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**SpencerH** · December 12, 2005, 15:45

Get more RAM (for sure), 512 is really an absolute min these days.

**Ninot** · December 12, 2005, 15:47

Don't forget to get a monitor. You can run a PC without one, but they are convienient

**Snotty** · December 12, 2005, 15:54

That seems very similar specs to my machine, although I dont know how to work out AMD speed.

I have a serious bottleneck in my system somewhere when it comes to huge civ 4 maps, Im almost certain it is the RAM, which is 256mb DDR (double density? Im told thats the similar to 512)

I think you need your 400w power supply, I will ask my friend when I next see him in the unlikely event no one here has answered first

**Sava** · December 12, 2005, 16:05

Re: Help me build my Xmas pc(and drag me past 1Ghz for the first time!)

Originally posted by child of Thor

SoundCard - not sure yet, but it will be one with as many input/outputs as possible as i'll be looking to make music/attach a keyboard etc.

Sound Blaster Audigy 2 if you are looking for something basic

if you are looking for something really nice, look at the SB Audigy 2 Platinum ZS

that's what I have

DTS ES and Dolby Digital EX 6.1 decoding; 7.1-channel output; 24-bit/96KHz output; supports DVD-Audio...

you can find that for around $175-$200 US

it even comes with a remote

**child of Thor** · December 12, 2005, 16:24

Originally posted by SpencerH
Get more RAM (for sure), 512 is really an absolute min these days.

well i'm looking at bare minimums where possible - it just takes up one slot so i can upgrade later if need be(i have three slots on the motherboard for ram).
To put it in context i have 2 pc's curently, one with 128Mb and the other with 48mb! both work fine for what i use them for.512 sounds like a lot to me

But if i have a spare £30 i'll see if i can get a full 1Gig!!(it just sounds too much!)

Originally posted by Ninot
Don't forget to get a monitor. You can run a PC without one, but they are convienient.

ah i forgot to mention that!! I have two monitors already - i'm going to use the better one for two of my pc's.

Originally posted by snotty
That seems very similar specs to my machine, although I dont know how to work out AMD speed.

I have a serious bottleneck in my system somewhere when it comes to huge civ 4 maps, Im almost certain it is the RAM, which is 256mb DDR (double density? Im told thats the similar to 512)

I think you need your 400w power supply, I will ask my friend when I next see him in the unlikely event no one here has answered first

that particular AMD chip(64 3700) runs as at 2.2GHz(overkill for me i suspect - but should future proof my gaming for the next twenty years

).

And with the RAM i think you have ensure the rams speed is mathced with the bus speeds on the motherboard. In this case i think i'm safe with the PC-3200 type of ram?

And the powersupply is only an issue cause i wont be running the best graphics cards etc on the system. If i can get away with a 300W PSU then i'd prefer it for the sake of electricity bills and the enviroment - plus if i do get around to making my own electricity one day, then haveing to peddle slower to keep my pc running will be a bonus

**Sava** · December 12, 2005, 16:28

You are better off with a Gig.

RAM is not going to break your bank.

Go for the Gig

**Verto** · December 12, 2005, 16:34

RAM is gonna be the best, and cheapest way, to give you dramatic performance increase.

**child of Thor** · December 12, 2005, 16:50

Re: Re: Help me build my Xmas pc(and drag me past 1Ghz for the first time!)

Originally posted by Sava

Sound Blaster Audigy 2 if you are looking for something basic

if you are looking for something really nice, look at the SB Audigy 2 Platinum ZS

that's what I have

yeah i was just now looking at one of those on dabs.com - £121 it says, so in the right ball park if it does midi access+ is suitable for music creation. Looks like a good choice

And ref the 1G ram...........i still play most of my games on my 48MB pc(P166), so the ram isnt for gaming - i doubt i'll ever play any FPS's on this rig.

I will make music and use photoshop etc(so extra ram could help here i guess) - play Rome total war, definately Civ4, possibly MOO3 even

. So nothing that resource hungry. Still if i can put the £30 into the soundcard for the initial construction then i'll be happy with 512Mb for the time being.
If my new system seems slow after power on then i can get another 512........or i've always got my trusty P166 to fall back on

but i hear you, 1G much better than 512

**Krill** · December 12, 2005, 17:17

If you want to play CIV, get more than 512 Meg. I would suggest 2 gig, in 2 lots of 1 gig sticks.

**Zopperoni** · December 12, 2005, 17:27

Re: Help me build my Xmas pc(and drag me past 1Ghz for the first time!)

Originally posted by child of Thor
Motherboard - Asustek A8N-E S939 nforce4 ultra ATX[24 pin Atx power connector](£70)

I'd go for the A8N-SLI Premium, it's only about 40 quid more, and much better value.

Case+PSU midi tower with 400W PSU(is 400 too much for this kind of rig? would 250 or 300W be enough?) - also of the 24 pine ATX power supply connector type.(£26)

You shouldn't underestimate the importance of a good case and a good PSU. I'd look at some of Antec's and Enermax' products.
To calculate how much power you need, look here: http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/

Memmory 512 MB PC3200 Corsair memmory(400mhz Dimm184 pin type) (£30)

1,024 MB definitely recommended.

Graphics card Gigabyte Geforce PCX6600 256MB PCI-Express DVI-I (£80)

I don't know what kind of games you play, but I reckon the 6800GT is better value than the 6600.

So far its about the £400 mark if i include a floppy and mouse+keyboard etc - which is around what i'm looking to spend, maybe another +£100 for the soundcard?

Save the money for now and use the onboard sound. See if you're happy with that, and if you are, then you save money.

**Snotty** · December 13, 2005, 01:16

Someof there people here advocate silent case fans, and Im coming round to their way of thinking. My fans are getting progressibly louder, and I can here my comp in my bedroom now

But you need a fan, and make sure it is blowing out of your case, not in

**EPW** · December 13, 2005, 01:29

Re: Re: Help me build my Xmas pc(and drag me past 1Ghz for the first time!)

Originally posted by Zopperoni
I'd go for the A8N-SLI Premium, it's only about 40 quid more, and much better value.

I have the A8N-E and it works great, theres plently room left over for future upgrades too. The main difference with the SLI version...is well its SLI. And considering child of Thor's budget I highly doubt he is going to want 2 graphics cards.

**Stuie** · December 13, 2005, 14:25

Re: Help me build my Xmas pc(and drag me past 1Ghz for the first time!)

Originally posted by child of Thor
Case+PSU midi tower with 400W PSU(is 400 too much for this kind of rig? would 250 or 300W be enough?)

Definitely stick with at least 400w. Don't be cheap about the power supply.

Memory 512 MB PC3200 Corsair memmory(400mhz Dimm184 pin type) (£30)

(snip)

The operating system is taken care of...

What OS are you going to use? If it's Win XP, then bump the memory up to 1gig now rather than later. It's a memory hog.

**child of Thor** · December 13, 2005, 14:30

@ Zopperoni

cheers! usefull info and link for power testing. I'll stick with a 400W PSU+case, a decent one with silent/quiet running as snotty mentioned. And i'll be needing around 350-60w according to that site you linked to, so a few spare is always a good idea.

For the graphics card i have a max budget of £100(+/- £10), which means i could get the older 6600GT 128MB card, but not the newer 6800GT sadly. the 6600GT is definately much quicker than the PXC6600, but £20 more expensive - and has 128MB less memmory. Tricky decision that but it could be either, so i'll probably see how much the other componants are stacking up to in cost, then see if i need the budget option on the graphics card.

Fast cutting edge 3D games are not on my buying list usualy( i have my consoles for that stuff if need be).

Sound is more of a priority than graphics on this pc - and on my current P3 566mhz system that uses on-board sound, i run into problems with my music software when it comes to certain tasks of music creation. So i'll have to get a real sound card sadly(bang goes another £100 atleast

).

And another 2 votes for 1Gig or ram

(cheers stuie XP it is!) I think you guys are ram crazy

but i guess Win XP(and Civ4

) must be a large drain on system resources? And i'm being swayed to the 1Gig camp. Although it disturbs me - i started with a 1k computer and it could do stuff, 1Gig is difficult for me to think about

@ EPW - i think i'll stick with the A8N-E, as you mentioned i dont need SLI and i've heard good reviews on this board and it seems very good value for £70 i suspect.

hmmm so it looks like not only will i go past 1GHz in proccesor speed for the first time but i'll be at 1GHz in memmory also

I have a 200Gig HD already, but i might get a smaller one for the boot drive and operating system and use the 200gig as a removable slave drive.......still its more money so again i'm not sure yet.

I'm getting a better idea of what it will all cost(more than i hoped as these things often do

) so cheers for all your input so far.

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