Need help with system build

[computergeek22]

Okay let me first start out that I'm not a n00b in building computers but I have been away from the hardware market for about 2 years so I don't know what's the latest and best.

Recently I went on a trip. I came back to find that my Antec SP500 2.0 was making a high pitched buzzing noise. I decided that I would buy a new psu ASAP. I sleep in the same room as I have my computer. I decide to close all power to the computer in other words I put the external on/off psu switch to off to stop the buzzing (the buzzing is there even when the computer is off). THe next day I go to find a new psu online and hence turn the on off switch on the back of my psu to on. The computer starts up automatically. I smell a burning smell. I close the computer with the off switch on the back. I open up and find my psu, HD, and mobo smelling burnt. I know something is fried in the top compartment of my antec p180 as wella s the bottom where the psu is. My main OS HD doesn't seem to smell even though it shares the bottom compartment with my PSU. Now I've ordered a Corsair 520 HX PSU to check if only my PSU has gone, but I doubt that.

So I'm stuck with the following:

Corsair 520 HX PSU
WD RAptor 74gb w/ win xp

My previous build: (also includes above HD)

7900gt
AMD opteron 165
A8R-MVP mobo
160gb WD HD
2gb memory
ANTEC 500W SP2 <====piece of crap

I'm looking to make this build as cheap as possible. Primary uses are going to be very very very very light gaming. Lots of iTunes, mozilla firefox, ripping, burning CDs.

So I'm looking for a relatively budget video card. A dual core system preferably w/2gb of memory minimum. I'm not sure if I want it to be vista ready because I will be replacing this comp with a laptop soon so I want something as cheap as possible and something I can get working soon. I also prefer Silence. My video card had a zalman vf900 fan and I had a scythe ninja on my processor.

SO I need:
MOBO/CPU (preferably core 2 duo)
High capacity HD (cheap as possible and a good $/gb ratio)
Memory
Video Card
Video/CPU cooler preferably extremely silent I have nexus 120mm fans which are very quiet so maybe just a cooler like the ninja is needed
Sorry for the long write up. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[airhendrix13]

Okay, here we go.

Mobo: Buy the cheapest P35 board you can find. They OC very well and will support next-gen hardware. I think you can get one for around $100.

CPU: I recommend the C2D e4400. About $120.

HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822145087

Memory: Buy 2gigs of OCZ's. They are cheap and are pretty reliable.

GPU: An 8500GT will get the job done for you.

Cooler: Re-use your Scythe, it is still a great cooler. As for your GPU, the 8500GT is low profile, so unless you want to overclock, it will be fine as is.

I hope this helped,

Ryan

 

[computergeek22]

Okay a couple of questions. The Scythe Ninja Rev B works with the lga 775 but I'm not sure about hte rev A which I have and if so where can I find the appropriate backplate.

Second memory will be DDR2 correct?

The processor sounds good. Thanks.

 

[drakore]

Do you plan on overclocking? Do you have a max budget?

You need to list these things so people can give you a more specific parts list.

In this case you may actually want to look at something on the AM2 platform... they are extremely well priced...

 

[computergeek22]

Sorry for incompleteness. I would say that I am open to overclocking. I had my Opteron 165 o/ced to 2.5ghz. Now if the core 2 duo at stock settings is at powerful as that then I don't think I will overclock.

I don't want to pay more than $650
This is what I have listed from Newegg:

ASUS EN8600GTS SILENT/HTDP/256M GeForce 8600GTS 256MB 128-bit 184.99

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual 88.99

GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail 129.99

Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 Allendale 2.0GHz LGA 775 Processor Model 125.99

SAMSUNG SpinPoint T Series HD403LJ 400GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 84.99

TOTAL: 614.95
Also about the Scythe ninja backplate. Can I find it anywhere? ALso the reason I picked the graphics card was because it seems at least fromt he pictures to be fanless. I wouldn't mind a cheaper one if suggested.

edit* found a fanless msi 8600gts for 158.99

 

[drakore]

Not sure about the backplate, hmm i would recommend getting the Abit IP35-E... it will perform roughly the same and is like 65$ AR. make sure you use the code PayPal20 on newegg.

I would also change to the crucial ballistix ddr2-800 which will be 80$ AR. They are much better. Other than that the system looks good.

 

[computergeek22]

Okay drakore that's sounds good. Only thing about the memory. THe GSkill is like 120 but I"m getting off 40 dollars instantly on Newegg while I have to wait for a rebate for the other. Is it that much better?

In terms of the mobo, it seems like a good overclocker and hopefully my x-fi wasn't fried from that episode with the psu but just in case onboard sound would be a good option and considering the gigabyte has onbaord sound with coax/optical I might as well go with that one.

EDIT :
Found a solution. What about this guy?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813128057

 

[computergeek22]

ALso do you guys reckon my new system will be faster than my old opty o/ced to 2.5?

 

[MarcVenice]

Lol, not really You're replacing a 7900gt with a 8600gts, the 7900gs is about as fast as the 8600gts, the 7900gt is simply faster. As for the CPU, it will be faster when oc-ed to 2.2ghz or so. I'm guessing if you hit 3ghz it will be about 50% faster, but that doesn't mean your rig is gonna be 50% faster in normal usage. Only in CPU intensive tasks will you notice a fair boost in speed.

Perhaps the ram helps a little too, but it won't be much. If your current mobo has a PCI-e slot, and you are looking for extra gaming performance, then buy a 8800gts/gtx. The CPU isn't really holding you back. Have you allready determined what old parts fried and which didn't? If it's only the cpu, HD, or graphics card, then you should save yourself a little money.

 

[computergeek22]

THe thing is that if I had the time to screw around with my system I would but I just don't have the time right now. So if I find that my mobo is fried then I won't bother with the CPU but hopefully my HDs, my video card, and my soundcard are okay.

I'm getting a psu today so I'll check to see what is screwed.

I think the graphics card may be the only weak point as of now. I simply can't afford a 8800 for 250 and then a cooler to make it silent. Let me see how it goes. I"m researching the 7900 gs to see its performance in comparison with the gt.

 

[computergeek22]

I could also, just for the time being, until nvidia can come out with a dx10 card that fills up the $200 gap, just make do with a pci gfx card for a while. I'm running xp so i don't think i'll have a problem with that.

 

[chynn]

8800 cards ARE Dx10 cards !!!

 

[computergeek22]

chynn maybe you didn't understand what i meant. I meant until nvidia can release a competent dx10 card for the $200 range. i know the 8800gts is dx10 so is the 8600gs. the thing is that I don't have the cash to shell out for the 8800gts and the 8600gs performs worse than my old 7900gt. So either A) I wait and get a newer card when it comes out B) buy a 8600gs and make do with inferior performance for the dx10 C) buy an older dx9 card. I think A is the best option. What do you say?

Yet another option could be going the ATI/AMD(?) way. Sadly, I don't know any competitive offerings that are dx10 and aren't the extreme high end buy (2900xt).