Building My First PC

ID:187549
 
Nov 26 2004, 9:49 am
Well, since my current PC is unable to run Doom 3 (or anything, for that matter) I've decided it's time to get a new one. I'd rather build it than buy it, due to money. I'm trying to spend less than $700. My core so far is:

Mobo/Processor:
http://www.portatech.com/catalog/viewitem.asp?ID=10722
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ CPU
ASRock K8S8X Socket 754 Athlon64 SIS755 Motherboard
$230

Case:
EZ-Media G7
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/ item-details.asp?EdpNo=1109101&CatId=1520
$50

Video Card:
ATI Sapphire Atlantis Radeon 9800 PRO 128MB
http://www.allstarshop.com/shop/ product.asp?pid=9161&sid=12R9VAA8LQSV8KHQBEUDWVD90EWJC0MF#
$140

Sound Card:
Sound Blaster Audigy 2
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=SC-SB0244
60

RAM:
1GB of DDR400 PC3200
eBay
$125-150

Hard Drive:
80GB
eBay
$30-60
-----------------------
$690 (-?65)


I need to make sure that this is all compatiable (it appeared so to my not-so-thorough glance) and see if it's possible to get those parts any cheaper, or better parts cheaper. I know I still need to add CD/DVD drives, an NIC card, a monitor, and a few other goodies to the system, but they're pretty easy and inexpensive. Am I forgetting anything else? I'll be buying these parts over the course of a few months, so if there's a certain priority to them that would be good to know as well. Thanks.
Nov 26 2004, 9:56 am
An SSJ Motherboard?

Yikes.
Nov 26 2004, 10:03 am
In response to Kholint
It's cheap. :-P The next cheapest is a Gigabyte GA-K8VT800 Socket 754 Athlon 64 A&L ATX Motherboard for $20 more.
Nov 26 2004, 10:06 am
It seems everything you've selected so far will fit fine together. The motherboard is ATX and so is the case, so they're good. The motherboard supports the RAM you selected. The motherboard has an 8x AGP slot for the video card you selected. The hard drive will be fine as long as it's either IDE or Serial ATA (it more than likely is one of those), your motherboard supports both. Unless you want better quality sound and all of those neat extra ports, you don't NEED the sound card, since your motherboard has one built in. Same goes for the NIC; your motherboard has a built in 10/100, so you don't need to buy one unless you want a faster one (a gigabit card).

Also, you may as well add in thermal grease on your order for an extra $4.50 if you don't already have some. It goes between the processor and heatsink to help transfer heat.
Nov 26 2004, 10:09 am
In response to Cinnom
The soundcard is mainly for 6.1 surround sound, which the motherboard doesn't support. Can the motherboard pick up a wireless signal? Also, I have no idea what kind of connector the sound card uses. If that's AGP also, can I plug them both in to the slot with a hub?
Nov 26 2004, 10:13 am
In response to HavenMaster
The specs don't say anything about any wireless capabilities, so I would say no. The sound card uses PCI (any non-video card these days uses PCI), which you have 5 slots for, so you're fine there.
Nov 26 2004, 10:18 am
In response to Cinnom
Alright, that's good. Another thing I was worried about was the racks inside the case. Will everything fit fine and such?
Nov 26 2004, 10:23 am
In response to HavenMaster
Depends what you're putting in there. =P
The case has 4 5.25 inch bays, and 8 3.5 inch bays (2 external, 6 internal). So as long as you keep yourself down to 4 CD/DVD drives and 8 hard drives/floppy drives, I think you'll be alright. ;-)
Nov 26 2004, 10:57 am
In response to Cinnom
I would take off the audigy (Waste of money and chips.) and buy a SD surround system on Ebay, then buy a 15 dollar SB Live! 5.1 surround sound card. That's what i did, rather then get an audigy; And let me tell you, i'm not regreting it!