[paul4skin]

I am planning to build a new computer, on a low budget, however this is my first build. As far as i can see the items i am going to buy are compatable. could you just read the specs and double check before i buy please? Here is what i plan to buy:


Qty Product QuickFind Stock Price Line Total
PowerColor RS780G Socket AM2+ onboard VGA 5.1 channel audio mATX Motherboard 147302 5 in stock £40.99 £34.88 £40.99 £34.88
Coolermaster Elite 330 Black Case With CM eXtreme Power 460W PSU *SPECIAL OFFER* 135101 191 in stock £59.99 £51.05 £59.99 £51.05
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ (3GHz) Socket AM2 L2 2MB (2 x 1MB) Cache OEM Processor 128510 50 in stock £64.91 £55.24 £64.91 £55.24
Optiarc AD-7201S 20X DVD±RW/RAM LightScribe SATA Black Bare Drive - Boxed with Nero 8 *Worth £4.50* 144217 409 in stock £15.95 £13.57 £15.95 £13.57
Maxtor 500GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm *32MB Cache* - OEM 141471 277 in stock £41.68 £35.47 £41.68 £35.47 Kingston 2gb 800mhz/pc2-6400 Memory Non-ecc Cl6 148853 174 in stock £20.87 £17.76 £20.87 £17.76 (click if you have changed any details) Cart total inc vat: Cart total ex vat: £244.39

[Hybr!d]

Looks fine, although the CPU is OEM so you'll need a suitable fan.

[Spencer2004]

Originally Posted by Dave Hybrid

Looks fine, although the CPU is OEM so you'll need a suitable fan.

yes but be carefull which one becauce not all stock coolers are cirtified for the 6000+, it would probally be worth it to get something from a good brand such as thermaltake so you get more effective cooling and a quiter operation noise. i got the miniorb myself and that was nice and quiet.

[serverguy]

Yep, it'll work but it really isn't that great.

For a start you would be better of with an Intel based system (processor wise).

That boards OK, but not very well known, and I'd have my doubts about it.

AMD 6000 is fine, but the E2180 is better than it and overclocks a lot better.

That hard drive is next to useless, Maxtor are considered the most unreliable brand.

That RAM seems dubiously cheap.

If you can stretch your budget by about £50, to £300, then you could have an overall hugely better computer. Really, it would be leaps and bounds a head, with a proper graphics card, better RAM etc.


Coolermaster Elite 330 Black Case With CM eXtreme Power 460W PSU *SPECIAL OFFER* 135101 185 in stock £59.99 £51.05 £59.99 £51.05

Intel Pentium Dual Core E2180 2GHz Socket 775 800MHz FSB L2 1MB Cache Retail Box Processor 132064 116 in stock £46.62 £39.67 £46.62 £39.67

MSI P35 Neo-F Socket 775 FSB1333 onboard 8 channel audio ATX Motherboard 128047 19 in stock £48.10 £40.93 £48.10 £40.93

Sony DRU-190S 20X DVD±RW DL & DVD-RAM Serial ATA - Retail Multi Bezel & Nero 142274 2 in stock £15.97 £13.59 £15.97 £13.59

OCZ 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Gold GX XTC CL5 DUAL CHANNEL (LIFETIME WARRANTY) 114728 32 in stock £28.99 £24.67 £28.99 £24.67

PNY 8800GT 256MB GDDR3 Dual DVI HDTV Out PCI-E Graphics Card 149370 227 due in 1 to 3 days £46.95 £39.95 £46.95 £39.95

Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB SATA II 7200RPM 16MB Cache - OEM 124228 1700 in stock £48.32 £41.12 £48.32

Cart total inc vat: £294.94

If you don't want to spend the extra, then you could change the motherboard for one with onboard graphics and loose the 8800GT. But I'd urge you to sprig for the extra, it really will be worth it.

[paul4skin]

Thanks for all the advice guys, i have took everything onboard, along with increasing my budget slightly to get a better computer. I am still unsure of what graphics card i should get? The motherboard has all the specs i want.. however it doesnt seem to say weather it has an onboard graphics, that i could use until i can afford a better card. I am getting a HD monitor with a HDMI/AGP connection, however it would be better to get a gcard that supports hd? I chose this monitor as i am going back to university, so it would be ideal to have a TV/Monitor combo as it would save money and transport issues!

I would like to increase the ram in the future which is why i have chosen the motherboard. The processor has good reviews i believe. And many a people have said that the brand of case and PSU are reliable.

So the help i would like now is a suggestion for a decent graphics card for around £50-£70, suggestions for the top and lower end of my budget would be appreciated!

As i plan to increase my ram to 2gb in the future.. does anyone know where i can get a cheap 64bit windows vista?
l



Qty Product QuickFind Stock Price Line Total
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Socket 775 (3.0GHz) 1333FSB 6MB L2 Cache Retail Boxed Processor 139971 121 in stock £112.21 £95.49 £112.21 £95.49
Asrock 4Core1600Twins-P35 Socket 775 7.1 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard 144458 11 in stock £54.72 £46.57 £54.72 £46.57
Arctic Power 600W PSU - With PCI-E, SATA, 20+4, ATX12V, 8pin +12V Connectors - Retail Boxed *Special Offer Price* 124926 94 in stock £26.99 £22.97 £26.99 £22.97
Antec 300 Three Hundred Case - No PSU 143854 36 in stock £35.24 £29.99 £35.24 £29.99
Samsung HD502IJ SpinPoint F1 500GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 16MB Cache - OEM 146252 706 in stock £42.75 £36.38 £42.75 £36.38
Optiarc AD-7201S 20X DVD±RW/RAM LightScribe SATA Black Bare Drive - Boxed with Nero 8 *Worth £4.50* 144217 319 in stock £15.95 £13.57 £15.95 £13.57
OCZ 2GB DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 CL 5-6-6-15 Value Series Memory with Lifetime Warranty 142376 82 in stock £26.13 £22.23 £26.13 £22.23 (click if you have changed any details) Cart total inc vat: Cart total ex vat: £313.99
Monitor -
LG M228WD PC Monitor

http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/stor...ory_oid=-35184


Thanks Paul

[serverguy]

I haven't time to answer all your questions individually now but I will say a few things.

That motherboard looks crappy. I don't trust ASRock. Go for a Gigabye GA-P35-S3G or GA-P35-DSL.

I wouldn't bother with a E8400, save the money and go with a E7200. You'll easily clock it to 3.4Ghz.

That PSU is rubbish. Go with a Corsair VX450W. Or get the Antec Sonata case with the Earthwatts PSU in it.

The Antec Three Hundred is a really nice case. Well worth getting.

If you don't want to spend too much on a graphics card a Nividia 9600 is not a bad choice. Otherwise an ATI 4850.

That RAM looks a little nasty. I'd try to go for the OCZ GOLD XTC stuff I suggested earlier, its hardly any more expensive. And it has much tighter timings.

No such thing as cheap Vista.

Thinks thats just about everything.

[thingie2]

Also, the monitor, you can get that same monitor from Ebuyer for alot less: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/139180

[paul4skin]

okay i have changed a few things again


Qty Product QuickFind Stock Price Line Total
Samsung HD502IJ SpinPoint F1 500GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 16MB Cache - OEM 146252 688 in stock £42.75 £36.38 £42.75 £36.38
Optiarc AD-7201S 20X DVD±RW/RAM LightScribe SATA Black Bare Drive - Boxed with Nero 8 *Worth £4.50* 144217 279 in stock £15.95 £13.57 £15.95 £13.57
Gigabyte GA-P35-S3G iP35 Socket 775 6 channel audio ATX Motherboard 141600 55 in stock £55.47 £47.20 £55.47 £47.20
Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz (1066MHz) Socket 775 3MB L2 Cache Retail Boxed Processor 145258 119 in stock £78.41 £66.73 £78.41 £66.73
Antec Sonata III Piano Black Quiet Mid Tower Case - With 500W EarthWatts PSU 128045 112 in stock £76.99 £65.52 £76.99 £65.52
OCZ 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 800Mhz/PC2-6400 Memory GOLD DUAL CHANNEL Unbuffered CL5(5-5-5-18) 146049 215 in stock £54.08 £46.02 £54.08 £46.02 (click if you have changed any details) Cart total inc vat: Cart total ex vat: £323.65does it matter if the video card is PNY or ASUS? are there any brands i should go for or stay away from?

[serverguy]

Yep, thats a great budget build.

All graphics cards are the same, come from the same factory etc, they just have different stickers on.

I always just go for the cheapest one

[paul4skin]

does the vram matter much? i can save £20 getting

• 
• XFX 9600GSO 580MHz Edition 384MB DDR3 Dual DVI TV Out PCI-E Graphics Card

over the

• 
• ASUS 9600GT 512MB DDR3 Dual DVI HDCP HDTV out PCI-E Graphics Card

is it worth the extra cash? or will 384mb do?

also if i get a HDMI monitor.. does that mean its HD? and if i was to get a HD digital reciever, would it be HD on the monitor? or isit best to get a HD ready monitor like the one i was going to get before?

thanks paul