New build...

[FInalD]

...I was going to buy a laptop for uni, but I figured I'd just use it as a desktop effectivly anyways, so I'm going to build a new system for uni. My current system is getting on a bit now (getting random faults and it can only play games on min).

I'll be getting every part I need apart from the desk and a chair

If it was just the main unit I'd be saving about £400-£500, here is a picture of my excel spreadsheet shopping list. The bold blue prices are the cheapest ex. VAT (cba to bold blue the inc. VAT ones). The lightblue highlighted HDD is one I'm debating to get (if I do it'll run all my programs then data will be on the two 300GB Maxtors). As you can see I've included everything that I'll be needing (I think).

It may not be the most powerful of PCs, but I plan on overclocking it (as the mobo, RAM, and CPU all are great for OCing) so I should have a decently powerful pc...much more powerful and usefull than this current pc anyways. I may end up dropping the mobo down a grade as it is fairly expensive.

All thoughts about this system/parts of it would be greatly appreciated (I went for XP Home due to price, but according to a helpful person at the uni I will be going to I can intheory get XP free )

Basicaly I'm trying to create a monster in disguise by keeping all LEDs to a minimum (if I can avoid having them I don't want them), but with some snazzy bits (like the drive bay gear). The only reason I selected the AM2able CPU cooler is 'cause it's black and it looks cool (oh and it has the decent functionality.

So yeah, all people please give me info about what you think on the parts, is something good, something bad etc. all critisisms welcome

[DanceswithUnix]

The next gen of Opteron 1 series chips will be on Socket AM2.

Socket 939 is so near end of life now, I personally wouldn't build an entire PC around it.

If you want to move to quad core AMD or Intel Conroe in the future, you will want DDR2 ram.

[FInalD]

The thing about DDR2 is the Asus board doesn't support it (which I personally found strange). The problem is being an aspireing student and having taken a gap year (eventhough I'm working) I am in debt and need to pay that back before I can start on the PC, which means I'll have if I'm lucky enough money to get that spec PC, and if I'm unlucky I won't be able to get a decent one at all.

I don't plan on building it to be future dependant, just to be uptodate and be a weeny bit future dependant (which as soon as the G80 and R600 chips are released - Nvidia and ATi respectivly - my pc will be 'old'). I mostly play BF2 aswell as your general music, videos etc. the main idea behind it is to supply me with something decent for uni for atleast a year.

I'm working this summer (getting about £1k pm) and plan on working next summer aswell, which with less of a debt that needs to be paid off I can save up like £4k for a decent rig for the times.

I would love to have a future dependant PC for uni, but the problem (as it is with most people) is money.

[YorkieBen]

drop the raptor imo the extra cost probably isnt worth it if you are on a budget

[FInalD]

drop the raptor imo the extra cost probably isnt worth it if you are on a budget

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, the Maxtors are decent enough by themselves...the Raptor was kinda just a thought...hence the different highlighting.

So anoying, I want it now, but know it should cost less when I actualy go to buy it

[FInalD]

Ok, so I've just been reading up on the AM2 and I can get a faster new chip for less than the Opti...

The AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 3800+ runs at 2.0GHz and the Opti in my shopping list runs at 1.8GHz and they are priced £171.80 and £189.18 respectivly.

After some rather quick reading of the Hexus.net review of the AM2 it does seem to have the edge over the older 939s (I was originaly under the impression it was just 939 with DDR2 - effectivly). The review does state that you should compare the one you are looking at with Intel's Core Duo 2 benchmarks...I can't find anything that lists info on anything other than the FX-62.

I am now tempted by this newer technology, but is it going to be around for ages? as AMD should be brining out the 65nm chips some time shouldn't they?

This also means I have to re-think my graphics and change from the X1800XT to the Nvidia cards as AM2 is designed for use with nForce5 motherboards.

I then also have to change the RAM to DDR2 which'll bump the costs up a bit more...but will it be worth it? that's my main concern.

[-ChEM-]

Ok, so I've just been reading up on the AM2 and I can get a faster new chip for less than the Opti...
The AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 3800+ runs at 2.0GHz and the Opti in my shopping list runs at 1.8GHz and they are priced £171.80 and £189.18 respectivly.

the opteron should be faster once you overclock it... to that end i would consider a DFI nf4 ultra-d which should let you clock higher and you are far less likely to get problems with that than the asus ATI boards, it wont do crossfire but you can mod it to an NF4 SLI board quite easily if you really want to

(I was originaly under the impression it was just 939 with DDR2 - effectivly)

what makes you think its not now? it has a couple of features and unless you want to bank on reverse hyperthreading being amazing AND compatible with AM2s (both anyones guess) thats it really

This also means I have to re-think my graphics and change from the X1800XT to the Nvidia cards as AM2 is designed for use with nForce5 motherboards.

there are plenty of ATI boards out for AM2 now, or at least lots have been announced... do you really want to bother with SLI/CF anyway as youre probably better waiting for a single good DX10 card

I then also have to change the RAM to DDR2 which'll bump the costs up a bit more...but will it be worth it? that's my main concern.

ive bought a 939 system because i already had good ram and i was in a financial state where i really had to buy immediately or not at all, if youre buying the whole lot and you can afford to wait a couple of months you should look at conroe though, you say it doesnt really matter for what you want to do but even if you dont get conroe or if conroe still isnt widely available once its released, "sources" say AMD is cutting prices buy nearly half the day after conroe release so that is worth waiting for

you can assume an OCed opteron 165 will perform the same as an FX60, or FX62 if youre lucky, there are benchmarks that use both with conroe which should show you the speed differences, youll probably need to wait a couple of generations of graphics cards to get any real use in games but it cant hurt to have a faster cpu anyway

[FInalD]

The thing is I'm trying to keep costs to a min...so getting a conroe would cost lots and I've never been a fan of Intel.

I don't actualy want Crossfire or SLi I just see that it's stupid putting an ATi board in an NF4/5 board.

[Veles]

For the case I'd look into the Antel SLK 3000B, it's very cheap (£40 or so inc. VAT) and is very good for the price. A front and rear 120mm fan intakes meaning you can have some quieter fans, and also comes with rubber grommets for mounting the HDDs.

It's basically like a less snazzy Antec LAN Boy but a bit bigger I think, it's got room for 4 HDDs, 4 CD-ROM sized bays and 2 Floppy size bays (I forget the sizes, silly imperial system).

If you want to save a bit of ash and spend it elsewhere, scrap the TwinX and get some Corsair Value Select, performance RAM doesn't make a huge noticable difference. Also, do you really need a X-fi FPS edition? It's alot of money saying the card is exactly the same, and all you're getting is a breakout box, if you need the breakout box then go for it.

Oh and your speakers, get much better ones, otherwise the X-fi is really wasted, I know you're getting the 5.1 headset but you should really get a decent 2.1 system at least.

I suggest you get some of this stuff as your thermal compound if you want some high performance cooling - http://www.chillblast.com/product.ph...&cat=89&page=1 - it's a bitch to apply but it's the mutts nuts.

Oh yeah and as for HDDs, I agree with dropping the raptor if you're on a budget, you could also grab 2x 320GB Seagate 7200.10s, just got 2 of them myself and they're pretty good .

[hitman67]

Do you really need the G7 and G15 keyboard? Could save a good whack of money there going for a cheaper set up that'd do the job just as good...

[FInalD]

The thing is I'm trying to keep costs to a min...so getting a conroe would cost lots and I've never been a fan of Intel.

I don't actualy want Crossfire or SLi I just see that it's stupid putting an ATi board in an NF4/5 board, I figured that matching the graphics and the chipset would make it run better than mixing. I'm unbiased as to which graphics maker I buy as I've used ATis and I've used Nvidias and all have had pros and cons, just the nforce on the mobo pushes me to Nvidia as there are only cheap crap ati boards as the AM2 was partnered with Nvidia for it's release.

Supposidly the AM2 X2 3800+ is a decent overclocker too, although I didn't look in to it much. If this is true then I'll be able to OC it to enable it to kick out power gaining on the FX-62, and running with new technology. This mentions about the 5000+ being highly overclockable - "We reached ~3.0GHz from 2.6 GHz using air cooling in our fairly warm lab environment, which is no mean feat -- especially with a new die." - On the view of the 3800+ these the customers that have bought it find it a decent OC chip (not the most reliable of info I know). Looking at the chips I think the AM2 could push out more than the Opti with my cooling, as it's got a newer die and it's also as standard quicker than the Opti.

Also as you know more about everything in general than I do...when roughly is the new Intel one coming out? if it's Sept/around Spet that'd be great, AMD prices will drop, and I'll get my new PC for much less . I'm planning on building it in mid Sept as I'll be going to uni mid-end Sept.

@ hitman67: but...but...I like them I've changed the G7 to the G5 it's wired and I do trust wired more and it's almost exactly the same, aswell as having the whole weight adjusting thing. As for the G15 how many other keyboards have the LCD display? Ok, so that's about the only reason I'm after it .

What would you recomend for keyboard? I'm not fussed about the bindable keys, I just want a decent make and decent quality one (and ideally should be in black to match the case )...*looks at the Enermax Aurora Brushed Aluminium Keyboard in black*...oooooooohhhh...

[Veles]

As for the G15 how many other keyboards have the LCD display? Ok, so that's about the only reason I'm after it .

I've heard the LCD display isn't that great really, I'd pick an Eclipse over the G15 any day.

[FInalD]

Yeah, it's just something I think is cool, not really worth it, I'd probably jsut get irritated with it and close it

*Just noticed your ealier post* - not sure how I missed it

The reason I have the Lian Li case on the list is that it's fully ally which makes it nice and light, aswell as not having a front door, I can't stand front doors and it's really hard to find a decent case without one.

The reason for the Fatal1ty sound card is I want the remote and front pannel, I was going to get the Elite Pro as that is much more suited to my tastes and uses, but it costs soooo much more it isn't worth it. The speakers are just because I need some form of speakers, I don't want to get a 2.1 setup (or more) really because at uni I'll be in halls in a flat, and I'm used to living in a large detatched house 1/4 mile from anyone so have bass etc. up loud if it's available...I don't really want to piss too many people off
By all means recomend a set of speakers though as I know those ones are really, really poor speakers...I mean they cost under £10

As for the paste...urmm no offence but what's the difference between that and the Arctic 5? I'm a little slow on the paste side of things, as far as my little brain is concerend the Arctic 5 is supposidly the best...if I'm wrong okie dokie

The HDDs...I will drop the Rapor as it's not worth it due to money. As for the Seagates, they cost a little bit more than the Maxtors (yes I know you gain 200MB for the price difference) but also the Maxtors are in theory really decent drives...again correct me if wrong.

The whole point of this thread is to get more info about what I've half assed looked up and sort it out so it's a decent price and decent quality, here is an updated version of the shopping list, pink highlighted being the AM2 stuff and neon green being the Opti.

Feedback once again please guys...you're all being great mostly just because you know what you are talking about, unlike most places I have asked so far

[hitman67]

I mean I payed £29.99 and got a Wireless Keyboard and Mouse set, sure it's basic, it's not feature packed (although it has more buttons than the space shuttle) and it works damn well, Your paying more for the Keyboard then I did for both.

Mines the Microsoft Wirless Desktop 1000, look it up if you get chance, it is a very good set.

http://www.microsoft.com/japan/press...esktop1000.jpg

It's black to match the case, it's cheap and it's a good set. I mean look at all them buttons. I'm typing this to you now on it and it's nicely weighted, a good size and well layed out. Battery life is great as well.

[FInalD]

I'm after gaming stuffage, and the extra buttons you get on a mouse is a major part for me with buying a mouse. I currently use an unbranded optical 5 button mouse which is giving up the ghost (it does random spin outs).

For general Windows use that'd be fine, but I'm after that little bit more for my gaming and that comes at cost, unfourtunatly.

[rainbow]

get a basic mx series mouise cheap and good for gaming