Building your own PC

In this forum you can discuss anything from sports, news, or what ever is on your mind.

Moderator: SMLCHNG

Post Reply
Air M'Ville Cap'n
Inactive User
Posts: 5068
Joined: April 28, 2003 12:45 am
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: The Ozarks

Building your own PC

Post by Air M'Ville Cap'n »

Anybody put together a PC on their own? I'm looking to upgrade my 466 mHz :lol: . I've been looking at Barebone systems, and I'm unsure about a few things, hoping someone can help me out a bit. Not looking to spend over $250 for case, power supply, fan, motherboard, and CPU, and possibly memory. I've got video card, CD-Rom, hard drives, floppy drive, monitor I will keep and add to this one.

Processor - AMD vs. Intel . I see a lot of good reviews of AMD and a lot of good reviews about Intel. I plan to use the computer mainly for routine stuff. Browsing the internet, photo editing, web site management, and ccasional game playing. Not set in stone on how fast I want it to be. Somewhere in the 2-3 gHz range.

Also if anybody knows of any good sites to go to. I've been looking at www.tigerdirect.com some.
RinglingRingling
Last Man Standing
Posts: 53938
Joined: May 30, 2004 3:12 pm
Favorite Buffett Song: Glory Days
Number of Concerts: 0
Favorite Boat Drink: Landshark, and Margaritaville products...
Location: Where payphones all are ringing

Re: Building your own PC

Post by RinglingRingling »

Air M'Ville Cap'n wrote:Anybody put together a PC on their own? I'm looking to upgrade my 466 mHz :lol: . I've been looking at Barebone systems, and I'm unsure about a few things, hoping someone can help me out a bit. Not looking to spend over $250 for case, power supply, fan, motherboard, and CPU, and possibly memory. I've got video card, CD-Rom, hard drives, floppy drive, monitor I will keep and add to this one.

Processor - AMD vs. Intel . I see a lot of good reviews of AMD and a lot of good reviews about Intel. I plan to use the computer mainly for routine stuff. Browsing the internet, photo editing, web site management, and ccasional game playing. Not set in stone on how fast I want it to be. Somewhere in the 2-3 gHz range.

Also if anybody knows of any good sites to go to. I've been looking at www.tigerdirect.com some.
www.pricewatch.com

much bigger selection of vendors.
Sam
Inactive User
Posts: 3993
Joined: February 5, 2002 7:00 pm
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: Somewhere between a Rock and a Hard Place

Re: Building your own PC

Post by Sam »

Air M'Ville Cap'n wrote:Anybody put together a PC on their own? I'm looking to upgrade my 466 mHz :lol: . I've been looking at Barebone systems, and I'm unsure about a few things, hoping someone can help me out a bit. Not looking to spend over $250 for case, power supply, fan, motherboard, and CPU, and possibly memory. I've got video card, CD-Rom, hard drives, floppy drive, monitor I will keep and add to this one.

Processor - AMD vs. Intel . I see a lot of good reviews of AMD and a lot of good reviews about Intel. I plan to use the computer mainly for routine stuff. Browsing the internet, photo editing, web site management, and ccasional game playing. Not set in stone on how fast I want it to be. Somewhere in the 2-3 gHz range.

Also if anybody knows of any good sites to go to. I've been looking at www.tigerdirect.com some.



I have a friend that builds computers and has a business license and gets stuff at a cheaper rate. I will ask him about some more sites. I might could get him to get the items at his cost for you.
PM me with details of specific items or general ideas what makes/types of items you would like to get quotes on and I will see what I can find out from him. He might have some suggestions. He is the techie, not me.

These might be worh looking over just to compare items/prices from elsewhere.
http://www.directron.com/

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi ... 2&STL_ID=7 <<< Never really know what they are going to have but they got some hard to beat prices. Either on complete systems or parts and other stuff.

http://www.geeks.com/

http://www.aiyamicro.com/

You can google or go to dogpile.com and search for discount computer parts

If your going to do a lot of photo editing or graphic work, my suggestion is to go with at least 1 Gig or more of RAM. The price of RAM these days is way down and it won't set you back that much more.
How big is your hard drive now? You might want to upgrade that to, or at least consider it.

I have been using AMD chips in all of my puters .... I don't know what the differences are in the Intel and AMD but I have read game reviews that some games did not perform as well with the AMD chips ...

Something else you may want to look at it is installing another fan or two and a DVD burner. A dvd will hold something like 4.3 Gigs of data vs a cd holding around 700 Megs. ( speed rates on the burner not directly compatable.... example: a dvd burner at a rate of 4x is roughly comparable to a cd burner somewhere around 32x or so and maybe more.
Roll with the punches, play all of your hunches...come what may...
Image POW-MIA, YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN!!!
SUPPORT OPERATION JUST CAUSE!!!
http://www.ojc.org/
Air M'Ville Cap'n
Inactive User
Posts: 5068
Joined: April 28, 2003 12:45 am
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: The Ozarks

Post by Air M'Ville Cap'n »

Thanks a lot for the info Sam. Will look into those. I'm still gathering info and trying to decide what kinds of things I want. Will let you know
Lastplaneout
Behind Door #3
Posts: 3844
Joined: February 28, 2004 10:27 am
Number of Concerts: 13
Location: Port Of Indecision
Contact:

Post by Lastplaneout »

Ahhhh My Forte....I suggest www.newegg.com You can build a virtual system..and then post the link up and we can view it. As for 250 for a barebones setup...hmmmm I don't know what you're wanting to do with it, but that's not gonna get you a whole lot. But hell I never really do too much in respect to a BB...I build from the ground up.

As for the Intel Vs. AMD battle...it's always back and forth betweeen em. Intel really kicked AMD's ass for quite a while...but since AMD came along with the new 64 bit processor it's been awfully one sided. I must admit the next system I build for me will indeed be an AMD. I just finished one up for a buddy actually with the new 64 4400 Toledo core...HOLY TOLEDO I said. Unbelieveable chip...and paid and unbelieveable price for a mobo. It all dpends what you want to do with it.
All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz & i'm fine
AlbatrossFlyer
Schoolboy heart & a license to fly
Posts: 11901
Joined: April 24, 2001 8:00 pm
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: Phoenix, where it's hotter than the FSOTW

Post by AlbatrossFlyer »

one of the best equipment review sites i've found

http://www.legitreviews.com/

I'd feel bad for you, but I have no soul.....

If you can't do it with brains, you won't do it with hours - Kelly Johnson
Air M'Ville Cap'n
Inactive User
Posts: 5068
Joined: April 28, 2003 12:45 am
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: The Ozarks

Post by Air M'Ville Cap'n »

Sounds like the AMD 64 might be a good choice
Sam
Inactive User
Posts: 3993
Joined: February 5, 2002 7:00 pm
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: Somewhere between a Rock and a Hard Place

Post by Sam »

Iasked my friend and this is what he has told me so far...still talking with him....

For $331 plus shipping he can build a new state of the art p4 the amd 64 bit is slower than the new 775 p4.
Roll with the punches, play all of your hunches...come what may...
Image POW-MIA, YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN!!!
SUPPORT OPERATION JUST CAUSE!!!
http://www.ojc.org/
joe_pyrat
I have found me a home
Posts: 116
Joined: June 21, 2005 12:58 am
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM

Post by joe_pyrat »

First thing to decide is what you want to do with the computer, surf the web, play graphic intensive games like Doom 3, run e-mail and an office suite, or? Once you have made this decision you will have a better idea of what motherboard, processor, video, etc. your system will require. I personally like the AMD Athlon XP processors because the price is good and they have a high degree of interchangeability so you can upgrade later on. The AMD 64 bit processors are probably a good bet for the future, but there are not many 64 bit apps or operating systems out there, although I was able to download a beta version of MS's 64 bit version of windows, but I'm not sure it is still available.

You also need to consider the down side of building your own system. You will not have one stop shopping for your warranty needs. The warranty will be specific to each individual component. And usually the cost is about the same as buying a system with similar power.

The upside is that while the power will be similar, you will know exactly what you have and you will know what the quality of the parts is. It is also a lot of fun to build your own system.

Included below are a couple of websites I use a lot. Tom's Hardware is great for checking performance levels of all kinds of computer parts from motherboards to video cards to memory. Price Grabber is great for getting a quick idea of what the price is. You might be able to beat this price on eBay or at your local computer swap meet though, so shop around. Corsair makes some of the best memory around, but it is pricey. Their website has a lot of information on memory which you may find useful.

Finally I included a link to a TechTV (now G4) on a video with Leo Laporte and Patrick Norton on how to build your own computer. It is kind of basic, but covers things that are not readily apparent to a first time builder.

http://www.tomshardware.com/index.html

http://www.pricegrabber.com

http://www.corsairmemory.com/

http://btobsearch.barnesandnoble.com/bo ... 7021&itm=1

Enjoy...
Joe Pyrat

ImageImage
Sam
Inactive User
Posts: 3993
Joined: February 5, 2002 7:00 pm
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: Somewhere between a Rock and a Hard Place

Post by Sam »

AMC,
Check Six....You have incoming!
Roll with the punches, play all of your hunches...come what may...
Image POW-MIA, YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN!!!
SUPPORT OPERATION JUST CAUSE!!!
http://www.ojc.org/
Lastplaneout
Behind Door #3
Posts: 3844
Joined: February 28, 2004 10:27 am
Number of Concerts: 13
Location: Port Of Indecision
Contact:

Post by Lastplaneout »

Sam wrote:Iasked my friend and this is what he has told me so far...still talking with him....

For $331 plus shipping he can build a new state of the art p4 the amd 64 bit is slower than the new 775 p4.
I'd like to see those numbers...I know the P4 Extreme Edition 3.8 was faster than the lower level AMD FX chip, but the new Dual Core AMD's have been killing the P4 chips. THe only thing that is still in the running is the Intel Xeon 64b line...which is basically a server processor anyhow. But $331 for a full build...damn I need to find where this guy buys parts. Hell for what Dell's bottom of the line system goes for I could barely build the same setup...damn tyrants :pirate:
All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz & i'm fine
Sam
Inactive User
Posts: 3993
Joined: February 5, 2002 7:00 pm
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: Somewhere between a Rock and a Hard Place

Post by Sam »

Lastplaneout wrote:
Sam wrote:Iasked my friend and this is what he has told me so far...still talking with him....

For $331 plus shipping he can build a new state of the art p4 the amd 64 bit is slower than the new 775 p4.
I'd like to see those numbers...I know the P4 Extreme Edition 3.8 was faster than the lower level AMD FX chip, but the new Dual Core AMD's have been killing the P4 chips. THe only thing that is still in the running is the Intel Xeon 64b line...which is basically a server processor anyhow. But $331 for a full build...damn I need to find where this guy buys parts. Hell for what Dell's bottom of the line system goes for I could barely build the same setup...damn tyrants :pirate:
Check Six! You got incoming! 8-)

I dunno where he got the speed info, but I think what he meant was that you buy the parts and put it together yourself...... and that is just tower and guts no monitor or kb or speakers.

He does have a business license, so he can get parts at wholesale. you can find out more when you check Six.
Roll with the punches, play all of your hunches...come what may...
Image POW-MIA, YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN!!!
SUPPORT OPERATION JUST CAUSE!!!
http://www.ojc.org/
Air M'Ville Cap'n
Inactive User
Posts: 5068
Joined: April 28, 2003 12:45 am
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: The Ozarks

Post by Air M'Ville Cap'n »

I know you guys have mentioned other sites besides Tigerdirect, but I found these two there that appeared impressive to me.

This first one cost more. I've got a friend who has told me that ASUS motherboards are good boards.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... 5-2102%20F

And there's this one...

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... 0-2018%20F

They both have the AMD Athlon 64 3700+ Processor, gig of memory.

Your thoughts please. I've got a 40 gb HD and a 9 gb HD now, which I know are not that much in today's terms, but they would definately be suitable for starting. I've yet to fill up the 40 gb after having it two years. And the prices are coming down so I could purchase one at a later date.
Lastplaneout
Behind Door #3
Posts: 3844
Joined: February 28, 2004 10:27 am
Number of Concerts: 13
Location: Port Of Indecision
Contact:

Post by Lastplaneout »

That first link isn't a bad deal at all....Especially cuz of the Asus mobo...very good maker...I've used quite a few Asus boards. What I don't like about the second setup is the Micro ATX board....I'd rather go witht the other. And "Mach Speed"...ehh..when it comes to support you can't beat a big manufacturer...you'll always be sure to never have any compatibility issues
All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz & i'm fine
Air M'Ville Cap'n
Inactive User
Posts: 5068
Joined: April 28, 2003 12:45 am
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: The Ozarks

Post by Air M'Ville Cap'n »

Looking at the first one, if you went out and bought say a Dell, you wouldn't be able to get that processor and that memory for the same price, even once you add in the price of an HD and CD/DVD drive right? It seems to me that when you look at the lower end Dells ($400-600) they have the "lower" processors, like Celeron, Sempron. Am I right about this?
Lastplaneout
Behind Door #3
Posts: 3844
Joined: February 28, 2004 10:27 am
Number of Concerts: 13
Location: Port Of Indecision
Contact:

Post by Lastplaneout »

Air M'Ville Cap'n wrote:Looking at the first one, if you went out and bought say a Dell, you wouldn't be able to get that processor and that memory for the same price, even once you add in the price of an HD and CD/DVD drive right? It seems to me that when you look at the lower end Dells ($400-600) they have the "lower" processors, like Celeron, Sempron. Am I right about this?
Absolutely....bottom of the line is bottom of the line...what you're looking at is much better than what you'd get from Hell. Also a lot of bottom line dells are still integrated...so some crap you can't even change out..BOO
All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz & i'm fine
Air M'Ville Cap'n
Inactive User
Posts: 5068
Joined: April 28, 2003 12:45 am
Number of Concerts: 0
Location: The Ozarks

Post by Air M'Ville Cap'n »

Lastplaneout wrote:
Air M'Ville Cap'n wrote:Looking at the first one, if you went out and bought say a Dell, you wouldn't be able to get that processor and that memory for the same price, even once you add in the price of an HD and CD/DVD drive right? It seems to me that when you look at the lower end Dells ($400-600) they have the "lower" processors, like Celeron, Sempron. Am I right about this?
Absolutely....bottom of the line is bottom of the line...what you're looking at is much better than what you'd get from Hell. Also a lot of bottom line dells are still integrated...so some crap you can't even change out..BOO
I think I'm gonna go for that one, and prob add a 160 gb Maxtor HD on sale for $49.99 and a DVD burner for $42.99. Makes the package about $500. Sounds like a deal to me
Post Reply