Desktops forum: Building a desktop and have some general questions.

ET's $800 gamer is fair, but can be improved

ET's prices don't include shipping and some are unrealistic (for example, XP Home is $90 minimum).

The Core2Duo platform is the best performance choice currently. However, the Asus motherboard uses an older nVidia chipset that has been superseded by the 650i. Intel 965P based motherboard also have better overclocking potential than some nVidia based boards.

nVidia just filled out its DX10 compatible geForce 8000 GPU series. ATI will be releasing its DX10 compatible HD2000 GPUs in early May. So, you'll need to decide if DX10 compatibility is worth the slight premium over older, but still good performing geForce 7000/Radeon x1000 based cards.

Here's my suggestion for $1K or so:

CPU: Intel Core2Duo E6420, 2.13ghz, 4mb cache, $199
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-965P-S3, $110 or MSI P6N SLI, $121
RAM: OCZ Platinum DDR2-800, 2GB, $154 ($35 rebate) or OCZ Gold DDR2-800, 2GB, $162 ($50 rebate)
video: xfx geforce 7950gt extreme, $199 or xfx geforce 8600gts, $199 or Sapphire Radeon x1950pro, $160 ($20 rebate) or Radeon HD2600
HD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10, $90
DVD: LG/LiteOn/Sony/Samsung 18x/20x burner w/software, $42
case: Coolermaster Centurion case w/430W ps, $90
Antec Sonata II w/450W ps, $116 ($30 rebate)
Raidmax Ninja w/450W ps, $85
Windows: Vista Premium OEM, $120

I am putting the pieces together now for a system almost identical to what you suggest. Intel 6420, Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6 Rev.3.3, etc.

I have a very nice Antec case that I like, but the PSU is inadquate (230 W). I really want a PSU with modular cables because the tangle drives me nuts. There are several choices from SilverStone, Cooler Master and others, but I read a comment from someone who bought a PSU that I'll not name because his comment may be off the mark. Here's what he said, and I'd like to know if what he's talking about is even a function of the PSU or was the real problem with the mobo's voltage regulation?

This hunk of garbage absolutely REFUSED to give my CPU 1.4 volts. If the bios was set to automatically detect, the CPU would only get 1.1 volts. If it was set manually to 1.4 volts, the psu pushed out 1.7. If I manually set the bios to 1.1, it'd provide 1.1 volts. Also, it tried pushing .25 more volts to my RAM than is acceptable.

I'm concerned because I want to buy a quiet PSU with modular cabling and plenty of power (600+). I don't mind paying for good stuff because I keep it for a long time.

Could you share your thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance.
Chuck

Thanks for the reply. I was pretty sure the 1.4 v and such was a mobo function. What the PSU brings to the table (according to THG testing, etc.) is stability of the +12, +5, etc. under no-load and full load conditions. So, thanks for validating that.

I have chosen to go with big PSU on the basis that I use both ATA and SCSI drives and plenty of both. And, one never knows about a second video card -- as I said, I keep things a long time.

Anyway, thanks again for the reply.

antec truepower 430 watt and thats an old model you cant beat antec just my opinion
bushwhacker

Maximum PC And CPU are good magazines, as well as websites, to visit to learn more about hardware performance. If you already have a box, then you'll have to make sure the motherboard fits in it correctly or it won't do you any good right off the bat. Also, you can go online with to the makers of the motherboards, and find out which processors will fit the socket. Not all of them will plug right into just any board.
The computer I am using right now is made up of parts that I collected and pieced together. I haven't been to college since 1992. I have built a total of 6 machines, 3 really old ones, and 3 relatively old ones. With what I learned, however, I was able to get them up and running even with windows XP, after a so called "Knowledable Person" said it wouldn't run anything past windows '98. So it isn't really rocket science, but it helps when you do a little research first.
After what I learned, I am going back to college to finish the degree in Computer Information Systems, without having been in a classroom since 1992. Everyone thinks it's great.