# building a computer --- which one to buy?



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

I have been out of the computer market for some time. 

and well i need to build a computer. 

Our budget is 500-600 give or take a little. 

The only MUST'S of this computer is that 

1) fast hard drive (2 of them/size does not have to be big 120-250gb?)
2) 4+ ram. 
3) Adequate cpu speed
4) quiet as possible (silent would be better but absolutely no airplane engines)

Besides the musts that i listed, can someone recommend some mother boards and processors? I stopped working with computers right about after dual core came out and its just a little confusing now. 

however let me know! thank you very much.


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

What is your primary use Gaming, Graphics, Office, Video editing/rendering?


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

powerpoint 

and video editing/rendering/capturing etc.


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

If you're using Adobe CS3/4 video /image softwre you could benifit by swapping the E8400 for Q6600 or Q8200 but that's about the only video software using all the cores of a quad look this over and ask away
You will need to add a operating system to this.

Link............................................................................	Discp.	Cost	Rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037 E8400	$164.99	
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128347 GA-EGP43 DS3L	$84.99	
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148212 4Gig	$59.99	
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102799 HD4550	$59.99	
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703015 PPCS500	$69.99	$20.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148155 250 Gig X2	$99.98	
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119161 Case	$49.99	
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173 DVD burner	$28.99	


$618.91	$20.00

Total	$598.91


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

this is awesome!!


some questions i had were should i replace the fans inside the case and the cpu fan to something that is a little more quieter? 

if so what are some quiet fans for case and cpu?

also is 4 gb enough for handling heavy video capturing rendering and editing? I also never heard of crucial either, are these reliable brands?

The hard drive - Im a huge fan of seagate and WD but when i talked to people they said if you are doing video stuff then go for about 10,000RPM ... do you think taht necessary compared to 7200??



thanks!!!


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Crucial is one of the better brands IMHO been around a long time and has good support.
If your using a 32bit os XP or Vista it will only see around 3.2gig so over 4 is pointless and I haven't any system short of a sever use more then that.
The case does come with a pretty good rear fan.
CPU fan This one is pretty quiet> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

In the days of IDE drives the raptors were a lot faster but with the perpendicular Sata 7200 drives I think they're a waste of money the 7200 drives will still push data faster then a dvd even on large vids I don't see the raptor saving you much time but and a 300Gig raptor is almost $200 after MIR> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136260


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

on the hard drive. 

can you kind of explain what the MB is in the hard drive and how it affects it? is it kind like a function of the ram for the hard drive?

thanks!


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The MB is a cache or buffer that the HD uses to store data during the write process, they come in 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 sizes with 8 and 16 being the most popular the 32's are slightly faster 
On the 250gig it works out .5 milliseconds from the 16 to the 32 > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...mpareItemList=N82E16822148262,N82E16822148309


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

o wow ic. 



One other thing i realized i was missing was the OS like you said. 

I'm trying to pick up a vista os and well Is there a way i can get it for cheap?

Or is there a way i can just pay for a reg key and use a different install cd?


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The registration key would cost the same as a cd, the cheapest I know of outside of a education license is to by an OEM copy of Vista Home Premium 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116485


----------



## magnethead (Mar 18, 2006)

I'm using pinnacle studio 12 amongst other things. 

I never go past 2.86 GB of page file usage and all 4 cores of my Q8200 are used.

with all this running:

Internet Explorer:
myspace
TSF
CPUZ homepage
racing-forums.com
racingforthewin.com
google home
yahoo home
lycos home
lycos mail
godaddy webmail
nascar.com home

pinnacle studio 12: 
encoding 21 minute video in full screen DV AVI

Windows Task Manager:
open, taking up resources, providing data

Windows media player:
playing that 21 minute video (had been previously encoded)

Windows movie maker:
Also encoding that same 21 minute video, in WMV form

Macromedia Dreamweaver:
open, taking up resources

Microsoft Excel: 
open, taking up resources

Microsoft Outlook:
open, taking up resources

Microsoft Powerpoint:
open, taking up resources

Microsoft Word:
open, taking up resources

Mozilla Firefox:
Firefox/Google home
racing-forums.com
myspace.com
TSF
lycos mail
yahoo home
godaddy webmail
lycos home
racingforthewin.com
CPU-Z homepage
nascar.com

eDrawings 2009:
assembly open, playing rotational display

Apple Quicktime player: 
Playing that 21 minute video, in AVI format

Speedfan:
open, taking up resources, providing data

Core Temp 0.99.3:
Open, taking up resources, providing data

3DMark06:
running tests

CPU-Z 1.49:
open, taking up resources, providing data

Far Cry 2: open in story play mode


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Did you run out of programs to open Mag?:grin:


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hvr1800.html


We have this on a different computer that we have. and I am thinking about adding this

now i have no idea what kind of input that is. 

Is that a regular pci? ... apg? would this fit my mobo?


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

one other thing was. 

for the video card. We need one with two VGA slots ... umm i know we can use an adapter but im not a big fan of adapters for dvi to vga. 


I looked through newegg and not exactly sure which one is a decent one. can you help me out again ??


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The Hauppauge card is PCIEx1 and yes it will fit on the board.
VGA outputs are getting hard to find the adapters do work and chances are the next monitor you get will be DVI. The only card I know of is a 8400gs by a third tier Manufacturer > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814139035
Or a workstation card But they use a splitter from DMS-59 to 2 vga to get 2 monitors > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133123


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

if i were to spend a little more to get this

http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-CNPS9700LED-Ultra-Quiet-Cooler/dp/B000JSFZPS


would it be a lot quieter? or is the one you mentioned just as quiet and reliable?


----------



## magnethead (Mar 18, 2006)

The 9700 is a good cooler, but wont fit in all cases because it's about 5.5-6" high i believe when installed. And if the computer is going to be moved around, having a kilo of unsupported copper isn't the best thing in the world. But yes it's quiet.

I have the pro 7 that Wrench suggested, it's also whisper quiet. I'm not sure which has the better W/C rating though.


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

Hey guys!!

I am going to receive money to make the purchase this weekend. 

I just wanted to know if there were any changes or updates you would make to the specs that were suggested! 

Since technology advances everyday just wanted to know if there were any good deals or better upgrades i can make! just last minute changes!
Thanks!


Also, could you suggest a quiet side fan for the suggested case? thanks again!!


one more thing!

there were these 2 cases that i thought would help us out because the power button and the usb are at the top so we wont have to reach down soo much. 

Are these just as good or better than the one already suggested? Are there better cases that are like these? 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121020
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811190106


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The Compucase is ok I've seen them they seem fairly solid, The Athenatech I've never used nor seen


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

hey what is the difference between the speeds of the ram?> 

DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000)0_76 (8)
DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)1_76 (23)
DDR2 1100 (PC2 8800)2_76 (1)
DDR2 1200 (PC2 9600)3_76 (1)
DDR2 533 (PC2 4200)4_76 (3)
DDR2 667 (PC2 5300)5_76 (10)
DDR2 667 (PC2 5400)0_76(1)
DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)1_76(62)
DDR2 900(PC2 7200)2_76(2)


is this just faster the better ? is there a significant difference?

also i thought i could upgrade on the video card a little bit. 
Umm main usage for video editing and capturing also, we use the secondary monitor as a projector on a screen. so whatever will make the quality of the secondary monitor nice and clear. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103058
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121267
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121274
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102807


or can you tell me what i aspects of the video cards i need to upgrade on?


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

could you let me know if this will be good for the case also ? 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817702010

compared to what was suggested?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703015



sorry one last thing. The seagate hd that was suggested seems to be out of stock!!!!!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148262

would this alternate be okay as well?

Whats the difference between ES model and AS?


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

You don't want the BFG PSU the PC P&C is a good brand but too low of a a Wattage if your using the HD4850, not sure what you meant by upgrading the video card in the last post as all the ones you listed were lessor cards.

The difference in the HD's is the size of the Cache on the drive 32Meg vs 16Meg.


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

Well if i were to make slight upgrades here and there what would you suggest? 

I am going to ask to raise the budget a little bit so could you tell me where i should do the upgrading? thanks!!!


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Your losing me here slight upgrades from what?


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

I said our budget was 500-600 but I was given a budget of $700 

and the total you gave me was about 618

Could you suggest upgrades that you would recommend to match the price of 700 dollars? 

. 

I know small stuff here and there with tax and everything will cost about 700 but without including those what would you recommend. 

sorry for being a hassle~ :sigh:


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Add these two and see where your at. > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130397
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703005


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

Sweet~ this works just about right. 



Does the quality of the video go down if we use a dvi to vga adapter? 

because we will be using 2 vgas which means we need two adapters. 

If the quality doesnt go down then thats perfectly fine!


thanks


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Not really until you get to higher resolutions or HD movies(1080)


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

Wow i'm just coming up with tons of questions. 

Bu heres another one. 

I need a firewire card. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815265003

this is the one i chose but .. is this the best choice for quality of video capturing? I mean firewire?


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

You could move to this board and have onboard fire wire (1394a) > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359

It's out of stock but this is the better 1394 card> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815123011


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

is it okay for me to get the other HD?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148262

instead of 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148155

.. its out of stock.


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Yes that will work.


----------



## toxict3arz (Oct 12, 2004)

i just finished building my computer ~pheW~

I just need some good preferably free malware and virus protection

any recommendation?


----------



## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I have been using these it's not the greatest but it's free.
http://free.avg.com/download-avg-anti-virus-free-edition
And SpyBot
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html


----------



## McNinja (Jun 22, 2008)

AVG is good for free

NOD23 is the probably one if not the best ANtiv Virus programs out there(I have NOD23)
$30
1 year subscription
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832114005

Spybot is what I usee too


----------

