Build me a new PC

[GRIM_REAPER]

hi ppl im looking at building me self a new PC for about 550-600 (withought monitor) so ideas on setups please thanks alot.
PS AMD or Intel whicher eva you choose or both.

GRIM

[Penfold]

First let me say I'm not particularly totally au fait with computers and I'm not one of these bright sparks that frequent this forum.

I am in a similar situation to you - I want to upgrade my base unit but keep my existing monitor.

I went to Dell today and they came up with this:

Intel 875P chipset with support for Intel® Pentium ® 4 processors with 800MHz system bus Equipped with Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system
Dual Channel 400MHz DDR Memory
Midnight grey mini-tower with 8 USB 2.0 ports, 4 PCI slots and AGP 8x slot
Integrated 10/100 Pro Ethernet
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
2.80GHz Intel Pentium 4 Processor with HT technology and 800 front side bus
512MB Dual Channel DDR 400 (2x256MB)
80GB (7200rpm) IDE Hard Drive
56k intrgrated modem
3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive
128MB nVidia GeForce FX5200 with DVI, Dual Monitor Support and TV-
16x DVD Drive with PowerDVD Software and 48x CD-Rewriter Drives
Audigy 2 driver sound driver

The package is £535

I'm not sure how good this is but I've asked a few people who is it is more than fine for pretty much everything.

Perhaps others here can tell you and me whether this is the sort of machine that would be suitable?

Thanks in advance

Cheers

PEN

[Anonymous]

I would lose the graphics card (the 5200 was a bit of a dog). The rest will be the basis for a nice system

[BigFatCat]

Plus dell and most other makes lock down their BIOS so you can't do what you can on a DIY job.

Luckily, I'm not afraid to self build so I can choose whatever I like inside a machine. I agree about the 5200 too.

I find AMD good value for money, you can get good performance from a cheapish mobo and CPU.
Always worth spending a decent amount on a cpu cooler if DIY. Rounded cables are nice to work with too.

Swings and roundabouts I'm afraid.

[Penfold]

If not the 5200

would

128MB ATI Radeon 9800 Pro Graphics Card with DVI Dual Monitor Support and TV - Out via S-Video

be significently better? (@extra £120)

TIA

PEN

[TeaLeaf]

Originally posted by GRIM_REAPER@Jan 5 2004, 08:24 PM
hi ppl im looking at building me self a new PC for about 550-600 (withought monitor) so ideas on setups please thanks alot.
PS AMD or Intel whicher eva you choose or both.

GRIM

First of all, wait for a couple of weeks - there is a CPU price drop anticipated this month when the 3400s come out  But if you buy today then nip over to Overclockers.co.uk and you can buy everything bar the CPU there.  The CPU you'll find at cpucity.co.uk:

Athlon XP2600+ Thoroughbred (AIUHB stepping)    Â£64.21
OCZ Twin 2 x 256MB PC3500 Dual Channel EL RAM (DDR438)   Â£125.14
Abit NF7-S Rev 2.0   Â£75.08
Zalman Flower CNPS6000-Cu CPU Cooler   Â£26.91
Hercules 3D Prophet 9800SE All-in-Wonder 128MB   Â£160.39
Enermax EG465AX-VE(G)(FMA) 460W ATX PSU   Â£66.86
Western Digital Caviar 120GB SE 8MB Cache SATA   Â£75.20

Total £600.55.

I figure you can find a case and some CD/DVD/Floppy drives yourself

The AIUHB stepping is a red-hot T-bred and on the NF7-S motherboard should give you a cool 2.2GHz overclock. It is difficult to find good Barton steppings right now, so the T-bred will have ot do you  Some T-bred 2600s do slightly better on the overclock, some do slightly worse, but anything over 2GHz for a £64 cpu is superb.  Remember that this level of overclock will give you about XP3200 performance.  The OCZ is great memory that you can run dual channel and will top 220MHz FSB if you want to push the system that far.  The combination of the Mobo, cpu and ram should pretty much guarantee a 200MHz FSB and therefore stroming performance.  To chance your arm go for the Hercules 9800SE that Oldie got and try the softmod.  If it fails then you have a card that runs at about 9600XT speeds, if it works you have a 9800Pro for half the normal price.  The Enermax is a quality PSU and will ensure you get a nice steady power supply to keep your overclocked PC stable - it runs a nice strong +5v rail which is a must for o/c machines.  The HDD is imo one of the best discs around at the price right now.

Enjoy the build and keep us posted as to what you finally decide

TL.

[albert]

Yes, by a country mile it would. The 5200 is about £100 and the retail price of the Radeon Pro is about £240 so you'd have a bargain there. The 9800 is about twice the performance spec of the 5200.

On thing to check first is who the manufacturer of the Radeon is, ATI make the chips but not the baord. Look to be buying Sapphire or Hercules, if you find out from Dell who makes their Radeon, let us know, for a quick opinion.

[albert]

Originally posted by GRIM_REAPER@Jan 5 2004, 08:24 PM
hi ppl im looking at building me self a new PC for about 550-600 (withought monitor) so ideas on setups please thanks alot.
PS AMD or Intel whicher eva you choose or both.

GRIM

If I were you and I was going to build on I'd aim for:

Athlon XP2600+ AUIHB from //www.cpucity.co.uk
An nForce dual channel motherboard probably the Abit NF7 rev 2 board
Some Corsair (or really any) Ram from //www.overclockers.co.uk, Twinax for dual channel boards. They have a good choice on that page.
HDDs are also very cheap, about 50p per GB e.g. £80 for 160GB HDD.
As good a gfx card as you can afford

I am a big fan of the Shuttle systems because they come very nearly complete and all you have to do is add your HDD, gfx, CPU and RAM.

I recommended a pc yesterday, check that spec out but ignore the keyboard, mouse, monitor and speakers, saving you £400 + from my spec. Approx £600. I'm not fully sure about the CD-RW yet, first MSI production I've ordered. Liteon is a superb alternative.

If you are going to buy a pre made pc then check out Pendragons, and change the gfx card if you can afford it. Or check the evesham web site but they can be pricey.

[Penfold]

Many thanks Albert et al.

I'll speak to Dell and report back!

Cheers

PEN

[Penfold]

Albert.

Dell get the card and chip complete from Radeon so they don't know who manufacture it.

ummm still ok you think?

Cheers

PEN

[albert]

The card should bee good but I am a little doubtfull that they get it from ATI direct, unless Dell actually manufacture the card themselves which would explain their response. ATI sell their chipsets to card makers who put em on boards and sell em.

I'm sure it's fine, Dell have good support and warranty so if it isn't any good you can bollock them.

[Blunt]

Agree about the 5200...

Don't skimp on a case and fans....
I'm sorted now, but this was my old set-up

[JB]

How nice, a picture of you and Toxx as a windows screensaver.    

[Penfold]

Originally posted by Blunt@Jan 7 2004, 08:03 PM
Agree about the 5200...

Don't skimp on a case and fans....
I'm sorted now, but this was my old set-up

lol Blunt

I'm not sure which worries me more - the case (or lack thereof) or the desktop picture.

Either way you need some serious couch sessions bud  

PEN

[Blunt]

<_<

I'll have you know that the piccy is considered a work of art by some people... :unsure:

It's by Diane Arbus....who really did need some couch work! :blink:
I also have it as a spray