A budget computer build

I've posted around here before about my Dell 2350 and how I can upgrade it. Well, I've finally accepted the fact that it isn't as fast as I want it to be. So, I've decided to build my own computer.

 

Oops. Hit enter on accident. Here's the rest:

The main things I'm looking for is a good price/performance ratio, stability, and upgradabilty for the future. I'll be using speakers, dvd drive, mouse, keyboard, and monitor from the dell. Here is what I have picked out:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor - $146
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103537

GIGABYTE GA-K8NF-9 ATX AMD Motherboard - $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128268

Corsair Value Select 1GB Kit CAS2.5 PC3200: $90.82
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145440

Sapphire Radeon X800 128MB PCI-E: $178.50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102529

Antec Sonata II Black MidTower w/ 450W Smartpower II: $114.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129155

Western Digital Caviar SE 80GB 3.5" Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - $53
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822135106

Windows XP Home - 89$

Total: $762.31

What do you guys think? My main questions are: Will all these parts work (and work well) together? Will I have stability? I know some of you will suggest I get a power supply but I've read that Antec cases come with decent PSU's. I don't plan on overclocking for awhile. Do I need any more case fans? Will this system be upgradable in the future? I'm assuming that because I went with a socket 939 64 bit processor and a PCI-E board that it will. Am I wrong?

I plan on using this computer for everyday tasks and gaming. I'd like to play games like Half Life 2, Battlefield 2, Far Cry, F.E.A.R., and Doom 3 on medium to high settings. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments to make? Also note that I'm looking for stability here, not nessecarily the best performance I can get. If losing a few FPS in games means the system won't crash then I'm fine with that. Thanks for all your help.

 

Opinion: I'd go with a Seagate drive. Quieter + a better warranty and generally only 3 or 4 dollars higher.

Also I would suggest a little cheaper case and get a little better video card. You can get a good case and powersupply for around $85. If money isn't an issue, keep the case, Antec is good, but if you are on that budget, then the card is more important than the case, or at the very least, get a card cooler instead of a more expensive case if you only have a limited amoun of $

 

I would go with this harddrive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144351 for the fact that you really dont want to go with a cavier SE (kind of the cheaper harddrives) and if you'd like you could spend a little more on a motherboard probably something by DFI or ASUS or ABIT although GIGABYTE is good. Although that CPU is ok, running at speeds just below 2.0GHz, although if you felt like more power you could always overclock it.

 

Ran out of time to edit

Heres a pretty sweet looking case by XION, its only $65.99 and includes a 450Watt psu!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811208008

Also another thing to consider is a new CPU Heatsink+Fan, something like Thermaltake's XP-90 or XP-120. Heres the link for the XP-90
http://heatsinkfactory.com/shop/product.php?productid=16160

A good choice would be a 92MM Vantec Tornado fan, no fan tails, Arctic silver 5 thermal grease, and none to all other options

The reason im also suggesting a new HSF is because stock HSF's are horrific... My AMD Athlon XP 2600+ running at 1.91 GHz runs at low 50C idle... with stock HSF. With an AMD 64, i would imagine you would need a new HSF.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

If I can skimp on the case then that'd be good. I'm not going to be moving this computer around a whole lot, so sturdiness isn't much of a factor.

I'm more into the minimalist, black cases instead of the fancy ones with the LED's and whatnot. How about this one?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811213013

Then I'd need a PSU. What would you guys recommend for around 50 dollars?
I was reccomended this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817189003
by the guys at computerforum.com. What do you guys think?

 

Those are good 450watts should be plenty too!

 

Stupid hardrives. I have yet to fill up my 50 gb one, but I kept looking at them saying "40 gigabytes more for only 6 dollars!" What am I going to do with 160 gigabytes?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148034

Will this one work with my motherboard? And is it a decently performing drive?

While I'm at it, what would you guys recommend for a video card in the 150-200 dollar range?

Once again, thanks for all the help guys. I apprecciate it.

 

if you are getting a 64 bit processor, you might want the 64 bit os to go along with it . did you mean XP64? I think its a little more than 89$ though.

 

The only 64 bit Windows OS is still in beta I think. I chose a 64 bit processor simply because I want the oppurtunity to run 64 bit applications as they start coming out. Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't know if XP64 is worth my money right now when I'm perfectly happy with XP Home.

 

This vid card is murderous for the price!!! 256MB, 256Bit GDDR3, PCIx16!!! THIS IS A STEAL!!!! It will be able to handle pretty much every game now, and soon to come... and its a STEAL!!!!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131420

IF your gonna get a vid card, this is it.

 

i have the wd800jd .. i like it alot .. nice and fast ... doesn't make a peep .. my maxtor on the other hand makes lots of noise

@sleepygamer - makes me wish I had PCI-Express

 

makes me wish I had pci-e and lived in america

I'd go with an enermax or tagan powersupply,dump the case with a bundled psu and go for something without,I also like WD drives,everything else looks good

 

Nice find, sleepygamer. That video card looks great. Thanks again for all the suggestions guys, I appreciate it. Now I just need some money...

 

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=321949

It'll do the same thing as the video card you have now, it's $175, and it comes with a mail in rebate for like $40. It's what I'm going with for my computer.

 

First off, its NOT 256MB of GDDR3 which is a MASSIVE amount faster than regular 128mb ddr... 128mb of gddr3 is better than 256mb of ddr...

2nd off this cards got faster clock speeds

I would call this the find of the century!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131420

This card will handle games like Battlefield 2 and FEAR, FAR CRY, WAY better than that card will! Why didnt I get PCI-express???

 

One more question. Is it worth it to shell out the extra 45 dollars to get the 3200+ as opposed to the 3000+? I know it has faster clock speeds but will I notice the difference? Keep in mind I'm coming from a 2.2 P4 so the extra performance might be a big deal to most people but not to me because of the huge difference between the 3000+ and my current processor. Thanks for the help.

 

Just go with the 3000+ if you want more power you can always OC just a tid bit...

 

DONT GET WIN XP 64!! a lot of drivers for all ur add ons are not availible and its just not worth the extra money.... yet

 

if i remember correctly, and it was these cards, someone mentioned that the gt was NOT as good as the vanilla. The x800GT is about the same as the 6600GT, which is no where near as good as the regular x800.

 

Not necisarily, i read this card is faster on a forum, im still trying to find benchmarks for it though...