[rsaavedra]

Imagine this would be a computer that would be used for PC gaming, also music listening. This would be your "Grado SR60" kind of configuration for a competent and very cost-effective gaming computer.

What would you suggest with respect to the following components:

Motherboard
CPU(s)
RAM
Harddrive(s)
Video card
Sound card
PSU
Case
Monitor(s)
Something else?


If you'd like to make a recommendation on any specific component(s) but not the whole thing, please feel free to do so as well. All suggestions are welcome.

Thanks a lot in advance, and start shooting your recommended config!!!!

 

[XFxGeforced]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsaavedra Motherboard: DFI NF4 Lanparty Ultra-d (or if you want m-atx, then biostar tforce 6100 939) CPU(s): AMD opteron 165 dual-core RAM: 2x1gb dual-channel gskill hz Harddrive(s): Maxtor Diamondmax 300gb s-ata 16mb cache Video card: 7900gt Sound card: for gaming purposed only, an x-fi, since in most new games its optimized to use less cpu cycles on sound, and eax PSU: Antec truepower-II 550w (make sure its the tp-II with pci-e support) Case: Whatever you want depending on size. lian-li makes real nice cases for expensive, and if you want the best full-tower, the stacker 830 will do you but its also alot Monitor(s): not exactly my special, but the dell 2005fpw, not quite cost effective but "hella" nice, or the new 2007fpw is coming

there you go

 

[jesusfr3ak4evr]

I agree with XFxGeforced, except I'd get 2x512MB of OCZ Platinum Revision 2 ram IF you do not plan to run Windows Vista. If you do plan to run Vista, then you may want to wait a few weeks until socket AM2 comes out. Also, Antec PSUs are mediocre. You'd be better off with a Fortron or OCZ PSU. If you want to get a PSU that will last every upgrade for years in the future. Get a OCZ Liberty 620w PSU. They're expensive, but they'll easily run anything you throw at it. Otherwise, I'd get a 520w OCZ Powerstream. They're even on sale. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817711002

The Dell 2005 FPW is a great monitor. You won't regret it. You can find them on sale for ~ $370. If you don't care about electric bills or space, then you may want to purchase a 21" flatscreen CRT for $150 or so.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I'll agree with the Opteron recommendation. I run dual Opterons and they smoke everything.

Only thing you have to be careful about is the RAM. It has to be ECC registered. I went with Crucial and am very happy with it.

As for the PSU, you can never go wrong with a PC Power & Cooling 510 series. I like to DIY my own audio gear and am into amateur radio, and was very impressed with their figures and build quality. So far, zero problems with it. They're a little more than other PSUs, but they're worth it.

 

[cire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik Only thing you have to be careful about is the RAM. It has to be ECC registered. I went with Crucial and am very happy with it.

what? this 939 we're talking here, not 940. as far as i know, no 939 memory controller can take ECC/buffered/registered ram.

 

[jesusfr3ak4evr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cire what? this 939 we're talking here, not 940. as far as i know, no 939 memory controller can take ECC/buffered/registered ram.

Correct. The DFI NF4 Ultra motherboard we're talking about here does not take ECC (error correction control) memory. This is an Opteron 165 we're talking about here, not an old Opteron in a socket 940 mobo.

By the way I would not recommend Biostar for the motherboard. Also, I hope you're experienced with building computers if you're using DFI. They tend to have a lot more options than other manufacturers.

 

[coolshot]

well if it depends on if the op plans on overclocking. If so abit,dfi,asus a8n 32x lane pci-e sli mobos will fit the bill. Personally i dont like DFI because they are quirky to get just right but when they do, they work really well.

 

[cire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolshot well if it depends on if the op plans on overclocking

yeah this is a fairly important point...no sense in buying boutique overclocking parts (mainly the DFI NF4 and gskill ram) if he doesn't plan on overclocking.

 

[Mr.Sneis]

READ:

MY COMPUTAR!!!

 

[Razoramus]

depends on your budget, x-fi xtreme music for sure

 

[003]

I've got an opteron 165 overclocked to 2.8GHz on air! It's great.

 

[rsaavedra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razoramus depends on your budget

Certainly, but imagine this would be a sort of Grado SR60 of a gaming computer. Very cost-effective, but also very competent for any gaming load. So one way to put together this computer would be to recommend the components with highest cost-benefit ratios in each category, keeping in mind that compatibility between certain components might be required.

 

[XFxGeforced]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesusfr3ak4evr I agree with XFxGeforced, except I'd get 2x512MB of OCZ Platinum Revision 2 ram IF you do not plan to run Windows Vista. If you do plan to run Vista, then you may want to wait a few weeks until socket AM2 comes out. Also, Antec PSUs are mediocre. You'd be better off with a Fortron or OCZ PSU. If you want to get a PSU that will last every upgrade for years in the future. Get a OCZ Liberty 620w PSU. They're expensive, but they'll easily run anything you throw at it. Otherwise, I'd get a 520w OCZ Powerstream. They're even on sale. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817711002 The Dell 2005 FPW is a great monitor. You won't regret it. You can find them on sale for ~ $370. If you don't care about electric bills or space, then you may want to purchase a 21" flatscreen CRT for $150 or so.

i actually disagree. todays games def. need 2 gigs or youll be bottlenecking your whole system. i was wrong though, if you are not overclocking, then you dont necessarily need good ram. just get some nice value 2gig kit and youll be fine. when i went from 512 to 1gb in bf2, then 1 to 2gigs it was a huge diff

*m2 is going to be a big let down imho. theyre going to support ddr2, while intels next gen will be using ddr3 already, which is really stupid. And the specs dont look alll that impressive. if you are going to wait at all, wait till around november this year and get a dx10 video card

(shader model 4!!!)

*as for performance to cost ratio, i think i did rather well. the ultra-d can be modded to an sli-d if you decide to get two cards and go sli down the road. The 165 has 2x 512k l2 cache, which beats out the x2 3800+ at the same price range, and the opterons are made for server environments so theyre better quality all around and great overclockers (just make sure you get a socket 939). The 7900gt is by far the best bang video card for the buck, considering it beats out the last gen 7800gtx for near half the price.

And antec psu's are mediocre? maybe you're thinking about the smart powers or something becuase the true power II's rival the powerstreams imo

 

[skudmunky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik As for the PSU, you can never go wrong with a PC Power & Cooling 510 series. I like to DIY my own audio gear and am into amateur radio, and was very impressed with their figures and build quality. So far, zero problems with it. They're a little more than other PSUs, but they're worth it.

That's exactly what I was thinking. If I'd had more than 500 dollars available to build my rig, I would have used a PCP&C power supply. As it was, I didn't even get my hands on an opteron, had to settle for a venice instead.

 

[XFxGeforced]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skudmunky That's exactly what I was thinking. If I'd had more than 500 dollars available to build my rig, I would have used a PCP&C power supply. As it was, I didn't even get my hands on an opteron, had to settle for a venice instead.

500 isnt much for a new computer to be spending alot of it on a pcp&c psu. i did build my sempron 3300+ rig for under 400 though and its got the current record overclock on cpu-z