First time building a system for gaming **Updated**

[imported_Michele]

Hi there,

I am compiling parts for a new gaming system. My budget is between $1600 - $2000 and after reading all the recent posts on new builds, here is my first draft of parts. This will also be my first attempt at building a computer from the ground up and all the prices are from Newegg where I plan to order all my parts. Also I read in the sticky to mention which country I will be ordering from/live and it is the US.


**Updated List**

Vista Home Premium $219.00

GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - $ 130

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4 - $280.00

Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) X 2 - $180.00

Antec earthwatts EA500 ATX12V v2.0 500W Power Supply - $80.00

Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case w/ 25CM Fan - $170.00

SAMSUNG SpinPoint T Series HD501LJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $110.00

NEW 8800 GT *not available* - $250

ASUS 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model DRW-2014L1T - $37.00

ASUS Black SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model DVD-E616A3T - $21.00

Tuniq Tower 120 P4 & K8 CPU Cooler - $45.00

Artic Silver Quad Q6600 Thermal Compound - $6.00

Total $1528.00

Total w/ rebates = $1,388.00

Again, this is my first build with most of my ideas copied from posts I have read from various sites. However, I have a few questions:

Video Card - I am reading there is a new model/line of video cards being released tomorrow, Monday, Oct 29 ( the 8800 GT ). Is this something I need to consider in my current video card purchase of EVGA 320-P2-N817-AR GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP?

I have read posts saying the SLI compatible video cards aren't worth the money, is this something I should consider? I read the article comparing different video card lines and this one was recommended for best price/performance.

Is there a better model than the motherboard I selected for gaming?

Overall, are there other parts I should consider for my system? I want a decently future-proof system I won't need to upgrade for a few years.

Any and all opinions/advice is appreciated. Thanks so much for your time.


Michele~

 

[MarcVenice]

Let's start at the beginning. You plan on buying a motherboard with a dated chipset. You should be looking for something with a p35 chipset, like a asus p5k, gigabyte ds3r, or abit ip35. Those mobo's are more stable then the 680i, and come for 100-130$. If you want wifi/firewire, you'll need to spend around 150-160$. The ram is fine, but vista 32x will only see about 3.5gb or a little less, won't go into details, 500mb ram isn't a big loss though, but you could also just use vista 64x instead. The PSU, you don't need 700w, and there are better psu's to be had for the same or even less money. My suggestion would be the corsair 520hx, sleeved cables, and modular. Newegg rips people of when it comes to PSU's, so consider ordering one from clubit.com, 520hx or similar PSU's can be had for 80$. You could save some more money btw, and buy a antec earthwatts 500w or a corsair 450vx, for roughly 60$. Case, I kinda like it, if you want a flashy case that is. For quietness I got myself a p182 instead though. The HD looks like a VERY expensive deal, 500gb hd's can be had for around 100$, like a samsung 500gb spinpoint t166. Now, as for the cpu cooler, you should consider a tuniq tower 120 for example, it will perform better then the thermaltake, and will cost less.

Your question about the 8800gt coming out is a good one, yes you should wait till it hits the shelfs. It will cost less then the 8800gts 320mb costs now, and will outperform it in most games. I think you should be aiming around 1200-1400$, and not 1700$. The money you save can be put towards a cpu/gpu upgrade in 12-18 months.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813127031 70$ MOBO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817371007 60$ PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820146565 50$ RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819115017 280$ CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811129017 115$ CASE
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822152052 110$ HD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16827135156 37$ DVD-WRITER
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16827135143 21$ DVD-READER
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16832116202 112$ HOME PREMIUM OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835154001 45$ HSF
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835100007 6$ AS5
8800gt for roughly 225-250$

This all adds up to 1156$ if a 8800gt costs 250$. If you don't want the OEM version of Windows, you have to pay a 100$ extra, so it adds up to 1250$. This would be a very fast, stable, reliable system, easy to upgrade later on. Saves you 450$ from your initial build. I allready counted the rebates btw.

 

[imported_Michele]

Wow, thanks so much for your input, you really are a life saver.

I pretty much changed my build except for the case. I have a long history of heating issues especially during the summer. I had to leave the side panel open on my last case so this time around, I want to err on the side of too much ventilation rather than not enough.

I am a bit confused with the Vista however. What specifically is the difference between the Home Premium OEM version for 112 vs. the "Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium DVD" for $220.00?

Thanks again for helping a beginner. It really is appreciated

Michele~

 

[MarcVenice]

The p182 cools pretty good, but yeah cases are really a matter of taste. Another suggestion could be the antec 900 btw, with a huge 140mm fan iirc. Costs a fair bit less but is really an overclocker/gamers favorite. As for the difference between the OEM and the 'Retail' version, I'll pm you about it. Easier to explain that way... Oh and if you have trouble with heat during the summer, go with the tuniq tower

 

[dmb60614]

oem software is tied to the computer. there are some system upgrade restictions with vista oem. if you change the mother board and/or other key parts it will stop working. i am pretty sure you can just call microsoft and get a new password. kind of a hassle. also, with the retail you can uninstall it from a computer and install it on a different computer. so basically the OEM will save you a decent chunk of change but might require you to call microsoft if you change parts frequently.

 

[imported_Michele]

Thanks everyone for all your input, it is very much appreciated. I will probably be posting here in a week's time when I have problems putting the parts together.

I think I will stick with the retail version of Vista in case I need to rebuild or upgrade my computer several times in the future. I think the freedom to build/reinstall without worry will be a good investment.

Thanks to everyone for your help and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Michele~

 

[onlyCOpunk]

I just have something to add. It might seem that Newegg is the best place to buy parts from as they phenomenal, but there are cheaper places to get things. Since you have the time, I would shop around, you never know when you will find a deal on a CPU or video card, or anything for that matter. You can try mwave.com tigerdirect.com zipzoomfly.com, and pricewatch.com is a good starting point as well.

 

[imported_Michele]

I will definitely check out the sites you mentioned. Saving money is always a good thing.

Thanks so much,

Michele~

 

[MarcVenice]

Oh yeah, don't forget clubit.com. They often have FAR better deals on PSU's then newegg.com. Fry's isn't a bad place to check out either ...