Build me a Kickass PC!

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:50 am

Ok, my PC is getting old and with Vista I need something a bit more powerful. My budget is around $1000 for a new case, new PSU, new CPU, new Motherboard, new Graphic Card, and 2 GB of Ram (Unless you find cheap good 4x 1 GB of ram, then get that)

I will be taking some parts from my current PC that dont need upgraded like a Network Card, Soundblaster Soundcard, DVD Drive, DVD Burner, and my 250 WD Hard Drive thats like 2 months old. I'm saving these parts because they have always served me well and honestly it will save me a few bucks (About $100-200) Another reason to keep the DVD Drive is because it is GDR8163b drive. Why is that special you ask? Because it's 1 of 4 DVD Drive models that can read and rip Wii Games

I thought you guys know best so please post what you think would be best for me. And fyi, I don't care about DX10 and I'm more of a Nvidia Fanboy...so don't post an ATI card

My main battle of Cards is the 7950 and the 8800. You decide which is best for me

Post by **bicostp** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:57 am

Why waste money on a new case and power supply? Any reason you can't put a new motherboard in your existing case? You could take the money you save from that and put it into the motherboard and RAM. You seem to be re-using almost everything else in your old machine... Unless you're building one of those "organic" style "gaming" ricer PCs.

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 11:30 am

bicostp wrote:Why waste money on a new case and power supply? Any reason you can't put a new motherboard in your existing case? You could take the money you save from that and put it into the motherboard and RAM. You seem to be re-using almost everything else in your old machine... Unless you're building one of those "organic" style "gaming" ricer PCs.

Because its a Dell and I'm pretty sure they use non-ATX standard stuff and their PSU's are different. Trust me, I would do anything to save money but I'm stuck with buying a new PSU and case.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 11:51 am

AMD or Intel? I priced a nice AMD system (X2 5600+, 2GB ram) for about $700, minus a graphics card and it had 2 hard drives and 2 dvd burners. It didn't have 2 PCI-express slots, but I didn't care about SLI because it would cost too much. So its possible, you could likely get an X2 6000+ now that they've lowered the price.

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:03 pm

I like Intel, Core 2 Duo of course. I want a Core 2 Duo that can be OC'd pretty high. A Graphics card is a must because my Nvidia 6800 is too crappy. The only parts you guys need to help me find are:

Mobo (With atleast support for 4 sticks of Ram and Intel C2D)
CPU (Intel, preferably Core 2 Duo and OC Capable)
PSU
Case
Graphics Card (Nvidia, preferably a 7950 or 8800)
Ram (2 GB or Cheap and good 4 GB)

I already have the rest of the parts.

XPCportables · Post by **XPCportables** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:04 pm

CPU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819103759 $129 AMD Athlon X2 Windsor 5200 2x1mb L2 cache 2x 128kb L1 cache, 2000Mhz HT. Pure awesome.

MOBO! http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813138059 $84.99 + $15 mail in rebait. SLI, socket AM2 4x DDR2 Slots DDR800 supported.

GFX! http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814127280 8800GTS, it speaks for its self.

Here's your for gigs of ram. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820144072 DDR800 4x 1gig sticks with a five egg review.

Case= Antec 900 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811129021
3x 120mm fans, 1x 200mm fan. 139$

PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817128008
730W $119

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:08 pm

Do you think that sucker could OC to 3 Ghz safely? If so I'm sold with that AMD Setup. I was reading that this one Core 2 Duo (2.6 Ghz stock) could OC up to 3.4 Ghz safely....and that's insane. Is that a bunch of BS?

Post by **bicostp** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:14 pm

Oh, right. If it's a newer Dimension or Optiplex it might be standard but most older ones aren't.

Well here's a set from Tiger Direct. Fair warning: I don't keep up on gamer hardware and I think "organic gamer cases" are hideous and unnecessary, so it's a cheap, sort of generic case, but that freed up money for other parts!

<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... otherboard / CPU bundle</a>
Asus P5NSLI Socket 775 ATX Motherboard and an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.13GHz Processor $319

<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... 483">Power supply</a>
Ultra 600-Watt / SATA-Ready $40

<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... 66">RAM</a>
Dual Channel DDR2 667MHz Memory (2 x 1024MB) $60

<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... =1588">CPU Cooler</a>
ZEROtherm / CF900 / Socket 775 / Copper Base / Heatpipes / CPU Cooler $40

<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... 2">Case</a>
Systemax Black Mid Tower Chassis $40

Total price (after rebates): $499

Shipping: ??

Est. money left over for the other stuff: $501

The motherboard has a couple PCI slots, mostly PCI Express slots, and no AGP slots so you'll have to look at matching video cards. The RAM is the fastest memory the motherboard can handle, and you can stuff 2 more gigs under the hood before the board is full. (2048 MB memory sticks are unnecessary since the board has 4 slots. I'm not too sure about the CPU cooler; you may need to pick another one. Like I said, the case is kind of generic, but it has plenty of room for all your drives. Core 2 Duos beat the crap out of anything AMD has to offer nowadays (I think...)

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:14 pm

XPCportables wrote:CPU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819103759 $129 AMD Athlon X2 Windsor 5200 2x1mb L2 cache 2x 128kb L1 cache, 2000Mhz HT. Pure awesome.

Why not get a 6000+? Its not much more, unless the 5200 has better OCing.

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:37 pm

::::::::::Harshboy's Franken PC that pwns your PC::::::::::

Case: Systemax Black Mid Tower Chassis
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=1842
$39.99

Motherboard: Asus P5NSLI NVIDIA Socket 775 ATX Motherboard
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=1599
$319.99

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz OEM Processor
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=1599
$ N/A Comes with Mobo

CPU Cooler: ZEROtherm / CF900 / Socket 775 / Copper Base / Heatpipes / CPU Cooler
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=1588
$29.99

Ram: Two OCZ Dual Channel EL Platinum XTC 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz Memory (4 x 1024MB = 4 GB)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=2261
$159.98

Graphics Card: Two BFG GeForce 7950 GT OC (OverClocked) Video Card (2 Cards in SLI)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=1560
$279.98

PSU: Coolmax / CXI-500B / 500-Watt / ATX / 120mm Fan / SATA-Ready / SLI-Ready / 20/24-Pin / Power Supply
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=2036
$49.99

Hard Drive: Western Digital 250 GB 7200 RPM
$Free

DVD Drive: LG GDR8163b DVD Drive
$Free

DVD Burner NEC DVD Burner (8x)
$Free

Soundcard: Creative Sound Blaster Audigity 2 ZS
$Free

Total: $879.92

Do you think this PC will kick ass? I still have about $150 left over so what should be invested into that would make this PC better? I'm thinking exchanging the Graphics cards but I dunno

Am I missing anything?

Post by **bicostp** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:41 pm

Don't you need a CPU cooler? (OEM processors don't ship with them and that CPU/MB package doesn't include one...)

Unless you have a socket 775 cooler lying around...,

Gee most of that list looks familiar

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:42 pm

Whoops.....haha, could've seen that thing setting my house on fire. Thanks for reminding me.

XPCportables · Post by **XPCportables** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:55 pm

Why are you going with the inferior C2D and motherboard for a higher price? That just doesn't make sense to me.

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:07 pm

XPCportables wrote:Why are you going with the inferior C2D and motherboard for a higher price? That just doesn't make sense to me.

Well what Core 2 Duo and motherboard do you recommend for under $450 for both?

XPCportables · Post by **XPCportables** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:14 pm

Why do you insist on getting an overpriced core2 duo? I am not referring to getting a cheaper C2D, I am referring to getting that AMD that I suggested. It outperforms that C2D on your list for near $100 less mobo included. Contrary to popular belief, the Core2 Duo is not the god of CPUs, that title would go to the Core2 Extreme/ quad, but in the lower end of the spectrum AMD has Intel beat for the price.