Curse

Alpha Moth · Jul 17, 2006, 03:14 AM // 03:14

Hey all ive saved up a bit of cash and im sick of sharing the family pc, so i might buy my own.

Unfortunately i know nothing about hardware, just how to use programs and such ^^

Im looking for a nice not to expensive setup, and when is the best time to buy.

If anyones got some links for a already setup, thats ok too. But im after something that will let me play games, and multitask aswell.
Thanks in advance.

Lurid · Jul 17, 2006, 06:05 AM // 06:05

IMO build a Conroe setup, a very powerful one can be built in the $1200 range, if thats possible. Never go pre-built if you want your monies worth.

EternalTempest · Jul 17, 2006, 06:33 AM // 06:33

A general rule of thumb is that every 6 months the newest fastest thing just became 2nd best.

Aka no matter what you get, it's going to be "out of date" pretty soon so don't feel bad. There will always be that faster newer cpu, faster newer video card, and other things they may "jump" in tech after being static after a while.

My own personal preference is: Amd > Intel, Nvidia > Ati. I'm not saying the others are bad, I perfer my choices and they have done me well. Other's can say the opposite for the exact same reason

What I do is research. Check out websites such as www.anandtech.com or www.tomshardware.com

I do custom built (by me ordering parts and putting together)

What I do is pick a cpu type and socket. Then find out what motherboard chipsets support that cpu. That also determines the type of memory you need.

Here's what I would go for (general):
Dual Core Cpu - Windows Vistia and future apps will want it.
1 gb min to 2 gb of Ram - Again Windows Vistia plays very nice at 2-4gb
SATA II Hard drive (and make sure the mother board has a SATA II controller)
550-650 watt Power supply - Newer stuff that isn't out yet will eat a lot of power. Under powered systems can cause a lot of problems that don't appear to be power related.

I have a very limited budet so I had to do an unsually upgrade that someone pointed on in these forums that worked well but if I had the money I would be getting the following:

Amd Athlon 64 X2 (The new AM2 socket)
Motherboard using the newest Nvidia 590 chipset (AM2 cpu Socket, 2 16x Pci Express slots running at full)
600w power supply
2gb DDR II Memory with fast memory timmings
And the rest would be what ever I could afford

The biggest thing will be your budget and what route you take, OEM built (Dell, Hp, etc), cutsom built by some company (also check your local area for local computer stores), or buying the parts via mail order and putting it together your self. What is your plans & buget?

Alpha Moth · Jul 17, 2006, 07:41 AM // 07:41

my budget is around 1,200 dollars

more if i can get finance

Tarzan The Chetta · Jul 17, 2006, 08:42 AM // 08:42

One thing you could do for a general idea is go to newegg.com and look at some public wish list, many people post diffrent builds that fit your budget.

Lurid · Jul 17, 2006, 01:56 PM // 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarzan The Chetta

One thing you could do for a general idea is go to newegg.com and look at some public wish list, many people post diffrent builds that fit your budget.

*Points at Newegg reviews* Please don't trust anything those morons have to say, that is all....

X Daniel X · Jul 17, 2006, 02:00 PM // 14:00

dude!! get a dell!! haha thats what i had to do because i know NOTHING about computers... but i been listening to people talk about their computers and i guess my computer sucks =( even tho it was one of the latest dells... so if you know how to build 1.. looks like thats the way to go.

Nerull · Jul 17, 2006, 02:45 PM // 14:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by EternalTempest

Amd > Intel, Nvidia > Ati.

This is correct!!!

A dual core processor is a must
1-2GB of RAM
128-256MB, PCI Express, Nvidia video card should get you the desired graphics..
SATA II is also the way to go...unless you can afford to build a RAID 0/1, 0, or 5 array. SCSI FTW!!

I hope that you have a friend that knows something about computers, because your going to need some help building this thing after you get all your parts. Adding the drivers to get the SATA II harddrives working can be a pain in the butt.....My friend got a SATA II harddrive from newegg.com and they didnt send the driver with the harddrive.

If you have a friend that knows some stuff about computers, get him to help... and don't get one of those retards that "thinks" they know how to build a computer....I would say A+ Certified or 2 years of installation experience at bare minimum. I say this because you never know what you might run in to. If you can imagine it, it will more than likely happen.

majoho · Jul 17, 2006, 05:55 PM // 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nerull

This is correct!!!

A dual core processor is a must
1-2GB of RAM
128-256MB, PCI Express, Nvidia video card should get you the desired graphics..
SATA II is also the way to go...unless you can afford to build a RAID 0/1, 0, or 5 array. SCSI FTW!!

I hope that you have a friend that knows something about computers, because your going to need some help building this thing after you get all your parts. Adding the drivers to get the SATA II harddrives working can be a pain in the butt.....My friend got a SATA II harddrive from newegg.com and they didnt send the driver with the harddrive.

Don't listen to that

For one a dual core processor is NOT a must, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get one.

Nvidia is not better than ATI - don't listen to fanboys

SATA II is not needed.

Since when do you need drivers for a harddrive

Quote:

If you have a friend that knows some stuff about computers, get him to help... and don't get one of those retards that "thinks" they know how to build a computer....I would say A+ Certified or 2 years of installation experience at bare minimum. I say this because you never know what you might run in to. If you can imagine it, it will more than likely happen.

I'd say that you fit the first part of the description pretty good

EternalTempest · Jul 17, 2006, 09:55 PM // 21:55

Something I do want to add to the list of what you shoud get Nerull touched apon:

Windows Vista perfers 512mb of ram on the video card so add this line:
256mb - 512mb PCI Express Video card (perfer 16x pci express card)

From what it sounds like with the SATA/II drivers is that Windows did not supprt them natively and you need that disk with the txt mode drivers to allow Windows to see the Sata/II drivers during the installation so it can actually install to the SATA/II drives.

My old MB and my new one, I have to have a floppy for the driver, duing install hit F5 to load other drivers before windows could see my SATA/II hard drive to install to the drivers.

lord_shar · Jul 17, 2006, 10:58 PM // 22:58

The Core2 Duo's less than 2 weeks out, and prelimenary results are incredibly good:

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/07/...out_athlon_64/

The AMD FX line was previously the best gaming CPU available, but it will surrender that lead once Core2Duo hits the market based on real-world app benchmarks. Core2Duo won 35 of the 37 industry standard tests, with the lone 2 dissenting tests being synthetic benchmarks. AMD has already anounced price cuts accross their entire chip line to compensate.

The 2nd fastest clocked Core2 Duo is expected to sell at about $500 (the EE chip will be about $1k). I can't wait to put one in my Dell XPS M1710

lord_shar · Jul 17, 2006, 11:07 PM // 23:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

Don't listen to that

For one a dual core processor is NOT a must, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get one.

...<SNIP>...

In today's market, Dual Core IS a must. I just went from a single core P4 2.5ghz CPU to a Centrino Core Duo 2.0 ghz... The performance difference is insane. I can run GW, McAfee Virus Scan, 5+ IE browsers, etc... and still run with no visible performance impact. Since most of us run WinXP, and XP is a multi-tasking OS, you reap the full benefits of 2 cores without having to purchase multi-processor-aware apps. The price difference between single core vs. dual isn't as high as it used to be.

majoho · Jul 17, 2006, 11:25 PM // 23:25

Jesh, no it's not - obviously he might as well get one since the other ones are being phased out.

They are NOT a must

And obviously you would see a big increase with the update you made (plus you obviously didn't just update your CPU) - your system was pretty weak as it was an upgrade to an single core athlon would have gotten you a big increase as well.

Again note I'm not saying not saying he shouldn't get one I think he should, I'm just saying it's not a must.

EDIT:

Quote:

Originally Posted by lord_shar

I can't wait to put one in my Dell XPS M1710

You won't be able to do that, so don't get your hopes up.

lord_shar · Jul 17, 2006, 11:30 PM // 23:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

Jesh, no it's not - obviously he might as well get one since the other ones are being phased out.

They are NOT a must

And obviously you would see a big increase with the update you made (plus you obviously didn't just update your CPU) - your system was pretty weak as it was an upgrade to an single core athlon would have gotten you a big increase as well.

Again note I'm not saying not saying he shouldn't get one I think he should, I'm just saying it's not a must.

With the sub-$100 difference between single vs. dual core, how can anyone justify NOT going to dual, especially given the huge performance boost? XP runs lots of services in the background... these are offloaded to the secondary CPU while you work with whatever single-threaded app you have. As I said before, XP is multi-processor aware, so it will use the 2nd core whether or not you tell it to do so.

Single core CPU's are dying out of the market for a reason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

EDIT:

You won't be able to do that, so don't get your hopes up.

The M1710's are Merom-core ready.

majoho · Jul 17, 2006, 11:31 PM // 23:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by lord_shar

With the sub-$100 difference between single vs. dual core, how can anyone justify NOT going to dual, especially given the huge performance boost? XP runs lots of services in the background... these are offloaded to the secondary CPU while you work with whatever single-threaded app you have. As I said before, XP is multi-processor aware, so it will use the 2nd core whether or not you tell it to do so.

Single core CPU's are dying out of the market for a reason.

Dude can't you read?

lord_shar · Jul 17, 2006, 11:33 PM // 23:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

Dude can't you read?

Yep, I can read AND reason.

majoho · Jul 17, 2006, 11:35 PM // 23:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by lord_shar

Yep, I can read AND reason.

Yeah I assume you see a lot of letters but somehow you can't put them together to form words or sentences.

lord_shar · Jul 17, 2006, 11:39 PM // 23:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

Yeah I assume you see a lot of letters but somehow you can't put them together to form words or sentences.

Right. I know you said dual cores aren't a must:

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

Jesh, no it's not - obviously he might as well get one since the other ones are being phased out.
...<SNIP>...
Again note I'm not saying not saying he shouldn't get one I think he should, I'm just saying it's not a must.
.

However, based on present chip prices, there's absolutely no reason to purchase single core any more... you're losing out bad on the price/performance ratio. Hence, if you don't want to waste money, then dual cores are a must. Yes, you will be functional with single core, but why would you want to waste money on an antique chip?

Yes, I understood what you said. However, your conclusion doesn't benefit anyone here.

EDIT: PS, please try to stay on topic.

Kidney Licker · Jul 17, 2006, 11:49 PM // 23:49

I recently built a PC, and am on a bit of a budget. I plan on upgrading to a dual core when it drops *really* low, locally the price of the CPU I bought was $145 and a high end dual core is $900+. I expect the Socket 939 processors to hang around for a while, look at the Sempron :P.

AMD 3000
1 Gb of Corsair Ram (2x 512 Mb for Dual channel)
Asus A8NE
7600GS video card
250 Gb SATA II hard drive
LG DVD burner
Thermaltek case Mambo (not great)
Thermaltek PurePower Supply, 430 W
Windows XP Home

The only game I play on it is Guild Wars and once I upgraded to the latest drivers, everything seemed to run ok, fingers crossed. I think it's best not to overdo it as prices drop fast and new models are constantly coming out.

EDIT: if I had to change anything I'd have prefered to have gotten 2x1Gb RAM, maybe a larger hard drive, and maybe a better video card, but budget wise hard to justify. The Thermaltake stuff was probably overkill too.

Nerull · Jul 18, 2006, 02:51 AM // 02:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

Don't listen to that

For one a dual core processor is NOT a must, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get one.

Nvidia is not better than ATI - don't listen to fanboys

SATA II is not needed.

Since when do you need drivers for a harddrive

I'd say that you fit the first part of the description pretty good

LOL, its nice to see that I helped to get this topic rollin.

Majoho, like Lord_Shar has been saying...why on earth would NOT spend the money to get a dual core? I dont know about you but 2 processors in 1 sounds pretty appealing. I have an idea, you get a single core and I will get my dual core...and we will see which system has the quicker response time

We can go back and fourth all day about Nvidia and ATI

Since when did harddrives stop requiring a device driver?

WOW you must have a magical computer!!!!! Please tell me how you got around the HAL. Its obvious by that statement that you have never worked with SATA before.

SATA is not needed but I would never suggest that someone get IDE over SATA II. IDE, like your single core processors are becoming obsolete...why waste the money?

Like I said before, stay away from retards who just think they know what they are talking about...he knows who he is. Could you imagine what would happen if he tried to install SATA II harddrives, not knowing that harddrives USE DRIVERS!!!..LOL

Like I suggested before, find someone who is experienced with what your are trying to build.