First time builder...

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Joined
18 Jun 2006
Posts
62
Hello :)

Current PC is an aging Gateway P3 500 - feel free, and guilt free, to giggle. OS is Windows 98 SE - there are no XP drivers for the Voodoo graphics card. I've not built a PC before but have given into, after a bit of head/heart battle, the wreckless side of me. Said I'd never do it but here I am. I'm not that much of a hardware guy - find it all a bit much. Too many "standards". I've installed disk drives and various expansion cards before now, so how much harder can it be :D

Budget is (top-end) £1600. Plan on building at the end of the month. I like my FPS games, though the last game I could play was RtCW - the aged graphics card doesn't cope with anything complicated like lighting :D I've spent a fair bit of time researching and have arrived at the following:

  • Lian-Li PC V2000 Silver Aluminium Full-Tower
  • Enermax Liberty 620W ELT620AWT ATX2.2 Modular SLI Compliant PSU
  • Asus M2N32-SLi-DLX nForce 590 SLi (Socket AM2) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard
  • AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4800+ 2.40GHz (Socket AM2)
  • Corsair 2GB DDR2 XMS2-6400C4 TwinX (2x1GB)
  • Asus GeForce 7900 GTX/2DHT 512MB GDDR3 TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express)
  • Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 300GB ST3300622AS SATA-II 16MB Cache

I plan to add another disk drive later, and a soundcard. I can move the CD-RW and floppy disk drive from my current PC - saves buying them. I went for a large case because I hoped it would make the build easier - more room. Also looks nice. Memory is on the approved vendors list (1GB is but the 2GB is just 2x1GB). Manual for the motherboard recommends more than 500W power supply for an SLi system. AM2 as oppose to 939 due to the potential for upgrade in the future. I don't think I've missed anything and am fairly confident everything is compatible, but would be interested to hear comments and suggestions.
 
jellybeard999 said:
yup, all compatalbe...

but tbh, wait a month or 2 for Intel's Conroe chip , its MUCH faster than anything now (including AM2) :)
Yeah - heard that. It's appearance should also reduce the price of AMD (and other) chips. I'm just a little worried about my current PC dying on me. End of July is pay day, so won't be doing anything until then. Bit of luck and Intel might release early :D
 
Thanks for the email Michael but I'm wanting to build myself - should be an interesting learning experience :)

The Conroe - it would work with the existing socket? No new socket planned, a la AMD and AM2, just a CPU with more power? If so, I could swap the AMD components for the following Intel-based components - maybe even a lower spec CPU - and upgrade later to the Conroe?

  • Asus P5WD2-E Premium Intel 975X (LGA775) PCI-Express Motherboard
  • Intel Pentium 4 930 Dual Core "LGA775 Presler" 3.0GHz (800FSB)
  • Asus ATI Radeon EAX-X1900 XT-X 512MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express)
 
May i suggest swapping:

Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 300GB ST3300622AS SATA-II 16MB Cache

for

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB ST3320620AS SATA-II 16MB Cache

It's only an extra £2 but gives an extra 20gb space and is newer technology (perpendicular recording technology) which apparently gives better performance.

There is a thread about the drive here: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17573815

I'm sure you'll agree it's worth the extra £2 :)
 
greencreeper said:
Thanks for the email Michael but I'm wanting to build myself - should be an interesting learning experience :)

[/list]

you'll definately learn loads from building your own pc, will you be getting help from anyone or have you got a decent guide?
 
yes...definitely build it yourself. You might pull your hair out first time...but its worth it. One thing to note is that if you are buying at the end of July...keep track on hardware prices because you might get a better performing system for cheaper in six weeks time!

I also recommend that you buy and X-Fi sound card and a decent pair of speakers...dont spend that type of money and still need things. What about the monitor you have just now?

Going from a gateway P3 system to this...man ** gona be pleased!
 
djcj said:
May i suggest swapping:

Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 300GB ST3300622AS SATA-II 16MB Cache

for

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB ST3320620AS SATA-II 16MB Cache
Will do - thanks :)


pmbuzz said:
...most of todays games come on DVD...
Now that's something I didn't realise - which just shows how long it is since I last bought a game :D Will add DVD to the list


MichaelHo said:
will you be getting help from anyone or have you got a decent guide?
I've read many of the guides on here, plus the manual for the motherboard. I've another forum that I'm a long-term member of - should be able to request help there if I need it. I'm pretty good at sussing out problems and solving them, so all in all, I think I'll be alright. Just a bit of a worry spending so much money.


toxic said:
I also recommend that you buy and X-Fi sound card and a decent pair of speakers...dont spend that type of money and still need things. What about the monitor you have just now?
I was looking at the Creative cards - I've always bought Creative. It's the front panel part - it's black, whereas the case is silver. Might be a work around. Something I'll have to look at.

Monitor - current one is an old LG CRT 16". Later on I'll be upgrading.


Any comments on the change in CPU from AMD to Intel - would the new Conroe work in an existing motherboard?
 
Just finished my own first build. Wasn't nervous until i had all the parts laid out. then i panicked a bit. But as long as you go patience to read manuals e.t.c you will be fine. No problems for me. It is quite nerve racking when your messing with nearly a grand of computer components.
 
Unfortunetly the new Conroe chips need a new motherboard :( and the cost of them is something else at the moment :eek: . Hopefully they will come down as the chip sales get bigger and more mobos are released for it.

Also on the case front I can say from being told by Yewen a million times to get the Plus version of the V2000 as its a lot better. Let me know how you get on as that is the case i am getting in July.
 
greencreeper said:
I was looking at the Creative cards - I've always bought Creative. It's the front panel part - it's black, whereas the case is silver. Might be a work around. Something I'll have to look at.

I couldn't tell by your wording but I'll post just incase - X-Fi cards are Creative just incase.

greencreeper said:
Any comments on the change in CPU from AMD to Intel - would the new Conroe work in an existing motherboard?

You can buy motherboards now which are Conroe compatible. They are quite expensive and there arent that many but I'd definately wait for Conroe. Thats one hell of a budget so Conroe is definately worth it IMO.
 
UKTopGun said:
I couldn't tell by your wording but I'll post just incase - X-Fi cards are Creative just incase.
Bad wording on my part - was missing a "yeah" from the start to acknowledge your comment. The "Music" version of the X-Fi has no front panel, so I've gone for that one. Does seem a bit of a weak point - not very stylish and no choice of colour. If I go Intel, I can afford the card now, whereas with AM2 I can't. Decisions, decisions :)


UKTopGun said:
You can buy motherboards now which are Conroe compatible. They are quite expensive and there arent that many but I'd definately wait for Conroe. Thats one hell of a budget so Conroe is definately worth it IMO.
Waiting :(


So, it's narrowed down to a choice of either AM2 (expensive), Intel (cheap) or waiting to see the prices of Conroe and post-Conroe AM2.
 
You will be satisfied with the X-Fi Extreme Music versions...it doesnt have a front panel...but I dont think its worth paying the additional 50-60£ anyway.
I recon for 1600 £s you could get all the parts you want and have enough to get a nice shiny new LCD monitor if you play your cards right!
 
PC-M Vip3r said:
Dude you got £1600 to spend im sure you can wait for the Conroe and be able to afford it.
If you could make Christmas come early, would you still wait :D Just itching to build it :D

I'm thinking go with Intel and just upgrade the motherboard/CPU when Conroe is released - I can make a second machine out of the existing motherboard/CPU. Intel is cheaper. I can always make a 3rd AM2-based machine later :D


toxic said:
I recon for 1600 £s you could get all the parts you want and have enough to get a nice shiny new LCD monitor if you play your cards right!
If I go with AM2, then total build is just under £1600, which is cutting it fine - without the DVD and sound card, it's a little cheaper. But if I go with Intel, the total build is just under £1300 - may have enough for a monitor.
 
I decided to go with Conroe/C2D. The hour is nearly upon us :D

Having read lots and lots of threads on here, and from direct advice, I've got it down to this:

  • Lian-Li PC V1000 PLUS Silver Aluminium Midi-Tower (No PSU)
  • Enermax Liberty 620W ELT620AWT ATX2.2 Modular SLI Compliant PSU
  • Intel Core 2 DUO E6600 "LGA775 Conroe" 2.40GHz (1066FSB) - Retail
  • Asus P5W DH Deluxe WiFi (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard
  • Corsair 2GB DDR2 XMS2-6400C4 TwinX (2x1GB)
  • Asus ATI Radeon EAX-X1900 XT-X 512MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail
  • Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB ST3320620AS SATA-II 16MB Cache - OEM
  • Pioneer DVR-111DSV 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter - (Silver) OEM
  • Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Music - Retail
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition inc. SP2 - OEM - 1Pk

I plan on using a Celeron (around £30) to let me flash the BIOS, rather than emailing for a BIOS chip from ASUS. Assuming a Celeron will work - I think it will...

Bit of a problem with the graphics card - seems to have vanished from OcUK, replaced by Connect. I've read one too many horror stories about fires and Connect, so I may have to go with the ASUS XT instead - not sure if the difference is that great...

My final questions are on cooling - some noob advice :) I've no immediate plans to overclock, but it has to be a quiet build. I guess the standard heatsink/fan will sound like a Flymo, no? I've had a few alternatives suggested and read reviews but some of the heatsinks, such as the Ninja, look a bit big for a first timer. I wouldn't want complications, such as having to hacksaw bits off the case, etc. to get it to fit. Maybe a Zalman Flower would be better? Also, the paste - do I use the stuff supplied or buy that Artic Silver (you all rave about)?

TIA!
 
The manual for the board says it supports it, so that shouldnt be a problem (using the celeron that is).
 
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