Greetings, this is my first post on these forums!
I am planning on building a new computer from scratch, and it will primarily be used for gaming. I have already researched some ready-made pc's (like Dell and Compaq), and I found that building your own is a much cheaper, and often better, option. Keep in mind that I am in Canada, so newegg.com isnt an option for parts (much to my dismay).
I haven't built my own computer before, so I have many questions with the setup of the computer, power supply, cooling, etc... (Some questions might be very simple so please excuse me!). Also, I need verification on the compatibility of the parts I have selected.
The current setup I am thinking of is as follows:
And for operating system I am looking at this:
Here are some questions that I have about the setup:
Case and Cooling
Will the case I have chosen work fine? I was unsure about it due to only one extra fan 'place' shown on the back of the case. I don't know much about cooling or how much is neccessary. There would be 4 fans running; one with the power supply, one with the processor, one built into the video card, and one extra fan. Will one extra fan be enough to keep the temperature down? Are the fans I have picked adequate enough? (I was also looking to keep the sound down so that was a factor in choosing those fans). Also, how do you determine which power supply will work for a new computer?
Video Card
I have heard alot of good reports about the 9800 pro, any concerns about it or is it a solid choice? Also, would it be beneficial to buy the 9800XT instead (that has 256 megs ram)?
Hard Drive
Are Maxtor and Seagate practically the same hard drives? Or does one run faster than the other. Also, is there any particular noise difference between the two?
Operating System
I didn't know what OEM stood for earlier, and still don't understand it fully. It was made by Microsoft for another company? Confusing.
Everything Else
Does everything else look fine?
Thanks in advance for any opinions and help!
Regards,
Infinite
I am planning on building a new computer from scratch, and it will primarily be used for gaming. I have already researched some ready-made pc's (like Dell and Compaq), and I found that building your own is a much cheaper, and often better, option. Keep in mind that I am in Canada, so newegg.com isnt an option for parts (much to my dismay).
I haven't built my own computer before, so I have many questions with the setup of the computer, power supply, cooling, etc... (Some questions might be very simple so please excuse me!). Also, I need verification on the compatibility of the parts I have selected.
The current setup I am thinking of is as follows:
Intel® Pentium®4 3.2Ghz / 512k Cache / 800Mhz FSB / Socket 478 / HyperThreading / Processor
Kingston Dual Channel 1024MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz Memory (2 x 512MB)
Asus - P4P800 Deluxe - Intel Socket 478 ATX Motherboard with Audio, AGP 8X, Serial ATA, RAID, USB 2.0, FireWire, SPDIF, WiFi and 10/100Mbps Ethernet LAN Support
Sony DRU530A DVD Burner / 8x4x12x DVD+RW / 4x2x12x DVD-RW / 40x24x40x CD-RW / Dual Format
Sony 1.44 MB Floppy Disk Drive
Seagate 120GB Serial ATA Hard Drive 7200 / 8MB / 8.5 / S-ATA-150
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro Video Card / 128MB DDR / AGP 8X / TV Out & DVI
Just4PC Mid Tower ATX Case with 485Watt Power Supply
Vantec Stealth 80mm Cooling Fan with Double Ball Bearing - Silent
Thermaltake Spark 7+ for Intel P4 478 3.06Ghz & UP
And for operating system I am looking at this:
Here are some questions that I have about the setup:
Case and Cooling
Will the case I have chosen work fine? I was unsure about it due to only one extra fan 'place' shown on the back of the case. I don't know much about cooling or how much is neccessary. There would be 4 fans running; one with the power supply, one with the processor, one built into the video card, and one extra fan. Will one extra fan be enough to keep the temperature down? Are the fans I have picked adequate enough? (I was also looking to keep the sound down so that was a factor in choosing those fans). Also, how do you determine which power supply will work for a new computer?
Video Card
I have heard alot of good reports about the 9800 pro, any concerns about it or is it a solid choice? Also, would it be beneficial to buy the 9800XT instead (that has 256 megs ram)?
Hard Drive
Are Maxtor and Seagate practically the same hard drives? Or does one run faster than the other. Also, is there any particular noise difference between the two?
Operating System
I didn't know what OEM stood for earlier, and still don't understand it fully. It was made by Microsoft for another company? Confusing.
Everything Else
Does everything else look fine?
Thanks in advance for any opinions and help!
Regards,
Infinite