thoughts on this new rig

[kondrae]

Great selection.

stick with xp
stick with 2GB of ram
Go with 320 or 500 GB hard drive if you DL a lot

heres a link to help you compare CPUs - http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu_20...=873&chart=419

[clocker]

If you go with Vista get 4GB of RAM.

[peat moss]

yea, i just meant the bit about building it for my bros.
i'll take you word for the evga over the msi. i don't really keep up with gfx cards much. do all pci-e cards have an extra power connection, or is that only used for higher-end cards?

My Evga 8600 gt does n't have a mobo power connection which surprised me . I'm pretty happy with it for what I do tho .

[clocker]

As for the case...
I've had very good luck- and much prefer, actually- OEM cases rather than cheap *new* cases.
Biggest fave would be the old Gateway "toaster" case but even some by Dell aren't too bad.
Build quality is much better although you may have to search to find a style that you like.

Your location might be a disadvantage but here in Denver a used OEM case can be had for $10 or so (frequently, FREE!)- money that you could use to either lower the budget or increase the specs.

[lee551]

My Evga 8600 gt does n't have a mobo power connection which surprised me . I'm pretty happy with it for what I do tho .

sweet, thanks for confirming that. i was pretty sure it didn't require one, but that psu doesn't have a pci-e power connection.

As for the case...
I've had very good luck- and much prefer, actually- OEM cases rather than cheap *new* cases.
Biggest fave would be the old Gateway "toaster" case but even some by Dell aren't too bad.
Build quality is much better although you may have to search to find a style that you like.

Your location might be a disadvantage but here in Denver a used OEM case can be had for $10 or so (frequently, FREE!)- money that you could use to either lower the budget or increase the specs.

yea, not really anywhere locally to go bargain hunting for cases. anywhere that would sell them would only carry flashy overpriced ones. i do have an old case from one of my previous builds that i could use though. it's ultimately up to my brothers to throw down the cash since that's one piece that they can have a say in choosing.

i'm probably going to upgrade to the e8400 and try and find a less expensive case. i think this will be a good start. maybe some upgrades after a year or so.

thanks for your help everyone.

[Detale]

Here are a few cases under $75
COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW



APEVIA X-CRUISER-BK


I almost got this one myself

APEVIA X-Plorer ATXB8KLW-BL Black/Blue Steel


RAIDMAX Scorpio ATX-868WBP Black 0.8mm Japanese SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 420watts PS2 ATX12V Power Supply


Maybe too cheap but it comes with a PSU. Please let us know what you go with

[Ri0T]

You should definitely get a better PSU. A power-supply is one of the PC's most important devices. You should invest more money and get a PSU of a higher quality. Yes, it won't make you computer faster, but it will make it more reliable and durable.

Rosewill is somewhat generic. Recommended brands include: OCZ, Enermax, Tagan, Seasonic, Silverstone, Zippy, PC Power & Cooling (my favorite), and more...

[Detale]

Don't forget Corsair!

[lee551]

i've read some reviews that talk about how the e8400's heatsink and fan are somewhat of a pain to fasten on the mobo. anyone have similar troubles? not sure if there is space in the budget for an aftermarket heatsink & fan.

[Detale]

It's a little tight but it does go in you just need a little patience thats all. There's a thread here about Clockers adventures with the E8400 I'll see if I can find it.