Topic: Like everyone else: Building My First PC

[Flanjeuk]

OK... I'm only 16 but I'm going to build a PC after christmas, I want to use it mainly for Gaming and Browsing the Internet;


I want the spec as follows:

Processor AMD 64 3000+: £112
1024 DDR400 RAM: £103
Motherboard: £80
Case: £25
Monitor: £80
Hard drive 80GB: £35
CD RW/DVD Combo: £30
Keyboard And Mouse: £15
Graphics Card later on... (Birthday February)

Total Cost: £480

All my prices are taken from Ebuyer.com

Do you have any suggestions on changes?


Thanks in advance,

John

[TR]

Flanjeuk hi and welcome to Pals  

Building Pcs is all about opinions and where to look for the best bargains etc etc, I have just built a pc this last month with parts mainly from ebuyer  ;)and am well pleased with it.

Im sure one of the techies will be along shortly to advise and to give you the best advice possible  

Hookstar

[Simon]

Hi Flanjeuk, and  

By the prices, it looks to be a fairly high spec machine.  Would you care to tell us which Motherboard, Monitor and CD/DVD-RW you have chosen?  If you want this mainly for gaming, you will obviously need a good graphics card, and I would recommend the GeForce cards over the ATI ones, but that's a personal preference.

As Hook said, one of our techies will be along this evening, and may be able to advise you better.  In the meantime, check out the rest of the forum - it's fun!  

[Flanjeuk]

Well....

Thing is I'm not sure what mobo I want/need I was hoping to find that out here...

CD RW/DVD Drive: maybe~ Samsung 52x32x52x16x Int IDE Combo OEM Black http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=60855 - I don't really NEED a DVD/RW as I'm trying to keep cost's as low as possible!

Monitor: just your average CRT 17"

And as for graphics I was thinking: XFX GeForce 6800 GT 256MB (but later on, at first I will make do with on board graphics until I have the money...)

~Just so you know, I can't really go over £500!~

[Flanjeuk]

One other thing, is there much difference between DDR400 and DDR333?
Is it worth the extra money for 400?

[TR]

For a few more quid (£15/£20) you might as well get an DVD RW as it will give you an extra option to burn DVDs as well as write CDs as well as play DVDs.

[Simon]

Well, I'm no expert on motherboards (or anything else, come to that!), but I recently built a PC for a friend, and used an Asus A7N8X-X, which seems good value, or if you want a few more extras, perhaps the Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe?  I'm not sure you need to spend a fortune on a Motherboard, especially if you are going to add a stand alone graphics card, but that's just my opinion.  Members here have built PCs on far cheaper Motherboards than the ones I have linked to.

[Flanjeuk]

I put £80 because I'm willing to pay up to that...
I wasnt sure i how much a mobo would be because of the specifications I want, like the DDR400 RAM and the 64bit processor.

Also, how does Windows XP run on the 64bit processors? Do i need any thing special to make it work?

[Dack]

Depends on the socket of Athlon 64 you want - currently theres a bit of a transistion phase with the pin layout of the higher end athlons.

Cheap and cheerful motherboard is about £45 for the processor you mentioned (The "Newcastle" 3200).

Worth going for the DVD writer instead of the CD Writer/combo as you *WILL* want to write some stuff out thats more than about 700Meg at some point . Given that the price of DVD-R is now down to about 24p a disc while CDR are at about 17p it's worth looking at something that can give you 4 times the storage capacity for only 7p more.

You don't need to do anything to Windows XP to let it run on a 64bit chip *BUT* it will only be running in 32 bit mode unless you install the Windows XP 64 version.

Also worth looking around for a second hand monitor - as more people are going towards TFTs the second hand price of CRTs has plummeted - price around here is about £25 to £35 for a good 17".

[Flanjeuk]

OK then, thanks a lot everyone.

I looked on ebay, and there are come good 17" CRT monitors for around £30 (plus £15 P&P) I'll get one off there, and i found a mobo that does everything I should need (I also want on board 5.1 surround) Abit KV8 SKT 754 K8T800 SATA Gig LAN ATX Raid Sound OTES (£63) - It supports 64bit AMD Processors and DDR400 RAM, and has onboard 6 channel sound - http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=63172

Thanks again, I will update you all closer to the time... till then bye!

[Flanjeuk]

OK, sorry I keep going on...

I have decided what I'm *likely* to be getting:

Processor AMD64 3000+ And Coolermaster CK8-8JD2B-0L AMD64 Cooler: £120
OCZ Premier 512MB DDR400 PC3200 RAM: £65
Abit KV8 SKT 754 K8T800 Motherboard: £65
Deluxworld M7612 Case (Matching Keyboard/Mouse/Speakers): £27
Monitor (second hand): £50max
Seagate Barracuda 80Gb 7200rpm UDMA100: £40
Samsung 52x32x52x16x Int IDE CD-RW/DVD Combo OEM Black: £30



Do you see any problems with any of that?


Thank you all!!

John.

[Tony]

Hi Flanjeuk,

Take it from me if you want a good CRT monitor, you can do no better than buy a Sony "Triniton" tubed CRT,they are the flatscreen variety.

Not to be confused with the inferior  CRT "shadow mask" flat screen monitors [curved tubed set behind a flat front screen and a massive mask around the screen edges] . They [Trinitons] where made for business users, but as most business users requiring 17" models are going over to TFT's Trinition/ Diamondtron monitors are only being produced new in 19" and above models.

I myself run a three 17" monitor setup for work purposes, I stare at those screens all day. So I need the sharpest brightest images, coupled with sharp text, hence I run Dell badged Trinitons.

And I can recommend the linked monitor as I have purchased  one, they are Sony Triniton tubed monitors badged for Dell. The product is first class and the seller is straight as a die,you can buy with confidence. The blurb say's they are 2000 models, but mine is a 2001 model.

 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3695&item=5132390935&rd=1

The product is used, and may need the casing wiping over with a cream cleaner, then it will look like new. The screens are un marked, but if one slips through pre post inspection with a scratch on it, the seller will arrange for next day pick up and exchange at no extra expense to you.

[Flanjeuk]

Thanks a lot for that, I might put a bid in for that tomorrow!

I know it's two months until xmas, but I'm still really excited about getting the PC.
Not only because it's a new PC, but it will be the first I have built!

Any tips for first time builder's that I should be thinking about?

[Simon]

Any tips for first time builder's that I should be thinking about?

Be prepared for it to go wrong!    That's all part of the fun, and it's the way you learn how to fix things.  Ask Tony.  

Oh, and don't put a bid in for that monitor tomorrow.   Wait until much nearer the end of the auction, or you could increase the bids unneccessarily.  If it was me, I would wait till the last few seconds and snipe it!  

[Dack]

Be prepared for a lot of shouting

When I build a machine I tend to do the following:
1. Check the case for any sharp edges as you will find the cheaper ones tend to cut your hands to shreds. Empty out the panels that you do not use for CD writer, floppy and motherboard backplate.

2. Insert the motherboard panel into the case - this is so the motherboard components will all be sticking out of the correct holes.

3. Insert the memory, processor and fan into the motherboard. Make sure motherboard CMOS jumper in correct place.

4. Look for the mounting points in the case and put the correct ones in for the motherboard.

5. Connect up the cables for reset, power, front audio/usb etc. from the case to the motherboard.

6. Insert CD writer, floppy and hard drive into appropriate places in the case. Connect the data cables and power up to them. Make sure jumpers on back of devices are set correctly (either Cable select or Master/Slave as appriopriate). Also ensure the cables will fit bvetween the devices and where the motherboard is finally going to be.

7. Insert motherboard into computer and attach data cables and power.

8. Insert graphics card if appropriate.

9. Power up test before closing case. Should make a satisfying 'Beep'.

10. Set CMOS correctly (date/time etc.)

11.  Install operating system.

12. Do all the operating system updates.

No real problems - just make sure that you get rid of any static electricity before handling the components.