Need advice on a computer purchase

[BlueCross]

It wasn't the hammer that I was concerned about your seeing.

*minus 2 points to BC for awkward grammar*

I didn't see it in context before I responded and I stubbornly refused to fix it once I noticed. So there. 

Exactly the type of behavior I'd expect from a tallish dwarf.

[Doombot]

Mmmmm Ok.

I'm not sure if I want to go though the hassle of installing the motherboard, making sure the power supply works, etc.

Is there a site where I can get MOST of it done and add some of the things myself.

eg. Since I can probably get the ram, harddrive and graphic card cheaper, I'd rather just buy it myself. I'm not looking foward to having a big pile of electronics in front of me.

If I decide to just buy it outright, what sites do you suggest? I tend to not like Dell and Gateway.

[BlueCross]

I really can't help you on that because I don't live there.  You need to find someone around there that you trust who is also a bit computer geeky (hardware, not software, geeky).  He/she will probably know what stores/shops around you are reputable and which ones to avoid.

Small ones will probably have better sales/service but be a bit more expensive.  If someone is a LOT more expensive, avoid them.  Plus, you can usually get problems fixed quicker/easier in a small shop.

Plus bat your eyelashes and wear suggestive clothing.

[Brugdor]

Plus bat your eyelashes and wear suggestive clothing.

Do you really think men in Vegas can be broken in this way?

...

but just in case, pics or it didn't happen!   

[Doombot]

I really can't help you on that because I don't live there.  You need to find someone around there that you trust who is also a bit computer geeky (hardware, not software, geeky).  He/she will probably know what stores/shops around you are reputable and which ones to avoid.

Small ones will probably have better sales/service but be a bit more expensive.  If someone is a LOT more expensive, avoid them.  Plus, you can usually get problems fixed quicker/easier in a small shop.

Plus bat your eyelashes and wear suggestive clothing.

*Takes two eyelashes, puts a dab of glue on my Louisville Slugger*

*Puts on my suggestive clothing with a picture of Charles Manson*

*Asks for a great deal on a computer*

[Doombot]

I really can't help you on that because I don't live there.  You need to find someone around there that you trust who is also a bit computer geeky (hardware, not software, geeky).  He/she will probably know what stores/shops around you are reputable and which ones to avoid.

Small ones will probably have better sales/service but be a bit more expensive.  If someone is a LOT more expensive, avoid them.  Plus, you can usually get problems fixed quicker/easier in a small shop.

Oh, I was thinking about a online service like Alienware (even though they aren't cheap). I would rather not trust other people in Vegas. =)

[BlueCross]

*Takes two eyelashes, puts a dab of glue on my Louisville Slugger*

*Puts on my suggestive clothing with a picture of Charles Manson*

*Asks for a great deal on a computer*

It could work...

[Doombot]

*Takes two eyelashes, puts a dab of glue on my Louisville Slugger*

*Puts on my suggestive clothing with a picture of Charles Manson*

*Asks for a great deal on a computer*

It could work...

That's a great picture BC! =)

Ok. I think I have the CPU and the motherboard. I looked at the GeForce's that Brug and TK suggested but I'm not sure which one is a good fit for the combo. Here's what I have so far.

Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - CPUs / Processors

Newegg.com - EVGA 132-CK-NF78-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

I take it that Motherboard will have a connection to allow me to hook up my old drive temporarily to allow for the data transfer?

Also... What drives work with this. I saw so many options. Would anyone mind looking at NewEgg and giving me a link?

Also... is that a good setup so far?

Thanks in advance.

[Doombot]

Here's a post I made at another forum. I thought I should just post it here. Are the parts fine? Am I'm being wasteful with anything?

---------------

Hello my fellow My Little Pony fans, thanks for the advice on the computer build. Here's some more information to help you tell me if this works.

   1. Budget: How much money are you willing to spend on the new build?

$1500.00 is the max. Ideally I like to get under it due to shipping for the various parts. If there's anything that I'm paying for that's only giving me a minor boost in speed then we can drop it for something cheaper. I don't *HAVE* to spend $1500.00

   2. Brands: Are there any brands of components you want or don't want?

 I *believe* I should go with and Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

   3. Multitasking: Will you be multitasking with this computer and if so, how much?

I'll have music running in the background, Firefox with 15 extensions on one screen and Adobe Photoshop on the other.

   4. Gaming: Will you be gaming and if so, how much and how new are the games?

Yes, I will be gaming and the games will be out this year. Some of the games will be MMORPG type games.

   5. Calculations: Will you be doing any intense calculations or media encoding?

I'll be using Photoshop CS2 quite a bit and Adobe Premiere to make simple videos. The video's won't have much in special effects mainly just simple editing and adding music.

   6. Overclocking: Do you plan on overclocking and if so, how much?

To be technical... just a tad. I'd like to have the option and if I did it wouldn't be very much. I'm more concerned about stability than getting 10 extra frames in a game.

   7. Storage: How much storage will you need and what will you be storing?

I'll be storing many PSD (Photoshop) files and a LARGE number of mp3s, My Little Pony video files and such. I would like two hard drives. One for the applications and the other for files. I usually put my media on the 2nd drive. I'm thinking about two 500 gig drives.

   8. Legacy Support: Will you need support for older hardware like parallel, serial, or PS/2 devices?

I'm not sure. I have an old Dell Dimension 4600 that died on me. It doesn't start despite some tinkering with it.  I'd like to find a way to transfer the data to the new computer. Is it wasteful to get a motherboard just for a few days of old computer hardware connection or is it a non issue since most motherboards come with at least one connection for old drives? Also will this cause issues with Vista if my computer changes hardware too much? Or is this just wrong information?

   9. Operating System: Do you want Windows XP or Vista, or Linux compatibility?

I'm thinking I want Vista 64 since I'm installing 4 gigs. I heard the 32 bit versions of Vista and XP cannot 'see' the entire 4 gigs. Later on when I get more money I would like the ability to install another 4 gigs for a total of 8 gigs if it ever becomes necessary like if I want to run Internet Explorer 9.

  10. Case: Do you want help selecting a case and if so, how big do you want it?

I have this case in mind. Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

  11. Accessories: Do you want a keyboard, mouse, or other items included?

I also do quite a bit of writing so a ergonomic keyboard would be nice. I had issues about 4 years ago with lagtime and connectivity issues with my old wireless keyboard and mouse. It was frustrating enough to make me swear them off. However if you feel there's one I should look into, I'll consider it.

  12. Recycled Components: Will you be reusing any components you already have?

I will be reusing my speakers and monitors.

  13. Monitor: If you want a monitor, what size do you want and should it be widescreen?

I will be using my Samsung 22" Widescreen. I have a four year old 19 inch LCD screen that I'll use for menu items and as a second computer.

  14. Stores: Do you have any online stores that you prefer to purchase from?

Newegg has always been good to me and I would like to continue to buy from them. It's my understanding that the processor I want is out of stock so I'll buy it from another vendor if necessary.

  15. Location: What country do you live in?

USA.

I found the following items and they look good. My concern is that they all work together. I also wonder if I'm being 'wasteful' with anything. eg. Why are you getting Item X when you have Item B motherboard? You'll lose the benefits of Item X due to issues with this motherboard.

So here's my list so far. Thanks in advance for your input.

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail

PC Power & Cooling S75QB EPS12V 750W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, ULC, CE, CB, RoHS - Retail

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

LITE-ON Black DVD Burner with LightScribe - Retail

GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit - Retail Overclocked version at 670MHz

ASUS P5N-D LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard

OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

M-AUDIO Revolution 5.1 5.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Interface High-Definition Sound Card - Retail

Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM

[Jeff]

I'm reasonably sure I spent less time thinking about the purchase of my last car than you've spent thinking about this computer purchase. By the time you get yours, all the parts will surely be obsolete.

[Doombot]

I'm reasonably sure I spent less time thinking about the purchase of my last car than you've spent thinking about this computer purchase. By the time you get yours, all the parts will surely be obsolete.

Oh thanks for reminding me.

We're thinking about getting a new car. Here's some of our criteria.

We're thinking about going with automatic since I can't drive stick. Even though we can save some money with the manual transmission, I don't fancy the thought of constantly having to shift gears in traffic even if I took the time to learn.

We're thinking about getting a Toyota but used. Seriously who wants to buy a new new car when we can get a new used for several thousand less. Although I'm still thinking about getting a Jeep. Jeeps are awesome. Their height allows me to see over the traffic which is awesome. So Jeep or Toyota? mmmmmm =/

Although we are in Vegas and I think we'll have a easier time going 4x4ing in a Jeep than in a Toyota.

[Brugdor]

Don't know if it will matter if you are getting a pre-built system but Tom's Hardware has been putting out a regular list of graphics cards that are the best deal performance-wise for the money.

Here's their April one http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/04/07/the_best_gaming_graphics_cards_for_the_money/

[BlueCross]

So Jeep or Toyota? mmmmmm =/

[Doombot]

Don't know if it will matter if you are getting a pre-built system but Tom's Hardware has been putting out a regular list of graphics cards that are the best deal performance-wise for the money.

Here's their April one http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/04/07/the_best_gaming_graphics_cards_for_the_money/

Oh no... I'm building this system! =)

I'll either have a killer system or a conversation starting door stop. So with that in mind... will all those parts work together? Oh. I also needs a cooler for the CPU. Suggestions?

[Brugdor]

Don't know if it will matter if you are getting a pre-built system but Tom's Hardware has been putting out a regular list of graphics cards that are the best deal performance-wise for the money.

Here's their April one http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/04/07/the_best_gaming_graphics_cards_for_the_money/

Oh no... I'm building this system! =)

I'll either have a killer system or a conversation starting door stop. So with that in mind... will all those parts work together? Oh. I also needs a cooler for the CPU. Suggestions?

Don't do liquid cooling. A) You don't need it unless you're over clocking your system and B) if you don't know about it you won't be able to easily maintain it.