building a computer and need some advice from experienced people about what are the best parts to buy?

Question

Im building a system primarily for 3d gaming, but also for school work and such. I cant decide what kind of parts to put in! I dont kno if i should put in an Intel core 2 duo extreme, or an Amd Athlon fx. I was thinking about getting a nividia sli motherboard and 2 GeForce 7950 gx2 dual gpu, or get a high end ati or radeon card. Please help!

Answer 1

Don't listen to the biased previous post. Do some research first. I suggest Tom's hardware. It is the premiere web site for looking up reviews and benchmarks on various hardware components.

Answer 2

Well, it seems you can shell out a lot for your PC. The Core2Duo Extreme and the Athlon FX are the highest-end ranges from their respective manufacturers.

1. If you're torn between Athlon FX and Core2Duo Extreme, go for the Core2Duo Extreme. But you will have to hunt more for a compatible motherboard. The Asus P5B series motherboards are Core2Duo ready. I don't know about the SLI, though. Anyway, as you are shelling out the maximum for the processor, don't leave the motherboard far behind, get a top-notch one from Asus or MSI, with a lot of meat in it.

2. Spending too much on the GPU is not advisable since DX10 and Windows Vista are looming large over the horizon. So, go for a mid-level GPU (GeForce, and not Radeon) which won't burn a hole in your pocket. That would suffice for some hard gaming, too. Try to coax yourself out of buying two cards and SLI-ing them. They're really not worth that much.

Answer 3

These are newegg prices currently.
Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 $589
Gigabyte GA-945P-S3 $91
CORSAIR VALUE SELECT DDR667 1gb 2x512 $93
eVGA Geforce 7900GT $270 after rebate around $250
Thermaltake Tsunami case $110
Antec True Power Trio TP3-650 ATX12V 650W Power Supply $150
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM $78
SAMSUNG 18X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM - OEM $33
Microsoft Windows XP Professional With SP2B 1 Pack - OEM $138
total:$1532

something like this will last for years and can upgrade anytime
Core 2 Duo is the fastest processor right now :) lol i dont own one but it looks cool

Answer 4

I always use AMD chips.. get an Athlon 64 X2 dual core.. or FX and dont bother with the SLI thing.. Nvidia will be releasing thier new stuff shortly that will out perform 2 current high end cards.. save your $$ and wait on that part.. intel too much $$ for not as good as AMD.. no thanks.

Answer 5

AMD processors historically run cooler than their Intel counterparts. 3D gaming will generate a lot of heat, so go with what you know. Whatever you do, get plenty of cooling power. Consider liquids, or an air conditioned case, they are expensive, but will protect you from the heat monster. The next best thing is a Zalman CPU copper heatsink/fan combo. Use "arctic silver" thermal grease when you mount your fan on the CPU. This will reduce the heat even more. Plenty of case fans, and hard drive fans. If all those fans get too noisy, you can reduce the power to them from 12 volts to 7 volts.

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/9169

Answer 6

I'm a big fan of NVidea products by and large, as well as AMD processors. I have Intel stuff, and it's fine, but I believe that AMD is typically cheaper and easier to overclock if that is in your future. I would also consider buying your parts from Newegg.com. I have found that in the past, they are quite reasonable even with shipping included. As for specific parts, I'm sorry. I'm not a 'computer geek' (no offense to anyone intended), and not currently up to date on what is cutting edge.

Answer 7

doesnt even look like you need expert help ... sounds like you are your self... your good with all the things you got... remember if your gonna put in an ati radeon card.. and its gonna be crossfire... then you have to buy a motherboard enabled with crossfire... you got a good pc on your way... you should put in a intel core 2 duo extremem because it outmarked the amd athlon fx... in benchmarking... remember to get a good load of ram if your gonna go with a crazy system like that.. probably 2 gig or a gig of ram ... (gaming ram...) i advise you to get corsair because they are better... remember to get the fastest one these days... (if your a really of a gamer) the fastest is the corsair pc5200 i think its speed is 1 ghz .... you will have to get a motherboard that supports pc5200 .... good luck... your system excellent for gaming... also remember to get a SATA hard drive.... not a PATA (IDE) because SATA is faster (alot) faster than IDE

Answer 8

the form a million ingredient is to maintain on with instructions. maximum motherboards incorporate a handbook on a thank you to hook each and every thing up. additionally be careful approximately static electrical energy. you ought to to get a DVD RW force. If the case you're making use of is the comparable variety ingredient using fact the motherboard, you're arranged (ATX, Micro ATX, etc.) Its no longer too perplexing to construct a working laptop or computing gadget and, interior the top, lots extra low fee.

Answer 9

I have built dozens of computers for myself/family/friends.
With the current price wars, there is little to be gained by building yourself. By the time you buy the software, it's more expensive to build than to buy.
If you insist on building, I would go with the Intel Dual Core.
I prefer ASUS motherboards.
Make sure you get the PCI-E video, it's faster than AGP.

Answer 10

Defenitly go for the AMD processor, they are compatible with ATI graphics cards which are the best for 3-d gaming.