Assembling first computer, need help

Solokiller · 06-28-2008, 05:28 AM

I've looked into building my own Gaming pc, and i've picked the hardware i think will be suitable for me, but i need some opinions on it, as i don't know what i can trust.
My budget is €800, i'll be doing many things at once, such as game map compiles, program code compiles, as well as heavy gaming, i basically want to be able to play crysis on all high with minimal hiccups.
I don't plan on overclocking, and my preffered storage capacity would be 400 GB, enough for what i want to do.
I don't need legacy support, i make use of USB devices. As for OS, i'd prefer Vista, as i excpect it to become the primary form of OS in the future. I need a case that can hold everything, without being too large, but i want optimal performance as well.
I don't need any additional accessoires, and will be using a completely new PC. I already have a monitor, and LCD widescreen, which i just got, so it'll be used for this new pc.
I prefer buying from tigerdirect.com. My location is Belgium, aarschot.

List of components i have selected:
Motherboard: Asus M2N-SLI http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...477&CatId=2322
CPU: AMD Athlon X2 6400 3.2GHz http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...?EdpNo=3509778
RAM: OCZ SLI-ready Dual channel PC6400 800MHz 2048 MB http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...&sku=O261-7054
Videocard: Nvidia Geforce 8800 GTS 640MB http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...404&CatId=2514
CD/DVD reader/burner: Sony DRU190A http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...&sku=S167-4514
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200,10 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...sku=TSD-400AS4
Soundcard: Creative labs sound blaster X-Fi Xtreme audio http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...1&sku=C44-3347
Networkcard (i didn't know if this was necessary): D-link DGE-530T http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...6143&CatId=200

I want to know if this is a good choice, and what case & power supply, and additional components i might need. Any help is appreciated.

jumbo1990ny · 06-28-2008, 06:01 AM

power supply ...try 550- 650w corsair or thermaltake toughpower
videocard- try going with a 8800 gt or gtx...
case it depends what you like...try out the Antec 900?
coolingfan/heatsink??-articcooling 7...thermaltake maxorb

**bruiser** · 06-28-2008, 07:47 AM

If you want the best in gaming, go with Intel. They're ahead of AMD at this time.

patriothntr · 06-28-2008, 08:38 AM

You don't need the NIC card...you'll have onboard for now...if you feel like getting one later, then go for it.

I really like the Antec P180 series cases, they're nice, but not flashy...if you want flashy, look at the Antec 900.

Take a hard look at the Intel e8400 processor...also look at the ATI 4850 and Nvidia 9800gtx (should be about the same price)

Solokiller · 06-28-2008, 10:21 AM

Hmm, so with all the comments i've had i've been able to piece together a better setup:
Motherboard: EVGA nForce 680i SLI http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...261&CatId=1533
CPU: Intel Core 2 duo e8400 (seems to be the favorite for the moment) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...211&CatId=2398
Videocard: Palit geforce 9800 GTX http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...593&CatId=3670
The rest is the same. I'm not completely sure if everything will work with it, but i can always change things again.

patriothntr · 06-28-2008, 12:36 PM

looks like it will work just fine

Solokiller · 06-30-2008, 04:03 AM

Another setup i got together with the help of several other persons:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad
Patriot Extreme dual channel
Videocard: ATI Radeon HD4870
CD/DVD reader/burner: Samsung SH-S203D
HDD: Western digital Caviar SE16
Soundcard: Diamond Xtreme sound
Case: Cooler master Elite 330
Power supply: PC power & cooling Quad PCI-Express SATA-Ready

The motherboard is the only thing that i haven't found yet, but this list appears to have some good ones.

Killer Squirrel · 06-30-2008, 04:34 AM

Asus are a very good motherboard manufacturer and very reliable also a Samsung Spinpoint 500gb is an ideal hard drive for the OS at €63 excluding delivery on tiger direct.

Solokiller · 06-30-2008, 05:22 AM

Does this look like a good mobo?

patriothntr · 06-30-2008, 06:06 AM

That's a very nice board

Solokiller · 06-30-2008, 11:05 AM

I've taken another Mobo, which is said to be more stable and easy to overclock (though i don't plan to do so). It's this one.
I'll be taking the Intel core 2 duo E8400 @ 3.0 GHz, which should give me power and more compatibility with older games and programs.

Solokiller · 06-30-2008, 11:56 AM

The website that i got all the parts from, tigerdirect, only ships to other countries if you go through a difficult and costly method, and i would rather use a website which ships internationally much easier. If anybody knows any websites which ship to belgium at a low cost, could you tell me?

Killer Squirrel · 07-01-2008, 10:38 AM

I would consider buying a CPU fan separately then im not to sure, as i have never used Intel CPUs and not sure if they give off a lot of heat or not.

06-28-2008, 05:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
Solokiller Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belgium, Aarschot Posts: 6 OS: Xp SP2	Assembling first computer, need help I've looked into building my own Gaming pc, and i've picked the hardware i think will be suitable for me, but i need some opinions on it, as i don't know what i can trust. My budget is €800, i'll be doing many things at once, such as game map compiles, program code compiles, as well as heavy gaming, i basically want to be able to play crysis on all high with minimal hiccups. I don't plan on overclocking, and my preffered storage capacity would be 400 GB, enough for what i want to do. I don't need legacy support, i make use of USB devices. As for OS, i'd prefer Vista, as i excpect it to become the primary form of OS in the future. I need a case that can hold everything, without being too large, but i want optimal performance as well. I don't need any additional accessoires, and will be using a completely new PC. I already have a monitor, and LCD widescreen, which i just got, so it'll be used for this new pc. I prefer buying from tigerdirect.com. My location is Belgium, aarschot. List of components i have selected: Motherboard: Asus M2N-SLI http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...477&CatId=2322 CPU: AMD Athlon X2 6400 3.2GHz http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...?EdpNo=3509778 RAM: OCZ SLI-ready Dual channel PC6400 800MHz 2048 MB http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...&sku=O261-7054 Videocard: Nvidia Geforce 8800 GTS 640MB http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...404&CatId=2514 CD/DVD reader/burner: Sony DRU190A http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...&sku=S167-4514 HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200,10 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...sku=TSD-400AS4 Soundcard: Creative labs sound blaster X-Fi Xtreme audio http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...1&sku=C44-3347 Networkcard (i didn't know if this was necessary): D-link DGE-530T http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...6143&CatId=200 I want to know if this is a good choice, and what case & power supply, and additional components i might need. Any help is appreciated.

06-28-2008, 06:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
jumbo1990ny Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 59 OS: Vista	Re: Assembling first computer, need help power supply ...try 550- 650w corsair or thermaltake toughpower videocard- try going with a 8800 gt or gtx... case it depends what you like...try out the Antec 900? coolingfan/heatsink??-articcooling 7...thermaltake maxorb

06-28-2008, 07:47 AM	#3 (permalink)
bruiser TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,648 OS: xp	Re: Assembling first computer, need help If you want the best in gaming, go with Intel. They're ahead of AMD at this time.

06-28-2008, 08:38 AM	#4 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Assembling first computer, need help You don't need the NIC card...you'll have onboard for now...if you feel like getting one later, then go for it. I really like the Antec P180 series cases, they're nice, but not flashy...if you want flashy, look at the Antec 900. Take a hard look at the Intel e8400 processor...also look at the ATI 4850 and Nvidia 9800gtx (should be about the same price)

06-28-2008, 10:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
Solokiller Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belgium, Aarschot Posts: 6 OS: Xp SP2	Re: Assembling first computer, need help Hmm, so with all the comments i've had i've been able to piece together a better setup: Motherboard: EVGA nForce 680i SLI http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...261&CatId=1533 CPU: Intel Core 2 duo e8400 (seems to be the favorite for the moment) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...211&CatId=2398 Videocard: Palit geforce 9800 GTX http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...593&CatId=3670 The rest is the same. I'm not completely sure if everything will work with it, but i can always change things again.

06-28-2008, 12:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Assembling first computer, need help looks like it will work just fine

06-30-2008, 04:03 AM	#7 (permalink)
Solokiller Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belgium, Aarschot Posts: 6 OS: Xp SP2	Re: Assembling first computer, need help Another setup i got together with the help of several other persons: CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Patriot Extreme dual channel Videocard: ATI Radeon HD4870 CD/DVD reader/burner: Samsung SH-S203D HDD: Western digital Caviar SE16 Soundcard: Diamond Xtreme sound Case: Cooler master Elite 330 Power supply: PC power & cooling Quad PCI-Express SATA-Ready The motherboard is the only thing that i haven't found yet, but this list appears to have some good ones.

06-30-2008, 04:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
Killer Squirrel Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: South East England Posts: 69 OS: Windows Vista 32bit Home Premium	Re: Assembling first computer, need help Asus are a very good motherboard manufacturer and very reliable also a Samsung Spinpoint 500gb is an ideal hard drive for the OS at €63 excluding delivery on tiger direct. Last edited by Killer Squirrel : 06-30-2008 at 04:37 AM.

06-30-2008, 05:22 AM	#9 (permalink)
Solokiller Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belgium, Aarschot Posts: 6 OS: Xp SP2	Re: Assembling first computer, need help Does this look like a good mobo?

06-30-2008, 06:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Assembling first computer, need help That's a very nice board

06-30-2008, 11:05 AM	#11 (permalink)
Solokiller Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belgium, Aarschot Posts: 6 OS: Xp SP2	Re: Assembling first computer, need help I've taken another Mobo, which is said to be more stable and easy to overclock (though i don't plan to do so). It's this one. I'll be taking the Intel core 2 duo E8400 @ 3.0 GHz, which should give me power and more compatibility with older games and programs.

06-30-2008, 11:56 AM	#12 (permalink)
Solokiller Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belgium, Aarschot Posts: 6 OS: Xp SP2	Re: Assembling first computer, need help The website that i got all the parts from, tigerdirect, only ships to other countries if you go through a difficult and costly method, and i would rather use a website which ships internationally much easier. If anybody knows any websites which ship to belgium at a low cost, could you tell me?

07-01-2008, 10:38 AM	#13 (permalink)
Killer Squirrel Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: South East England Posts: 69 OS: Windows Vista 32bit Home Premium	Re: Assembling first computer, need help I would consider buying a CPU fan separately then im not to sure, as i have never used Intel CPUs and not sure if they give off a lot of heat or not.