First time build, seeking feedback

[zeroinfish]

I'm using a Dell that is several years old. I'm screwing up the courage to build my own PC, but I would really appreciate some feedback on my choices so that I can make this experience as painless as possible. I've tried to read a lot of reviews (and forum posts) about my choices, but due to inexperience, I am totally unsure if all these parts are compatible, if there components I am forgetting, if one part of the system will slow down the others, etc.

I am trying to keep my budget around $750, but I would go up (or down!) a bit to get the best value for my dollar. I am upgrading primarily for games since my old Dell works well for everything else, but I don't demand a lot from my hardware when gaming, so I am looking for a good deal rather than for the latest and greatest hardware.

My parts list is below. I've bought the case (with PSU), RAM and graphics card already. Please review the list and let me know if this build is good, and how I could improve it. Thanks in advance for the help and advice!

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Antec Sonata III Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail (already have)
http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16811129024

CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail (already have)
http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16820145590

VisionTek - ATI RADEON HD3850 Graphics Card (already have)
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ol...53242019#productdetail


abit IP35V LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard Retail ($71 AMR)
http://www.clubit.com/product_...l.cfm?itemno=CA4841009

Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 Allendale 2.2GHz 2M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail ($125)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819115031

Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM ($75)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822136098

SAMSUNG Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache PATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM ($26)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16827151151

Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2B 1 Pack - OEM ($90)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16832116056

 

[cozumel]

Nice build. I reckon with the CPU though you should either have the E2180 or Q6600 as they are the two CPUs that offer the best bang right now.

And change the samsung drive to the SATA SH-S203B model. Exactly the same Samsung except it is SATA which performs better, is more efficient, pulls less power from the PSU and creates less heat.

Dont forget to buy some MX-2 thermal paste.

 

[MarcVenice]

Yeah, and sata cables are much smaller/easier to use then those HUGE IDE/PATA cables.

And, if your not overclocking, you can do 2 things, get a somewhat cheap CPU now, a 2ghz e4400 or e2160 http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819116036 and then replace it with a higher clocked dualcore Penryn, or even a Qaudcore in march or whenever you need it. That allendale should offer enough CPU power for most games. And I'd get this HD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822152052 it's the most bang for buck afaik, meaning each GB costs the least amount of money. And it's VERY quiet, runs cool and is still pretty fast. So yeah, CPU is up for debate. Rest looks good, and is compatible. To bad you got the 256mb card btw, nowadays 512mb is really recommended.

 

[zeroinfish]

Thanks for the reply Cozumel.

The E2180 seems like a nice value and inside my budget.

Intel Pentium E2180 Allendale 2.0GHz 1MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail ($85)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819116052


Also, here is the SATA version of the DVD drive which I will get at your recommendation. Thanks!

SAMSUNG Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM ($34)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...827151153&Tpk=SH-S203B


Thermal paste? Forgive me for being a newb, but I only have a vague idea what this is (some substance that dissipates heat, I guess off the processor?). Is this necessary if I don't plan to overclock? Just putting together parts I think is adventure enough for me just now, I was hoping I could avoid overclocking and not have to worry about heat, but I appreciate any advice if that is incorrect.

Thanks for the tips. I am paranoid I will buy all this and then find out, "Oh, you can't use LGA 775 mother boards with Allendale processors!" or something silly like that. ;-)


Edit: thanks for your input also MarcVenice. I agonized over the video card, but eventually went with this option because I found it cheap ($161 shipped) and I play on a small monitor so my resolution is not that high. Since I currently use a 64MB GeForce MX, hopefully anything will seem great to me!

 

[MarcVenice]

Thermal paste comes with the stock HSF that comes with the CPU, if it's a retail version like you plan on ordering. Other thermal paste can make a difference in cooling your CPU, especially since the stock thermal paste isn't all that good. If you're not overclocking it's not vital though. There's two things though, if you for example buy a 20$ arctic freezer 7 pro, your PC will run quieter, because it comes with really good thermal paste preaplied you won't have to fiddle with that, and since it dissapates heat easier, the much quieter fan won't have to rev up nearly as much. Silence is a real big issue for me, hence I suggested the samsung spinpoint 500gb as well. And you might want the better HSF/Thermal grease if you want to overclock your CPU. Because you've got all the right stuff to make it run at 3.0ghz if you would want to do that. Which you might in a year, or 2 years, for some extra speed

 

[zeroinfish]

Thanks for the advice about thermal paste and cooling. Is that a decision I need to make when I build the PC, or could I decide to buy and use it later on if I decide I need it? It's possible I would consider overclocking at some point in the future.

I'll probably buy the rest of these parts later today, so if anyone has any last minute advice on my parts list, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[cozumel]

Definitely technology is moving forward really quickly it might be good to consider what upgrades you may want in a years time or the year after that. This another reason why your components are good as you do have scope to upgrade should the need arise (which inevitably will)

 

[MarcVenice]

Well zero, the stock HSF will suffice for now, and you could simply buy a new cooler once you've gathered enough courage to OC your cpu So yes to your question.

 

[zeroinfish]

Just an update: I built this PC and everything worked out really well. It was easy and fun, and I'm posting from it now as I get the finishing touches of my set up complete. The biggest snag was that my motherboard only came with one SATA cable, and I needed two for the two OEM drives. This forum encouraged me to do this project, so thanks.

I haven't gotten any games running yet, or any kind of high performance hardware to really know how the system performs under a heavy load. I did run 3DMark, but I don't really know how to interpret the results. I got a 7947 overall. As I recall I got between 25-35 FPS on the "graphics tests", but only .55 and .88 FPS on the "CPU test", which seemed like a miserable failure. I don't know if this is a good way to measure performance, but does anyone have any tips on how to interpret this data?

Also I don't have any temperature monitoring software installed. I have not overclocked at all. Do I need to get some software to keep tabs on my CPU and GPU temperatures before I start running any games, and if so, what is a popular, clean utility to use?

Thanks for the help.

 

[pturula]

I would get a different case, STEEL is probably the worse material you can get... i had a steel case once it gets SO HOT its not even funny, find urself an aluminum case you wont regret it.

Im using a Thermaltake Kandalf the super tower. and it keep things cool like a breeze. I realize this one is pricier then the one u posted but there are many others withing ur price range that are full or at least part aluminum.

The Kandalf really is a server case and it is huge, but if u got the space all that room inside is a good thing !

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: pturula
I would get a different case, STEEL is probably the worse material you can get... i had a steel case once it gets SO HOT its not even funny, find urself an aluminum case you wont regret it.

Im using a Thermaltake Kandalf the super tower. and it keep things cool like a breeze. I realize this one is pricier then the one u posted but there are many others withing ur price range that are full or at least part aluminum.

The Kandalf really is a server case and it is huge, but if u got the space all that room inside is a good thing !

Dude, try reading the thread next time, OP already built the PC and whats more, left feedback about it right above your post!

As for steel vs. aluminum that's another story, I like steel because $20AR steel case (Coolermaster Elite 330) feels stronger than my $100 Aluminum case (Tsunami Dream).

 

[Hop]

Nice build, very close to what I built, but I went with the IP35 Pro, Crucial Ballistix Tracers, and the Antec 900 which I'm VERY happy with. That 200mm fan on the top is very quiet and everything is running real cool inside. Three 120mm fans too, 2 in front and one in back.

I went with the e4500 Allendale also, and very happy with it, but definitely listen to those that recommend other processors. Price and 11x multiplier for overclocking decided the e4500 for me.

Watch your voltage and settings on the RAM. I incorrectly expected the Abit to set that up automatically for me and had issues when it didn't. My ram was 2.2v out of the box, but yours may not be. I had to manually set that up in the BIOS.

I didn't see you link your HSF, and I picked the Zalman 9500. I was told the 9700 was a better performer and quieter, but the 9500 has been MORE than adequate for me so far.

I didn't see a link to your PSU either. I used a 500w Enermax with modular cables and dual 12v rails. All my voltages are well within tolerances, and the big internal fan is quiet but moves a nice amount of air.

Good luck! And let us know how it turns out.

EDIT!!! Oops, I just noticed you built it already also, and I'm glad it's doing what you want. Was curious to your HSF and PSU you used though. =) And I used Arctic Silver 5.

 

[zeroinfish]

The power supply was the 500W Antec Earthwatts. It came preinstalled in the case, which is why I bought the case -- the total price for the case and PSU after rebate was a good value when I bought it. The PSU has seemed quite nice so far.

I'm not using any third party cooling solution. I may later if I decide to mess with overclocking, but for now the case is cool and even the hot air exhausted from the rear fan is barely warm. I don't think more cooling is necessary for now.

Also in reference to my question about 3DMark, I did some research and discovered that very low FPS scores are to be expected on the CPU tests, so perhaps my results were nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[Hop]

Originally posted by: zeroinfish
The power supply was the 500W Antec Earthwatts. It came preinstalled in the case, which is why I bought the case -- the total price for the case and PSU after rebate was a good value when I bought it. The PSU has seemed quite nice so far.

I'm not using any third party cooling solution. I may later if I decide to mess with overclocking, but for now the case is cool and even the hot air exhausted from the rear fan is barely warm. I don't think more cooling is necessary for now.

Also in reference to my question about 3DMark, I did some research and discovered that very low FPS scores are to be expected on the CPU tests, so perhaps my results were nothing out of the ordinary.

I got several recommendations for the Antec Earthwatts from people that post a lot. I've never used that PSU but from what I hear, it's a great PSU. Sounds like you got a great deal. The Enermax I used was from my P4 machine. I had to get a new one to replace one that died. If another dies, I'll be looking at the Earthwatts for sure.

As far as 3DMark. I'll be running that tonight, and I'll let you know how my benches turn out. I went with a 8600GT for my video card so I'm curious as to how it performs compared to yours.

Did you go with the E4500 Allendale? Or did you go after one of the others that was recommended? Like the E2180 Allendale?

Hop

 

[zeroinfish]

I ended up with the E2180 Allendale. http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819116052
It seems pretty nice so far, though after the lowish CPU scores from 3DMark, I am still reserving judgment on it. It was quite cheap though. With that change my whole rig clocked in at under $700 after shipping, tax and rebates, so not bad.

I'll be interested to see how your 3DMark turns out also. It seems likely that you'll do better on the CPU tests, possibly worse on the graphics tests, but we'll have to see how that effects the overall score. Thanks for the comments.

 

[Hop]

Originally posted by: zeroinfish
I ended up with the E2180 Allendale. http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819116052
It seems pretty nice so far, though after the lowish CPU scores from 3DMark, I am still reserving judgment on it. It was quite cheap though. With that change my whole rig clocked in at under $700 after shipping, tax and rebates, so not bad.

I'll be interested to see how your 3DMark turns out also. It seems likely that you'll do better on the CPU tests, possibly worse on the graphics tests, but we'll have to see how that effects the overall score. Thanks for the comments.

Hey, what version of 3DMark did you run for your bench? Have you tried PC Wizard 2008? It's free. Just curious as to what your score on that was. I'll have to run it again on mine as I forgot the results. It was 4412 I think, complete bench.