Building System/Need Advice

I am about to build a new system, with the help of tax returns, and I'd like some advice from anyone who wants to offer. This will be my first self built system, third owned, and the first two were second hand junk, so I plan to make this thing a beast. Price cap: $1600. I plan to build it around the AMD Phenom 9600 Agena [2.3GHz] quad core [Black Edition], because it is dirt cheap right now[$224], and probably an Antec Nine Hundred case. The rest of the specs are open ended. with all of the motherboards/ram/video cards on the market, and obvious compatibilty issues, I'm not sure how to make sure I get the best system for the money.

*As a side note, anyone have the Phenom/know about any bugs/issues that it has that I might run into? Being as new as it is, chances are it has a few quirks, but I'd like to know that there aren't any major defects.

So any suggestions and/or resourses for the following:

Motherboard: [onboard wifi would be a plus][future proof for the newer hardware]

Ramm: [2 Gbs or up][factoring in the above hardware]

Video Card: [doesn't have to be great, I'll upgrade later]

CPU heatsinks/fan/cooling devices: Any but water cooling [I'd screw it up]

Other noteworthy devices that aren't mentioned: Self-explanatory, if it can be added to the system to improve overall performance or make things easier, just throw it out here.

Also, as with all of AMD's "Black Edition" procs, the one I'm getting is built for overclocking. I don't really know what it invloves, but I'm interested, so any guides that are better than others, or ones specific to AMD or the Phenom specifically would be great.

You guys have always given helpful advice in the past, and thanks in advance for whatever you can contribute this time.

 

Bump.

 

If it was me, I would get the new Intel E8400, a Gigabyte P35 DS4 board, and some good
memory. Then I would bump the cpu up to maybe 3.8ghz to 4ghz, and leave it alone.
(I've seen people hitting 4.5ghz on air - 4.0ghz seems to be a solid range to leave it at)

That rig would blow the Phenom away, or the Intel Q6600, for that matter.

And I have a Q6600, so I have some idea of this.

There is simply not enough multi-threaded apps available today, to make enough difference to go with a quad.

I wish I had waited for the E8400's to come out before I did the Q6600 build.

I literally do not see a difference between it and my older E6600 build.

 

I am in a similar situation. I have three PC's to pick from. They are all priced very closely so the spec is far more important than the cost and I dont know which to pick :cry - please help.

It's the mother boards and RAM that are doing my head in the most but opinions on all spec would be appreciated.

I know I need to add a very good sound card because I want to run quality VST audio applications without any stuttering...

so it is probably most important that the PC gives me very quick speed response times (inc mutli-task) and then excellent DVD / picture graphics to enjoy on my new 22" Samsung 2232bw.

PC1 - Mesh
intel core 2 duo E6750
ASUS P5N-E-SLI Mobo
Samsung 667mhz '??' RAM
Samsung DVD writer (20x dual layer light scribe)
1 x 256 Nvidia 8600GT graphics card
Samsung 500gb Hard drive 7200rpm Sata2 16mb cache

PC 2 - pcspecialists
intel core 2 duo E6750
ASUS P5K Intel P35 chipset Mobo
Corsair 667mhz Value select DDR2 RAM
LG 20x dual layer light scribe DVD writer
1 x 512 Nvidia 8600GT graphics card
Western Digital 500gb Hard drive 7200rpm Sata2 16mb cache

PC3 - pcspecialists
intel core 2 duo E6750
ASUS P5N-E-SLI Mobo
Corsair 667mhz Value select DDR2 RAM
LG 20x dual layer light scribe DVD writer
1 x 512 Nvidia 8600GT graphics card
Western Digital 500gb Hard drive 7200rpm Sata2 16mb cache

Your opinion would be appreciated:confused

 

Paul Thornton, start a new thread. It is poor forum etiquette to post your problem in another's thread.

 

Oh, ok, thanks for letting me know. Tried to put on a new post, got 'invalid thread message', Tim sorted it out and now its here

Any help would be appreciated...

 

Unfortunately ComputerGate, I am biased against Intel. Ever since the mere suggestion of built in DRM, I have vowed to never PAY for an intel product. Though a faster processor may be gained, I would rather support a company that acknowledges the fact that I have a right to do whatever the hell I want to do with my computer. I see what they were doing as much an invasion of privacy as Sony's OpenMG software that installed unannounced with a certain batch of CDs till they were caught. Vista may be a shitfest right now but preventing rootkits like that was definitely a step foward. Anyway, back to the problem at hand, I am definitely going with AMD, at least do my part to keep competition between the two going, as we the customer can only benefit from competition, as in pricing and innovation. Sorry that I failed to put it in my original post. As for the choice of quad core....basically future proofing....plus I multi-task with many CPU intensive programs at times, so I figure what the hell, I might as well since the price is right. I have decided to wait for the re-released Phenoms though, probably the 9750, as the fix for the Phenom bug causes a severe performance drop.

Hopefully in reading this any of you can see that I am doing a lot of research myself and not asking all of you to do it for me. As I said I am here for suggestions to at least help narrow that search. there always seems to be a newer/better/more efficient component out there. Hopefully your suggestions will lead me to the best I can get at the time of purchase, or at least close to it. Thanks again.

 

Lust make sure you give your system ample power with a good power supply . I've seen more unstable builds due to power fluctuation. Stick with name brands such as antec or pc power and cooling. Here's a board for ya to look at.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128070