How To Build A Computer For Less Than $800?
Ok, Ive decided to lay my computer to rest because it doesn't even run BF 1942 or even NS OR CS starts to lag up a bit. I think its about time to get another computer. Well instead of going to Best Buy or Fry's a friend suggested to me to build my own. He said it would be a lot cheaper and since you don't exactly have alot of cash you should do it. Well I come here because I really liked NS for the brief moments I could play it before it would freeze up and wanted everybody's opinion and/or experience in building a computer, finding what parts for the best price, etc.
Thanks
MaChu
Thanks
MaChu
Comments
Check out this article from PC Mechanic called <a href='http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/index.htm' target='_blank'>Build Your Own PC</a>. It covers just about everything you'll need to know.
Don't forget to check MonsE's <a href='http://www.readyroom.org/perfgde_1.html' target='_blank'>Windows XP/2000 Tuning Guide</a> if you're using either OS.
Building your first machine can be scary <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo--> but when it's over you'll be happy you did <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
...Unless of course you did something wrong and it all blows up in a fiery inferno of silicon accompanied with the pungent odor of a processor burning, but that rarely happens.
Golden Rule - If you don't know what it is, what it does, or if you did something right, don't just assume you did, ask somebody - it could save you money.
Yeah but then its still all under warantee (thats not spelled right is it?). Take it all back and tell them to replace it, that it was DOA (dead on arrival).
ATI 9500 or Nvidia 4200Ti?
What power supply is best?
Does ASUS make good boards?
What sound card do you suggest?
Do I need to order any cables, screws, etc?
Whats your favorite color?(not computer related, just wondering)
Thanks
MaChu
Get a brandname powersupply, not the cheap generic ones
Asus is a good company
Pretty much anything from Creative Labs. A Sound Blaster Live or an Audigy/Audigy2
Only if you want rounded cables
Blue
ASUS is a nice mobo company, i have a mobo or two by them and they work fine.
I'd personally stay away from sound blasters and go with a Turtle Beach card, as i've had lots of probs with speakers crackling (it may just be the Via chipset)
I had that problem before and found out my fan malfunctioned :/ all I could do was play on my GBA emulator....damn you old fan took me away from NS >< Now fixed because manufacturer replaced the fan (and it was exactly the last day of my warranty w00t!)
But I still suggest you build your own PC,having to go through all the dirt in your fan is anoyying :/
So far this is what Ive got for the $1300 system:
CPU-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80652-800
Case-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=143220
Memory-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80097
Mother Board-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=240301
Network Card-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=251430
Power Supply-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=270013
Sound Card-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=290213
Video Card-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=320702
CDRW-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=332614
Monitor-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=231704
Hard Drive-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=101206
Mouse/Keyboard-http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=211086
OR I can be a slacker and go with what I originally planned <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
What power supply is best?
Does ASUS make good boards?
What sound card do you suggest?
Do I need to order any cables, screws, etc?
Whats your favorite color?(not computer related, just wondering) <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
ATI 9500
Enermax are a decent brand for PSUs, bit exy though.
Asus make ok boards, but they seem to be losing their high quality rep as of late.
Some other decent board manufacturers are: Abit, MSI, Soltek, Epox, Gigabyte.
Get a Creative card, eg an SBLive 5.1, for a cheap, cost effective decent quality card that you won't have compatibility problems with.
No, cables, screws etc all should be supplied with the parts.
Black.
Recycle most of your old computer parts
i.e. 3.5 floppy drive, cdroms, case, power supply (if you buy a p4 you can get an extension for you power supply for the p4 main board must be an ATX power supply)
So all you would need is all in one main board (remember to have one with an AGP slot), CPU, DDR Ram an 3d card if you didn't have one before
edit: oh yeah i was gonna say it sounds like youll need 350 watts of power, and get a powersupply with a warantee cuz they break a lot, and dont go overboard on a 500 W unit.
350-400 Watt, its not nescecerry but the one I bought (im building my new computer today <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->) is AMD recommended and was still only around ?20, so if it explodes taking out my motherboard and CPU I am a safe little bunny rabbit.
The motherboard I just bought is an ASUS, i've not had any problems with them in the past, but I prefer soltek...just couldn't get my hands on one
Soundcards aren't something I'm up to par on, as I have a hall PA system wired into my computer ;D
Most* cases will come with screws spacers risers etc for anything you could need, and most* motherboards come with IDE and floppy cables so you shouldn't need anything.
Purple
*Disclaimer:Yours may not so dont kill me
I think the Radeon and the GF4Ti4200 are pretty much equal... I prefer nVidia though...
I have a Leadtek GeForce 4Ti4800 (because of directX 9.0 and AGP8x Pro support)
CPU should be an AMD Athlon XP2000+ (What I got) or above...
My motherboard is an Asus A7N8X-Deluxe (about 120$) which is very good... has the nForce2 Soundchips on it... which are bomb once they´re configured properly... Dont really need Soundcard that way...
And that mobo has mad features... TWO onboard LANs (nVidia 400m/bits and e3com 100m/bits), 6 USB 2.0 ports, firewire...2 gameports...etc.
Memory... 512MB DDR PC400
Harddrive I used my old one (Maxtor 120GB)
All together I spent about 550$ for all that... With an equal HDD would have been around 650$
Still way under 800$
Was the first I built on my very own... was a day of hard work... but now Im very happy with it...
Cheers!
EDIT: Oh yeah...color.... camouflage!!!
Specs:
GAINWARD/CARDEXPERT FX5200 256MB DDR 8X AGP W/TV & DVI OUT #PRO680TV-DVI
$90.00 mwave.com
AMD ATHLON XP 2500 "Barton" 333 FSB PROCESSOR CPU- OEM
$87.00 newegg.com
Epox Motherboard for AMD Athlon/Athlon XP/Duron Processors, Model# EP-8RDA+
$58.00 newegg.com
Creative Lab Sound Blaster 128 PCI Sound Card
$22.00 newegg.com
CORSAIR 512MB PC3200 VALUE SELECT. VS512MB400 DDR RAM - OEM
$96.00 newegg.com
Maxtor 80GB 7200RPM Hard Drive 8MB Model # 6Y080P0
$69.00 newegg.com
Thermaltake Xaser III V1000A Super Tower Case- Black color
$137.00
<a href='http://www.compuplus.com/products.php3?cat=Cases' target='_blank'>http://www.compuplus.com/products.php3?cat=Cases</a>
I got a cd rw and dvd cd-rom drive at a dutch site for 94 euros, which is about 90 dollars as well. So all of the above: 559, add the drives and you're at 649 dollars. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Edit: I also got an extra silent cooler for 49 euros, but there's an awesome cooling system built in with that case.
I have a Leadtek GeForce 4Ti4800 (because of directX 9.0 and AGP8x Pro support)
<!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
dx 9 on a geforce 4? no, im quite sure its a DX8 card. the ti 4800's are actually 4600 w/8x agp, or i heard the se edition is a 4400 w/8x agp. something like that i heard, go with the 9500 pro, that can be modded to a 9700 ive heard. the barton 2500 + is a steal at 86 dollars on newegg! im going to be buying that one soon.
i heard the 5600 ultra is a nice card, but ive got my eyes on the gainward 5900 non ultra, sweet card IMO.
What power supply is best?
Does ASUS make good boards?
What sound card do you suggest?
Do I need to order any cables, screws, etc?
Whats your favorite color?(not computer related, just wondering) <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
ATI 9500
Enermax are a decent brand for PSUs, bit exy though.
Asus make ok boards, but they seem to be losing their high quality rep as of late.
Some other decent board manufacturers are: Abit, MSI, Soltek, Epox, Gigabyte.
Get a Creative card, eg an SBLive 5.1, for a cheap, cost effective decent quality card that you won't have compatibility problems with.
No, cables, screws etc all should be supplied with the parts.
Black. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I know a few people who want stay far far away from Abit after having capasitors leak on the mobo.
Its a GeForce 4Ti 4800 <b>Special edition</b>!!! the regular 4800 was the 4400 with AGP8x that is right... but as far as the box says that the card came in, and the manual, it supports DX9.0... also the regular 4800 doesnt support AGP Pro only AGP8x.... The SE does though... OR IS LEADTEK telling me ********<!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
Anyways the FX5200 is not so good... I would have spent a little more on a 5600... But whoever wants to spend a 500 bucks on a graphics card buy the 5800 Ultra!!! Or Radeon 9800 Pro...which is 450$
The 9500 Pro is a great card...I?ve seen great performance by ATI but I still prefer nVidia... dont know why...
I think you cant go wrong with either one...
That Epox mobo doesnt have a load of features... but Epox mobos are stable and dont crash or freez your machine all the time like Elitegroup.... keep your hands of those!!!