I'm getting a new computer...

[Armfelt]

Yeah... So I guess you fellas know the drill?

My budget is around 1500$ (including operating system), and I'm aiming for a DX 10 computer...

[Yogi Bear]

American $? Also do you just need the box or the whole kit and caboodle (keyboard, screen, speakers etc)

[Armfelt]

American $? Also do you just need the box or the whole kit and caboodle (keyboard, screen, speakers etc)

Just the box, and possibly speakers if there's cash leftover, though I'll probably just by them later on separately. And the currency is actually €uros, but I roughly changed it to dollar$ (I'm so cool for doing those €, and $ things...), it's hard to say the exact amount that I'll have to pay due to fiddeling with some taxes, but 1500 $ is roughly the budget.

[Real]

I don't know how much it costs or if it is a DX 10 (dunno what that is, either), but the Aspire 9412AWSMi is a good one. It is Windows Vista capable, but... Vista sucks.

[Real]

Oh, did I mention that the PC I spoke of is a portable PC?

[Armfelt]

Oh, did I mention that the PC I spoke of is a portable PC?

I'm not touching any of that laptop crap.

[Real]

I'm not touching any of that laptop crap.

Ok. What about a Flatron L1915S?

[Armfelt]

Ok. What about a Flatron L1915S?

I thought I said that I do not need a new monitor...

You have no idea what you're talking about, do you?

[Real]

I thought I said that I do not need a new monitor...

You have no idea what you're talking about, do you?

He, he... I have to admit I don't. I looked at the monitor and saw Flatron etc written there, so I thought that was the computer's name.

[Spart]

You should select those parts in some webstore (or actual specialized store) and let them put it together, lot cheaper than getting a pre-built crap, but I guess you already knew it.
If there isn't a good store nearby (Turku, right?), visit here and see where you can get the build cheapest.

I'll work out something for your budget, gimme a sec..

[Armfelt]

You should select those parts in some webstore (or actual specialized store) and let them put it together, lot cheaper than getting a pre-built crap, but I guess you already knew it.
If there isn't a good store nearby (Turku, right?), visit here and see where you can get the build cheapest.

I'll work out something for your budget, gimme a sec..

I'm probably buying it off verkkokauppa (unless you come up with something really amazing), and yes I want none of that pre-built crap.

[Yogi Bear]

CPU - Intel E6600 $308.00
GFX - EVGA 8800GTS 640mb $369.00
Mobo- ASUS P5N32-E SLI $209.99
PSU - OCZ GameXstream 700W $149.99
RAM - Corsair XMS2 (2x1GB) $201.00
Case - Thermaltake Armor $169.99

Total $1408
Gives you 100 for some speakers and a sound card if you want.

[Citizen]

CPU - Intel E6600 $308.00
GFX - EVGA 8800GTS 640mb $369.00

Hmm, no real point in E6600's IMO, just get an E6400 and OC it. The extra cache? Offers such a small performance gain, there hardly seems much point.

Also, whilst a 640MB gfx card is good for big screans (for example I play games at my monitors native resolution of 1920x1200) but if you have 1680x1050/1600x1200 there is rly no point in the extra video memory. the 320Mb version should be sufficient.

[Arakorn]

(Turku, right?)

You're an odd one...

Anyway, about that build... My suggestions:

• MoBo: Asus P5B 133.90 €
• CPU:
  1. Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 234.90 €
  2. Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 327.90 €
• Memory: 2x Kingston 1024MB PC4300 DDR667 NON ECC DDR2 2x107.90 € = 215,8 € (According to Incinerates guide, 667mhz is the way to go. I have no idea what ECC is though...)
• GPU: Club 3D GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 301.90 €
• Case: Choose based on price, looks, feats (and PSU? Most of these do not have PUS))w
  My personal choice: Antec Performance One P180 Grey ATX 124.90 €
• PSU: I'm not good at these, but look at Verkkokauppa.com, as usual. Or check Incinerate's guide.
• Optic Drive: Salvage old, but buy a burning Dual Layer: LG GSA H12N (DVD±R/DL/RW) 33.90 €
• OS:
  1. MS Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit OEM FIN 107.90 €
  2. MS Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit OEM FIN 186.90 €

=1028,3 €, without Case, PSU, HD and scavengabeable parts. 1121,9€ With E6600.

I think that's about it, salvage your old computer for the rest. It should also leave you some money for a soundcard if you wish, and some speakers. I'm not sure what kind of HD you want, but you can find a nice one (around 300GB) for 100€. I'd go with Seagate. That is unless you want a Raptor (superfast).

Here's one: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB UltraATA/100 81.90 €.

Makes 1110,2€ (E6400), or 1203,9€.

More than enough for a 1500€ budget.

[Spart]

Alright, try something like:
-Asus P5B motherboard
-Intel Core 2 Duo 6400 (or 6600, but I quess 6400 is a more reasonable choice)
-2 gigs of DDR2 RAM, obviously
-nVidia 8800 GTX
-And I'm guessing you need a power supply, just get some 500W quality thing (Antec, HEC, Seasonic, just look at the prices, should be about 50-70€).
+DVD-drive, hard drive, case and such, mbnet hintaseuranta is a good way to see which parts are the most popular/available.
-And Vista.. I guess your budget is enough. Just go see what this costs.

[Armfelt]

Hmmm... What's the deal with sound cards, my current one has a Realtek AC97 Audio, do I need a new one? I also have a dvd and a dvd-rw drive, can I use them on the new one?

I also heard a rumour that I don't really need 640 mb for the GFX card, since I have a 19" monitor and that amount of mega bytes is only needed for very-high resolutions.

[Spart]

AC97 is integrated to your current motherboard. But the new motherboard also has an integrated soundcard, usually. Some say they cannot be compared to "real" soundcards, but I don't know about that, I'm using AC97 too. Yeah, it's old.

And no, you don't probably need 640mb card anytime soon. Don't know about Crysis and such, but it sounds a bit too much.

[Armfelt]

AC97 is integrated to your current motherboard. But the new motherboard also has an integrated soundcard, usually. Some say they cannot be compared to "real" soundcards, but I don't know about that, I'm using AC97 too. Yeah, it's old.

And no, you don't probably need 640mb card anytime soon. Don't know about Crysis and such, but it sounds a bit too much.

Okay thanks for the info, so I'll guess I'll go with the 320 mb version and would you honestly say that it's worth getting a soundcard? I'm not a very auditive person What about the dvd-drivers though, are they integrated too?

[sdjenkyn]

first off you can get a case with power supply for the same amount if not less then the thermaltake. shop around. second if you go for the 8800's get the higher mem card and know that if you plan on adding an additional vcard later you will need at least an 850watt power supply. third sound cards work along the same lines as video cards as they handle the audio files and give you hardware acceleration and lastly anything you want to salvage fron your old machine will work fine in the new one , ie. cd-roms harddrives and the like.

[Spart]

Don't ask me about soundcards, I'm bad in this.. Depends on your speakers, too. No use getting a 50€ soundcard to go along with really cheap speakers. I quess the integrated stuff is also better in these new motherboards.. Whatever pleases your ears.
And DVD-drives are not integrated, but they're affordable. If you don't save one from your current system, get a CD/DVD dual (and writable, perhaps) thingy.