Barebone Computer Kits...

[LoneStarHero]

I'm looking to build my first desktop computer from a barebone kit to save some money and to learn more about computers. It seems the two companies that lead the way in what I am looking for (gaming) are Tiger Direct and Global Computer Supplies:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/
http://www.globalcomputer.com/

However, further investigation shows they are both subsidiaries of Systemax and in the CompUSA family. Apparently they are in the rebate marketing business.

The power of these systems look awesome for the price, but I am very suspicious that I haven't found any real competitors in the barebone kit market upon my searches. I found one called Newegg.com, but it looks like a different niche.

Does anyone have any advice for me? I would like to avoid a ripoff.

[jungulator]

First I would price the components separately and compare them to the kit. A lot of the time you can find cheaper stuff. And depending on how new your current system is, sometimes you can use some of your old parts like RAM, sound card, video card, dvd / cd ROMs, floppy drive (do they still have these?),and hard drive. So that being said, you really want to price a motherboard, processor, and case. Check out http://www.geeks.com to get an idea on what you might expect to pay.

[johnTD]

I've shopped tigerdirect and newegg, great stuff cheap prices. I wouldn't worry about them being rip offs. I haven't had any issues with either of them.

[Buschb]

I have had 2 pc's built with parts off new egg...worked out good

[ThrowCop]

Newegg has never done me wrong and as has been said, ou can pilfer some parts from old systems for save even more.

And if you know what you want, eBay can seldom be beat for parts like hard drives, ram, etc.

Also, check out techbargains.com for the latest, greatest prices & deals.

[Hoobeedoo Bejesus]

Another vote for Newegg.

[TCUFan]

I'm looking to build my first desktop computer from a barebone kit to save some money and to learn more about computers. It seems the two companies that lead the way in what I am looking for (gaming) are Tiger Direct and Global Computer Supplies:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/
http://www.globalcomputer.com/

However, further investigation shows they are both subsidiaries of Systemax and in the CompUSA family. Apparently they are in the rebate marketing business.

The power of these systems look awesome for the price, but I am very suspicious that I haven't found any real competitors in the barebone kit market upon my searches. I found one called Newegg.com, but it looks like a different niche.

Does anyone have any advice for me? I would like to avoid a ripoff.

Newegg is actually one of the more reliable sites. I've had issues with Tiger Direct and their shipping.

Shuttle is a really good manufacturer of small-form-factor barebones kits and ASUS isn't bad either.

Buy all the components separately.

TCUFan

[F9thRet]

Newegg all the way here also. always had a good response with them. I ordered a new HD from them today also.

Stephen

[AeroEngineer]

I say newegg, but you can get some good deals on tigerdirect if you are willing to use the microsoft cashback incentive.

Also, the "barebones" kits on tiger are usually not the best quality stuff. IMHO, you'll be better off in the long run looking for deals individual components.

Newegg often bundles 2 items together (motherboard/processor, RAM/video card, etc) at a discount. I recommend looking at this option over tigerdirect kits.

[AeroEngineer]

BTW- My brother in law wanted was in your exact situation a few weeks ago and asked me for my help in coming up with a budget gaming build. We came up with this-

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=13071708

There were lots of mail in rebates at the time and we got the final price down to around 380 dollars. You may want to use this as a baseline for your build, and you can probably get the price down more if you play with the configuration a bit.

[F9thRet]

BTW- My brother in law wanted was in your exact situation a few weeks ago and asked me for my help in coming up with a budget gaming build. We came up with this-

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=13071708

There were lots of mail in rebates at the time and we got the final price down to around 380 dollars. You may want to use this as a baseline for your build, and you can probably get the price down more if you play with the configuration a bit.

That's not bad at all. how was the PS on that pc you built? I always tend to overshoot what I need at the time, but it helps later on.

Stephen

[AeroEngineer]

The power supply seems to work fine. No issues during prolonged loading.

But none of the hardware consumes too much power. The case is a beast, though.

[Ex_Spy_Guy]

i would go to your local pc shop...ifn you are going winders...you might consider the cost of the OS vs the cost of an OEM POS, if all you are going to do is bare bones....a decent Main board with sockets, zif, or PCIe will cost you a couple hundred (one with a decent CMOS with overclock capability at POST) if you want a decent upgrade road map, a PS at around 300-400W...a decent one...(dont skimp here) will cost around 70-100 bucks, you figure in the cost of RAM, sound (if not integrated) and vids (if not integrated) and the OS, you can already be in the range of an OEM model.

If you are doing it for the experience....its fun....

But if you are building one to save jack....you just cant do it anymore like you could back in the day.

No one, not even new egg, can buy elements or components like the OEMs can.......

[LoneStarHero]

What is the norm for a network card that gets wireless? I have been dealing in laptops for too long.

[AeroEngineer]

If you are looking for a gaming desktop, I wouldn't advise getting a wireless card.

[Ex_Spy_Guy]

What is the norm for a network card that gets wireless? I have been dealing in laptops for too long.


you will want to get an 802.11N PCIe card and a router to match, one that supports UPnP and a DMZ.


Works great.

[Darkwind]

I'm looking to build my first desktop computer from a barebone kit to save some money and to learn more about computers. It seems the two companies that lead the way in what I am looking for (gaming) are Tiger Direct and Global Computer Supplies:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/
http://www.globalcomputer.com/

However, further investigation shows they are both subsidiaries of Systemax and in the CompUSA family. Apparently they are in the rebate marketing business.

The power of these systems look awesome for the price, but I am very suspicious that I haven't found any real competitors in the barebone kit market upon my searches. I found one called Newegg.com, but it looks like a different niche.

Does anyone have any advice for me? I would like to avoid a ripoff.You can also try this site:

http://www.newegg.com/

[Darkwind]

Newegg is actually one of the more reliable sites. I've had issues with Tiger Direct and their shipping.

Shuttle is a really good manufacturer of small-form-factor barebones kits and ASUS isn't bad either.

Buy all the components separately.

TCUFan
Really? I've never had single problem with tigerdirect.

[LizFire]

You can add me to the list of people that like newegg.

I have gotten so many things from them over the years, and I have never had a problem at all with them. I had one problem once with a defect in the product (manfacturer defect) and when I contacted newegg they sent a new part (from a different manfacturer and the new part was more expensive but they did not charge me the difference). They also sent a box and return shipping label for me to return the defective part to them.

What I love about newegg is that if you buy several parts that all come with a manfacturer rebate, newegg sends a seperate receipt for each part (along with a full receipt that has everything on it) but the seperate receipts makes it really really easy to send in all the proper stuff for the rebates.

[CaptainPike]

I've used Tiger Direct several times with no problems.

[LoneStarHero]

Thanks for the help guys. As I type this, I'm familiarizing myself with motherboard and processor technology.

I'm wanting to go semi-high end here, with a quad core or triple core system and 8-12 GB or RAM. However, I'm not slick enough with specific motherboard models that support them yet, just brands. For example I'm completely mixed up by the likes of LGA 775, LGA 1366, AM2+/AM2, 478, etc.

I'm wavering on the graphics card requirement. I'm leaning toward Nvida. Originally when I went on my "new computer quest" I wanted a 1 GB card, but from what I have read the much cheaper 512 MB card should fit me fine. I figure the day the card doesn't fit me fine, the motherboard should be able to support one when the prices for the 1 GB's drop.

Of course the cheapness of building my own computer gets a slap in the face when I consider the $200+ I'll drop on the 25-inch monitor and the 64 bit Windows Vista. I wish there were a way to torrent steal Vista, but apparently doing so prevents me from getting Service Packs making me virus/worm fodder. There has to be a way to get Vista cheaper than $150+, like a student discount or something. Running Linux has crossed my mind, but probably not optimal for gaming or driver updating.

Any advice? Once again, thank you in advance.

[LizFire]

I don't know enough about motherboards and processers to offer any advice there...

I do know that I am very happy with Nvida... and in my limited experience, graphics cards are really easy to upgrade/change.

What version of Windows are you using now? I flat out refuse to use Vista, I'm completely happy with XP. Did you know that if/when you upgrade your computer you can re-install windows using the same disk (if you upgrade and use the same registration code a 3rd time I believe you have to call microsoft to have them 'allow' your windows to get updates). Anyway, my point is that if you know anyone who had a WindowsXP disk that they only used once and then they upgraded to Vista rendering their XP disk useless to them... I won't finish that sentence... BTW torrent doesn't always prevent you from getting the updates and service packs... you just can't get those updates and service packs the way 'normal' people get them. I'll stop there. This isn't my area of knowledge anyway, my ex is the computer wizard. I'm currently on a decent enough Dell laptop.

As for monitors - You don't want to go too cheap on a monitor because the cheaper models tend to blow pixels a lot faster, costing more in the long run. My advice is to find a store that is having a sale if you need to save money there. Unfortunately CompUSA already went out of business, so you can't hit their 50% off of everything sale. BTW - I have always bought monitors in person, never online. Just a personal preference that I want/need to see how well it works in person (and protect the pixels from shippdamage during the shipping process).

If you can't afford a monitor right away, and if you have a good TV you can get the card/switch thingy (the name of the device is escaping my mind at the moment) that allows you to use a TV as your PC monitor. Only downside is that you can't watch TV and be on the PC at the same time... but I hear that for gaming it's fabulous to have the much bigger TV screen.

[EnchantedFrog]

I've bought numerous components from both newegg and tigerdirect, and never had a problem. They are both reputable. The biggest problem is sorting through and finding the right stuff out of the endless selection.

Right now I'm considering a bundle that Tiger has with an Asus motherboard, AMD quad-core Phenom processor and Vista Ultimate for $319. Thats a good bang for the buck.

[Souldire]

Thanks for the help guys. As I type this, I'm familiarizing myself with motherboard and processor technology.

I'm wanting to go semi-high end here, with a quad core or triple core system and 8-12 GB or RAM. However, I'm not slick enough with specific motherboard models that support them yet, just brands. For example I'm completely mixed up by the likes of LGA 775, LGA 1366, AM2+/AM2, 478, etc.

I'm wavering on the graphics card requirement. I'm leaning toward Nvida. Originally when I went on my "new computer quest" I wanted a 1 GB card, but from what I have read the much cheaper 512 MB card should fit me fine. I figure the day the card doesn't fit me fine, the motherboard should be able to support one when the prices for the 1 GB's drop.

Of course the cheapness of building my own computer gets a slap in the face when I consider the $200+ I'll drop on the 25-inch monitor and the 64 bit Windows Vista. I wish there were a way to torrent steal Vista, but apparently doing so prevents me from getting Service Packs making me virus/worm fodder. There has to be a way to get Vista cheaper than $150+, like a student discount or something. Running Linux has crossed my mind, but probably not optimal for gaming or driver updating.

Any advice? Once again, thank you in advance.
This guide has some advice to building a PC that plays crysis decently and for $500 http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/04/maximum-pcs-500-pc-certified-crysis-safe.ars They get all there parts off newegg. They even have links to the parts to make it easier for you, and give you advice if you want to spend a little more or less on some components.

[Groundhog]

Couple years ago I put together my pc out of spare parts, and I barely broke even when comparing to buying a pc at a retail store.

If your looking for a standard performance p.c. just go retail, if your looking for specific needs such as high performance gaming, then put it together yourself.

Although I rather enjoyed putting my own computer together, ordering all kinds of discount "generic" parts from newegg, and trying to solve a hundred problems.

[LoneStarHero]

I just made a wish list on Newegg, but it aint public yet for some reason.

Here is the "meat" of my system:

Motherboard- ECS BLACK SERIES GF8200A (V1.0) AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 8200 HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135085

CPU- AMD Phenom 9600 Agena 2.3GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 95W Quad-Core Processor

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103244

Video Card- EVGA 512-P3-N963-TR GeForce 9600 GSO 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130437

My original idea was to go for the low end AMD Phenom II Quad that works on a AM2+, but why not just wait for the prices on the AM3 motherboards with the upper-end Phenom II's? I have no reason to pay double at the moment seeing the jump I'm already making.

I'm a bit confused as to the onboard video card on the motherboard. Is there some way to SLI/combine the onboard video card with the GeForce 9600? If not in this case would it be better to go for an AM2+ motherboard with no onboard videocard?

My current idea is to go with 8 GB of RAM, but would that really be beneficial with an AM2+ motherboard? I suspect the extra 4 GB could go wasted.

I'm also a bit confused on the OS. I found the cheaper version of 64-bit Vista for ~$90.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116483

It's Vista Home Basic SP-1 64-bit for System Builders. Will I be missing much by not paying for the $180 version of 64-bit Vista flashed on the top of the OS list?

Thank you for your input in my quest to become a real computer nerd :)

[LoneStarHero]

I just made a wish list on Newegg, but it aint public yet for some reason.

Here is the "meat" of my system:

Motherboard- ECS BLACK SERIES GF8200A (V1.0) AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 8200 HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135085

CPU- AMD Phenom 9600 Agena 2.3GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 95W Quad-Core Processor

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103244

Video Card- EVGA 512-P3-N963-TR GeForce 9600 GSO 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130437

My original idea was to go for the low end AMD Phenom II Quad that works on a AM2+, but why not just wait for the prices on the AM3 motherboards with the upper-end Phenom II's? I have no reason to pay double at the moment seeing the jump I'm already making.

I'm a bit confused as to the onboard video card on the motherboard. Is there some way to SLI/combine the onboard video card with the GeForce 9600? If not in this case would it be better to go for an AM2+ motherboard with no onboard videocard?

My current idea is to go with 8 GB of RAM, but would that really be beneficial with an AM2+ motherboard? I suspect the extra 4 GB could go wasted.

I found the cheaper version of 64-bit Vista for ~$90.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116483

It's Vista Home Basic SP-1 64-bit for System Builders. Will I be missing much by not paying for the $180 version of 64-bit Vista flashed on the top of the OS list?

Thank you for your input in my quest to become a real computer nerd :)

[WorldWatcher]

Thanks for the help guys. As I type this, I'm familiarizing myself with motherboard and processor technology.


My son and I build a computer from off the shelf components awhile ago. It was a very good experience if you are independent minded. One thing I liked is that we can do anything we want to the computer as there is no manufacturers warranty keeping out from under the hood.


I'm wanting to go semi-high end here, with a quad core or triple core system and 8-12 GB or RAM. However, I'm not slick enough with specific motherboard models that support them yet, just brands. For example I'm completely mixed up by the likes of LGA 775, LGA 1366, AM2+/AM2, 478, etc.


Don't worry about the "socket" simply decide which processor type you want and then look at boards that support that processor.



I'm wavering on the graphics card requirement. I'm leaning toward Nvida. Originally when I went on my "new computer quest" I wanted a 1 GB card, but from what I have read the much cheaper 512 MB card should fit me fine. I figure the day the card doesn't fit me fine, the motherboard should be able to support one when the prices for the 1 GB's drop.

Of course the cheapness of building my own computer gets a slap in the face when I consider the $200+ I'll drop on the 25-inch monitor and the 64 bit Windows Vista. I wish there were a way to torrent steal Vista, but apparently doing so prevents me from getting Service Packs making me virus/worm fodder. There has to be a way to get Vista cheaper than $150+, like a student discount or something. Running Linux has crossed my mind, but probably not optimal for gaming or driver updating.

Any advice? Once again, thank you in advance.


Go with a good video card (we just upgraded our old 256mb card to the EVGA 512mb GTX 9600), don't plan on relying on "integrated" straight off the motherboard. The extra power in the card is worth it.

We added a 22" Samsung Monitor that we caught on sale and that much visual real estate is awesome.



Our budget a couple of years ago was about $1500 for hardware.


We went an Asus Motherboard and an Antec Case which came with a powersupply (we recently upgraded the PS to support the new video card).






The biggest advice I can give is "Don't be in a rush". Take your time and get some inputs on site for building your own computers. Not the amature, "here's how" site but the professionally run sites for computer enthusiasts.

Something like this one -->> http://www.silentpcreview.com/


I found some good information there and there were others (sorry I've since lost the links).


Research, Research, Research. Determine what you are looking for in general terms of major components. Then research sites for those types of components as not all components are created equal. It is worth the time to research reliability and features of different items to get the mix YOU want instead of what someone sells you.

Basic Components list to research:


Case - Mini Tower versus Full Tower, consider power supply placement, cable routing, and full size and half size slot availability and placement. Also look at reviews in terms of "noise" from the case and "cooling". We've got an Anetc Sonata II Black case and really like it, it has internal ducting which helps draw the heat away from the CPU and the Video Card.

CPU - of course. You can usually do pretty well on the price/performance curve by going one or two steps below "Bleeding Edge" technology and be sure it will be strong enough for at least a couple of years.

Motherboard - General purpose or Gaming? Reviews? (Asus is a pretty big name in Motherboards)

Memory - How much? How Fast? Recommendations for the board I want?

Sound - Integrated or Separate Sound Card? (For about $100 you can get a good gaming soundcard that will blow the doors off a cheep integrated one.

Video - Integrated? Single Card? Dual Card? Cost???

Power Supply - Video Card(s) are a large factor in your power supply. I think we previously had a 400w PS that came with the case. We just upgraded to (IIRC) a 650w PS. The new PS swapped out very easily and it was actually easier to rig then the original because cables were longer.

Hard Drive(s) - One or Two? How big? If more than one, RAID them? One for Software one for "data"? Large Audio or Video libraries? How fast for RPM? Data transfer rates? Reliability? (Personally we use a 500GB internal hard drive as the primary, an old 300GB hard drive to store digital pictures, and I've got a 750GB external hard drive used for backup.)

Optical Drive(s) - CD/DVD of course, but upgrade to one capable of Blue Ray? If you aren't going to invest in a video card for HD display, don't bother with a Blue Ray capable optical drive.

TV Tuner - Kid you not. Put a TV Card in my machine and connected it to Cable, now I can watch TV in a window while I work and can use the hard drive as a DVR for viewing later. Pretty nice really.



>>>>




>>>>

[TCUFan]

Thanks for the help guys. As I type this, I'm familiarizing myself with motherboard and processor technology.

I'm wanting to go semi-high end here, with a quad core or triple core system and 8-12 GB or RAM. However, I'm not slick enough with specific motherboard models that support them yet, just brands. For example I'm completely mixed up by the likes of LGA 775, LGA 1366, AM2+/AM2, 478, etc.

I'm wavering on the graphics card requirement. I'm leaning toward Nvida. Originally when I went on my "new computer quest" I wanted a 1 GB card, but from what I have read the much cheaper 512 MB card should fit me fine. I figure the day the card doesn't fit me fine, the motherboard should be able to support one when the prices for the 1 GB's drop.

Of course the cheapness of building my own computer gets a slap in the face when I consider the $200+ I'll drop on the 25-inch monitor and the 64 bit Windows Vista. I wish there were a way to torrent steal Vista, but apparently doing so prevents me from getting Service Packs making me virus/worm fodder. There has to be a way to get Vista cheaper than $150+, like a student discount or something. Running Linux has crossed my mind, but probably not optimal for gaming or driver updating.

Any advice? Once again, thank you in advance.

Hey, sounds like a gaming rig!

OK, if you're going to go multi-core, right now there's no reason to go more than dual-core because most games now aren't coded to take full advantage of having more than one core on a CPU.

But if you want to future-proof, go ahead and go quad. Triple-core AMD chips are just a quad with one disabled and they really don't offer much. Spend a little more and get something that'll run software for a long time.

Now, on the video card, there's two schools. nVidia edges out ATI for framerate, but only slightly. ATI has, in my opinion, a much better color palette. Also, you have to think about what resolution you'll games at. 1GB video cards only offer a little more oomph at higher resolutions. At lower ones, the framerate is almost indistinguishable, so don't pay for more than you need. With a 25-inch monitor for real estate, you might need that 1GB just to get the framerate at high resolutions. Make sure it uses 256-bit memory. Less than that, and you get subpar performance.

I'm running Vista 64 so I can use more than 3GB ram. 32-bit OS programs will only recognize and use about 3GB. Vista 32-bit on my wife's laptop 'sees' 4GB but due to software limitations, only uses about 3GB. You can get Vista 64-bit OEM at Newegg for about $99.

TCUFan

[TCUFan]

I just made a wish list on Newegg, but it aint public yet for some reason.

Here is the "meat" of my system:

Motherboard- ECS BLACK SERIES GF8200A (V1.0) AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 8200 HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135085

CPU- AMD Phenom 9600 Agena 2.3GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 95W Quad-Core Processor

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103244

Video Card- EVGA 512-P3-N963-TR GeForce 9600 GSO 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130437

My original idea was to go for the low end AMD Phenom II Quad that works on a AM2+, but why not just wait for the prices on the AM3 motherboards with the upper-end Phenom II's? I have no reason to pay double at the moment seeing the jump I'm already making.

I'm a bit confused as to the onboard video card on the motherboard. Is there some way to SLI/combine the onboard video card with the GeForce 9600? If not in this case would it be better to go for an AM2+ motherboard with no onboard videocard?

My current idea is to go with 8 GB of RAM, but would that really be beneficial with an AM2+ motherboard? I suspect the extra 4 GB could go wasted.

I found the cheaper version of 64-bit Vista for ~$90.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116483

It's Vista Home Basic SP-1 64-bit for System Builders. Will I be missing much by not paying for the $180 version of 64-bit Vista flashed on the top of the OS list?

Thank you for your input in my quest to become a real computer nerd :)

That'll make you something that'll run Call of Duty 4 at buttery smooth framerates.

TCUFan

[chip]

I'm running Vista 64 so I can use more than 3GB ram. 32-bit OS programs will only recognize and use about 3GB. Vista 32-bit on my wife's laptop 'sees' 4GB but due to software limitations, only uses about 3GB. You can get Vista 64-bit OEM at Newegg for about $99.

TCUFan

Actually unless your motherboard chipset and BIOS supports using 4g of ram it doesnt matter if your using a 64 bit OS or not, it aint gonna happen.

[TCUFan]

Actually unless your motherboard chipset and BIOS supports using 4g of ram it doesnt matter if your using a 64 bit OS or not, it aint gonna happen.

Mine do...heh, heh...

I'm running 6GB because my mobo only supports 8GB. I've had a lot of installs go wonky when you step right up to the mobo's threshold of supported memory.

TCUFan

[AeroEngineer]

CPU- AMD Phenom 9600 Agena 2.3GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 95W Quad-Core Processor

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103244


Get the 9650 rather than the 9600.

The hundred series quads had architecture issues that were ironed out with the '50 series.

[TCUFan]

Get the 9650 rather than the 9600.

The hundred series quads had architecture issues that were ironed out with the '50 series.

I've had a lot of people tell me they couldn't get Vista 64-bit to work with these.

TCUFan

[notluzn]

Im putting one together from newegg.com. $979 for the top of the line parts including case but not including the monitor.

Can't go wrong with newegg

[notluzn]

Always run Dual Channel memory. 4 gig min

[LoneStarHero]

Wow!

I never knew just how nerdy my fellow Hannity board members really were!

I'm really thankful for all the help and opinions. Hopefully Newegg gets it's act together and let's me link my wish list to y'all.

Of course with all this recent learning I have experienced in the last 48 hours I am subject to my mind constantly changing.

But don't worry, as the underdog in me isn't going to switch to the Intel point of view or my forgoing the "latest and greatest fashion". I still wish to remain a generation behind the "bleeding edge".

However, after visiting an actual store where I see real monitors I'm thinking that a 25 inch would be overkill. My sensitive eyes are adjusted to a meager 17 inch laptop monitor. The 25 inch goes outside my peripheral vision at my typical computer viewing distance. I think such a purchase would give me tons of headaches.

[PeterGriffin]

Some handy directions:

http://kundenbefriediger.de/ikea_computer.gif

[59Flash]

A TV tuner is a "must have" for me.

[EnchantedFrog]

Some handy directions:

http://kundenbefriediger.de/ikea_computer.gif
Yup. Been der done das. :))

[TCUFan]

Wow!

I never knew just how nerdy my fellow Hannity board members really were!

I'm really thankful for all the help and opinions. Hopefully Newegg gets it's act together and let's me link my wish list to y'all.

Of course with all this recent learning I have experienced in the last 48 hours I am subject to my mind constantly changing.

But don't worry, as the underdog in me isn't going to switch to the Intel point of view or my forgoing the "latest and greatest fashion". I still wish to remain a generation behind the "bleeding edge".

However, after visiting an actual store where I see real monitors I'm thinking that a 25 inch would be overkill. My sensitive eyes are adjusted to a meager 17 inch laptop monitor. The 25 inch goes outside my peripheral vision at my typical computer viewing distance. I think such a purchase would give me tons of headaches.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp6eswhgOKk

That's me.

TCUFan

[TCUFan]

And you're actually going to have a hard time finding a monitor smaller than 19" and most of them are widescreen.

22" is actually pretty comfortable. When I fly in FSX, I can push my CH control yoke and rudder pedals back far enough that I'm comfortable enough to land my Learjet.

I also have my Xbox 360 hooked into it.

TCUfan

[chip]

Can't go wrong with newegg

Tru dat

[chip]

Some handy directions:

http://kundenbefriediger.de/ikea_computer.gif


:))

[LoneStarHero]

Newegg finally has my wishlist up. My present wishlist is quite different than the one I have early in the thread. Please tell me if I have anything wrong going such as incompatabilites between components and such.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=10047945

I purposely overkilled on the power supply so I can easily upgrade the motherboard and chip later on down the road.

I settled and went down to the 22 inch, but I think even that is more than I can handle :)

My biggest concern right now is getting the Sapphire Radeon HD 3850 to fit in the case without having to move the hard drive bay. The card is 11 inches long from what I hear. I'm thinking the 20 inches in length of the case should accomodate it.

Should I worry about putting in some extra fans or cooling mechinisms?

Thanks in advance!

[notluzn]

Also, go to Overclockers.com and if you have any questions about parts, ask them. Those guys blowup computers for fun testing crap.

[notluzn]

If you really want to do it right, go with a full tower. I have an Antic Case which is now a different name of Chief Tec and is $89 on Newegg. The reason why to go with a full tower is that the size of the video cards can be very long and the amount of cooling and airflow is much better in the Full tower. Try and get a single rail power supply which I recommend the Thermaltake 750 or 850 watt. Go with the OCZ memory because it's very stable with clocking.

I love AMD but Intel seems to me to be more stable when clocking. Quad Core is a must and get the highest L Cache. Some processors or pretty cheap now. Now if you don't want to spend the money just get an E8500 Core Duo for $184 from Newegg. plenty of Cache and will do everything you need to do.

Also, If you're going to do Overclocking into a high rage of the equipment, then you will want to upgrade the heatsink. The case I recommended to you has a lot of Fan space but the downside is it is loud. I have (3) 120 mm fans on mine and (3) 80 MM fans and in a small room will heat up the room.

If you have any questions you can PM me. I have an entiree list of great parts list that I did from Newegg and the total price was $979 minus the monitor. This would run all games with out a blink and be very stable. Stick to trusted parts and name brands while reading reviews. Newegg finally has my wishlist up. My present wishlist is quite different than the one I have early in the thread. Please tell me if I have anything wrong going such as incompatabilites between components and such.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=10047945

I purposely overkilled on the power supply so I can easily upgrade the motherboard and chip later on down the road.

I settled and went down to the 22 inch, but I think even that is more than I can handle :)

My biggest concern right now is getting the Sapphire Radeon HD 3850 to fit in the case without having to move the hard drive bay. The card is 11 inches long from what I hear. I'm thinking the 20 inches in length of the case should accomodate it.

Should I worry about putting in some extra fans or cooling mechinisms?

Thanks in advance!

[TCUFan]

Newegg finally has my wishlist up. My present wishlist is quite different than the one I have early in the thread. Please tell me if I have anything wrong going such as incompatabilites between components and such.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=10047945

I purposely overkilled on the power supply so I can easily upgrade the motherboard and chip later on down the road.

I settled and went down to the 22 inch, but I think even that is more than I can handle :)

My biggest concern right now is getting the Sapphire Radeon HD 3850 to fit in the case without having to move the hard drive bay. The card is 11 inches long from what I hear. I'm thinking the 20 inches in length of the case should accomodate it.

Should I worry about putting in some extra fans or cooling mechinisms?

Thanks in advance!

I had the HD4850 until it burned up and it actually fit in my little Gateway's microATX case. It was a little snug, but it fit just fine. Right now, I'm running an nVidia 9600GT that was a spare from a previous build and it's exact same length as your card, again, a little snug, but it fits. That monster case you picked out oughta handle a dual-core card if you really wanted to drop the coin on one. (They're expensive)

OK, for cooling. The larger the case, the easier it is to cool. The smaller the case, the more heat gets bound up in turmoil unless you've got some 120mm pushers tossing some serious air through that case. The case you've picked up is perfect. I don't know about Corsair's PSUs but Antec and Fortron are both really good and have an excellent quality record. Go with modular power support because it's just easier to organize the cabling.

You know, that mobo you picked out supports 16GB of DDR and you've selected a 64-bit OS. You might think about adding more RAM just for grins, unless you have an app that you know can't handle it.

I'm running 6GB and the only game I have that won't run is ArmA.

TCUFan

[muhadeeb99]

As far as cooling, am willing to try cooling a whole board in mineral oil. There is a company that does this, I think they do a great job and demonstrate that on their website. The name escapes me right now.

[jungulator]

If you are worried about heat issues, and if you are willing the dump the money into a case, you could always get a water cooled one.

[LoneStarHero]

Also, go to Overclockers.com and if you have any questions about parts, ask them. Those guys blowup computers for fun testing crap.

I joined last night and they are already ripping up my poor old build :(

I have a hypothesis that a bunch of tech geek forum denizens get a bit of joy in setting newbs straight.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[notluzn]

I joined last night and they are already ripping up my poor old build :(

I have a hypothesis that a bunch of tech geek forum denizens get a bit of joy in setting newbs straight.

Thanks for the suggestion. They can get that way. What they know is what works well together. just look what they have and go from there or read someone elses build.

[notluzn]

If you are worried about heat issues, and if you are willing the dump the money into a case, you could always get a water cooled one.I would never recommend a water cooled for beginners. Im also worried that people don't know how to setup the BIO's as well.

[notluzn]

I joined last night and they are already ripping up my poor old build :(

I have a hypothesis that a bunch of tech geek forum denizens get a bit of joy in setting newbs straight.

Thanks for the suggestion.One more thing before I get, when you get your stuff together. If you don't know much about the CMOS / BIO's settings, get on there and ask for help. Certain things will have to be changed so that the Processor is running at it true speed.

[CaptainPike]

Why not just buy the motherboard/cpu that can do the job instead of overclocking?

[Hoobeedoo Bejesus]

Why not just buy the motherboard/cpu that can do the job instead of overclocking?

OCing is fun.

[withoutfeathers]

Why not just buy the motherboard/cpu that can do the job instead of overclocking?More bang for the buck overclocking. BTW, the nominal clocking of any cpu is determined by failure testing a sample of the batch. Almost any cpu you buy is actually underclocked.

[TCUFan]

OCing is fun.

And it even voids the factory warranty...

TCUFan

[withoutfeathers]

And it even voids the factory warranty...

TCUFanSimple solution to that (and actually you should do this anyway to cure the thermal grease between your CPU and Heat Sink): Run the equipment under load (screen saver will do just fine) for 48 to 72 hours. If the processor is going to fail on its own it will probably do so in that time. Then you can start tinkering with your frequency, multiplier and voltage. It's actually harder than you think to kill a CPU with OCing. The processor will stop when it starts to feel pain. Anyway, no need to experiment from scratch. A quick google will usually lead you to enough info to get pretty close to optimum clocking on the first try.

[notluzn]

Why not just buy the motherboard/cpu that can do the job instead of overclocking?
The settings are not set to the clock speed of the processor. It has to be set manually. Not hard to do and takes about 5 minutes to get it right. he doesn't have to overclock. I clocked mine a tad over 3200mhz and is stable for a Core Duo. Im going to build a new system this summer.

[notluzn]

More bang for the buck overclocking. BTW, the nominal clocking of any cpu is determined by failure testing a sample of the batch. Almost any cpu you buy is actually underclocked.

And there are many people that have already tested these setups so people are save to clock them up a tad. With the right parts, heat will not be a worry.

[CaptC]

BTW- My brother in law wanted was in your exact situation a few weeks ago and asked me for my help in coming up with a budget gaming build. We came up with this-

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=13071708

There were lots of mail in rebates at the time and we got the final price down to around 380 dollars. You may want to use this as a baseline for your build, and you can probably get the price down more if you play with the configuration a bit.

I went to Wal-Mart and got a whole computer (tower, keyboard, monitor, speakers, and mouse) for about the same price+tax. :think:

eMachine - built by Gateway.

[notluzn]

True you can get a cheap system but when it comes to upgrade, the best way to go is piecing one together. Built on video cards are horrible if you want to play new games or doing video editing.

The stuff that those companies use are low end grade parts and you have no control over it and are limited with lower end computers. last time i bought a PC was 1996 and after that I just put it together myself.I went to Wal-Mart and got a whole computer (tower, keyboard, monitor, speakers, and mouse) for about the same price+tax. :think:

eMachine - built by Gateway.

[blackcatrun]

Where ever you get your Bare bones kit, I recommend that it come with out sound or video built on the mother board. You want a high end AGP video card for gaming Nivedia makes great long lasting video card with lots of memory and high resolutions. {Some come with upgradable slots,check the game boxes for recommened video cards} The problem with video and sound cards built on the mother board is they often will conflict when windows XP and Vista is installed. Every single time it's been the same thing until I disconnect the sound card and replace it with sound blaster.

[notluzn]

True with the built-on video because of the resources that it eats up and lack of power but not so true with built on Sound Card. The Sound Cards that are built on these motherboards are pretty damn good and I've never heard of anyone having conflict with them. Built-on net cards are also awesome. Unless the MB is older than the OS, there should not be any conflicks. Some people also forget to update BIOS as well.


Where ever you get your Bare bones kit, I recommend that it come with out sound or video built on the mother board. You want a high end AGP video card for gaming Nivedia makes great long lasting video card with lots of memory and high resolutions. {Some come with upgradable slots,check the game boxes for recommened video cards} The problem with video and sound cards built on the mother board is they often will conflict when windows XP and Vista is installed. Every single time it's been the same thing until I disconnect the sound card and replace it with sound blaster.

[Souldire]

I went to Wal-Mart and got a whole computer (tower, keyboard, monitor, speakers, and mouse) for about the same price+tax. :think:

eMachine - built by Gateway.
The one thing with eMachine computers is they use a very cheap power supply. If it goes out 90% of the time it takes out the mainboard as well which is a more expensive repair. I would seriously think about upgrading the power supply to save you some money down the road. Other wise there a good computer.

[LoneStarHero]

Here is my final build. Thanks to all of you for helping me hone in on the decision. I would still appreciate some feedback though.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=10047945

Going with the Phenom II x3 720 :)

I plan on bypassing the crap known as Vista and use the good ole' free Windows 7 for a year.

I'm having some wireless internet questions though...

I realize it is optimal to not go wireless on a desktop, but that is what I am stuck with until I move in a few weeks (where I will have a wired connection).

However I understand there are issues with some of the wireless adapters being compatible with Windows 7.

I am also ignorant on the nature of wireless adapters. Will the USB/thumbdrive types be adequate or will it need to be something I plug into the mother board?

Thank you in advance http://www.ocforums.com/oc_images/images/smilies/smile.gif

[notluzn]

Looks good. Maybe a different video card and mother board. Not enough write-ups on the MB.Here is my final build. Thanks to all of you for helping me hone in on the decision. I would still appreciate some feedback though.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=10047945

Going with the Phenom II x3 720 :)

I plan on bypassing the crap known as Vista and use the good ole' free Windows 7 for a year.

I'm having some wireless internet questions though...

I realize it is optimal to not go wireless on a desktop, but that is what I am stuck with until I move in a few weeks (where I will have a wired connection).

However I understand there are issues with some of the wireless adapters being compatible with Windows 7.

I am also ignorant on the nature of wireless adapters. Will the USB/thumbdrive types be adequate or will it need to be something I plug into the mother board?

Thank you in advance http://www.ocforums.com/oc_images/images/smilies/smile.gif

[LoneStarHero]

So what of my wireless adapter confusion?

[Ex_Spy_Guy]

So what of my wireless adapter confusion?

i run an 802.11n network for my xbox and my gaming and have no issues.

i have a cisco wrt160n v2 router with A capabilities which works for the box, and my mac has an N capable WIFI card, and I have no issues.

[LoneStarHero]

i run an 802.11n network for my xbox and my gaming and have no issues.

i have a cisco wrt160n v2 router with A capabilities which works for the box, and my mac has an N capable WIFI card, and I have no issues.

When you say "router" do you mean something plugged into the wall and not the computer?

When you say "N capable WIFI card", is it something that plugs into the mother board?

[Ex_Spy_Guy]

When you say "router" do you mean something plugged into the wall and not the computer?

When you say "N capable WIFI card", is it something that plugs into the mother board?

the router is the part that will broadcast your Bb connection from the modem, DSL or Cable, the WIFI card is the part that will plug into your tower, either in the PCIe slot or via USB dongle.

[blackcatrun]

True with the built-on video because of the resources that it eats up and lack of power but not so true with built on Sound Card. The Sound Cards that are built on these motherboards are pretty damn good and I've never heard of anyone having conflict with them. Built-on net cards are also awesome. Unless the MB is older than the OS, there should not be any conflicks. Some people also forget to update BIOS as well.

It's when both are built on the mother boards that conflict and rescource problems happen.

[Ex_Spy_Guy]

windows ACPI eliminated the need to allocate the management of resouce management manually...i havent heard of PCI resource conflict since XP

[notluzn]

It's when both are built on the mother boards that conflict and rescource problems happen.Yeah, I would never buy a computer with built on Video. bad Bad