Please help me perfect me computer build. (and answer a few questions)

[von_dragon]

Help me perfect my computer build (and answer a few questions)

Hi everyone,

Ive done quite a bit of research to create this build. There are still some areas I cant make a decision on yet. (graphics card, type of ram)

This computer will be used for school work, music, minor photoshop/flash maybe a tiny bit of 3d(nothing hardcore) and most of all gaming.

I want to be able to play newer games for quite a while and only making minor upgrades. (im thinking 4 years or more but i might be totally off)

Im planning to spend no more than 1500 dollars CANADIAN. All the prices in this build are in Canadian from except where otherwise specified

Ok here goes my build: ***UPDATED***

Cpu:
AMD Opteron 165 Dual Core Processor S939 Denmark 1.8GHZ 2MB L2 Cache 90NM 64BIT OEM No Heatsink

$372

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?mode=productreviewread&product_id=16793

thoughts:
Im going with the opteron so i can overclock adn dual core is the way of the future. Ncix only has an oem model with no heatsink. Should I be worried? Now i need a heatsink.

Heatsink:
No idea waht is good. This is somthing i havent looked into yet because i just decided that i am gunna use the opteron. Help me out, know any good ones?

Graphics card:
BFG GeForce 7900 GT OC PCI-E 256MB 256BIT DDR3 SLI Ready Video Card

$390

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=17946&vpn=BFGR79256GTOCE&manufacture=BFG Technologies

thoughts:
Undecided on video card. I want a good one but dont want to go SLI or crossfire and dont wanna spend a huge amount of money. Is this a good card? This is what im leaning towards right now. Any cheaper cards with better performancerice ratios im open to. Does BFG make good cards? It says OC but could i just do that myself and not pay some extra money?

Motherboard:
MSI K8N NEO4-F Motherboard ATX S939 NFORCE4 DDR PCI-E16 PCI-E4 PCI-E 4PCI SATA RAID Sound LAN

$105

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=14237&vpn=MS-7125-030&manufacture=MicroStar

thoughts:
S939 board for my cpu and PCI e. Will this board have adequate integrated sound for 5.1 speaker? headphones?

Memory:
OCZ 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200)

$188 USD ($40 rebate)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227210

thoughts:
seemed like a good piece a ram. Heard good things about OCZ (planning to OC it). If there is anything better a NCIX.com im open to it. Will i benifite substantially from 2gb of ram? Im thinking the future here. I think so...

Hard drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB SATA2 7200RPM 16MB 8.9MS Hard Drive 3 Year MFR Warranty

$120

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=16141&vpn=WD2500KS&manufacture=Western Digital

thoughts:
Is it a good drive. I want some space for files. 7200 rpm good? Any cheap hard drives that would bring down the price for just as good performance ill go for.

Optical drive:
Liteon SHM-160P6S DVD-RW 16X6X16 Dual 8X DVD+RW 16X8X16 Dual 4X CDRW 48X24X48 Black OEM

$55

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=17208&vpn=SHM-160P6S&manufacture=Liteon

thoughts:
This is gunna be my all in one drive. Burns and reads cd and dvds. Any better ones out there with better price : performance?

Case:
Antec P160W Anodized Aluminum Super Mid ATX Tower 4X5.25 2X3.5 4X3.5INT W/ Front IO Ports & Air Duct

$125

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=16579

Thoughts:
Ive heard good stuff about this case (quiet and cool). Its ATX for my mobo are there cheaper better ones out there?

PSU:
OCZ OCZ52012U-520W Modstream Power Supply PCI-E Ready W/ Ezmod Cable System & Blue LED Fan

$115

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=13609

thoughts:
I dont know havent looked into PSUs yet. Any good models for a decent price?

Speakers:
Logitech X-530 5.1 Speaker System Black 70W RMS 140W W/FDD2

$80

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12959&vpn=970114-0403&manufacture=Logitech

thoughts:
wanted cheap 5.1 speakers. Better ones out there? Should i make a jump to better more expensive ones?
Will my mobos integrated sound suport 5.1?

Floppy drive / media reader:
MITSUMI FA404A 7-IN-1 FLOPPY DRIVE & FLASH Reader CF/SM/SD/MMC/MS BEIGE

$29

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12043&vpn=FA404M&manufacture=Mitsumi

thoughts:
I have an SD card so i just threw this in. Looks like a good deal.

The total comes to $1,653.98 + shipping - $60 rebates

So lets say around $1500 CANADIAN (not including monitor, and keyboard and mouse).

Now my questions

1)What video card would be best for me keeping in mind a little possible up grades for a while and price to performance ratio? Does BFG make good cards?

2)Does anyone have any recommedations for specific models for memory, hardrives, dvd/cd combo drives.

3)If this is cheaper on newegg will I benifite from shoping there? Or will i get screwed by tax at the boarder?

Thats it for now. Any other suggestions anyone has are very welcome. Remeber this is CANADIAN money and I used www.NCIX.com (if you know better Canadian site then please fill me in).

Thanks

 

[Chazzer3]

I'd definitely reccomend the X2 3800+ particuarly if you are overclocking, maybe an opteron 165, I'm not sure of the pricing, (overclocks obscenely well!). Particuarly for when multi-core/thread games come out, it will definitely pay off!

Charlie -

 

[Chazzer3]

Also, that mobo is great, I use it, very good overclocker, and a nice looker, very solid and reliable, enjoy it! (if you get it!) + the sound is great on it! If you were wondering!

 

[Static_11]

1) dual

2) yeah i would pick up a Creative X-FI or something like that.. da.mn i need to learn about sound cards lol...

3) you picked a kick butt vid card

4) OCZ and WD

 

[john3]

as for the OCZ get the Gold Edition PC 4000 DDR 500, so when u overclock the ram wont bother you as much. ( you'll no wat i mean when u read about overclocking).

definitely get the dual core.
for optical drive, get the NEC 3550A its cheaper and its good.
WD hard drive.
you didnt list a PSU so go with the Antec TruePowerII 550Watt.

 

[Static_11]

i didnt think i seen a psu there either but i was too lazy to go back and look lol

 

[von_dragon]

@Chazzer3 > This opteron
(http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=16794&vpn=OSA170CDBOX&manufacture=AMD)
is a little bit outta my price range. Are the lower version comparable to the x2 +3800?

@ static > thank you for the info

@ John3 > Actually im thinking the PSU that will come with the case will be good enough? It comes with a very good PSU (so ive heard) thats 450W. Is this good enough to run everything?

The OCZ gold ram ( http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=16123&vpn=OCZ5002048ELGE-K&manufacture=OCZ Technology)

this the one? What does the CL3-4-4-8 mean and the PC4000? Would it be better or worse than a higher or lower number? Or is it sorta like a socket number?

 

[The General]

thats the opteron 170, get the 165 which is just a little more than the x2 3800+

then you can OC it to like 2.75ghz and it will be way faster than the x2 3800+

and i think CL is CAS Latency, for a good description of that check out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cas_latency

and lower is better, i believe....

 

[vaderpro]

Heres a system i just put together for someone else, thats pretty aewsome. You could go dual core if you wanted:

QUOTE]Originally posted by vaderpro

$235
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103539

$77
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130491

$319
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130015

$94
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129173

$80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817104154

$149
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231047

$38
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827136064

$90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144701

Total $1082


That case is really nice, has doors in front of the optical drives so doesnt matter what color drives you get...the cables with modstream PSU would look great in there...lots of reviews about that case on the web, its a nicer case up close.. [/QUOTE]

 

[vaderpro]

What does the CL3-4-4-8 mean and the PC4000? Would it be better or worse than a higher or lower number? Or is it sorta like a socket number?

Lower is better.