My first build - advice needed!

Chris_

Chris_

Excalibur
Hey guys, I've just got an atx case with a 350 watt psu and a few fans in it at a local computer store for free, and now i want to create a system out of it, (Just the tower).
My budget isn't much, I've got £300 max. to spend.

I will be using it for internet browsing, graphics, and word processing and sometimes gaming...

I've got a small 'rushed' list I did last night:
Case: Got one (350Watt PSU)
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3000 + Venice 90nm OEM
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-K8NE
Memory: 512MB DDR333 PC2700 RAM (elixir brand)
Hard disk: Maxtor 80GB (link)
Drives: Samsung CDRW-DVD Combi 52x32x52
Video card: Gigabyte Radeon 9250 128MB, 8x AGP, DVI, TV Out, Retail

Thats what I found last night, If you could give me some advice on what to/not to buy please do :D

Thanks in advance.
Chris_
 
Okay, you've got a CPU there that'll need more power than that generic case PSU will give you. Honestly dont even bother with that PSU...my case one blew up on my as soon as the cable was plugged in, dodgy connection and crappy build.
Go for a named trusted one.
Look here for a wattage calculator
Look here for advice on a decent PSU.
Try a Western Digital or Seagate Drive as well instead of that Maxtor one.
You'll need DDR400 (PC3200) RAM for that AMD CPU to get the best performance.
 
Hi,
I cannot comment on AMD...
I would check whether the PSU is up to the job, look here regarding all thinngs PSU - http://www.hardwareforums.com/showthread.php?t=5218
Make sure you have enough fans 'spaces'. Just in case you need extra cooling.

I would try and get the nVidia cards. I hear better things about them.
I would get PC3200 as I do not think there a big difference in price (is there?).
Stay away from generics. I learned the hard way.....
I was on a tight budget but went for the bigest drive possible (120GB).
I got SATA (why? 'cause I though it would work faster. Not intierly true...) and you would not know it is there.
And as for optical drive - why not a dvd-rw?

This is obviously just my opinon after building a system on a very tight budget. You normaly end up spending more in the long run. If you already have a system to use, maybe buy bit by bit and make sure you get the pucka' stuff.....or just save untill you can aford to get the whole rig.

Hope this helps and make some sense...

Whatever you decide - best of luck and hope it all builds well!
 
Ok, I've found a new PSU here i hope that will definetly power me :cool: and is it a good brand? im going to keep upgrading hardware so hopefully it will ..

I've also found new memory right one?

This is the hard disk i found (took shabashuali's advice) HERE

Now im on the hunt for a graphics card and cd-rw/dvd-rw combo (Doesn't have to be combo [optical drive])

Does anyone know if the motherboard is a gooden? Gigabyte GA-K8NE..

I'll go a little over the budget and I will be adding each week etc, not all at once.
Thanks v much ppl.
 
that thermaltake PSU should be fine, try and get it from a uk site as newegg doesnt deliver to UK, also whats your budget for graphics?
 
Right, my graphics card budget is £30-£50. I don't play games that much, around once a week, but I do design graphics everyday. The sort of games I would play are mainly action games eg. Half Life: 2.
Hope it's enough.
Ask if you need any more info.
 
ah, i would reccomend somthing like a 6600gt though for just incase you want to play more demanding games and your current games on highest settings.
 
Hi

Regarding the PSU you linked.
This is my story just so you understand -
I bought my case which came with a generic 400W. Why did I buy this one?
It was cheap. A few months down the line my rig went belly up.
The PSU died and took my mobo with it.
Lucky for this stupid - all my componenets were bought at the same place so everything was under guarantee. So everything was replaced for free.
Now if you insist on buying a generic PSU (or just a cheapo one..) make sure that any damage to other components effected will be covered.
I just bought a used Enermax 470W from eBay. It is 9 months old but according to Enermax should last 100,000 hours. Hopefully should be quiet as well. However, no guarantee it would not pack-up in two seconds..... :confused:

Same idea goes for RAM, you get what you pay for. Full stop! I nearly got 512MB of OCZ (PC3500) for the same price as a generic PC3200. Now that is a bargain! But as Exfoliate assured me, deals like these might come around again....

The HDD looks tasty.....

G card - I have to agree with Willhub (although he recons I should not own a computer..... :D only joking....) - the highest nVidia possible. And try and get the real thing if you can. I have a Radeon based card (ASUS) but I would have prefered to get the proper stuff. Again my emphesys was cheap! and the cheaper the better. It works fine and resolutions and performance are satesfying. Again, I am easily pleased. However £30-£50 will get you avarage cards.

Bottom line, again, you get what you paid for. You will pay more in the long run as I am finding out now when I am slowly replacing components in my rig. So far it cost me an extra £65. And I am not done yet.....

Best of luck!
 
Right, Cheers for the info, I've found another PSU (Can't find the thermaltake that delivers to UK) from a place I buy lots of stuff, and willhub would give it the go ahead. Here it is. any comments?

I may also buy ATI RADEON 9600 256MB AGP8X gfx card for £45.

Then I think im done.
 
i would give it a go ahead as hiper are a fairly new brand and they seem good quality, but the thing that made me a little confused about the hiper psu's is that my hiper psu which is the best psu form hiper failed the tests at toms hardware, but i was told there tests are not very accurate and other things like that, thats what makes me not sure, i think that hiper psu you want is good for the job :)
 
The 9600Pro should do the job for HL2. I'm not sure you'd really like running Doom 3 with that card, but HL2 ought to run just fine.
 
i must admit, the 9600 NON PRO does run DOOM 3 a little choppy at high settings, but i could manage it :), medium settings worked fine :)
 
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