Home PC and School PC

[KennyT772]

Many of you know me, and also know I haven't been around a whole lot in the last 6 months. In that time I have fallen incredibly behind in the trends, and apparently have missed a whole generation of card launches. Anyway...

I need to build a new computer for my house (low end) and a new computer for myself at college (mainstream).

For the home computer I was thinking a low end dual, 1gb ram, low end dedicated gpu, all in the 200w area. As for AMD/Intel I have no idea where anything stands anymore, same for gpu's.

For my computer I will be reusing the only peice I didn't sell off months back, my Gigabyte 3DAroura case. Here I was thinking like a 3850 level card, middle of the road dual, and 2gb ram. Any pointers as to which motherboard and which gpu are more than welcome. Thanks in advance.

Hopefully I can regain some of my knowledge after a couple weeks of reading.

[theonetruewill]

If you want to go cheap - 9600GT would be the better deal rather than the 3850(3850 is less consistent and is not as powerful). In the end AMD or Intel thats your choice. IN literal performance Intel still has AMD by the balls, but if you're not planning on overclocking then an AMD dystem might be the way to go. If you want a low end speed machine though INtel is still king. E7200 is a very good chip. But seeing as you want low power might better going AMD and not overclocking (lineup that is applicable to you hasn't really changed much...). Yeah bash me as much as you want Intel fanboys but sometimes AMD is the better option for some.

EDIT: Personal Opinion - low end home system - cheap as chips AMD rig and don't overclock.
mainstream system - E7200 (for sheer overclocking prowess) maybe paired with a strong X48 chipset based board. If you want spend out on a Q6600, they're quite cheap.

GPU's: Budget - 9600GT, Mid-Range - HD 4850/4870, High-end - GTX 280

[KennyT772]

The low end comp is the one that needs to be rock solid. The higher end system will most likely be overclocked and modded to a degree. So I'm kind of getting the list going:

Home PC:
2.5ghz Brisbane http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103212
2gb PNY 533mhz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820178095
Seasonic 380w PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151032
Cooler Master Elite http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119149
Seagate 250gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148262
Samsung DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171
Mobo Gigabyte http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128333

My comp:
e7200 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115052
Crucial Tracer 800 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148076
OCZ 500w Psu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341012
Case 3DAurora
XFX 9600GT http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150304
Seagate 500gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288
Samsung DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171

[RandomSunchips]

The biostar p43 looks promising:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138122

[KennyT772]

Any other solid motherboards to be mentioned?

[KennyT772]

Does anyone know how the new x48 DFI holds up?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813136047

Mobo for home pc http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128333

[ktr]

As for your low end, look at boards with the Amd 780g or the Nvidia 8200. Those boards has really good integrated video cards. The 780g is faster, but the 8200 might be better when using as a htpc (8ch uncompressed audio over hdmi, while the 780g can old do 2ch).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138105

By many sites out there...the 780g is the current best igp. It can actually runs UT3!!! http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3258&p=8

[Error 404]

Any other solid motherboards to be mentioned?

P35 motherboards are quite good, they'd also be cheap because they're a bit old, but it means that they have well developed drivers and will be Vista compatible. They also overclock well and usually have a good feature set.

[JrRacinFan]

First off: Welcome back Kenny!

Second: Pretty much any P45 board will do you well. Take a peak at the P5Q Pro:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299

IMO, only difference between it and the DFI is 16x+16x vs 8x+8x crossfire, but then again thats PCIe 2.0 which does help bandwith-wise.

[quasar923]

go P45 for mobo such as the asus P5Q pro

[KennyT772]

First off: Welcome back Kenny!

Second: Pretty much any P45 board will do you well. Take a peak at the P5Q Pro:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299

IMO, only difference between it and the DFI is 16x+16x vs 8x+8x crossfire, but then again thats PCIe 2.0 which does help bandwith-wise.
Yeah it has been a little while..
This has been taking all my free time
http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/3245/p7080029wv2.th.jpg (http://img66.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p7080029wv2.jpg)

I will check out the boards mentioned tomorrow when I'm coherent..

[JrRacinFan]

Yeah it has been a little while..
This has been taking all my free time

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/3245/p7080029wv2.th.jpg

I will check out the boards mentioned tomorrow when I'm coherent..

@car
Looking really nice!

Yeah check back later, don't want you to make dumb/silly choices!

[thoughtdisorder]

The low end comp is the one that needs to be rock solid. The higher end system will most likely be overclocked and modded to a degree. So I'm kind of getting the list going:

Home PC:
2.5ghz Brisbane http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103212
2gb PNY 533mhz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820178095
Seasonic 380w PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151032
Cooler Master Elite http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119149
Seagate 250gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148262
Samsung DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171

My comp:
e7200 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115052
Crucial Tracer 800 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148076
OCZ 500w Psu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341012
Case 3DAurora
XFX 9600GT http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150304
Seagate 500gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288
Samsung DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171


Still need motherboard help!

Actually looks pretty good for both builds. As others above mentioned, any P45 board should suit you well. Good luck!:toast:

[KennyT772]

Going with the P5Q Pro

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299

Home PC:
2.5ghz Brisbane http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103212
2gb PNY 533mhz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820178095
Seasonic 380w PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151032
Cooler Master Elite http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119149
Seagate 250gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148262
Samsung DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171
Mobo Gigabyte http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128333

My comp:
e7200 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115052
Crucial Tracer 800 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148076
OCZ 500w Psu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341012
Mobo P5Q Pro http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299
Case 3DAurora - Already purchased
XFX 9600GT http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150304
Seagate 500gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288
Samsung DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171

[KennyT772]

Only choices left now is between a 4850 or a 9600gt...

XFX 9600gt at 650/1800
HIS 4850 at 625/1986

[sneekypeet]

Only choices left now is between a 4850 or a 9600gt...

With the ASUS you picked being crossfire, isnt the choice pretty clear?;)


Oh .....welcome back BTW!

[KennyT772]

Well due to performance for the money, I ordered the 9600gt. I ended up changing a couple times around too, but oh well. I'll have full overclocked specs shortly.

[theonetruewill]

Well due to performance for the money, I ordered the 9600gt. I ended up changing a couple times around too, but oh well. I'll have full overclocked specs shortly.

Good choice.

[thoughtdisorder]

Good choice.

+1. Nice choice Kenny! :toast:

[JrRacinFan]

IMO it didn't matter, either card is really nice. Enjoy!

[kwchang007]

Yeah it has been a little while..
This has been taking all my free time
http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/3245/p7080029wv2.th.jpg (http://img66.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p7080029wv2.jpg)

I will check out the boards mentioned tomorrow when I'm coherent..

Contour? Do you have the v6 or v4?

[KennyT772]

Contour? Do you have the v6 or v4?
Zetec I-4

I've gotten into autocrossing and she handles it quite well. I beat a 2000 Contour SVT 2.5L, and tied a highly modified Contour SVT 3.0L. It is great fun...

[kwchang007]

lol have you dont anything to it?

[KennyT772]

lol have you dont anything to it?

Stock everything, other then I strait piped the muffler and use 89octane. Hell I was even on all season 205/60/15 tires compared to 16 and 17 inch low profiles...

It's all in the driver :D

[kwchang007]

Stock everything, other then I strait piped the muffler and use 89octane. Hell I was even on all season 205/60/15 tires compared to 16 and 17 inch low profiles...

It's all in the driver :D

haha yeah it is, I guess you have the manual?

[KennyT772]

haha yeah it is, I guess you have the manual?
Wrong, I gots a slushbox.

[kwchang007]

Wrong, I gots a slushbox.

lol I dont like the auto in my moms mystique, it doesn't always shift up or down at the smartest times.

[KennyT772]

lol I dont like the auto in my moms mystique, it doesn't always shift up or down at the smartest times.
The CD4E tranny is a pile, but it works quite well.

I got it with 60k on the clock and brand new tires. $2K is what I paid.

http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/2350/p7080016rk7.th.jpg (http://img74.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p7080016rk7.jpg)
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1389/p7080027gu5.th.jpg (http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p7080027gu5.jpg)
http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/9827/p7080020bt2.th.jpg (http://img60.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p7080020bt2.jpg)

[kwchang007]

The CD4E tranny is a pile, but it works quite well.

I got it with 60k on the clock and brand new tires. $2K is what I paid.


Nicee man.

[KennyT772]

Everything came in but the power supplies....:(

Build is in progress.

[KennyT772]

Final Build specs

Home
Acer 17" http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009110
Cooler Master MATX Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119149
GIGABYTE GA-M61PME-S2 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128333
4800X2 Brisbane http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103212
PNY 2GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820178095
Seagate 7200.10 250gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148262
OCZ Stealthxstream 500w http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341012
LiteOn DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106263
Legit XP Home http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116511

My PC
Clunker old Dell 21" CRT
Gigabyte 3DAurora Case
Asus P5Q Pro http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299
E7200 Wolfdale 2.53GHz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115052
XFX 9600GT 512mb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150304
Crucial Ballistix Tracer 2GB 800mhz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148076
Seagate 500gb 7200.11 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288
OCZ Stealthxstream 500w http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341012
LiteOn DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106263

Once I get everything up and running I need to pick up a good large thumbdrive and a kb+mouse for the home computer. Everything else is good to go. I just finished putting everything in minus the PSU's so when they get here tomorrow everything should be running.

[JrRacinFan]

I have one of these when Google Checkout was running their $10 coupon special. Ended up getting it for free (thanks paybackdaman!).
http://www.buy.com/prod/dane-elec-2gb-zmate-pen-usb-2-0-flash-drive-2-gb-usb/q/loc/101/204304883.html

Works very very well!