Help - Building my own PC

[JJRM]

Hi guys, I'm looking at building my own machine within the next month but theres just so many options...suggestions/experiences would help. My budget is R15K including the screen. I'd like a 512mb nvidia card for my graphics and intel boards with a intel quad core chip. Mobo/chip/graphics card combos? DDR2/DDR3?? SLI?? Which PSU?

 

[gifs]

I wouldn't go with nvidia at the moment, the ATI 4850 and 4870 is much better value for money at the moment.

I would go with:
Intel Core2Quad Q6600 - R2000
Asus P5Q - R1500
2x2GB DDR2 800 - R1200
ATI 4870 - R3000
22" LCD - R2500
Case + PSU - R1500
500GB HDD - R1000
KB+Mouse - R500
DVD-RW - R250

= R13,450

 

[charlie_82]

If you really want Nvidia, Prophecy has 512MB 9800GTX+ for about R2300...
Or you can always get 2x8800GT OC... These are R1900 a piece at PCZone.

I'm not a big fan of the GTX260/280 cards... Not worth the cost IMO

 

[JJRM]

I wouldn't go with nvidia at the moment, the ATI 4850 and 4870 is much better value for money at the moment.

I would go with:
Intel Core2Quad Q6600 - R2000
Asus P5Q - R1500
2x2GB DDR2 800 - R1200
ATI 4870 - R3000
22" LCD - R2500
Case + PSU - R1500
500GB HDD - R1000
KB+Mouse - R500
DVD-RW - R250

= R13,450

What about FSB speeds? Q6600 FSB 1066MHz. Q9450 FSB 1333MHz. Do you think it would make that much of a difference?

 

[gifs]

If you can afford the Q9450, go for it. The FSB doesn'y have a major imnpact unless you into serious overclocking.

 

[Ghost02]

I think you should get the q9450 instead

 

[spiderz]

Gigabyte EX38-DQ6.....beats the asus hands down

 

[SlyFly]

If he isnt going to run crossfire NOW I would buy something like the Asus, just to hold him off till the Nehalem cpu's come... Then buy a Mobo that supports crossfire and the cpu's... No use in buying an expensive mobo if you wont have cpu's for it in 6 months...

If it wasnt for the new Intel CPU's coming out I would have gone with the Gigabyte aswell... Very nice mobo

 

[HavocXphere]

gif's build sounds pretty much on the mark. If you go to LANs...then maybe some more HDD space than gifs build.

 

[Ekhaatvensters]

Unless there's any reason you want those brands then scrap them. ATI is better for graphics at the moment and Intel boards are never that good, but the Intel chipsets are.

Gifs build is good, there are some good prices for the Q6600 atm.

Intel Core2Quad Q6600 - R1,779.00 www.ikonicit.co.za

The Q9450 is almost double that price for not much more speed. I'd actually go for a E8400 for R200 less than the Q6600 though, much faster unless you're sure you'll use all 4 cores.

2x2GB DDR2 800 - R1200 R1100 for CL4 Mushkin ram, if you mind 4X1GB, good deal though at prophecy.co.za

Then of course you get most of it cheaper at pcint.co.za if you want to deal with them.

 

[JJRM]

Thanks guys. I'm not really rigid on any specific brands...my preferences are more on what I've heard, nothing really substantial so I'll change depending on what you recommend. Yes the performance difference on the Q9450 from the Q6600 doesn't justify the cost difference (for me).

Suppliers? Ok I've got ikonicit.co.za; pcint.co.za. Hopefully Sahara if I can get that right with a buddy of mine.....

 

[gifs]

Some good online stores:

www.prophecy.co.za
www.landmarkpc.co.za
www.digitalsaonline.co.za

 

[Zenbaas]

Some good online stores:

www.prophecy.co.za
www.landmarkpc.co.za
www.digitalsaonline.co.za

Yes, yes and yes Get comparative quotes from them.

 

[Toxin]

Also try ComputersOnly.

But this setup:

I would go with:
Intel Core2Quad Q6600 - R2000
Asus P5Q - R1500
2x2GB DDR2 800 - R1200
ATI 4870 - R3000
22" LCD - R2500
Case + PSU - R1500
500GB HDD - R1000
KB+Mouse - R500
DVD-RW - R250

= R13,450

= FTW

 

[Chevron]

Let's see, all from take2:
AMD Phenom Quad-Core 9850 Black Edition CPU - Socket AM2+ Price: R 2,075
Asus AMD M3N78 Pro Motherboard - Socket AM2+ Price: R 1,331
GeCube ATi Radeon HD4870XT - 512MB - PCI-E Price: R 3,384
Corsair TWIN2X2048-6400C4 Low-Latency - XMS2 - 2x1GB/1024MB Kit Price: R 675
Corsair HX620W Power Supply - 620w Price: R 1,320
Seagate Barracuda HDD - SATA-300 - 32MB Cache - 500GB Price: R 880
Seagate Barracuda HDD - SATA 2 - 32MB Cache - 640GB Price: R 1,003
Logitech G5 Laser Mouse - Special Edition Price: R 726
Logitech G15 Keyboard Price: R 870
Acer P223WQB 21.6 inch LCD Monitor - Black Price: R 2,503
LG GSA-GH20N 20x Dual Layer DVD Writer - Black / Ivory Price: R 260 (try to rather use IDE though)


Total: R15,027

But this setup: = FTW

Everyone is praising it yet he just posted something he sucked out his thumb.

 

[boramk]

Seagate Barracuda HDD - SATA-300 - 32MB Cache - 500GB Price: R 880
Seagate Barracuda HDD - SATA 2 - 32MB Cache - 640GB Price: R 1,003

You can always save R500 by buying Samsung HDD's lol

 

[Chevron]

You can always save R500 by buying Samsung HDD's lol

The only samsung product I'll consider buying is a monitor, but that's besides the point. It's in Seagate that I trust.

 

[boramk]

The only samsung product I'll consider buying is a monitor, but that's besides the point. It's in Seagate that I trust.

No ways I have my Samsung thats working GREAT

 

[cryptic1]

What about the OS guys?

 

[Chevron]

What about the OS guys?

That depends on you. Obviously your system can run anything.

I suggest xp.