Need system critique!

[Kilgore65]

Looking to build a budget system to replace an aged P4 box... trying to keep this under $500 or thereabouts.

Here's what I've picked out. Please let me know what you'd change and why.

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147023

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371034

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131603

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103694

Mem: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145260

Vid: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150390

Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136236

Many thanks for input!

 

[SOSTrooper]

The only thing I would change out is the WD 1TB Green. I would go for a WD 1TB Black or 750GB Black if you want a lower price point. Green series is really for storage and not as a boot drive. It's not that you can't use it as a boot drive, but many will tell you to opt for the WD Black, Seagate 7200.12, or Samsung F3 instead.

 

[Kilgore65]

Change made, thanks!

 

[fffblackmage]

^what SOSTrooper said and...

If you're going with a really low-end video card, get an AMD 785G chipset based mobo instead of 770. Not only is a 785G mobo about the same price, but you'll save money not having to buy a graphics card.

What are you going to be doing with this computer anyways?

 

[Kilgore65]

I'll make that change as well. I have to upgrade in order to be able to run Quickbooks Pro 2010, which requires a 2.0 Gig processor (2.4 Gig recommended). Other than that, mostly just Internet surfing and some photo editing, although I may want to play some games such as Silent Hunter V and Storm of War: Battle of Britain (if it ever comes out).

If I went with this board, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131398, would I not need to buy a vid card? Even to run the aforementioned games?

 

[mfenn]

If you're going with a really low-end video card, get an AMD 785G chipset based mobo instead of 770. Not only is a 785G mobo about the same price, but you'll save money not having to buy a graphics card.

This. The 4350 is faster than the 785G's onboard, but that's like saying that a tortoise is faster than a sloth. While true, it's pretty much a pointless distinction.

Dump the video card and get something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130247. It's a MicroATX instead of ATX, but it doesn't look like you have any great need for the extra PCI slots.

When you do get ready to game, you can just drop a ~$100 video card in and be good to go.


EDIT: Looking the board you picked in your edit would be fine. I'm not sure if it's worth the extra money to go full ATX at this point.

As to whether or not the 785G will play SH5, that all depends on your preferences for image quality and minimum framerates. The MSI I linked is cheaper than the board you originally had picked out, so it's not like you're losing anything. My recommendation would be to try the integrated graphics, and if you don't find them acceptable for gaming, then buy a dedicated GPU. A micro ATX 785G really a win/win scenario for you (cheaper and better IGP).

EDIT2: As far as a discrete GPU recommendation goes, a 5670 would be the least that I would buy.

 

[pitz]

I'll make that change as well. I have to upgrade in order to be able to run Quickbooks Pro 2010, which requires a 2.0 Gig processor (2.4 Gig recommended).

Lol, they actually say that in the specs?? I think its more a matter of Intuit doesn't want to support utter moron small business owners who want to keep their 10-year-old Win98 machines running, when their product probably relies upon DLL's or even .NET or similar. Lol. Not a matter of a legitimate technical requirement that a CPU be 2.0GHz. I run a very similar package to QuickBooks 2010 for my business, inside of a VMware virtualization session on a lesser machine...

If I went with this board, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131398, would I not need to buy a vid card? Even to run the aforementioned games?

Depends on the resolutions you'd want to run. Most new LCDs are 1920x1080 or 1920x1200, the 23"/24" versions, and the onboard stuff is good, but not great.

 

[klocwerk]

Devils advocate... why build?
There are lots of deals out there for cheap desktops with reasonable specs, AND you get a warranty on the whole thing instead of individual parts.
http://www.fatwallet.com/coupons-cash-back/Dell-Small-Business/
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/desktop/
etc. etc.

Just throwin' that out there.

 

[Kilgore65]

Thanks pitz, what speed processor are you running QB 2010 on?

 

[pitz]

Thanks pitz, what speed processor are you running QB 2010 on?

As I said, an AthlonXP 2500+, inside of a VirtualBox VM session, on Linux.

If your Windows XP is all patched up, QB 2010 will likely run just fine on it, no need to upgrade. Although, most P4's are getting pretty long in the tooth, and computer hardware prices are at historic, probably never-to-be-experienced-again lows, so upgrading isn't a bad idea.

 

[JimKiler]

I second getting a mobo with onboard video and only getting a video card for gaming when you need it.

Aren't the new mobo's with USB3 out, I see them reviewed on Tom's.

 

[JimKiler]

Here is cheaper Patriot Memory

I like this brand.