Help Building Gaming PC

[alimobeer]

Hello, I'm looking to build a gaming based PC for $1500. I've never done this before, so any suggestions would be apreciated.


Edit. This is what I have so far. Please evaluate.

1 x Aspire - X-Discovery Case w/ Side Window, Green ( $84.95 )
1 x AMD - Phenom 9700 Quad-Core 2.4GHz w/ 4MB Cache (Retail Box) ( $309.95 )
1 x Gigabyte - GA-MA790FX-DQ6 w/ DualDDR2 1066, 7.1 Audio, Dual GB Lan, 1394, Quad PCI-E CrossFireX ( $284.95 )
1 x Corsair - 2GB XMS2-6400 TWIN2X Dual Channel DDR2 Kit (2 x 1GB) ( $94.95 )
1 x ASUS - DRW-1814BLT 18x Dual Layer DVD+/-RW w/ Lightscribe, SATA, Black (Retail) ( $44.95 )
1 x ASUS - EN8800 GTS 640MB PCI-E w/ Dual DVI, HDTV-Out ( $399.95 )
1 x Antec - EarthWatts 500W Power Supply ( $89.95 )
1 x Assemble - Assemble Hardware ( $40.00 )
1 x Microsoft - Windows Vista Home Basic x64 (64-bit) DVD, OEM, 1-Pack ( $109.95 )
1 x Arctic Silver - Alumina Thermal Adhesive ( $19.95 )
1 x Arctic Cooling - Freezer 64 Pro CPU Cooler for K8 ( $34.95 )
1 x SEAGATE - 250GB Barracuda 7200.10 SATA II w/ NCQ, 16MB Cache ( $69.95 )

 

[aetherh4cker]

Hello, I'm looking to build a gaming based PC for $1500. I've never done this before, so any suggestions would be apreciated.


Edit. This is what I have so far. Please evaluate.

1 x Aspire - X-Discovery Case w/ Side Window, Green ( $84.95 )
1 x AMD - Phenom 9700 Quad-Core 2.4GHz w/ 4MB Cache (Retail Box) ( $309.95 )
1 x Gigabyte - GA-MA790FX-DQ6 w/ DualDDR2 1066, 7.1 Audio, Dual GB Lan, 1394, Quad PCI-E CrossFireX ( $284.95 )
1 x Corsair - 2GB XMS2-6400 TWIN2X Dual Channel DDR2 Kit (2 x 1GB) ( $94.95 )
1 x ASUS - DRW-1814BLT 18x Dual Layer DVD+/-RW w/ Lightscribe, SATA, Black (Retail) ( $44.95 )
1 x ASUS - EN8800 GTS 640MB PCI-E w/ Dual DVI, HDTV-Out ( $399.95 )
1 x Antec - EarthWatts 500W Power Supply ( $89.95 )
1 x Assemble - Assemble Hardware ( $40.00 )
1 x Microsoft - Windows Vista Home Basic x64 (64-bit) DVD, OEM, 1-Pack ( $109.95 )
1 x Arctic Silver - Alumina Thermal Adhesive ( $19.95 )
1 x Arctic Cooling - Freezer 64 Pro CPU Cooler for K8 ( $34.95 )
1 x SEAGATE - 250GB Barracuda 7200.10 SATA II w/ NCQ, 16MB Cache ( $69.95 )

The AMD Phenom processors are effected by an errata bug. I wouldn't buy AMD until that is fixed. I recommend going Intel.

I don't know much about AMD motherboards, but Quad Crossfire seems a little excessive. I'm sure there are better, cheaper choices out there.

A good set of Crucial Ballistix would be a little better than those XMS2, and cheaper as well.

The 8800GTS 640MB is simply just a bad choice at this point in the game. You'll either want the G92 Based 8800GTS 512MB, or the 8800GT 512MB.

 

[Invisible]

Get this build

Proc- q6600 $266
Mobo - Abit Quad GT x38 $230
Case - aprivia is known for bad airflow, if your going crossfire with a big heatsink i suggest full tower
some good ones are: ThermalTake Armor, NZXT Zero, Gigabyte Auroa, and Xclio Windtunnel: around $140
RAM: 2gb Crucial Ballistix DDR2 800 $90
Video: 2 x 3870 in Crossfire $475
Tuniq Tower 120 $44
Mx-2 Thermal Coumpound $6
Vista Home Premium 64-bit
HDD: 250gb Seagate 16mb cache
PSU: PC Power and Cooling 610 Silencer $120

total comes in around your budget

 

[alimobeer]

Thanks for the recommendations. Why is the video card a bad selection, and please name specific alternatives for the mother board and processor.

 

[aetherh4cker]

Thanks for the recommendations. Why is the video card a bad selection, and please name specific alternatives for the mother board and processor.

Do you ever plan to go Crossfire or SLI? If not, just get a P35 board and the Q6600.

 

[alimobeer]

I'm sorry, you'll have to excuse my lack of in depth computer knowledge. The build I posted was from a friend. I don't understand what you meant, a simpler explanation would help alot. Thanks.

 

[aetherh4cker]

SLI and Crossfire are methods of running multiple video cards in your system.

Though I've never done it myself, from what I've seen it isn't too popular because it costs a *lot* more and you only get a small performance increase. The board you had selected in your first post supports up to 4 ATI video cards, which in my mind was extreme overkill.

I think you'd be fine with a single video card.

AMD's new processors are bugged right now, and perform lower than Intel's anyway. This makes Intel processors a much better choice, but it's your call.

A Single card motherboard would also be cheaper than that $285 board you had selected in your first post. A good P35 board runs anywhere from $130 for a standard board, up to $180 for a enthusiast one.

 

[alimobeer]

For the hardware you were concerned about, can you suggest specific alternatives? I've chosen to use Memory Express if thats any help.

 

[aaron09658]

for that price of 309 for an amd processor i would get an intel, if going with amd get one thats around 150. amd motherboards and settings are a bit easier than intel. Also i would get a motherboard for around 80 bucks and smaller the better, like micro-atx. And if going with vista go with home premium for only a few bucks more. You can always get that motherboard when u need it later on and it will be half the price. Think ahead but not too far. Invisible setups is good but i would rather have 2x2gb ram with slightly higher latencies that 2x1gb with sightly lower if going with vista.

 

[alimobeer]

1 x Aspire - X-Discovery Case w/ Side Window, Green ( $84.95 )
1 x Intel - Coreâ„¢2 Quad Processor Q6600 2.4GHz w/ 2x4MB Cache ( $269.95 )
1 x MSI - P35 Platinum w/ DualDDR2 1066, 7.1 Audio, Gigabit Lan, 1394, PCI-E x16 CrossFire ( $204.95 )
1 x Crucial - BallistiX 2GB PC2-8500 Dual Channel DDR2 Kit (2 x 1GB) ( $109.95 )
1 x SEAGATE - 250GB Barracuda 7200.10 SATA II w/ NCQ, 16MB Cache ( $69.95 )
1 x Antec - EarthWatts 500W Power Supply ( $89.95 )
1 x Assemble - Assemble Hardware + Load my O/S ( $70.00 )
1 x Microsoft - Windows Vista Home Premium x64 (64-bit) DVD, OEM , 1-Pack ( $119.95 )
1 x Sunbeam - Laser LED, Green ( $19.95 )
1 x Arctic Silver - Alumina Thermal Adhesive ( $19.95 )
1 x GIGABYTE - G-Power Pro CPU Cooler ( $54.95 )
1 x XFX - GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB PCI-E Alpha Dog Edition w/ Dual DVI, HDTV-Out ( $359.95 )


This is what I've done to it now.