EggXpert

Sploosh:

Hi jsv, thanks for putting these builds together. I am currently building my first computer based on your $500 build. Because I want my computer to run super smooth when I have multiple programs running and I don't play much modern high quality fps/shooters and such, I would like to upgrade the RAM to 4 GB  and change the graphics card to a EVGA GeForce 8600GT. Is this a good choice to fit my needs?

That should work fine!  Just don't expect much performance from the 8600GT.  If you're finding that it's lacking, I'd look at using EVGA's Step-Up program and look at 8800GS.

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Coolermaster Centurion 5 + Coolermaster Real Power Pro 750W
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L + Intel Pentium E5200 @ 280FSBx12.5
2x1GB G.Skill DDR2-800 @ 2:3 + XFX 8800GS XXX

BradC:

1. Is there any way to know what BIOS will be pre-installed in the motherboard? (A sticker on the box or something? A model number difference?)
2. Would a retailer like NewEgg actually be able to help verify the BIOS version before shipping it out? Or to actually flash the BIOS themselves before shipping? If not, are there other (smaller, more personal) retailers that might be able to do this?
3. Could I buy a second low-end processor to use for flashing the BIOS, and then return it? Or is there a cheap $10 Celeron that would be worth holding on to as a backup anyway?
4. Any alternate way to upgrade the BIOS that doesn't require having a bootable system? Getting a new chip shipped from Gigabyte?l
5. What are some alternatives? Don't want to jump up $50 or more to the E8200, but was pretty happy with the research I had already done on these parts.

1.  I don't know if you can find what BIOS the board is shipping with, just the revision of the actual board. 

2.  I've never tried calling and asking Newegg, but it might be worth a try.  The only retailers that I think would actually be able to help you out with this is a smaller local brick & mortar store.

3.  You could buy a cheaper low-end CPU that is compatible with socket 775, but the cheapest new one on Newegg is something like $40.  So unless you're able to pick one up for cheaper on Craigslist/Ebay or a local store, I'd say you're better off just upgrading to the E8200.

4.  I'm sure you'd be able to somehow find a new BIOS chip, but I haven't even heard of anyone doing that as it is just a much better idea to flash it.

5.  Really the only alternatives are to spend the money on a cheap Celeron/Pentium chip, put that same money towards a better Core 2 Duo, get a different Core 2 Duo, wait to hear for boards shipping with E7200 bootable BIOS, or go AMD.

I'd suggest either going with the E4600, E4700, or making the jump to the E8200.

Thanks for checking out my thread!

jsv

 

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Coolermaster Centurion 5 + Coolermaster Real Power Pro 750W
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L + Intel Pentium E5200 @ 280FSBx12.5
2x1GB G.Skill DDR2-800 @ 2:3 + XFX 8800GS XXX

Hey jsv35,

First of all, i appreciate this list you have made, it really helped us beginners out a lot when deciding what hardware to purchase.So, I'm basically going to attempt to build my first system, and I am looking at your Intel Build to use as the base for my system.  Im going with intel, and my budget is under $750.Im not a hardcore gamer,however, I'd like a fast running computer that will run smoothly if i use programs such as Photoshop, or run multiple multimedia programs at once.  Im not too concerned about hard drive space.  Basically any upgrade from my Intel Celeron D would be nice.

 So far I created this combination, based off your builds. I simply would like to know if all these parts are compatable, and would work nicely with each other. Also, if there is anything you would reccomend, I'm all ears.  Thank you again for the efforts. 

  GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX All Solid Capacitor Intel Motherboard - Retail 

 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8400 - Retail 

 SUPER TALENT 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model T800UX2GC5 - Retail

  XFX PVT88PUHF4 GeForce 8800GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail 

 Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Retail 

 COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UB Black /Blue Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 

 SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S203N - OEM 

 Antec earthwatts EA430 430W Power Supply - Retail

Thanks.

Hello and thanks for checking out my thread! 

From what you've told me so far, I've got some changes to make that should make it a whole lot better for what you're wanting to do with it.  But I've still got a question or two for you.  Does you not being a hardcore gamer mean that you don't game at all, or from time to time?  Also, do you plan on overclocking at all?  If you answer to those questions are "no I don't game" and "no I won't overclock" then here is what I recommend:

SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S203N - OEM

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

Antec earthwatts EA430 430W ATX12V v2.0 Power Supply - Retail

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor

MSI GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Subtotal: $710.92

With 4GB of memory, a 32-bit version of Windows will only see 3.75GB of your system memory with that video card.  If you're feeling like you're being ripped off there and want to be able to see that other 256MB of memory, then try going with a 64-bit Windows.  That is, unless you've got software that won't work in an 64-bit environment, then I'd just recommend taking the 256MB hit as you won't even notice. 

If you do wish to game atleast occasionally, I recommend grabbing an NVIDIA 8800GS or 9600GT instead of the 8800GT.  To compensate for that you'll probably have to drop the hard drive down a notch or two, and I would recommend going back to the E8400 as well then.  Otherwise, the above setup should be much more suited to the kind of work that you mentioned. 

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Coolermaster Centurion 5 + Coolermaster Real Power Pro 750W
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L + Intel Pentium E5200 @ 280FSBx12.5
2x1GB G.Skill DDR2-800 @ 2:3 + XFX 8800GS XXX

Thank you for the quick reply,

Ah,sorry, I think i was unclear with that part.  When I said im not a hardcore gamer, I basically mean I'm not planning to game with this system, and rather sacrifice my Video Card performance if it means upgrading the other hardware. Also, I do not plan to overclock as I dont know how (Again, im just a begginer at this stuff).

Your suggestions look great, I think i'll go with your reccomendations! I didn't know  I can get a Quad-Core processor and still be in a comfortable price range.   About the 32-bit and 64-bit issue, right now it is not a big deal for me.  If I have to settle for my windows only seeing 3.75GB, I'll be ok with it.

Other then that, I think im set! For some reason if I do start gaming regularly in the future, I can always purchase a better Viceo Card correct?  I also just want to make sure:the PSU I have chosen will be sufficient and reliable enough to run my system correct?

Thanks 

You can get a surprising amount of power for $700 now!

That 430W earthwatts should be able to handle an 8800GT, maybe the G92 8800GTS.  It only has one PCI-e power connector so that would limit the video card that you could get.  I don't think you have to worry about that because both the 8800GT and GTS both only require one PCI-e power connection and they are very high performing.  You might want to consider one of these two power supplies instead if you feel like you'd be more comfortable with a little more headroom as who knows what kind of power requirements you might run into in the next round of video cards.

CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 Power Supply - Retail  <- 1x PCI-e 6pin connector

Antec earthwatts EA500 500W ATX12V v2.0 Power Supply - Retail  <- 2x PCI-e 6pin connector

The EA500 is one Amp stronger on the split 12v rails than the 450VX, but the 450VX has it all on a single rail which is the preferred design. 

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Coolermaster Centurion 5 + Coolermaster Real Power Pro 750W
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L + Intel Pentium E5200 @ 280FSBx12.5
2x1GB G.Skill DDR2-800 @ 2:3 + XFX 8800GS XXX

Hey jsv, I'm looking into building my first computer, which will be used for hardcore gaming.  I'm considering your $1300 Intel and $400 wireless extras build.  I will not be overclocking, as I'm going out on enough of a limb already by building it myself.  I do have a few questions:

1.  I already have http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121126 (Logitech X-530 70 watts RMS 5.1 Black Speaker System).  Would these work with the motherboard's onboard sound system?  With my current computer, only 2 of the regular speakers get data, so what I'm really asking here is will all 5 work with it? 

2.  Would 64 bit Vista work on this platform instead of 32 bit?  Also, what would be the difference in power? 

3.  Since I don't want to overclock the system, and the motherboard suggested is good at overclocking, would there be a better mobo for me?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hey all, 1st time poster, and I would like to thank the OP as well as everyone else on this site that provides such useful information.  I've been inspired to build a computer for the 1st time having been skittish to do it before.  I bought the $600 intel system to the letter, and I expect all the parts to come in tomorrow, giving me a sweet weekend project.

 My question is this: aside from the parts that I ordered, what else do I need to have the computer up and running, aside from a monitor, keyboard, and mouse and their corresponding wires.  Do I need cables to hook up the various components?  Also, are there any tricks or tips for super newb builders like myself?  I've already read MaddOps770's building guide, which was super helpful, but stops after hardware.  Are there any pitfalls that would cause the parts to explode into a million pieces due to newbie failures?  Thanks for all the support.
 

Gunblade:

Hey jsv, I'm looking into building my first computer, which will be used for hardcore gaming.  I'm considering your $1300 Intel and $400 wireless extras build.  I will not be overclocking, as I'm going out on enough of a limb already by building it myself.  I do have a few questions:

1.  I already have http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121126 (Logitech X-530 70 watts RMS 5.1 Black Speaker System).  Would these work with the motherboard's onboard sound system?  With my current computer, only 2 of the regular speakers get data, so what I'm really asking here is will all 5 work with it? 

2.  Would 64 bit Vista work on this platform instead of 32 bit?  Also, what would be the difference in power? 

3.  Since I don't want to overclock the system, and the motherboard suggested is good at overclocking, would there be a better mobo for me?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi Gunblade,

1.  Those speakers will work in full 5.1 with this motherboard as it supports up to 8 channels of sound or 7.1.

2.  x64 Vista would work, but if you're going this route, I'd suggest picking up 4GB of memory as x64 Windows will perform much better the more memory you feed it.  Performance increases in x64 are going to be more apparent in applications that are advertised to be 64-bit capable.  Currently there are a few game engines that are able to run in 64-bit mode, otherwise it is more of workstation or scientific applications.  Here is a kit that I'd suggest getting:

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

3.  The motherboard is good at overclocking, but it is also probably the best 750i based board on the market right now overall.  This is the primary reason for suggesting it.  It will just be nice to have the overclocking there as an option in the future.  This is the board you want for SLI under $200.

If you've got any other questions, don't hesitate to ask! 

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Coolermaster Centurion 5 + Coolermaster Real Power Pro 750W
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L + Intel Pentium E5200 @ 280FSBx12.5
2x1GB G.Skill DDR2-800 @ 2:3 + XFX 8800GS XXX

IronSoul24:

Hey all, 1st time poster, and I would like to thank the OP as well as everyone else on this site that provides such useful information.  I've been inspired to build a computer for the 1st time having been skittish to do it before.  I bought the $600 intel system to the letter, and I expect all the parts to come in tomorrow, giving me a sweet weekend project.

 My question is this: aside from the parts that I ordered, what else do I need to have the computer up and running, aside from a monitor, keyboard, and mouse and their corresponding wires.  Do I need cables to hook up the various components?  Also, are there any tricks or tips for super newb builders like myself?  I've already read MaddOps770's building guide, which was super helpful, but stops after hardware.  Are there any pitfalls that would cause the parts to explode into a million pieces due to newbie failures?  Thanks for all the support.
 

I very rarely find myself needing any additional cable of any sort for a new build.  Most of these come with any parts you've bought, such as the motherboard, video card, etc. The only think I find myself needing sometimes is screws, but that doesn't happen too often either, and if it does they are cheap and you can get them from a hardware store/radioshack/best buy.

I think you'll find that putting all of the hardware together is really quite easy and that the hardest part is making your wiring tidy.  The motherboard manual is a good place of reference if you run into a problem or don't know where something goes or what something is.

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Coolermaster Centurion 5 + Coolermaster Real Power Pro 750W
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L + Intel Pentium E5200 @ 280FSBx12.5
2x1GB G.Skill DDR2-800 @ 2:3 + XFX 8800GS XXX

Hi jsv, first timer at building desktop here, I have no idea on what to buy or what brands are good. Wanted to thank you for your guide, was really helpful. A couple of questions though, I used your $500 AMD build and changed a couple of things that someone else told me to, can you comment on it?

 The total comes to $605.91. I really wanted it to be around $500, maybe $550 but thats pushing it, but I don't want my comp to be bad. I'm building this computer for pretty much one purpose for now, and that is to play the new game Age of Conan, but most likely for future games too. Don't know if your into MMO's but I want this computer to run the game smoothly at medium. I really don't care about playing on high, I'm on a tight budget but as long as the comp can run AoC on medium with good fps, I will be happy.

Another thing I'm torn on is to choose the AMD or Intel route. People on forums are telling me to go Intel, or go AMD! I'm so confused on what proc to choose. The minimum requirements for AoC is 3GHZ on the box, but people on the forums say they have a 2.4ghz and are able to play it. I'm guessing they overclock it or something? This is why I was a little sceptic on buying the intel version of your $500 build, because the GHZ was lower than the AMD. What's your opionion on which proc is better for gaming, AMD or Intel?

So if theres a item that is better than my current item, and is cheaper or even lower price, I'd appreciate it if you let me know. The only thing I don't want to change is the video card, people on AoC forums are saying that a 8800GT 512mb is great for the game.

Here it is.

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811147074

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813131289

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16814127329

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817371006

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819103242

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16820609027

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822136075

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827106070

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16835185125

Hello and welcome to Eggxpert!  You've picked the right place!

There are few things to consider when choosing between a couple items in this build.  First of all, the big question: AMD or Intel?  Well comparing the two different $500 builds I have at stock, the AMD will beat the Intel pretty handily.  However if you're looking into overclocking at all, the AMD can be pushed a little bit, but the Intel can be pushed farther and if done correctly can give more performance than the AMD.  So you have to ask yourself, do you want to mess around with overclocking at all?  The components in my lists are quite capable of overclocking, both in the AMD and Intel builds.

Secondly, what monitor resolution will you be playing this at?  If it is anything greater than 1280x1024 or 1440x900 then the 8800GT 512MB is an amazing performer.  Otherwise, if played at resolutions below this, the 8800GT 256MB version will give very similar performance to the 512MB card.  This will save you a good amount of cash.

If you simply must have the 8800GT 512MB, I pushed the price down to a little more than $550, but I would not sacrifice parts quality any more than this.  Any more and you should forget the 8800GT 512MB.  Otherwise, the $500 AMD build is still a great build.

I'd lose that motherboard you've got as it has many features that you don't need/can't afford when you're working with kind of budget.  This Biostar is a fantastic board the money and works quite well.  Here is how I dropped the price: 

SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S203B - OEM

Rosewill R220-P-BK Black 0.5mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

BIOSTAR TA770 A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

MSI GeForce 8800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 SLI Supported Video Card

WINTEC AMPO 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Brisbane 2.7GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor

XCLIO STABLEPOWER 460W ATX V2.2 460W Power Supply

Subtotal: $554.92

If you're able to take into consideration Main In Rebates, then we could do something a little different for the build. 

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Coolermaster Centurion 5 + Coolermaster Real Power Pro 750W
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L + Intel Pentium E5200 @ 280FSBx12.5
2x1GB G.Skill DDR2-800 @ 2:3 + XFX 8800GS XXX

Thanks for the quick reply, I appreciate your help.

In regards to your post, I probably won't be messing around with overclocking. Heck, I don't even fully understand what overclocking is, so I guess I would like to avoid ruining my comp and stick with AMD.

I'm not sure what resolution I will be using. I was just gonna use my dad's old desktop monitor, about 3-4 years old. So I don't think the resolution will be too high, so you may be right in going for the 256 over 512. Is that that the only difference between the 256 and 512, that the 512 performs better on bigger resolutions. And is there a correlation between newer monitors and higher resolution? Which brings be another question, if I use the old monitor, will I be able to connect it with my computer? Or how can I check?

I also noticed that you removed the CPU cooler. Did you not think that was not necessary and the stock fan with the proc is good enough. Also for the PSU I never heard of the brand XCLIO. People have told me that Antec is good, and that I shouldn't skimp out on my PSU, is XCLIO a good brand? Also people recommended a 500W, will a 430W be enough? Lol, people are telling me this and that and I'm just getting more cofused. `I'm sure you know what your doing, but I was just wondering.

Lastly, let's say I go with the 256mb, what would you change in the build then? I'm not too sure about mail in rebates. I probably won't do it unless I have to, like I said before I'm a college student with a tight budget.

Hey jsv,

 Sorry to bother again, but I have one questions.  When you reccomended that build for me, you included a Quad-Core processor instead of the Dual-Core processor which i had originally planned to use, and you still got the system under my budget.  I'm still planning to go with the Quad-Core processor, but I was just curious to know how big of a difference would a Quad-Core make over a Dual-Core?  If the dual-core is 3.0 GHz, and the Quad-Core only 2.4 GHZ, the Quad-Core still outperforms the Dual-Core? Is it worth getting a Quad-core just because Dual-Core's will be outdated sooner?

 Thanks! Just a begginner trying to gain some common computer knowledge

Really you could go either way and be very happy.  Both have their upsides, etc.  Right now we are still in the transition from one or two cores to three or more.  So right now I don't think it should matter, but the general idea is that we are moving in the direction that in the future, more cores is better.  Right now the E8400 will probably perform faster in most applications except for 3D animation or video editing, etc.  Here is a useful tool for you play around with and maybe help you make a final decision.

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/cpu-charts-2007/winrar,402.html?p=1267%2C1266%2C1275 

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Coolermaster Centurion 5 + Coolermaster Real Power Pro 750W
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L + Intel Pentium E5200 @ 280FSBx12.5
2x1GB G.Skill DDR2-800 @ 2:3 + XFX 8800GS XXX