Advice Needed - New Computer Help

[btash]

First time poster here. I've browsed the forums for the last few days and finally decided to join up. Seems like there are a lot of very knowledgeable people here. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

I am looking to get a new PC. I have 2 main needs for this PC. First, general use, internet, Office, etc. Second, editing video taken with a HD camcorder (Canon HG10).

I'm looking to do this on a budget as much as I can.

Based on what I've read, I see a few options.

1) Build a PC (only if I can get a friend of mine to help)

2) Buy from a Dell, HP, etc with everything I already need

3) Buy from a Dell, HP, etc with the basics and upgrade through Newegg or a like site.

I definitely think I need at least a Dual Core if not a Quad. I also need 2 Gig of Ram. I think I should have 2 HD's one for the video and one for everything else. And I think I need a video card with at least 256mb to help with the processing.

What are the basics I should look for if I want to keep it under $1000. I already have a monitor and other basics. I really just need the PC itself.

Thanks in advance for your help.
-Ben

 

[angry hampster]

I'd build from scratch.


Proc: Q6600 $190
Motherboard: Gigabyte P35 DS3R: $120
Video card: Nvidia 8800GS $100
Case: Antec Sonata (check buy.com for deals with Antec 500w PSU) ~ $100
Hard drives: a pair of 640GB WD drives ($200)
Memory: 4GB G-skill DDR2 800 $80

That puts you at $790...buy Vista Premium 64 bit for $150 or so and you're set.

 

[chinaman1472]

Cut back to the DS3L if you don't need extra features. I think a cheaper video card might even be capable of what you need, maybe an ATi 3650 for $60.

Other than that, the rest of angry hampster's build is pretty solid. You might want to get the Samsung Spinpoint F1 750GB for a bit more space; the speed compared to the WD 640GB is pretty comparable.

 

[Roguestar]

Don't forget a PCI firewire card if you need it for your camcorder.

 

[Paperdoc]

Originally posted by: Roguestar
Don't forget a PCI firewire card if you need it for your camcorder.

But first check whether the Firewire (aka IEEE 1394 or Sony calls it i.Link) port is already included in the motherboard you buy. Some cases also include such a connector on the front for convenience, which has to connect to a mobo connector with a cable supplied with the case. On mine, I just have a standard IEEE 1394 cable that I leave plugged into the connector on the rear of the case, with the camera end lying on the desktop handy for plugging into the camera whenever I want.

By the way, Firewire comes in two varieties. Most are Firewire 400 (aka IEEE 1394a), but there is a twice-as-fast version called Firewire 800 (aka IEEE 1394b). Check which your camerea has, and buy computer parts accordingly.

 

[btash]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I spoke to a friend of mine who has volunteered to help me build a custom pc.

I will take all of the info above and work on getting the best deal I can.

One last question. Would you recommend buying from Newegg or go to a Computer Show where I imagine prices are slightly lower?

 

[DSF]

I remember back in the day when my brother and I used to go to computer shows with my dad and get some really good prices. I don't know that they're really all that much better these days though.

 

[JDMnAR1]

My one hesitation with computer show parts is warranty service should you need it. At least with NewEgg, you know how to get in contact with them if there is a problem with any of the parts you purchase from them.