rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131
ok, im interested in building a new computer. I have never built one but have upgraded components on my current rig many times, but my brother has. Was going to do a upgrade my mobo but it was too much hassle due to my current OS being an OEM





any way i have a monitor, and 2 lightscribe CD drives so that is not really needed. this is my monitor

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hewlett-Packard … B000FTWUJU



I am on a tight budget and the socket AM2 will work fine, what i need the computer for is graphics modelling(my bro is a game designer), gaming, internet and work


this is what i want

* a good case which supports both ATX and MATX, with a few bays for 2 CD drives, 2 HDD and extra for future upgrades(front panels etc) and lots of space for graphics cards an other hardware
*AM2 ATX or MATX motherboard with a PCI-X16 slot and other essentials, nothing too fancy like the asus
*a dual processor of at least 2.4ghz(maybe more), with heatsink
*2GB DDR2 ram at least
*a good sized hard drive(320GB at least, but seen a 500GB at Ebuyer for £50 ), i have a Samsung 250GB 8MB cache HD but it has all my software and is an XP OEM, so i will install a new OS on that and use the other new one as a second to save the trouble.
* a decent graphics card for gaming like COD4 and graphics modelling
*and a PSU which would run the computer and other bits and bobs, such as back panel fans etc


and its possible, Ebuyer and Maplin are the shops im going to buy from so please build me a £350 rig from Ebuyer/Maplin, with an OS IF possible!, if not linux will do for now


thanks!

any questions, just ask

Last edited by rammunition (2008-07-05 06:14:13)

Freezer7Pro
I don't come here a lot anymore.
+1,447|6467|Winland

I'm on GPRS, so I can't pick any parts from the stores, due to the high cost of this kind of internet access. (Really quick with double-band GPRS, though, 110kbit )

Anyhow, since you're going AMD, you're on a good path to cheap stuff, since AMD is having trouble, most of their mjid.end CPUs are really cheap. I can't make any recommendations, as I don't know what you're upgrading from, however. You should post your current specs, so that people don't suggest downgrades.

For the RAM, go OCZ or Corsair PC6400. A rule of thumb is, that if it's got a heatspreader, it's quick enough.

HDD, go Samsung, Seagate or WD. Even their entry-level drives tend to have quite good performance, and the Samsung F1 is told to be above averege.

Graphics card... Well, yet again, posting your specs would be of huge help. If you're on a 6200 right now, it's probably not worth spending £150 on a 4850, as most £50 graphics cards would present a huge upgrade, anyhow. In general, low-end, 8600GT DDR3 256MB, is a good choice. The rumours about the 8600s sucking are long gone, as nVidia fixed the drivers. Mid-end, the HD3870s are really nicely priced right now. It's not hard to find one for under £100, and they provide pretty good bang for the buck. High-end, the 4850/4870 cards, obviously. They've taken over the spot 8800GT left behind, when it slipped down to mid-end. Ultra-high-end, there are(will be) only two cards: 4870X2 and GTX280. If you're gonna get any of those, it's worth waiting a while. The X2 is to be released quite soon, and it will bring a lot of competition for the GTX280. With that, huge price wars, and drops, will follow.

PSU-wise, I'd go for a HX520 or VX550. They've proven to be stable, reliant, and most other things you look for in a PSU. They'll power any single-CPU/card setup you can throw at them.

(Now I pray to got that my connection hasn't dropped out...)
The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP
rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131

Freezer7Pro wrote:

I'm on GPRS, so I can't pick any parts from the stores, due to the high cost of this kind of internet access. (Really quick with double-band GPRS, though, 110kbit )

Anyhow, since you're going AMD, you're on a good path to cheap stuff, since AMD is having trouble, most of their mjid.end CPUs are really cheap. I can't make any recommendations, as I don't know what you're upgrading from, however. You should post your current specs, so that people don't suggest downgrades.

For the RAM, go OCZ or Corsair PC6400. A rule of thumb is, that if it's got a heatspreader, it's quick enough.

HDD, go Samsung, Seagate or WD. Even their entry-level drives tend to have quite good performance, and the Samsung F1 is told to be above averege.

Graphics card... Well, yet again, posting your specs would be of huge help. If you're on a 6200 right now, it's probably not worth spending £150 on a 4850, as most £50 graphics cards would present a huge upgrade, anyhow. In general, low-end, 8600GT DDR3 256MB, is a good choice. The rumours about the 8600s sucking are long gone, as nVidia fixed the drivers. Mid-end, the HD3870s are really nicely priced right now. It's not hard to find one for under £100, and they provide pretty good bang for the buck. High-end, the 4850/4870 cards, obviously. They've taken over the spot 8800GT left behind, when it slipped down to mid-end. Ultra-high-end, there are(will be) only two cards: 4870X2 and GTX280. If you're gonna get any of those, it's worth waiting a while. The X2 is to be released quite soon, and it will bring a lot of competition for the GTX280. With that, huge price wars, and drops, will follow.

PSU-wise, I'd go for a HX520 or VX550. They've proven to be stable, reliant, and most other things you look for in a PSU. They'll power any single-CPU/card setup you can throw at them.

(Now I pray to got that my connection hasn't dropped out...)
why do you need my current rig specs when i want to build from scratch??


my rig is this if you want to know

Amd Athlon 3800 2.4ghz SKT 939
MSI RS480M2 mobo(rs480 chipset)
Ati Radeon x200 integrated graphics
1GB SDRR
250GB hardrive
2 DVD RW drive with lightscribe
9-in-1 memory card read(front panel)
3 USB ports(front panel)
Various audio jack slots(front panel)

300w bestec atx 300-12z
Xp service pack 2 home edition 32 bit


yes, i know, its crap, thus the reason i want a new build

Last edited by rammunition (2008-07-05 07:16:41)

unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,054|7041|PNW

rammunition wrote:

my rig is this if you want to know

Amd Athlon 3800 2.4ghz SKT 939
MSI RS480M2 mobo(rs480 chipset)
Ati Radeon x200 integrated graphics
1GB SDRR
250GB hardrive
2 DVD RW drive with lightscribe
300w bestec atx 300-12z
Xp service pack 2 home edition 32 bit


yes, i know, its crap, thus the reason i want a new build
£350? I'm sorry, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, so it's going to be a bit more...

You could build a rig for a bit cheape than that, but I wouldn't really recommend it, unless you plan on playing nothing but <2009 games at moderate detail within a year.

Something like this (sorry about the US linking, but I'm too lazy to look up pricing elsewhere) would suffice:

PSU:  CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CE, CB, TUV, FCC, CCC - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6817139006
$130
Note: $10 more expensive than its 650W counterpart, and is tested for Crossfire, should you ever use it.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6819115037
$195
Note: A bit more than some cheaper AMD parts, but the price/performance is solid.

MB: ASRock P45R2000-WiFi LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6813157131
$140
Note: Can support DDR3 RAM as well, in case you wish to upgrade in the future when the price drops. The WiFi support is an interesting addition in case you ever need it.

RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail (respectable 3-4-3-9 lat)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6820145035
$100
Note: If you ever go Vista, get Vx64 and another set of this RAM.

VIDEO: VisionTek 900241 Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6814129112
$195
Note: The motherboard is Crossfire, so you could even buy another 4850 later if it so suited you. Check guru3d's VGA Charts to compare the 4850 to other cards for CoD4. It's good on high res, is about the same as the GTX260 and the 8800 Ultra. Not bad.

====

A) Cannibalize: HDD, 2xDVD, Windows XP

Note: The MB only has one PATA port (which can support two devices on one ribbon cable), so if your hard drive and both DVD's are PATA, you might wish to pick up a SATA hard drive.

SATA HDD: Seagate Barracuda ES.2 ST3250310NS 250GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6822148309
$80
Note: Depending on your usage, you may want a larger one. Your choice.

====

B) Cannibalize: If your current chassis is totally awesome (like a $200 custom) and you want to keep it, grab this one to put your old computer parts in:

Replacement Chassis: Athena Power CA-2853B Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6811192060
$20

Otherwise:

New Chassis: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05 Series Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
-UW Black (Or -UB Black/Blue)
pick a color
$50
Note: Solid case with great reviews.

========

Total (All Parts): $830 (~£420)
Total (Cannibalization): $760 (~£380)

Direct conversion is a dumb way to do it, so prices may vary at the place you buy from.

Add a few more £'s in case you need a USB floppy drive or a cable not included with the OEM HDD. If you want a sound card over arguable onboard, I'd wait for later this year.

========

If I wasn't so anal about having some of the absolute best, I could cut my price down to 1/2 to 1/4 and go with something like this.

Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2008-07-05 08:11:18)

rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

rammunition wrote:

my rig is this if you want to know

Amd Athlon 3800 2.4ghz SKT 939
MSI RS480M2 mobo(rs480 chipset)
Ati Radeon x200 integrated graphics
1GB SDRR
250GB hardrive
2 DVD RW drive with lightscribe
300w bestec atx 300-12z
Xp service pack 2 home edition 32 bit


yes, i know, its crap, thus the reason i want a new build
£350? I'm sorry, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, so it's going to be a bit more...

You could build a rig for a bit cheape than that, but I wouldn't really recommend it, unless you plan on playing nothing but <2009 games at moderate detail within a year.

Something like this (sorry about the US linking, but I'm too lazy to look up pricing elsewhere) would suffice:

PSU:  CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CE, CB, TUV, FCC, CCC - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6817139006
$130
Note: $10 more expensive than its 650W counterpart, and is tested for Crossfire, should you ever use it.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6819115037
$195
Note: A bit more than some cheaper AMD parts, but the price/performance is solid.

MB: ASRock P45R2000-WiFi LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6813157131
$140
Note: Can support DDR3 RAM as well, in case you wish to upgrade in the future when the price drops. The WiFi support is an interesting addition in case you ever need it.

RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail (respectable 3-4-3-9 lat)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6820145035
$100
Note: If you ever go Vista, get Vx64 and another set of this RAM.

VIDEO: VisionTek 900241 Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6814129112
$195
Note: The motherboard is Crossfire, so you could even buy another 4850 later if it so suited you. Check guru3d's VGA Charts to compare the 4850 to other cards for CoD4. It's good on high res, is about the same as the GTX260 and the 8800 Ultra. Not bad.

====

A) Cannibalize: HDD, 2xDVD, Windows XP

Note: The MB only has one PATA port (which can support two devices on one ribbon cable), so if your hard drive and both DVD's are PATA, you might wish to pick up a SATA hard drive.

SATA HDD: Seagate Barracuda ES.2 ST3250310NS 250GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6822148309
$80
Note: Depending on your usage, you may want a larger one. Your choice.

====

B) Cannibalize: If your current chassis is totally awesome (like a $200 custom) and you want to keep it, grab this one to put your old computer parts in:

Replacement Chassis: Athena Power CA-2853B Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6811192060
$20

Otherwise:

New Chassis: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05 Series Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
-UW Black (Or -UB Black/Blue)
pick a color
$50
Note: Solid case with great reviews.

========

Total (All Parts): $830 (~£420)
Total (Cannibalization): $760 (~£380)

Direct conversion is a dumb way to do it, so prices may vary at the place you buy from.

Add a few more £'s in case you need a USB floppy drive or a cable not included with the OEM HDD. If you want a sound card over arguable onboard, I'd wait for later this year.

========

If I wasn't so anal about having some of the absolute best, I could cut my price down to 1/2 to 1/4 and go with something like this.
that is not a bad rig at all, i knew it may go to about £400 but not a problem, very surprised you managed to get a socket t (775) core2duo (3GHZ) in. that said a very good rig. May look round on U.K sites for the components/ or similar you have suggested and make a rig round your suggestions. Thanks for that
DUnlimited
got any popo lolo intersting?
+1,160|6733|cuntshitlake

rammunition wrote:

that is not a bad rig at all, i knew it may go to about £400 but not a problem, very surprised you managed to get a socket t (775) core2duo (3GHZ) in. that said a very good rig. May look round on U.K sites for the components/ or similar you have suggested and make a rig round your suggestions. Thanks for that
Only thing is that US is soooo much cheaper. That'd probably add up to about 500-550 on UK.
main battle tank karthus medikopter 117 megamegapowershot gg
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,054|7041|PNW

DeathUnlimited wrote:

rammunition wrote:

that is not a bad rig at all, i knew it may go to about £400 but not a problem, very surprised you managed to get a socket t (775) core2duo (3GHZ) in. that said a very good rig. May look round on U.K sites for the components/ or similar you have suggested and make a rig round your suggestions. Thanks for that
Only thing is that US is soooo much cheaper. That'd probably add up to about 500-550 on UK.
QFT.
rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131

DeathUnlimited wrote:

rammunition wrote:

that is not a bad rig at all, i knew it may go to about £400 but not a problem, very surprised you managed to get a socket t (775) core2duo (3GHZ) in. that said a very good rig. May look round on U.K sites for the components/ or similar you have suggested and make a rig round your suggestions. Thanks for that
Only thing is that US is soooo much cheaper. That'd probably add up to about 500-550 on UK.
aahhh yes, but i may substitute one or 2 components and downgrade them to save a bit of money, and i have more cash do an upgrade.
rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131
OOOO, may need to downgrade the CPU, at Ebuyer its £130, its more cheaper in America. Also what is better the CPU mentioned or this Xeon Dual Core

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/144186

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/139971

similar prices

will see what happens though

Last edited by rammunition (2008-07-06 02:57:02)

Freezer7Pro
I don't come here a lot anymore.
+1,447|6467|Winland

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

rammunition wrote:

my rig is this if you want to know

Amd Athlon 3800 2.4ghz SKT 939
MSI RS480M2 mobo(rs480 chipset)
Ati Radeon x200 integrated graphics
1GB SDRR
250GB hardrive
2 DVD RW drive with lightscribe
300w bestec atx 300-12z
Xp service pack 2 home edition 32 bit


yes, i know, its crap, thus the reason i want a new build
£350? I'm sorry, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, so it's going to be a bit more...

You could build a rig for a bit cheape than that, but I wouldn't really recommend it, unless you plan on playing nothing but <2009 games at moderate detail within a year.

Something like this (sorry about the US linking, but I'm too lazy to look up pricing elsewhere) would suffice:

PSU:  CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CE, CB, TUV, FCC, CCC - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6817139006
$130
Note: $10 more expensive than its 650W counterpart, and is tested for Crossfire, should you ever use it.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6819115037
$195
Note: A bit more than some cheaper AMD parts, but the price/performance is solid.

MB: ASRock P45R2000-WiFi LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6813157131
$140
Note: Can support DDR3 RAM as well, in case you wish to upgrade in the future when the price drops. The WiFi support is an interesting addition in case you ever need it.

RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail (respectable 3-4-3-9 lat)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6820145035
$100
Note: If you ever go Vista, get Vx64 and another set of this RAM.

VIDEO: VisionTek 900241 Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6814129112
$195
Note: The motherboard is Crossfire, so you could even buy another 4850 later if it so suited you. Check guru3d's VGA Charts to compare the 4850 to other cards for CoD4. It's good on high res, is about the same as the GTX260 and the 8800 Ultra. Not bad.

====

A) Cannibalize: HDD, 2xDVD, Windows XP

Note: The MB only has one PATA port (which can support two devices on one ribbon cable), so if your hard drive and both DVD's are PATA, you might wish to pick up a SATA hard drive.

SATA HDD: Seagate Barracuda ES.2 ST3250310NS 250GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6822148309
$80
Note: Depending on your usage, you may want a larger one. Your choice.

====

B) Cannibalize: If your current chassis is totally awesome (like a $200 custom) and you want to keep it, grab this one to put your old computer parts in:

Replacement Chassis: Athena Power CA-2853B Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6811192060
$20

Otherwise:

New Chassis: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05 Series Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
-UW Black (Or -UB Black/Blue)
pick a color
$50
Note: Solid case with great reviews.

========

Total (All Parts): $830 (~£420)
Total (Cannibalization): $760 (~£380)

Direct conversion is a dumb way to do it, so prices may vary at the place you buy from.

Add a few more £'s in case you need a USB floppy drive or a cable not included with the OEM HDD. If you want a sound card over arguable onboard, I'd wait for later this year.

========

If I wasn't so anal about having some of the absolute best, I could cut my price down to 1/2 to 1/4 and go with something like this.
Why didn't you even try to stick to the budget?

And rammunition, we need to know your old specs, so that we know what we're dealing with. Imagine if you already had an E6600 and 8800GT, and someone suggested an E7200 and 8600GT. That would be a very small upgrade, and a pure downgrade.

Anyhow, to stick to the budget:


CPUIntel Core 2 Duo E7200£82.25
Graphics cardSapphire HD3870£86.60
MotherboardGigabyte GA-P35-DS3L£60
RAMCorsair XMS2 2GB kit£31.99
PSUCorsair VX450£45.56
Hard driveWD 320GB£40.78
CaseGeneric budget case£10.99
Total£370 + shipping


I was gonna improve, as I'm far over budget with this, but the WLAN I'm stealing decided to get weaker, so I'm back to GPRS. As soon as I'm online again, I'll fix it.
The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP
rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131

Freezer7Pro wrote:

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

rammunition wrote:

my rig is this if you want to know

Amd Athlon 3800 2.4ghz SKT 939
MSI RS480M2 mobo(rs480 chipset)
Ati Radeon x200 integrated graphics
1GB SDRR
250GB hardrive
2 DVD RW drive with lightscribe
300w bestec atx 300-12z
Xp service pack 2 home edition 32 bit


yes, i know, its crap, thus the reason i want a new build
£350? I'm sorry, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, so it's going to be a bit more...

You could build a rig for a bit cheape than that, but I wouldn't really recommend it, unless you plan on playing nothing but <2009 games at moderate detail within a year.

Something like this (sorry about the US linking, but I'm too lazy to look up pricing elsewhere) would suffice:

PSU:  CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CE, CB, TUV, FCC, CCC - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6817139006
$130
Note: $10 more expensive than its 650W counterpart, and is tested for Crossfire, should you ever use it.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6819115037
$195
Note: A bit more than some cheaper AMD parts, but the price/performance is solid.

MB: ASRock P45R2000-WiFi LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6813157131
$140
Note: Can support DDR3 RAM as well, in case you wish to upgrade in the future when the price drops. The WiFi support is an interesting addition in case you ever need it.

RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail (respectable 3-4-3-9 lat)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6820145035
$100
Note: If you ever go Vista, get Vx64 and another set of this RAM.

VIDEO: VisionTek 900241 Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6814129112
$195
Note: The motherboard is Crossfire, so you could even buy another 4850 later if it so suited you. Check guru3d's VGA Charts to compare the 4850 to other cards for CoD4. It's good on high res, is about the same as the GTX260 and the 8800 Ultra. Not bad.

====

A) Cannibalize: HDD, 2xDVD, Windows XP

Note: The MB only has one PATA port (which can support two devices on one ribbon cable), so if your hard drive and both DVD's are PATA, you might wish to pick up a SATA hard drive.

SATA HDD: Seagate Barracuda ES.2 ST3250310NS 250GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6822148309
$80
Note: Depending on your usage, you may want a larger one. Your choice.

====

B) Cannibalize: If your current chassis is totally awesome (like a $200 custom) and you want to keep it, grab this one to put your old computer parts in:

Replacement Chassis: Athena Power CA-2853B Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6811192060
$20

Otherwise:

New Chassis: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05 Series Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
-UW Black (Or -UB Black/Blue)
pick a color
$50
Note: Solid case with great reviews.

========

Total (All Parts): $830 (~£420)
Total (Cannibalization): $760 (~£380)

Direct conversion is a dumb way to do it, so prices may vary at the place you buy from.

Add a few more £'s in case you need a USB floppy drive or a cable not included with the OEM HDD. If you want a sound card over arguable onboard, I'd wait for later this year.

========

If I wasn't so anal about having some of the absolute best, I could cut my price down to 1/2 to 1/4 and go with something like this.
Why didn't you even try to stick to the budget?

And rammunition, we need to know your old specs, so that we know what we're dealing with. Imagine if you already had an E6600 and 8800GT, and someone suggested an E7200 and 8600GT. That would be a very small upgrade, and a pure downgrade.

Anyhow, to stick to the budget:


CPUIntel Core 2 Duo E7200£82.25
Graphics cardSapphire HD3870£86.60
MotherboardGigabyte GA-P35-DS3L£60
RAMCorsair XMS2 2GB kit£31.99
PSUCorsair VX450£45.56
Hard driveWD 320GB£40.78
CaseGeneric budget case£10.99
Total£370 + shipping


I was gonna improve, as I'm far over budget with this, but the WLAN I'm stealing decided to get weaker, so I'm back to GPRS. As soon as I'm online again, I'll fix it.
holy hell, a nice build, but a little concerned about the price of the graphics card, can't it be substituted for something a bit less to save a bit of cash???

isn't this HD better than the one you suggested, and at the same price???

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/130454



the 8600GT on ebuyer is discontinued btw

and also what about the cooling/fans???

Last edited by rammunition (2008-07-06 15:06:03)

unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,054|7041|PNW

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Why didn't you even try to stick to the budget?
Why do you even care? Can't the guy have an alternative?

Freezer7Pro wrote:

And rammunition, we need to know your old specs, so that we know what we're dealing with.

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

rammunition wrote:

my rig is this if you want to know

Amd Athlon 3800 2.4ghz SKT 939
MSI RS480M2 mobo(rs480 chipset)
Ati Radeon x200 integrated graphics
1GB SDRR
250GB hardrive
2 DVD RW drive with lightscribe
300w bestec atx 300-12z
Xp service pack 2 home edition 32 bit


yes, i know, its crap, thus the reason i want a new build
Why didn't you even try to read the thread?

I'm sorry if I'm sounding grumpy, but headaches do not happily harbor confrontation.

Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2008-07-06 14:59:42)

rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Why didn't you even try to stick to the budget?
Why do you even care? Can't the guy have an alternative?

Freezer7Pro wrote:

And rammunition, we need to know your old specs, so that we know what we're dealing with.

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

rammunition wrote:

my rig is this if you want to know

Amd Athlon 3800 2.4ghz SKT 939
MSI RS480M2 mobo(rs480 chipset)
Ati Radeon x200 integrated graphics
1GB SDRR
250GB hardrive
2 DVD RW drive with lightscribe
300w bestec atx 300-12z
Xp service pack 2 home edition 32 bit


yes, i know, its crap, thus the reason i want a new build
Why didn't you even try to read the thread?

I'm sorry if I'm sounding grumpy, but headaches do not happily harbor confrontation.
the cheaper the better, if i can build a rig for -£350 that would be top notch but don't mind spending a bit more.

I also checked up the prices in the U.K of the components you suggested but they are very expensive. Same numbers but a different currency symbol at the front
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,054|7041|PNW

rammunition wrote:

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Why didn't you even try to stick to the budget?
Why do you even care? Can't the guy have an alternative?

Freezer7Pro wrote:

And rammunition, we need to know your old specs, so that we know what we're dealing with.

unnamednewbie13 wrote:


Why didn't you even try to read the thread?

I'm sorry if I'm sounding grumpy, but headaches do not happily harbor confrontation.
the cheaper the better, if i can build a rig for -£350 that would be top notch but don't mind spending a bit more.

I also checked up the prices in the U.K of the components you suggested but they are very expensive. Same numbers but a different currency symbol at the front
Did you even see my disclaimer about direct currency conversions being dissimilar to actual pricing, or are you just winging it?
Freezer7Pro
I don't come here a lot anymore.
+1,447|6467|Winland

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Why didn't you even try to stick to the budget?
Why do you even care? Can't the guy have an alternative?

Freezer7Pro wrote:

And rammunition, we need to know your old specs, so that we know what we're dealing with.

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

rammunition wrote:

my rig is this if you want to know

Amd Athlon 3800 2.4ghz SKT 939
MSI RS480M2 mobo(rs480 chipset)
Ati Radeon x200 integrated graphics
1GB SDRR
250GB hardrive
2 DVD RW drive with lightscribe
300w bestec atx 300-12z
Xp service pack 2 home edition 32 bit


yes, i know, its crap, thus the reason i want a new build
Why didn't you even try to read the thread?

I'm sorry if I'm sounding grumpy, but headaches do not happily harbor confrontation.
1: Yes, he could, but building something for over budget in UK on an american site is WAY over budget. I do this on a daily basis, I get annoyed at that kinda stuff.

2: He posted the specs, because I asked for them

And Rammunition, the HD3870 is really the cheapest decent graphics card currently on the market. It's twice as fast as a GDDR3 8600, for 1/4 more cash.

The WLAN started working again, I'll change some stuff ASAP.

Last edited by Freezer7Pro (2008-07-06 15:18:37)

The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP
rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

rammunition wrote:

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Why didn't you even try to stick to the budget?
Why do you even care? Can't the guy have an alternative?

Freezer7Pro wrote:

And rammunition, we need to know your old specs, so that we know what we're dealing with.
Why didn't you even try to read the thread?

I'm sorry if I'm sounding grumpy, but headaches do not happily harbor confrontation.
the cheaper the better, if i can build a rig for -£350 that would be top notch but don't mind spending a bit more.

I also checked up the prices in the U.K of the components you suggested but they are very expensive. Same numbers but a different currency symbol at the front
Did you even see my disclaimer about direct currency conversions being dissimilar to actual pricing, or are you just winging it?
winging!!!!!
rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131

Freezer7Pro wrote:

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Why didn't you even try to stick to the budget?
Why do you even care? Can't the guy have an alternative?

Freezer7Pro wrote:

And rammunition, we need to know your old specs, so that we know what we're dealing with.

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

Why didn't you even try to read the thread?

I'm sorry if I'm sounding grumpy, but headaches do not happily harbor confrontation.
1: Yes, he could, but building something for over budget in UK on an american site is WAY over budget. I do this on a daily basis, I get annoyed at that kinda stuff.

2: He posted the specs, because I asked for them

And Rammunition, the HD3870 is really the cheapest decent graphics card currently on the market. It's twice as fast as a GDDR3 8600, for 1/4 more cash.

The WLAN started working again, I'll change some stuff ASAP.
top stuff, GPRS is a pain, and expensive!
no need to rush, its the school holidays , i don't have college til September and want a new rig before that so there is enough time.

Ok, i'll take your word, i'll stick to this card

and if it helps, my current 2 optical drives that im keeping are IDE, i currently have them both connected via one IDE cable and my current HD is connected via sata, so a mobo with one IDE and at least 2 sata connectors is ideal, can't really tell if it has an IDE connector.


Here are my optical drives, i have 2 of these, work a treat

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dvd1040i-Multif … B000PI3WTS
Is ATA another word for IDE???

also my current hard drive

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-SpinPoi … amp;sr=1-1

Last edited by rammunition (2008-07-07 01:30:11)

unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,054|7041|PNW

Freezer7Pro wrote:

1: Yes, he could, but building something for over budget in UK on an american site is WAY over budget. I do this on a daily basis, I get annoyed at that kinda stuff.

2: He posted the specs, because I asked for them

And Rammunition, the HD3870 is really the cheapest decent graphics card currently on the market. It's twice as fast as a GDDR3 8600, for 1/4 more cash.

The WLAN started working again, I'll change some stuff ASAP.
1. Thus, for what must be the dozenth time, the disclaimer. I'd expect hell to freeze over before he went to the cost of ordering them from a US site. They were just links to the parts in greater detail.
2. Before:

rammunition wrote:

<specs>
After:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

And rammunition, we need to know your old specs, so that we know what we're dealing with. Imagine if you already had an E6600 and 8800GT, and someone suggested an E7200 and 8600GT. That would be a very small upgrade, and a pure downgrade.
I'm confused. Did you ask for them again?

3. 3870 isn't bad. Gets a little hot, but not bad.

4. You don't have to be so territorial about a thread. I gave him a list of parts under the assumption that he could price check them for his area.

Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2008-07-06 17:27:59)

rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

1: Yes, he could, but building something for over budget in UK on an american site is WAY over budget. I do this on a daily basis, I get annoyed at that kinda stuff.

2: He posted the specs, because I asked for them

And Rammunition, the HD3870 is really the cheapest decent graphics card currently on the market. It's twice as fast as a GDDR3 8600, for 1/4 more cash.

The WLAN started working again, I'll change some stuff ASAP.
1. Thus, for what must be the dozenth time, the disclaimer. I'd expect hell to freeze over before he went to the cost of ordering them from a US site. They were just links to the parts in greater detail.
2. Before:

rammunition wrote:

<specs>
After:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

And rammunition, we need to know your old specs, so that we know what we're dealing with. Imagine if you already had an E6600 and 8800GT, and someone suggested an E7200 and 8600GT. That would be a very small upgrade, and a pure downgrade.
I'm confused. Did you ask for them again?

3. 3870 isn't bad. Gets a little hot, but not bad.

4. You don't have to be so territorial about a thread. I gave him a list of parts under the assumption that he could price check them for his area.
1. Not sure what you are talking about now

2. yes they were asked for

3. ????

4. don't worry, the parts you suggested are expensive in the U.K, i will get the rig freezer7pro suggested, with maybe one or 2 changes


im more tempted with this case btw

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/134797

takes 2 fans at the back and has a big one at the front, similar specs to the one freezer7pro suggested, just a few quid more!


been on ebuyer looking for a cheaper graphics card and come across this

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140617

has some good reviews to it but not 100& sure if it is compatible with my monitor

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hewlett-Packard … B000FTWUJU

also just had a look at the mobo suggested, does it support DDR3 Ram????
something that supports DDR3 would be nice for future proofing-ish, as im getting Vista home premium 64-bit OEM


Last question, is this build/mobo compatible with Vista home premium 64-bit???

Last edited by rammunition (2008-07-07 05:17:23)

rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131
Ok, This is what i have just built


CPU: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/145258     £82.95inc vat
GRAPHICS CARD: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143589   £86.60inc vat
MOTHERBOARD: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/144458   £54.72inc vat
RAM: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/98710   £31.99inc vat
PSU: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135197/sh … t_overview   £39.99inc vat
HARD-DRIVE: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/130826   £47.79inc vat
CASE: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/134797   £13.99inc vat   


Total: £358.03 with free P&P


this is what i have just made, have kept 2 or 3 components freezer7pro has suggested and came up with this.

MY Monitor

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hewlett-Packard … amp;sr=1-1

My Optical drives

2X: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dvd1040i-Multif … amp;sr=8-1

can someone tell me what they think of this and is it all compatible, especially with my monitor which is important, and will Vista Home Premium 64-Bit OEM work on this????


i can get the price down under £350 but i like what is suggested

Last edited by rammunition (2008-07-07 09:18:43)

AussieReaper
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
+5,761|6422|what

512mb gfx card and 2 gig of ram would run Vista, but I would suggest more ram than that. Vista can be a real hog of resources.
https://i.imgur.com/maVpUMN.png
rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131

TheAussieReaper wrote:

512mb gfx card and 2 gig of ram would run Vista, but I would suggest more ram than that. Vista can be a real hog of resources.
when i get more cash i will do an upgrade, also the motherboard i suggested supports both DDR2 and DDR3 ram but there seems to be a problem with Nvidea Graphics cards with it, the reviews suggest. But i want a mobo thats supports both DDR2/DDR3
.Sup
be nice
+2,646|6723|The Twilight Zone

rammunition wrote:

TheAussieReaper wrote:

512mb gfx card and 2 gig of ram would run Vista, but I would suggest more ram than that. Vista can be a real hog of resources.
when i get more cash i will do an upgrade, also the motherboard i suggested supports both DDR2 and DDR3 ram but there seems to be a problem with Nvidea Graphics cards with it, the reviews suggest. But i want a mobo thats supports both DDR2/DDR3
DDR3 is a farce. When DDR3 will have the price of DDR2, DDR4 will be out. I would skip DDR3.
https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png
rammunition
Fully Loaded
+143|6131

.Sup wrote:

rammunition wrote:

TheAussieReaper wrote:

512mb gfx card and 2 gig of ram would run Vista, but I would suggest more ram than that. Vista can be a real hog of resources.
when i get more cash i will do an upgrade, also the motherboard i suggested supports both DDR2 and DDR3 ram but there seems to be a problem with Nvidea Graphics cards with it, the reviews suggest. But i want a mobo thats supports both DDR2/DDR3
DDR3 is a farce. When DDR3 will have the price of DDR2, DDR4 will be out. I would skip DDR3.
when DDR4 is out DDR3 would be far cheaper, just in case DDR3 support would be helpful

just seen a different mobo for a lightly higher price.

What do you lot think


http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132275

with this mobo the total price is £372.98

Last edited by rammunition (2008-07-07 09:05:31)

.Sup
be nice
+2,646|6723|The Twilight Zone

rammunition wrote:

.Sup wrote:

rammunition wrote:


when i get more cash i will do an upgrade, also the motherboard i suggested supports both DDR2 and DDR3 ram but there seems to be a problem with Nvidea Graphics cards with it, the reviews suggest. But i want a mobo thats supports both DDR2/DDR3
DDR3 is a farce. When DDR3 will have the price of DDR2, DDR4 will be out. I would skip DDR3.
when DDR4 is out DDR3 would be far cheaper, just in case DDR3 support would be helpful

just seen a different mobo for a lightly higher price.

What do you lot think


http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132275

with this mobo the total price is £372.98
I wouldn't be so sure. DDR is more expensive than DDR2.
https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png

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