thoughts on this new rig

[lee551]

i'm going to be building two similar setups along these lines for each of my brothers (seems sharing the family puter doesn't work anymore). won't be used for anything too intense: schoolwork, movies/music, and mid-level gaming. i think this should last them for a while.

NZXT HUSH Black SECC Steel/ Aluminum/ Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811146035)

GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX All Solid Capacitor Intel Motherboard - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813128059)

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E6750 - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819115029)

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-2GBPK - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820231144)

Rosewill RP500 ATX12V v1.3/ EPS12V 500W Power Supply - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817182009)

MSI NX8600GT-T2D256E OC GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814127286)

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822148262)

SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S203B - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827151153)

i know rosewill isn't the best brand for a psu, but i'm not sure what would be better other than going by price.

any and all suggestions appreciated. :fst:

[kaiweiler]

For an extra $10 or $20 you could get either an e8400 (lower power consumption, higher clock) or go for a Q6600 if you want quad. In either case a much better CPU can be had for not much more money.
Also don't count on doing much gaming on that 8600GT, maybe some light gaming but not many new games on decent settings.
Good RAM and motherboard though.

[lee551]

For an extra $10 or $20 you could get either an e8400 (lower power consumption, higher clock) or go for a Q6600 if you want quad. In either case a much better CPU can be had for not much more money.
Also don't count on doing much gaming on that 8600GT, maybe some light gaming but not many new games on decent settings.
Good RAM and motherboard though.

yea, i was looking at the e8400 too. i was just worried newegg wouldn't have it in stock when it came time to order. i was just trying to keep the cost as low as possible, but if there are significant benefits then i'll upgrade.

when it comes to gaming it really isn't an issue. i think they play sim city and old COD more than stuff like crysis.

[kaiweiler]

What about cooling? I'm guessing you don't plan to overclock at all?
If looking for really low cost, you could always get an Intel E2180 or something and push it to 3Ghz or so with a half decent cooler if you don't mind overclocking...
Just an idea.

[clocker]

What OS?

[lee551]

What about cooling? I'm guessing you don't plan to overclock at all?
If looking for really low cost, you could always get an Intel E2180 or something and push it to 3Ghz or so with a half decent cooler if you don't mind overclocking...
Just an idea.
no overclocking. and i was hoping to get by with stock cooling aside from a few case fans.



What OS?
because of the whole gaming deal i was thinking of trying to convince them to just stick with xp for now, but they were asking about vista. i could go either way. if i did choose vista it would be 32 bit. how does either option affect the hardware?

[Detale]

Dude DEFF go for the E8400 you can EASILY OC it to 3Ghz on that board with the stock cooler

Fuck Vista-the end

Also I would say this Vid card because Evga is way better than MSI and it's only 5 bucks more but after the rebate it's 5 bucks cheaper :)
EVGA 256-P2-N751-TR GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130085)

Also for $20 bucks more you could get this Gskill ram

G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122)

Now I know this is a slower ram but if your not going to OverClock it doesn't make a difference.

What sort of total price range do you have? Is this for you or a friend/customer?

Also I still have that PSU. I had it and people will say it sucks but it lasted 3 years on many many different rigs and still works fine today but I have recently upgraded to the Corsair 620W modular

[lee551]

Dude DEFF go for the E8400 you can EASILY OC it to 3Ghz on that board with the stock cooler

Fuck Vista-the end

Also I would say this Vid card because Evga is way better than MSI and it's only 5 bucks more but after the rebate it's 5 bucks cheaper :)
EVGA 256-P2-N751-TR GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130085)

Also for $20 bucks more you could get this Gskill ram

G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122)

Now I know this is a slower ram but if your not going to OverClock it doesn't make a difference.

What sort of total price range do you have? Is this for you or a friend/customer?

Also I still have that PSU. I had it and people will say it sucks but it lasted 3 years on many many different rigs and still works fine today but I have recently upgraded to the Corsair 620W modular

like i said in the first post, i'm building two pcs with probably the same specs for my brothers. i was trying to keep it around 600, and i think it's over 650 now. i think upgrading to the e8400 would be good, but i don't know if 4gb of ram is worth the addition 20 bones. any *noticeable* increase? these boxes will never be benchmarked more than once and i'm trying to cut back a bit, not really add on.

[Detale]

Um dude I just re-read you 1st post and I see no amt anywhere.
i'm going to be building two similar setups along these lines for each of my brothers (seems sharing the family puter doesn't work anymore). won't be used for anything too intense: schoolwork, movies/music, and mid-level gaming. i think this should last them for a while.

NZXT HUSH Black SECC Steel/ Aluminum/ Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811146035)

GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX All Solid Capacitor Intel Motherboard - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813128059)

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E6750 - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819115029)

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-2GBPK - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820231144)

Rosewill RP500 ATX12V v1.3/ EPS12V 500W Power Supply - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817182009)

MSI NX8600GT-T2D256E OC GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814127286)

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822148262)

SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S203B - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827151153)

i know rosewill isn't the best brand for a psu, but i'm not sure what would be better other than going by price.

any and all suggestions appreciated. :fst:


Anyhoo, all in all looks A-Ok to me but I would still say you should go for the Wolfdale CPU and the Evga Vid card instead of MSI

[lee551]

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?

[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_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=1096&model2=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 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119068)

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll125/11-119-068-15.jpg

APEVIA X-CRUISER-BK (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144151)

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll125/11-144-151-12.jpg
I almost got this one myself

APEVIA X-Plorer ATXB8KLW-BL Black/Blue Steel (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144104)
http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll125/11-144-104-18.jpg

RAIDMAX Scorpio ATX-868WBP Black 0.8mm Japanese SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 420watts PS2 ATX12V Power Supply (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156135)
http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/ProductImageCompressAll125/11-156-135-13.jpg

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.

[clocker]

All of the stock LGA775 heatsinks are a PITA...the pushpins are rubbish.
If you must use the stocker, install it outside the case so you can verify from the backside that the pins are fully inserted and engaged.

[Addictivenyc]

hey well i bought a e8400 for my new rig that i built 1 month ago

pretty solid, jinx knock on wood.

you should try Zipzoomfly.com, or Buy.com, if its not available at newegg. although i ordered all my stuff for my rig from newegg, it worth looking else where like the sites i mentioned up there for cheaper prices of the same products.

[Detale]

Also Highly recommended Microcenter or even tigerdirect as well
NE: $209.99 but it's almost always out of stock!
TD: $219.99

*Funny Microcenter doesn't have a retail 8400 it says "trayed" what does this mean??

TRAYED E8400 (http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0284940)

No further details there HMMMM anyone know?

[clocker]

"Trayed" = OEM, i.e., no heatsink and less warranty.

[Detale]

damn I WILL find something you don't know one day

[panoli]

go for liteon r LG dvd writer.

[lynx]

damn I WILL find something you don't know one day:noes:

[chip19]

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...

I second this. When building my new computer I skimped on PSU, got some piece of crap. It fried my video card, RAM, and motherboard. RMA'd all of them and replaced the PSU with an Antec... and the new motherboard works OK, the RAM is solid, but the video card still didn't work. You'd be surprised at how many deep-seeded problems can be introduced by a faulty PSU.

[Detale]

damn I WILL find something you don't know one day:noes:

You too! I'm going to search and start a thread called Stump the HW guys or something