Need Some Advice On New Computer Setup...

[anonymouschris]

Okay, so here it goes. Below are the components I plan on buying, but with your advice I may decide to change my mind on some of the components.

Case - Undecided
Powersupply - Enermax 330Watt Whisper
Motherboard - Epox 8K7A
CPU - Tbird 1.2ghz 266mhz fsb
Heatsink/Fan - Gladiator
Memory - Crucial 2 x 256/2100 ddr
Video Card - Matrox G450 (16mb or 32mb) or Matrox G400 (16mb or 32mb) need your advice
Sound Card - Undecided
CDRom Drive - Plextor Ultraplex 40
CDRW - Plextor 12/4/32 SCSI
SCSI Card - Adpatec 2930C (got it cheap)

I am a jobless college student so I am on a budget, but want something that will last me a while. Do not want to upgrade for some time. I am not a big gamer, and use 2d more so than 3d graphics, that is why I chose the matrox cards. Do you guys have any advice on WHEN is the best time to make this purchase? I read that AMD will have price cuts on the 16th. Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks!

 

[Stealth1024]

Case - I highly reccomend the Antec SX830 (300 watt) or SX840 (400 watt). The cases are the same with exception of the power supply. Nice features include screwless entry and extra space for cooling. Plus, the case looks stylish too.

Motherboard - I am partial to Asus when it comes to motherboards but your choice looks fine.

CPU - Great balance of price vs. performance (overclockable too)

Video Card - Are you looking to run dual monitor? If not and you want a similarly priced, but higher performing card, look into the ATI Radeon 64MB DDR.

Sound Card - SB Live! Gamer 5.1

You might do yourself a favor and just go IDE RAID (IBM 60GXP hard drives) for the hard drives on this one, and go IDE for the CDRW, etc. as well. You could always use the SCSI card for a scanner. You would save some money...

Don't forget a quality monitor, keyboard, mouse, network card, etc.

MWAVE was running a great special on the Hitachi CM772 monitor for around $380 I haven't checked lately though...

 

[anonymouschris]

thanks for the input stealth. will definitely take into consideration.

 

[Einz]

i agree mostly with stealth. if you're on a budget, definitely go with a AMD setup. also can consider a sblive value instead of the xgamer.

 

[TripperJoe]

I 2nd the radeon. The matrox is definetly a sound 2D card, but it is a POS when it comes to 3D. Also, make sure you would benefit from RAID (more than just bragging) before you jump on the bandwagon. Consider a different sound card than the SB live. Sometimes you can run into serious problems with the Via southbridge on the epox. Hercules, Santa cruz products are good cards.

 

[TunaBoo]

Get a glaciator, it is a much better and quieter HSF. It keeps ya pleny cool without the noise.

 

[LuNoTiCK]

Stealth you have some nice suggestions, but the sound card choice you made is probably one of the worst there are. Consider the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz, it's a great card even though I dont have it, I have the acoustic edge but my friend has it and it sounds nice, plus the drivers are better. If you really want you can wait for the nforce but thats quite a bit away. Than you wont have to worry about things like the sound card, nic, modem. You should get a different video card than the one they are throwing in because of you like 2d quality.

 

[snidy]

Antec SX830 or SX840 would be my choice also, and the santa cruz for sound, I agree with staying away from sound blaster.

 

[anonymouschris]

what is the nforce? thanks so much for the help so far!

 

[Stealth1024]

Sound Blaster works great for me under Windows 98/ME but I admit it has a few "issues" under Win2000Pro

 

[Scouzer]

<< Sound Blaster works great for me under Windows 98/ME but I admit it has a few &quot;issues&quot; under Win2000Pro >>



I just wouldn't risk it and get a Hercules GTXP or Santa Cruz sound cards...better safe then sorry.

 

[anonymouschris]

how much would of a performance difference would a processor with 200mhz fsb make as compared to one with 266mhz fsb?

 

[Syn]

I'll chime in and also suggest the TB Santa Cruz over the SB Live line of cards.I do not regret replacing my SB Live with the TB Santa Cruz one bit.

 

[Hanpan]

if you can i would grab a plexor 12/10/32s burner instead as it has burnproof.

 

[GremlinHater]

My 2 cents.

Motherboard, my IWill KK266-R has very good onboard sound to me which is weird since it being onboard, if you want to save money, maybe that, though it is SDRAM.

Sound Card: If your getting one, SB is probably not the best choice to go with. I love my GTXP, and I'm sure the Santa Cruz is better then the SB so I've heard, it kicks it's trash.

Case: Antec baby! No other way, my SX1040 kicks booty like no other!

CD-RW: My Lite-On 16101B IDE does a pretty good job so far.

CD-ROM: UGH! CD-ROM? What's a CD-ROM?

Video Card: DEFINITELY A RADEON, that's is the best choice for you and I think most peole would agree, any geforce lower then 3 is reportedly sucky at 2d and matrox's are reported abolutely abyxmall in 3d that if you use any 3d at all, you'll notice

memory: in any case, crucial is good

 

[anonymouschris]

up for more opinions

 

[Quickfingerz]

I thought you already had a G400... did you sell that one too?

I wish I could build a &quot;budget&quot; system with SCSI.

 

[billyjak]

I would also go with a bigger power supply as it dosen't hurt.
The gladiator is an awesome HS for it's price, I just installed mine last week and dropped my cooling 13C on a 1 gig oc/1.430 at 1.8v and am getting 40-42C and 48C at full load

 

[Wah]

santa cruz and the herc gtxp are much better than the sblive.

edit: don't forget you can get the SVC golden gate from svc for much much less... The golden gate is the same hsf as the gladiator.

 

[Wah]

double post