First PC Build: Any advice?

[Sonar9]

I just bought a 22" LCD Monitor and I want the brightest, clearest, jaw dropping picture as possible (under $500). My problem is that I only have two computers, both are dated Pentium3 systems with 1x/2x agp ports. One has a Voodoo3 3K card and the other has some crappy nvidia card in it. I'm assuming I'll have to upgrade my video card.... which means upgrading the motherboard, ram, and cpu. (ie a new system)

I already have an ATX Case with 300W PSU with Five 12' sunon fans, Seagate 320gb SATA drive, keyboard and mouse. Here's my shopping list:

GIGABYTE GA-965P-S3 LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Model #: GA-965P-S3
Item #: N82E16813128017

BFG Tech BFGR76256GTOCE GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
Model #: BFGR76256GTOCE
Item #: N82E16814143049

G.SKILL 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) System Memory Model F2-6400PHU1-1GBNR

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6400 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819115004

$111.12 Motherboard (Orig 114.95-10 104.99+6.13shipping)
$145.63 Video Card(139.99+5.64) Before -$30 Rebate $115.63
$54.98 1GB RAM ($49.99+4.99 shipping)
$187.00 CPU
$498.72 Total. ($468.72 After rebate)

Will a 300watt PSU be enough for this rig? Do I need a heatsink with thermal paste on my CPU?

 

[pkme2]

Welcome to AT.

Do the research and you'll can answer most of your own questions soon.

 

[tigersty1e]

Originally posted by: Sonar9
I just bought a 22" LCD Monitor and I want the brightest, clearest, jaw dropping picture as possible (under $500). My problem is that I only have two computers, both are dated Pentium3 systems with 1x/2x agp ports. One has a Voodoo3 3K card and the other has some crappy nvidia card in it. I'm assuming I'll have to upgrade my video card.... which means upgrading the motherboard, ram, and cpu. (ie a new system)

I already have an ATX Case with 300W PSU with Five 12' sunon fans, Seagate 320gb SATA drive, keyboard and mouse. Here's my shopping list:

GIGABYTE GA-965P-S3 LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Model #: GA-965P-S3
Item #: N82E16813128017

BFG Tech BFGR76256GTOCE GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
Model #: BFGR76256GTOCE
Item #: N82E16814143049

G.SKILL 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) System Memory Model F2-6400PHU1-1GBNR

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6400 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819115004

$111.12 Motherboard (Orig 114.95-10 104.99+6.13shipping)
$145.63 Video Card(139.99+5.64) Before -$30 Rebate $115.63
$54.98 1GB RAM ($49.99+4.99 shipping)
$187.00 CPU
$498.72 Total. ($468.72 After rebate)

Will a 300watt PSU be enough for this rig? Do I need a heatsink with thermal paste on my CPU?

The PSU will not be enough for the card.

http://www2.bfgtech.com/bfgr76256gtoce.aspx

If you click detailed specs on your card, you will see that BFG recommends 350W with 20A or more on the 12V.


If you don't overclock, you won't need an extra heatsink with paste. The CPU comes with a heatsink that already has paste on it.

And if you don't overclock, there's no need to get a good motherboard.

And you could get 2 gigs of ram for about 75 shipped at newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145015

 

[Puffnstuff]

The search function is your friend.

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: pkme2
Welcome to AT.

Do the research and you'll can answer most of your own questions soon.

Originally posted by: Puffnstuff
The search function is your friend.

This is the 218539868940th yet another rig thread and you decide to crap on this one?



OP: You seem to already have picked out some decent components. However, don't just settle with a low quality, low wattage or no brand name PSU. The PSU is just as important as the motherboard; if it's not giving you what you need you can have the best graphics card in the world and it won't even turn on.

- Get yourself a Seasonic, OCZ, Corsair or Enermax Liberty PSU, at around 400/440 watts.
- Get an E6420 CPU - the cost is barely different and it's double the L2 CPU cache.
- You will need a heatsink and fan, yes, but the retail version of CPUs comes with one. If you're not overclocking you can stick with it.
- Try and get 2GB of RAM - you can get some really good 2x1GB deals right now on newegg; you're aiming for DDR2-800 in the deals, otherwise DDR2-533

 

[PurdueRy]

Shipping doesn't typically add like you are doing. Let newegg give you the shipping on your TOTAL order before applying it to each item and summing them. Right now you are overshooting.

 

[mcurphy]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Shipping doesn't typically add like you are doing. Let newegg give you the shipping on your TOTAL order before applying it to each item and summing them. Right now you are overshooting.

I thought newegg did "per item" shipping. The total won't change no matter how many items he chooses. Each item has a set shipping cost.

 

[Boyo]

get 2GB of RAM.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: mcurphy

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Shipping doesn't typically add like you are doing. Let newegg give you the shipping on your TOTAL order before applying it to each item and summing them. Right now you are overshooting.

I thought newegg did "per item" shipping. The total won't change no matter how many items he chooses. Each item has a set shipping cost.

Nope, for instance, go to newegg and search for "IDE". Add the first two items to your list. Both should be $4.99 shipping. When you go to your cart you will see that it is $6.94 or so for shipping not $10 ish.

It just depends what the item is, if it can ship together in the same box and where it ships from.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Yes bulk saves on shipping. Do yourself a favor and buy a decent hsf so you can mount it while the mb is outside the case. Get one with a mounting backplate that is secured to the board so you don't have to worry about it later or coming loose.