Designing a New PC

[MYstIC G]

Right, you lot are the supposed technical bods, so it seems sensible to ask this here

I want to get myself a new box to replace my current & quite frankly knackered box. The specs of which are outlined below.

SiSoftware Sandra

Processor(s)
Model : Intel(R) Pentium(R) III
Speed : 532MHz
Performance Rating : PR638 (estimated)
L2 On-board Cache : 256kB ECC synchronous ATC

Mainboard and BIOS
Bus(es) : ISA AGP PCI USB FireWire/1394 SMBus/i2c
MP Support : No
System Chipset : VIA Technologies Inc VT82C691/693A/694X Apollo Pro/133/133A System Controller
Front Side Bus Speed : 1x 133MHz (133MHz data rate)
Installed Memory : 384MB SDRAM
Memory Bus Speed : 1x 100MHz (100MHz data rate)

Physical Storage Devices
Removable Drive : Floppy disk drive
Disk Drive : Maxtor 4G120J6 (114.5GB)
CD-ROM/DVD : HL-DT-ST RW/DVD GCC-4120B (CD 32X Rd, 12X Wr) (DVD 4X Rd)
CD-ROM/DVD : LG CD-RW CED-8083B (CD 32X Rd, 4X Wr)

MultiMedia Device(s)
Device : Creative SB Audigy
Device : Creative Game Port

Communication Device(s)
Device : Intel HaM Data Fax Voice Modem

The reason for posting all the above boring crap is that the 120GB Maxtor, Soundblaster Audigy, Cheap & Nasty Modem & CD-RW/DVD drive are all free to come out of this box & go into the new one.

So the idea is I want to put together a new box myself and make myself a replacement. However i'll freely admit i'm not the worlds greatest technical person when it comes to Bus speeds, RAM types, good manufactures, etc, etc. so this is where I need you guys help. Basically i'm looking to put together something with a gig of ram, reasonably high end processor (not fussed on the make) and fast GPU (i.e. GF4), whilst trying not to get threatening letters from my bank manager.

So what would you guys recommend buying to put together into a spinky new PC using say £500/£600 and the parts that can be scabbed out of my old box? (bearing in mind that although the old box is being stripped for bits, it will stay in its case cos I can use it elsewhere). Am I dreaming by limiting myself to £500/£600? Are there any decent boxes that can be bought for the same cash?

Thx in advance

 

[Skyler]

I can think of something but I cant type it one handed, will have to wait soz

 

[bids]

Just ordered a 'Customer Configured' PC from Watford (http://www.watford.co.uk/aries):

Intel P4 2Ghz
512 Mb 2100 DDR RAM
40 Gb UDMA 7200 H/Drive
MSI Mobo
Geforce4 ti4200
CD ROM
Floppy
Case

all for less than £500 (exc VAT).

Comes ready-built with a years warrenty. Gonna put my mates good bits in it (sound card, CDR, etc.), and he will have a high-end PC that will last a year or so, for much less than £600.

I know you said you wanted to build yourself, but worth a look ?

 

[MYstIC G]

Gah, site offline atm, but is interesting, I'll give it a look, thanks.

/me ponders what skyler has done to his hand

 

[bids]

Mystic - just went onto it - try the PC configurator at the bottom of the page - page is fookin' slow to load on my cable though

 

[.Moriarty.]

Originally posted by Skyler
I can think of something but I cant type it one handed, will have to wait soz

/me shudders
ick

 

[Yaka]

http://homepage.eircom.net/~jsk/index.html

get the 1337 ocz 3200 ddr ram from here

 

[Summo]

Meg, take a look at the Tech|Nation A-list and basically pick you're components from there. You can't possibly go wrong! Money back guarantee!
















(Quality p1mpage. Even got the '|' symbol in and everything.)

 

[MYstIC G]

Guess watford are launching a new line cos that link now takes me to a separate site & hardly any of it works.

And summo I don't want a list to read, I can find that myself (besides half the time no 2 lists agree ), I wanted some advice.

 

[bids]

Mystic - that link works fine for me mate - bit slow to load, but works.

 

[bids]

What about this one:

http://www.powerc.com/cgi-bin/psear...aid=&uid=SSNchnLOxz2I3ec&sid=&cid=1&act=gpage

 

[Will]

For that budget...Xav will come along later and shoot me down, but I'd get myself an Abit or Asus motherboard, either on the via KT266A or KT333 chipset. Processor, get an Athlon XP of some kind or other.

Graphics, either a GF4 Ti of some kind, or a Radeon 8500, though most people would take the GF.

Ram...it has to be Crucial Ram, the type would depend on the motherboard you decided on, rated for either 266MHz or 333Mhz.

 

[Wij]

One of my crucial sticks just bust

They're not 100% reliable. Probably more reliable than most tho..

Incidentally can anyone host a pic for me ?

 

[Skyler]

Originally posted by MYstIC G
Gah, site offline atm, but is interesting, I'll give it a look, thanks.

/me ponders what skyler has done to his hand

Got stabbed

 

[MYstIC G]

Originally posted by Skyler
Got stabbed

Ouch , how'd that happen?

(thought i'd ask cos its obviously pointless trying to get any further serious help)

 

[S-Gray]

yeah c'mon.. people have been waiting for you to tell em also ..1

 

[Skyler]

Well it was a drugged up wanker who followed me out of a cafe where I just had breakfast, I was outside our office building when he jumped me and cut me straight away so I wasnt gonna argue and get stabbed again, I just gave him my bag and backed off...

Luckily he didnt get a ligament or nerve, just an artery in my hand.

There ya go thats the simple story