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Once again building a new PC, looking for recommended parts

Discussion in 'Other Hardware' started by snacks, Jan 8, 2008.

  1. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

    Every other time I've just stalled and really gotten nowhere, but this time I intend to order as soon as possible, rather than waiting and just bumping the same thread. I'm looking for every part, including the case, monitor, CD/ DVD drive, recommended RAM and any cables I might need, but not including mouse, keyboard, or operating system. The only parts I'm pretty sure of are an 8800GT 512 mb (probably eVGA, since that's what most people say), and a Q6600. Around $1000 is what I'm looking for, but I'll go to around $1100 if it's worth it. I'm looking for reliable parts for what I can get. If someone else posts a part or parts that look good, confirm that it's a part worth buying, rather than suggesting further alternatives.
    The price limit is only a guideline for picking parts, you can just recommend one thing if that's all you want to.
  2. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

    I already know I can edit, but I don't want to make any more threads. I want to just finish with this thing and stop having to bother people here.
    Aside from a Q6600 and an 8800GT, these are the parts I was suggested last time:

    Hard Drive
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073
    RAM
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098
    Motherboard:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128048
    CPU:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017
    Video Card: None specifically, but if anyone can recommend one, I'm looking for a 512 mb 8800GT.

    I'm not sure about tax, rebates, etc right now, but this is a bit less than $900.

    Leaving the case, CD/ DVD drive, what else will I need? I also am not sure what cables I'll need either.
  3. mailpup TS Special Forces Posts: 7,910   +77

    How about a power supply?

    If your optical drive or drives will be PATA (IDE) and you plan to use round cables, you might have to get a 24" IDE cable rather than a more standard 18" long cable. It's a long stretch from the top of the case to the bottom of the motherboard where the PATA controller is located. I have a similar motherboard and an 18" cable wouldn't reach. If you plan to use the IDE ribbon cable that comes with the motherboard, it might make it but I never checked it myself. I used a mid tower sized case and they vary in height so your experience might be different.

    The SATA data cable you need for the hard drive comes with the motherboard.
  4. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

    Alright.

    I'm not really dedicated enough to learn and choose all the parts myself right now, so I'm looking for some pretty specific help. All I really have are guidelines to help people help me.

    For power supply, I'd rather take something that's strong, reliable, and won't damage anything than something that's really strong but not as high-quality, if that really needed mentioning.
  5. Rage_3K_Moiz Sith Lord Posts: 7,246   +16

    This CPU in a combo with the Gigabyte P35-DS3L is a better deal since it works out cheaper overall and the mobo's way cheaper than the one you've posted for almost the same number of features, minus Crossfire support and an extra PCI-E x16 slot, which I don't think you're gonna use since you're getting an NVIDIA card. Also, you can save a couple of bucks on the HDD by getting it from here instead. As for the video card, this should fit your budget should you decide to go with the above suggested parts. Good luck and let us know how it goes. :)
  6. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

    Okay, and this leaves case, power supply, what else?
     
  7. SNGX1275 TS Special Forces Posts: 11,894   +117

    Your Operating System, that is going to take another $70 to $320 depending on the version if you go with Windows.
  8. Rage_3K_Moiz Sith Lord Posts: 7,246   +16

    This is an excellent good-quality PSU for the price. As for the case, I believe this would be sufficient. Lastly, I recommend you buy Windows XP Professional with SP2 for your OS.
  9. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

    I was already going with XP Professional, which I think is around $200, but I think I mentioned I'm not including that with the rest of the budget.
  10. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

  11. aznn3rd Newcomer, in training Posts: 139

  12. Harley2 Newcomer, in training

    choice

    I disagree with your processor, e6850 benches better for same price, so close though. And if you go quad spend a little more to get a little more power, the q6600 is bottom of the barrel quad, benches with phenom and the phenom is cheaper. Other then that you will not need an overdone psu like so many people do. Your system has modern parts that are not hard on wattage. Great video card choice powerfull, quit, and efficient. Make your life better and don't raid 0, just get a raptor 74 gb and backup and store info to cheap 250 gb or 500gb drive.
    Good luck

    http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=872&model2=871&chart=428


    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129154

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371002

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148069

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128080
    or
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188015
  13. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

    I've been hearing about people comparing them, and it usually comes down to the E6850 having a bit of an advantage in performance, but the Q6600 will be more future-proof.
  14. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

    Now I've been suggested an E8400, which changes things a bit.
  15. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

    Three posts in a row is not good, but making a new thread would be annoying. I'll be back to go over parts again, but some things might change if I go with a different CPU.
  16. Rage_3K_Moiz Sith Lord Posts: 7,246   +16

    The E8400 gives performance about equal to the E6850 with lower heat dissipation and power consumption. It's also extremely overclockable and can hit 4GHz easily. If you have a P35-based motherboard in mind, the E8400 will work with it, no problem.
  17. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

    Alright.

    But can people start recommending suggested parts, rather than suggesting different parts? I'm just looking for something that'll work well and won't give me a hard time, not the god of $1000 PC's.
  18. SNGX1275 TS Special Forces Posts: 11,894   +117

    Or you could just make a decision for yourself.... This thread is a month old, just commit to something.
  19. snacks TechSpot Enthusiast Posts: 176

    I wouldn't have been asking for so long if I could. I could look up some things for myself, and I've tried, but I really can't understand enough to choose everything myself. Every single time I ask I end up getting a bunch of responses and get absolutely nowhere, which is why this takes so long. If you dislike someone else's incompetence, but it doesn't really affect you, then you don't need to pay attention to them.
  20. SNGX1275 TS Special Forces Posts: 11,894   +117

    Its not incompetence, its just that several people have given you suggestions, you've brought your own to the table as well. You should take that nobody is strongly disagreeing on the hardware that all suggested would be fine.

    Now if you want to hash out the specific details then you'll have to look for benchmarks, that is the only way you'll know which processor is best under specific circumstances. I don't think anyone here has ran the E6850 vs the E8400 vs the Q6400 under a myriad of tests.