PC advice, barebones system & add ons [vanity]

NA - various computer sales companies ^ | 11/28/2003 | Lloyd227

[Lloyd227]

I'm looking to purchase yet another computer for one of my kids and just looking for advice & personal recommendations from other Freepers. I've bought one barebones system for my youngest son and we're satisfied doing business that way as long as the price is right.

I've been to the brick and mortar and the online stores that I can find and we're just having the usual trouble, trying squeeze a $2000 machine into a $700 budget.

One of my older sons is telling me we absolutely must get something that runs 800 mghz Front Side Bus and a $190 video card. I'm thinking they can get by quite well with 400/533 FSB and a $75 dollar card, but to be honest, I keep my gaming on my Xbox and do not know what real difference it will make on a PC.

Anyone out there have a real favorite, trusted supplier of barebones computers? Do they pre-assemble? Are their prices right?

Oh and, we bring our own operating system. I like sticking with what works and Windows 2000

[Lloyd227]

Any advice at all would be appreciated.

Best regards,
Lloyd

[Jeff Chandler]

I like sticking with what works and Windows 2000

Cognitive dissonance.

[rightisright]

I have built my own (and other family members) PCs for the last 5-6 years, and have found you actually CAN squeeze a $2000 computer into a $700 budget.

My preferred online vendor for parts is New Egg (www.newegg.com), quick delivery, cheap shipping and (usually) great prices

You may want to offer your son a compromise, you will get the $200 video card, as long as you go with an AMD Athlon XP as your processor. Make sure you have enough cooling, and get a good case (I prefer the Antec's). And yes, the video card does make a difference.

Good luck.

[Orangedog]

I have my own version of Moore's Law: "The kick-ass, off the shelf system will always cost $2000."

I build all of mine. It used to be to save money, but now it's more on principle. Kinda like Ted Nugent going to a steak house...he'd rather kill it and grill it himself.

I'm sure your older son wants the big honkin' video card. I've seen the new 256 MB monsters for around $500(!). I'm only now getting to the point where my 32 MB card I bought 3 years ago is no longer doing the job.

Whatever you do, don't buy a Dell unless you like speaking to people from India.

[mlmr]

I asked this question a couple of months ago and in the end bought two 600+ dollar systems from Tiger direct


http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/category_tlc.asp?CatId=6

Here is my url

I Need to Purchase 2 Computers for the Children Monday and Need Freeper Imput
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/995209/posts


If you are thinking of purchasing Dell, email me for my Hell Month with Dell thread!!
That did not include moniters which are dirt cheap at best buy if you want a CRT and need to be eyeballed to choose a good one.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/retailerratings/liststores.cfm

Above URL has info on a lot of online stores.

[Lloyd227]

All, thanks for the advice and for responding so quickly. (even you Jeff for teasing me with that anti-MS pun!)

Best regards,
Lloyd

[general_re]

I have my own version of Moore's Law: "The kick-ass, off the shelf system will always cost $2000."

Ain't progress great? Used to be "The kick-ass, off the shelf system will always cost $3000" ;)

[Jeff Chandler]

even you Jeff for teasing me with that anti-MS pun!)

My tease was against Windows2000. XP is a much better operating system.

[Ex-Dem]

Depends on how computer saavy you or someone you know is. If alls you need is the actual computer (no monitor, printer, keyboard), you can buy a case, motherboard, graphics card, memory, etc. for a few hundred bucks on E-Bay and assemble it yourself.

Last computer I had was a 1.6 GHz P4, GeForce2, 256 megs RAM for about ~$200, which was a decent computer for a few years ago. The CDROM and DVDROM drives I got seperately, from a cannabalized computer. You can just strip them from your old computer (unless they happen to be pretty old and you would like to replace those too). Make sure you get new parts from a reputable dealer on E-Bay.

BTW, I'm a Windows 2000 stickler too :). I hate computers that comes pre-installed with the OS. The company usually gives you a version that comes with all kinds of software and adware that you don't want.

[Lloyd227]

One last sanity check if you have the time?

This is my "budget" PC package that I'm considering. The goal was to cut corners where things can be upgraded with a card or add on later, but start with a solid foundation the kid can use for 3 years or so.

So, for $778.98 (+30 shipping) how does this look?
Any parts on this list I should watch out for or that people have had trouble with? Any mis-matched components (other than a video card that I know is not up to snuff with the processor?

And the real question, is it worth assmbly & headache to save $115? I can also buy the same basic package, preassembled and burned in for $115 more. While I'm pretty sure I can do this, I'm also sure this is going to take a while.

Qty

Product

Item #

Unit Price

Qty x Price

		ENERMAX CS-5171LBFS-B (BLACK) ATX 10-BAY MID-TOWER CASE Specification: Form Factor: ATX Color: Black Material: SECC 0.7/Aluminum 0.8mm(body) Drive Bays: External 4 x 5.25" -2 x 3.5" Internal 4x 3.5" Expansion Slot: 7 Front Ports: USB2.0 x 2,Audio in/out, IEEE1394 Power Supply: 350W Cooling System: Front:8/9/12 cm x 1;Back:8 cm x 2;Side:8cm x 1;Top:8cm x 1;Side Standard 8cmx1,openwindow 8cmx1 Motherboard Compatibility: Standerd P4 ATX / Micro ATX Dimensions: D480 x W200 x H430 mm Special Features: Side open window with "X" mark & a 8-cm fan plus 4 blue LED lights ( AL model exclude),Security screw lock more info->	N82E16811124060	$76.00	$76.00
		Gigabyte Motherboard GA-8IPE1000Pro 2004 GT Edition, Intel 865PE chipset for Pentium 4 Processors -Retail Specifications: Supported CPU: Socket 478 Intel Pentium 4 Processor(Hyper-Threading) Chipset: Intel 865PE(MCH) + ICH5 FSB: 800/533/400MHz RAM: 4x DIMM for Dual Channel DDR400/333/266 Max 4GB IDE: 2x UDMA 100/66/33 Slots: 1xAGP 8X,5xPCI 32-bit Ports: 2xPS2,2xCOM,1xLPT,1xLAN,8xUSB2.0(Rear 4)and Audio Ports Onboard Audio:Realtek ALC658 CODEC Onboard LAN: Intel 10/100Mbps Ethernet Onboard SATA: 2x Channel Serial ATA Onboard 1394: T.I. IEEE 1394 controller Form Factor: ATX more info->	N82E16813128216	$106.99	$106.99
		XFX Geforce FX 5200 128MB DDR Model PVT34KNA With TV-out&DVI Retail Chipset/Core Speed: Geforce FX 5200/250MHz Memory/Effective Speed:128MB DDR/333MHz BUS: AGP 1X/2X/4X/8X Ports: VGA Out(15 Pin D-Sub)+TV-Out(S-Video Out)+DVI Connector Support 3D API: Microsoft®DirectX®9,OpenGL™1.4 Package Included:1 Cable,Driver CD,User Manual Max Resolution@32bit Color: 2048x1536@75Hz Retail Box (See pics for details) more info->	N82E16814150030	$67.00	$67.00
		Intel Pentium 4/ 2.4C GHz 800MHz FSB, 512K Cache, Hyper Threading Technology - OEM Specification Model: Intel Pentium 4 2.4C w/ Hyper Threading Core: Northwood Operating Frequency: 2.4GHz FSB: 800MHz Cache: L1/12K+8K; L2/512K Voltage: 1.525V Process: 0.13Micron Socket: Socket 478 Multimedia Instruction: MMX, SSE, SSE2 Warranty: 3-year MFG Packaging: OEM more info->	N82E16819116158	$166.00	$166.00
		CORSAIR MEMORY 256MB PC3200 DDR Value Select 256MB DDR Non-ECC, Unbuffered, PC3200 (DDR400/200MHz) 32mx64, 184-pin DIMM - Cas 3 Model: VS256MB400C3 - OEM - Lifetime Warranty. more info->	N82E16820145478	$46.00	$46.00
		MITSUMI D359M3 Black 1.44MB 3.5INCH Floppy Disk Drive, OEM Specifications: Model: D359M3D Capacity: 1.44MB Average Access Time: 94 ms Interface: 34 Pin Standard Floppy Connector Form: 3.5 inch Media Type: All Standard 1.44MB & 720KB 3.5 Floppy Diskettes Features: Quiet Operation,Enclosed Mechanism Remark: OEM more info->	N82E16821104101	$8.00	$8.00
		WESTERN DIGITAL "SPECIAL EDITION" 80GB 7200RPM IDE HARD DRIVE, Model WD800JB, OEM DRIVE ONLY Specifications: Model: WD800JB (WD Caviar SE) Capacity: 80GB Average Seek Time: 8.9ms Buffer: 8MB Rotational Speed: 7200 RPM Interface: IDE ULTRA ATA100 Features: High-performance with 8MB Buffer Manufacturer Warranty: 3 years Remark: OEM DRIVE ONLY more info->	N82E16822144122	$79.00	$79.00
		Logitech Cordless Elite Duo USB/PS2 104keys --Retail Specifications: Interface:USB/PS2 Number Of Keys:104 keys+18 function keys+2 wheels Wireless Technology:RF Palm Rest:Detachable Design Style:Standard Mouse included:Wireless optical Features:Ultra-flat, Zero Degree Tilt™ keyboard design for increased comfort,Nine customizable keys for one-touch access to favorite web sites and applications,iNav™ buttons and scroll wheel for keyboard-based web navigation,Multimedia keys to control audio and video directly from the keyboard ,iTouch® software to customize keyboard features more info->	N82E16823126115	$58.00	$58.00
		KDS 17" CRT Monitor, Black model XF-7BK - RETAIL The new 17" XF-7BK is an excellent choice for handling intense graphic applications, gaming and advanced spreadsheets. Specifications: Size : 17-inch diagonal measure (16.02" viewable) Screen : Anti-Reflection, Tinted Screen, Black Matrix, Flat Screen Tube Dot Pitch : 0.20mm (Horizontal) 0.25 mm (Vertical Max Resolution: 1280 x 1024 @ 60Hz Dimensions:16.0"(W) x 16.3"(D) x 17.1"(H) Input Connector: DB15 VGA Manufacturer Warranty : 3 Year Limited Parts & Labor KDS more info->	N82E16824155031	$118.00	$118.00
		Lite On LTC-48161H Black 48x24x48x16 Combo Drive, 2MB, OEM Specifications: Model: LTC-48161H Black Write Speed: 48X CD-R,24X CD-RW Read Speed: 48X CD-ROM,16X DVD-ROM Interface: ATAPI/E-IDE Buffer: 2MB OS Support: Windows XP/2000/NT/Me/9x Features: SMART-BURN avoiding Buffer Under Run error Remark: OEM pack(see pictures for details) more info->	N82E16827106196	$53.99	$53.99

Subtotal »

$778.98

[rightisright]

List looks good, just two things. First, since you're getting an OEM CPU make sure you order a Socket 478 Heat Sink/Fan (or look for the Retail CPU package, it may only be $5-10 more and will give you an Intel approved fan.

Secondly, I'm not a big fan of that video card chipset. It's really not a great gamer card, you're better off paying $20 more and getting one of the Refurbished GeForce 4200TI cards (ASUS V9280TD). I have ordered Refurbished Video cards from them before and have never had a problem

[Lloyd227]

Thanks again. I've adjusted the cpu from oem to retail, I had no idea what the difference was and information is not readily apparent from their website.

Also switched the case for an Antec and swapped out the graphics card. Antec case was the same price and the card was only about 7 dollars more.

Now if I can only manage to put all this stuff together.

Question: How do you go about installing the bios and those initial first steps to prepare a freshly assembled system for loading Windows? I've bought 'barebones' systems online before, but they were always burned in and ready for the OS. Are there any tricks or traps to watch out for during that first power up stage?

[rightisright]

Long gone are the days of jumpers, and BIOS headaches. I usually use Asus motherboards, but I imagine the Gigabyte's are the same in that as long as you connect everything the right way (RTFM as they say :-)) you should be able to get it up and running 1-2-3. A few things to remember:

You usually need to go into the BIOS to set the computer to boot off the CD (so you can install your OS), and the default settings may need to be tweaked. Good luck.

[Lloyd227]

Thanks again to all. The parts went together well with only a couple minor puzzles where the documentation was lacking a bit, the project is completed, the kid is happy, and the final price tag ended at under $900.

Not bad for what he got;
P4, 2.4, 800FSB,256mb 400DDR dual channel, 80GB, DVD-ROM, CDRW, front side Firewire & USB, LAN, 6 channel audio, decent quality 8x/128mb graphics, 17" monitor, and wireless mouse/keyboard. A name brand pre-built system like this would have cost me $1500 to 2000 at Best Buy, and this foundation leaves they boy plenty of space to upgrade when he gets a job :-)

rightisright, you were absolutely right about those Antec cases. Good construction, nice layout, plenty of room to work, etc. Impressive for a $75 case.

Just wanted to say thanks to all for the advice.

Best regards,
Lloyd