# My first build, thoughts?



## MJDeViant (Jul 12, 2007)

First off, I'm glad this section was added. This site is a big help and information depot.

Okay, the PC will be finished hopefully in early Septemeber. I can't just buy all the parts at once and I'm gonna buy the video card last. I have yet to buy one thing to start building but have been looking around and pricing/concocting my PC. Price range for me is about $800-1000, but hopefully only around $700.

Case: Antec 900 Case
Motherboard: Gigabyte P35 DSR3 
CPU: Core 2 Quad Q6600
HD: Seagate 320 GB HD
Disc Drives: LG 18x dvd burner combo drive
Video Card: 320 MB 8800 or just a 256 MB, either way has to be DX10
PSU: I forget what I had it narrowed down to, but it was a 700W with the 80-85% efficiency rating

I am a graphic designer (Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Dreamweaver, Flash 8, etc.) with some gaming in mind (really I only play BF, especially 1942). I don't want some extreme gaming ridiculousness, I just need quick graphics, lots of processing power for rendering and such and room for imaging and files. I think the above setup lands me in around the $800-950 range. Any ideas, suggestions? I'm wondering if I really need the 8800 video card. That's probably the most expensive increase in price for me. Also, I have not added the cost of an OS because I can get XP Pro, or Vista Ultimate for free (nice to have someone in the tech industry). I'm gonna buy a new monitor down the road, like after x-mas. I haven't settled exactly on a case yet, but the Antec 900 seems pretty highly rated and looks-wise seems okay to me. Any comments would help, thanks in advance.

P.S.- No matter what this will be a huge upgrade from my XPS Gen 2 and a lot cheaper.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

Ok, you forgot ram and....http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104026 thats a good power suppliy,


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## MJDeViant (Jul 12, 2007)

Yeah, the PSU was going to be around that $$, theres a few that look pretty good for the price. The more I read around here and at like Newegg, the more important the PSU seems to be. I'm a first time builder so I just thought "It needs power, and probably a lot". Goo thing I researched before I bought some PSU that's bad for your system.

Oh yeah, RAM, I'm going for any DDR2 800 (pc6400). Any suggestions on that? That changes the ol' price a bit. I have no real budget, as I am just building it as I buy parts every paycheck. But, I am also not an idiot who needs to have overkill for what I'm going to use it for. I think my budget is good for a computer. I'm really hoping that graphics cards, especially the 8800 drop in price by the time I buy it. Also, I think maybe a DX10 @ 256mb will be fine for my needs (and a hell of a lot cheaper). I really just want the 8800 for down the road when I inevitably buy some new FPS. I guess I can always just upgrade later, too.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

The 8800 is better then two 8600 256 mb in sli, will look up the ram in a sec


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

well one thing is for sure


if the 8800 *GTS* 640 meg is not needed or outta your budget / wants

then you dont really need the quad either or a real high end motherboard ??

the quads are designed for professional graphix users (commerical) 

if thats not you, then we can trim more ??????


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## MJDeViant (Jul 12, 2007)

I'm an art major and I currently work for OSU as their graphic designer. I do a lot of Photoshop and Illustrator, as well as having them both open when I am making stuff to import into after effects, that's the reason I'm guessing I should go Quad. I mean, I'll have at least two of those open, iTunes, and you know, like IM, Firefox, etc. at most times. I never wanted a 640 MB video card, or to run SLi, I just want something that can handle maybe a few FPS games as well as just being for art. I'm definitely not a gamer, like I only play BF1942 a lot, usually I just do art. I just thought maybe the 320 8800 would be kink free running for awhile, like until 2009 or so.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

You will want the more memorey because of the higher resolution used in image editing.


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## MJDeViant (Jul 12, 2007)

I was gonna start with 2GB, then add more later.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

I was talking about grafics but 2 gb is good.


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

I would look at the Gigabyte, MSI, Abit, and Foxconn boards with the 680i chipset. The big hype with the P35 chipset is support for DDR3, but a dual channel pair of DDR2 667 MHz DMMs will create a 1:1 FSBRAM ratio. Any extra speed the RAM has over the CPU FSB is pointless.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

the quad 6600 and the 8800 GTS 320meg will be a solid choice


I personally would go for the 640meg myself, it would even be worth putting off the complete assembly of the system until you could add the extra $100 to your budget 

A grafix computer needs the same horsepower and video card as a high end gamer, maybeee even a pinch MORE

I would go with a $50.00 case that would save money (coolermaster)

there are also some good deals on ram sticks like patriot that can save you a few bucks

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA23051

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/DeepSearch.hmx?scriteria=BA23186&ALL=y&TP=0

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA23190


here is a great performing motherboard >>>>> open box deal >>> just over $100.00 <<<<>>>>> thats saving money

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128042R


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## floydfan (Oct 18, 2006)

he doesn't need a high end video card for graphics work... unless he is rendering 3d, the video card has no factor whatsoever, he could run a pci card if he wanted to, as long as he had enough system ram and cpu power... the 8800gts 320 is more than enough for a few gaming sessions of bf2.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

how can you run high resolution with a medicore video card 

of course the 8800gts 320 is not medicore but the use any PCI slot card talk certainly is

anyone doing commercial video production & editing is certainly going to be running high resolutions ??????????????


video editing is all about pixels and resolutions


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

I know two fellas that run auto cad at an architectural firm, they prefer to run their "projects" on a large screen TV on very high resolutions which are 3D ?????

you may want to consider a video card that will output like that to a TV instead of a monitor ?????????

I believe thats why they prefer the ATI X1950XT I think it was

the 32inch TV allows more picture so to speak be seen at once ????

we dont really know at what level you are into this ?????????????


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102067#spec


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