building new computer

[ssv]

Hi Guys,

I am planning to build computer for the very first time and I need your help choosing better hardware.

purpose:
Browsing, watching movie,listening music, burning cd/dvd, sometimes home movie editing,
Playing with different Operating Systems & Softwares

Budget : $ 800 - $ 1000

To start with, now I am trying to choose the Case and the motherboard. so far after reading toms hardware guide thinking of Antec or Lian Li.

I will really appreciate your help.

[ClayBuster]

ASPIRE X-Alien Beige Steel Server Case with Removable Motherboard Tray, Model "ATXA1A/420" -RETAIL
Item# N82E16811144053 $76

Plextor 12X DVD+RW/-RW Drive, Model PX-712A, Retail
Item# N82E16827131326 $174


NEC 1.44MB Floppy Drive, Model FD1231H, OEM Drive Only
Item# N82E16821152001 $10.99

Seagate 160GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive, Model ST3160023AS, OEM
Item# N82E16822148018 $114


Microsoft Black Multimedia Keyboard & Wheel Mouse Optical Bundle PS/2 102keys -OEM
Item# N82E16823109122 $33

Pmi Turbo Memory Dual Channel Kit 184-Pin 512MB (256MBx2) DDR PC-3200, Model PMI3200-512DPH - Retail
Item# N82E16820209046 $103

ABIT "IC7-MAX3" i875P Chipset Motherboard for Intel Socket 478 CPU -RETAIL
Item# N82E16813127158 $176

Intel Pentium 4/ 3.0E GHz 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache, Hyper Threading Technology - Retail

Item# N82E16819116171 $217


Plus $22.98 for shipping for a total of $899.97

All parts from www.newegg.com

[tekkieman]

Still need to add a decent video card, and a capture card or USB device. Might as well add the DVD ROM as well.

[ClayBuster]

DoH! Forgot the video card.

Add $150 to the price.

DVDRom Not needed the Plex rips fine and fast

[thecoalman]

Try here, you'll find thier prices are pretty good, tech support isn't all that great. Probably be a $100 or $200 more for the same thing you asseble yourself but you get warranty.

www.abspc.com

[rallynavvie]

Heh, my two PC cases are a Lian Li PC-60 variant and an Antec P160. Both are great mid-tower cases. I modified the Antec to fit an EATX motherboard. The P160 has more features than an equally-priced Lian Li so I'd edge toward the Antec case. Besides, 120mm case fans rule.

Motherboards are a tough call. Get an 875 chipset if you go the Pentium route. That Abit is okay, or get an Asus P4C800. Get an nForce chipset for AMD processors. These both have proven to be great chipsets among my friends. I don't have much experience with them...

And I'm going to put in my shameless plug for the Western Digital 74GB Raptor SATA hard drive. Spend the extra cash to make this your boot drive, nothing beats it short of a SCSI device costing twice as much. I am amazed by it every day.

[mrtristan]

I just bought a Maxtop case and it was pretty cheap and is built well. There's an exhaust fan where the processor is located, so I reversed it. I also mounted a 120mm fan on the back exhaust port. The airflow is perfect. I think it was about $30, from newegg. It comes without a power supply and two 80mm fans.

I don't like cases that are packaged with power supplies, because you never know what you're going to get. I picked up a 350W sparkle power supply and it's quiet. I can barely hear the computer, when it's on.

[enstg8er]

And I'm going to put in my shameless plug for the Western Digital 74GB Raptor SATA hard drive. Spend the extra cash to make this your boot drive, nothing beats it short of a SCSI device costing twice as much. I am amazed by it every day.

nice drive but requires sata board or card in addition. scsi need not be that expensive. i use a tekram card (used $30.00) and dual boot off two 10k, 10 gig drives. one dedicated to video apps, one for the others plus internet. $30.00 each. fast and stable for under $100.00. i use 3x80gig ide for storage.

[rallynavvie]

The fact of the matter is SCSI is more expensive. I have a computer full of SCSI drives which make it almost as expensive as my current workstation. The Raptor SATA drive can be had at NewEgg for $180 and it's a 10k 74GB drive. Now compare that to the nearest SCSI competitor, a 10k U160 74GB drive, new if you can find it. Even a used Seagate Cheetah 73 is almost that much and SATA is more commonplace on home computers than SCSI is so no need for a card. Between the 15k SCSI boot drive on the other computer and the 10k SATA on the workstation they both seem pretty close to each other which is far and beyond even a RAID 0 ATA setup.

[AlinaVastag84]

A medium configuration as I think:
----Most important : CPU: ATHLON 64, 3000+, BOX
----Second important : Mother Board: Gigabyte Athlon64, ViaKT800, GA-K8VT800, FSB800, 3*DDR400, AGP8x, 2SATA, Raid, LAN
----Memory : (2X) DDRAM 256M PC3500 KINGMAX
----Video card : 256M GEFORCE FX 5600,128B,VIVO,Pixel VIEW
----Hard disc sata : HDD 120G 8M S-ATA Western Digital
----Case : You must like it`s design (4 bays for CDR)
----Source: Must be > 400W...
----Monitor: any 17" monitor (you must like it`s design)
----Audio card: Creative Live (30$ or so)
----DVD ROM : DVD RW +/- 4X (SOMETHING GOOD)
----Mouse ,Keyboard, speakers, Floppy..........
Pay attention to the CPU & Cooler...
Everythink you buy should have warranty...

[BobV]

When I built my first PC I followed the recomendations from one of the numerous tech sites right down to the components. For example TechTV often builds PC's from scratch. They rang from the best PC for under $500 to the Best you can build. Just pay attention to the dates of the shows/articles. Have fun

[enstg8er]

rallynavvie-
agreed. gig for gig scsi is more expensive not to mention more complicated than sata. and also agree sata mb's are readily availablewhile scsi almost always reqiures a card. my point was not to promote scsi as superior or cheaper than anything else. my point was to say-

scsi need not be that expensive.

i choose to seperate my apps from my storage (even my video apps from the others). it works for me. drives are ~$30
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39974&item=5109870994&rd=1

i'm no guru. just a cheapskate trying to get by......