Geeks: Critique My Custom Computer Build

[90FormulaWS6]

This is my first stab at building my own computer, so point me in the right direction on this build. Anyway, my laptop is on the fritz and the time has come to move toward a desktop. My objective in this build is to adhere to my budget ~500, while leaving myself open for future upgrades. In the future I want to run 2 monitors, one for everyday use, the other will be a projector to run TV/media. I want to establish good core components which will leave me open to add another HDD, Tuner card, etc in the near future. If I am leaving anything out, let me know as well if there are alternate product suggestions you may have.

Here is what I have layed out thus far:

Case - GIGABYTE GZ-X5BPD-500 Black SECC Steel / ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811233039
$34.99

Power Supply - Cooler Master eXtreme Power Plus RS550-PCARA3-US ATX12V & EPS12V Power Supply
550W - ATX12V & EPS12V Power Supply -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...1038&Tpk=RS550
$52.70

Motherboard - GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128358
$129.99

CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 Processor BX80571E7400 - 2.80GHz, 3MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB,
Wolfdale-3M, Dual-Core, Retail, Socket 775
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...k=BX80571E7400
$119.99

Video Card - EVGA 512-P3-N963-TR GeForce 9600 GSO 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...512-P3-N963-TR
$79.99, newegg rebate $20 = $59.99

HDD - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148262
$54.99

RAM - Kingston HyperX T1 Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820104098
$54.99

Optical Drive - LITE-ON Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X
CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD Burner with LightScribe
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106280
$27.99

[5.7TA]

Looks good man, only thing is I didn't see any extra intake or outtake fans, Im sure the case has plenty of cooling but a couple of extra couldn't hurt

Also what are you going with for a sound card?

Should be pretty sweet when it's done man.

[DevilDougWS6]

i would stay away from nvidia geforce gfx cards, ive had bad experience with them in the past. i dont know how they are now so i could be wrong. also i would go with an ASUS board.

[ryanfx]

If you don't game the only thing I'm not happy with is the CPU. You can get a quad core which software applications are supporting much thoroughly now. You can get a cheap quad like a Q8200 and you will be MUCH happier in 6 months!

[90FormulaWS6]

Originally Posted by 5.7TA

Also what are you going with for a sound card?

Onboard sound.

Originally Posted by ryanfx

If you don't game the only thing I'm not happy with is the CPU. You can get a quad core which software applications are supporting much thoroughly now. You can get a cheap quad like a Q8200 and you will be MUCH happier in 6 months!

Dont really game at all, please explain why not happy with CPU seems like more than enough for what i need

[Frosty]

I think the video card is a bit weak but if you don't do gaming it'll be fine.

For a few bucks more you could've gotten a quad core AMD chip but again, if you don't do any gaming or hardcore video/photo editing you're fine.

Invest a few more bucks and buy a decent sound card

...and like 5.7TA said about the fans...you can never have enough fans

You could spend a few more dollars and REALLY have a kick ass PC but if you're really only using it to surf the net, listen to some music and that stuff then it's fine.

[FIcamaroRE92]

LEDs ! lol

but the newer nvidia geforce cards ae great I have an 8400 and never had a problem.

[Saitin]

IMO the case will be a PITA to build in,opt for a case with a removable motherboard tray you won't regret it,also if your going to buy outdated hardware such as that video card(2 years old) search ebay and pick one up for 20 bucks or so.
what do you plan to do project wise?
CPU power will always come in handy specially with with the quads being so cheap now days.
Some one recommended getting a AMD, thats wrong a intel 775 core 2 will out perform a amd quad.
Custom computers are a lot like cars your going to start slow and little then you will want to upgrade this or mod this and you will end up with a fully custom water cooled machine that can run anything.
Have fun IMO avoid vista and go with xp if your not gaming or have any need for direct x 10 or wait a few more months for windows 7.

BTW this is what I game with it's a little out dated as i've been dumping money in my car recently.
asus striker 2 with a intel q6850 overclocked, paired with 8gb of g skill with 2 EVGA 9800gx2's in sli and a pc&P 1200 psu all wrapped in a lian li v2010 case. and water cooled.

[ryanfx]

Originally Posted by 90FormulaWS6

Onboard sound.



Dont really game at all, please explain why not happy with CPU seems like more than enough for what i need

You said you wanted to future proof your box a little bit. A quad core will ensure that future programs run most efficiently and will allow you to multi-task MUCH more better. If you ever burn DVD's, play music, copy files, or browse the internet simultaneously I can't stress enough how much quad cores help! It's an extra 60 or so bucks for the quad core and worth every penny.

do it once, do it right.

[r0nin89]

Here comes a long post but some good info for you.

I see a couple issues here.

The real issue being that I wouldnt use a power supply by anyone but antec or thermaltake. This is the real true blue issue. Spend $40 more and get something you know wont burn out and possibly take your computer with it.

Now personal things that I stick to with computers. I've always chosen AMD over intel its just more bang for your buck. As said you could spend a couple hundred more and get an AM2/AM2+ amd board and a phenom II tri or quad core.

That system would have a lot more upgrade-ability.

The ram looks good though. You'll never need more than 4gigs using a 32bit operating system. If you'd like to save some money here OCZ is an up and coming RAM company alot of people are having success with. I myself have 8 gigs of DDR3 1600mhz reaper in my computer and its awesome.

Also I wouldn't recommend a seagate hard drive. I've read terrible reviews. Heres a link to the hard drive in my gaming computer. Its virtually the best and fastest 7200rpm you can buy.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136320

Also for the generation of video card (about 4 generations old) your looking at I would suggest an ATI. If you go with something newer NVIDIA definitely has the upper hand right now on price and performance.

And btw Gigabyte is a much better choice than ASUS. I couldnt be more happy with my gigabyte board compared to my old ASUS. Plus I've had driver nightmares with ASUS and heard of customer service nightmares.

And as long as we're on the do it right do it once subject let me show you what my budget $600 computer turned in to.

Invoice Summary
. Qty Product Description Price
Shipped from CA, USA - Tracking #: 1ZW098Y01201589482, 1ZW098R41233402086
. 1

LG Black SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model DH16NS10 - OEM
Item #: N82E16827136159

Standard Return Policy

$19.99

1

Antec NeoPower 650 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
Item #: N82E16817371011

Manufacturer Warranty

$109.99

Click here to obtain a detailed listing of your packages and their contents.
Shipped from NJ, USA - Tracking #: 1Z039AF20341112692
. 1

Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
Item #: N82E16822136320

30 Day Return Policy
This item is serviced by the Western Digital. Please call 800 832 4778 for service.

$69.99

1

SAMSUNG Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive Windows 98SE/ ME/ 2000/ XP - OEM
Item #: N82E16821103203

30 Day Return Policy

$7.49

. 4

MASSCOOL FD07015S1M3/4 70mm Case Fan - Retail
Item #: N82E16835150064

Standard Return Policy

$11.16
($2.79 ea)

1

Sony Optiarc Black SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model DDU1675S - OEM
Item #: N82E16827118019

30 Day Return Policy

$17.99

. 1

GIGABYTE GV-R487D5-1GD Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814125256

Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy
Gigabyte (626)-854-9338 option 4 www.giga-byte.com

$199.99

. 1

GIGABYTE GA-MA790FXT-UD5P AM3 DDR3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813128377

Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy
Gigabyte (626)-854-9338 option 4 www.giga-byte.com

$179.99

. 1

AMD Phenom II X4 810 2.6GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor Model HDX810WFGIBOX - Retail
Item #: N82E16819103650

Processors (CPUs) Return Policy
For Retail AMD processor, please call 408 749-3060 for service after first 30 days. For OEM AMD processor, we will service for 30 days only. Please verify the Processor matches your order Prior To installation. IMPORTANT: Always pack your CPU well for return. We will refuse your RMA if we received it as DAMAGED!

$175.00

. 1

VANTEC UGT-CR905 58-in-1 USB 2.0 Card Reader/Writer for 3.5” or 5.25” Drive Bay with Built-In USB Port - Retail
Item #: N82E16820276003

Standard Return Policy

$16.99

. 2

OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3RPR16004GK - Retail
Item #: N82E16820227320

Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy
For Tech support call: 408 986 8400 or email support@ocztechnology.com

$169.98
($84.99 ea)

Subtotal $978.56
Tax $0.00
UPS 3 DAYS $35.82
Rush Processing (Preferred Account) -$2.99
Rush Processing $2.99
Order Total $1,014.38

[r0nin89]

Originally Posted by Saitin

Some one recommended getting a AMD, thats wrong a intel 775 core 2 will out perform a amd quad.

I've been through this with someone before. A dual core intel will not out bench a quadcore phenom 2. Now the first series quad core is a tiny bit better. I7 blows it out of the water.

But hands down the price to performance factory still makes AMD a very good option.

[Masonite]

i would quote r0nin89, but his post is a bit too long. i'll skip my experience with computers to save you a few minutes of reading. i agree whole-heartedly with r0nin89 on a lot of things, and i urge you to take these into consideration:

-power supply, go antec or thermaltake, accept no others.

-hard drive, save yourself the hassle of replacing your seagate a year from now and stick with the Western Digital that he recommended. all my drives are WD. i wouldn't have it any other way, all from experience.

-CPU, personally, i'm an Intel fan. AMD is literally a copycat off Intel. Honestly, you could go either way, BUT, I've found that in most cases, if you have an Intel Processor, you use NVidia graphics cards, and if you have an AMD processor, you go with ATI. That just seems to be the preference for a lot of people.

-Kingston RAM is pretty good. If you decide to change and go with OCZ, I would stay away from their "gold" series--I've returned three sets of modules to them in the past year. Their SLI RAM is great, though. As r0nin said, don't go over 4gb of RAM if you're sticking with a 32-bit operating system.

-motherboard, Gigabyte is good. Asus is better. Both are dependable, though.

-case, i've bought that specific case before for a customer of mine. nice, little, solid case. however, the fan that comes with it sucks. get more fans. think about getting a CPU heatsink, too! thermaltake or zalman ftw.



overall, remember the most important thing: Your computer will only run as fast as its slowest component. if it means putting in $10 more for that little bit of extra reliability or speed, do it, unless you plan on building a custom computer for yourself every 2 months (because that's how long it will be before it's "obsolete", if not sooner).

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by r0nin89

I've been through this with someone before. A dual core intel will not out bench a quadcore phenom 2. Now the first series quad core is a tiny bit better. I7 blows it out of the water.

[90FormulaWS6]

After considering all of the input, I decided to go with a Quad-Core processor. I have switched a couple of the items in the build so feel free to critique. Im still struggling between video cards, but for the budget, I really need to stay under $100 if possible.

In the future, I want to watch TV/DVDs run through a projector/LCD along side my normal PC display, so it needs to be capable of running two monitors. Aside from that, I don't have any visually demanding usage as I only browse the internet, listen to music, word processing, you catch the drift.

Any help on the video card would be helpful. Here's the updated setup (updated items in bold):

Case - GIGABYTE GZ-X5BPD-500 Black SECC Steel / ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811233039

Power Supply - Antec Basiq BP550Plus-EC ATX12V & EPS12V Power Supply

Motherboard - GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128358


CPU - Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115055


Video Card - ????

HDD - Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136320


RAM - Kingston HyperX T1 Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820104098


Optical Drive - LITE-ON Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X
CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD Burner with LightScribe
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106280

Total w/o video card = $550

[r0nin89]

I'm on it

K here you go. This is quite a decent video card for $100. The nice thing about the fact that you didnt skimp on your mobo is that if in the future this card is not enough you can add a second video card for my processing power without loosing your initial investment.

I chose Nvidia cause I'm a big believer Nvida goes with intel and ATI with AMD.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125272

The only other thing I see an issue with is that your using a mid tower. You may have video card clearance issues with that. If size isnt really a problem just get an fullsize standard atx tower. I mean my 4870 radeon card (which 2 months ago when i built the computer was the best, so figure biggest, single core ati card you can buy) is nearly 10in long.