First time I have chosen parts myself and I followed Sharky Extremes guide for the $2500 one.

DVLGDVDGSA-H10B LG 16X Black Dual Layer DVD+/-RW, DVD-Ram Burner 1 $51.00
VDXF7900GT-EX XFX GeForce 7900GT OC 256MB DDR3 PCI-E (520MHz) Extreme 1 $458.00
SNCRAUDIGY4 CREATIVE Sound Blaster Audigy 4 PCI Sound Card w/IR Remote 1 $108.00
SWCOUNTER COUNTER STRIKE CONDITION ZERO (PC GAME) --OEM 1 $19.00
KBLOCLMX3000 LOGITECH Cordless Desktop MX-3000 K/B & Laser Cordless Mouse 1 $109.00
CPP940 INTEL Pentium D940 3.2Ghz (775) Dual Core 4MB Cache 1 $337.00
RMKMS1GPC4300 KIMGMAX SO-DIMM 1GB 1024MB PC4300 DDR2 533 MEMORY (RAM) 2 $195.00
HDSE300G16M SEAGATE 300GB 16MB 7200rpm Hard Disk Drive 1 $145.00
CSCMRC-731-SSN Cooler Master PRAETORIAN 731 SILVER No Power Supply 1 $195.00
MBASA8NSLIPREM ASUS A8N-SLI Premium939 Motherboard NF4/PCIE/8SATA/10USB/DDR 1 $299.00
PSAN550W2 ANTEC TruePower 2.0 550W ATX Power Supply (True550) 24 pin 1 $199.00
Total: $2310.00

Did I forget anything? Is everything compatable? Good price? (No postage, pickup)

If I can do better else where let me know. Also, how will it run? I could have upgraded the vid card for like another $300 and same with the CPU but I didn't want to spend another $1000.

Cheers.

i'd substitute the intel processor with an AMD 3500+ (dual core version if u MUST) as a minimum. intel are expensive and run hot (for the time being, the Conroe cores will change all that very soon).

also question if u need a dual core CPU. the majority of games nowadays dont utilise the dual core yet. so unless u are multitasking (like burnin DVD's and playin games) they are a bit of a waste of time. altho, they can help 'futureproof' ur comp for future applications. except for games, if this is a gaming comp then u will have to upgrade ur graphics card anyway as it reaches the end of its life cycle so u'll probably need a new CPU anyway.

do u really need the premium motherboard? the only difference between a cheap board and an expensive board is the amount of connections and the like on them. that model premium board "may" already have a high definition audio processor built into it. look into that as u may findu dont really NEED to have a soundcard? i get by with my onboard sound on the Abit KN8 Sli board. runs the Z5500 nicely.

unless u r going to use all the features on a premium board then i would go for a cheaper board.

you will also find that u want 2 GB of ram to make that card sing for all the newer games.

best to get it now and have some matched RAM to run in dual channel rather than doin it later.

cordless and laser are pretty much a contradiction in terms. if u want a good fast and accurate mouse i would use something like that razerback copperhead. u can change the sensitivity of the mouse on-the-fly. really useful if ur keen on first person shooters. copperhead will go for around $100-$120

also, does that case come with case fans? i would put in 2 case fans (use 120mm as they rev slower and then produce less noise). put one has intake in the front of the case and the other as an exhaust in the rear of the case.

and i would look @ putting on a VGA cooler for that card if u want a quiet PC. the stock one is reasonably quiet but dont be surpriesd if that card runs into 80 or 90 degrees celcius on a warm day.

i put on the Thermalright V1 Ultra (bout $65) for a cooler on the graphics card. makes it heaps quieter and dropped my temps under load by about 25 degrees. however if u r putting this together urself be warned that the V1 Ultra IS difficult to put on properly. if ur not confident then get someone else to do it.

hope that helps.

It has two sticks of 1gb ram Thought about that.

I multitask alot, encoding DVD's, burning DVD's and browsing the net at the same time. The first two use a crap load of my systems resources on the family PC.

The other CPU I was looking at was this:
AMD Athlon64 x2 (Dual Core) 4400+ 2.2Ghz 1152k Cache (939)

Comes in at about $300 more, is it work the extra expense? I'll toss out the soundcard as I just realised I only ever listen to MP3's with the computer anyway.

Ohh yeah, for the fan thingy on the CPU (Heat sink or whatever it is) I didn't know how to match them up so I didn't select one yet.

I was going to get a better mouse speratly and use it for graphics/games when I play and use that combo for everything else and keep the keyboard for games. Is that a bad idea?

Would this motherboard be a better idea?
http://www.qcgo.com.au/gabba/productdetail...MBASA8NSLIDELUX

Fans and stuff I get cheap through a different forum (fish forum ) so I was gonna get em seperatly.

If I get a different motherboard and CPU will I need a different type of ram or will that ram still be good.

First person shooters, or should I say just CS1.5/6 and Source and strategy games are all I really play.

I'll look into VGA coolers now, don't even know what they are

To be blunt & honest, anyone purchasing an AMD socket 939 or Intel 775 processor NOW, would have to have rocks in his head. I realise intel are well known for inflating truths when it comes to new releases, but all accounts are the new Conroe processors are by far the fastest, coolest & most efficient. Give it a month or two and Mobos by the truckload will be available as well.
my 2c

Bar the fact I need a computer NOW.

If I could wait 2 months I might, but I can't.

Also, how much more would these new processors cost... I can't spend much on this Desktop.

dude it sux your in qld..these blokes in my area....look what they can do...

http://www.matesmobilecomputers.com/complete_gamers.html

http://www.matesmobilecomputers.com/tower_gold.html

put it this way, that AMD 4400+ X2 ur lookin @ will be 50% of the cost it is now when the conroe cores come out.

sry, didnt see the 2GB of RAM. lol.

but if u need a computer now, buy one now. there will always be and forever will be better hardware and better deals *just* around the corner.

if ur hell bent on getting a dual core by all means do it. but by multitasking u nearly need it to be a server before havin dual cores becomes worth havin. sayin that tho, programs are comin out with dual core support so there is no reason why you shouldnt get a dual core bar the fact that its more expensive and will probably be slower for most apps.

CPU, in ur case is pretty much goverened by the choice of graphics card. i mean, yes a faster CPU will let you do things like render graphics faster BUT unless u r doin something CPU intensive its not worth it. basically u match the CPU so it doesnt significantly bottleneck ur graphics card. the 3500+ will do the job fine.

hell u could even overclock the CPU if ur that way inclined, especially if u r gettin aftermarket coolers.

that motherboard will probably do everything u want. but it appears to have one of those crappy northbridge fans that i hate. they are always small and noisy.

look for something that is passively cooled. i know my Abit KN8 SLi board is passively cooled and its great. for about $120 you cant go wrong. the only real drawback in performance is the fact that if u r runnin in SLi on this board then the PCIe connectors will be run in 8X. if u r going for top end performance and are going to run SLi then u might go looking for something with 16X. but ur not so it doesnt really matter.

if u r going to use AMD processors then u will need different RAM since AMD dont support DDR2 RAM except for the AM2 processors. for AMD processors the DDR2 RAM isn't going to make a real difference. way back when AMD first released this generation of processors they said they werent going to use DDR2 @ all because the architecture didnt suit there processors. they were going to jump straight into DDR3 but now they are relaesing the AM2 processors that support DDR2. i think it was a backwards step and AMD should've gone straight to DDR3. but anyway.


VGA coolers = coolers for ur graphics card. just keeps things much more quiet. in ur case u'll probably appreciate a quiet machine.

if u r doin alot of DVD burning/encoding u probably should be running at least RAID 0 if not RAID 0 + 1. its much much quicker, since in these sort of applications its not ur CPU that holds u back its ur HDD.

if i were u i would use 2X120GB HDD's in RAID 0. that way u have enough room to encode and burn DVD's and at the same time have all ur applications installed on these two drives. then i would use the 300GB as a seperate drive to store all ur data.

will make a heap of difference to ur dvd encoding/burning (i should know, i do the exact same thing a fair bit myself!!)


that gamers PC in that link isnt gonna hold a candle against the 7900GT he has selected.

Kk, I think I might change to a non dual thingy CPU since I don't usually play games and encode DVDs at the same time :S

Will redo my choices, upgrade based on recommendations and edit this with the updated system

Ohh, and I can always sell it to one of my dumb mates and upgrade anyway.
-------------------------------------------------------
Aight, I left out the hard drives because I don't know what RAID is so I am researching that tomorrow, left out the mouse and keyboard and CS and burner and just left the core PC stuff:

CPAT64A3700S939 AMD Athlon64 3700+ (939) CPU Retail Box w/Fan 1 $309.00
CSCMRC-731-SSN Cooler Master PRAETORIAN 731 SILVER No Power Supply 1 $195.00
PSAN550W2 ANTEC TruePower 2.0 550W ATX Power Supply (True550) 24 pin 1 $199.00
MBASA8NSLID ASUS A8N-SLI-SE Socket 939 Motherboard 1 $139.00
RMKM2G3200KIT KINGMAX Dual Channel 2Gb(2x1G) PC3200 DDR400 Memory (RAM) 1 $265.00
VDXF7900GTX XFX GeForce 7900GTX 512MB DDR3 PCI-E (665MHz) Video Card 1 $789.00
Total: $1896.00

Since you said the 3500 would suit the video card I had selected I choose the 3700 and upgraded the video card. Was that a waste of money? Like I said I have 2.5kish and I do have spare Harddrives lying around I can use till I get the money for them.

I want the best I can get for 2.5k - am I getting close yet?

instead of the 7900GTX i would go with the X1900XT or X1900XTX. by far the quicker card of the two. do you need to have such a fast card?? for wat u r doin. no. is it gonna last longer than the 7900GT? probably not.

wat resolution do u run ur screen at?

if u really really wanted something quick for video editing and applications. i would go with a pair of 74GB Western Digital Raptors. run @ 10k. then i would definitly go RAID 0 + 1. for a pair of them that would cost u about the $500 mark.

so with wat u have (including the X1900XT) it will probably nudge you over ur 2.5k limit. keyboard, i would buy a $30 USB one since a keyboard is a keyboard (unless u use macros). but the mouse u could probably spend $120 on. then all u would need is a 300GB SATA 2 HDD. probably come to around $2600-$2700.

if u wanted to only spend 2.5k i would go back to usin a 7900GT. will be more than sufficient for CS:S

that motherboard ur choosing again has a fan on the northbridge (i think from the pictures i can see anyway). sure u dont want something that is passively cooled?

The website I am on doesn't have the 10k harddrives, do you know of any better websites? (I am on that QLD computer group one)

If the upgraded video card wont offer performance increases in what I am doing I won't bother with it.

I'll do a more detailed reply after I go to the gym.

Cheers.

www.staticice.com

searches all the computer stores that are online for cheap gear.

maybe UMART if ur in brisbane?

UMART, or MSY if you can be bothered dealing with queues.

SCorpian says to go with a corded mouse if you enjoy games.

Theres no way in hell i could go back to a corded mouse after using a cordless optical and now a cordless laser. And i enjoy games. I was addicted to CS for 3 years. And now im addicted to CS and WAR3. Unless your a hardcore gamer, the type that spends every single spare moment playing and honing his skills, get a cordless laser mouse, like a MX1000 or G5. They are more convient for everything else.

EDIT:

Im sounding rude here. But if you have to ask how to match a CPU cooler or dont know what a VGA cooler is you don't need one. Stay with the stock coolers. Your getting a cooler master praetorian, so you wont need any more case fans either. Also, by the sound of it, a run of the mill 300gb Seagate 7.2k RPM drive will be fine. Sure you can go with RAID 0, but why, DVD encoding and burning isn't that much faster with RAID 0(i know from experience running it, btw). Also if one drive dies in RAID0 you lose everything, i've been burnt and it wasn't fun.

actually im recommending RAID 1+0 for speed, security and ease of use.

do a little test. flick ur cordless mouse back and forth really fast whilst keeping ur eye on the cursor. notice how it lags a little? well wen u r playin CS:S if u have to move the crosshairs onto someones head you will find that if u have to move a largish distance then you will tend to shoot over the targets shoulders and not there head.

the raptors will make a very large difference. look up some benchmarks, in single user you will find the raptor is in amongst the top 20% of the fastest SCSI drives. reason beaing is that the manufacturer designed these HDD's to be in use for servers. but since they are in SATA then we use them pretty regularly since they are just so damned quick. i would only recommend running them in RAID 0 tho. if u run any 7.2k HDD in RAID 0 u will find they will keep up with a single raptor.

dont forget, he wants to spend his 2.5k. im recommending him wat i think would suit his needs best for video editing and encoding. since he only plays CS:S then the 7900GT would be overkill.

i would stick with the 7900GT and spend a bit more dosh on a single core CPU. unless ur video encoding software uses dual core. and go with the RAID 0+1. will give u a real quick machine.

The latest gen of cordless mice. They don't lag enough to cause a problem in CS:S. I play CS:S, not competitivly as i used to, but still allot.

Also, single raptors get trounced to the crap by two 7.2k SATAII drives in RAID0, have a look:
http://www.tomshardware.com/2004/01/23/sma...ives/page9.html

I've been looking at getting a raptor for a while, the price performance capacity ratio just really isn't worth it when its so cheap to do RAID0.


Now onto something we all missed:

His choice of motherboard: A8N series
His choice of CPU: 775 Intel

The A8N is a motherboard for A64 processors.

A comparative board for a 775 would be the:
ASUS P5ND2-SLI Deluxe

Which also supports RAID5

Why run 0+1, when 5 is redundant and fast, and only requires three drives of equal capacity.

Ok, you two just confused me

Like I said, I've never chosen my own parts before. I don't know my way around hardware.

Since I am super confused can we suggest to me a system (just the 6 main parts) that'll do what I need? Do I even need a case worth $200 and a powersupply worth $200 Remember, don't give me upgrades (Like I did) for the sake of it if I won't notice it Ohhh, I also play WoW I forgot about that.

bahahahahahaha.

i completely missed that. i even looked @ the link to that board. good thing u were on the ball.

ok, ill build u a system for 2.5k that will suit ur needs.

bondy can build one to or improve on my suggestion.

leadtek 256mb 7900GT ($455)

AM2 x2 4200+ ($519)

Asus M2N32 - SLi Deluxe ($310)

2GB (2X1GB) DDR2 OCZ RAM ($240)

CSCMRC-731-SSN Cooler Master PRAETORIAN 731 SILVER No Power Supply 1 $195.00

PSAN550W2 ANTEC TruePower 2.0 550W ATX Power Supply (True550) 24 pin 1 $199.00

16x PIONEER 111D ($53)

SEAGATE SATA 300GB ($147)

SEGATE SATA 120GB (X2) ($180)

+ WINDOWS OS (IF U DONT HAVE IT)

+ FLOPPY DRIVE

+mouse and keyboard

thats wat an AM2 system will get u. i got everything from www.msy.com.au

when i went AM2 i had to use a dual core CPU to get a fast CPU. lol. it is fairly difficult to get single core gear that is faster than a 3800+ unless u go to an opteron CPU.

3 HDD to run RAID 0+1

then its just personal choice as to what mouse + keyboard ur comfortable with.

if u need Windows then that system will bump u over 2.5k in which case u can use a different case. i would recommend using the quality PSU since PSU's are a pain in the ass when they fail. can be real hard to troubleshoot. and it should last longer.

if u want, u could go skt 939 as u will have better flexibilty and it will be a little bit cheaper aswell. i was pretty restricted with which board i could use (there was only 1 skt 940 MB available @ msy)

are u building this urself? if not u will probably have to go with a skt 939 system.

That seems fine to me.

Id only change the motherboard to one that will take that processor. Thats an AM2 board with a 939 processor.

Either of these two are good choices:
http://www.nintek.com.au/x/scripts/prodVie...?idproduct=5329
http://www.nintek.com.au/x/scripts/prodVie...?idproduct=1400


Also that case cpu combo is nice, but a little excessive for that system.

Something like an Antec Sonata, already has a 450w PSU and are dead quiet, for only $200
http://www.pccasegear.com/prod2565.htm

that IS an AM2 processor hence the skt 940 board

that is a good case. power supply is a fair quality one. doubt he will be goin SLi so he doesnt need the 550W.

that should come to around 2k. should be able to get it built with windows on it for 2.5k

how does all that sound midol?

Sounds good (y)

My Family has genuine copies of both Prof and Home XP so windows won't be needed + I can build it myself (Did a course on it) but if I have trouble the two local stores can help me out for free (friends).

Thank you

Ohhh, I am having a problem with encoding right now (non related to the computer) the files on the PC are all in sync (audio/video) but when I encode 3 episodes it looses its sync. Any idea why? Would just doing 2 episodes per encode help at all? I turned everything off last night to try and get it to stop doing it but it didn't help.

Its hard to know without knowing what your encoding from and to, and with what software.

But i guess it's AVI to DVD. It could be an issue with NTSC -> PAL mismatchs, the slight difference in FPS might cause it to lose sync. But im not entirely sure what causes that phenoma seeing it happens to me once in a while, then i redo the dvd and its fine.

I've redone it 3 times now

Yep, .AVI -> DVD Via NERO. Nero was the only program I found which would do AC3 Audio encoding.

I'll mess around in the settings tonight and give it another run.

My advice would be to leave all the options set to automatic. Nero generally does a good job of noticing formats itself.

Just adding this now reading the latest feedback thread, All these videos I encode are stuff my mates and I do recorded on a V3x into whatever it does -> .AVI -> DVD.

Everything I encode I own.

Just clearing that up so I don't get in trouble and so those helping know.

Bondy: I set everything to default and still got it. I heard setting chapters help, have you ever found this helps?

No i havent found chapters help. But its worth a try.

If you encoded from v3x format(3gp i assume), to avi, if you used a VBR MP3 stream for audio, it could have caused the mismatch in audio to occur.

Its unlikely, but there are some issure with certain mp3 codecs and vbr in avis.

I usually don't use VBR because I didn't know what it was till now I just had to go look it up.

I'll fiddle around on Sunday and research a bit to figure out why it does it.