So many questions…
So, with all this extra overtime I’ve been getting, I’m debating on whether I will build a new machine or not. I’m letting some get stored away for a rainy day, since I keep having bad expenses come up and drain my savings, but I’m starting to get comfortable enough that I might start buying a component or two here and there until I have enough to get serious and finish it off.
So I’m looking at re-doing the whole thing. I might be able to save a sound card, hard drive, or optical drive, but otherwise, it’s the whole show.
Looking for any opinions for the following:
First purchases will most likely be the components that have the least chance of getting out of date:
Case
- Thinking about an Antec 900, 1200, or P182.
Monitor
- Thinking about a Samsung 22″ or 24″ widescreen. Which one, I’m not sold on. The size of the 24 would be nice, but getting into a nice 22 is the same money as an eh 24, so a nice 24 would be a little steep…
The rest of the components:
CPU
- Thinking a Core 2 Quad, just determining clockspeed… 2.66 is the current thought, but I’d like the 3.0 if the price comes down.
Memory
- 3 Gb will most likely what I get. 4 would be ok for getting 2×2GB, but I have no intentions of going 64bit for a while, so I hate wasting, but it really isn’t wasting…
Hard Drive
- Probably do two, a 10k Raptor for OS and games, and a 500 or so for bulk data. I’ve been a WD fan for years
Video Card
- Looking at either a 9800 series or a GTX 260. Probably in the 300 dollar range or so, depends on the price/performance numbers
Sound Card
- Whatever Creative is putting out, I can deal with.
Optical
- Cheap dual layer burner is good
Keyboard/Mouse
- I really don’t know…Â The G15 looks nice, but 100 bucks is a little steep.
Thoughts?
mike Said,
August 10, 2008 @ 9:23 pm
As far as comments about the cases… the Antec 1200 is overkill, and to be honest, not worth the extra $80 over the 900, so I would rule that one out right away.
The p182 is solid case.
The 900 does have the handy little tray on top, and some pretty easy access for usb ports, etc in the front.
I’d say it’s a toss-up between those two. One is more sleak, the other is more convenient.
mike Said,
August 10, 2008 @ 9:26 pm
Thoughts on memory…
I would probably bite the bullet and get the 4gb.
Reasoning: Do you really want to have to buy 2×512mb chips? Keeping dual-channel is a must, and this just seems silly.
Memory is so cheap these days, getting 4×1gb or 2×2gb is nothing. Plus, it’s not really ‘wasting’ because you still do get to use a good chunk of the extra memory.
=)
mike Said,
August 10, 2008 @ 9:27 pm
Thoughts on video card…
I’ve heard the 9xxx series ended up being pretty crappy.
Go for the 260. The 280 is not worth the money, but the 260 is a rock-solid card.