I have $1000 to spend

[Stosh]

I need a Case, MB, Processor, Memory, HDD, and a Video Card.

This is a gaming machine, and I play UT exclusively. So V5 is an interim option. I would like a processor able to o/c to 1 ghz, and a 7200 rpm ATA 100 disk drive, minumum 20 gig.

Could I please get some recommendations?

 

[miniMUNCH]

I guess my first is Intel or AMD...do you have a preference?

I put my system listed below together for $1500 including the monitor about six weeks ago. The system cost me about $1200 without the monitor and since then several of the component prices have dropped considerably (CPU, memmory, graphics card). Also, neither the SB Live Platinum 5.1 or the AIW Radeon are really neccessary...a 32BM Radeon and the SB Gamer or Phillips Acoustic Edge will do just as well with a savings of at least a hundred bucks.

I play UT quite a bit as well and it looks superb on my Radeon. A couple of my friends who owned GF2 ultras ditched their cards for Radeon 64's after seeing the image quality on my Radeon.

Edit: Oops...didn't realize you were only looking for a few components...heh heh.

Case: ANTEC SX830 - $81 shipped from Oniva.com - great case, good ventilation, easy access

Processor: AMD 1GHz w/ Chrome Orb - no more $225 combined from many places - with Orb you should be able to hit 1.2 on an O/C...other sink/fans may cool better but they're too loud IMO. You could save money by going with a Duron 650 and O/C to 950-1050...depending on your luck.

MB: Some like the KT7 Pro2A but I'm sticking with my KT7-Raid...take your pick.

Memmory: Go with 256MB of Muskin PC133 Rev 1.5 or 2.0, or maybe some Corsair. Mushkin Rev1.5 is running 133 cas2 (will do up to maybe 140-143 cas2) in my case rig right now...haven't had a single crash...not one. I say never skimp on memmory, 256MBon rev1.5 runs about $175 shipped but wait for mushkin specials: they do them all the time.

HD: IBM 75XP 45GB for about $150-170 - fastest IDE drive widely available on market

Graphics: Radeon 64MB DDR VIVO $240 at buy.com - you could get nVIDIA but why? Image quality is not as good...TV out is no good...and DVD playback doesn't hold a candle to the Radeon. The only thing nVIDIA has is a little more speed, but no GF2 you can get for $240 will out-pace Radeon by much...and "speed don't mean a thing if the image don't have that zing!" I know...that was corny.

 

[office boy]

With the mEtAl/OpenGL hack, UT looks better then ever before on a Geforce...

 

[grifterspawn]

My recommendation is to post this in the for sale/trade forum, and ask what ppl can build you for that much money shipped, you might be surprised.

 

[miniMUNCH]

Ya, my friends did that hack (or so they told me)...Radeon still looks better [running in D3D even].

 

[Stosh]

I'm probably going to stick with AMD, just more bang for the buck. I'll just have to start pricing Thunderbirds. I already have a 4x4x32 cd-rw, PCI NIC, SBLive Value, 19" CTX monitor, and FPS2000 Speaker system.

Since DSL and Cable are not available, I'm stuck with my USR ISA Sportster. That could be a problem. It may be tough (If not impossible) to get MB with ISA slots. An external modem will probably solve that problem for now.

I built my last system, I WILL build this one.

 

[office boy]

The abit KT7 has an ISA slot.

 

[Stosh]

Thanks everybody for your input(Especially you MiniMunch). The KT7 sounds good a MB, That IBM HDD sounds good too. The main concern deciding on the processor, memory, and video..

 

[Turin39789]

i would go with a geforce, since you are gaming and radeons just cant quite touch the geforce there. In fact i have a 64mb geforce2 for sale, in keeping with my geforce vs radeon theme, i can let it go for the above radeon price at buy.com. shipped