Building A Computer

[Master Shake]

So I'm planning on building a new computer.  Budget is about 1,000 (what I have now), but I guess I wouldn't mind spending up to 1,500.  I've never built one before, so I really don't know what to do.  I've been looking around tonight, and heres what I've found so far.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...CatId=1846        Tower  119.99
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...No=3574211                          CPU  199.99
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...CatId=2050        Motherboard  319.99  (Need cheaper mobo to pay for x2 video cards)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...CatId=3361        RAM  (Still looking for 20,000MHZ)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...7&CatId=88            CD/DVD
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...TSD-500AS2 Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814130318                                              Video Card (x2)

Edit:  With ddr3 only increasing performance by 2-5% currently, is it worth it to wait a year until they're able to utilize all of ddr3's capabilities?

[Geoff]

Tiger Direct?    Eeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyuuuchhh

Go newegg instead.

[HeK]

Tiger Direct?    Eeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyuuuchhh

Go newegg instead.

+1.

Or if in Canada, NCIX.

Just price match everything and enjoy the fast shipping and good customer service.

[Geoff]

300 bucks for a mobo?  >_>

[Versus]

He lives in Pennsylvania , so newegg. newegg is so awesome.

[Master Shake]

First I just wanted to figure out what I wanted to get, and then I was going to search for the best price.

[ConsFEARacy]

I approve of Newegg! I live in Florida so TigerDirect would charge me sales tax...

I would highly recommend going with DDR2 RAM and a DDR2 motherboard. That will make things much cheaper for you. DDR3 is expensive and all of the benchmarks/reviews I've seen on DDR3 RAM and mobos show little to none real performance gain...

As for a graphics card, I am going to recommend two. Since it looks like you want to go with an SLI-ready mobo, or I should say an NVIDIA chipset mobo, my first recommendation is NVIDIA's 8800GT. One of the best cards on the market in terms of price:performance ratios. I would also recommend the HD4850 from ATI. These things were just released, and along with the 4870's, have NVIDIA in a tight spot right now. A single 4580 would perform better than an 8800GT, but since you are going for an NVIDIA/SLI-ready mobo, and if you ever decided to go SLI, two 8800GT's are on par if not better in many games than two 4850's. Crossfire can be weird sometimes...but I'm sure you aren't planning on going SLI. At least for now...muahahaha!

In summary 4850 > 8800GT, in most cases, although it depends on the game. If in doubt, Google some benchmarks. The choice is yours...

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341&p=13

Oh, and the manufacturers I would recommend are Sapphire for ATI and EVGA or BFG-Tech for NVIDIA cards.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814130318
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814102747

Nice choice on the Wolfdale proc as well!!!

My Rant:

Oh, and as for the case, there's nothing wrong with the one you picked, but I LOOOOVE the Antec Nine Hundred. It's the same price as the one you've got picked out, but it kicks every other case's a** I've ever owned! It is loud, yes (Scorpions - "Rock You Like a Hurricane" often comes to mind when I think about this case), but I've never heard anyone run into any kind of temperature troubles when using this case...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...ntec%2b900

Wow! And I was hoping to get to sleep a little early tonight...thanks!

[CaffeinePowered]

300 bucks for a mobo?  >_>

Ive spent more :-x

[jorge]

Ive spent more :-x

Did it pleasure your penis?

[CaffeinePowered]

[quote author=CaffeinePowered link=topic=897.msg23114#msg23114 date=1216535836]
Ive spent more :-x

Did it pleasure your penis?
[/quote]

You get what you pay for when it comes to computer parts, a mobo that costs that much is going to have a fuck ton of connectors, features, and going to be more likely than not solid as a rock.

Its the most important part in your computer, choose wisely.

[Ceceil Felias]

8800GT? That's a little old. Though it's gone down in price too, whee. That's always good.

I'm planning on getting a 9800GTX with my next upgrade, as well as an external power supply to carry the extra load on it. Cheaper than buying a new one. All in all, I suppose it's mainly how you want to do things.

[ktj]

I bought computer like this:
http://r.viive.fi/kone.txt
cost me around 1500$

Ofc you can choose E8400+HD4870
if you want cheaper.

[jorge]

You get what you pay for when it comes to computer parts, a mobo that costs that much is going to have a fuck ton of connectors, features, and going to be more likely than not solid as a rock.

Its the most important part in your computer, choose wisely.

Funhole or gtfo

[Master Shake]

Here is my updated list:
Case
Hard Drive
Video Card
Processor
Motherboard
Memory
Still Need: power source (No idea!)
Can someone who knows a lot about computers just run through this and let me know if everything is compatible.  I'd really appreciate it.

[copulatingduck]

Everything looks compatible, but you're wasting your money going with DDR3 memory imho. It shows very little improvement over DDR2. Something like this would do you just fine: OCZ 4GB PC2-8500 or Corsair 4GB PC2-8500

Course, you'd need a DDR2 motherboard, but that's significantly cheaper than your DDR3-supporting one right now.  :|

And as for PSU: You could try something like this. There's tons of options, pretty much anything from a recognizable, reputable brand with 600W will do you just fine.

In the end, it's up to you what you put in, but currently, there's very little to gain from DDR3. Now if you're buying it and sticking with just 2GB or RAM for now hoping to future proof you system, I guess I could understand that. But to me, the savings from going DDR2 for now would certainly pay for a new motherboard and RAM later on when the prices on DDR3 come down and the performance goes up.

[Master Shake]

That's exactly what I was thinking.  All of the sites that talk about how theres only 1% improvement also mention that in the next few years processors will start coming out that support ddr3's capabilities.  I'm hoping that I can just buy a new processor then, and I'll be set.  Sure the prices will drop, and it probably doesn't make any sense to get it now, but I want to just buy it all now and then a newer processor later.

Thank you so much to all who helped me here.  When I finally have all the parts and have it together, probably about two months, I'll be sure to post pics.  THANKS!

[ktj]

$369.99 for mobo :O
You should have taken ddr2 mobo and ddr2 mem

[IdiotWithGuns]

stick to ddr3.
But i think you paying too much for a motherboard.

[ainmosni]

stick to ddr3.
But i think you paying too much for a motherboard.

IMHO ddr3 is too expensive for the little extra performance it gives atm... DDR2 is so cheap that it's hard to resist...

[cannedpeahes]

Do not go with stock PSUs. They want to eat your hardware's soul.