Someone please help me

[xxkrnxstylezxx]

I have to build a computer for a friend. He doesn't play too many games but some and he will watch DVD movies. He wants a reliable computer that will last for a while. I was first gonna go with this set up.....
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Intel Pentium 4/ 2.8E GHz 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache, Hyper Threading Technology

seagate IDE with 8mb buffer 120 GB

NEC 8X Black DVD+RW/-RW Drive, Model ND-2500A, OEM Bulk

ABIT "IC7" i875P Chipset Motherboard for Intel Socket 478 CPU -RETAIL

SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 9800SE Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP -BULK

SONY Black 1.44MB 3.5inch Floppy Disk Drive, Model MPF920, OEM

Crucial DDR PC3200 ?CL=3 ?Non-parity ?DDR400 ?2.6V ?32Meg x 64 256MB X 2
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i was gonna go with this because it has to be under $700....but then lots of people said I should go with AMD Athlon XP2500+ Barton processor with Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe....they said it will have the same performace as 2.8 P4...now first of all is this true? If so, this will save me about $110

Also, i found out that i should just get the 64bit since they will start upgrading. I found a 64bit 2800+ for about the same price as the 2.8 ghz, should I just get this, stick with the 2500+, stick with the Pentium 4, or get something else????? I know a little about computers and know how to build one, but I'm really confused here.

And i heard that most Power supplies that come bundled with cases are crap and will break. So i found a power supply [[ Thermaltake W0014 Silent Purepower 480W with Black housing - Xaser Edition ATX 2-Fan Power Supply]] for $55. Can someone find me a good looking, reliable case without a power supply for less than $30??? I looked and looked but all are over $50 and come already with a power supply. I don't want to be ugly either...Oh, and i would like some quiet but efficient fans. I'll probably get 2 or 3 so maybe in the $7 range??

I know I'm asking for alot but I really don't wanna screw this up. I will appreciate any advice. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP!

ALL of this has to be Under $700

 

[rakesh_1024]

Pentium is a no-no.
Spend some money and go for Athlon XP 2800+
or go with AMD 64 2800+.
Atleast I knocked out one of them.

 

[xxdryicexx]

amd is a nono..
got with a p4 2.8c.. Not E.. the E series p4's tend to overhear alot.. (although not nearly as much as the big ass amd cpu's) if he wants a reliable comp get him the setup I got.. I couldnt have asked for more..

 

[xxdryicexx]

it will not be as fast as a p4 2.8C 800mhz fsb cpu because most applications dont even use 64 bit address recognition yet.

 

[rakesh_1024]

Wow dryice, U r the first guy who says that AMD is not reliable.
I recommended AMD to my friends and they r really very happy with it.

 

[xxkrnxstylezxx]

hmm yea but when it comes out, he'll probably want it....and it will probably start coming out soon? i was gonna go with AMD but theres always someone that says intel is better. I never used AMD so i dun really know but i have a 2.8ghz HT right now and i think its fast enough....ithink...please keep the suggestions coming. THANK YOU!

 

[rakesh_1024]

AMD employs shorter pipeline. Hence more number of instructions get executed per cycle.
What Intel believes is higher clock speeds would compensate their longer pipeline.
Hence AMD 2400+ which runs at 2GHZ is almost equivalent to Intel's 2.6GHZ.
Go for Intel only if ur brother wants to do some video editing stuff.
For rest of the applications, nothing beats an AMD.

 

[xxdryicexx]

I never said amd is unreliable.. I am not taking any sides here (without logical reasons) but I just think that intel has amd beat in the high-end cpu's, while amd has intel beat in the 64 bit department at the moment..

why?

simple. lets compare.

_p4 2.8c GHZ northwood 800mhz fsb HT cpu w/heatsink/fan/silver = $180.00

_amd 3200+ 2.2ghz barton 400mhz fsb cpu w/heatsink/fan/silver = $187.00

lets break it down.

clock speed = amd wins by about 15% more
fsb = intel wins by 50% more
(do NOT forget that fsb is a very important relation to the overall clock speed of a cpu consdering fsb is the direct communicator between cpu's and mobo, which intel has x2 more)
Additional threading = obviously intel, although HT is useless alot of the times..
heating = intel ALWAYS wins this.. which also means that intel cpu's are alot safer to overheat AND match the 3200+ in speeds and go even faster WITHOUT breaking a sweat.

 

[rakesh_1024]

Everything looks good on paper. Y don't U browse some sites or magazines which have run various benchmarks.
Even I have done some testing and found out that AMDs are better.

 

[xxdryicexx]

rofl, i got all ym info from benchmarks.. goto yahoo and type in cpu benchmarks and see where i got my info..

either it be benchmarks from the web or my own benchmarks with my cpu and friends amd cpu's..

like i said before, the sole fact that p4's are alot more safer to overclock to exceed the speed of amd's makes it worth getting.. and im not even counting the fact that they have higher fsb..