[howlleo]

Home user, looking to configure a computer that will last a long long time for most basic to slightly-less-basic home tasks, for under $1,100, including peripherals.

1. SATA is not just good for having two harddrives, right? Its also faster. So I need a SATA hard drive and motherboard even if I dont intend to get more than one hard drive.

2. How much power supply do I need for an Athlon 64? Everyone always seems to be upgrading. How do I know how much power I need for my graphics card, processor, and sound card altogether? If the case comes with 380 or 420 watts, do I really need to upgrade or can I get along without?

3. I dont need SLI, right?

4. Do I really need a seperate sound card? Will I notice the difference for just playing some music CDs and watching small video clips?

5. How much does a seperate firewire card cost? I went to newegg and did a search for firewire card, but it brought up a vast range of items, and, quite frankly, I wouldn't know which one is the thing I'm looking for.
The real question is: does it pay to buy the MSI K8N neo4 platinum for the extra firewire, or should I just get the MSI K8N neo 4f and buy a firewire seperately, assuming it becomes necessary?

6. Can you reccommend an optical drive that is cheap and just does CD-RW and DVD-R? The touted ones are too complicated.

7. If I'm going to have a DSL connection, I still need a modem, right? So what's the deal with v.92 versus...?

Thanks.

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Get serial ata only now!! Its not meant for just 2 drives. You can put one drive if you want.

Look for a powersupply around 420 watts to 500 watts that is a true power powersupply. Dont get a cheap case with a powersupply because they are made cheap and will probably burn out.

Antec and thermaltake are good, also ultra or enermax.


For dsl you dont need a 56k modem...

Every motherboard today in time has integrated lan for high speed internet.


Plextor, lite on, pioneer are good drives.

[jrm20]

Get serial ata only now!! Its not meant for just 2 drives. You can put one drive if you want.

Look for a powersupply around 420 watts to 500 watts that is a true power powersupply. Dont get a cheap case with a powersupply because they are made cheap and will probably burn out.

Antec and thermaltake are good, also ultra or enermax.


For dsl you dont need a 56k modem...

Every motherboard today in time has integrated lan for high speed internet.


Plextor, lite on, pioneer are good drives.

[warriorscot]

SATA is faster and its usually the same price or less as non SATA drives so it pays o have a SATA hard drive.

Power you want in the range of 400 to 500W from a reliable brand.

You dont need a seperate sound card, but if you want one a OEM value audugy 2 isnt alot of money and its pretty good.

I dont know how much a seperate firewire costs where you are but a cheap one runs a tenner here so they arent expensive, firewire isnt the best and i dont use it, USB is faster and more flexible, ive got the platinum of the MSI nf4 and its a beutiful board, utterly reliable and performs brilliantly but i had to check the back to see if i had firewire(i do its, i disabled it as its never used).

The best drive ive seen about thats a good price is the LG GSA-4167BAL its the same one i use it writes to every format, all of the drives except the lightscribe ones all operate identically to the user its only the speed that differs so they are all equally complicated except the lightscribes and they arent actually very good drives.

You dont need a modem, you need an ADSL router, its a seperate box that sits outside the computer usually supplied when you initially get broadband but you can buy good ones from most electronics shops. Modems are pretty much useless these days and completely obsolete if you have DSL.

Unless the case is antec or thermaltake you want to buy the PSU seperatley from the case to ensure you get a quality PSU not a generic one. I would reccomend the Sonata II as a case for any user these days.

Depending on what CPU you get the system should cost less than $800 excluding a monitor.

Also what are you doing gfx wise i would reccomend either a x300 or x1300 gfx card for the system if its only for basic needs and not gaming.

[howlleo]

I was looking for a *cheap* optical drive, with just the basic read-write for CD and DVD.

[howlleo]

Also, do I need a seperate cooler for my very basic graphics card?

[howlleo]

lastly: the x300 doesnt have dedicated memory, does it?
is it PCI express compatible?

[warriorscot]

Yes the x300 has dedicated memory unless its the onboard type but thats only for laptops. It is a PCI express card.

What you asked for in the drive and what you want are two different things, you seem to want a ROM only meaning read only capablity, you dont want a write capability, at least thats how im reading your last post, although the price of a drive that writes your as well getting one as its a handy thing to have, but Plextor PX-130A 16x50x DVD-ROM is a plain ROM one you should be able to find on newegg. Although im still a bit confused as to what you want from the drive they are all "cheap" as drives like that are all cheap except the lightscribes of course.

You dont need a seperate cooler for the gfx card if it needs one it has one.

[howlleo]

what I want writes RW for CDs, and R for DVD. It should read also.

[howlleo]

what is the massive difference btwn x300 and x1300 then, that makes the price difference?

[warriorscot]

About a 1000, its a newer chip, brand new in fact its faster and more efficeint with some better features etc etc.

Well the drive i reccomended in the first place is the safest bet for that like i said it writes every format out at the moment and is the same price as all the other drives of its type. And every drive that writes also reads its kind of a requirement for it to do both.

Another possibilty is the Liteon SHM-165P6S-01C or the NEC ND4551 would also do the job and they are all more or less the same price barely a jot of difference between any of these drives in terms of spec and almost no differnce in price all are 30 pounds.

[howlleo]

right... but I'm buying in dollars. 30 dollars is more along my idea of cheap. 30 pounds is already high end.

[warriorscot]

Prices are usually the same except without the exchange rate, so if its about 30 pounds itll be about 30 to 40 dollars which is the price of a dvd burner these days which is what you want to get prices are generally pretty similar for all the drives at that end of the market, prices go in the really high or the really low there isnt much range to them its one or the other cheap or expensive.

a random pick gave me this http://www.newegg.co...N82E16827135046 just an example would appear your looking at about $40 which isnt expensive for a computer part thats fairly essential.

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16827131264 another random pick comes with some free CD Rs

Edited by warriorscot, 06 January 2006 - 10:03 AM.

[howlleo]

thanks!