Noob to computer building seeks advice

[Pharnakes]

Hi, as I say I am a complete noob when it comes to the hardware side of computers, but for various factors I have decided that the time has come for me to build my own pc.

So, basicaly, this is another "if you had X amount of money what P.C. would you buy" thread. In my case X=£1000-£1250. So any and all advice will be more than appreciated: what are the best sites to look at for comparing components? What sites are the best to buy from, ect ect. Ohh, and I live in the UK if that makes any differnece to anything.


Thank you


Looking aorund these forums more I see alot of you use something called new egg, however if I am not mistaken, that is based in america, I was wonndering if anybody could recomend me a similar site based in the UK.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Here's my setup, if it helps. I just built it recently, and I think it's good power for the money.

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.40GHz

Memory: Corsair XMS2 TWIN2X2048-6400 2GB 2X1GB PC2-6400 DDR2-800 CL 5-5-5-18 240PIN DIMM

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 500GB SATA2 3GB/S 7200RPM 16MB Cache Ncq

Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce 8800 GTS Superclocked / 640MB GDDR3 / SLI Ready / PCI Express / Dual DVI / HDTV

Monitor: Hanns·G HW-191DPB 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor

Case: Apevia X-Plorer ATX Mid-Tower Case (though Apevia makes other good options, like the X-Cruiser)

Motherboard: nVidia 680i series boards are good

Power Supply: OCZ / GameXStream / 700-Watt / ATX / 120mm Fan / SATA Ready / SLI Ready / EPS / Active PFC /

DVD writer/CD drive: Pioneer DVR-112DBK OEM DVD Burner - 18x DVD±R Burn, 16x DVD±R Read, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 10x DVD±R DL, 40x32x CD-R/RW

[Lemur]

If I were building a gaming PC today, I would buy this case. Just sayin'.

[Pharnakes]

You seem to be obsessed with that thing, I'm sure I saw you promoting it in another thread.


Anyway, for the record I already have a case which I am hoping to recyle.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Anyway, for the record I already have a case which I am hoping to recyle.

Which one is it? If you want a gaming PC, it should have excellent cooling.

[Lemur]

Antec sends me a dollar every time I pimp it at the Org. Well, anyway, that's what I would like, and I hope someone from Antec is reading.

I guess I just think it's the nicest case being made, period. Me like. Me want. If I can convince others to buy it, that will satisfy my hunger for a while.

[Slug For A Butt]

Looking aorund these forums more I see alot of you use something called new egg, however if I am not mistaken, that is based in america, I was wonndering if anybody could recomend me a similar site based in the UK.

Yeah, they are based in the US and don't ship to the UK.
If I were you I'd be looking at using ebuyer.com . I use them a lot.

[Pharnakes]

Hmm, thanks for all the advice guys, also can someone recomend me a graphics card in the 512 - 640mb range?


Also, how do you match up a mother board to the rest of your system, so confusing

[Xiahou]

You could poke around here too for some parts ideas.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Hmm, thanks for all the advice guys, also can someone recomend me a graphics card in the 512 - 640mb range?


Also, how do you match up a mother board to the rest of your system, so confusing

nVidia 8800 GTS Superclocked

[Charge]

nVidia 8800 GTS Superclocked

oh, but it's a really foolish idea to buy overclocked hardware! You want to pay them $100 for confirming that it will work?

btw, processor better take a new one, something like E6750...

[Pharnakes]

I have my eye on the E6850, ATM.


Ohh, and I have a hard drive from my old computer that has windows xp on it, I was thinking that I probably wouldn't upgrade to vista, not untill I also upgrade to 4gigs ram. Is this a wise descion?


Edit: I am considering the Asus STRIKER EXTREME 680I SLI Socket 775 onboard Audio ATX as a motherboard, what do people think?

Also Innovision 3D 8800GTX 768MB GDDR3 PCI-E Graphics Card for a GFX card
and Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB SATA II 7200RPM 16MB Cache hard drive.


Ohh, and should I get DDR2 ram?

[Pharnakes]

Ok, this is what I have so far:


CPU Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3GHz Socket 775 4MB Cache 1333MHz FSB£162.99
Mobo Asus STRIKER EXTREME 680I SLI Socket 775 onboard Audio ATX£168.22
GFX card http://www.ebuyer.com/product/124828£312.05
Hard drive Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB SATA II 7200RPM 16MB Cache£62.86
Case Antec Nine Hundred - Gaming Case with 200mm Top Fan£70.14
PSU Antec TruePower Trio 650W PSU - With 3x 12v Rails and 120mm Fan£79.95
Monitor Hyundai N220W-D 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor 1680x1050 800:1 300cd/m2 DVI£149.99
Ram Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR 400MHz/PC3200£67.99
Mouse Logitech G5 2007 Edition Laser Gaming Mouse£41.83
Keyboard Logitech Black Ultra-Flat Keyboard - USB/PS2£9.99

Total £1142.57


Comments please!


Edit, sorry for the mess, I put it in code tags hoping that would make it neater, but now they won't go away.

Edit2: they've gone and it still looks like a mess :(

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I have my eye on the E6850, ATM.


Ohh, and I have a hard drive from my old computer that has windows xp on it, I was thinking that I probably wouldn't upgrade to vista, not untill I also upgrade to 4gigs ram. Is this a wise descion?

That's what I did, sounds fine.

[Charge]

Ohh, and should I get DDR2 ram?

Definitely! Corsair *** DDR2-800 2X1GB
DDR1 is incompatible btw..

[Husar]

Ohh, and I have a hard drive from my old computer that has windows xp on it, I was thinking that I probably wouldn't upgrade to vista, not untill I also upgrade to 4gigs ram. Is this a wise descion?

You should have Win XP on a CD.

And you can upgrade to Vista with 2GB just as well.

[Pharnakes]

You should have Win XP on a CD.

And you can upgrade to Vista with 2GB just as well.

I had a one of those dell computers were they won't send you the disk, just a "recovery disk", gave me alot of trouble.

As for the other, the only reason I would want vista is so I can have 4gigs, so I'm in no hurry. (I like my old non-vista compatible games).

Edit: ohh, and I have chosen Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 533MHz/PC2-4300 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL4 for my ram, 15 quid cheaper than the other as well