Need help with a new compy...

[Gothch1ck]

please read and post a comment... in dire need of help

Ok so I slacked off for several months, didn't buy a thing or keep up to date in what's hot and what's not, and now I am suffering big time.

My computer... the oldest living dinosaur on the planet... is about to die. Fallout 3, the game I have been waiting 10 years for.. comes out in Oct. (oct 28 to be exact) and I need a new rig, bad.

Assuming what I have is pure junk:
Pent 4 2.6Ghz
1.25 GB multi branded RAM
Dell mobo- don't even know model.
GeForce 7600 GS Video
Power Supply - issues. Is old and I believe came with the mobo/case however cannot effeciently supply power to the GPU to allow smooth gameplay (my belief anyway)

HDD- Failing-insists I backup and buy a new one with its automated scans (Western Digital)


Now I do have a Pent 4 3.0 Ghz chip layin around here someplace, but when I try to use it, it won't start.. my belief is the PSU isn't enough to support it AND the GPU.

My budget is reletively low, so I need a "best bang for the buck" PC but don't let a number mess with you- I am willing to take out a loan if I cannot afford what is great for my needs, I can pay that back later, Fo3 waits for no (wo)man.

Please keep in mind that Overclocking is not a passion.. so I would like to avoid that.. and on the Q6600 VS 9950 Black debate - how does the black compete with a non- overclocked Q6600?



Hows this compete with Today's "best computers"

mobo- Newegg.com - ASUS M3A79-T Deluxe AM2+/AM2 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards ($200)

CPU - Newegg.com - AMD Phenom 9950 BLACK EDITION Agena 2.6GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 140W Quad-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops ($174)

RAM - Newegg.com - CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory ($80) or 8GB ($160)

Vid - Newegg.com - ASUS EAH4850/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards ($140) or xfire($280)

PSU- ??? Newegg.com - ZALMAN ZM750-HP 750W Continuous @ 45°C
(Maximum Continuous Peak: 850W) ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V V2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Modular LED Heatpipe-Cooled SLI Power ($163)

HDD - Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives ($65)

Monitor- Newegg.com - ASUS VK222H Black 22" 2 ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor w/Webcam 300 cd/m2 ASCR 5000:1(1000:1) Built in Speakers - LCD Monitors ($200)

All prices estimated after rebates of course....
Would that PSU work? it's listed as 20a 12v rails... so I hope thats good enough, don't like the blue light but I can deal with it.. and its 750W, should be enough to run 2 vid cards right?

 

[Gothch1ck]

Not normally one to rush or bump my own.. but.... Kinda rushed here... need to know before too long due to how my income is handled.

Budget is set every friday, paychecks are friday, not allowed to withdraw any more money then what I kept out from the last paycheck to prevent overdrawing/fees, so since it is now Sat. I would like to include my first parts on THIS weeks pay, meaning Friday's paycheck...

 

[stalin90]

i would change it to an intel build insted of amd cuz u can get alot more for your money.

i would get these:
Newegg.com - BIOSTAR TPower I45 LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops or
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops or
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

Corsair TX 750W ATX 12V Power Supply - CMPSU-750TX - Buy.com - this psu is awesome and very cheap, it will take anything u throw at it. free shipping to

VisionTek - ATI RADEON HD4850 512MB GDDR3 PCI Express Graphics Card - 900241 - no mir, if u got a best buy near u i would get this insted but the asus card will do fine
or if u want to spend some extra money this card has alot better cooling: Newegg.com - MSI R4850-512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives

Newegg.com - XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks
w/ this: Newegg.com - XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket - CPU Fans & Heatsinks


some case, antec 300 and cooler master cm590 are pretty cheap but pretty nice on the insides
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Centurion 590 RC-590-KKN1-GP Black SECC / ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases
Newegg.com - Antec Three Hundred Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

dvd drive and ur pretty much done

 

[Gothch1ck]

I could really use some explaination, I went and googled some stuff to try and learn more.. but now I am just confused.

Let's make a few changes as I look at what you linked:
A) I hate blue/Blue LED
B) I want to start with 1 GPU, and upgrade later to 2
C) with B in mind, I want a PSU that will last, have the proper stuff, and hopefully be Modular cable so its less clutter

Will 2 HD3870 X2 GPU out perform a single HD4870 X2 or a single GTX 280 ?
I was informed that a single 12v rail is not so great for a power supply.... misinformation?

 

[stalin90]

a: i guess ur talking about a case, there are plenty of other choices, main thing is how much do u want to spend?
b: alot of ppl do that its fine
c: the corsair 750 will last a long time, but like u said, its downfall is its not modular, if i had to pick a modular one i would go with silver stone, somthing with at least 2 8 pins:
Newegg.com - SILVERSTONE DA800 800W ATX 12V 2.2 & EPS 12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies


i would say no because according to a gfx card ranking a single 4870 is better then a 3870x2 so id say a 4870x2 would be better than 3870x2

and a single 12v rail is better than multiple ones, yes u were missinformed, a single one is more stable

 

[Gothch1ck]

uh.....
The GPU I wanted :Newegg.com - Open Box: ASUS EAH4870/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
Sold out while I was browsing, even the open box >.< I kinda had my little girly heart set on it, so now I need to find another.. someplace.

I shouldn't need the aftermarket cooling and stuff, figure a 120mm in front, 1 in rear and a side 80mm should keep it fine and cool, and I don't plan to overclock (and won't, not for a long while) so standard stuff should be ok..... right?

I don't get the Antec three hundred case... you put the PSU on the bottom.. and heat rises.. to your MOBO/CPU/RAM..... why would you want to make that stuff even hotter? plus... you can't install a fan in the top front to provide cooling breeze to this.... just seems troublesome to me.

I think I will go with this case instead:
Newegg.com - Rosewill R5604-BK 0.8mm Japanese Cold Rolled Steel Dual 120mm Fans Screw-Less design ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

as long as everything fits (and I remove the blue acessories tray to give more airflow) it should work right? everything WILL fit right? even "long cards" ?

or maybe that first one you linked... I guess with enough fans... it won't matter with PSU on bottom... but the antec 300 seems 'small' OMG no way.. wait.. HDD on their SIDES? this CAN'T be good for them... omfg.... why can't I find a case with ROOM and common sense ><
*edit* oop noob moment, the picture made it LOOK like the HDD were mounted sideways, but that was just an optical illusion.... ... lol.




COOLER MASTER Centurion 590 (case) $80
ASUS P5Q Pro P45/ICH10R (mobo) $120
Intel Core 2 Quad core Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz $190
CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 1066 $120
ASUS EAH4870/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4870 512MB $230
Western Digital Caviar SE16 320GB 7200 RPM $65
SILVERSTONE DA800 800W (Power supply $214
ASUS VK222H Black 22" 2 ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen$220
$1239
I have myself a Windows XP Pro CD (real copy ) for OS... and I can use Mouse/Keyboard/Dvd Rom Drive/Speakers and even monitor (although I should get an LCD) I'd like to put off buying Vista... forever... and just skip to the new one coming out, when it comes out... I don't really need more then a 320GB.. I have a hard time filling my 60GB Harddrive as it is.. even with games. And I would like to keep it 1/2 empty for performance.. so 320/2=160GB... which is 100GB more of space then I have now.

As for the case... the fans.. do you think the top side should be exhaust and the lower intake? fronts are intake of course and the back is exhaust of course. Or do you think the side fans will even been required for a non-OC Quad Core?

Guess the hard part now is finding that graphics card I had my heart set on... *cries* why'd you have to go and sell out on me!!!


Do you think $1,239 before rebates is too much for what's listed? be like $90 off with rebates, so $1,149

Stats would be like a:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4 GHz
4GB Corsair DDR2 1066 RAM
Radeon HD 4870 512MB GPU

So.. from your little sig there.. not too far off really. In fact if I read that right... you have the 10th best vid card, using SLi so 2 of them, and the one I want is the 4th best, so GPU would either be on Par or me slightly better, but my CPU won't be overclocked like yours so you got me beat there, neither will my RAM... but for a general gaming computer.. I think what's listed is decent, and will last a few years, right? Looking for 5+ years if I can.

 

[stalin90]

well for one putting the psu on the bottom of the case is goos so it will pull air from the bottom of the case usually it will have avent there so it can pull from outside the case, and how a psu works is it pulls air in with the side that has a fan on it and pushes that air through the back of it pushing it out of the case

as for fans, the top of the case and back should be exaust side front and bottom should intake. as for the case u linked i think it would be hard to use the long cards in there but in the 590 they will fit without a problem.
sence ur not overclocking a front back and side fan sould be enough for u, if u want to get more id put the top ones on there next

and why do u like the asus card, there all the same unless u get one with a aftermarket cooler preinstalled, what u really ahve to look for is the warrentys the companies have on there cards.

only thing i would change on ur build would be the ram, alot of ppl on there are buyin these:
Newegg.com - OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory
Newegg.com - OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

 

[Gustave5436]

That PSU is expensive. Get a corsair 750TX for $84 after the $20 MIR.

Corsair TX 750W ATX 12V Power Supply - CMPSU-750TX - Buy.com

edit: yea, it's not modular, but it's much less expensive, and I'd rather spend $100 on faster components than getting a few unnecessary cables out of the way.

You might get an E8400 rather than a Q6600, if you're just gaming.

 

[stalin90]

That PSU is expensive. Get a corsair 750TX for $84 after the $20 MIR.

Corsair TX 750W ATX 12V Power Supply - CMPSU-750TX - Buy.com

You might get an E8400 rather than a Q6600, if you're just gaming.

thats what i said but he wants somthing modular, i dont know good modular ones anymore

 

[Gothch1ck]

SHE doesn't just game and SHE wants modular so it's better air flow and SHE is sick of all the cables. and that ram is crap and expensive. just because everyone buys it doesn't make it good. they probably overclock and use it. I wont overclock, so buying DDR2 800 is wasteful when I can run 1200

and my1066 listed is 80 bucks after rebate for 4GB and 5-5-5-15 timings.

and I won't just be using it for games thanks, thats just the primary function