Rate This System Please

[BlackmanOne]

Hey guys, I am looking to buy the system below. However, before I go ahead and buy this from a custom shop, I would like all your expert opinions.

Firstly, I am getting the 9600XT because it is a lot cheaper then the 9800Pro. However, I will probably just upgrade it when I need too, with the next-gen cards. I am trying to keep costs low so I can't just spring on the best card.

Secondly, I am getting the P4 over the AMD, as I am not going to overclock my system (using it for school, don't want to risk burning the system out).

Well here it is, any comments on things I could switch? Any help would be appreciated:

CPU Intel Pentium 4 Processor 2.8GHz FSB800 512KB H. Threading
Memory 512MB DDR400 PC3200 Memory (Major Brand)
Mother Board ASUS P4S800 Mother Board
Hard Drive 1 Maxtor 120GB 7200RPM UDMA 133 IDE 8MB Cache
Optical Drive 1 LG Combo Drive 52X CD-RW 16X DVD-ROM
Video ATI Radeon 9600 XT 128MB DDR, AGP8X DVI TV-Out
Audio Creative Sound Blaster Live! 5.1
Network Card Onboard 10/100 Mbps Network Card
Case Noblesse Case
Power Supply 400 Watt Power Supply
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (OEM)

 

[Ram2453872]

It will do the job. I know you said you want to keep the price down, but the 3.0ghz isnt much more then the 2.8. Dont buy xp if you planed to, just do like all else and get a bootleged one. Also if you have a couple extra dollars get the 9700 instead it will be well worth the money because you wont need to upgrade for a long tiem with that card.

 

[True_Orb]

Looks cool, but after surfing newegg I remember not being too impressed with Maxtor hard drives. Something about either their prices or user feedback struck me as "I could do better."

I could be wrong though. I was researching a LOT of stuff that day.

 

[amd643200+]

I think that it is a good system but if I were going to upgrade the video later I would buy a cheaper one now like a 9200 se not a great card but cheap and good enough for doing school work and fine for games just not great also you could go with an 80 gig hard drive and save some money there since that will be more than enough and if you need to you can upgrade later

 

[ByTeDeMoN]

Very nice, wish I had money to build another system,,good luck bro,,

 

[hilowe]

You might want to at least consider changing the DVD drive from a reader to a writer. I know that will increase the cost, but you'll be glad you did when you can burn your own CD's for school stuff. I know I have to do it alot, because all the data I save, I'd be carrying around a case of floppies all the time.

 

[Deadguy]

Your getting 2 sticks of 256 or 2 of 512.

 

[BlackmanOne]

Thanks for all the help guys, just some things to add:

1. As far as the burner goes, it's a combo. I get the CDRW to burn my files (docs would never get over 650mb anyway) and the DVD is just to watch my dvds, I'll probably never burn a dvd anyway.

2. For the harddrive, I will look up Maxtor harddrives, thanks true_orb. The closest in cost is an 80g WD drive...an it's 20 bucks more?

3. I am wondering if I should switch to an MSI GFX FX5600 XT-TD 128bit.. It's only 11 bucks more then the 9200 and 126 bucks less then the 9600XT. Keep in mind I'll be upgrading once the next gen's come out.

thanks for all your help guys.


EDIT: The prices are canadian, and I cannot get them from newegg (complicated, lol)

 

[The Merlin]

6 of 10 I would say

 

[BlackmanOne]

I forgot also, I am going to change the RAM from 2 sticks of 256, to 2 of 512, so I'll have 1G of ram.