These Specs OK for a new gaming PC!

[brashquido]

Hi All,

Used my time off to try and put together my new gaming PC which I'll be looking to buy within the first few weeks of the new year. I'd greatly appreciate any comments, or change of componentry recommendations you might have. My budget is around $2000, but I maybe able to stretch that a by a few hundred if it's worthwhile.

AMD XP 2400+ $379
Gigabyte Radeon 9700 Pro 128MB $665
Epox 8RDA+ Nforce 2 Motherboard $240
512MB PC3500 Corsair DDR $465
Antec 80mm Fan (for SLK-800) $25
SLK-800 $110
Codegen 300 watt ATX Case $85

TOTAL $1969


I'm pretty sure that most of these items are A1 apart from the case and 80mm fan. Also I know I can get bits cheaper, but I'd prefer to buy from retailers with decent customer service. These prices are from www.cworld.com.au and www.scorptec.com.au.

[Cobalt]

looks fine to me it's around the same as my comp good luck to ya on getting it all purchased and set up quickly :cheers:

[FLaCo]

Well with the board that you are getting you will prolly better off with 2 x 256 mb of memory and benefit from the dual channel support the nForce 2 brings.

Well, i know you are trying to save cash (like everyone else here) but for seem reason it only seems right to get a 400 W for that system...i builtmy buddy one almost exactly like that except he and 2600+ and dual channel MEM. he uses a 450.

[Wiggo]

The only change I would make would be to the PSU. The brand itself is of questionable quality (far too many duds of that brand have been thru my hands) and with the power probs that R9700's can (and will) cause I'd go for a minimum of 400w in this case. : peace2:
<center>:cheers:</center>

[buckchoi]

Sure looks like a good setup to me!

Oh by the way I was looking at getting a similar setup....would a Antec 330W PSU be enough or would something more be better? This would be with a system with one HDD and one DVD drive and probably 2 case fans.

[Wiggo]

It maybe enough though I wouldn't bet on it with a R9700 as it has it's own power connector and sucks a lot of juice thru it from the PSU plus a lot of ppl that I know with good quality 350w PSU's have had to upgrade because because the R9700 was just to demanding on them. : peace2:
<center>:cheers:</center>

[FLaCo]

Thats exact reason why i choose the 450 PSU. When i saw the power conector on the 9700 and the added all those fans, plus mobo , etc etc it adds up...and its better to be safe and buy one time only.

[brashquido]

Thanks heaps to everyone for their input. I finally got the courage to go ahead an order the bits for my new PC. This is what I've ordered so far;

Sapphire Radeon 9700 Pro 128MB
Epox 8RDA+ (Nforce 2 chipset, no onboard display)
2 X 256MB PC3500 Corsair XMS
Xaser II 5000 Plus with 480W Antec True Power P/S
SLK-800 Heatsink with Thermaltake Smart Fan II

I still have to order a CPU, but I thought I'd wait a bit for that as CPU prices tend to drop pretty stedily.

[FLaCo]

No problem M8..hehe...i am glad you went with Dual Channel =)

So, lemme get this str8 you are gonna have all your components at hand but no CPU...i dunno how you do it,....but i would go nuts ...

Though i would also wait for the cash to buy the 2600+ at 333 FSB since the 2400+ only brings a 266 FSB; and yyour new mobo supports that 333 FSB.

[Wiggo]

FLaCo[/size]]
So, lemme get this str8 you are gonna have all your components at hand but no CPU...i dunno how you do it,....but i would go nuts ...

Ya get use to that after a year or so of doin' it believe me. ;)
<center>:cheers:</center>

[FLaCo]

Hehe i suppose so...but what would be the point of waiting for something to drop price and buy the other stuff now...would the other stuff go down in price as well...so why not buy it all at the same time later on?

[brashquido]

Never fear FLaCo, I will have a 2100+ in my video editng machine if the uurge becomes too great! :)

Most of the places I'm buying from don't open until mid Janurary anyway. The way CPU prices are going I'll be able to save myself $50 just by delaying my CPU order until the next price update.

I was looking at the 2400+ because from what I've been told it seems to be the sweet spot for O/C in the AMD world.

[FLaCo]

Yea but i mean you are gonna miss 333 FSB...AMD has been stuck in 266th Avenue for the longest time to try out a new area...That my opnion athough the 2400+ is nice but i would only get if it came in 333...

[Wiggo]

He can have that 166MHz FSB anyway with that mobo, didn't ya try the multiplier on that nForce2 mobo that ya had FLaCo as it was one of the first things that I checked out. :D
<center>:cheers:</center>

[FLaCo]

omg you are so right....

<----:hammer: