Re: OT PC Home build
- From: "Guy Fawkes" <davenull@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 12 Oct 2005 11:24:36 -0700
Champ wrote:
> I'm toying with the idea of building my next PC. I've upgraded and
> modified machines over the years, so I'm fairly confident I've got the
> necessary know how. I realise that I'll have to go some to beat Dell
> built prices, but I like the idea of spec'ing it exactly as I want
> (including re-using things like my CD burner and wireless keyboard and
> mouse), as well as saving the price of an OS licence (I have MSDN
> versions in my name)
dell are good prices because they skimp on components and quality, this
doesn't matter to business buyers but if you're a home buyer who wants
top quality DIY is pretty easy and not much more expensive.
>
> The problem is, everytime I go to the likes of Dabs, Scan, Ebuyer,
> etc, my eyes glaze over. There are countless hundreds of motherboards
> to start with, and then it goes on. I think I know what I want, but
> can I find it amongst the endless listings?
>
> I want to build a basic desktop machine. I don't do games, so onboard
> graphics is fine. I've already got a media centre machine, so I don't
> need endless disk space or a TV card. So, here's what I want:
>
> - an ordinary tower case with mid range power supply (300W?), with a
> couple of USB slots in the front
cheap and cheerful but good enough
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=5152&GroupID=8
if you want a real quality case go to acme in london, but the above
will do you nicely.
> - motherboard with onboard graphics and sound, and aforementioend USB
> for the front panel
I really would not advise the onboard VGA, all it gets you is one less
component and a couple of quid saved, unless space is an absolute
premium go for separate GFX card.
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=5809&GroupID=330
don't forget the RAM
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=3153&GroupID=466
Motherboards, for home use you have to go a hell of a long way to beat
A-bit, AI7 will do you nicely, just make sure you match the mobo CPU
socket type, eg socket 478 with the CPU.
> - a mid range processor (say a 2.6~2.8 Ghz Pentium, or equiv AMD -
> don't care which) i.e. not too expensive
> - approx 80Gb disk
this'll do you nicely
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=6685&GroupID=32
beaten by the full P4 for stuff like video encoding and high end games,
for everything else it's gonna sit there idle most of the time.
64 bit is rubbish, a salesman's wet dream, you don't need it and can't
use it yet.
Intel over AMD because intel you can remove (accidentally or
deliberately, eg falls off or fan falls off) the entire heatsink and
fan from a running intel CPU and all it will do is slow down, do it on
AMD and it usually (less so nowadays it has to be said) means fried
mobo and cpu.
> - approx 80Gb disk
western digital are good, I quite like maxtor too, avoid seagates and
especially ibm.hitachi etc
nice little drive
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=2902&GroupID=195
but if you have SATA on the mobo go for that, it's a bit faster but
much smaller cables so easier assembly and better airflow
A-bit / Intel + ATi GFX + generic RAM + WD hard disk = a compatible
system, everything will work with everything else so no hidden pitfalls
or gotchas to worry about, will all work with all flavours of winders
and most flavours of linux without any headaches whatsoever... not just
compatible, but better quality than the innards of a dell, even down to
component level on the mobo, all of which matters if you plan on
keeping it and keeping it working.
HTH etc
.
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