Systems and What each is good for.
Systems and What each is good for.
AldarHawk | 8840 Reads | Building your own computer can cost a lot more than the cost to have someone else build it for you! Here are some tips on what to look for in what kind of machine.
If you are going to use your computer for general home use I would suggest buying a computer with the following specs:
Dimension B110 CPU: Intel Celeron D Processor 325 (2.53 GHz, 533 FSB) OS: Windows XP Home Edition RAM: 256 MB DDR SDRAM at 400MHz HDD: 80GB Ultra ATA/100 7200 RPM Hard Drive ODD: 48x CD-RW / DVD-ROM Combo Drive Mon: 17" E773 (16" View) Conventional CRT V/C: Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2
Cost (Dell.com on August 8, 2006): $299.00
If you are looking for a little more bang for your use and want to use this machine for gaming then I would suggest the following:
XPS 200 CPU: Pentium D Processor 820 w/Dual Core Technology (2.8GHz,800FSB) OS: Windows XP Media Center 2005 Edition with re-installation CD RAM: 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz (2x1GB) HDD: 250GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/ 8MB cache ODD: 24x CD-RW / DVD-ROM Combo Drive Mon: 20 inch UltraSharpâ„¢ 2007FPW Widescreen Digital Flat Panel V/C: 128MB PCI Expressâ„¢ x16 ATI Radeonâ„¢ X600 SE S/C: Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
Cost (Dell.com on August 8, 2006): $1,400.00
If you are looking to work with media and other such content I would suggest the following:
Dimension E510 CPU: Pentium D Processor 930 with Dual Core Technology (3.0GHz, 800FSB) OS: Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 RAM: 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz (4x512M) HDD: 250GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/ 8MB cache ODD: 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability Mon: 20 inch Ultrasharp 2007FP Digital Flat Panel V/C: 256MB PCI Expressâ„¢ x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) ATI Radeon X600 SE HyperMemory S/C: Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
Cost (Dell.com on August 8, 2006): $1,666.00
Now I will agree that you can build any of these for cheaper if you know what you are doing. The main down side of building yourself is the need for things like cooling gel and time. The cooling paste normally will run about $10 a tube. If you only are building 1 computer that is a waste of $10 because you will only use up about 1/40 - 1/20 of the tube. Also the know how in placing the chip so there are no pin bends and no heat pockets is not too easy for the beginner. So I would suggest staying away from building PCs and leave it to the paid professionals to do it for you. You will not be sorry paying an extra $200 or so to save the change of you overheating a CPU which can cause a lot of damage. (Take it from someone who over-heated an AMD Duron 950MHz and blew out his motherboard, video card and a stick of ram.)
So I would suggest unless you have the know-how stay away from the do-it-yourself computers unless you have a tech to do it for you.
ghost 18 years ago
lol.If you are going to use your computer for general home use=300$ If you are looking for a little more bang=1400$. That's a lot more:D:D
AldarHawk 18 years ago
cesnjak: read the entire line…not just part of it. 1400 is not a lot more bang. Just that much more expensive.
My PC ATM at home cost me 1500 without an OS. I am looking at upgrading the RAM and another monitor. :evil::evil::evil::evil::evil:
ghost 18 years ago
iv found building my own omputers in the past has been cheaper then buying from stores. But i do prefer to have some kinda insurance / warrenty as the ones iv built my self have a habit of screwing up within 3 months.
anywayz…..very nice article
AldarHawk 18 years ago
minermonk: I have no problem with building your own computer. I have been building computers for 12 years. I have built over 40 computers in this time. My point is that if you are not in the know of how to put one together it is easier (and sometimes cheaper) to buy one from a store and get warranty and all the pros of this. A company like Dell can get items cheaper than you could if you bought it at a computer shop. the reason you pay more is the people to build it and the warranty behind it.
korg 18 years ago
Well I agree with building your own computer 100%. The shit you buy at the store is JUNK. Company's like dell and hp use the cheapest shit they can get and for most people it's fine. I have repaired hundreds of computers with inferior parts and that's no bullshit.I do not agree with using anything made by INTEL, They are years behind AMD in technology the best P4 you buy runs 800 fsb. AMD has had 2000 fsb for a while and blows the shit out of intel. I run the 3400+ right now and have compared it to to xe 840 and there was no match. Spend your cash on AMD and ASUS motherboards thats the best shit going. I'll built shitloads of gaming boxes and never had a problem.
AldarHawk 18 years ago
korg, you looked at the NEW Intel Chips? the Duos? They blow the shit out of any AMD out there. Lower Power consumption and true dual core. Just my thoughts though. FSB is not everything it is the balance of a good FSB and a good Hz speed. AMD is behind in the Hz and Intel is behind in the FSB they even out. I have just had less cooling issues while using intel based chips :P
korg 18 years ago
I've always run AMD over INTEL just have better luck. Never have cooling issues using the thermaltake tower heatsink with 2 fans (super cool looking too). Aldarhawk checkout the new FX-62 by AMD. It's going to be my next project.
ghost 18 years ago
Aldar, I'm sorry but your last comment was a little lacking on.. Factual accuracy. Just as a little note, the old chips are known as Core, while the new are known as Core 2. Duo is available on Core as well. I'll give you that the new chips have lower power consumption, although AMD is putting out 35w versions of several of it's dual cores. "True dual core," though? The Intel chips actually share L2 cache. Wouldn't that make it less of a true dual-core, (meaning, aiming for two completely seperate processing units on one die?) AMD is not behind in the "Hz" as you claim- AMD uses a 14 stage pipeline while Intel has chosen a 31 stage pipeline for the majority of their Pentium series. With this, AMD has a higher IPC. The new Intel chips actually follow this patten, (similar to the 1.6ghz Celerons.) Intel's FSB is actually much more difficult to compare to AMD, as AMD uses an entirely different bussing system. Anyway, nothing personal but that was.. an interesting comment.
ghost 18 years ago
Also, this article is.. Interesting? Perhaps you should explain your choices a bit further. The misconception that absolutely every PC retailer uses cheap parts is just that- a misconception. The truth is, yes, you can probably do better yourself if you're experienced. Choosing your hardware is more difficult than most believe. Unless you just throw money at the situation in terms of housing and cooling your chosen components, then it can be a much more difficult issue and you begin to see the trouble companies like Dell and HP face daily. Try keeping your case cool and quiet on air cooling without spending a fortune. This is accomplished through a careful selection of cooling components, organization with other components, (ie., ASUSTek favoring passively cooled motherboards,) and air flow patterning. Making choices that affect the lifetime of a computer on a tight budget is more difficult than you may think. Most homebrewers end up sacrificing quality at least twice in a project.
ghost 18 years ago
Finally! Korg, no offense but you should check out some more information on modern processors. This isn't a personal attack, but you think right now the same things I thought before I learned. Intel is NOT far behind AMD. Intel on the Core 2/Conroe project has made a massive amount of progress in micro-architecture changes. For example, the new chips from Intel migrated off of NetBurst onto a 4-wide architecture. The SSE3 bus has also been widened from 64-bit to 128-bit to reduce the instruction splitting that has been faced in the implementation of SSE3. The addition of SSE4 also is paving the way in making processors more intelligent on their own. You claim your 3400+ beats a XE840? (Note, it's EE, not XE. XE is a Conroe series coming out in the future.) That Pentium beats the pants off your Athlon about 70% of the time, but it becomes dependent on your memory. Again, the FSB issue that you're discussing isn't comparable in the way you're talking about them.
ghost 18 years ago
Well if your just getting into building computers you may want to start with cheaper perferably second hand parts and practice assembleing those. we all have to start someware its just not a good idea to rush out and buy all the most expensive parts right away and think you can just through them together.
korg 18 years ago
Thousandtoone I have info on modern cpu's I work with them all week long. Have you ever done any benchmark testing on cpu's. And yes it is xe840 I'm talking about Ie:http://www.bytesector.com/data/bs-article.asp?ID=453 Pentium beats amd 70% of the time? What benchmark have you looked at intel's:) Check out this article http://www.tbreak.com/reviews/printpage.php?id=425. I'm saying Personnally I have better luck With AMD in my gaming towers I built than INTEL by far and everyone I have built do not come back in my face. I have no problem using P4 if that's what people want I sell them both. (I'm not an INTEL basher) But we all have are opinions I guess.
AldarHawk 18 years ago
I get the info here from years of use of computers as well as assembling them. the Core2 Duo are used for the Personal Computers while the Core Duo is used for Laptops. If you read more into them you will see this. this is from personal choice and from business choices as well. I have been working in the IT field for years now. But again it is my choices and not everyones. AMD is a better gaming system but mainly is sold by corner shops. and I have had problems with corner shop computers ;)
ghost 18 years ago
AldarHawk- What does that have to do with anything? I know that the core duo was inititally developed for laptops, so don't think about patronizing me. That fact has nothing to do with anything that was posted.
Korg, in terms of what types of applications, a Pentium Extreme Edition will slaughter an Athlon in just about every area. Check ranges of benchmarks from groups like tomshardware.