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

[child of Thor]

"There she blows!"

This is about it now in terms of componants etc. I have a monitor already and mice+keyboards+FloppyDisk. below is the list with links to the hardware on dabs.

Motherboard: Asutek A8N-E(£66.64)

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3RWG&CategorySelectedId=11143&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11143,4294959021

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3700(£159.38)

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3P77&CategorySelectedId=11147&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11147,4294958623,40308&v=2

Case+PSU: Antec Sonata II 450W(£79.98)

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3SPW&CategorySelectedId=11145&PageMode=1&v=3

OR Dabs value 480W(£36.03)

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3LHJ&CategorySelectedId=11145&PageMode=1&v=3

Memmory: Corsair 2x512MB (£59.98)

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=2Z7N&CategorySelectedId=11150&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11150,4294957152,4294959900,50113&v=1

OR Corsair 512MB (£27.96)

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=2X23&CategorySelectedId=11150&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11150,4294960367,4294959900,50113

SoundCard: Terratec Aureon 7.1 Universe(£119.99)

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=399C&CategorySelectedId=11140&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11140,4294959800,50682

OR Creative Audigy 4 OEM(£37.56)

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3VVJ&CategorySelectedId=11140&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11140,50450

Graphics card: Gigabyte Geforce PCX6600 256MB(£83.88) – don’t need a card for top flight gaming.

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3K52&CategorySelectedId=11137&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11137,40821,4294957147,50509&v=1

CD/DVD writer: HP DVD 840i (£47.68)

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3VC8&CategorySelectedId=11155&PageMode=1

Hard drive: Seagate Barracuda 40gig (£32.53) – mainly just for boot/OS drive, I have a 200Gig for a secondary drive already.

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=2FZN&CategorySelectedId=11154&PageMode=1

with these choices i end up on the cheapest options with a PC for £491.66.

With all the expensive choices a max of £650.36.

The main thing is have i missed anything that anyone else can spot? I think thats all i need? does it seem reasonable?

[Zopperoni]

I'd still leave the soundcard out first, and see if you're happy with the onboard soundcard. If you're not, then you could always add the extra soundcard later.

On the DVD-recorder, are you planning on using the Lightscribe technology? If you're not, then you're better of with the NEC writer:

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3TQG&CategorySelectedId=11155&NavigationKey=11155,50430

[EPW]

Wow, thats almost the exact same computer that I built. Good choices

[child of Thor]

@Zopperoni,

well sound is the main feature of this pc(as in making music etc), but yeah i could always save some bucks initialy........hmmm good idea - as the soundcards i've been looking at get cheaper all the time! so i can pick one up later It will leave between £40-120 for more expensive options in the other sections.

Would you go for the Antec case over the 1Gig memmory?

the only thing about the DVD i dont like is its HP(my P3566 onboard nasty pc is also HP, and has been difficult to upgrade), but i understand this is a boxed(non OEM) model and yes i will be using the Lightscribe technology i suspect. Still if you think other makes are better than the HP then fire away

At EPW - im having beginers luck i suspect

+cheers for the input so far guys, i'm feeling better about this first home-built pc all the time

I should just add my budget is £600(my GF has it in writting!) , so i cant get all the top priced stuff - just some of it.

[Whaleboy]

Soundblaster XFI Music It sounds INCREDIBLE!!! Way better than the Audigy 2 I used to use.

My current box is pretty similar:
Coolermaster Centurion 531 Case

Hiper 480W PSU

Gigabyte K8N SLI Motherboard but your mobo is better.

Athlon 64 3200+ (overclocked to 2.2Ghz but I'll get a dual-core chip when they're cheaper)

1 Gb of Corsair TwinX RAM, running in dual channel mode. I very thoroughly recommend both using 1Gb of RAM, and running it in dual channel mode.

XFX Geforce 6600GT Extreme Edition (stupendously overclocked on the core and memory at the factory, try to get hold of it if you can, I picked it up for £105).

Maxtor Diamondmax10 SATA-II hard disk, 250Gb. Runs like a dream, quiet and bloody fast . I suggest you get a SATA-II disk, not for the memory throughput as there is no data density that can stretch it yet, but for NCQ support which is pretty good.

Then your usual DVD-RW and soundcard, I bought the barebones components on my last paycheck, and some of the upgrades on the latest one. Total cost came to £580. I wanted it for less than £600 due to xmas, and it runs like a rocket!

[child of Thor]

Originally posted by Whaleboy

XFX Geforce 6600GT Extreme Edition (stupendously overclocked on the core and memory at the factory, try to get hold of it if you can, I picked it up for £105).

hmm the best i can see is the Gigabyte Geforce 6600GT(128mb) - its £107, but not sure if its the same specs as your one? It has no XFX monikor?

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3K53&CategorySelectedId=11137&v=1

Its no doubt faster than the one i listed - and without a soundcard i could just about budget for this, but it might mean i get the Dabs value case - and not the Antec one. Still either case would have enough power for a GT version of the 6600.......tempting

[Zopperoni]

XFX is the brand name

Originally posted by child of Thor
Would you go for the Antec case over the 1Gig memmory?

I'd actually have both. The Antec case has some nifty features, but the important thing is to have a reliable power supply

[EPW]

Don't get a cheap power supply
"Dabs value 480W"

[child of Thor]

ah yes ok - with that 6600GT card and the Antec case(ok EPW - no dabs value) and 1gig ram, im on around £550. It only leaves me £50 for a sound card, but as you say - i can get one later, sort of sneak it past my gf when she isnt looking, maybe adding an extra £50 in the proccess

my god! easily past 1Ghz procesor speed and 1Ghz memmory! all for less than £600 - thats great Thanks very much guys its been fun

the scary bit comes next - ordering/waiting/hoping right stuff comes in right condition/sending back for replacements and finaly building and (fingers crossed) running this pc! Its not over yet!

Still i'm open for any more advice on where i'm at. Do i need more fans for the case etc? I guess the Antec will come with all the extra bits etc?(they dont give much info at dabs do they).

[Zopperoni]

The Antec case will come with all the screws and brackets. Here's more info on the case: http://www.antec.com/ec/productDetails.php?ProdID=08140

I added a 120mm case fan at the front-end myself (I have the SLK3000 case).

[child of Thor]

ah cheers - i just been there myself, it took a few momments to realise all i need do is google for each bit to get manufacturer info - its been a long day!

And i know for sure that Antec SonataII PSU+case is quiet+ has the right 24pin power connector my motherboard will need

Im tempted back to the cheaper(£80) 6600 256mb graphics card though...........i've been at their site(giga-byte.coms) and that model has a turbo thing that makes it 15% faster than other 6600's(not GT ones)+ on top of that comes with a 'speed it up' kind of software - so its easy to overclock it(or ask it to judge when it needs to do it automaticaly!) etc. So for the performance hit, which i probably wont be pushing anyway(games wise) - i might save +£20 with that. I have a feeling that the extra 128mb of graphics memmory will be more usefull in photoshop for example.

[EPW]

Originally posted by child of Thor
Im tempted back to the cheaper(£80) 6600 256mb graphics card though...........i've been at their site(giga-byte.coms) and that model has a turbo thing that makes it 15% faster than other 6600's(not GT ones)+ on top of that comes with a 'speed it up' kind of software - so its easy to overclock it(or ask it to judge when it needs to do it automaticaly!) etc. So for the performance hit, which i probably wont be pushing anyway(games wise) - i might save +£20 with that. I have a feeling that the extra 128mb of graphics memmory will be more usefull in photoshop for example.

Don't get it just for the nifty program, there are tons of free overclocking software on the web which will do the same thing, and probably do it better.