I'm building a new system between now and January - advice?

[Akumajin]

Note: advice topic, not help topic

Ok, so I've never built a system by myself before (I watched and assisted a genius friend do the one I'm using now), so please go easy on me, heh. My good friend recently built his own by looking at online guides, reviews, info from friends etc, but it's a nice solid $1400 PC that is running great. I'm planning on him teaching me to make mine as we work together on a new system for me.

I really need it for Warhammer Online come February. I know that December (after/before Christmas sales) is the best time to buy stuff, as that is when I built my previous system and saved hundreds of dollars by doing so. I want it to be a Windows XP system, with a budget around but not limited to $1400.

Now, I know quite a bit about computers themselves, but not the important specifics of making one. I'm not here to ask that, but rather your advice on what/when to buy. [b]Currently, my system is suffering from a failing hard drive and thus I can't play any game more powerful than World of Warcraft (and even that is aging).[/g] Believe me, I've defragged, diagnostic'd, scanned for every virus/spyware everything - it's the hardware, 99% sure.

ANYWAY, what do you guys think? Hold out until December and start buying pieces then, or just go for it and start looking for good deals now? All I need is the tower, I have everything else, and I have a power supply I got for free through a mail-in rebate a few months ago (600watt I believe). Will prices really change that much between now and then? Keep in mind I don't really need the computer now; the winter season of console games will keep me more or less occupied. However, even menial tasks are starting to chug along on the computer (stupid Maxtor).

So, to get down to what you all like to read more than walls of text, here is what I was thinking for a system (if I was to build it today):

Windows XP Professional (have it)
320gb 7200 RPM HD (I have a big external, this is more than enough)
600 watt power supply (have it)
3-4GB PC6400 RAM
Nice case with 2-3 fans, big ones, big case
Intel Dual Core e6850 2 x 3.0 GHz
Mobo 680i SLI Ready Quad-Core ready (in case) (maybe with better sound card, too?)
All-in-one disk drive (minus lightscribe)
nVidia 8800 GTS 320MB Graphics Card

That should end up around my price range; at least this is what my friend made, but he has a worse processor but faster RAM (PC8000) which I read is not worth it - processor is more important.

What do you guys think?

Oh yeah, one more thing...is overclocking worth it for what I'll be using it for? Will the extra speed on my processor and/or graphics card make a difference at this point?

[b1gapl]

The E6850 should not be considered, when you can actually get a quad-core cheaper. And you don't need more than 2GB of RAM, unless you are heavy into editing and designing software.

[Akumajin]

Originally Posted by b1gapl

The E6850 should not be considered, when you can actually get a quad-core cheaper. And you don't need more than 2GB of RAM, unless you are heavy into editing and designing software.

I'm majoring in graphic design, so I'd like to get more than 2gb.

Also, I heard that Quad isn't supported by many games and that dual is better for gaming. Is this not true?

[vernong1992]

Originally Posted by Akumajin

I'm majoring in graphic design, so I'd like to get more than 2gb.

Also, I heard that Quad isn't supported by many games and that dual is better for gaming. Is this not true?

its true... but you can always overclock slightly... plus its cheaper.. .and games like Crysis, Alan Wake can use Quad-Cores

[b1gapl]

Originally Posted by Akumajin

I'm majoring in graphic design, so I'd like to get more than 2gb.

Also, I heard that Quad isn't supported by many games and that dual is better for gaming. Is this not true?

Not many games support quad core processors, but it will benefit you with graphic designing software, as well as multi-tasking. And games in the future will support more cores too.

[saltynay]

am2+ will be the main contender by then. you can't plan that far in advance but in basis.

Ram = 4gb
hdd = 320gb seagate barracuda 11 and a 500gb back up storage
case = make one you lazy cnt.... lol
psu: 520hx corsair
graphics: 9800gts
OS: vista 64 bit home premium

[Akumajin]

Definitely no reason for me to get Vista, and the 9800 is much worse than the 8800. What is AM2? And isn't 600w enough, I don't need a 520 really.

For games that don't support quad, you just use 2 cores then? So you've still got good speed, yes?

[vernong1992]

Originally Posted by Akumajin

Definitely no reason for me to get Vista, and the 9800 is much worse than the 8800. What is AM2? And isn't 600w enough, I don't need a 520 really.

For games that don't support quad, you just use 2 cores then? So you've still got good speed, yes?

what are you talking about?? how is the Geforce 9800 worse than the Geforce 8800gts??? your crazy....

[saltynay]

lol I think you need to do some research before you build lol hang around on the forums for a while.......

a 520W psu i.e the 520hx corsair has less wattage then a 600W therefore less electricity....

The nvidia cards are in numerical sequence for each series the 7 series are generally worse then the 8 and the 8 is generally worse then the 9 series (which has not been released yet). there are fluctuations in this but that is the basic profile of nvidia based gfx cards.

AM2 is the current AMD standard, AM2+ is the new standard which is being introduced easy to mix up but they are radically different interms of performance. AMD is the other main cpu manufacturer in competition with Intel.

The quad core will play any crrent game but you will not be using the full potential of the 4 cores just the number of cores required so yes if a game uses 2 cores then you will have 2 of the 4 playing the game and 2 spare for background activity

[vernong1992]

Originally Posted by saltynay

lol I think you need to do some research before you build lol hang around on the forums for a while.......

a 520W psu i.e the 520hx corsair has less wattage then a 600W therefore less electricity....

The nvidia cards are in numerical sequence for each series the 7 series are generally worse then the 8 and the 8 is generally worse then the 9 series (which has not been released yet). there are fluctuations in this but that is the basic profile of nvidia based gfx cards.

AM2 is the current AMD standard, AM2+ is the new standard which is being introduced easy to mix up but they are radically different interms of performance. AMD is the other main cpu manufacturer in competition with Intel.

The quad core will play any crrent game but you will not be using the full potential of the 4 cores just the number of cores required so yes if a game uses 2 cores then you will have 2 of the 4 playing the game and 2 spare for background activity

right on....

but I think he was thinking of the Radeon 9 series.... you know like what I have??

and Vista isn't bad (its decent now).... wait until Service Pack 1... it'll be good... I remember everybody bashing on XP until SP1... and Vista sp1 is coming out in December i think..