Need Help Building A PC

[Reflekxi0n]

Hello,
I'm not techy at all, So I need help building a PC to withstand the following:

Special Needs:
Stable, Reliable, Fast, and Performance-Based hardware.

Most Used Programs:
Photoshop CS (For Graphic Design)
Notepad (For HTML, PHP, Etc..)
Maya, Lightwave 3D, 3D Studio Max (For 3D Animation/Multimedia)
Macromedia Flash (Flash Animation/Multimedia)
Soldier of Fortune 2 (Online Multiplayer Gaming)
Unreal Tournament 2004 (Online Multiplayer Gaming)
Half Life 2 (Online Multiplayer Gaming)
Battlefied (Online Multiplayer Gaming)

Budget:
$0-$1,500 - Would like to stay under the $1,500 mark as much as possible. I know the Video Card is going to be a pain at this budget.. so just a pretty good one will do.

Extra:
I have the ATX Case, 2 Hard Drives, Speakers, Monitor an so forth... I just need basically the Video Card, Motherboard, Processor, Power Supply and Memory.
I would like the Manufacture of the Motherboard to be reliable, I've had good experience with MSI, Asus, and Tyan.. I would rather not have one that is going to burn out on me.
I'd prefer the processor to be over the 2.0GHz mark, and I personally prefer a AMD CPU over Intel, but it is you opinion I need, so I'll leave it for your suggestions.
I'd rather the Memory be DDR/DDR2, 1GB (1024MB) or Over, and Dual-Channel. I've heard it's better to have 2x512MB Dual-Channel DIMM's then to have just 1x1024MB DIMM, I've never actually tested any of this out, so your opinion is needed here aswell.


Thank you in advance

 

[the_gris]

I just got a lot of good advcie on my build

check the " opinions on build...be gentle" post

I did it on a budget, but a good start

ak gave great sugessions on building a AMD syst

I got some for a P4 from post I looked at

you may want to look at some other post first,.....helped me get a start,...and then hammer out the details with the folks on this board

Good luck


thanks again guys

 

[phosho510]

here is a good P4 system:
Intel Pentium 4/ 3.2E GHz 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache, Hyper Threading Technology
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=19-116-172&DEPA=1/$217

ASUS "P5AD2-E Premium"
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=13-131-516&DEPA=0/$239


MSI nVIDIA GeForce 6600GT
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-127-147&DEPA=1/$187.00

Corsair XMS Extreme Memory Speed Series
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=20-145-450&DEPA=1/$189.00

 

[Sh0r_ty]

Id say go with intel if ur a grafix designer. btw the XFX 6600GT comes with stock memclock of 1200mhz as opposed to the 1ghz of the MSI so thats a bit better bang for buck. the mem looks good but are u us or other $

 

[ak_smallz]

accident double post
sorry

 

[Reflekxi0n]

here is a good P4 system:
Intel Pentium 4/ 3.2E GHz 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache, Hyper Threading Technology
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=19-116-172&DEPA=1/$217

ASUS "P5AD2-E Premium"
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=13-131-516&DEPA=0/$239


MSI nVIDIA GeForce 6600GT
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-127-147&DEPA=1/$187.00

Corsair XMS Extreme Memory Speed Series
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=20-145-450&DEPA=1/$189.00

A Socket 478 P4 CPU on a Socket LGA 775 Motherboard? Will that even work?

 

[ak_smallz]

since your going to drop a nice 1500 on a system, i would assume you would like it to last you a while. Personally i like to keep lower prices and stay behind the curve and buy stuff only when it is needed. But this seems to be the time that everyone is getting ready for 64 bit windows (also known as "Furure proofing"). 1500 can get you a lot, and AMD is the best choice for gaming. Then again, most agree pentium is better for normal applications. My opinion is to go w/ an athlon because they usually have a better price/performance ratio (and you always want that extra performance in games, and AMD's arent bad at all in normal applications, they are good as opposed to great). It all depends on what you are looking for.
Heres my proposed system:


Processor: Athlon 64 3500+ (winchester)
This processor is starting to become one of the best price/performance ratio processors out there. It is overclockable if you so want, and performs extremely well in pretty much any task. The winchester core is 40 bucks more than the newcastle, but is just a much better core (i think its worth the cash now if your buyin a 3500 than having to upgrade sooner than you want). Also, this is socket 939, which is THE "future" in most's opinions. This socket should keep you goin for at least 3 years or more.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-460&depa=1

Heatsink/Fan: Any of these are good for socket 939
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=35-118-112&depa=1
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=35-106-043&depa=1

Motherboard: MSI "KN8 Neo4 Platinum SLI"
You do not really NEED SLI to perform well, but again with 1500 you can prepare for the future (if you dont know, SLI is where you can run 2 GFX cards at once). Games now havnt even touched the surface of 2 high end GFX cards, and the limiting factor becaome the CPU with SLI. If you would like, i posted a link to a 2nd Motherboard that does not have it, but it was the most popular 939 board on newegg before SLI came out.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-487&depa=1
NON SLI
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-484&depa=1

Power Supply: Thermaltake SilentPurePower 480watt
Ever since i got this psu for christmas, ive been raving on how well it works. This think blows a lot of air out of your case w/ the 2 fans and isnt loud. 480 watts should be enough for whatever you are doing. Thermaltake is a well known company for anything they make so reliability isnt too much of a problem. Also, this link is a black version, and it comes in a few other colors if you want to match your case (look around). What can i say, its a great PSU.
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=17-153-007&DEPA=1

RAM: Corsair 1 gig (512x2)
You are correct in saying 2x512 is better, though by only a bit. I check up and found the 2 cheapest options. You can go corsair value ram which is great, but not as overclockable if thats where you want to go (about $140). Then there is the Corsair XMS extreme if you want to overclock (about 180). Depends on what you want. I posted both (btw, 1 gig should work fine):
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-440&depa=1
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-450&depa=1

According to my calculations (estimate in my head, with the SLI board), this should leave you with around 800 for the video card(s). If you are looking for a card that will play anything for now, but not at the highest settings, go for the 6600gt. Great card great performance, and will cost around 200. EVGA is a good reliable brand that puts good fans on thier cards:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-130-220&depa=1

If you are looking for a bit more performance you have 2 choices:
-you can use an SLI board and use 2 6600GTs in SLI
-get a 6800GT
Now i am not sure of the difference between the 2 performance wise, but remember that in the future, if you want to upgrade from 2 6600GT's you have to get rid of both cards, where as from one 6800GT you can just add another and increase performance by over 50%. Either way you are looking at a 400 price for the 2 6600GT's and 450 for a 6800GT PCI-E version (out of stock at the moment, but the EVGA version is in for 500).
6800GT PCI-E: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-150-081&depa=1

Now all these options are your choice of which way to go, and i know ther is a chance that you could disregard all my options, but im just here giving suggestions so its ok. Especially deciding for video cards. See how much you are willing to spend and look at when you are wanting to upgrade and such. If you feel no need for SLI, then dont get it and go for a 6600GT or a 6800GT. If you are interested in SLI, i would go for the 6800GT, simply because it will be easily upgraded by just adding another one in the future. 2 6800 GT right now are limited my the CPU so i dont see them being obsolete any time soon.

I also suggest picking up a few extra things as extra case fan and themal paste (arctic silver 5) to keep that CPU cool.

good luck and id be happy to answer any questions you got
(lol im turning into nubius... this took some time)

 

[Reflekxi0n]

Hello ak_smallz,
Thank you very much for everything, That is just perfect!. Just exactly what I was looking for, something strong and just within my area on everything. I haven't actually been able to get to NewEgg.com to check the stuff out becaus I seem to not be able to connect to the site right now, it may just be my internet screwing around with me. The video card thing is a odd part, I'm using a 128mb nVidia GeForce, it works well.. I can't say it's a POS alone, but compared to what's out today.. It's a POS lol. I may justgo with the 2 6600 GT's, hopefully in ATi instead of Nvidia.. Because like you were pointing out that everything moves so fast in area's like this that spending the extra dollar to get the best may not be the best choice as in tommorow it will just be the 2nd best, so I'm going with it because it is less expensive I'm sure because I've seen the 6800's before, plus later I can upgrade it a few notches up, but with Dual video cards.. I don't think I'll ever absolutely have to upgrade them unless one of them fry on me.

Your information nonetheless was very valuable, not only did you find hardware for me but you took the extra time to give me a little inside information on everything. I'll be getting exactly what you were telling me, and when it arrives I will test it out for a while and let you know how it goes.. I'll have to get some fan's an stuff from Zalman (I believe it is) to keep everything cool inside, because by the time I'm completely done with my computer, it's going to be a ball of flame without it.


Thanks again for all the help ak_smallz and everybody else who posted in this thread.

 

[ak_smallz]

glad to help
if you run into any problems anyone here can help.
See if you can do a bit more reseach on the heatsink and fan for your processor. I dont know much about socket 939 hsf's so i just found a few that had good reviews. If anyone here knows of any any good ones please post them.

 

[phosho510]

"A Socket 478 P4 CPU on a Socket LGA 775 Motherboard? Will that even work? "

opps sorry i was going quick through new egg for some good parts didnt really see the sockets, thanks for fixing my mistake