Have to Buy this week ! !! computer for ~1200 ?? please

[Dash1]

I have to get a new system for a animation [2D] student. Budget without softs should be ~1200
This will be used for no games and no OC !

I read all I could find and came up with this list, Whuld love to get your corections and comments ASAP:


Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (S775) - 2.4GHz - 3Y Warranty
Price should decline this week?

Arctic Cooling 7

A45 MM base MOBO or simpler Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3P Intel or Abit pro Socket 775 ATX Motherboard and 1394 connect..
]
DDR2 800 4G Dual Channel kit 2X2048MB PC6400 OCZ\G. Skill etc... - Life Time Warranty

320GB- SATA-II - 7200RPM - 16MB - Western Digital WD2500AAKS - 3Y Warranty

for system and progs: 160GB - SATA-II - 7200RPM -16MB- Western Digital

Samsung OR Pioneer ??? DVD-RW or two ? Sata X20

GRAPHICS CARD: 3650 HD WITH HDMI ? should be OK for 2D and video edit ???

Good 19" SAMSUNG or DELL reg. or wide ??

Antec Sonata 3 with 500W smartpower PSU - Silent Case

Logitec G5 and keyboard , or cordless? will add Wecom later

Speakers ?

Will be glad to get all comments ASAP inc. model numbers...especially where the question marks are..

Thanks so much

[yoda313]

Simple specs from my point of view - get as much ram and harddrive space as you can THough don't go more than 4gb ram unless you get a 64bit os.

[redwudz]

Looks good to me. I would recommend the Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3P MB. I would also add a third hard drive so that transfers from drive to drive don't involve the boot drive at all. Two burners would be nice, especially for duplicating. Either the Pioneer or the Samsung DVD drives are good choices.

That would give you one extra SATA connection. I would bring that out the the back panel with a external PCI SATA socket. That will make it easy to add external SATA drives if wanted or needed in the future.

Samsung wide screen monitor would be nice. Once you start to use a WS monitor, you will really like it

For the CPU, the stock cooler should be fine in your setup. BTW, the three year CPU warranty is usually on the condition that you use the included cooler.

I got away from Antec PS's after a couple failed units. Maybe PC Power and Computing, Thermaltake or other popular brands.

I'm not a fan of a wireless KB or mouse, but to each his own.

No comment on speakers. My HTPC is hooked to a surround sound system, so I use that.

The above is JMO.

[TBoneit]

Wireless KB & Mouse? Make sure it supports encryption. You don't want your typing of passwords and such to be transmitted in the clear.

[Soopafresh]

You'll run out of disk space quickly with those drives. Buy bigger drives.

Your system will only show around 3GB RAM with 32bit Windows

Make sure the motherboard will fit in the case.

There's not a lot of real estate on a 19" monitor

[budz]

My suggestion is to buy a smaller sata hd like a 80gb just for your OS. Then buy (2) 320gb sata hds or (2) 500gb sata hds. Stick with the Gigabyte mobo as redwudz suggested. Buy a Samsung sata S203B & Pioneer sata 215 dvd burner's. Or you could buy the Pioneer pata 115D dvd burner and get the Samsung sata S203B. That way you can use the one ide connection on your mobo. If you run out of sata connections on your mobo buy a sata pci controller card that uses the SILICON IMAGE 3112/3114/3512 chipset for your dvd burners.

Just my 2 cents!

[Soopafresh]

Agreed. I'm really impressed with my Pioneer Sata DVD burner.

The Dell E228WFP 22" Wide Screen Monitor is $265

500GB Seagate Hard Drives from NewEgg are $99 each http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288

That Gigabyte Mobo has been discountinued, but this Gigabyte one is pretty equivalent

GIGABYTE GA-EP35C-DS3R LGA 775 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128082

Decent speakers: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121123

[Dash1]

Thanks a lot

Yes, I dont know if it will all fit inside the Antec...
I will increase the HDD size and thanks for the mouse coments and the Samsung 22" too !


I misunderstood re. the fan. Do I need another fan besides the CPU's I think the Antec
have another on the back ? Is That OK ?

And the Graphics card is not set ! Still not shure if to go for 8600GT or
3650 HD and with how much memory ???

[Soopafresh]

I misunderstood re. the fan. Do I need another fan besides the CPU's I think the Antec
have another on the back ? Is That OK ?

That should be OK. You can get a fan for the drive if you want. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999152

And the Graphics card is not set ! Still not shure if to go for 8600GT or
3650 HD and with how much memory ???

8600GT is good. Both are good, I just like Nvidia a little bit more.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150230

[Dash1]

256MB for the graphics is OK ? even for 22" screen ?

Just saw this 8800GS

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130332

Isnt it better for the same budget???

What re the MOBO with 1394 ?

[Soopafresh]

It is faster, but you have to make sure your power supply has a 6pin connector for it. See here:

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/14-130-332-07.jpg

If you're doing only 2D stuff, the difference won't be noticeable.

1394 Mobo

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128087

The above is a very good mobo, but you'll have to check again if it'll fit inside the case. It should work, according to Antec "Motherboards up to Standard ATX" http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15137