I'm about to start building a second computer soon

Current System
-------------------
17" Monitor $160
Keyboard/Mouse (optical) around $30 total
Altec Lansing Subwoofer+Speakers under $40
Antec Plusview 1000AMG Case $75
Enermax 350w PSU $60
Radeon 9700 Pro $273
Hard Drives 100gig + 10gig(2) $100
120mm Case Fan $20
80mm (extra fan) $10.00
CDR Drive $40
Heatsink/Fan $60
AMD Athlon XP 1.73 2100+ $93
512 MB PC2100 RAM $66
Soundcard $30
Blue Cathode Light $20
A7V8X Motherboard $100
-------------------

Estimated Total: $1300




Planned Spec's for the NEW PC
---------------------------
17" monitor $99
A7V8X Motherboard $90
Thermalright SLK-900 Heatsink $53
AMD Athlon XP 1.73ghz 2100+ $83
512MB PC3200 RAM $64
Cheming Elite Case $199
Enermax 430w PSU $82
80mm fan (for CPU fan) $10
Radeon 9700 Pro $280
100GB 7200rpm HD $105
40x12x48 CDR $38
Keyboard/Mouse (optical) $30
----------------------------

Estimated Total: $1200.00

Basically the same system, just with a slightly better and cheaper monitor, faster DDR Ram, a different case (comes with 2x120mm fans), and higher output power supply.

I love being able to do this kind of thing and paying $1200 on a system when in another life I would have bought a Dell/Gateway with the same specs and paid $3500+, with a ugly case, not as many fans, etc.

Weeeee!

Not to rain on your parade, but is this second computer for you? If so, why do you need an almost identical PC?
Most people with multiple PCs have a lower graphic spec'd machine for a server or web browsing machine. I can only assume this second pc isn't for you?

Heh looks like someone's pretty ambitious about building similar systems.

HEY! I like my computer! LOL.

Having 2 well balanced and roughly equal computers is good if you can sensibly balance their functions - one for writing a CD whilst you are playing a game on the other one, etc.... a server and a client is good, especially for those with broadband connections.

Agreed, but 2x9700Pro equipped systems?
Fine if you have friends round and want to provide them with a state of the art system to play games with you on, but I still wonder why you would want two systems of almost the same ultra spec? Again I can understand people having a second rig thats dual processor for graphics work, media encoding and the likes but to have 2 machines that will do pretty much the same as each other still leaves me baffled.

Well I would argue that even although the hardware is very similar, that does not mean that one installs the same sort of software configuration on both. And certainly guests will appreciate getting to frag him/her with the 9700Pro. I give my guests a geforce 3 - they deserve something decent!

Lol.

My wife and I have roughly equal rigs (both of which I built while I was just getting into the hardware side of pcs...as you can tell from not knowing the case specs!):

Mine:

Biostar M7MKE
Athlon CPU @ 800mhz
640mb PC133 ram
Radeon 7000 32mb DDR
ESS Allegro
Unknown case...
300W PS
"Digital" 15" monitor


Hers:
ECS K7S5A
Athlon CPU @ 850mhz
256mb PC2100
GeForce2 MX440
Santa Cruz Turtle Beach
Unknown case
17" compaq monitor


I am currently in the process of building a 3rd system:


Gigabyte GA-7VAX
Athlon XP 1700
512mb PC2700
Radeon 9700 (non-pro)
Fortissimo III sound card
Lian Li PC-6085A case
Antec 400W PS
17" Samsung 700NF monitor


So, to the reason for that quote. After this rig is up and running (4 months or so), our guests will have my old system. Heh! Y'know what though? It runs all FPS except anything along the line of UT2k3 and all RTS except C&C Generals just fine, so for a lan system it's still pretty damn good!

Considering they can both run said games perfectly well, I have to add the 3DMark2001 SE results at 1024x768 for both our current systems:

mine: 1500
hers: 2500

Funny huh? Makes you wonder just how much the systems that get 15k or even 5k are being utilized doesnt it?

Wow the wifes system looks a little better, thats unusual :P

Hm, well that is basically the reason I want this second system. I just love the idea of two PC's right beside each other, and I need a setup to where I can be playing say.. Quake 3 Arena and still be able to respond to my AOL messenger friends without closing out Quake.. very annoying to me. Also, the second machine will obviously be used for primarily other things such as graphics, wed design, etc.. that way I dont clog up my main pc with tons of programs. I hate a cluttered desktop and start menu ;-).

I just want to know what is so special about that case that makes it cost $200?

Well for one thing it is a modified version of the case.. It is at www.frozencpu.com.. has a 120mm fan in the top of the case.. etc

Raiderman: yes it is =)

Stormbringer: $200? which one is that?

Just ordered the LianLi PC-6085A and that was $135 without a power supply. A few reasons: extra fans, aluminum construction, high quality manufacture, LED light(s).

Man, my wife would kill me if I had two PCs on my DESK! I'm about to upgrade my oldest daughter's P2-400 to my old KR7A-R-XP1800 and kicking my wife down to the old comp so she doesn't hog mine! My youngest daughter has P3-1G. She's 7 years old and has a better comp than most people....ha ha. That's the nice thing about building your own and hand me downs. I keep up with the latest and they get constant upgrades.

lol Tarkus

Lol...thats the same tactic my dad used to do to me, letting me "inherite" his old pc, that stopped whenl i started to build my own.

Hmm I have actually modified my choice in my new computer a bit.

Here are the new specs (will start building in about 2 months)

Asus A7V8X motherboard
Athlon XP 2.2ghz 2800+
1gig DDR PC3200 RAM
ATI Radeon 9700 Pro
Sound Blaster Extigy 5.1
Altec Lansing 5.1 speakers

Antec Plusview 1000AMG Case
OR
Chenming Elite version
http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/cas-40.html

17" Monitor 1280x1024 max res. (may get 19")



All that plus other small thing such as fans, keyboard/mouse, etc comes out to about $1500.

Comments? :-P

I'd get a nForce2 with 2 sticks of PC2700 instead. nForce2 is the the AMD platform of the moment.

Even the KT400a isn't as good. Drivers are very stable. The only reason I wouldn't get a nForce is if you plan on using Linux. All integrated peripherals are a pain to get to work on it.

Hmm...well I'm not goin for an Nforce with an ATI card. Just don't want to take that chance. Same as I wouldnt try putting Windows on a Mac.

You think Nvidia have designed their motherboard chipset to cause problems with ATI graphics cards?
Have you read of any nasty problems or are you just a little paranoid about nvidia and ati components not working together.

Anyway nice system, although if its for gaming mostly I personally think the money spent on 1Gb of ram would be better spent on a larger monitor with Mitsibushi/Sony flat tube and get 512mb ram instead.