[Mooseknuckle]

here is what i have came up with for my 1st build...i have based this off of overclockers...let me know if anything is missing?


GIGABYTE GA-P35-S3G ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #:N82E16813128084
Return Policy: Limited 30-Day Return Policy
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CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W Power Supply
Item #:N82E16817139003
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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Logitech 980-000028 2.0 S-150 Digital USB Speaker
Item #:N82E16836121016
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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Logitech SBF-96 Black Wired Optical Mouse
Item #:N82E16826104031
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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Logitech Black Deluxe 250 Keyboard
Item #:N82E16823126013
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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1ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
Item #:N82E16835186134
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 500GB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
Item #:N82E16822152098
Return Policy: Limited 30-Day Return Policy
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$69.991SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4850 100242L Video Card
Item #:N82E16814102747
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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GeIL Esoteria 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
Item #:N82E16820144097
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
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Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor
Item #:N82E16819115052
Return Policy: Processors (CPUs) Return Policy
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SAMSUNG 2220WM-HAS Black 22" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor with Height adjustment Built in Speakers
Item #:N82E16824001262
Return Policy: [LCD] Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy
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Grand Total:$931.19


i have a couple of questions and would like some advice on a few things before i make this purchase....i will be running vista 32bit if that matters.

1. I do not have an optical drive picked out yet, i could not find the one from overclockers on newegg..could someone help me pick out an optical drive please???

2. I also could not find the ram on newegg..is the ram i have chosen a good choice? if not please point me to a good choice.

3. The monitor i have chosen has built in speakers..will these be operable with the system? I would rather not buy speakers as i will be using a headset 99% of the time.

4. For about $50 more should i spring for the Intel E8400 over the chosen cpu? and will it make a different with the motherboard i have selected?

5. also i am guessing i will need to purchase thermal compound that it will not come with the cpu fan?? which brand is good?

6. Finally, does this look like it will be a solid gaming system? being able to play games like cod4 and bf2 on high settings and also some games of the future?

I would really appreciate if someone could answer all of the above questions as this is my first build and i am about to make the purchase. I just need some input on all 6 of the questions listed. Thank you in advance.

Moose.

[Bubba]

Don't buy your monitor from Newegg. I have read too many "cons" in customer reviews on several different monitors bought from Newegg, all dealing with the same issue concerning their exchange policy for monitors (there is NO return BTW only exchange). From their site, note the bolded portion:

Return Policies

This item is covered by Newegg.com's [LCD] Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy.

• Return for refund within: non-refundable
• Return for replacement within: 30 days
• There must be a minimum of 8 dead pixels to declare an LCD display defective and eligible for return.

One to seven dead pixels is annoying as hell and if you get the monitor from Newegg and it has 1-7 dead pixels, you are stuck with it. Also on the link you provided, read the reviews there. One person said the speakers were rather weak.

As far as an optical drive/ I have had good luck with LG products, I have a DVD player, 42" Tv and for my computer the HDD/BluRay R/W Burner. You may not want to spend 259 bucks for it (why I got mine is a long sad story lol, i no longer need it, but am now stuck with it) but they have a different model on Newegg for 27.99. I'll provide the link but make sure you read the pro's and cons. It is OEM and comes with no instructions or cables:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136147

[serverguy]

I am about to buy a system that is almost identical, so yeah, I'd say it was great

To answer your questions:

1. I do not have an optical drive picked out yet, i could not find the one from overclockers on newegg..could someone help me pick out an optical drive please???

Honestly, anyone will do. They are all near enough identical. This one would be fine and is what I always use http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827135160

2. I also could not find the ram on newegg..is the ram i have chosen a good choice? if not please point me to a good choice.

You don't really need 8500, 6400 is enough, and then you could get 4GB. That stuff is also expensive. This would be better http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827135160

3. The monitor i have chosen has built in speakers..will these be operable with the system? I would rather not buy speakers as i will be using a headset 99% of the time.

Yep, should be fine. You can always upgrade later if you find it not acceptable but if you're using headset, then it doesn't matter for just the occasional bit of music etc.

4. For about $50 more should i spring for the Intel E8400 over the chosen cpu? and will it make a different with the motherboard i have selected?

No difference with the motherboard really.. E7200 will overclock nicely if you intend on doing so.. so will the E8400. Entirely your choice. The mobo is a good one, and I am getting it as I know it will overclock the E7200 well. It has been superseded by the P45s but they are a lot more $$$.

5. also i am guessing i will need to purchase thermal compound that it will not come with the cpu fan?? which brand is good?

Arctic Silver is the only stuff worth buying. Arctic Freezer comes with some stuff already applied but I normally replace it anyway. For the sake of a few $$$ it is worth it think.

6. Finally, does this look like it will be a solid gaming system? being able to play games like cod4 and bf2 on high settings and also some games of the future?

Yep, should be great. Built an almost identical system for a mate a few weeks ago and he is well chuffed with the two games you mention. A few years ago this would have cost serious money.

I would really appreciate if someone could answer all of the above questions as this is my first build and i am about to make the purchase. I just need some input on all 6 of the questions listed. Thank you in advance.

No problems... we're here to help

Moose.

[Mooseknuckle]

Thanks for the info guys!

Server thank you for answering all of my questions it is a great help. One thing i noticed is that question #2 about the ram you provided the link to the optical drive instead of the suggested ram. Could you please post the correct ram link so i can have a look? Also, will 4 GB be too much ram for me as i will only be running vista 32?

[serverguy]

Originally Posted by Mooseknuckle

Thanks for the info guys!

Server thank you for answering all of my questions it is a great help. One thing i noticed is that question #2 about the ram you provided the link to the optical drive instead of the suggested ram. Could you please post the correct ram link so i can have a look? Also, will 4 GB be too much ram for me as i will only be running vista 32?

Sorry.

The correct link should have been this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231122

4GB is the max for 32 bit, but I think it is worth getting. You will only realise about 3.5GB of it, but I would spring for it. It is very cheap.

[Carbon]

I still would suggest a P45 but if the budget isn't there what you have will work wonderfully.

[thingie2]

I do not have an optical drive picked out yet, i could not find the one from overclockers on newegg..could someone help me pick out an optical drive please???

It doesn't rearly matter which optical drive you get, they all perform almost the same, however personally, I would probably go for this one because it is a good speed, and has lightscribe.

I also could not find the ram on newegg..is the ram i have chosen a good choice? if not please point me to a good choice.

For this build, unless your overclocking, you don't need RAM that fast, I would probably go for this stuff even though you are running 32bit, you can then use as much as you can of it, and it isn't that expensive rearly.

The monitor i have chosen has built in speakers..will these be operable with the system? I would rather not buy speakers as i will be using a headset 99% of the time.

I would just say ditch the speakers, if you monitor has them, you can just use them for when your not using your headset, no point spending money for something your barely going to use.

For about $50 more should i spring for the Intel E8400 over the chosen cpu? and will it make a different with the motherboard i have selected?

Personally I would upgrade, the 8400 has a much higher clock speed, and should run cooler. And it should work fine with that motherboard.

also i am guessing i will need to purchase thermal compound that it will not come with the cpu fan?? which brand is good?

I would probably go for this as it is atleast one of the best (if not the best you can get)

Finally, does this look like it will be a solid gaming system? being able to play games like cod4 and bf2 on high settings and also some games of the future?

Yea, should do

[Carbon]

imo if you're gaming a good speaker system and sound card are excellent buys

i didn't hear any difference between my 650i's onboard and an Audigy SE but with a xtremegamer both music and game stuff sounds excellent and the virtual surround on my 2.1 speakers is amazing. it even makes games like TF2 seem more immersive, much less CoD4 and other games like BF2 with EAX.

also, 128 voices = no annoying sound cutoffs

[Mooseknuckle]

what would be the advantages over getting the p45 over the p35? Also, if this helps i decided to go with the e8400 over the e7200. The p35 i am looking at is $85, and the p45's i have looked at range from $109-270. Why are there such a variety of prices for the p45's?

[Carbon]

the more expensive ones have better features and southbridges too

for example this can do x16/x8, while some of the cheaper boards can only do x8 x8

but really, that doesn't matter too much, even x8 performs nearly identically to x16. if you have use for 8 USB and 3 firewire ports get the more expensive ones.