Building a portable PC rate it and give suggestions

[sw123]

Hi everyone.

I will be entering 8th grade next year and I want to be prepared, so I decided to build a portable PC. What do you guys think of this setup:

VIA / VPSD EPIA-ML8000A VIA C3 800MHz Processor Socket 370 VIA CLE266 Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Set

CHENMING MATX-118 Black/Silver Aluminum Micro ATX Cube Case Computer Case Peak Load: 300W Power Supply

Kingston ValueRAM 512MB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 266 (PC 2100) Desktop Memory

SAMSUNG Beige 16X DVD-ROM 52X CD-R 32X CD-RW 52X CD-ROM 2M Cache IDE Combo Drive

Western Digital Caviar SE WD800JB 80GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive

Total: $559.92(without s&h)



Will this build work? Will it go fairly fast for basically typing and internet surfing? Thanks,

sw123

 

[dmill89]

The VIA C3 800mhz is extremly low power but it's preformance can be beat by a Pentium 3 500mhz or AMD K6 500mhz. I recomend going with the AMD Geode NX 1750 over the C3.The C3 is ok with win 2k or most linux distros (as long as you don't install alot of extra features) but strugles under XP.There is also no advantage of getting an ITX board and a mATX case. I recomend a mATX board as it gives you more features and options.
Here is a llink a board with the AMD Geode:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813185076 $74
Or you could get an AMD Duron and a mATX board:
CPU:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819104159 $18
Motherboard:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157046 $43
CPU Fan:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835150010 $10
Total: $71

either of those options will give you a big preformance boost over the C3, only use a few more watts, and still fit in the mATX case you listed.

 

[sw123]

One: the mobo is too big

Two: It's for typing, not gaming(well, basic gaming, AOE II, etc.)

It supposed to be able to fit in a large backpack

sw123

 

[sw123]

I spelled portable wrong in my thread.......lol

Edit: Fixed lol

 

[dmill89]

One: the mobo is too big

Two: It's for typing, not gaming(well, basic gaming, AOE II, etc.)

It supposed to be able to fit in a large backpack

sw123

.

How is a MATX motherboard to big for a MATX case? The demensions for MATX are standard.
Edit: I just checked the demensions and either of the boards I suggested will fit the case you want.
I am assuming this is the case right:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811125484



The C3 strugles to even run windows XP with even minimal tasks. If you plan on useing windows 2000 or linux without alot of extras it will be ok.

For $550 you can get a cheep laptop that will beat a C3 hands down so if you realy need portability I recomend that.

 

[sw123]

No LAPTOPS!!

I simply dread laptops. I would rather get a full founctional PC. One question: Is there such a thing as an ITX with an AGP or PCI-E slot? Thanks

sw123

 

[F1N3ST]

No. But, in a M-ATX case, a M-atx board will fit. An ITX wont make the physical size any smaller. I suggest a M-atx mobo, and a real processor, like an athlon 64.

 

[sw123]

So i get an m-ATX case and mobo with an AGP or PCI-E slot and that should work?

 

[dmill89]

Yep that should work well.

 

[sw123]

new list

heres a new list:

BIOSTAR GEFORCE 6100-M7 Socket 754 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

COOLER MASTER Centurion Micro ATX 541 RC-541-SKR1 Black Aluminumm bezel, SECC chassis MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case 380W Power Supply

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Venice 2.0GHz 512KB L2 Cache Socket 754 Processor

LITE-ON Black 16X DVD-ROM 52X CD-R 32X CD-RW 52X CD-ROM 1.5M Cache IDE Combo Drive

Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3120811AS 120GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Kingston ValueRAM 512MB (2 x 256MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory

ASUS EAX1600PRO/TD/256M Radeon X1600PRO 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card


Look good for gaming and typing for a PC for school?

 

[tifc8lraz]

It should be perfect for your use. I don't remember doing much graphic intense work in eighth grade.

 

[dmill89]

Yes that would be good for typeing and games.

 

[tifc8lraz]

Yes that would be good for typeing and games.

Well, basic games...

 

[dmill89]

Well, basic games...

Yah I don't think he needs to run anything graphically intense though. With more memory it would run games fairly well.

 

[tifc8lraz]

Yah I don't think he needs to run anything graphically intense though. With more memory it would run games fairly well.

When I was in eighth grade I had an old Pentium III 933MHz, with 256MB Ram, and a 20GB hard drive. I knew nothing about computers then I couldn't get many games to run either, and that was years ago (days of 1.2GHz requirements for games).

 

[sw123]

I have a different idea: this one's cheap and for gaming!

Here's the list:

ECS P4M890T-M2 (V1.0B) Socket T (LGA 775) VIA P4M890 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

Intel Pentium D 915 Presler 2.8GHz 2 x 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor

3D Fuzion 3DFR76256GSE Geforce 7600GS 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card

COOLER MASTER Centurion Micro ATX 541 RC-541-SKR1 Black Aluminumm bezel, SECC chassis MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case 380W Power Supply

OCZ Performance Series 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory

LITE-ON Black 16X DVD-ROM 52X CD-R 32X CD-RW 52X CD-ROM 1.5M Cache IDE Combo Drive

SONY Black 52X CD-ROM IDE CD-ROM Drive Model CDU5225

Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3120811AS 120GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-400 ATX12V 400W Power Supply 115/230 V UL, TUV, CB, FCC CLASS B, CUL



Total: $541.12


I chose an Intel Core 2 Duo so I can try it out. If I should get something else, please give me an example.

sw123

 

[mailpup]

If you wanted a Core 2 Duo, you listed something else. The Pentium D has a dual core but is not a new Core 2 Duo. One way to tell is if it has the name Pentium in it, it isn't a Core 2 Duo. The name Pentium has been dropped from the new processors.

 

[sw123]

O yea, sorry I was going to select a Core 2 Duo, but they were WAY out of budget for me, so I chose a Pentium D. At least its basically a P4 with Dual core and 64-bit technology....just what I needed.

 

[sw123]

Do you think I should just go with AMD rather than Intel?

 

[dmill89]

If you can't afford a core 2 duo AMD beats all of Intel's lower offerings. I would recomend an AMD Athlon 64 over an Intel Pentium 4 and I would recomend an AMD Athlon 64 X2 over an Intel Pentium D but I would recomend a Core 2 Duo over all of these if you can afford it.

 

[vector9]

AMD 64bit is a bit excessive for basic gaming and typing. I think yur previous settings are perfect for what your doing.

BTW. I heard AMD was coming out with a Quadri core in the near future.
what are yalls opinion on a qudricore.

 

[dmill89]

Yah but the price is definetly right. Athlon 64s start at $55 at Newegg (socket 939 Venice core 3000+ boxed with fan).