# I Want Bigger & Better Than This!!



## 5Babies (Sep 12, 2008)

I want a more powerful pc than what I have, I'm new to this Upgrade/Build your own PC stuff  & I definately don't understand all the computer jargon (so to speak).

I've attached the specs to my current pc & what I want to know is can I upgrade this system or would I be better off building from scratch?



Foxconn TLM-614 ATX MiniTower - Black, 350W PSU, drive bays: 2x5.25" & 2x3.5" ext,
4x3.5" int, front

Matador Value Vista Premium System, Miditower, Athlon 64 3700+ 2.2GHz, 1GB RAM,
80GB HDD, DVD Burner

AMD Athlon 64 3700+ CPU, "San Diego Core", 2.2GHz, HT2000 MT/s, 1MB L2 Cache,
Socket 939, Boxed

Samsung 80GR 'HD08GHJ' SATA" 3Gb/s NCQ HDD - 7200rpm, 8,MB Cache,
NoiseGuard, ImpacGuard, SilentSee

Computer Kit Build

MSI K8NGM2-L mATX M/board - GF6100 + nForce 410 Chipset, HT2000, Dual Channel
DDR 266/333/400, Int.

Samsung SH-S182D Blac Internal DOUBLE Layer 18x DVD±RW Drive, 12x DVD-RAM,
8x±R DL, OEM with NERO

Micosoft Office 2007 60-day Free Trial Included

Dual on-board 10/100 Network Card

Onboard 8-channel Audio (7.1)

Computer MATADOR Deluxe

512 MB PC-3200 DDR RAM - OEM, 3-year manufacturers warranty

'DOUBLE H' SILVER Internal Multi-in-' 3.5" front bay Card Reader with 1x USB2.0 port

32-bit MS Windows Vista Home Premium 1-Pack OEM DVD Operating System

Hightech ATI X1650Pro PCI-E 256MB 128-bit DDR2, VGA, Dual Link DVI, TV Out, Fan


What I want for a new pc is (bear with me on this please 

*CPU:-* Intel Core 2 Duo
2.6GHz or Higher
64-bit Operating System
3-4GB DDR2 SDRAM
750GB-1TB HDD
Graphics Card
Sound Card
Faster DVD Burner
Multi card reader
Bluetooth
I want to keep my current software-Windows Vista Home Premium(love it)
I would love it, if it could be quiet.

My current system was quiet when i first got it, but now as soon as it gets turned on & boots up, it whirrs, rattles & makes one hell of a noise that I'm scared it's going to blow up on me

I've been looking at the parts i want, but then i don't know if they'll be compatible with each other, as for the motherboard I've no idea?

I want to know if someone could help me in regards to building a new system with above requirements if it's possible?

Also this might seem like a really stupid question, but are USA/UK & Australia parts all the same or are they different like power supply is?

Thank you in advace for any advice or help I get, it'll be greatly appreciated.


----------



## 3870x2 (Sep 12, 2008)

the power supplies are fully interchangeable.  The media IE movies/games/etc will be NTSC for us or PAL for europe.  Google is your friend if you arent sure.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 12, 2008)

IMHO, you'll be better of building a new system. If you give us a idea of your budget, we can help you with a build.


----------



## ZenZimZaliben (Sep 12, 2008)

Time for a complete system rebuild. That PC is very dated. Give to grandma for AOL email and build a new system. 

Whats your budget?


----------



## niko084 (Sep 12, 2008)

3-4gb of ram???

Just as an fyi that's almost completely useless for gaming.


----------



## mullered07 (Sep 12, 2008)

4gb isnt useless for gaming is it ? 

a budget would help out as others have suggested, you could part out your old parts to help you a tad


----------



## kyle2020 (Sep 12, 2008)

niko084 said:


> 3-4gb of ram???
> 
> Just as an fyi that's almost completely useless for gaming.



could you possibly be more wrong? With 4GB RAM, vista home premium x64 and playing crysis my ram peaks at about 75% useage - add music and some background apps to that and it bumps up even more.


----------



## niko084 (Sep 12, 2008)

kyle2020 said:


> could you possibly be more wrong? With 4GB RAM, vista home premium x64 and playing crysis my ram peaks at about 75% useage - add music and some background apps to that and it bumps up even more.



The point is you wont see jack for difference in your fps, now don't go playing a movie, some music and a virus scan and run a benchmark with the game.....

I have another machine with Vista x64 e6420 @ 3.2 and 4gb of ram the only game I ever get any performance difference in is Supreme Commander, which is a memory HOG in long 4+ player games.

Remember where free ram is vista will use, it doesn't mean your going to get anything out of it.

I mean that may change in the near future, but currently its absolutely minimal.
Not saying don't buy 4gb, just saying the difference is nill is existent at all.


----------



## qamulek (Sep 12, 2008)

3-4gb is a must for windows x64 gaming 
Using windows vista x64 while playing UT3 with only 2gb of ram results in lots of stuttering, while adding another 2gb stopped that horrible stutter.  Crazy enough though 2gb was plenty while playing UT3 on windows vista x86


----------



## kyle2020 (Sep 12, 2008)

niko084 said:


> The point is you wont see jack for difference in your fps, now don't go playing a movie, some music and a virus scan and run a benchmark with the game.....
> 
> I have another machine with Vista x64 e6420 @ 3.2 and 4gb of ram the only game I ever get any performance difference in is Supreme Commander, which is a memory HOG in long 4+ player games.
> 
> ...



i see your point, fps wise, no it will be virtually impossible to detect any difference, however multi tasking and so on you will see a positive effect, be it loading times or whatever. Sorry to seem rash on that last post mate


----------



## niko084 (Sep 12, 2008)

qamulek said:


> 3-4gb is a must for windows x64 gaming
> Using windows vista x64 while playing UT3 with only 2gb of ram results in lots of stuttering, while adding another 2gb stopped that horrible stutter.  Crazy enough though 2gb was plenty while playing UT3 on windows vista x86



ROFL... Stuttering, in that game didn't occur with my 2600xt and a e6420 @ 2.13 with 2gb of ram in Vista Ultimate x64....

I think someones machine was screwed up.


----------



## Darknova (Sep 12, 2008)

niko084 said:


> The point is you wont see jack for difference in your fps, now don't go playing a movie, some music and a virus scan and run a benchmark with the game.....
> 
> I have another machine with Vista x64 e6420 @ 3.2 and 4gb of ram the only game I ever get any performance difference in is Supreme Commander, which is a memory HOG in long 4+ player games.
> 
> ...



I agree with you about gaming, I never saw a difference, but in everything else I did. Things were smoother, programs were loading up quicker. IMO that was worth the money.


----------



## niko084 (Sep 12, 2008)

kyle2020 said:


> i see your point, fps wise, no it will be virtually impossible to detect any difference, however multi tasking and so on you will see a positive effect, be it loading times or whatever.. Sorry to seem rash on that last post mate



Nah you were not rash by all means, and you are correct in heavier multitasking you will probably see a little bit here and there because vista will use the ram, it will make it feel quicker.


----------



## kyle2020 (Sep 12, 2008)

Darknova said:


> I agree with you about gaming, I never saw a difference, but in everything else I did. Things were smoother, programs were loading up quicker. IMO that was worth the money.



and i'll happily say "+1 on that".


----------



## qamulek (Sep 12, 2008)

niko084 said:


> ROFL... Stuttering, in that game didn't occur with my 2600xt and a e6420 @ 2.13 with 2gb of ram in Vista Ultimate x64....
> 
> I think someones machine was screwed up.



I was running at 1680x1050 with all settings to max and AA forced meaning most likely some data was being pushed from the video card into the ram then being overflowed into the HDD causing horrible stutter.  I could turn off AA and the stutter for the most part  disappeared which made me believe that I reached the 512mb limit of my video card, but I noticed that the stutter only happened when the game was trying to load in another part of that map.  Just to see if it would help I slapped in 2gb of value ram[value as in crap], and all the stutter went away.


----------



## niko084 (Sep 12, 2008)

qamulek said:


> I was running at 1680x1050 with all settings to max and AA forced meaning most likely some data was being pushed from the video card into the ram then being overflowed into the HDD causing horrible stutter.  I could turn off AA and the stutter for the most part  disappeared which made me believe that I reached the 512mb limit of my video card, but I noticed that the stutter only happened when the game was trying to load in another part of that map.  Just to see if it would help I slapped in 2gb of value ram[value as in crap], and all the stutter went away.



What were you using for a video card, processor?

I ran that game maxed @ 1920x1080 on a 36" tv with that machine perfectly....

Not saying it didn't fix your problem, but I am saying unless you had some software eating your ram, it wasn't the base of your problem.


----------



## qamulek (Sep 12, 2008)

niko084 said:


> What were you using for a video card, processor?
> 
> I ran that game maxed @ 1920x1080 on a 36" tv with that machine perfectly....
> 
> Not saying it didn't fix your problem, but I am saying unless you had some software eating your ram, it wasn't the base of your problem.



At the time 8800gts 512+athlonx2@3ghz.  I could turn off AA and the stutter would go away, and with AA on the stutter would usually happen whenever the game was trying to load another part of the map which is why I think it was due to not enough ram while using vista x64.  In one part where the game makes a transition from outside to inside, the outside frame rate was a nice 50-60[I like my AA...] while the inside framerate tumbled to a mere 4fps and refused to go higher until I went back outside.  Adding another 2gb stopped all variations of the stutter.  I have a feeling vista decided to shove some data that was meant for ram into the HDD, then in that particularly bad transistion spot didn't stream all the data back into ram


----------



## niko084 (Sep 12, 2008)

qamulek said:


> At the time 8800gts 512+athlonx2@3ghz.  I could turn off AA and the stutter would go away, and with AA on the stutter would usually happen whenever the game was trying to load another part of the map which is why I think it was due to not enough ram while using vista x64.  In one part where the game makes a transition from outside to inside, the outside frame rate was a nice 50-60[I like my AA...] while the inside framerate tumbled to a mere 4fps and refused to go higher until I went back outside.  Adding another 2gb stopped all variations of the stutter.  I have a feeling vista decided to shove some data that was meant for ram into the HDD, then in that particularly bad transistion spot didn't stream all the data back into ram



Ohh you are talking about single player....

Yeah god only knows at that rate, but I would heavily blame programming for that...


----------



## niko084 (Sep 12, 2008)

That post is completely useless, if you are not going to aid in the discussion do not bother taking up space.


----------



## erocker (Sep 12, 2008)

niko084 said:


> That post is completely useless, if you are not going to aid in the discussion do not bother taking up space.
> 
> Especially being that board and those processors are NOT compatible in the least.



FYi, the QX9775 is a socket 771 processor, and the QX9770 is a socket 775 processor.


----------



## niko084 (Sep 12, 2008)

erocker said:


> FYi, the QX9775 is a socket 771 processor, and the QX9770 is a socket 775 processor.



Aw I didn't catch that, I thought it said QX9770...

Still a completely off base post non the less.


----------



## modder (Sep 12, 2008)

erocker said:


> FYi, the QX9775 is a socket 771 processor, and the QX9770 is a socket 775 processor.


thanks erocker


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 12, 2008)

Thanks for your feedback, my Budget isn't extreme for the likes of modders post.  Thank you anyway modder, I'll have to win the Lottery to afford that.
With the memory being 3 to 4GB, I honestly didn't know I could get any higher, I don't do any gaming on the PC (except solitare) so I don't need the PC to be to powerful.
As for my budget, I was just going to get the parts when I saw them on special & once I had bought them all, then I was going to build my PC.
I've 4 kids & pregnant with n#5 so money is limited, (as in i can't afford to pay for example $700 on a part straight up), to get all the parts i'll need will take me a few months but I know it'll be worth it in the end.
So your suggestions for a new pc & what parts I'll need will still be greatly appreciated, (no extreme amounts 
I keep alot of pics & videos on my pc, so i need alot of memory for that alone.  I also burn alot of picture cd's & video DVD's, so a good fast DVD burner is a must.
As I stated above, I would like the Intel Core 2 Duo CPU so If you could give me an idea as to what motheboard I can get to be compatible with that will be a major hurdle for me.  
Please don't get to technical on me   I understand a bit about computers, but not upto date on all the tech talk so to speak.
So I'm looking foward to what you can come up with for me.
Thank you so much


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 12, 2008)

Ok thank you, I got a bit lost in the conversation that was taking place.  Thank you for telling me about the power supply, i thought that Australia had a higher voltage than USA


----------



## modder (Sep 12, 2008)

high voltage and Frequency (60 hertz)
in Australia prices are expensive.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 12, 2008)

Yes very expensive in Australia, was hoping to buy the parts i needed from the States as they are so muh cheaper.  Just worried about the compatibility.  The pc cases alone are so much better looking & cheaper, was going to buy one of those & get it sent over, don't think they are different to Australian pc cases.  Just what goes inside unfortunately.
I was thinking of buying a laptop/notebook, but they don't have what I want & I think in the long run building my own desktop will work out so muh cheaper in the end.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 12, 2008)

Those prices are very good thank you so much.  with the memory though, i was hoping to go a bit higher than 2GB, any suggestions?

Also whats the best brand HDD, Hitachi, Samsung,Seagate or Western Digital?
I am stuck on Seagate or Hitachi.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 12, 2008)

Thank you for all your feedback, it's greatly apprecited.  I'v also bookmarked scorptec website, it's funny how I don't have it.  I've googled so many pages in regards to parts etc, & I've tons of websites bookmarked.  I guess with anything you just have to shop around.

What do you think of this motherboard?

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/28585

would it be compatible with what i want?

sorry for so many questions.


----------



## modder (Sep 12, 2008)

i don't know this mobo (motherboard)


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 13, 2008)

she definently dont need a 8800gt video card if all she plays is solitare. A 8600gt will be more than enough.

the e8500 is expensive, and might be alittle bit of over kill. The e7200 is considerably cheaper and should do what you want it to do. The e5200 is a wolfdale core2duo also, and while not as strong as the e7200, is still a nice cpu.

Alot of RAM will be amust for her, 4 gigs of ddr2 1066 or ddr2 800 RAM from G.Skill is some of the best priced/best performing RAM I know of.

A gigabyte p31 or p35 motherbord will do nicely for you and are very reasonably priced reliable series of motherboards


----------



## modder (Sep 13, 2008)

BarbaricSoul said:


> she definently dont need a 8800gt video card if all she plays is solitare. A 8600gt will be more than enough.
> 
> the e8500 is expensive, and might be alittle bit of over kill. The e7200 is considerably cheaper and should do what you want it to do. The e5200 is a wolfdale core2duo also, and while not as strong as the e7200, is still a nice cpu.
> 
> ...



I agree with you, but 5Babies@ live in australia and it is more difficult to find good prices


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 13, 2008)

I'm at a friend's on his 56k connection, price shopping would take hours for me right now. What's the price on the e7200?

That Asus p5k is a favorite series of motherboards on these forums, that would be a good choice of motherboard.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 13, 2008)

Hi BarbaricSoul,
Would the Asusp5k you are talking about be compatible with the Intel Core 2 Duo CPU that I want?


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 13, 2008)

Hi Modder,
Just wanted to say a big thank you for all your help so far & for giving me those links, it's greatly appreciated 
Sorry I had to take off like that, motherly duties were calling, i'll probably do that alot i'm afraid.
I'll look into all those list of parts that you gave me later today, & i'll mark down the ones I like & if you wouldn't mind, could you let me know if they would be compatible together.
Once again thank you.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 13, 2008)

5Babies said:


> Hi BarbaricSoul,
> Would the Asusp5k you are talking about be compatible with the Intel Core 2 Duo CPU that I want?



as long as it is a 775 socket(intel processor socket) board, and not a am2+ (AMD processor socket), yes it will.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 13, 2008)

Ok, I've been on the computer all day checking out parts, was getting rather  for awhile.

I have made a list of what I would like & would like your opinion on it please.  Hoping that it'll all be compatible, so when you get online I'll probably be in bed.

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/27396-memory card

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/25027-video card

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/26856-mobo

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/25578-cpu

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/27324-hdd

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/16134-case  (totally in Love with this!)

What do you think & is it all compatible?    I'll shop around for the best prices on everything & i'll keep my fingers crossed for good news 

Also if there is anything else I've forgotten please let me know (I'm guessing I have )

Thank you


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 13, 2008)

IMHO, your spending more money than you need to. The hardware you listed makes a decent gaming rig, not a basic web browsing/family video/picture editing rig. You can save money getting a lesser video card and processor and still have a rig with good performance for what your looking for. The e7200 processor and a 8600 or 9600 gt video card will do everything you said you do without a problem, and save you about $200. 

Also, the power supply you choose is one of THE most important choices your gonna make. A bad powersupply can fry your entire system. Corsair is currently making the best power supplies you can get. The 450 watt corsair will handle either cpu/video I'm suggesting or the ones you listed. Considering it's only $115, definently worth getting.

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/25108


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 13, 2008)

dont forget your disk drives


----------



## 3870x2 (Sep 13, 2008)

2gb of ram at 1300mhz is much better than 8gb at 800.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 13, 2008)

Thank you to all, I really appreciate your feedback.
I was a bit unsure on the memory that I chose, modder the one you picked definately looks 100% better.
I was also unsure on the power supply, so all your feedback helped, I thought I might have to get a higher wattage.
I"m going to keep the CPU, mobo, HDD, pc case as they are the ones I really want, as for the video card, i will pick something alot cheaper, any suggestios again?  You guys will have more of an idea as to whats compatible with the rest of the parts i've chosen.
Now whats a good card reader to install & how do i get bluetooth?
Don't want much hey
Reason i want bluetooth, is that it's so much easier to bluetooth pic/videos from my ph straight to the pc.  My ph doesn't like being hooked up via usb to the pc.
All DVD burners are compatible with any pc aren't they?
So many questions, 
Sorry guys


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 16, 2008)

Hi to all,

Well I'm just about set, just a few last min questionseek: they think )

which of these would be the best video card for me?

http://www.pcsuperstore.com.au/product-details.php?g_ProductID=11938-video card

http://www.pcsuperstore.com.au/product-details.php?g_ProductID=11939-video card

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/23106-video card

Would this be a good sound card, I listen to alot of music on my pc?

http://www.pcsuperstore.com.au/product-details.php?g_ProductID=10410-sound card

Are these necessary or just for show?

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/26202/ - HDD cooler

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/20490/- memory cooler

Last but not least do I need to get the cooling fan for the cpu or is that included when I buy the cpu ?

Do I need a network card?

Think I have everything covered now,  Just need help with these last few questions, then I can start buying parts 

Thank you so much in advance for all your help.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 16, 2008)

I agree with Modder on the 1 gig 9500gt. You don't have alot of need for a powerful video card, but that one does have enough muscle for any kiddie games your kids may want to play.

I currently using the realtech onboard HD that came with my board(same as the asus has) and it works really nice. I'd say to try it, if it's not good enough, get a sound card in the future.

If your not gonna do any over-clocking, no need to get any aftermarket coolers(HHD, RAM, or CPU)

And no, you don't need a networking card as the p5k has onboard LAN


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 16, 2008)

she doesn't need that extra video power though, that's $30 more than she needs to spend. Remember, 4 kids with the 5th incoming.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 18, 2008)

Thanks for all the input.  You guys have really helped me so much.
I'm very  on one thing, What's the difference between a IDE DVD Burner & a SATA DVD Burner?  I've been looking at DVD Burners all day & the 2 I like are one of each.  

I've also decided to go with this Mobo now

http://www.betterit.com.au/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=117652

as I've noticed that with the ASUS P5K SE that although it's compatible with the CPU I'm getting, it states that *I've got to update the latest BIOS to support the Intel 45nm CPU*.

This just sounds more confusing to me, & I know that the above Mobo is alot more money, but I figured that this pc is going to last me for years so it's worth it over the long term.  Also i've been shopping around on the other parts & I'm getting them at really good prices, so I'm saving money as well

So will it be easy for me to build this pc myself ?  Just worried I'll stuff something up then I'll  
Can I do it in a day? ( well maybe three, work around the kids).
 to you all for putting up with a rambling chick with no idea & so many questions.


----------



## Hayder_Master (Sep 18, 2008)

modder said:


> You want Bigger & Better
> 
> Motherboard
> INTEL 5400, Dual Xeon, EATX, Max 16GB DDR2, 4PCIEX16, 2PCI, GBE, Audio, SATA
> ...



ok you want start crazy prices take this

ASUS P5E64 WS EVOLUTION LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard 
this mobo with 4 way crossfire  $359.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131300 

ATI 100-505509 FireGL V8650 2GB PCI Express x16 Workstation Video Card 
it is work station card but sure it run games better than anyone , so make it 4 crossfire 
$2,099.99*4=$8399.96
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814195055


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 18, 2008)

Am I missing something here?   What the hell was that all about?


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 18, 2008)

Thanks Modder, u have given me great advice so far.  With the BIOS support, is that just a simple download?  
Also the Gigabyte Mobo Link u have given me, is that better than the ASUS P5K SE-EPU or just as good?
Seems as though i'm stuck on the mobo now.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 18, 2008)

Morning Babies and Modder 

Gigabyte boards are good motherboards. I'm not to sure that gigabyte board is as good as a p5k, but that's because the p5k is p45 chipset while the gigabyte is p43. But you should be ok with it. Like modder said about that intel board, you'd have to buy ddr3 ram, which is expensive.

IDE and SATA harddrive differ by the wire that connects them to the motherboard. IDE uses that big ribbon wire while SATA uses a small wire. Here's pics of both-

SATA- 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





IDE-


----------



## modder (Sep 18, 2008)

hayder.master said:


> ok you want start crazy prices take this
> 
> ASUS P5E64 WS EVOLUTION LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard
> this mobo with 4 way crossfire  $359.99
> ...



oh my god the price $2,099.99 

if i change a previous Video Card by the newest

$17308.36 - $1,319,98(old vga) =  $15 988,38             
 new vga      $8399.96 ($2,099.99*4)

$15 988,38 + $ 8399.96 = $$$ 24,388,34


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 18, 2008)

modder said:


> oh my god the price $2,099.99
> 
> if i change a previous Video Card by the newest
> 
> ...



 you crack me up modder.

Good Morning or should I say Good Evening to you barbaric soul & modder.

Thanks for the pics barbaric, they'll come in handy.  Also I'll check those mobo's again today & make my mind up once & for all.

Just about have all the components I need on my to buy list, looking forward to getting them one by one (or 2) then building my OWN PC 

You two have been a huge help, & thank you for putting up with all my questions.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 18, 2008)

> thank you for putting up with all my questions



That's one of the reasons I hang out here, to help others with thier computers. It's fun for me.


----------



## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Sep 18, 2008)

niko084 said:


> The point is you wont see jack for difference in your fps, now don't go playing a movie, some music and a virus scan and run a benchmark with the game.....
> 
> I have another machine with Vista x64 e6420 @ 3.2 and 4gb of ram the only game I ever get any performance difference in is Supreme Commander, which is a memory HOG in long 4+ player games.
> 
> ...



Dude, what the hell are you talking about? The RAM is needed to help ensure the game runs smoothly and loads the game AND Windows quicker. If you dont have enough ram, game performance will suffer resulting in a loss of FPS.


----------



## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Sep 18, 2008)

Solid state disks arent worth the money at this time. Dont even bother with them.


----------



## bigtye (Sep 19, 2008)

To op,

Also consider http://www.pccasegear.com.au/

I have used  both scorptec and pccasegear and found them to be both v good. Sometimes though there are price differences between them that are worth taking advantage of. So check both sites before ordering.

You can find cheaper elsewhere online but with some less reputible business, you can order and pay for something shown as available and then be told the item is not in stock and they can take a long time to get it for you, like weeks/months. Never had this problem with though with scorptec or pccasegear.

Tye


----------



## mlee49 (Sep 19, 2008)

modder said:


> oh my god the price $2,099.99
> 
> if i change a previous Video Card by the newest
> 
> ...





hayder.master said:


> ok you want start crazy prices take this
> 
> ASUS P5E64 WS EVOLUTION LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard
> this mobo with 4 way crossfire  $359.99
> ...



Meh,$24k please!  Cray has a new $100K super computer that will get like a million fps in rollercoaster tycoon.

Seriously though if your fine with installing drivers and OS and you don't mind being your own tech support then build one, but anything over $1000 is a bit too much imo.  I would think about what you want it for and build around that, not around the latest hardware or software.
I hope you enjoy the new build and find a computer that fits your needs.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 19, 2008)

Thank you Tye for the link I'll be checking them out as well,  scorptec are pretty good with their prices compared to some of the other sites I've visited, even with the P&H cost.

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/AirCooling/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2123&ProductName=G-Power

I know I need one of these for the CPU, what I don't know is, does it come with the CPU when I buy it or do I have to purchase it seperately?

I like this one cause the case I'm getting has a see through side panel & this will look really  at night


----------



## bigtye (Sep 19, 2008)

The CPU cooler that you have a link to is an aftermarket one. Normally when you buy a boxed CPU new, they come with their own HSF (heat sink+fan). These are fine for normal operating temperatures.

If you want to overclock or prefer the look of an after market one then simply don't install the one that comes with the cpu, you should keep it though 'cause if you seel your CPU later on, you sell it with the hsf it came with and keep your nice one.

Some of the guys here could point you in the right direction for good heat sinks, there are heaps out there but some are not much better than the stock one that comes with your CPU, and are a waste of money.

Cheers

Tye


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 19, 2008)

Thanks Tye,  I wasn't sure about the HSF coming with the CPU, now I do & I can save my money.  

I'm so glad I found this site, I don't feel like an idiot when I'm asking for help


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 19, 2008)

5Babies said:


> Thank you Tye for the link I'll be checking them out as well,  scorptec are pretty good with their prices compared to some of the other sites I've visited, even with the P&H cost.
> 
> http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/AirCooling/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2123&ProductName=G-Power
> 
> ...




we already talked about them Babies, remember?



> If your not gonna do any over-clocking, no need to get any aftermarket coolers(HHD, RAM, or CPU)


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 19, 2008)

Oops I forgot  Thanks for reminding me BarbaricSoul.  My memory's not the best when I'm pregnant.

Well I'm proud to say that I've bought 3 things already for my new PC,  a Memory Card Reader, a DVD Burner & a Wirless Keyboard & Mouse Combo 

I'm going to try & get something everyweek, so hopefully I should have it all up & running before bubs arrives.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 20, 2008)

Ok! Now I'm totally freaked out, just looked at the step by step instructions on how to install all these components.  It just looks like to much for me, the wires going everywhere have me totally 
Spacers for the mobo, make sure this plug goes to this socket, make sure the wires look like this etc.  
I can handle putting in the DVD Burner & Card Reader myself, but the rest might be a too big a job for me
Scorptec will install the major parts for me for $50 so I might just do that, seen as though I'm getting most of the components through them anyway, just  at the moment, decisions decisions


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 20, 2008)

putting a computer together isn't nearly as hard as it sounds, most the wires are designed so they can only be plugged into the correct ports. It's really not that hard, if you have the patience and persistance to raise 4 kids with a 5th on the way, you can handle building a computer.


----------



## imperialreign (Sep 20, 2008)

5Babies said:


> Ok! Now I'm totally freaked out, just looked at the step by step instructions on how to install all these components.  It just looks like to much for me, the wires going everywhere have me totally
> Spacers for the mobo, make sure this plug goes to this socket, make sure the wires look like this etc.
> I can handle putting in the DVD Burner & Card Reader myself, but the rest might be a too big a job for me
> Scorptec will install the major parts for me for $50 so I might just do that, seen as though I'm getting most of the components through them anyway, just  at the moment, decisions decisions



it's really not too bad - just take everything one step at a time

whenever I replace my case, or pull everything out for a through clean, my re-install typicall goes like this:


*intall case fans

*install motherboard spacers (if I removed them)

*install motherboard I/O panel at back of case

*install PSU

*install motherboard and CPU cooler

*install DRAM

*install ATX conncetor and CPU connector on motherboard

*install HDDs, ODDs, FDDs - connect to motherboard and PSU

*connect front panel, case fan connectors to motherboard

*install video card, audio card, connectors to PSU

*plug in all connectors at rear of case



If you handle each unit and piece of hardware one at a time, it's actually a lot less complicated than it seems.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 20, 2008)

> If you handle each unit and piece of hardware one at a time, it's actually a lot less complicated than it seems



exactly


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 20, 2008)

[/QUOTE]if you have the patience and persistance to raise 4 kids with a 5th on the way, you can handle building a computer. [/QUOTE]

 Hmmmmmmm You'd think that hey.  I'm worried about trying to have all the parts laid out without the kids getting to them, screws getting lost etc.  I'll have a debate with myself with the Pros & Cons while I'm asleep & then I'll decide in the morning


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 20, 2008)

you might have to get a baby sitter for a few hours then


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 20, 2008)

Babysitter not an option, unfortunately kids won't let anyone but me or their dad look after them 
Scorptec will test the pc before they ship it to me, it comes with a warranty, so I'm thinking I'll get them to do the mobo etc & I'll do the optical drives etc 
So I'm letting them do the hard parts & I'll do the easy parts


----------



## modder (Sep 20, 2008)

exactly!


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 20, 2008)

well unless they're gonna hook up everything in the case, your still gonna have to deal with hooking up all the wires to the motherboard for your HDs, disk drives, power supply, and if it needs one, power wire for your graphics card. I think all that $50 is gonna get you is a motherboard with the processor and RAM installed, which aint crap to do yourself.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 20, 2008)

[/QUOTE]All Hardware Components Assembled and configured along with neat cabling.  Overnight Burn-in Test Performed Once built.  Windows or any other OS not included/installed.  This fee is only applicable to 1-6 Hardware Components purchased from Scorptec.  All Individual Internal Hardware Components are counted towards this total, including case (but not power supply if it comes with the case)





> This is what Scorptec will do for $50 it also comes with 1yr Warranty or I can add more hardware & that will be $85 with 1yr Warranty.
> 
> So does this sound any good?  or Should i try & do it myself.  Had the debate with myself still couldn't decide Females hey
> 
> What does PSU with Cable Management mean?  I know PSU is the power supply but Cable Management?


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 20, 2008)

first off, I thought you were gonna buy the parts one at a time, you'll need everything at once for Scorptec to assemble it.

second, $50 only pays for 1-6 components. case, motherboard, processor, 1 stick of ram, another stick of ram, video card, powe..... opps, that'll be the 7th component, and you'll still have your power supply, hard drive, cd drive/drives, and card readers, plus anything else you might decide to get.

third, they don't install windows, that's the most time comsuming part of a basic computer build.

I say for you to try to put it together yourself, or maybe find a friend that can do it for you. I just don't think what Scorptec is offering is worth $50.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 20, 2008)

Also, take a look inside your current computer's tower, look around in there, see if you can make any sence out of what's going on in there. If you can do that, you can put a whole computer together.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 20, 2008)

I was being a chicken about putting the PC together, just didn't want to stuff anything up.  Lucky I'm not a quitter, I shall persevere & stick to my original plan of doing it myself.  

I already have windows on my current PC so I was just going to use that on my new one.  Also I have to agree with you Barbaric, it will be alot cheaper for me to do what I orginally planned.  And I've also bought some of the parts already.

I'll blame my little melt down on being pregnant


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 20, 2008)

> I already have windows on my current PC so I was just going to use that on my new one.



Sorry girl, but your gonna have to do a full reinstall of windows for the new system, the reason being is your new hardware will need totally new drivers to run. The only way to get these is with a fresh install. If you want to keep what's on your current hard drive(programs, music, pictures, videos) I suggest getting a new hard drive for your new windows install and use your current drive as a extra hard drive(slave drive) for storage.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 20, 2008)

Nothing is easy hey,  That's ok, I'll reinstall windows on the new HDD, also I didn't know that I could keep all of my pics & stuff on the current hard drive & then just put it into the new PC.  I thought I'd have to store everything to a flash drive & then put it all back on the new PC.
Thank you Barbaric, you are a lifesaver


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 20, 2008)

BarbaricSoul said:


> Also, take a look inside your current computer's tower, look around in there, see if you can make any sence out of what's going on in there. If you can do that, you can put a whole computer together.



I actually pulled the computer apart a little bit the other day to give it a good clean, must admit it didn't look that scary


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 21, 2008)

Ok, I have the Case, PSU, CPU, MOBO, Memory, HDD, DVD Burner, Card Reader, all picked out,
want to know which Video Card out of these two is the best one for me to get?

Gainward GeForce 8600GT 512MB or
Galaxy GeForce 9500GT 512MB ?

Have I forgotten anything?


----------



## r9 (Sep 21, 2008)

Go for 4670 should be in price range of 9500GT


----------



## bigtye (Sep 21, 2008)

With the 9500GT, be mindful that the card is supposedly very noisy. Atomic magazine September and October edition (an aussie tech mag) reviewed 2 different versions of the card and reported bewteen 68-72 dba at idle and under load. 

As a comparisom, they reported a 9600GT at 51 and 53dba at idle and load. This is a more powerful card running much quieter.

If you have time, read through some of the graphic card reviews posated on this site:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/?q_reviews=&p=1&pp=25&order=date&category=Video+Cards

There always noise ratings in these reviews. A 4670 ATI card may suite budget and performance?

Cheers

Tye


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 21, 2008)

well I never actually browsed Scorptecs available video cards because of being on a friend's 56k connection(yes I'm on it again, funny thing about that is I spend more time on my friends old as hell xp2800 56k system than I spend on my system on DSL. My system turned off is stronger than this system turned on.  ), but I took the time this morning to brows whats actually available. Coming in at a price of $120, the Inno3D 9600gso is my pick for you Babies. It a very nice preforming budget card, and I didn't notice anyother card for the money that is a better performer. 

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/28872


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 21, 2008)

I'm so 

So many Video Cards & I don' know what half of them mean?

Babrbaric the one you suggested is a bit out of my price range, I was hoping to get a decent one for under $100.

I've found these but I don't have a clue to be honest, and my current pc doesn't have a video card.

Gigabyte GeForce 9400 GT

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/29478

Gigabyte GV-RX365512H RADEON HD3650

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/26592

Gigabyte GV-N95TOc-512H GF9500GT

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/28850

Sapphire SAPX1650XT

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/21786

XFX PV-T84J-YAJ3 GeForce8600GT

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/27211

I can't believe that I'm stuck on video cards, I thought that this would be the easiest part


----------



## bigtye (Sep 22, 2008)

Firstly, I would disregard the 1650XT, it is a very old card and very expensive at that price.

ATI use a model series to describe their cards, a 1650, belongs to the 1000 series cards, the higher the number the more powerful the card and the more suited it is for high end gaming. For instance a 1950XT was better than an 1800XT which was better than a 1650XT. The letters at thend denote slight performance differences within the same model. EG 1950XT is better than 1950GT.


ATi have since moved through the 2000 series and 3000 series and now make 4000 series cards. So you see that a 4670 for $120 makes a 1650 for $100 look like bad value.

Nividia have something similar with 7000 series cards, 8000 series, 9000 series (very similar to 8000 series) and now the new GT2000 series. Again higher number denote faster models, eg 8500GT is slower than 8800GT.

Letters again denote different levels of performance in the same model, 8800GS is slower than 8800GT.

The 8600GT is a good card by all accounts however the XFX brand is very expensive.

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/23106

Your other option is to pick one up second hand.

I might be up for selling a 1950 pro I've got sitting in a box. Been looking for something to do with it as I'm getting ready to build a new system.

Check the forums here as well, though not many Australian sellers lol.

Sorry for the long post but thought it might help you make sense.

Tye
This gainward model is a good brand, same card and cheaper.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 22, 2008)

Thank you Tye, I've narrowed it down to the Gainwad  & the XFX.  The XFX is only $99 I can afford that, so if thats the better option I'll take it.

Which of these is a better PSU

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/28115-Titan 850W

or
http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/23445-Thermaltake 550W


----------



## bigtye (Sep 22, 2008)

I know nothing about that Titan
http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/28115

however a 850w psu for $89 is ringing some alarm bells for me. You get what you pay for and a poor quality psu can destroy your system. Many cheap psu's are over rated as to what they can handle. The amps on the 12v line also seem very low for a 850w supply.

The TT 550w could be ok, try the reviews on this site for stability testing or on http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/

My choice for a good quality psu in this power range would be 

http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/25108
or
http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/20286

Many on these forums will attest to the quality of corsair psu's. This is not a component you want to skimp on, your whole systems reliability depends on this part.

The corsiar 450w incidently is cheaper at pccasegear, also has link to techpowerup review
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php...d=5776&zenid=b19b46e8707852396f1274e9247638e6

Read through the review linked on this page (lower down in blue), it will give you an idea about what are important features of a psu and what to look for when choosing one.

Keep reading and learning 

Tye


----------



## Hayder_Master (Sep 22, 2008)

Intel Core 2 Duo
2.6GHz or Higher = e8600
64-bit Operating System = vista sp1 64
3-4GB DDR2 SDRAM = 4g ddr2 1066 crossair
750GB-1TB HDD= samsung f1
Graphics Card = 4850 or 4870
Sound Card = asus xonar
Faster DVD Burner =  sony 20x
and take mother board = gigabyte p45 with ddr2  1200 supoort


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 22, 2008)

Like Bigtye said


> You get what you pay for and a poor quality psu can destroy your system. Many cheap psu's are over rated as to what they can handle.



Dont go too cheap on your power supply. From whats availalbe on scorptec,and keeping price in mind, I'd recommend getting the Antec EA-430 Earthwatts. It's a quality psu that will give you several years of use.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 22, 2008)

Hi Barbaric,

You recommended a Corsiar PSU to me before, In your honest opinion which would be better for me & the system I'm going to build?

The Corsiar 450W or the Corsiar 520W?

Thanks

I must be half asleep, didnt see your comment on the PSU, would still like your opinion on the Corsiar PSU though.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 23, 2008)

Hi Babies,

the corsairs are definently better than the antec,though the antec is a good PSU. Wattage wise, I think the 450 would be sufficent(no need for the extra power as your not overclocking/overvolting and your not getting a power hungry video card). Corsair power supplies are THE BEST power supplies being made right now.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 23, 2008)

Thank you Modder,Babrbaric & Tye I really appreciate all your help,advice & honest opinions on everything I've asked.
I can now start buying everything I need, & hopefully have my new pc built before bubs arrives.
I'll definately be asking you guys for help, when I get stuck on the building process, hope you dont mind

Also just out of curiosity, whats the difference between a "normal" pc case & a gaming case?  Just always wanted to know.


----------



## King Wookie (Sep 23, 2008)

5Babies said:


> Also just out of curiosity, whats the difference between a "normal" pc case & a gaming case?  Just always wanted to know.



Besides the fact that it's mostly just marketing hype, the main difference would be the better ventilation on a gamer's case, as they would most likely have more powerful hardware that generates more heat.

You may have mentioned it somewhere in your posts, but do you have a specific case you are looking at?


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 23, 2008)

Morning all



King Wookie said:


> Besides the fact that it's mostly just marketing hype, the main difference would be the better ventilation on a gamer's case, as they would most likely have more powerful hardware that generates more heat.



exactly


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 23, 2008)

Yeah Babies, for the type of system your building(basic computer, no overclocking in mind), just get a case you like the look of. Just about any of them would be suitable for your needs. Getting our opinion's on your choice would probably be wise also(make sure you get a brand that's known for putting out a quality product).


----------



## Yin (Sep 23, 2008)

http://www.staticice.com.au/

search engine for parts in Australia to find cheapest price =)


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 23, 2008)

Yin said:


> http://www.staticice.com.au/
> 
> search engine for parts in Australia to find cheapest price =)



nice tool there, thx


----------



## Yin (Sep 23, 2008)

BarbaricSoul said:


> nice tool there, thx



There quite a few good stores depending on your location.

If you want dirt cheap parts your best option would be MSY (www.msy.com.au)

However they don't offer great service..... its pretty pathetic actually.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 23, 2008)

Thanks to all,

Actually I did have a case in mind, it's this Thermaltake case, love the sleek look

http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/midtower/soprano/vb1000bws.asp

What do you guys think?

And it says that I don't need screws to put the hdd & optical drives in  

I can get it from Scorptec for $115.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Sep 23, 2008)

5Babies said:


> Thanks to all,
> 
> Actually I did have a case in mind, it's this Thermaltake case, love the sleek look
> 
> ...



nice looking case, thermaltake make good cases.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 23, 2008)

BarbaricSoul said:


> nice looking case, thermaltake make good cases.



Thanks Barbaric,  I read up about thermaltake & found they had a good rep, then as soon as I saw this case I knew straight away it's the one I wanted for my new PC,


----------



## King Wookie (Sep 24, 2008)

Nice case. 

I look forward to pics when you have finished.


----------



## 5Babies (Sep 24, 2008)

Thanks Wookie,
I'll definately be taking pics & showing you guys, after all, all of you are the ones who helped me


----------



## Woody112 (Sep 26, 2008)

kyle2020 said:


> could you possibly be more wrong? With 4GB RAM, vista home premium x64 and playing crysis my ram peaks at about 75% useage - add music and some background apps to that and it bumps up even more.



Same here except running vista ultimate x64. Bought 4 gig Muskin kit thinking it would tame the memory appitie of Crysis. Was I every wrong, I've had it completly eat up what ever remaining memory was available.


----------



## 5Babies (Oct 2, 2008)

Hi All,
Long time since i was here 
Just a quick question, do I need to buy a Motherboard Assembly Kit?  or Does the screws, brackets & spacers come with the mobo?
Thanks in advance guys


----------



## Woody112 (Oct 2, 2008)

5Babies said:


> Hi All,
> Long time since i was here
> Just a quick question, do I need to buy a Motherboard Assembly Kit?  or Does the screws, brackets & spacers come with the mobo?
> Thanks in advance guys



Cases come with all that stuff not the mobo. If your upgrading your board then just reuse the hardware that is already their.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Oct 2, 2008)

hi Babies

Like Woody said, your case will come with everything you need to mount the motherboard.


----------

