fellow computer gurus - critique please !

[mountainman 0]

Hi there everyone:

I am slowly building a new computer and have bought some of the major things. Here is the total list and I would REALLY appreciate it if you gave me your take on it. Money isn't really an issue (to a point). It is going to be used for games, web design, and video editing.

Thank you very much everyone. :)

New computer price list:

case - Antec SX1040BII - black ($113.00)*

mobo - ECS L4S8A2 ($83.00)

cpu - P4 2.4Ghz 533FSB ($164.00)

ram - (x2) Corsair XMS PC2700 512MB w/platinum heat spreaders ($204.00)*

hd - WD SE 80gb w/8mb cache($104.00)

vid card - ATI Radeon 9700 Pro w/128mb ram ($348.00)*

sound card - SB Live! 5.1 ($17.50)

speakers - Logitech Z640 5.1 Dolby Digital ($45.00)

cdrw - LiteOn 52x24x52 - black ($61.00)*

key/mouse - Logitech Navigator Duo - black (FREE)

3.5" - Mitsumi FDD - black ($15.00)*

monitor - NEC 19" CRT - black ($268.00)*

cables - (x3) Antec Cobra round ($33.00)*

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

TOTAL $1455.50


* = item that is not yet ordered.

http://www.brandonandlaura.com

[gus 1]

I might add a secondary hdd to have as a dedicated video drive. Perhaps have your os on a smaller disk and have the 80gb soley for video - that's what I've got at least.

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[PhreeZone 20]

Why the PC 2700? Go PC3200 Cas2 XMS. I'd go for the Audiolgy just for the front ports. I'm not a big fan of EDS boards, but it looks like you already have it. I'd possibly look at RAID too. My new MB has serial ATA Raid so thats what I'm using when its built. I'm building a AMD 2600+ system for $750 right now. I'm only going for the Nvidia ti4200 though.

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[MattM 0]

Quote

It is going to be used for games, web design, and video editing.

If your motherboard supports dual AGP video cards, I would buy another AGP card and another monitor. Dual monitors for video and webdesign really come in handy.

Matt

[mountainman 0]

Hey guys... thanks for the quick replies !

Gus - I may do that in the future if I find that this doesn't work out very well. However, right now I have a 2.5 year old Maxtor 60GB at 4200rpm and it works GREAT for video and I usually don't have tons of video on it. Whenever I finish a project, I condense it all to one huge file and put it on a CD-R. If I find I am getting too much stuff and/or it seems to be bogging down, I'll certainly get a 40GB and use the big one for video. Great idea, thank you.

Phree - this board got very good reviews for the price at Anandtech.com. The guy who reviewed it was using the Corsair XMS PC3200, but said that this board really wasn't taking full advantage of it and it probably wouldn't be worth using that. Perhaps in a couple years (months?) I'll upgrade the motherboard to something a little higher quality. I don't really need a better sound card. I got this one (SBLive! 5.1) used for $15 and it is excellent. I have it in my computer right now hooked up to those speakers.. AWESOME. (BTW, you can get the speakers for as low as $45 after rebate.) As for RAID, I really don't like the idea of that very much just due to the price of buying all those HDs. I would have to have 4 HDs so I could take advantage of RAID 0/1. Good thinking though.

Matt: the mobo doesn't support dual AGP, however the card will have 2 outputs for monitor and supports dual monitor and it ALSO has the s-video out which I'll hook up to the flat screen TV I have in here. That should be really nice to have.

http://www.brandonandlaura.com

[jfields 0]

For what you described, I wouldn't worry too much about RAID. It all depends on your usage and paranoia level.

On projects at work, I get seriously paranoid, because I can't afford data loss. So we do RAID 5 volumes that are mirrors of each other, plus backup to offsite RAID 5 servers, plus CDR and tape backup.

At home, I burn my data files to CD and call it done. I can always just reinstall the OS and software from disc and copy the data back in case of failure.

RAID probably isn't worth the money for you right now.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Throw in a firewire or IEEE 1394 card as well.
Suggest an ADS Pyro (my one works fine) as it comes bundled with some goodies, or a standard bare card if you already have editing software.

How serious are you about the editing?

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

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[mountainman 0]

jfields - Yeah, I think Phree had a good idea for the RAID, but for what I'll be using it for, I don't think it'll really be needed. I'm not too paranoid since I don't keep a lot of data on my computer that I would die over if lost. I save it to CDs and go from there.
nacmac - the motherboard actually has FireWire on board. The reviewer says that the quality of it is pretty good and being on board, it won't be using any PCI bandwidth on the mobo. Same for NIC... it's onboard. If it doesnt work for me very well, I'll snag the FireConnect 4300 out of my current computer. My brother won't use it. LOL

http://www.brandonandlaura.com

[airtwardo 7]

I gotta question...
moved to a new house a while back...an area in town that has dsl service.
we're wired in, and it's somewhat faster than the old phone modem but not nearly as fast as I expected...
The neighbors computer download big files in an instant...3X's faster than mine.
Am I doing something wrong?
Is there a way to speed things up?

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[TattooedMoFo 0]

...I'm only going for the Nvidia ti4200 though....
Abit do the Siluro ti4200, which out the box runs at ti4400 as standerd and can be clocked up to a ti4600, and is cheaper than most ti42/4400 cards...
I have one and it's definitely worth a look if u are interested

[nacmacfeegle 0]

If you need more HD space just use the firewire ports then, if you want a DVD writer, get one in a firewire case etc, no worries about RAID, SCSI, and other stuff.
The Adaptec 4300 card should work fine, Firewire on the MOBO sounds cool too tho.

If you are serious about the editing look at some of the 'real time' cards, which come in various prices for various levels of real time.
Less rendering waits.....

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

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[Opie 0]

I should first say I'm not a computer guru. I am wondering why anyone would want a crt instead of a flat panel? Other than $. I'm sure someone will give some good reasons but I would MUCH rather be looking at anything but a crt, besides all the space you save.

[TB99 0]

Not sure about the mobo either, but if it got great reviews, more power to it!

You can probably snag that WD 80Gb 7200 rpm 8meg cache for around $75-80 instead of over $100. This is after a rebate of coarse! Check out http://www.bensbargains.net/ ... they have a lot of good deals you can get!

Try and get a flat screen (not flat panel) monitor ... they look nice and crisp! I have a 19" Trinitron and love it!

I'd go with the before mentioned RAM upgrade as well.

Personally, the Live 5.1 is nice and all, but doesn't compare to the Audigy, but you said you didn't need it, so cool.

Oh, and good choice on the video card ... you won't be disappointed!


All of these are obviously IMHO! You'll have a pretty kick ass beast! Congrats! Check out ben's bargins site for sure, you may be able to lower your costs some! Ben put's up deals for HDDs, mobo, cases, everthing!

Edited to fix URL!

Trailer 11/12 was the best. Thanks for the memories ... you guys rocked!

[MattM 0]

Quote

I gotta question...
moved to a new house a while back...an area in town that has dsl service.
we're wired in, and it's somewhat faster than the old phone modem but not nearly as fast as I expected...
The neighbors computer download big files in an instant...3X's faster than mine.
Am I doing something wrong?
Is there a way to speed things up?

You can request the DSL provider to have your lines tested and a speed test. Buddy of mine did this and foundout he had some pinched wires somewhere, they replaced them, and it has been blazin' fast ever since.

Matt

[kingbunky 3]

there's also a reg setting that can be tweaked... MTU size if i remember correctly. google on that and you'll find more info..

"Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart."
MB4252 TDS699
killing threads since 2001

[rhino 0]

Quote

ram - (x2) Corsair XMS PC2700 512MB w/platinum heat spreaders ($204.00)*

hd - WD SE 80gb w/8mb cache($104.00)

vid card - ATI Radeon 9700 Pro w/128mb ram ($348.00)*

I would go with Geil PC3200 ram.

GForce4 Video card with 64mb ram is is faster

You can get the HD cheaper on pricewatch.com or newegg.com

And if this if for gaming go with an AMD processor.

2 HD's, a few of the motherboards have built in Raid. Mine does. I just mirror the 2.

Rhino

[PhreeZone 20]

The XMS is testing faster and more overclockable then the Geil.

One note on the on board RAID on the newer boards, its only Serial RAID (if you have serial ATA youve got RAID 98% of the time) so if you want to use your IDE drives it takes a $25 Serial to IDE adapter. NewEgg.com has those in stock.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[MattM 0]

Quote

GForce4 Video card with 64mb ram is is faster

The newer cards with 128mb are faster in most respects as shown in this comparison.

Matt

[AggieDave 6]

The 9800 Pro just came out today...its supposed to spank just about everything else out there.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[rhino 0]

My board must be different.. I have dual bios, built in raid.. AMD2200 that runs like a charm.

And I don't overclock. I don't really need to..

I like the quaility of the Geil ram.. Gaming friends of mine prefer it too for some reason.

Comparing the GForce4 with 64 vs 128 mb or ram the 64mb version is faster. Not sure if the other cards work the same.

[Kris 0]

[replyI would go with Geil PC3200 ram.

GForce4 Video card with 64mb ram is is faster

[FallingILweenie 0]

as far as the video card goes, i don't know too much, but i had an all-in-wonder radeon in my old computer that let me also import analog video from vcrs or analog camcorders, or whatever, that you may want to consider.

[jfields 0]

No, no, no!

What he needs is a really awesome Packard Bell!

You know, the kind with the memoy soldiered in?

Those things are the shit! And fast too!

[rhino 0]

LOL

[PhreeZone 20]

Really nice thing about Corsair is its got a life time free replacement warrenty. Overclock it and fry it? ship it back and you get a new stick for free. I've known 3 people to use this so far. Corsair actually got all the specs from them on their systems so they would duplicate the issue and redesign the chips to help prevent it.

I'm doing a new system right now too:

Chemming X-spider case
Athlon 2600+ 333FSB
512 PC3200 Corsair XMS
Asus a7n8x Deluxe MB (drooooooooool)
I'd LOVE to get a GeForceFX 5800 Ultra but I might settle for a ti4200
Volcano 9+ Fan with the CoolMod
Taking over my 2 80gig drives and CD stuff.

Now for the Bling Bling
UV paint
6 inch UV CFF
12 Blue CFF
EL tape on Rounded IDE cables
BusBay
(just recieved) CrystalFontz bay adapter for LCD display

And yet other undecided mods.

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