I NEED OPINIONS on building my new rig (topic right now: which cd-rom drive?)

[TheMinion]

I am gonna build my first new system from scratch sometime in the near future. I am going to get the following:

CPU: AMD T-BIRD 1GHZ (200MHZ)
MOBO: UNSURE
SPEAKERS: FPS2000
MEMORY: 256MB of PC133
CD-ROM: Kenwood 72x
Tower - Midtower: UNSURE
SOUND CARD: SoundBlaster Live! MP3+
VIDEO CARD: UNSURE
HARD DRIVE: IBM 7200RPM 15GIG
MONITOR: UNSURE (want a 17&quot
OS: Windows 2k PRO

Now To My Questions.......

1. The Mobo - What Mobo get the best performance for the buck? (less than $135)

2. Memory - How much RAM should i have?
I am going to be doing mainly Paintshop, websurfing - alot,
and at time play games like Brood Wars, Quake 2, and WarCraft 3(when it comes out)
also will be running Win2k.

3. The CD-Rom - Does it really matter if i have a Kenwood 72x rather than 52x?
Would there be a large perfomance difference?

4. The Tower - Got any opinions on which is best for the buck?
Do Cases come with a floppy Drive?
I want a Midtower. (Less than $100 plz)

5. Video Card ? Any opinions? (Less than $125)
I will be doing some Graphics work, playing graphic games i.e. role
playing games and esp. WCIII.

6. Monitor ? I want a 17?. Any recommendations? Less than $300 for sure and would
like it to be around $200-$250.
performance

 

[Biggs]

You can start right <a href=&quot;http://www4.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1400&quot;>here</a>.

 

[Shu8]

mobo: msi k7t pro2a or wait for the kt133a mobo's to come out

memory: go for 256mb. anything after that will not show. unless you use win2k and do everything w/ photoshop

cd-rom: why don't you get a dvdrom. get the pioneer 16x for 100 bucks. unless a toshiba 12x for 80 or so.

tower: antec sx830...nothing can be beter

video card: ati 64mb radeon vivo. that's if you will be using a lot of 2d and playing games cause it's still a great
card. the 3d support for that card will not compare to the geforce 2. i would recommend getting the elsa gladiac 32mb for 130-140 at buy.com using a coupon.

monitor: for 17&quot; i would recommend the viewsonic ef70 [$250]. it's flat and it's a veeeerrry nice monitor. if not...you can probably save a few bucks on the samsung 755df. if you want a 19&quot; monitor, i would suggest the samsung syncmaster 950p. i have that monitor and it's great. some people will tell you to go for the samsung syncmaster 955df for around the same price [250-300] but i find that the display on the 950p is better [my brother has it].

 

[Howard]

Biggs, you can't do links like that. Just use the http button up top.

System Building Guide, I Assume?

1. If you are going to build one now, use a MSI K7T Pro2A. If you are going to build one in the next month or so, use a MSI K7T Turbo (the one with the KT133A chipset and RAID).

2. 256MB seems to be the sweet spot for Win2K. However, with memory prices so low, I would say that if you can afford more, get another 128MB for a grand total of 384MB (all PC133, because if you get the K7T Turbo, it'll need PC133 memory).

3. Do not use a Kenwood CD-ROM drive!!! This is because of the extremely high defective rate. I would risk a guess as to say that your CD-ROM drive will break down in the following 6 months if you get it. Use a normal 48X drive. 52X drives are loud as hell.

4. No, cases don't come with floppy drives. In order to have a good upgrade path, I would say
to get an Enlight 7237 without a power supply. Then order a 300W Enermax power supply from Compucheap. Extremely high quality service, run by Russ from this board.

5. If that's all you play (i.e. you don't play 3D games, like FPSes), then a good graphics card would be the Matrox G400MAX 32MB.

6. Samsung 700NF. This is an aperture grille monitor. If you don't mind the two unnoticeable lines running across the screen, then this is the perfect monitor for you. Great colours, refresh rate, quality, etc. I have one.

 

[Howard]

Suggested list?

AMD Thunderbird 1GHz (Retail) - $220
MSI K7T Pro2A - $120
256MB PC133 SDRAM - $100
Mitsumi 48X - $60
Enlight 7237 w/ Enermax 330W PS (from Compucheap) - $90
Philips AcousticEdge 5.1 - $80
Matrox G400 32MB - $120
IBM 75GXP 20GB - $120
Samsung 700NF - $290
Altec Lansing ACS56 - $100
Windows 2000 Professional - hmm

You're forgetting the network card/modem, but I'm sure you can handle that.

Total - $1300 (and then the software, but you can handle that also )

 

[Howard]

<< mobo: msi k7t pro2a or wait for the kt133a mobo's to come out

memory: go for 256mb. anything after that will not show. unless you use win2k and do everything w/ photoshop

cd-rom: why don't you get a dvdrom. get the pioneer 16x for 100 bucks. unless a toshiba 12x for 80 or so.

tower: antec sx830...nothing can be beter

video card: ati 64mb radeon vivo. that's if you will be using a lot of 2d and playing games cause it's still a great
card. the 3d support for that card will not compare to the geforce 2. i would recommend getting the elsa gladiac 32mb for 130-140 at buy.com using a coupon.

monitor: for 17&quot; i would recommend the viewsonic ef70 [$250]. it's flat and it's a veeeerrry nice monitor. if not...you can probably save a few bucks on the samsung 755df. if you want a 19&quot; monitor, i would suggest the samsung syncmaster 950p. i have that monitor and it's great. some people will tell you to go for the samsung syncmaster 955df for around the same price [250-300] but i find that the display on the 950p is better [my brother has it].
>>



Shu8:

He has already stated he is using Windows 2000 Professional and graphics programs. Games too.

He does not mention DVDs.

He wants a midtower. A midtower under $100.

He probably will not use the features of that video card. That's too expensive for him anyway, for what he's doing. And 3D support? It supports everything that the GF2 does!

The EF70, while a good flat monitor, just doesn't cut it. 1024x768@ only 85Hz? He'll get eye pain at any higher res.







TheMinion, if you do want to play First Person Shooters or other 3D games, don't order the G400 at all. Get a Geforce2 GTS like Shu8 suggested.

 

[TheMinion]

i am still here, keep them coming!!! hehe

 

[nortexoid]

don't buy a kt133 board - might as well pick up a kt133A board...the Abit KT7A, Epox EP-8KTA3(+ = RAID), and DFI AK74-AC boards are readily available, the former two beign the better ones...
(Soltek is garbage)

I've heard rumors the Asus board being avaiable too - anyway, these as well as MSI's should be available in the near future if not already...

256MB PC133 is perfect for your use.
Inno3D (PowerColor) Kyro 64MB for video
Philip's AE or SQ2500 for sound

Samsung 700NF (or IFT for flat shadowmask, slightly less priced) monitor

u wouldn't pay much more for the same hdd in a 30gb size...i'd recommend it.

the kenwood TrueX 72X is less quirky than the 52X first generation ones...a lot less problems reading cds, cdr's, etc...pricey tho - i'd recommend a plextor if u want fast/reliable cd reading or Dig. audio extraction.

any mid-tower w/ 300 watt psu is fine, unless u want somethign aesthetically pleasing, in which case, i love the Antec SX1030B (although it's a full tower - and black)

of course, my opinion is the best possible solution to your needs...because i'm true nerdery.

 

[TheMinion]

ok right now i am for the most part getting the NVIDIA GeForce2 GTS 32MB. I think it is a good/great buy at $111 compared the the matrox g400 which is a tad cheaper.

time to update my list on my Microsoft Excel.

 

[AtomClock]

FOr a Motherboard I would wait for the MSI K7T Turbo.. It has the VIA KT133A chipset so it should still fall within your budget but you will have the option of moving to a 133MHZ (266MHz) front side bus.

 

[TheMinion]

i think i will wait for the MSI k7t turbo. anyone know when it will come out and how much it will cost?

any recommendations on a cd-rom drive? (48x)

 

[Grendel99]

Geforce GTS 32mb for $111? Where did you find that? I'm looking to get a new video card and all I see them for is around $200. I have the Kenwood 72X, it's great. Reads CD-R's fine, is fast as hell, and is really quiet.

 

[TheMinion]

It's the weekly price guide on Anandtech

 

[TheMinion]

48x cd-rom drive... recommendations plz!! give brand name!

 

[Zach]

Get a full tower! I'm sick of running out of room with mid's. Antec makes some nice ones.

Link
Better Link

And get a 19&quot;!
Maybe bad link for AV-195TF (seesion ID?)

 

[TheMinion]

full tower? don't need the space. 19&quot; would be nice but out of my price range.