Another "New PC, thoughts please" Thread (£1200 Budget)

[herman368]

Ok first things first.... I'm building a new gaming rig and I have an exact budget of £1200. I need a Case, CPU, MB, SATA HD, GFX, DVDRW, TFT, RAM, PSU and a Saitek Eclipse Keyboard ....

Anyway so far heres what I have put together for £1000 excluding a TFT which if my a level maths serves me correctly leaves £200 give or take for a TFT.

MB Asus A8N-SLi Premium (scan) (pretty set on)
CPU AMD Athlon 64 3700 San Diego 1MB L2(scan) (pretty set on)
GFX edit: 256Mb Gigabyte 7800GT (scan) (pretty set on)
RAM 2Gb (2x1Gb) Corsair DDR400/PC3200 Value Select (scan) (pretty set on)
PSU 430W Tagan 2Force T430-U22 SLi U-Quiet 21db (scan) (not that set on)
HD edit: 250GB Samsung SpinPoint SATA II (scan) (fairly set on)
CASE Raidmax Ninja (xcase) (set on)
KYB Saitek Eclipse Keyboard (ebuyer) (really set on for sum stupid reason)
DVD edit:NEC ND-3540A Black 16x16 DVD±RW (scan) (set on)

Just wondering if you guys think this is good value/good choice/compatible etc

I need a TFT for this badboy, a black, DVI, low response timed, sexy, good value badass TFT. I was thinking about the 19" Digimates Specials from Aria but they seem ugly , and aint black. Hopefully the case, keyboard and monitor will all be black with nice blue illumination.

One last thing. I'm probably gonna overclock this thing in the future with a new HSF but only enough to get the 3700 matching 4000 clock speeds, will the Corsair Value RAM be up to it. I can't afford 2GB of Twinx . Also once 7800GTX prices are really low i'll SLI this bad boy up. I have a feeling that 430W will be fine: I'm not gonna have more than 1 HD and 1 DVDRW drive in this rig.

Thanks for reading

[beca5olo]

For the DVD drive, I think you should go with the NEC 3540A. This comes in a black model like the one you've already chosen. This baby will write everything except DVD-RAM at the fastest speeds, and you can get it for less than £30.

In addition, I would ensure that the harddrive you've chosen is SATAII and NCQ capable.

[DavidM]

Nec is definately a nice drive

(Please PM me and I'll see if we're getting the Saitek Keyboard in at all...)

[herman368]

Yeah I just picked a random black drive when I chose that Sony one.... thanks DocUK

oooo that wud so awesome if ur getting that in stock i cud save me some cash from buying from ewww....ebuyer...yuk...
ps probly goin out on a limb here, but u aint happen to be planning to get stock of any non-psu raidmax ninja's?

[DavidM]

I'd have to check on the keyboard with purchasing... sorry - don't know about the other?

[herman368]

Cheers mort, anyway any one else got any opinions on this badboy?

[MiNiMaL_FuSS]

Get a DFI board and a venice 3200+ and you can easily clock upto 3500+

and save yourself abotu £100

[MiNiMaL_FuSS]

oh and dont get a maxtor HD, they are in short, crap.

highly recommend a Samsung SpinPoint.

[herulach]

If ou can stretch to it go for a 3800 san diego, the extra cache is noticeable in a lot of things. Id also be tempted to go for a 7800GT instead of a GTX, will save you a tidy sum, that you can then put toward getting a great monitor rather than a merly decent one.

[herman368]

herulach: the 3700 is a San Diego so it has 1mb l2 cache, you can't get a 3700 Venice. I dont think you can get a 3800 San Diego either....

Anyway I think I'll settle for the 7800GT, even tho its soo tempting to have *the best*

And I think the 250GB Spinpoint with SATAII looks nice....

So now I have £200 roughly for a TFT.

[YorkieBen]

its a 3700 San Diego

the 3800 is a Venice core (less cache, more MHZ)

the hard drive I would get one of the new Samsung SATA 2 drives (scan has them) supposed to be very fast and pretty cheap as well.

I would go for a 7800GT and spend another 150-250 on a really good 17" dvi TFT. If there is one thing I wouldnt skimp on it is the the TFT. I spent alot on mine and Im so glad I did.

Scan sells the Viewsonic VX724 17" TFT monitor (black, DVI) for £232. Custom PC magazine said in their last issue it is the best one they tested. It comes with a DVI cable in the box which alot of tfts with a dvi connection dont do.

[kempez]

Looks pretty sweet to me. The 7800GT should be sweet, the 3700+ Diego may be better (or a 3800+ X2) and get a DFI board and clock it to FX speeds

Apart from that looks sweet...dya need an OS??

[herman368]

That Viewsonic looks alrite but I've read mixed reviews about it. Its a tad too expensive but I'm stuck between that, 17" Iiyama E431S-B3S Black (£195) and one of ebuyers cheapish LG offerings.

Kempez, do you think I cud overclock to FX speeds with that RAM? Btw i don't need an OS...

[herulach]

Thats me getting confused there. Not enough coffee today by a long stretch.

If you dont desperately need a monitor how about waiting a couple of weeks months till you can afford a good quality 19" one? Scan have the l90D for 290quid. Or you can pick up the LG 1980Q for 300, fantastic monitor.

[herman368]

I honestly don't need a 19" monitor as its going to be moved around a lot when going to/from uni and I don't want something too big on my desk at uni. It doesnt make any difference if I wait or not, I'm not gonna be any richer in a few weeks lol.....

ohhhh myyyyy goodddd that LG is sexy, but sooo expensive noooooooooooooooooooo

[herulach]

I honestly don't need a 19" monitor as its going to be moved around a lot when going to/from uni and I don't want something too big on my desk at uni. It doesnt make any difference if I wait or not, I'm not gonna be any richer in a few weeks lol.....

ohhhh myyyyy goodddd that LG is sexy, but sooo expensive noooooooooooooooooooo

Didnt realise youwere going to uni, thought you could wait for next paycheck. Even so, a 19" isnt that much bigger to carry and takes up no more desk space than a 17" (well not a lot anyway, obviously some) They do a minature version in 17" though.