flatly states that it is, but I've never seen a LITE-ON drive that wasn't bootable. (Or any other modern optical drive, for that matter.)

    I think you'll be fine with it. :)

    thnx man, i think im good wiht the system now. wat u guys think? u think itll handle fear highest settings wihtout breakin a sweat?
  • tmh88tmh88 Pittsburgh / Athens, OH
    edited January 2006
    SCAR wrote:
    thnx man, i think im good wiht the system now. wat u guys think? u think itll handle fear highest settings wihtout breakin a sweat?

    Yea itl hand most games very well. I have an x800XL and it handles just about every game with maxed out settings. Never tried fear though.:grumble:
  • V-PV-P State College, PA Member
    edited January 2006
    thnx every1! one more question before i stop posting to this thread...
    How long does it usually take for the compund to set, and how much is enough? I read in a lot of places that about a drop is good just a layer as thin as paper. You'll probably think this is a stupid question, but How do you know what temperatures your CPU and VGA are running at other than having a LED that tells you.

    EDIT: another stupid question: THe case im getting comes with one 80 mm one 120mm and im ordering a seperate 120mm. One fan goes on the side window and the others on the back. Which way should i face the fans (pulling air into the case or blowing air out)? and is better to put two in the back or one in the back and one in the front.
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited January 2006
    A Thin, almost translucent layer of Thermal compound. You're filling in the Microsocpic peaks and valleys in the IHS and heatsink. Too much compund acts as a blanket.

    Two Fans in the back blowing air out. Everything else is optional.

    Most motherboards and some video cards come with a temp/voltage monitoring program. Motherboard Monitor is popular temp/voltage display program but is no longer being updated. ATITool a overclocking utility for ATI cards, displays the temp of my X850XTPE Vidoe card in its system tray icon.
  • V-PV-P State College, PA Member
    edited January 2006
    thnx guys i dont think ill be needing to post here anymore
Sign In or Register to comment.