New to this forum... need some help...

Associate
Joined
27 May 2006
Posts
28
K... I've now set my mind up building a computer after the holidays... now the problem is, I don't have a clue what I need. what I have now is a Case and a power supply thing, which I bought about 6 or 7 months back. I think the power supply was something like 400 watts? or 40 watts... either of them which sounds correct -_-;;
and the case is:Asus TA-210 Series Midi Tower (Black) - 360W PSU (CA-004-AS)

so I think it was 400Watts for the power... but I think someone told me about getting the 939??? soket??? (No idea...)

anyway I'm looking for com with ability of running most of the games without lagging, (but not on full graphic, just average) and hopefully lots and lots of music to be stored for listening, and what else.... wireless, and pretty much everything. the only thing that I have is an external hard drive, and a wirelss mouse (using laptop)

any helps welcome (even though I;m not sure this thread should be in this section)

Cheers
-Sean
 
Don
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7 Aug 2003
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Location
Aberdeenshire
Hi galabanga, welcome to the forum. Please read the FAQ and your stay will be a long and happy one.

I've moved this to the General Hardware forum as you'll get a better response to all your questions there.

Jokester
 
Man of Honour
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Location
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Welcome to the forums, I'd probably suggest something along these lines. I've included another PSU as 360w is probably a shade light to comfortably power a modern system although it should work. I did originally try to fit a dual core system into the budget but couldn't manage it and do justice to all the other components.

MB-088-AS Asus A8N-E nForce4 Ultra (Socket 939) PCI-Express Motherboard (MB-088-AS)
£54.95 £54.95
GX-044-CO Connect3D ATI Radeon X1800 XT 256MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail (GX-044-CO)
£139.95 £139.95
MY-006-OK OcUK Value 2GB (2x1GB) PC3200 184pin DDR Memory Dual Channel Kit (MY-006-OK)
£99.95 £99.95
CD-035-NE NEC ND3550 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM (CD-035-NE)
£19.95 £19.95
HD-024-SA Samsung SpinPoint P HD160JJ 160GB SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (HD-024-SA)
£37.95 £37.95
CP-120-AM AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego 90nm (Socket 939) - Retail (CP-120-AM)
£94.95 £94.95
NW-009-BE Belkin 54Mbps Wireless USB 2.0 Network Adapter (F5D7050UK) (NW-009-BE)
£15.25 £15.25
CA-007-EN Enermax Noisetaker 485W EG495AX-VE(G) SFMA ATX2.0 PSU (CA-007-EN)
£49.95 £49.95
Subtotal £512.90
VAT £89.76
Total £602.66
 
Soldato
Joined
6 Jun 2005
Posts
22,598
semi-pro waster said:
Welcome to the forums, I'd probably suggest something along these lines. I've included another PSU as 360w is probably a shade light to comfortably power a modern system although it should work. I did originally try to fit a dual core system into the budget but couldn't manage it and do justice to all the other components.

MB-088-AS Asus A8N-E nForce4 Ultra (Socket 939) PCI-Express Motherboard (MB-088-AS)
£54.95 £54.95
GX-044-CO Connect3D ATI Radeon X1800 XT 256MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail (GX-044-CO)
£139.95 £139.95
MY-006-OK OcUK Value 2GB (2x1GB) PC3200 184pin DDR Memory Dual Channel Kit (MY-006-OK)
£99.95 £99.95
CD-035-NE NEC ND3550 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM (CD-035-NE)
£19.95 £19.95
HD-024-SA Samsung SpinPoint P HD160JJ 160GB SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (HD-024-SA)
£37.95 £37.95
CP-120-AM AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego 90nm (Socket 939) - Retail (CP-120-AM)
£94.95 £94.95
NW-009-BE Belkin 54Mbps Wireless USB 2.0 Network Adapter (F5D7050UK) (NW-009-BE)
£15.25 £15.25
CA-007-EN Enermax Noisetaker 485W EG495AX-VE(G) SFMA ATX2.0 PSU (CA-007-EN)
£49.95 £49.95
Subtotal £512.90
VAT £89.76
Total £602.66

I would go along with this apart from a slight change - due to less powerful graphics being an issue I would go with :
MY-030-CR Crucial 1GB DDR PC3200 CAS3 £54.95

instead and go for dual core immediately ,like

CP-152-AM AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 3800+ (Socket 939) - OEM £144.95
HS-020-AR Arctic Cooling Alpine 64 CPU Cooler (Socket 754/939/940) £5.95
Subtotal £150.90

admittedly that will cost you £5 more, and then its easy to upgrade to 2GB of ram when and if you feel you need it when you have an extra £60 saved up
 
Associate
OP
Joined
27 May 2006
Posts
28
Ok... Now I've roughly read the big post...

I get that I need
-Graphic card
-Sound card (optional???)
-Mother board (939)
-Cooling system???
-CPU (still don't know what to get)
-CD drive???
-Key board/Speaker

I think these are what I need...I'm still confused... u see, I'm only good with playing the games... not making them,,, but any more help would be welcome... also I realise, Since I'm Korean, and currently in Korea, would it be cheaper to buy components from here??? I roughly have 500quid in my bank account... also I have the XP software thingy with the office... just don't have any anti virus... I'm currently using a laptop with the following

Intel(R) Pentium(R) M
Processor 1600MHz
I.95GHz, 512MB RAM...

thats what it says on the computer,,,, just want to build a computer better than the current one.,..

Cheers
-Sean
 
Don
Joined
5 Oct 2005
Posts
11,143
Location
Liverpool
galabanga said:
Ok... Now I've roughly read the big post...

I get that I need
-Graphic card
-Sound card (optional???)
-Mother board (939)
-Cooling system???
-CPU (still don't know what to get)
-CD drive???
-Key board/Speaker

I think these are what I need...I'm still confused... u see, I'm only good with playing the games... not making them,,, but any more help would be welcome... also I realise, Since I'm Korean, and currently in Korea, would it be cheaper to buy components from here??? I roughly have 500quid in my bank account... also I have the XP software thingy with the office... just don't have any anti virus... I'm currently using a laptop with the following

Intel(R) Pentium(R) M
Processor 1600MHz
I.95GHz, 512MB RAM...

thats what it says on the computer,,,, just want to build a computer better than the current one.,..

Cheers
-Sean

If you dont get a soundcard you will have to make sure that there is one on the motherboard

Stelly
 
Associate
Joined
22 Jun 2006
Posts
276
galabanga said:
Ok... Now I've roughly read the big post...

I get that I need
-Graphic card
-Sound card (optional???)
-Mother board (939)
-Cooling system???
-CPU (still don't know what to get)
-CD drive???
-Key board/Speaker

I think these are what I need...I'm still confused... u see, I'm only good with playing the games... not making them,,, but any more help would be welcome... also I realise, Since I'm Korean, and currently in Korea, would it be cheaper to buy components from here??? I roughly have 500quid in my bank account... also I have the XP software thingy with the office... just don't have any anti virus... I'm currently using a laptop with the following

Intel(R) Pentium(R) M
Processor 1600MHz
I.95GHz, 512MB RAM...

thats what it says on the computer,,,, just want to build a computer better than the current one.,..

Cheers
-Sean

Yep, that's basically the whole lot you need. If you have a search on the internet about how to build a pc, you will get more of an idea about what you need etc.

Your best best would be to get a slightly slower CPU (like a 3700+) and then put more money towards a more powerful graphics card if you want to play games in a reasonable quality (like an X1800XT). Ram will be less important, although if you can afford to get the 2gig, it will be beneficial.
 
Associate
Joined
7 Oct 2005
Posts
609
CP-165-AM AMD Athlon 64 3800+ 2.4GHz (Socket AM2) - Retail (CP-165-AM)
£84.95 £84.95
MB-069-MS MSI K9N Platinum nForce 570 SLi (Socket AM2) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard (MB-069-MS)
£99.95 £99.95
MY-006-OK OcUK Value 2GB (2x1GB) PC3200 184pin DDR Memory Dual Channel Kit (MY-006-OK)
£99.95 £99.95
GX-044-CO Connect3D ATI Radeon X1800 XT 256MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail (GX-044-CO)
£136.95 £136.95
HD-023-SA Samsung SpinPoint P HD080HJ 80GB SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (HD-023-SA)
£26.95 £26.95
CD-030-NE NEC ND4570 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM (CD-030-NE)
£21.95 £21.95
CA-026-EN Enermax Liberty 400W ELT400AWT ATX2.2 Modular SLI Compliant PSU (CA-026-EN)
£40.95 £40.95

Subtotal £511.65
VAT £89.54
Total £601.19

Socket AM2 Spec for £600.
 
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Posts
1,604
Murzo said:
CP-165-AM AMD Athlon 64 3800+ 2.4GHz (Socket AM2) - Retail (CP-165-AM)
£84.95 £84.95
MB-069-MS MSI K9N Platinum nForce 570 SLi (Socket AM2) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard (MB-069-MS)
£99.95 £99.95
MY-006-OK OcUK Value 2GB (2x1GB) PC3200 184pin DDR Memory Dual Channel Kit (MY-006-OK)
£99.95 £99.95
GX-044-CO Connect3D ATI Radeon X1800 XT 256MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail (GX-044-CO)
£136.95 £136.95
HD-023-SA Samsung SpinPoint P HD080HJ 80GB SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (HD-023-SA)
£26.95 £26.95
CD-030-NE NEC ND4570 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM (CD-030-NE)
£21.95 £21.95
CA-026-EN Enermax Liberty 400W ELT400AWT ATX2.2 Modular SLI Compliant PSU (CA-026-EN)
£40.95 £40.95

Subtotal £511.65
VAT £89.54
Total £601.19

Socket AM2 Spec for £600.

Nicely done,future proof (we hope) aswell..
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Sep 2005
Posts
9,128
Murzo said:
CP-165-AM AMD Athlon 64 3800+ 2.4GHz (Socket AM2) - Retail (CP-165-AM)
£84.95 £84.95
MB-069-MS MSI K9N Platinum nForce 570 SLi (Socket AM2) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard (MB-069-MS)
£99.95 £99.95
MY-006-OK OcUK Value 2GB (2x1GB) PC3200 184pin DDR Memory Dual Channel Kit (MY-006-OK)
£99.95 £99.95
GX-044-CO Connect3D ATI Radeon X1800 XT 256MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail (GX-044-CO)
£136.95 £136.95
HD-023-SA Samsung SpinPoint P HD080HJ 80GB SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (HD-023-SA)
£26.95 £26.95
CD-030-NE NEC ND4570 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM (CD-030-NE)
£21.95 £21.95
CA-026-EN Enermax Liberty 400W ELT400AWT ATX2.2 Modular SLI Compliant PSU (CA-026-EN)
£40.95 £40.95

Subtotal £511.65
VAT £89.54
Total £601.19

Socket AM2 Spec for £600.


There is no case in that build and you have got the wrong ram
 
Soldato
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Posts
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Location
NBO
Stelly said:
If you dont get a soundcard you will have to make sure that there is one on the motherboard

Stelly
Uncommon this days for a motherboard not to have onboard sound :)

Just to explain the guide further, let me break it down briefly for you (in order):
  • CPU: First decide whether you want to go AMD or Intel, both use different Sockets for their chips hence why you have to pick this first before you decide on motherboard & or RAM. Also, deciding which one to pick over the other will be determined by what you want to use the machine for e.g. gaming, video editing, etc or all of them;
  • Motherboard: After picking CPU you can now pick a motherboard for your rig. If you go AMD your choices are the older but very capable Socket 939 mobo or the newer Socket AM2 mobo. Intel chips use Socket 775 even the upcoming Conroe though not on all mobos. ATX & mATX is then the secondary option determined by case size - though mATX would still fit a ATX case. mATX tend to be cheaper because smaller but come with onBoard video (which TBH is normally crap). Like said before, onboard sound is available in all mobos these days so no need of sound card unless you are an enthusiast;
  • RAM: Memory also goes by what motherboard you choose. AMD Socket 939 use DDR & the new AMD AM2 & Intel's 775 sockets' use DDR2 (PC2) RAM Sticks. Whateva mobo you choose, make sure you buy 2-paired Dual Channel sticks of RAM as opposed to 1-stick. Minimum amount to get should be 1GB & for DDR2 (same) 667MHz (PC2-5300) or above should be ideal;
  • Case: Most are ATX but you can also get mATX size ones. Some come with Power supply’s (PSU), e.g. most of the Antec’s but TBH not as good as stand-alone ones. Best cases at the moment are Lian-Li’s but they do not come with a PSU. Recommend minimum of 400w & from any of these reputable makers:
    • Seasonic
    • Tagan
    • FSP (Sparkle)
    • Enermax
  • Graphics: If you have unlimited funds get the best! If not get something midline, i.e. performance at a decent price, e.g. ATI X1800XT or NVIDIA 7600GT. Anthying below this really will struggle.
  • Cooling: CPU (HSF) & case (fans) will come with their own cooling which I suggest you try out first before you start ‘modding’ yourself
  • Other Peripherals, etc are really self explanatory
:cool:

EDIT: Build guide with nice big pictures here :)
 
Last edited:
Associate
OP
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27 May 2006
Posts
28
Ok... now its getting me confusing and knocking my head out... I still don't completely get what the GHz and the Hz thing... how high they should be... for normal use....
 
Associate
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You don't really need to worry about those figures really. They just provide a rough guide as to what speed the processor is, but should not be the basis of your decision making. The specs posted here already are very nice indeed, and will get you a nice modern computer that will play all games.
 
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Booner! said:
There is no case in that build and you have got the wrong ram

galabanga already has a case according to the original post, you are correct about needing DDR2 Ram but it costs about the same so the price won't change much at all :)

You do get more for your money with socket 939 though and unless you are likely to upgrade in the near(ish) future i.e. 1-2years then AM2 might not be that much more future-proof.
 
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galabanga, to build a pc you need the following. Lets get this done for you first then we can start throwing suggestions at you and advising you as to what works with what.

You need the following:

Case
Motherboard
Processor
Memory

Graphics Card (if you want to play games, but some motherboards have these built in for cheapness)
Souncard (as above)
Hard Drive
CD-ROM drive
(DVD-RW drive will cover all your needs)
Floppy Drive (if you still use them, could be replaced with card reader, etc)
Monitor
Keyboard
Mouse
Speakers
Software


Thats pretty much it!

There are two main supporting manufacturers of motherboard (although lots of motherboard manufacturers!). You have the support for all things Intel (Pentium) and support for all things AMD (Athlon, etc).

Here you have to make sure your motherboard is a suitable match for the processor. (i.e. a AMD chip will not work in an Intel board, and vice versa).

After that, most other stuff is compatible no matter what platform you use. The only other thing to look out for is buying suitable memory in size and speed for the type of applciations you will be running, but thats where we can help you further.

For gaming, you'll want a high end graphics card, a decent amount of RAM (1gb, but 2gb would be good), and a decent processor matched to a cool running mobo.

In addition, you mentioned you want wireless. If thats the case, you'll need a Wireless Network Interface Card (NIC) which would need to connect to a Wireless Router or Access point.

HTH
 
Last edited:
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