Building a new computer, need parts.

F

FlamingTeddiz

Newcomer
Hi,
I have just realized that running a p3 at 1 ghz, with a radeon 7200 is not that fast. So have been looking online for a computer, and I wanted to build my own, I have some expierience, i help my dad sometimes when we built this computer, and a few others at his work. OK. What I need now is, some sites that are good for finding computer parts and sell them for a good price. I have looked on newegg, and tigerdirect. Please if you have any other good sites, or suggestions please tell me. I am tryin to keep it around $1000 or less.

Thanks, any and all help is apreciated.
 
One thing you might want to start with (if it's going to be a full replacement and not just a second, much faster PC) is the salvaging of all the good parts from the old system that can still be used in the new one.

Keyboard, mouse, floppy drive, CD/DVD writer, monitor, etc.

There's really a lot of other variables to deal, after that.

For example, you're probably going to want to move up to PCI Express (which can be done with your budget) and in that case you'll have to wait a little while. IMHO, your best bet for performance/price ratio would be AMD.

Grab a decent Socket 939 chipset, and I believe you'll be able to use cheaper AMD64 processors on there (Socket 754) with upgrade potential and the ability to run 64-bit apps in the future either way.
 
yea im keeping my monitor cause new ones are 300$ and mine works fine. but the keyboard and mouse im selling because ihave one of those wireless ones, its a gyration. and I cant use the keyboard while I am moving the mouse, ie. shooter games, i move with W,A,S,D and shoot with the mouse. so its very hard for me to play.

thanks,

does any one know of any good sites where i can find parts for cheep?
 
Use NewEgg.com: cheap and reliable. Avoid TigerDirect.com: many bad experiences with their rebates posted at AnandTech's forums.

$1000 without a monitor should get you a monster system. Aim for an Athlon 64 for games, an A64MB that supports both Cool n Quiet and undervolting for reduced heat and noise (the nForce3 Ultra seems fast), and obviously an X800P+ or 6800GT+ for games (I'd probably go with no less than a 6800GT).

If low noise is important to you, start reading up at SilentPCReview.com for quiet PC parts suggestions. The Zalman 7000A-AlCu (the pure Cu model is almost twice as heavy, a bit much, IMO) seems like a good bet for a CPU HSF, provided your case and MB can accomodate it. You might also keep an eye out for video cards that come with the new Arctic Cooling VGA Silencers for quiet GPU coolers that also happen to cool your case by expelling hot air outside the case.

Samsung HDs are supposed to be the current quiet champs, but if you want performance, the latest Raptors are supposed to be not much louder for much better performance.

As for cases, I'd take a look at the SPCR reviews for some good quiet-case recommendations. Heck, just check their whole recommendations setion. You can afford to keep noise in mind with your budget, and I think you'll appreciate a quieter, and possibly cooler, computer.
 
The retail box Athlon 64 fans are pretty quiet.

I'd say the power supply, case fans and graphics card fans are more important. An X800 XT PE is pretty quiet with the default fan if the ambient is good - quiet case fans are a plus there.
 
Soundproofing material bought at auto-parts stores (compressed thick foam rubber) is excellent for taking the edge off whistling high-frequency sound frequencies like harddrive spindle motors and fans. Low-frequency sounds is a lot more difficult to get rid of, but also a lot less annoying.

Cut the material to fit as much as you can of the insides of your case and find you'll have a substantially quieter computer. Also, fans wired to a 4-pin harddrive connector can be easily quieted by swapping the ground connection (in BOTH ends of the adaptor if it is of the passthrough type) with the five-volt connector. That way you feed seven volts to the fan instead of twelve, thus making it a lot quieter while still providing good flow.
 
Wouldnt thecompressed thick rubber make it more of an isulataor too, there for causeing a more likely chance of blowing someithing"
 
FlamingTeddiz said:
Wouldnt thecompressed thick rubber make it more of an isulataor too, there for causeing a more likely chance of blowing someithing"
Click to expand...
If you're counting on passive cooling your system, yes....but I think they're assuming that your case has more than just a case fan in the front. ;) (I always chop a chimney exhaust fan on top over my CPU and make sure I have a side hole intake, I also added a backside/front fan too and I got some killer circulation going.)

If you got good air-flow thru the case it doesn't really matter how much the case is insulated. ;)
 
I'm an acoustic material addict. I've had about fourteen different types of the stuff. By far the best is a thin layer of very heavy rubber with a large layer of eggshell foam on the top. Put that on every flat metal surface in the case and it makes a phenomenal difference. Very expensive though. Haven't noticed it creating a heat problem and most of my PC's run without only the power fan as exhaust.

Carpet works extremely well too, but most people balk at adding it to the inside of a PC :)

One surprising improvement: a PC that's under a desk benefits hugely by leaving a folded T-shirt (free) or other similar material lying on top of it. Stops the acoustic bounce back from the top of the desk, off the top of the PC and out. I've considered carpeting the underside and legs of the desk...
 
Dio said:
I'm an acoustic material addict. I've had about fourteen different types of the stuff. By far the best is a thin layer of very heavy rubber with a large layer of eggshell foam on the top. Put that on every flat metal surface in the case and it makes a phenomenal difference. Very expensive though. Haven't noticed it creating a heat problem and most of my PC's run without only the power fan as exhaust.

Carpet works extremely well too, but most people balk at adding it to the inside of a PC :)

One surprising improvement: a PC that's under a desk benefits hugely by leaving a folded T-shirt (free) or other similar material lying on top of it. Stops the acoustic bounce back from the top of the desk, off the top of the PC and out. I've considered carpeting the underside and legs of the desk...
Click to expand...
Great tips! (I'm gonna have to try the t-shirt trick)

Problem: my new case gots a pretty window on the side with a fan in it and I got a chimney as well as another side blow-hole...will I still benefit from sound insulating the bits that I can? (I think I already know the answer is "yes", but I wanna make sure. ;) )
 
Well, sound reaches your ears in many ways. A lot of those ways involve bouncing off something or travelling through something.

I try to use (expensive) multimode materials everywhere really 'important' - like on the case side directly above the CPU and around that general area - a heavy material on the underside plate which is usually sandwiched with the motherboard tray anyway, and progressively cheaper material over about as much of the case as I can be arsed to.

Can you get vacuum-glazed PC side panels? :D
 
FlamingTeddiz said:
Wouldnt thecompressed thick rubber make it more of an isulataor too
Click to expand...

Yes, if a PC relied on radiating the waste heat away, but the heat exchange through the casing is miniscule to begin with in pretty much all situations except that Zalman heatpipe case, and even less if the case is made of/covered by plastic to any significant degree.
 
OK so ive got some computer parts that look good to me. But someone might say I havent experience many computers. So, let me ask you a question. If you could build any computer, I dont want specific parts, what brand or make would you buy? example, if I asked what kind of bike would you buy? dont say a trek 4800, say a trek, or cannondale.

I ask this because im looking at cases and other parts, and there are like 50 different manufaturers. Also with hard drives, and cd / dvd drives. I would just like a word from someone that knows more than me about a specific manufaturer.
 
FlamingTeddiz,

If you could build any computer, I dont want specific parts, what brand or make would you buy?
Click to expand...

Here are some good parts, but not all of them:

Antec
AMD
Zalman
Abit
Ati
Maxtor
Lite-On
Creative Labs
KDS

Dr. Ffreeze
 
ok well i have to ask this question. intel, or amd? for mother boards, and for CPUs athlon or intel? I am really stuck on which is better in both cases.

Thanks,
 
I checked all my stuff on newegg, (probably not the cheepest) it comes out to about 900$. I dont have a keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, sound card(one is with the motherboard), or any other excesories. This is what I have. Please tell me what you think, any suggestions let me know.

Case- Aspire X-Dreamer II(Black) ATX Mid-Tower Case with 350W Power Supply, With Window $59

CPU/Processor- AMD Athlon 64 3000+, 512KB L2 Cache 64-bit Processor $223

Motherboard- ASUS "K8V SE Deluxe" K8T800 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket 754 CPU $113

Memory- 2 Kingston 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 $176

Video Card- ATI AIW RADEON 9600XT Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-bit, FM/TV/AV In/AV Out, 8X AGP, Model "ALL-IN-WONDER 9600XT" w/ REMOTE $187

Hard Drive- Maxtor Ultra Series Kit 120GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive $100

CD/DVD Drives- Samsung Black 52X32X52X16 DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive $59

Total with shipping $899
 
FlamingTeddiz,

I would suggust at least an Ati 9800 Pro. I have had very good luck with Lite-On drives for burners. Can you get a 160GB Maxtor for just a small bit more? Oh, I also really have had good luck with Antec power supplies. Oh, do you play 3D games? If not the 9600 should be fine I would think. =)

Looks good,
Dr. Ffreeze
 
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