First custom build. I could really do with some advice. :)
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:42 pm
Hi all.
My Dell Dimension 4700 (I know) is on its last leg and I've decided to replace it with a custom build PC.
It is my first custom build so I could really do with some advice.
As a self-employed web-designer I spend hours every day working at the computer, so I'd like it to be as quiet as possible.
Before you mention them, I cannot get an Antec P180 or SOLO for size/budget constraints.
I unfortunately do not like the Sonata Designer white facia (the PC will be located in the "office" corner of my living room).
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OS: Windows XP Pro.
Daily usage:
- Web coding: apache/mysql/php.
- Web design: Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash.
- Web browsing, email...
Occasional usage:
- HTPC: WMV-HD, H264.
Infrequent usage:
- Video encoding.
- Video convertion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What I already have and intend on using in/with my custom build:
- Two EIZO monitors (17" & 19" at 1280x1024).
- Two 80GB SATA drives (I'll upgrade them at a later date).
- A Pioneer DVD-RW drive.
- A Samsung DVD drive.
- Logitech wireless keyboard.
- Logitech mouse.
- Three USB external hard-drives.
- Canon Pixma500 printer/scanner.
My budget, ~£300, is for the rest of the set-up:
I have pretty much decided on getting the following bits:
- Intel Pentium Dual Core E2180.
- Coolermaster Centurion 5 All Black Case + 550W eXtreme Power Plus PSU
- Crucial 2GB kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Ballistix (x2?)
- Scythe S-Flex 120mm Ultra Quiet Fan.
- Arctic Cooling AC-FRZ-7P Freezer 7 Pro.
I hesitate between the following motherboards:
- MSI P35 Neo2-FR.
- Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3.
- I ruled out the Asus P5K one but can't remember why.
For the time being I intend to use the onboard graphic for one of my monitors, and a dedicated card for the other (main).
The trouble is I have no idea which graphic card to pick:
- Innovision 3D 7300GT 512MB.
- Innovision GeForce 7600GS 512MB.
- Innovision GeForce 7600GST 128MB DDR3. Is 128MB of DDR3 better than 512MB of DDR2??
- Inno3D 8400GS 512MB DDR2 Passive.
- MSI 8400GS 256MB DDR2.
Is one any better than the others in terms of H264 decoding?
I am very confused as to which one to get as they are all in a fairly narrow price bracket but none of them have the same GPU and/or amount (even type) of RAM.
As I also have a 720p Hitachi projector I will probably add a second card in the near future.
In my current PC I have 3GB RAM:
- 2GB (2x 1GB) Crucial DDR2 PC2-4300.
- 1GB (2x512MB) Samsung DDR2 PC2-3200.
Could I use the Crucial DDR2 PC2-4300 in the new build, or would the drop in MHz cancel the benefit of running 4GB?
Would using the PC2-4300 as RAM-drive be of any benefit?
I intend to overclock the processor slightly as long as it doesn't raise the noise level too high. Any tips on reducing the latter would be great (apart from "don't overclock").
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I apologise for the long post but I thought I'd better be thorough.
It wouldn't surprise me if I had forgotten some important stuff anyway.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
P.S: I'm also looking for a reliable internal multi-card reader.
My Dell Dimension 4700 (I know) is on its last leg and I've decided to replace it with a custom build PC.
It is my first custom build so I could really do with some advice.
As a self-employed web-designer I spend hours every day working at the computer, so I'd like it to be as quiet as possible.
Before you mention them, I cannot get an Antec P180 or SOLO for size/budget constraints.
I unfortunately do not like the Sonata Designer white facia (the PC will be located in the "office" corner of my living room).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OS: Windows XP Pro.
Daily usage:
- Web coding: apache/mysql/php.
- Web design: Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash.
- Web browsing, email...
Occasional usage:
- HTPC: WMV-HD, H264.
Infrequent usage:
- Video encoding.
- Video convertion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What I already have and intend on using in/with my custom build:
- Two EIZO monitors (17" & 19" at 1280x1024).
- Two 80GB SATA drives (I'll upgrade them at a later date).
- A Pioneer DVD-RW drive.
- A Samsung DVD drive.
- Logitech wireless keyboard.
- Logitech mouse.
- Three USB external hard-drives.
- Canon Pixma500 printer/scanner.
My budget, ~£300, is for the rest of the set-up:
I have pretty much decided on getting the following bits:
- Intel Pentium Dual Core E2180.
- Coolermaster Centurion 5 All Black Case + 550W eXtreme Power Plus PSU
- Crucial 2GB kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Ballistix (x2?)
- Scythe S-Flex 120mm Ultra Quiet Fan.
- Arctic Cooling AC-FRZ-7P Freezer 7 Pro.
I hesitate between the following motherboards:
- MSI P35 Neo2-FR.
- Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3.
- I ruled out the Asus P5K one but can't remember why.
For the time being I intend to use the onboard graphic for one of my monitors, and a dedicated card for the other (main).
The trouble is I have no idea which graphic card to pick:
- Innovision 3D 7300GT 512MB.
- Innovision GeForce 7600GS 512MB.
- Innovision GeForce 7600GST 128MB DDR3. Is 128MB of DDR3 better than 512MB of DDR2??
- Inno3D 8400GS 512MB DDR2 Passive.
- MSI 8400GS 256MB DDR2.
Is one any better than the others in terms of H264 decoding?
I am very confused as to which one to get as they are all in a fairly narrow price bracket but none of them have the same GPU and/or amount (even type) of RAM.
As I also have a 720p Hitachi projector I will probably add a second card in the near future.
In my current PC I have 3GB RAM:
- 2GB (2x 1GB) Crucial DDR2 PC2-4300.
- 1GB (2x512MB) Samsung DDR2 PC2-3200.
Could I use the Crucial DDR2 PC2-4300 in the new build, or would the drop in MHz cancel the benefit of running 4GB?
Would using the PC2-4300 as RAM-drive be of any benefit?
I intend to overclock the processor slightly as long as it doesn't raise the noise level too high. Any tips on reducing the latter would be great (apart from "don't overclock").
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I apologise for the long post but I thought I'd better be thorough.
It wouldn't surprise me if I had forgotten some important stuff anyway.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
P.S: I'm also looking for a reliable internal multi-card reader.