Need help building computer

[Adhara]

Alright my old 900MHz is hours away from permadeath so it has become critical that I find replacement quickly. I went to my computer store's website and fiddled with customizing a PC. Thing is, in many cases some components look very much alike. Obviously there are differences but I don't know them. So I'll list what I have along with a couple options and if some of you knowledgeable folks could point out the differences, it would help me make a choice. I also listed the canadian price only for reference purposes.

Motherboard
AMD64 S754/S939 ASROCK K8-COMBO-Z 2D3P1A

Memory
1) DIMM 400MHZ DDR NO-ECC 1024 MEG PREMIUM 170.00 $
2) CORSAIR 400MHZ DDR NO-ECC 1G TWINX 170.00 $

Hard Drive
1) 160.0 MAXTOR 7200 2MB 6Y160L0 36.00 $
2) 160.0 MAXTOR 7200 8MB 6Y160P0 46.00 $

Optical Drive
DVD+/-RW LITEON SOHW-1633S DL 16/8 BE OEM

Processor
AMD ATHLON64 3500+ 2.20G/1600/512K/S939

Video Card
1) ATI AGP RADEON 9800PRO 128M BOX 284.00 $
2) ATI AGP RADEON 9800PRO 256M BOX 364.00 $

Power Supply
1) 350W POWER ATX P4 ANTEC SL350 24.00 $
2) 400W POWER ATX P4 ANTEC SL400 40.00 $
3) 450W POWER ATX P4 ANTEC SL450 54.00 $

For the case I will wait until I can see them in person to choose. I don't need a monitor and I am only taking the basic keyboard and mouse that come in the package since I won't use them anyway.

Oh also, can someone suggest a nice, powerful but quiet heatsink fan? I didn't see the option to change it listed but I'm sure they would if I asked.

[YancyDC]

I can't make any comments on your prices, I know the conversion rate for Canada but prices still differ a bit. Some of them seem off, as well. A 160GB HDD will much more than what you have listed. Go with the 8MB cache, incidentally. It makes a huge difference.

You don't have the brand listed for the first stick of RAM, but Corsair is fine. I'm assuming that's 2 x 512MB?

If you're set on the 9800PRO, get the 128MB version. No games use 256MB, and by the time they do that video card will be useless. Have you looked at the Nvidia 6600GT AGP? It's a sweet card, the same price or a little bit more, and will smoke the 9800PRO.

With only one HDD and one optical drive, you could get by with an Antec 350W PSU, but I'd get a 400W for expansion's sake. Pretty sweet machine you'll have there.

[Parkbandit]

I'm definately doing something wrong. I just go to Best Buy and say "I want a great video game playing computer. Hook me up"

[Adhara]

Originally posted by YancyDC
I can't make any comments on your prices, I know the conversion rate for Canada but prices still differ a bit. Some of them seem off, as well. A 160GB HDD will much more than what you have listed.


The prices are not for the components themselves they are the supplement to upgrade from the basic system I am customizing. I listed them so that those who wish to recommend a certain choice over the other would see what price difference it will be for me.


Go with the 8MB cache, incidentally. It makes a huge difference.

Great. One choice down, a few to go.



You don't have the brand listed for the first stick of RAM, but Corsair is fine. I'm assuming that's 2 x 512MB?

Not sure what you mean. I thought Corsair was the brand? And I'm also assuming it's 2x 512MB. I have not yet been to the store in person, I've only fiddled with the website customizing tool.



If you're set on the 9800PRO, get the 128MB version. No games use 256MB, and by the time they do that video card will be useless. Have you looked at the Nvidia 6600GT AGP? It's a sweet card, the same price or a little bit more, and will smoke the 9800PRO.

That particular store doesn't seem to sell Nvidia cards. I'm sure I can find it somewhere else and either get them to install it when they build the comp or I'll install it myself and get the basic card that comes with the package (making sure there's an AGP slot of course). I'll look at the prices and provided the difference is not huge, I'll follow your advice.



With only one HDD and one optical drive, you could get by with an Antec 350W PSU, but I'd get a 400W for expansion's sake. Pretty sweet machine you'll have there.

Thanks for the help! I'm pretty excited about getting it. My old computosor rex has been really sick for some time now.

[Jonty]

What store is this?

[Marl]

Originally posted by YancyDC
If you're set on the 9800PRO, get the 128MB version. No games use 256MB, and by the time they do that video card will be useless.


Um doesnt Doom 3 and Half life 2 require 256mb card?

[Wezas]

Originally posted by Marluxian
Um doesnt Doom 3 and Half life 2 require 256mb card?

Doom 3:
P4 1.5Ghz CPU (or equivalent).
384MB of RAM.
64MB graphics card
2GB of free hard drive space.

Lowest supported GPU is a Geforce 4 MX (worse than Geforce 3).
Supported cards:
GF 4 MX.
GF 3.
GF 4.
GF FX (and higher).
Radeon 8500s, 9000s and higher.


Their test of the 9800 pro (128mb) averaged 77 FPS (tied with the 9800 pro 256mb) at 1024x768


Half-life 2:
1.2ghz Processor
256 mb of RAM
64 mb Video Card

(test done with a 9800 Pro showed an Average FPS of 93.2 in Half-Life 2 - with 6600GT and 6800 were slightly better at 1024x768)

[Adhara]

www.microbytes.com

Also, I have no intention of playing a FPS ever. MMORPG's will be the most strain it will have to bear. I play WoW right now which runs on my current machine (900 MHz with a GeForce2) and have no intention of ever playing EQII (just mentioning it because it seems to be the graphically greediest out there).

I'm still open to suggestions. I will be going to the store tomorrow night.

[YancyDC]

Oh, if the most you'll be using it for is WoW, the 9800 PRO will be fine. MMORPGs rely a lot on the whole computer, the GPU isn't as huge a factor.

If they're charging 268 to move up the 9800, what is originally in it? They can be had for pretty cheap.

[Adhara]

Originally posted by YancyDC
If they're charging 268 to move up the 9800, what is originally in it? They can be had for pretty cheap.

The website doesn't specify. They call it "standard video AGP 64M".

[Music Guy]

A bit of advice. Go with one of the SATA hard drives. It is a huge performance difference for not much price difference. I personally have had better luck with the WD hard drives over the Maxtor, but that's just personal preference.

As far as your graphics card is concerned, DON'T BUY IT THERE. It's about $120 cheaper if you buy it on the internet, and extremely easy to install. The 9800PRO 120 MB version will suit your purposes just fine.

If you are purchasing a DVD writer with that machine, remember to get an additional DVD-Rom drive so you are able to burn DVDs (you would be surprised to see how many people forget to do that!).

Go with the Corsair RAM. It tends to be compatible with more motherboards than most other brands (in my experience).

As far as a heatsink/fan goes, see if they will install a Zalman heatsink for you. As quiet as they come, and more than enough cooling for your processor.

[Adhara]

Originally posted by Music Guy
As far as your graphics card is concerned, DON'T BUY IT THERE. It's about $120 cheaper if you buy it on the internet, and extremely easy to install.

I thought about that but I'm scared. I once upgraded my video card and created massive IRQ conflicts. I was freaking out. I was going from an AGP to a PCI card though...