Topic: TSKB: New computer ....

[Xpanding Man]

Ok, I'm due....too many bugs on current tower, can barely get anything to work anymore.

of couse i would like to do some audio / video rendering....never used a mac but i'm tempted. 

if you had $800 to spend on a computer (no peripherals needed, that's covered)  what would you do ?

[mmedley.]

Here is my next upgrade. I am waiting on AMD's big price cut due at the end of April. Most chips are dropping anywhere from 30-50%. When the time comes I might go for the 3GHz processor...or an additional 512MB vid card. Maybe both. 

You can go with less RAM...only 2GB and without the burner and be well within your price range.


ATI RADEON X1650 PRO 512MB DDR PCI-E DUAL-LINK DVI (Retail) (*Regular $184 - $27 Mwave Instant Discount = $157, While Supplies Last!)     
        1     $156.92   $156.92


PLEXTOR 16X DVD WRITER DUAL LAYER 16+R/16-R/8+RW/10X+R DL INTERNAL SATA (Black) w/Beige Bezel (#PX-755SA/SW-BL) (White box)

   1    $95.90    $95.90
   

CORSAIR TWIN2X2048-6400 2GB KIT (1GB x 2) PC26400 800MHZ MATCHED PAIR 5-5-5-12 240-PIN DDR2 DIMM ($30.00 Mail-In Manufacturer Rebate Available from 3/30/07 till 4/9/07)    2    $170.16    $340.32


ASUS M2N32-SLI DELUXE nVIDIA nFORCE 590SLI CHIPSET SERIAL ATA300 ATX FORM FACTOR 2xPCI-E(X16)/2xPCI-E(X1)/3xPCI/4xDDR2 W/SATA2,RAID,DUAL LAN(Gb),1394A,USB 2.0 & AUDIO (CPU TYPE:AMD - SOCKET AM2)

   1    $179.55    $179.55
    

AMD ATHLON 64 X2 5400+ (ADA5400CZBOX) DUAL CORE W/512KB X 2 CACHE 90NM (WINDSOR) 64-BIT SOCKET AM2 RETAIL BOXED W/COOLING FAN (3 YEARS WARRANTY)ARCTIC SILVER 5 COMPOUND

   1    $252.00    $252.00


AMD Vista Boost Promotion- FREE AMD 512MB Memory Stick w/purchase of $250 or more of AMD qualified technology!    1    $19.99    $19.99
SKU: BA23609    

Saved Cart Sub-Total    $1,044.68

[blastroknow]

I'm waiting for price drops at the end of this month, too although I'm going Intel.  I'll do a slight overclock to bring it up around 3.2 GHZ.

My current newegg wish list is:

ASUS P5W DH DELUXE/WIFI-AP LGA 775 Intel 975X ATX Intel Motherboard - $209

 Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 Conroe 2.6GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6600 - $318 {after April 22}

CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400C4 - $199 {RAM is always fluctuating I expect it will go up some when cpu prices drop again}

 ASUS EN7300LE/HTD/128M GeForce 7300LE Supporting to 512MB(128MB on BoarD) GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card - $53

 Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $54 {Boot Drive}

Then whatever the big hard drive of the week is around $100 {and I have my old big PATA drives, too} and reuse my case {third computer I've built in the same case} I already have a new power supply and my old cd/dvd burner.

Shopping is 90% of the fun when buying a new computer

[newscane]

Don't forget a hard drive... you'll want plenty of space...

You can probably scale back the burner a bit.  You probably don't need more than 8x for the DL burning, as long as you have 16x for the other formats.  One of those burners can probably be found for $50-60.

[bluegrass_brad]

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=FA199LL%2FA

 

[mmedley.]

Lookie there. AMD cut prices today. AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000 is now only $239. 

Almost time to pull the trigger. 

[kskreider]

Yep, build your own.  The Intel Core 2 Duo's currently outrun the AMD's, but wait a month.  I think that AMD is about to retake the lead.  I have always like the Gigabyte mobo and AMD CPU combo, but to each their own.  ASUS makes rockin mobo's.

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=23449&t=429854

[dgodwin]

just a fyi and bump.   Some of the decent internet outlets (newegg, zipzoonfly) have dropped prices on at least some of the core 2 duo's.  I picked up a ntel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe for $235 shipped, and it includes some free computer game.  This is what I put together.  Reusing optical drives, case, monitor, and input devices.

Newegg: ($541)
GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3 LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

BFG Tech BFGR76256GTOCE GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail

2   Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS (Perpendicular Recording Technology) 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ - Retail
    
Zipzoomfly: ($306)
ntel® Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe Processor 2.4GHz, 1066FSB, LGA775, 4MB Cache Retail

Supreme Commander PC game

Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-500 500W Power Supply Retail

[kskreider]

I have been eyeballing the DS3's but I think that I am going to go with a board that is quad capable.  Gigabyte's quad board is on sale for around $100 right now.

Sunday 4/22 is the slated price drop for the Core  2 Duo processors, yet it has already begun.  The 6600 is already down the the $230 range here

[kskreider]

Bbump to add that Fry's has the E6600 for $199!!  Holy crap!

https://shop1.outpost.com/product/4893660?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG