Pink Poogle Toy Forum

okay in class we were given a project and I need to start working on this and I could use some help. The project purpose is to build a computer from scratch, well not really build it but to search the net for the pieces and "buy" the ones that are the better buy. So not only does it have to be good computer equipment but it can't be a rip off and we must show that we got the most for our money. We have to buy what is better and most suitable for the type of things we want the computer to do. For example if we are trying to build a computer thah gamers would like we need to have all the requirements for a great gamming computer.

Now I wanted to do a gamming PC because I thought that would be easier because it was specific, however our group decided that we'd build a PC that basically just lets you have tons and tons of programs open without freezing up or being turtle slow. I don't know what types of programs my partner has in mind though. Anyhow, I just want some opinions on how to start what to look for etc. I know some sites that are supposed to be good for finding good deals on computer parts like newegg.com and I believe someone said cnet.com.

So far she found this motherboard that she thinks is the best (D865PERL(KD865PERLPAK10) Motherboard?) for $645. My question is what else so I look for? I mean what are good DVD burners I guess, sound cards, graphic cards? I'm assuming that since she wants it to be able to run a ton of things at once we will need good cooling, if so what should I look into? I just don't know where to start on anything besides looking for ATI graphic cards because I know they are the best out there.

Any help is greatly appreciated, even with forums or sites that will help us figure out what to look for.

$645 for a MB? One could build a decent complete PC for that much these days. Don't forget about NVIDIA when looking for video cards as well.

As for a PC platform that lets you run tons of programs with stability, you can build a sweet Linux box. Most of the software is completely free and plentiful - Windows XP or 2000 will just add costs to your budget and decrease stability. Just decide on a certain distribution of Linux and look at the HCL (hardware compatibility list) for the best hardware that will work with the operating system. If you do this, your project will probably turn out to be MUCH cheaper than most of the other students competing in this expercise - they'll probably wind up building a mock Windows XP or MC gaming system with an overpriced cutting-edge video card and a 160 GB HD. Don't go over-the-top with any of your hardware selections, as the "latest and greatest" components are almost always super-overpriced in order to make money off the those that "just gotta have the fastest stuff".

I thought the same thing for about the motherboard. If she was planning that price for just the motherboard I can't imagine what our overall cost would be >_<

I'll pitch the idea of linux rather than XP to her, though I don't know if it will fly well since neither of us know that OS. I do like the idea of it being much cheaper than the other's because of it.

If you want to do alot of things at once, then you would need a fairly good amount of memory. I would say about a gig of memory should do it, as it's not like your partner means having 15 huge programs open at once, does she?

And if you are going to have that many big programs open to have to use that much memory, then you will need a decent amount of space as well, such as 80GB for starters, because you have to install your operating system, virus scanner, video card, sound card, etc. on there, and still have enough space so the computer doesn't slow down. If you were to completely use up all of a hard drive, the computer would just freeze and wouldnt shut off or anything, which isn't good. You would also need a decent processor to...well, process all of the programs that are open at once, so I would go with a 3.4GhZ processor. Time for a cooling system. You should either go all out fans and have a good number of them, like 7, or you could have a water cooling system, which works better, but is more expensive. You can either search through newegg.com, or you can look at thermaltake.com, which is a good cooling place, that has cases, fans, water cooling systems, keyboards, all that stuff.

For a decent motherboard, try an ASUS. I'm not sure what their website is, just look for them on newegg and you will find some nice motherboards.

That should give you a good start. Just post again if you need anymore help.

Thanks so much for that . I knew I'd need fans but I wasn't sure around how many, you say seven though . I thought about the water cooling system but since they are expensive and take up a lot of space I thought maybe not. Thanks for the sites, I'll look into thermaltake.com. The motherboard she found has a 3.4GhZ so at least that's good, I just need to find a more inexpensive one I thingk, I'll look into the ASUS. I know she wants a lot of memory but I don't know how much to look into getting. Ugh I think this project is going to be a pain x_X.

My desktop has 2 fans, and 240 Gig Hard drive space, and it won't slow down whatsoever... I'll see if I can get Dad to get the specifics, and I'll post them...

Well, my dad has at least 7 fans for his computer with a 3.4GhZ processor, and it still runs about 130-140 degrees.

Please keep in mind that the highest Ghz value is not always the best. The Pentium 4 can be very unstable at high clock speeds, causing the system to consistently overheat and cease to function properly. AMD makes CPUs that are fast and stable. They do a much better processing job than the P4.

i agree go linux.

i also suggest:
AMD Athlon XP 3200 - http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 391&depa=1
Abit motherboard- http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 167&depa=1
Video card- http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 014&depa=1
RAM- http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductde ... 450&DEPA=0

that setup will smoke any computer in its price range for sure. my setup is almost identical and i have no problem running games and the CPU never gets above 35C.

all you need to do is buy the best drives.

Thank you so much! I will definetly tell her about the P4, I'll need to find something to back that up so she'll believe me . Thanks unclekyky, I'll definetly take a look at those, I'm grateful that you broke it down and linked me to the parts as well since it's 3am and if you had posted just names I would have died . I'm meeting with her today later in the afternoon, I'll post what we find and what she says about your comments guys.

Aiming for a high end games machine is a good way to go about building a very good all-around machine. Computer gaming is arguably the most intensive function a PC can perform.

I'll echo Dave and say to go AMD rather than Pentium. Regardless of what Intel would have you believe, the AMD will outperform its Pentium "equivalent" 9 times out of 10. Do a Google for some comparitive benchmarks. There are tons of these about, and should be nice in your report. I'd recommend a 3gb+ Winchester. It should come with a suitable fan and heatsink, but you can get all exotic if you want to. Unless you are planning to overclock the chip ( why?! ), extra coolant shouldnt be required. Doing some research about exactly why I put speech marks around "equivalent" might give you some info for that report too

With a winchester chip you will need a socket 939 motherboard. The 939 refers to the amount of pins on the underside of the chip. Asus boards seem to be dropping in quality from what Ive heard from friends in the trade, but MSI are just getting better and better. Great prices too. Go for Serial ATA over IDE, a firewire input if your client will have a digicam, plenty of USB ports, and a RAID controller would be nice for ..

A nice big 400gb RAID Array . This is when you run two drives in such a way as to make them believe they are actually one. The lowered seek time results in faster data access, and therefore a more efficient system. 2x 200gb 7200rpm 8mb cache Hard Drives from Western Digital wont set you back that much in the scheme of things. If you dont like the price, reduce the sizes accordingly. Another idea might be to splash out on a very fast smaller drive like a 35gb or 70gb 10000rpm Raptor to install your operating system and by extension programs on, and then buy a less expensive but bigger slave drive to store your files on.

How important is sound quality in your build? You can save money by using the on-board sound features most Mother Boards now come with, rather than buying a seperate sound card.

I dont know how important graphics will be, but I'd advise ATI cards over NVIDIA. The new PCIE interface is something to consider if you decide to splash out. Though the technology is a little too new to be practical at the moment, it could pay dividends in the future.

Buying a reasonably expensive, branded, "Matched Pair" of 512mb PC3200 DDR Ram Sticks and running them in "Dual Channel" mode will get the most out of them. 2 good brands are "Kingston"and "Crucial" Aside from the actual CPU, your RAM is your biggest friend. Dont bother with more than 1gb. Waste of money. I believe the maximum supported by Windows XP ( Im assuming this is the operating system you will use ) is 2gb, but you would need to be running a truely ridiculous amount of programs to need more than 1gb.

Buy a well made system case. Avoid the flashy-but-cheap boxes with free flashy lights and see-through system fans. It should have an air intake and a fan or housing for one at the front ( mine is concealed beneath the bottom of the front panel, and some sensible means of air output at the at the rear. 2 system fans should really be your limit. Anymore than that and your PC will sound like a jet is taking off inside it when you hit the power button. If you actually need more than 2 fans, its likely you bought a bad case.
You should then put/give/throw away the power supply. Its unlikely you will buy a case without one, as they almost always included. These are generally low wattage, noisy, and so badly made that the dust that invariably travels into them has no way to exit and clogs up the supply. Then go and buy youself a brand spanking 400 or 450w model with a nice quiet fan.

DVD-/+RW's are ten a penny now. Pioneer and Lite-on are both great brands.

Unfortunately, I cant really give you any good sites to check out for actual purchases. You might confuse your prof if your prices are in ££££'s rather than $$$$'s

I think thats about it

My dad builds computers himself, and I watch him do it, so I MIGHT be able to do it. First thing you need is a case. Since you have to do it from scratch, that would make me think they don't want you to use a Barebone Kit, but I must warn you. If you build from scratch, it's going to be a lot more confusing then using a Barebone Kit [in a barebone kit, the motherboard is already in it, but in a actual computer case, you have to put it in], but if they actually will let you - http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... p?CatId=31

I WARN YOU ABOUT SOYOS - Soyo's aren't the best motherboards, infact 3 of the Soyos my dad have build, the motherboards died, including the old computer my dad built for me and my mom. That's why you didn't see me post too much last year, because on Linspire 4.5, it freezes up, and it still does if you go near Flash.

Now, as for a operating system, Linux is the way to go for sure. If you're experienced with Linux, then you can get whatever system you're most comfortable with, but if not, http://www.linspire.com They just came out with Linspire Five-0 a few days ago, so if you're going to be downloading anything from the CNR, it might be slow.

Oh, Linux (the user, now)...THAT IS THE CUTEST SIGNATURE EVER! I'm a Tux picture collector, so I ask...where did you get that picture?!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the project is to build a mock PC, right? Meaning that the PC in question will never actually be build and that it is simply conceptual. If that's the case, the AMD vs. Intel debate is moot - go with AMD simply due to cost.

In the real world, I wouldn't necessarily give that same advice. It's a given that everything is always written to 100% support Intel products, which is not the case 100% of the time with AMD. Just talk to anyone that writes code for serious multimedia applications and they'll tell you the same thing. And if you do enough research, you'll find just as many complaints about AMDs overheating as you will Intels. Hate the "Win", not the "tel"

As per ATI vs NVIDIA, if it's just a mock PC, just go with the cheapest one. For the most part, Windows and Linux users have different opinions when it comes to ATI or NVIDIA (because of the driver support), so it's pretty easy to tell who is using which OS based on what they suggest.

Again, if this PC is indeed just a concept, then suggesting a RAID controller is major overkill. The redundancy the array gives is a good thing, but is not necessary when dealing with a home desktop, and is a falsehood that it will automatically speed-up seek time.

Linspire is one of the few Linux distributions that will cost a little money to run legally (~$80US /w 1 yr CNR last time I checked). Red Hat (Not Fedora) and SuSE will also run you a little money for licensing. Mandrake, Gentoo, Debian, Slackware, Ubuntu, etc will not cost a thing if you use their downloadable versions.

DM: Thanks for the compliment The tux sig is from a desktop wallpaper I found online - Try this link to find some places that will have it in different formats:
http://www.google.com/linux?hl=en&lr=&q=kill+bill+wallpaper&btnG=Google+Search

I was just talking to my brother in law about the Pentium vs. AMD and he said that AMD overheat just as much as Pentiums. The thing is that people just don't like Microsoft stuff sometimes and they will recommend one over the other because of it. Thanks for stating that because it just confirms what he said. And yes you are correct, it's just a mock project. However, we still want to have a computer the other groups will think has really good specs and definetly worth the price and not an overly expensive type of thing that's just unecessary.

I'm not even going to go into the RAID thing, what Jim was saying about that was too confusing for her and me as well until I read it like 5 times .

We looked over some parts and I'll post later the things we came up with to see if you guys can give some input on them. I appreciate all your input, you guys are way more computer savy than I am so I'm really grateful.

Ah but you see that Charisma is in need of more than just a cheap machine. Faux or not. However, I heartily agree with you on the cost point.



Hmm. I think you mean Linux users like NVidia because better drivers are available, and windows users are free to choose either A month or so ago I helped build a PC for a friend with more money than sense, and can tell you that after a lot of research, the current top ATI card X850XT PE outperforms the NVIDIA equivalent in over 90% of tests. If memory serves, the GeForce managed to top the Radeon in only Doom3. Not much of a claim.

The less said about the fact thatI had to send the first card back because it kept overheating, the better



I never mentioned anything about "auto" mate. The girl has to do some of her own homework


Sorry if I went overboard, Kayla. Feel free to ingore as much of my drivel as you wish. As usual