Thinking of building a computer

AngusJS · 06-28-09, 08:47 PM

I'm thinking of retiring my struggling Inspiron 1501 laptop and finally getting a gaming machine. I've never built a computer before, but I understand it's doable without too much difficulty.

Would this be a good setup?

RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WBP Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case With 500W Power Supply

AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor Model HDZ940XCGIBOX

BIOSTAR TA790GXB A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX ATX AMD Motherboard

BFG Tech BFGE981024GTOCE GeForce 9800 GT OC 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive

Acer X193Wb Black 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor

Rosewill RCX-Z1 Long life ball bearing for over 45,000/hrs CPU Cooler

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 32-bit for System Builders

How future-proof is it?

The motherboard comes with an onboard ATI graphics card. Could that mess with the Nvidia card?

Could I run FSX at the highest settings with it? Could there be any compatibility issues with older games such as SH3, IL2 and OFF?

I compiled list this on Newegg for a total of $825. I haven't found a prebuilt machine with a similar processor, graphics card, plus a monitor for this price.

Thanks

Castout · 06-28-09, 09:01 PM

The GPU is a bit dated not now probably it's just okay and acceptable and can run current games just fine but it has come to the end of its life.

At least try getting 9800GTX+ (with the plus) or if you care to look at ATI there's the 4870 which I think runs faster than 9800 GT.
You may also want to consider buying a little higher rated PSU such as 600W or above just to be on the safe side. You do have a quad core. The higher PSU rating that you use the safer it is for your component since a higher rated PSU can be expected to power less power demanding PC with much less power fluctuation.

If I were you I would also try to get a terrabyte harddisk than the 640GB one. They are not that expensive nowadays. Could prove very handy in the long run especially if you use your machine to play(install) games.

Stormende · 06-28-09, 09:23 PM

It's always cheaper to build your own rig.

The processor sounds fine, my rig has an X2 4000+ with nvidia 8800GT SC and it can keep up with SH4+Uboat Missions and Sturmovik 1946 so that quad core can help you for quite a while.

The BFG card is a good choice, they build pretty good and reliable cards.

I am not sold with the mobo, tho. I've always preferred Asus because they have an awesome support (updated bios and drivers), an excellent layout design and can overclock pretty nicely, but I guess that is a matter of taste.

The memory is OK, I also have 4GB even if Vista and XP 32 only uses 3GB so the extra 1GB I use it with eBoostr so it is not wasted.

HD checks fine.

The screen is not really enticing, what is the max resolution of it?
I will go with Sony but again that is a matter of taste.

I think your rig will be able to handle games for 5 years or so, maybe minor updates can extend the life span another couple of years.

If the mobo is a decent one, you should not have any conflicts with the on board ATI card, just disable it from the BIOS and that will do it.

I run SH4+Uboat Missions & Sturmovik 1946 at high detail 16x AF + 16Qx AA and the frame rate is high with no lag or whatsoever so I bet your rig will be able to pull a higher frame rate.

Hell yeah, newegg rocks. Get your stuff there and before you pick an item compare them and read the reviews, they are quite helpful.

Task Force · 06-28-09, 09:33 PM

system sounds good, but like said before the video card is outdated, but still will work.

if microsoft releases a release date, id go to windows 7.

Arclight · 06-29-09, 12:48 AM

Few thoughts:

I'm not too sure on the PSU, Raidmax isn't known for good ones. Get something build by Seasonic or Enhance (not necessarily brand name; for example, Corsair PSUs are built by Seasonic) and you can't go wrong. 500W is enouh for that rig, but for future proofing you might consider ~600W. 700 or 750, maybe even 800W if you might plug in a second GFX card in the fututre (SLI/Crossfire). 2x 9800GT is faster than GTX285 (on high resolutions) while costing just a fraction.

It's not really future-proof. DDR3 is the standard and affordable nowadays. AM2+ socket has been superseded by AM3. Get a DDR3 board with AM3 socket and Phenom II to match, and you have a good system with a better upgrade-path.

*If you're considering moving to 9800GTX, have a look at the GTX 260 (with 216 shaders, not the old model). Depending on the brand, they cost the same or a little over the older cards while being faster. As far as Nvidia goes, it's good value for money.

FSX will run fantastic and no compat. problems I can think off.

**Having onboard GFX shouldn't conflict with a dedicated card (just disable the chip in BIOS), but you're better of with a board without it; possibly higher performance and you don't pay for something you don't use.

AngusJS · 06-29-09, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormende

The screen is not really enticing, what is the max resolution of it?I will go with Sony but again that is a matter of taste.

The screen has a max resolution of 1440 x 900. Too low?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arclight

It's not really future-proof. DDR3 is the standard and affordable nowadays. AM2+ socket has been superseded by AM3. Get a DDR3 board with AM3 socket and Phenom II to match, and you have a good system with a better upgrade-path.

Going that path adds $250 to the price, but I guess it makes more sense to spend a little more and do it right when it matters.

Thanks for the advice guys. Do you know of any other good sites for computer parts? I stayed entirely on Newegg, so I might be missing out on some bargains.

Stormende · 06-29-09, 09:09 PM

1440 x 900 will do.

Tigerdirect but they do not have as many good deals than newegg.

Task Force · 06-29-09, 09:29 PM

yea, Newegg is good, ive ordered stuff from them... came in a box, with packing peanuts, stuff was in exelent condition.

Newegg has some good bargans, and dont forget about sending in the rebates to get some money back.

(what card you looking to.... can we have a link...)

AngusJS · 07-02-09, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Task Force

yea, Newegg is good, ive ordered stuff from them... came in a box, with packing peanuts, stuff was in exelent condition.

Newegg has some good bargans, and dont forget about sending in the rebates to get some money back.

(what card you looking to.... can we have a link...)

I haven't settled on the card yet. I want to stay around $150. I noticed Newegg has these available:

GeForce GTX260 896 RAM

Radeon HD 4870 1 gig RAM

Radeon HD 4850 1 gig RAM.

Of those, I guess the Radeon 4870 would be the best?

http://www.newegg.com/Store/Category...-Video-Devices

Arclight · 07-02-09, 10:21 AM

The Nvidia GTX260 216 is slightly more powerfull, runs cooler, uses less watts at idle but a little more at peak. In benchmarks it's neck and neck, with either card taking the lead depending on the game and resolution. The GTX is generally faster, while the Radeon runs some games better and typically performs better at very high resolutions, thanks to a bit of extra memory.

http://techgage.com/article/ati_hd_4...mb_follow-up/1

IMHO, between those 2 cards it comes down to preference.

Raptor1 · 07-02-09, 02:45 PM

I have the 4870 and it works perfectly. Like Arclight said, it all depends on what card you prefer

Task Force · 07-05-09, 12:07 AM

I myself have always sticked with nvidia. Ive always heard that ati cards dont overheat good, and the fans break down more often...

I also cant stand that stupid catalyist control system, or what ever the h*** its called.

I myself would go for the 260... or wait for the next gen of nvidia cards that will come out in acouple of months. (they will support DX 10.1, and maby if were lucky DX 11.)

my 2c...

06-28-09, 08:47 PM	#1
AngusJS Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 746 Downloads: 62 Uploads: 0	Thinking of building a computer I'm thinking of retiring my struggling Inspiron 1501 laptop and finally getting a gaming machine. I've never built a computer before, but I understand it's doable without too much difficulty. Would this be a good setup? RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WBP Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case With 500W Power Supply AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor Model HDZ940XCGIBOX BIOSTAR TA790GXB A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX ATX AMD Motherboard BFG Tech BFGE981024GTOCE GeForce 9800 GT OC 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5 Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive Acer X193Wb Black 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor Rosewill RCX-Z1 Long life ball bearing for over 45,000/hrs CPU Cooler Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 32-bit for System Builders How future-proof is it? The motherboard comes with an onboard ATI graphics card. Could that mess with the Nvidia card? Could I run FSX at the highest settings with it? Could there be any compatibility issues with older games such as SH3, IL2 and OFF? I compiled list this on Newegg for a total of $825. I haven't found a prebuilt machine with a similar processor, graphics card, plus a monitor for this price. Thanks

06-28-09, 09:01 PM	#2
Castout Silent Hunter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Jakarta Posts: 4,794 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 6	The GPU is a bit dated not now probably it's just okay and acceptable and can run current games just fine but it has come to the end of its life. At least try getting 9800GTX+ (with the plus) or if you care to look at ATI there's the 4870 which I think runs faster than 9800 GT. You may also want to consider buying a little higher rated PSU such as 600W or above just to be on the safe side. You do have a quad core. The higher PSU rating that you use the safer it is for your component since a higher rated PSU can be expected to power less power demanding PC with much less power fluctuation. If I were you I would also try to get a terrabyte harddisk than the 640GB one. They are not that expensive nowadays. Could prove very handy in the long run especially if you use your machine to play(install) games. __________________ My blog: http://exposingsingapore.wordpress.com/

06-28-09, 09:23 PM	#3
Stormende Soundman Join Date: May 2009 Location: México, DF. Posts: 146 Downloads: 774 Uploads: 1	Hmmm It's always cheaper to build your own rig. The processor sounds fine, my rig has an X2 4000+ with nvidia 8800GT SC and it can keep up with SH4+Uboat Missions and Sturmovik 1946 so that quad core can help you for quite a while. The BFG card is a good choice, they build pretty good and reliable cards. I am not sold with the mobo, tho. I've always preferred Asus because they have an awesome support (updated bios and drivers), an excellent layout design and can overclock pretty nicely, but I guess that is a matter of taste. The memory is OK, I also have 4GB even if Vista and XP 32 only uses 3GB so the extra 1GB I use it with eBoostr so it is not wasted. HD checks fine. The screen is not really enticing, what is the max resolution of it? I will go with Sony but again that is a matter of taste. I think your rig will be able to handle games for 5 years or so, maybe minor updates can extend the life span another couple of years. If the mobo is a decent one, you should not have any conflicts with the on board ATI card, just disable it from the BIOS and that will do it. I run SH4+Uboat Missions & Sturmovik 1946 at high detail 16x AF + 16Qx AA and the frame rate is high with no lag or whatsoever so I bet your rig will be able to pull a higher frame rate. Hell yeah, newegg rocks. Get your stuff there and before you pick an item compare them and read the reviews, they are quite helpful.

06-28-09, 09:33 PM	#4
Task Force Rear Admiral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SPACE!!!! Posts: 10,142 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	system sounds good, but like said before the video card is outdated, but still will work. if microsoft releases a release date, id go to windows 7. __________________ Task Force industries "Taking control of the world, one mind at a time"

06-29-09, 12:48 AM	#5
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	Few thoughts: I'm not too sure on the PSU, Raidmax isn't known for good ones. Get something build by Seasonic or Enhance (not necessarily brand name; for example, Corsair PSUs are built by Seasonic) and you can't go wrong. 500W is enouh for that rig, but for future proofing you might consider ~600W. 700 or 750, maybe even 800W if you might plug in a second GFX card in the fututre (SLI/Crossfire). 2x 9800GT is faster than GTX285 (on high resolutions) while costing just a fraction. It's not really future-proof. DDR3 is the standard and affordable nowadays. AM2+ socket has been superseded by AM3. Get a DDR3 board with AM3 socket and Phenom II to match, and you have a good system with a better upgrade-path. If you're considering moving to 9800GTX, have a look at the GTX 260 (with 216 shaders, not the old model). Depending on the brand, they cost the same or a little over the older cards while being faster. As far as Nvidia goes, it's good value for money. FSX will run fantastic and no compat. problems I can think off. Having onboard GFX shouldn't conflict with a dedicated card (just disable the chip in BIOS), but you're better of with a board without it; possibly higher performance and you don't pay for something you don't use. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.* Last edited by Arclight; 06-29-09 at 03:35 AM.

06-29-09, 09:09 PM	#7
Stormende Soundman Join Date: May 2009 Location: México, DF. Posts: 146 Downloads: 774 Uploads: 1	Nah 1440 x 900 will do. Tigerdirect but they do not have as many good deals than newegg.

06-29-09, 09:29 PM	#8
Task Force Rear Admiral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SPACE!!!! Posts: 10,142 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	yea, Newegg is good, ive ordered stuff from them... came in a box, with packing peanuts, stuff was in exelent condition. Newegg has some good bargans, and dont forget about sending in the rebates to get some money back. (what card you looking to.... can we have a link...) __________________ Task Force industries "Taking control of the world, one mind at a time" Last edited by Task Force; 06-29-09 at 09:42 PM.

07-02-09, 10:21 AM	#10
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	The Nvidia GTX260 216 is slightly more powerfull, runs cooler, uses less watts at idle but a little more at peak. In benchmarks it's neck and neck, with either card taking the lead depending on the game and resolution. The GTX is generally faster, while the Radeon runs some games better and typically performs better at very high resolutions, thanks to a bit of extra memory. http://techgage.com/article/ati_hd_4...mb_follow-up/1 IMHO, between those 2 cards it comes down to preference. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

07-02-09, 02:45 PM	#11
Raptor1 Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Stavka Posts: 8,211 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	I have the 4870 and it works perfectly. Like Arclight said, it all depends on what card you prefer __________________ Current Eastern Front status: Probable Victory

07-05-09, 12:07 AM	#12
Task Force Rear Admiral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SPACE!!!! Posts: 10,142 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	I myself have always sticked with nvidia. Ive always heard that ati cards dont overheat good, and the fans break down more often... I also cant stand that stupid catalyist control system, or what ever the h*** its called. I myself would go for the 260... or wait for the next gen of nvidia cards that will come out in acouple of months. (they will support DX 10.1, and maby if were lucky DX 11.) my 2c... __________________ Task Force industries "Taking control of the world, one mind at a time"