Advice req to CUSTOM BUILD a new PC

[deezine]

Hi

this is my first post, and I am hoping someone can save my sanity....as I am becoming more and more confused the more I try to piece this puzzle together...

I run a small business [ website design & promotion ] and have decided to scrap my current system [various reasons...crashing/hanging/long time little bugs etc]

I want to source the parts myself to keep costs down, and I also have someone who will put all the bits together [but I dont want to keep hassling him about the components]

My needs are roughly as follows

• I often have several software applications at once
• no gaming at all
• want to retain XP as many of the programs I have wont run on Vista

My 'research' has eventually led to a possible spec [listed below] but I am unsure regarding compatibility/suitability between Processor-Motherboard-Memory

It is the Motherboard which is giving me the headache, as I feel fairly sure that the RAM and Processor are ok....plus other components to match this set up

Many thanks for any guidance.

• Processor = Intel Core Duo2 E8400
• Memory (RAM) = 4GB CORSAIR XMS2 800mz
• Hard Disk = 640GB Seagate SATA2
• Graphics Card = suggestions please?; remember..no gaming req's
• CD/DVD = suggestions please
• Sound Card = suggestions please
• Processor Cooling = suggestions please
• Power Supply & Case Cooling = suggestions please

[PeterStoba]

Any decent G33 chipset motherboard will do, onbaord vga will handle xp fine, you could get a cheap card though for the sake of it...

Onboard sound will be fine

Any £15 sata dvd writer is fine too.

Power supply, anything around 400w from a decent brand (enermax, seasonic, silvestone, corsair, antec, ocz) will be fine.

Case, just find something on ebuyer or scan or whatever, something you like, although i reccomend this, 2 birds with one stone http://www.ebuyer.com/product/161317

Here's a quick machine, sub £200, will be fine.

[deezine]

Peter...
thanks for this feedback....I will check out that ebay suplier..

couple of questions if you dont mind?

- someone tole me to consider a SEAGATE SATA2 hard disk in preference to Western Digital or Maxtor....(something to do with speeds dropping after a period of time on the WD & Maxtor ones)
Is there anything in this?
Would you consider SEAGATE to be a better/comparable manufacturer?

- Do I need separate coolers for both the Processor and the Case?

- I also want something that is fairly quiet, as I am sitting next to this thing all day...any specific pointers on this?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Peter...
thanks for this feedback....I will check out that ebay suplier..

couple of questions if you dont mind?

- someone tole me to consider a SEAGATE SATA2 hard disk in preference to Western Digital or Maxtor....(something to do with speeds dropping after a period of time on the WD & Maxtor ones)
Is there anything in this?
Would you consider SEAGATE to be a better/comparable manufacturer?

- Do I need separate coolers for both the Processor and the Case?

- I also want something that is fairly quiet, as I am sitting next to this thing all day...any specific pointers on this?

I would consider getting Western Digital or Samsung over Seagate,Maxtor,Hitachi and Excelsior.
I usually buy Samsung as their discs are extremely quiet and they have built up this reputation for many disc generations.

One of these discs will do the job:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/640GB...16MB-Cache-NCQ

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/640GB...rpm-32MB-Cache

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/144339

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149433


If you are multitasking a triple or quad core will give you more benefits rather than higher clockspeed dual core TBH. Having gone from a dual core E4500 overclocked to around 3ghz to a 2.4ghz quad core Q6600 it is worth it..

I usually have multiple Firefox,GIMP,Word,Excel and Excel windows open at once and TBH at stock speeds the Q6600 is FAR better for multitasking than my old dual core when the later was overclocked.

Here are some multi-tasking benchmarks comparing the Phenom II X4 810,Q8200 and the E8400:

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.ph...=17113&page=10

Even a cheaper Phenom II X3 710 triple core for around £100 will do the job nicely TBH.

Build One

Phenom II X4 810 ~ £143 to £145

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=965903

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/159072

Phenom II X3 710 ~ £103

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=965905

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/159069

ASUS M3N78-VM ~ £53

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/159069

Build Two

If you want to stay with Intel I would get the Q8200 over an E8400 TBH.

It is around the same price too:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/148933

I would get this motherboard:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/148094

The Q8200 is compatible:

http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=xs6iinKxu0y5agcg

Other Bits

I would look at getting a decent 400w PSU with good efficiency.

The FSP Blue Storm II 400w is relatively quiet and had is efficient:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/400W-...-plus-dual-12V

The Silverpower 400w is pretty good too:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/400w-...2V-6Serial-ATA

Here is a review of both:

http://techreport.com/articles.x/16073/1

I would also look at getting a case which uses 120mm fans like a case from the Coolermaster Elite series:

http://www.ebuyer.com/search?sort=pr...imit=10&page=1

http://www.scan.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=coolermaster+elite

Also if you use 120mm PWM fans you can control fan speed automatically in the BIOS or using software in XP.

Of course going for 4gb of RAM makes sense and Corsair,OCZ,Kingston and Geil will do the job well. If you are worried about potential issues just look at the compatibility lists on manufacturer's web page for the particular motherboard.

Also do remember that Scan offers free postage for Hexus members with 20 useful posts. Ebuyer does free postage for orders over £49.99 and that Scan also have many items on special offer on the "Today Only" web page.