OK, I'm building a new pc. I'm a bit of a noob, never built a pc before, but I'll make it work. I've done a few minor upgrades, so i'm not a complete stranger to being inside a PC.
Apologies for the long post, but I'll sleep a lot easier having these concerns quietened!
I'm using it for Photoshop and some gaming...never been much of a gamer, but then, I've never had a PC that could run much in the way of games:
OK...here goes:
CPU: AMD x2 3800
Ram Corsair Value 1gb bundle (2x512) (probably change if I get a DFI mobo)
Mobo: Asus A8n-SLi Premium (or possibly a DFI Lanparty NF4 mobo)
Optical Drive: BenQ DW 1640 (might go for 2 of them)
Video Card: Leadtek 256MB 6800GS PCIe
HDD: seagate 8m SATA 250gb
Case: Antec P180 (possibly a P150 though)
PSU: Undecided (got another thread running on this. I'm guessing just any modular 450w or higher with decent cable length will do)
Other: Disk drive, memory card reader drive (you know the ones that can read SD, CF, MS etc.....I'll prob get one of the ones with the combined disk drive and memory card readers....they usually have an extra 1 or 2 usb and firewire ports too which is always handy). Also, should I look to getting a fan controller (might help in quitening things down at night when I'm just leaving the PC on to download)
Monitor: Most likely either a 17" DVI LCD or a 19" LCD + a 19"CRT. Might get the CRT now and leave the LCD for a month or two...I can afford to wait for the dual monitor setup. Probably a BenQ on, not 100% certain yet
Keyboard/Mouse: Probably that Logitech one with the LCD screen in it...undecided on the mouse (unless it usually comes with one, I forget)....but that's a pretty personal choice, I can pick that.
Audio: Just running a cheap 2.1ch system at the moment, so onboard audio is more than sufficient. Might get a dedicated card in the future though
Now, for building, I'll also need some thermal paste and an anti-static wrist strap, some plastic cable ties to help with air flow in the case...anything else?
Upgrade path:
Video card - this one I will have to upgrade once DX10 starts going mainstream...that's partly why I'm not investing more in a higher end one
mobo/CPU - this should last a while, but obviously if the need arises these will go. Hopefully I'll be able to keep everything else up to date
RAM - I was planning on upgrading to 2 GB
HDD: Once space runs low I'll get another and run them in RAID.
Now, a priority with this system is that it's quiet - it'll be in my bedroom, and I hate listening to a fan or whatever whirring away. That's why I'm going for the P180 or P150. That's why I'm thinking the Asus Premium might be a good mobo to go for as well.
Now, as I said before, I'll be running a 17" or 19" LCD and a 19" CRT - using the PC for photoshop and some gaming, plus your normal internet, music etc uses
That video card will be well suited to my monitor setup, as far as I understand.
Also, I've never overclocked before, but I might start getting into it. On that note, I won't do it for a while at least, after I know my system is running smoothly. For overclocking I know DFI is better though...but if I'm not overclocking to the bleeding edge it shouldn't matter? Don't know about RAM and gpu, but I'll look into those too....Catch is, like I said, quietness is important, and I'm not planning on spending a lot of money on extra cooling. But from what I've heard, my CPU is a good overclocker....but yeah, this is relevant to the mobo, and also my next question:
Would I also need to get any extra cooling parts, fans, heatsinks, whatever? Or would I be better off setting up my system, getting the temps, then deciding how much cooling I need?
I'm heading to the computer markets tomorrow to buy the disk/card drive, and possibly the case. Maybe the video card while I'm at it...although MSY has leadtek, and they seem pretty good. Everything else I'll be getting from MSY.
Other thing is - I know Corsair isn't good with DFI if I end up going that path. But whether I go Asus or DFI, would there be any better ram for not too much more that you could recomment? Any answers or thoughts on the questions/concerns I posed would be greatly appreciated - and if you want to make solutions to further improve my system, go for it.
There, I think that's all my concerns, and sorry for the lengthy post!
Apologies for the long post, but I'll sleep a lot easier having these concerns quietened!
I'm using it for Photoshop and some gaming...never been much of a gamer, but then, I've never had a PC that could run much in the way of games:
OK...here goes:
CPU: AMD x2 3800
Ram Corsair Value 1gb bundle (2x512) (probably change if I get a DFI mobo)
Mobo: Asus A8n-SLi Premium (or possibly a DFI Lanparty NF4 mobo)
Optical Drive: BenQ DW 1640 (might go for 2 of them)
Video Card: Leadtek 256MB 6800GS PCIe
HDD: seagate 8m SATA 250gb
Case: Antec P180 (possibly a P150 though)
PSU: Undecided (got another thread running on this. I'm guessing just any modular 450w or higher with decent cable length will do)
Other: Disk drive, memory card reader drive (you know the ones that can read SD, CF, MS etc.....I'll prob get one of the ones with the combined disk drive and memory card readers....they usually have an extra 1 or 2 usb and firewire ports too which is always handy). Also, should I look to getting a fan controller (might help in quitening things down at night when I'm just leaving the PC on to download)
Monitor: Most likely either a 17" DVI LCD or a 19" LCD + a 19"CRT. Might get the CRT now and leave the LCD for a month or two...I can afford to wait for the dual monitor setup. Probably a BenQ on, not 100% certain yet
Keyboard/Mouse: Probably that Logitech one with the LCD screen in it...undecided on the mouse (unless it usually comes with one, I forget)....but that's a pretty personal choice, I can pick that.
Audio: Just running a cheap 2.1ch system at the moment, so onboard audio is more than sufficient. Might get a dedicated card in the future though
Now, for building, I'll also need some thermal paste and an anti-static wrist strap, some plastic cable ties to help with air flow in the case...anything else?
Upgrade path:
Video card - this one I will have to upgrade once DX10 starts going mainstream...that's partly why I'm not investing more in a higher end one
mobo/CPU - this should last a while, but obviously if the need arises these will go. Hopefully I'll be able to keep everything else up to date
RAM - I was planning on upgrading to 2 GB
HDD: Once space runs low I'll get another and run them in RAID.
Now, a priority with this system is that it's quiet - it'll be in my bedroom, and I hate listening to a fan or whatever whirring away. That's why I'm going for the P180 or P150. That's why I'm thinking the Asus Premium might be a good mobo to go for as well.
Now, as I said before, I'll be running a 17" or 19" LCD and a 19" CRT - using the PC for photoshop and some gaming, plus your normal internet, music etc uses
That video card will be well suited to my monitor setup, as far as I understand.
Also, I've never overclocked before, but I might start getting into it. On that note, I won't do it for a while at least, after I know my system is running smoothly. For overclocking I know DFI is better though...but if I'm not overclocking to the bleeding edge it shouldn't matter? Don't know about RAM and gpu, but I'll look into those too....Catch is, like I said, quietness is important, and I'm not planning on spending a lot of money on extra cooling. But from what I've heard, my CPU is a good overclocker....but yeah, this is relevant to the mobo, and also my next question:
Would I also need to get any extra cooling parts, fans, heatsinks, whatever? Or would I be better off setting up my system, getting the temps, then deciding how much cooling I need?
I'm heading to the computer markets tomorrow to buy the disk/card drive, and possibly the case. Maybe the video card while I'm at it...although MSY has leadtek, and they seem pretty good. Everything else I'll be getting from MSY.
Other thing is - I know Corsair isn't good with DFI if I end up going that path. But whether I go Asus or DFI, would there be any better ram for not too much more that you could recomment? Any answers or thoughts on the questions/concerns I posed would be greatly appreciated - and if you want to make solutions to further improve my system, go for it.
There, I think that's all my concerns, and sorry for the lengthy post!