Noob Needs Advise for Building Gaming Comp

[therascalking]

hey all...

i need a new gaming computer and know that building your own is the way to go, and while i do know a good amount about computers, this is my first attempt to build one... below, ive listed the parts that i am considering buying... it would help alot if anyone could make suggestions for changes or just let me know that what i have is good if it is....

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 2.50GHz / 1MB Cache / 1000MHz (2000 MT/s) FSB / Socket AM2 / Dual-Core (Brisbane) / Processor with Fan
Motherboard: Asus M2N-SLI-Deluxe GR / Socket AM2 / Northbridge NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI Chipset/ Audio / ATX Motherboard
Memory/RAM: Crucial Ballistix Tracer / Dual Channel / 2048MB PC4000 / DDR 500MHz / Memory (2 x 1024MB)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce 7950 GT / 512MB GDDR3 / SLI Ready / PCI Express / Dual DVI / HDTV / Video Card
Hard Drive:Seagate / Barracuda 7200.10 / 500GB / 7200 / 16MB / Serial ATA-300 / OEM / Hard Drive
Power Supply:Apevia / 500-Watt / ATX / Dual 80mm LED Fan / Black Aluminum, Clear Top / Power Supply
DVD Burner:Lite-On LH-20A1L-06 SuperAllwrite / 20x DVD±R Burn / 16x DVD±R Read / 8x DVD+RW / 6x DVD-RW / 8x DVD±R DL / 12x DVD-RAM / 48x32x CD-R/RW / Black / SATA / DVD Burner with Lightscribe
Case:Raidmax Ninja / Black / ATX Mid-Tower Case / Clear Side, Front USB and Audio Ports and 450-Watt Power Supply
Monitor: Samsung 940BX / 19" / 5ms / 1000:1 / SXGA 1280 x 1024 / DVI / Black / LCD Monitor
Keyboard/Mouse: Logitech MX3200 Cordless Desktop / Keyboard and Laser Mouse Combo
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP / Pro Edition OEM Version SP2

everything comes out to being around $1500 which is about the topend of my budget, so keep that in mind... the things im most sketchy on are my mobo and RAM (especially with the whole DDR vs. DDR2 being better because of latency debate)... so any suggestions there would be awesome... i appreciate any help and thanks a lot - RK

 

[Sora]

Well...the main red flags I see are the Apevia PSU and a 7950GT instead of an X1950XT.

The Crucial memory is beat by G.skill HZ's for the money.

The CPU/Mobo are ok but understand that around that budget Intel's Core 2 Duos are faster.

 

[nerdygeek]

Alright. Start over. Go C2D with an 8800. I don't have time to do a whole new build, English paper. But yea. Go C2D E6600. 8800GTS. G. Skill HZ's. Many choices for PS. Mobo you can choose from DS3, EVGA 680i, or a decent 650i. Case up to you. Monitor get like a 22in scepter. and get the sony nec SATA drive. Thats all i can think of right now

 

[spartan1121]

Alright. Start over. Go C2D with an 8800. I don't have time to do a whole new build, English paper. But yea. Go C2D E6600. 8800GTS. G. Skill HZ's. Many choices for PS. Mobo you can choose from DS3, EVGA 680i, or a decent 650i. Case up to you. Monitor get like a 22in scepter. and get the sony nec SATA drive. Thats all i can think of right now

Yeah i agree, lemme find some links for you.

cpu:Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail
MoBo:Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3 LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
GPU: Newegg.com - EVGA 320-P2-N811-AR GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Video Card - Retail
RAM:Newegg.com - G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
PSU:Newegg.com - CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CUL, CE, CB, FCC Class B, TUV, CCC, C-tick - Retail

Those are the main things, pretty much everything else is your prefrence. And all of that adds up to 893 dollars, so you've got about 600 to spend on anything else you'd want.

 

[Sora]

The power supply is good but quite a lot more than the one he had in mind.

How about one more around his original pricing and he can go up after.
Newegg.com - XCLIO GOODPOWER 500W ATX 500W Power Supply 115/230 V UL, CUL, TUV, CB, VDE, FIMKO, DEMKO, NEMKO, SEMKO - Retail

If he isn't overclocking the X2 4800 is plenty fast enough CPU.

 

[spartan1121]

Yeah, i just suggested it because thats the power supply im buying soon. The only reason i would spend that much money on a psu is the reliability factor, because everything depends on the psu.

 

[Sora]

I agree but understand that Xclio make very very solid PSU's. Of coarse not as well as those Corsair HX's but they are just as good as FSP, Antec, and OCZ these days and better for the money. If he were to spend the same on a PSU as he had in mind than the goodpower is what he wants. However I agree a little better quality and watts is what would be ideal. Personally I would go with one of these.

Newegg.com - XCLIO GREATPOWER X14S4P3 550W ATX12V 550W Power Supply 100-240V / 200-240V UL, CUL, TUV, CB, VDE, FIMKO, DEMKO, NEMKO, SEMKO - Retail

or just stick with the goodpower as it's enough to run that system.

 

[therascalking]

thanks for all the help so far guys, and as a result of some of the things suggested here, and from talking to my brother who knows a **** of a lot more than i do and just built his own comp that is pretty **** good... ive made a few changes... the list now stands as follows:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ 2.80GHz / 1MB Cache / 1000MHz (2000 MT/s) FSB / Socket AM2 / Dual Core (Windsor) / Processor with Fan
(faster than the one i had previously listed... i can spare the $50 difference... im pretty set on this CPU... speed is really the only thing i will likely change unless someone puts up a really convincing argument)

Motherboard: Asus M2N-E SLI NVIDIA / Socket AM2 / ATX Motherboard / Audio / PCI Express / SLI Ready / Gigabit LAN / S/PDIF / USB 2.0 & Firewire / Serial ATA / RAID
(no change)

Memory/RAM: Crucial Ballistix Tracer / Dual Channel 2048MB / PC6400 DDR2 / 800MHz EPP / Memory
(i like this stuff mainly for aesthetics... my case has a big clear side, so you can see the lighting... unless someone comes up with something just as good that still looks as cool, i dont mind the $120 price tag)e

Video Card: EVGA GeForce 7950 GT / 512MB GDDR3 / SLI Ready / PCI Express / Dual DVI / HDTV / Video Card
(is the 8800 really worth it? for one thing, this is the model card that my bro is running, save a little bit better, and it works like a charm... and it looks like its pretty close to what most of you guys in this forum have now... make a case for the 8800 if you think i should upgrade plz...)

Hard Drive: Seagate / Barracuda 7200.10 / 500GB / 7200 / 16MB / Serial ATA-300 / OEM / Hard Drive
(no change, this is a solid drive methinks

Power Supply: Ultra / X-Connect / 500-Watt / ATX / Dual 80mm Fan / Titanium-Color / UV Clear Sides / Modular Power Supply
(i found a better power supply, and i like the X-Connect system... it seems to have earned a lot of awards and such, so it looks quality, while still looking good and going with the blue glow sorta theme i have going... but will it be enough wattage i wonder... thoughts?)

DVD Burner: Lite-On LH-20A1L-06 SuperAllwrite / 20x DVD±R Burn / 16x DVD±R Read / 8x DVD+RW / 6x DVD-RW / 8x DVD±R DL / 12x DVD-RAM / 48x32x CD-R/RW / Black / SATA / DVD Burner with Lightscribe
(no change)

Case: Raidmax Ninja / Black / ATX Mid-Tower Case / Clear Side, Front USB and Audio Ports
(no change)

Monitor: Samsung 226BW / 22" Wide / 2ms / 1000:1(DC 3000:1) Contrast Ratio / WSXGA+ 1680 x 1050 / Gloss Black / DVI / Widescreen LCD Monitor
(went bigger and lower response time.... but is widescreen really a good move for gaming?... thoughts?)

Keyboard/Mouse: Logitech MX3200 Cordless Desktop / Keyboard and Laser Mouse Combo
(no change)

OpSys: Microsoft Windows XP / Pro Edition OEM Version SP2
(anyone think that i should go vista?... i plan on waiting it out for another year or two otherwise....)

Total Price: $1,471.89

and keep in mind guys that i spent the time to make this list because thats kinda how i want the comp to look and generally how i want it to run, so try to work with suggestions on improving what i have, not necessarily redesigning the whole thing...
but thanks again for any help that i get... - RK

 

[nerdygeek]

C2D's are WAY better for that price. AMD's are really only cost effective for the lower models. For that price an E6600 would destroy it, and it would OC higher. Just look at any benchmarks you will see. Anyhow the 8800 is not only DX10 which is way more future proof, but it is more powerful with a better architecture. It has unified shaders which is better, just ask anyone on here. If you don't want to spend the cash the 7950 is good but an 8800 would destroy it and last you longer.

 

[HAVOC]

Noob Needs Advise for Building Gaming Comp

I read the title and said, "hmm... May-be i'll offer some advice."

Then I read the thread and see that this, "noob" seems to know it all.

Here is the PC I just built for my family.

NEWEGG.COM - $1143 with shipping.
Intel E6600 - Cpu
Zalman 9700 LED
ASUS P5B - Deluxe
G.SKILL 2(1Gb) DDR2 (800)
2 X SEAGATE 7200.10 320G Sata HDD
LITE-ON 20x Burner w/lightscribe
FPS Blue Storm 2 500w ATX 2.2 - Psu
WINDOWS OEM - XP Pro
Thermaltake black/ Soprano DX mid tower case.

ZIPZOOMFLY.COM
XFX PVT80GGHE4 GeForce 8800GTS XXX 320MB - $334.00

TOTAL $1477.50

15,830K on 3Dmark05
10,960K on 3Dmark06

Much better then your list.

But, hey, you know it all.