Finalizing comp build, suggestions welcomed!

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known12345

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
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Ok I have roughly $1200, including tax, to spend on building a comp. I already have a monitor so all the money can be spent for parts. I am looking to make a gaming computer to run Crysis at high settings though at low resolutions. Inaddition I am going to do a little overclocking (probably to 3.0ghz). So far I have spent about $550 (including tax) on a q6600 (from Fry black Friday sale) and $300 on a 8800gt scc. For the rest of the parts I was thinking:

Motherboard: ($89.99) ABIT IP35-E (the link is to the item on newegg which seems to disappear from time to time so it might not always work)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=Suggested&Description=13-127
I choose this motherboard because it is a great overclocker at a great price. I was considering the Pro version though I chose not to get it because of the price and the fact that I did not need all the features it came with. Oh and I am not planning to SLI.

RAM: ($114.99) G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) DDR2 DDR2 1000
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231145
I choose this model because it was 4 gb at a great price and ddr2 at 1000 was only $15 more compared to ddr2 at 800.

Mouse: ($39.99) Logitech MX518
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104178
Ive had an MX500 for a few years now and am extremely pleased with it. Would even purchase it again if they sold it.

Keyboard: ($58.99) Logitech G11
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126009&Tpk=g11
Heard some fantastic reviews about this product. Also heard of the G15 but I could do without the LCD.

Case: ($139.99) Antec P182
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129025&CMP=OTC-TechReport&ATT=11-129-025
I have looked at MANY reviews on this case and I am deeply impressed by it. In particular, the size of the case and its cooling performance have caught my eye.

CPU cooler: ($21.99) ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134&Tpk=Arctic+Cooling+Freezer+7+Pro
Although there are better coolers out there, for its price it performs relatively well. In addition I won't be overclocking to extreme and I will also be relying on my case for cooling.

GPU cooler: ($23.99) Accelero S1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186016
I have read and heard many good things about this cooler. In particular for its price it performs exceptionally well.

GPU fan thing: ($7.99) Turbo Module (for Accelero S1)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186021
I hear it works great in combination with the Accelero S1.

Well in total its about $500 and with tax and shipping about $575.

This is were suggestions are GREATLY welcomed. I have about $125 left to spend on a hard drive and psu. I know almost nothing about psu (in particular how to choose one). The only thing I do know is to choose a main brand and to choose a quality one. For hard drives, i know 7,200 rpm is good enough. To be honest, I really dont take up alot of space. I don't listen/dl music at all and I never go above 100 gb (actually haven't gone over 80 but games these days are HUGE). I would greatly appreciate it if people can suggest a hard drive and psu combination that together is under $125 and works well with the build that I currently have. If $125 is too low, I can possible raise it to $155 and at max $175 because I can opt out from getting either the gpu cooler and the cpu cooler as I do not intend to overclock that high (for cpu) or might not overclock at all for gpu. Though I rather have the coolers just to keep the parts at a low temp to increase lifespan but I can wait a few weeks/months later to purchase them.

Thank you very much for taking the time to look at my threat and hopefully posting some suggestions/info.
 
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 (Perpendicular recording) 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive OEM ST3160815AS
$52.99
CORSAIR HX CMPSU-520HX 520W Active PFC NVIDIA SLI Certified Modular ATX Power Supply Retail $89.99 after rebate
=$142.98
it's a little over, with a modular powersupply, it'll give your case a cleaner luck as you only use the cablees you need and not have unused onese handing around in case.

i would take a peek at the coolermaster 690 case, because one you can usually find it fo $40 after mail in rebates, two because it has the capabiltiy of using 7 120/140mm case fans with a 80mm case fan beding the mobo. The Ante p182 is surely a nice case though.
 
PSU FAQ: http://www.jonnyguru.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1036

PSU Suggestions:
http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/showpost.php?p=1590883&postcount=193
http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1460
http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103

For a HDD, pickup a Seagate 7200.10 or 7200.10 'cuda if you want a fast drive. If you want quiet, pickup a WD or Samsung instead.

Avg Transfer Rate, Access Time: HDD info, Price I paid (except for raptor - twas a gift)
**note, these figures come from HDTune, a synthetic benchmark for HDDs.

112MB/s, 13.2ms: RAID0 'cuda's, 600GB total, $120 (ICH9R on P35-DS3R)
78MB/s, 08.2ms: WD Raptor WD1500ADFD 150GB, $160
76MB/s, 13.7ms: WD Caviar SE16 WD7500AAKS 750GB, $150
72MB/s, 15.4ms: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB, $65
68MB/s, 13.3ms: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS 320GB, $60
65MB/s, 13.7ms: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS 320GB, $80
65MB/s, 13.2ms: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3300620AS 300GB, $60
63MB/s, 13.4ms: WD Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB, $100
62MB/s, 15.3ms: Samsung HD501LJ 500GB, $105
52MB/s, 14.0ms: WD Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB, $70

As you can see, the 'cuda is twice the size and half the cost, for nearly the same avg transfer rate as the Raptor. Stick them in RAID0, and you've got an even more cost effective solution. Though, the seek time of the Raptor can't be beat. If you have cash to burn, do so on a Raptor if you really want it. Otherwise, there are better cost effective solutions depending on your needs these days.

I believe frys has a maxtor 300gb for $60 (rebadged seagate 'cuda.10). Here's the ad: http://www.netaffilia.com/ad/electronics/frys/i/2007/12/28/29012.html Hopefully you have a Fry's near you. If not, pickup a 250GB from newegg or zipzoomfly instead. As for the PSU, all you need is a Corsair 450W. However, if you want room for upgrades, pickup the 520W or 550W.

Since you are keen to the idea of holding off the purchase of the graphics card cooler in order to raise the budget for the HDD and PSU, I'd highly suggest doing so.

crhscoog's recommendations are good, too.
 
enginurd said:
I believe frys has a maxtor 300gb for $60 (rebadged seagate 'cuda.10). Here's the ad: http://www.netaffilia.com/ad/electronics/frys/i/2007/12/28/29012.html Hopefully you have a Fry's near you.
Click to expand...

They do have it online:
Maxtor 300Gb SATA Hard Drive (Rebadged Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB SATA Hard Drive) - $55

Anyway, OP, you can get that case for a bit cheaper:
Antec P182 ATX Case - $105

And links for the PSUs:
Corsair 450VX 450W PSU - $72
Corsair 550VX 550W PSU - $83
Corsair 520HX 520W PSU - $109
 
Thank you everyone for providing very helpful response. I have decided to bite on the deal at Frys (ends on the 29th so can't wait too long unfortunately) and will probably go for the 520w psu that crhscoog recommended though I am currently trying to learn about psu from the very helpful links that enginurd provided so i may not buy a psu for another few days.

Thanks Danny Bui for also providing the links to various psu and more importantly to the deal at frys. I am also considering the coolermaster 690 that you suggested crhscoog and it seems like a better and better deal as i find more about the case.

Quick question though, if I purchase the corsair 520w psu, suggested by crhscoog, are the cords on the psu (which is at the bottom of the case) long enough to reach the motherboard or do I have to get longer ones?

Thanks again for response and feedback, it is really proving to be very helpful in building first comp.
 
known12345 said:
Quick question though, if I purchase the corsair 520w psu, suggested by crhscoog, are the cords on the psu (which is at the bottom of the case) long enough to reach the motherboard or do I have to get longer ones?
Click to expand...


Should be long enough to reach the motherboard.
 
Thank you Danny Bui for the quick response.

Ok today I purchased:

Hard drive: (total with tax and shipping $66.11) Maxtor 300GB SATA Hard Drive (Rebadged Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB SATA Hard Drive)
http://shop2.outpost.com/product/4987891
I purchased this because I do not need that much space (160GB would have been more than enough) but it was for such a great price I had to bite.

Motherboard: (total order with tax and shipping $362.52) ABIT IP35-E (the link is to the item on newegg which seems to disappear from time to time so it might not always work)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ription=13-127
I purchased this because it actually was in stock for once and was a great deal.

RAM: (total order with tax and shipping $362.52) G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) DDR2 DDR2 1000
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231145
I purchased this because wanted this RAM for quite some time.

Mouse: (total order with tax and shipping $362.52) Logitech MX518
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16826104178
I purchased this because didnt think it was gonna change in price any time soon.

Keyboard: (total order with tax and shipping $362.52) Logitech G11
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...126009&Tpk=g11
I purchased this because didn't think it was gonna change in price any time soon.

CPU cooler: (total order with tax and shipping $362.52) ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134&Tpk=Arctic+Cooling+Freezer+7+Pro
I purchased this because I think you have to install the stock fan on the q6600 to use it and I didnt want to install the stock and then remove it later for this one.

So in total I spent about $430. Combined with the cpu and gpu about $980 leaving me with about $220 left for case, psu, and gpu cooler. To be honest I want to spend as little as possible so I may go after the coolmaster 690 case but if I do, what fans, if any, do I need to buy? I heard the stock fans are quiet but move little air according to a customer at newegg. Oh and is there anything else I need for a comp? I think ill need a drive? Not even sure what is is called...

Thanks again everyone for providing feedback and I can tell you it has really helped me build a pc that I am pleased with both price and performance.

edit#1: oh and I will be reusing my windows xp disk so i wont need a new operating system
 
See for yourself if the case needs any more case fans. If you do think that you need more case fans, then I recommend buying these:
120mm Yate Loon D12SL-12 Case Fan - $3.50

As for the case itself, here are some other recommendations:
Cooler Master Centurion 534 ATX Case - $40
Cooler Master Centurion 532 ATX Case - $50
Cooler Master RC-690-KKN1-GP ATX Case - $60
Cooler Master Mystique RC-632S-KKN1-GP ATX Case - $70

As for power supplies, I recommend any of these power supplies. The more you spend, the better quality and more power you get:
Corsair 450VX 450W PSU - $76
Corsair 550VX 550W PSU - $95
Corsair 520HX 520W PSU - $109
Corsair 650TX 650W PSU - $143
Corsair 620HX 620W PSU - $147

In case you forgot it, here's a SATA DVD drive:
Samsung SH-203B 20X DVD±R SATA DVD Burner - $34
 
After reading the great FAQ that enginurd posted (http://www.jonnyguru.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1036) on PSUs and then some, I finally learned of the great importance of PSUs (right after I had learned of the importance of cooling and before that cases). And well I am at a dilemma. I know now that PSUs are extremely important but cases are as well. Unfortunately, I still have a budget and I please need your opinions on which is the better way to go.

Option 1:
Antec P182
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129025&CMP=OTC-TechReport&ATT=11-129-025

CORSAIR 450W
http://www.buy.com/prod/corsair-vx-450w-power-supply/q/loc/101/205466485.html

Estimated total including shipping and tax: $230

Option 2:
COOLER MASTER 690
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137

CORSAIR 520W
http://clubit.com/product_detail.cfm?itemno=A6200026

Estimated total including shipping and tax: $215

Well the first one focuses on a more expensive case and fulfills the minimal power supply reqs. Unfortunately iono if the performance of the P182 (in terms of coolness) is that much or if it is superior to that of the coolmaster 690. The only thing that is a given is the fact that the P182 build quality is slightly better than that of the cool master 690.

The second option focuses more on the psu and less on the case. Like what others said here before, the cool master 690 allows for more cooling options then the P182 though the build quality inst exactly the greatest (compared to other cases). I don't intend to touch my case a lot after I put it together so it really doesn't effect me much though. Even though I read the psu articles, I do not feel as if I am confident enough to judge them based on their specs and so relying on customer reviews. On newegg it appears both are exceptional and so I am confused on if I really need 520W vs 450W but if I learned anything from reading those articles it is that Watts aren't everything and that the 520W doesn't just have higher Watts but other features as well.

As you can see I am greatly confused and I could really use your help (again).

Thank you again for taking the time to look at my post and hopefully replying. I am in the final stages of purchasing all the parts ready for building a comp and I do not want to mess up when everything else went so well.

Oh and Danny Bui suggested a SATA DVD drive, is that all I need? I probably wont be doing any burning or anything if that is of any importance.

As you can see,
 
To be honest, I don't know if the cooling performance of the P182 is better than the CM 690, or vice versa. What I do know is that P182 was made with silence in mind hence its sturdied construction to dampen noise. I love my P180 original, the predecessor of the P182, and would gladly buy it or a newer revisionagain in a heart beat. With that said, I only bought it since it was on sale on New Year' Day for $86 shipped from Best Buy. And if I had to choose between a Option 1 and Option 2 back when I began to build, I would've gone for Option 2. More power means more upgrades. While yes, the 450VX would be enough power for your current system, the 520HX will provide you with more headroom for any future upgrades you may do.

However just to make sure you get the info you need to know about the PSUs: The Corsair 450VX has 33A on the +12V rail, plenty of power for your current system and maybe a graphics card update. The Corsair 520HX has 40A on the +12V rail and has modular cables, which makes for an easier time at cable management.

Also, see if you can check out the cases side by side personaly. Maybe a Microcenter if you're in the East Coast or a Fry's if you're in the West Coast
 
Or check CompUSA if you have one near you, lol. They're closing and have good sales on cases. I got my Centurion5 for only $15 and my Stacker TC01 for $85. :D The RC-690 wasn't around back then when my store closed.

Go for option2 while that clubIT.com deal on the RC-690 is still in stock! gogogo!

Modern system draw most of the power from the +12V rail, so even though the Corsair VX450 is only 450W, it focuses most of its power on the +12V rail. So, as Danny pointed out, it has more than enough power for your system. If you can afford the 520W instead, it provides even more headroom for upgrades, and is well worth the extra costs, IMO. Get it from clubit.com, too. Your total before rebates should be around $205 + tax and there are $70 in mail in rebates.
 
Ok after thinking about it for a few days, I decided to bite on the P182 at newegg for $139.99 (with $40 MIR) and the CORSAIR 520W at newegg for $124.99 (with $20 MIR). I figured I doubt I will upgrade my comp for quite a while but if I ever need too, its good to know I may be able to reuse my case and psu. Anyway I choose to get everything at newegg because wanted to keep everything together (bad reason I know) and mostly because of free shipping and well MIR for both items appeared today.

Anyway after placing the order, I looked on newegg's FAQ on shipping and the answer to a question made me wonder:

# Does Newegg.com deliver to P.O. Boxes?
Newegg.com does not ship to standard P.O. Boxes. However, Newegg.com can ship to residential P.O. Boxes in rural areas.

Well I am going back to college next week so I had this newegg shipment shipped to my dorm (my previous order was shipped to a friend close to campus). Well I was wondering, does my dorm mail box count as a P.O. Box? If so, will it not be delivered there then? Now I just placed in my order and so newegg has not confirmed or denied it yet so I am unsure if newegg will ship there or not, but can someone please tell me if a college dorm mail box counts as a P.O. Box? Ive had orders from amazon ship there no problem (though no electronics), is this a similar situation? Ive always just had to pick up the package in the mail room.

Also I was wondering, if an item on newegg is cheaper a week later or a few days after I put in my order, is there anyway to redeem the difference? I know Best Buy and Circuit City has a policy where if the same item is found cheaper within a month of initial purchase, they will refund the difference (in most cases). Does newegg have the same policy?

Thanks again everyone for helping me choose the best parts for my computer and for helping me with all computer part related questions. Man without sites like this, I would have had to resort to purchasing a comp at Dell or Best Buys, which arent exactly bad places, but I rather not get ripped off.

Edit#1: Ahhh I'm sorry, after reading through all the newegg FAQs, I found that newegg does not offer a difference if an item is found to be cheaper a few days later though if the item has not been shipped you can cancel and take advantage of the offer. Sorry for the inconvenience.
 
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