f13.net forums - Help me build my next PC

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July 25, 2025, 11:00:54 PM

we're back, baby

CPU: e6600 Intel Conroe Dual Core Processor. Item #: N82E16819115003 $222.90
HDD: Western Digital SE16 320GB. Item #: N82E16822136003 $89.99
GPU: BFG 7900GS 256MB GDDR3 Item #: N82E16814143070 $165.99 ($135.99 w/ $30 MIR) // On 06/11/07, this card was ranked #1 for best bang for the buck ~$150 USD: http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/06/11/the_best_gaming_video_cards_for_the_money/page2.html#best_pcie_card_for_150_tie
RAM: Corsair XMS 2GB (2x1GB) PC2 6400 Item #: N82E16820145034 $131.00 ($91.00 w/ $40 MIR) // I'm by no means a RAM expert. I generally use Corsair simply out of habit and reliability, but if anyone here knows of anything better (or could educate me more on RAM), then let me know :)
MB: EVGA 122-CK-NF66-T1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i Ultra ATX Intel Motherboard Item#:N82E16813188017 $99.99 ($79.99 w/ $20 MIR) // This motherboard looks like an upgraded version of the ECS non-bells, non-whistles board that I have now that looks a bit more sturdy and OC-friendly. Note the informed reviewer who recommends a NB fan and a SB heatsink.
PSU/CASE: APEVIA X-Navigator ATXA9N-BK/500 Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case ATX 500W Item #: N82E16811144164 $94.99 ($84.99 w/ $10 MIR) // This is the case I have for my fiance's rig. It is excellent if you like a big, spacious, good-airflow case with color. If you don't like blue LEDs, don't get it. Another great selling point on this case is the 500W PSU which is pretty hardy. The one we currently have has had no problems and works perfectly. I highly recommend it to you.

Monitor?: SCEPTRE X20WG-1080P Black 20.1" 5ms(GTG) 1080P HDCP supported Item #: N82E16824112007 $189.99 ($169.99 w/$20 MIR) // Inexpensive widescreen monitor that delivers way more performance than the price leads you to believe. I own two of these, and no dead pixels, no problems, and no difficulties. These two monitors have probably gone through way more wear and tear than many others do simply because when I moved apartments, they got thrown in the back of my car (Stupid Preludes and no trunk space.).
Keyboard?: Logitech G11 Item#:N82E16823126009 $58.99 // Love it. Fiance tries to steal it as much as she can.

Let's see here: I see your grand total as: $804.86 for your base build, plus add-on drives and whatever other bells and whistles you want. I would highly recommend a Rosewill 120MM and 80MM to go in your case. If you have the money, you could even run two 250GB 16MB WD's in RAID array for around $140 USD.
With the MIR, I see you at $704.86. I think that leaves you a TON of wiggle room for many nice add-ons.

Some things to consider since you would be $400 under your budget:

Perhaps a nice DX10 Card? Note you'll need to up your motherboard too.
RAID arrays? I know I mentioned them above, but they are definitely something to think about.
A bigger monitor or even two displays? I highly, highly recommend the monitor above listed.

Quote from: NiX on June 17, 2007, 02:50:16 PM

Couldn't find a decent case with a power supply and the one listed in Azazel's isn't on Newegg.

It's usually better just to pick a case without a power supply and get a separate power supply. It'll cost more but that's because the power supply will (usually) be of better quality.

You mentioned "silent cooling". Did you literally mean "silent", in which case that'll radically change your component selection, or just "quiet"? In either case you should go visit http://silentpcreview.com and read up on the various quiet cooling solutions available.

Just quiet. I can deal with some noise. What PSU do you recommend?

I like Seasonic though everybody and their uncle are jumping into the "enthusiast" power supply market that it's hard to keep track of who is making what now. Antec's NeoHE is good as well if you like the modular cable design.

As for the quiet part its still important to pick components carefully. E.g. you can't just pick, say, a quiet power supply but then have a leaf blower fan on your video card.

Necrobump.

My wife's PC is in the shop, getting transferred across to a new case after a faulty power button issue. (The kind of job I prefer to pay others to not fuck up).

Since she's been without it for a few days now, she wondered aloud what a computer like mine would cost to buy now, for her. (*cough*) What with the ever-decreasing costs of components. And such.

I've done what I can, but model numbers change, and so I'm a bit stuck on MoBo, RAM, and Vid Cards. And also the best bang/buck processor around the same level as the existing one, but with cheaper!

This is pretty much what I got. Just edited the quote to reflect the actual box I got.

Quote from: Azazel on May 25, 2007, 12:29:25 AM

WD 320Gb 7200 16Mb Cache SATA 2 Hard Disk: $102.00
WD 320Gb 7200 16Mb Cache SATA 2 Hard Disk: $102.00
Pioneer DVR-212D SATA DVD Re-Writer (18x/8x Dual Layer Black): $ 51.70
Pioneer DVR-212D SATA DVD Re-Writer (18x/8x Dual Layer Black): $ 51.70
Corsair DDR2 2GB PC-6400 (2x XMS2 1GB) TWIN2X2048-6400 RAM: $199.10
GIGABYTE NX88S320H-B-RH 8800GTS, 320MB, 320bit, GDDR3, 2xDualLinkDVI-I, TVOUT, HDTV: $435.00
1.44Mb Floppy Disk Drive (Black): $ 15.00
Microsoft Basic Black Value Pack PS/2 (OEM): $ 27.50
Windows XP Home OEM $123.20
Build with warranty $ 55.00
Intel CORE 2 DUO E6600/ 2.40GHz/ 4MB CACHE/ 1066FSB/ LGA775: $302.00
Asus P5B-E motherboard: $189.00
Thermaltake Matrix Black Case with 430W, VD2430BNS (comes with 2x120mm fans): $106.70
Upgraded the PSU. To somethng.

The idea being to basically cost out essentially the same machine, maybe fractionally better in some respects, but above all cheaper, and see if it comes under AU$1000. If so, she'll get it.

This is what I worked out:

Pioneer DVR-215 SATA DVD Re-Writer (20x/10x Dual Layer Black)       $36.00
Pioneer DVR-215 SATA DVD Re-Writer (20x/10x Dual Layer Black)       $36.00
Western Digital 640Gb 7200RPM 16Mb SATA 2             $139.70

RAM?
CPU?
MoBo?
Vid Card?

1.44Mb Floppy Disk Drive (Black): $ 15.00
Microsoft Windows XP Home - OEM                   $126.50
Build with warranty $ 55.00

Thermaltake Matrix Black/Silver Midi Tower Case (430W) $107.80

New PSU?

============

What do we think?

How much is your machine now except with, say, an 8800GT 512MB?

Sounds very like my recent PC build. (all prices in $A as purchased from CentreCom)

1 x Intel Core 2 Duo E6750/ 2.66GHz/ 4MB Cache/ 1333FSB/ LGA775 () = $227.00
1 x Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3P motherboard () = $165.00
1 x Western Digital 500Gb 7200RPM 16Mb SATA 2 (HD500WD/S/16) = $128.00
1 x Lite-On Super Allwrite SATA DVD Re-Writer (20x/8x Dual Layer Black) () = $48.40
1 x Corsair DDR2 2GB PC-6400/800 (2xXMS2 1GB) TWIN2X2048-6400C4 Ram () = $114.40
1 x Antec Sonata III Quiet Super Tower Black (500W) () = $178.00
1 x XFX 8800GT Alpha Dog Edition 512MB PCIe - Overclocked (YDQ4) () = $386.10
1 x Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 32-Bit DVD - OEM () = $151.80

The case is quiet until you play a game then the case fan lifts off. If I'd known that I would have gone with a cheaper case or kept my old one. Aside from that, no complaints.

Quote from: Trippy on April 16, 2008, 03:51:22 AM

How much is your machine now except with, say, an 8800GT 512MB?

Well, I can't find the exact same MoBo, Graphics card and RAM on their site. That's my problem. Available processor options are also different. I worked out HDD, Optical Drives, um, case, XP easily enough.

So I'm assuming that a year on now, they've been superceded by incremental upgrades. Problem is, when I look at, say graphics cards I find a whole ton of models that look very similar in their names/numbers to the one I have now, but their prices vary a lot.

I'm looking for roughly-equivalent bits to my current machine. (those 4 components, plus a suitable PSU). That's where this necropost comes in.

oops, sorry. buying from this mob again. Australian $ etc, these guys are cheap for us here (I lost my initial version of the post)

http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/default.php

Asus P5K-PRO
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750
XFX 8800GT Alpha Dog Standard Edition 512MB
Corsair DDR2 2GB PC-8500/1066 (2xXMS2 1GB) TWIN2X2048-8500C5D Ram
Antec EarthWatts 500W ATX Power Supply or Antec NeoPower 500W ATX Power Supply

thank you!

will check them out in detail tomorrow. Gotta have something to do at work!

Wait. A power button goes bad and she gets a new computer? WIll you adopt me?

awesome, for real

Well, the power-button box is getting fixed. I should point out I'll be making her pay for (most of) the new computer if she ends up getting it. The old one (and the old number 3) will become a LAN-box and work/print/email machine. The old Number 3 will become a LAN-Box. Though that needs to have a noisy fan fixed up...

But yes, I will adopt you. But only if you bring your Big TV.

Quote from: Trippy on April 16, 2008, 04:16:45 AM

When I was researching I thought consensus was that PC8500 didn't provide significant benefits over PC6400 memory. That was 6 months or so ago now though.

Not significant, no.

No it's this one:

http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=30604

The ASUS looks to be about the same for a bit cheaper though it doesn't seem to have dual DVI outputs.

Quote from: Azazel on April 16, 2008, 03:19:00 PM

But only if you bring your Big TV.

Eh, it's 4-1/2 yrs old and only 720p. I'm sure there are adoptees here with much nicer tvs.

Just a heads up that Dell Outlet is having a 15% off sale on refurbished Inspirons and XPS's till April 21st. Coupon code I got in the e-mail is PKN9SK04PC9QSX (not sure if thats usable by more than one person or not). The wife ended up getting a Inspiron 2.3 GHz dualcore with 4gigs of ram, 500 gig HD and 8600 GT vid card, CD/DVD burner for $485. Not a top-end system but thats a great price.