Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

My First PC... awwwww...

Thanks for the link.

I must say, those Lian-Li cases are ugly. :) More ugly than that yellow monstrosity, if you can believe it!
 
yellow said:
Thanks for the link.

I must say, those Lian-Li cases are ugly. :) More ugly than that yellow monstrosity, if you can believe it!
Click to expand...
That snail one is particularly bad... when you're looking for a case, you'll want to look for 120mm fans. 80mm fans can be quiet, but they don't push as much air at the same noise level as a good 120mm would do.

My personal favorite would have to be the new Antec SOLO... it's basically a revision of the P150, though I've heard that space is a little tight. So if you're eventually going to go with an SLI setup, you might want to look at a slightly bigger case from the get go.
 
I might like to add a few things you need to make sure you add is a copy of windows (OEM).

Also I would say put a DVD burner in the computer. Keep the DVD-Rom and add a burner to it. Or at least switch teh DVD-Rom to a DVD burner. Other wise you will regreat it later when you will need to burn something off. Also dont forget you AV software.
 
stonyc said:
80mm fans can be quiet, but they don't push as much air at the same noise level as a good 120mm would do.
Click to expand...

Ah true, I hadn't thought ahead about the eventuality of SLI (which I will do eventaully). I don't think I'll have any problems with fan noise, as I have a Quicksilver '01 at home (LOUD), and due to craptacular AC in my office have to have 3 fans moving air from the hall or it'll hit 90F in no time.

Timepass said:
I might like to add a few things you need to make sure you add is a copy of windows (OEM).

Also I would say put a DVD burner in the computer. Keep the DVD-Rom and add a burner to it. Or at least switch teh DVD-Rom to a DVD burner. Other wise you will regreat it later when you will need to burn something off. Also dont forget you AV software.
Click to expand...

Don't need Windows. Got that covered.

Won't ever burn a DVD.

This box is strictly for gaming. It'll never get used for anything else.
 
Looking to build a rig as well

Here is what I am looking at:
Mobo A8N-SLI Premium, N82E16813131540 $159.99
Processor AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego 2000MHz HT Socket 939 Processor Model ADA3700CFBOX - Retail, N82E16819103622 $208
Video Card, ATI All-In-Wonder 2006 Edition 256MB DDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail, N82E16814102661 $133.99
Power Supply, Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-480 BLUE ATX12V 480W Power Supply - Retail, N82E16817103930 $79.99
CD Drive LITE-ON 16X DVD±R DVD Burner W/ 5X DVD-RAM Write Black ATAPI/E-IDE Model SHM-165P6S RTL - Retail, N82E16827106256 $38.99
Hard Drive, Maxtor MaxLine III 7V300F0 300GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM, N82E16822144032 $118.99
Case, COOLER MASTER Centurion 532 RC-532-SKN1 Black Aluminum bezel, SECC chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail, N82E16811119094 $74.99 $25 rebate
RAM, OCZ Titanium 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model OCZ4002048ELDCTE-K - Retail, N82E16820227056 $201.99 $40 rebate
OS, Microsoft Windows XP Professional X64 Edition Single Pack - OEM, N82E16837102065, 134.95

I want to watch TV on it so this why I have the ATI, please give me some feedback!
 
Well if you want to game dont get 64 bit windows. Plus quite a few of the driver will be stuck as window default ones because a lot of companies never made 64 bit ones. Games are not complied for 64 bit only for 32 bit so it has to run them in an emulation mode slowing it done.

Mind you XP64 right now is the only non lixus 64 bit OS out there.
 
Any chance at grabbing some of this used?

I'm as unexperienced as you when it comes to PC's but I keep looking at some of the Dell's used on craigslist. Might they be a good starting point for a cheap gaming rig?

Or no?
 
xPismo said:
Any chance at grabbing some of this used?

I'm as unexperienced as you when it comes to PC's but I keep looking at some of the Dell's used on craigslist. Might they be a good starting point for a cheap gaming rig?

Or no?
Click to expand...

I thought about it.. craig's list or ebay.

My problem is, I HATE buying technology via these types of things. If I get screwed, I'm out cash and have to do it again. At least buying it new I know I can call the company and get the issue fixed.
 
Shouldn't the thread title be:

My first PC... ewwwwwww... ? :p

Looks like a pretty sweet one you're building

I'll second NewEgg, great place to order from.
 
yellow said:
Ah true, I hadn't thought ahead about the eventuality of SLI (which I will do eventaully). I don't think I'll have any problems with fan noise, as I have a Quicksilver '01 at home (LOUD), and due to craptacular AC in my office have to have 3 fans moving air from the hall or it'll hit 90F in no time.



Don't need Windows. Got that covered.

Won't ever burn a DVD.

This box is strictly for gaming. It'll never get used for anything else.
Click to expand...

K I would still say dont forget about getting AV software of some type put on there. If you can I would recomend getting Symantec Corp edition V10. Nortan is crap. Symantec Corp is good (kind of said that Symantec makes one of the best AV out there and then one of the worse as well). The interface of Symantec V10 is clearly set up more of IT admins and a lot of the bloat in nortan is no in the Symantec. Only reason I am still on v9 is earily on with SP2 v10 had issues so I never upgraded to it from the school. And now I just dont want to bother with it. Hardest part is getting it legellly. I got mine though my college.


Even though you claim the box is just for gaming I would say gear it up for some office work as well. Not anything heavy but some type of word processor and internet use (put firefox on it.)

And like others have said Newegg is good. Tirgerdirect.com is another very good place to order parts from.

Also if you want to get cooling to it max order a tube of artic silver 5 and scrap off the therm pad right off the bat. Once it melts it gets into the microsopic voids in the heatsink and heat spreader. But the stock heat pads from AMD are pretty good. On my AMD64 I ran with that pad for 2weeks before my mobo failed (it was bad got a free replacement). Then put the AS5 on it.
Also the stock heat sink from AMD will work just fine. No need to waste your money on getting an aftermarket. You are not going to be overclocking it and noise is not going to be a huge issue for you since this is a gaming box and you are not going to be over clocking it. I am running my AMD 3000 64 at a 10% over clock right now and temps are just fine. Besides the Graphic card will drown out the sound of it any how. It really pretty quite even when it will spin up to 5k rpm (normally it sit around 3k)

Biggest role pain in the rear about building a computer getting everything installed on it. I can build one in about 30 mins now but I spend rest of the day installing windows, drivers and other software. Takes me a while because I start the install for something come back a while later to check on it to see how the installs going and to click next and stuff.


For the most part it does look pretty good. You using name brand stuff for most of the parts. I dont much about you Powersupply. But I am like to use Antec for computers I build. I trust the brand, plus in 3rd part reviews it normally comes out on top as one of the best. And more imporantly a lot of other users recomend them and trust them near the top. But when it comes to power supply I am really picky and will only use one from the best brands and will pay for it. Reason being is you are spending a lot of money on the computer and why risk destroying everything on a crappy PSU because if your PSU blows it will fry everything not willing to take that chance to save a few bucks.

Ram you are planningo n using I know quite a few people who like OCZ. I perfer kingston or coursar ram but I do know OCZ is good (kingston is in my current rig).

Hard drive is fine. Seagate and Wester digital are both among the best. Dont bother going raid. They dont does on them and really gain is very small and not noticible and not worth the risk. If one hard drive fails you lose all the data on both. Better to just have 2 indivual drives.

As for you mother board ASUS is a good brand. They have been going down hill the past 2 years and having more and more board go bad and RMA though ASUS is a role pain.


Sum everything up. Make sure you get AV software and set it up to handle the internet since if it a gaming box it going to go on the net to play the online games. So that means your need AV software.
 
yellow said:
Unfortunately, I live in the boonies and only have dial-up, so no online gaming. It's not really my thing anyway. Though I won't really need it, I have the AV software covered too.
Click to expand...

I'm in the same situation (out in the boonies, nothing but dialup offered) and discovered that WoW plays incredibly well on dial-up. Since all the texture, world, and things are on your local drive, the only thing over the net is when movement and attack keys happen.

Some busy areas (major cities were hundreds to a thousand other players are running around) can be a little laggy, but 95% of the time there is no lag.

But if gaming isn't your thing, WoW might be be the best option lol
 
Josh said:
I'm in the same situation (out in the boonies, nothing but dialup offered) and discovered that WoW plays incredibly well on dial-up. Since all the texture, world, and things are on your local drive, the only thing over the net is when movement and attack keys happen.
Click to expand...

I too was surprised at how well WoW worked over dial-up.
But I'm chinsey when it comes to antiquated teech (I'm not paying for dial-up!!), and my work only limits me to 15-minutes per session. Adequate for quick web-surfin for stuff, but worthless for WoW. To get cheap dial-up I have to sign a contract, which I'm not doing, because I hope that "Embarq" will offer DSL soon. Hope.

lilstewart said:
Great machine there, yellow.

Take care of it! :p
Click to expand...

Thanks! Definitely going to take stonyc's advice and wait until the end of July. Maybe stuff will be cheaper (or better!).
 
yellow said:
Unfortunately, I live in the boonies and only have dial-up, so no online gaming. It's not really my thing anyway. Though I won't really need it, I have the AV software covered too.

The powersupply is a bit of a mystery to me. I will look at others I suspect.

One I was interested in was:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1273350&Sku=ULT31851
Click to expand...


Well I dont know much about Utra but I think it good. I think my room mate ran on one for a while.

Like I said earily I am very picky when it comes to PSU. I chose Antec earily on and for me that is about the only company I will look at. I would need to look around a few other boards to see about other brands.

That being said I would also recomend posting you build over at http://www.sharkyforums.com/ and ask there take on it as well.

For the most part the people here are giving great advice just the numbers of people who really build computers are very limited and I know most of the active posters over there really do know there stuff when it comes to building computers. When I built mine I wish I knew about those forums and ask for there take. Some thing would of gotten changed. either way I would suggest you post your build over there and let them take it appart.

They are very helpful when it comes to this stuff and not going to be mean about it at all. I seen some builds people posted that where complete trash of a build. The memeber very polite in taking it appart pointing out problems with it and what some suggested fixes are. For the most part you will get good reviews. Also any question you post about the build they will answer and are very willing to help you out.

That being said I strong suggest you go to http://www.sharkyforums.com/ and post your same build. People here are great but the knowleged base over there is a lot better than over here about building computers. And to top it off most of them are people who build gaming PC rigs. Several of the memeber build computer for a living so they really do know there stuff.
 
Well, I've ordered it today.. Some of what I had originally is still intact.

What prompted me?

I'll be out of work for 3-5 weeks following some surgery and wanted to have a nice PC to game on while I recover. I was going to take a tertiary Dell Optiplex GX 280 PC (minitower) home from work, and I'd ordered an ATI X800 ($89) as a replacement for the ATI X300 in it, which I got today. Much to my dispair, the X800 is a normal sized video card, and the X300 is like some laptop video card. So the new card won't fit in the minitower. Damnit!
This stupid Mac user doesn't know jack about PC architecture. It's all freaking pops and clicks.

So..

**** it. I ordered my PC stuff, sans (SLI) video card(s), and I'll just use the X800 until a later date. Final price (with shipping): $748.58

APEVIA (ASPIRE) X-Superalien ATXA6SW-YL/500 Yellow Aluminum Server Computer Case 500W Power Supply - $139.99
ASUS A8N-SLI Premium Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI ATX AMD Motherboard - $136.99
AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego 2000MHz HT Socket 939 Processor Model ADA3700BNBOX - $105.00
OCZ 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model OCZP4002GK - $209.99
1 Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS (Perpendicular Recording Technology) 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $94.99
1 SAMSUNG 16X DVD±R DVD Burner With 5X DVD-RAM Write and LightScribe Black ATA/ATAPI Model SH-S162L - $34.99

Subtotal: $721.95
Tax: $0.00
Shipping: $26.63
VersionTotal: $748.58

Not too shabby. Plus the "core" of it is a pretty solid foundation to grow on. AFAICT, the X800 should work on that motherboard fine. Egads I hope so. Hopefully this stuff will get here by mid-next week. Then you should keep watch for the "I can't put this ****ing thing together correctly!!11!!" thread. :D


Thanks again for the AMD $ tip! That **** saved me $100!!
 
Wouldn't an iMac with XP installed with BootCamp have been sufficient for your gaming needs? Well, now at least, you will have to go out and h4x0r1z3 a copy of the intel osx x86 build.
 
No. iMacs aren't upgradable at all. At least not the "important" scalable parts (GPU/CPU).
I want a gaming PC that is completely scalable for the future.
 
yellow said:
No. iMacs aren't upgradable at all. At least not the "important" scalable parts (GPU/CPU).
I want a gaming PC that is completely scalable for the future.
Click to expand...

Actually, the iMac's CPU is not soldered, so it could be replaced. But you're right about the GPU.
 
Ah.. didn't realize it wasn't soldered.

But anyway..

The bulk of my stuff should appear tomorrow. Of course, the case won't be here until Wednesday. Bummer. :)

I forgot a sound card. Anyone have any suggestions?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back