PC Build - first time! Simulation!

[Mike]

Hi and thanks for attention and sorry for my english.
I'm trying to build PC. Review reading finally brougth me here:

1.Processor - Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz 2M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail Price $220
2.Mobo - Intel BLKD975XBX2KR LGA 775 Intel 975X ATX Intel Motherboard – OEM Price $220
3.RAM - CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 675 (PC2 5400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail Price $150
4.HDD - Seagate SATA2 400Gb – i already have one
5.Video – i'm not sure - budget $140-160
6.DVD - ??
7.Case - ??
8.PSU - ??
9.Cooling - ??

Requirements: not to much big simulation in physics (if someone's familiar with GEANT, ROOT packages), and all other stuffs - photo/video, games, music/movie - but i'm not gamer or professional photographer!!!



Questions:

# 5-9 what to choose? I've almost run out of my budget.

Does it sound reasonable - compatibility and so on?



Please:
I'm not PC spesialist. Don't confuse me more and please don't use PC's slang :)

[sswilson]

Have you chosen a vendor? (If you're pricing everything at one place and want to keep it there for shipping costs it'd give us a chance to have a look).

Do you plan to overclock?

As far a video goes.....

If you're not a gamer, pretty well any lower end GFX card will do (Avoid the ones like the 6200 with the "hypermemory", you'd might as well be running on-board video). ATI has a couple of new low-end offerings (1050 & 1550) which are rated for Vista's Aero-Glass interface.

Any DVD player would probably do as well (unless you also want to be able to print onto the labels of them, then you'd need a lightscribe one).

For your purposes, I would recommend a cheap board with on-board video and a higher end CPU.

[Mike]

I'm plannig to buy all the stuffs from newegg. Pepole tell me that's a reliable vendor (by the way it's my first month of staying in us).
I didn't plan overclock. But after reading all this reviews i think i'll have to try:) some day. The same is about games - maybe when i'll get my PC finally i'd like to play more... And i have plans to buy DSLR camera.. I understand that i cannot get everything at once for the price. But i want to have relatively good system for this cases. Maybe it's good idea to spend a little bit more... i don't know.
I agree that for the simulation it's better to have higher end CPU. For that purpose we have farm at Lab - what i'm going to do is small portion of simulation or test simulation and some analyises.
I've chosen board mostly because of good reviews and Intel goes to Intel.
As to video i looked at
HIS Hightech H165XTQT256GDDN-R Radeon X1650XT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 IceQ Turbo HDCP Video Card - Retail -140$


or
XFX PVT73GUGD3 GeForce 7600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail 130$

i'm not sure?!?
is it ok to run Vista home or probably business?

And what is about case and PSU for this configuration?
I've read that sometimes video card does not match to case..
Are the fans that important as it's written in reviews?

[BALISTX]

Mike: Where are ya from, if you are in Canada Newegg doesn't ship to Canada, I've already inquired about that with them.

[Patriote]

Originally Posted by K1LLER_INSTINCT

Mike: Where are ya from, if you are in Canada Newegg doesn't ship to Canada, I've already inquired about that with them.

So did i...

[Mike]

ou, I didn't notice that it' canada's community..
i just followed search results about D975XBX2 vs. the ASUS P5B deluxe and i got here
I'm in US, VA and newegg does

[sswilson]

Heh.... that's OK.

Our friends from down south are certainly welcome.

The two cards you've chosen shouldn't be an issue with any case you chose. Issues with case size & vid cards are coming up now with the latest card versions (they're really long!!!).

My vote would be for the ATI, I've always preferred the image quality of ATI cards. (Both of those choices would allow you to play today's games at lower settings).

As for cases.... what are you looking for? Do you want flashy, or would you prefer something more business like to go with your all intel theme?

[Mike]

Originally Posted by sswilson

Heh.... that's OK.

The two cards you've chosen shouldn't be an issue with any case you chose. Issues with case size & vid cards are coming up now with the latest card versions (they're really long!!!).

>>>I haven't chosen yet - i'm not sure. Those two is only due to price and i'm not sure about manufacturer...

My vote would be for the ATI, I've always preferred the image quality of ATI cards. (Both of those choices would allow you to play today's games at lower settings).
>>>for ATI i've noticed this one
ATI 100-437509 Radeon X1600PRO 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 CrossFire Support Video Card - Retail - 170


but there is a problem with heat mentioned in reviews

As for cases.... what are you looking for? Do you want flashy, or would you prefer something more business like to go with your all intel theme?

more business is ok

I have question about fans and heatsinks. Does it mean we are talking about only procesor's fan? Or should i buy another fans as well (how many in this case?)

[sswilson]

If you're not planning to OC right off of the bat you'll be fine with stock fans.

$170 is a lot of money to pay for a 1600pro no matter how much mem it has.

If you can swing it ($139 after mail in rebate) the X1950pro has a great "bang for your buck" ratio.

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100176L Radeon X1950PRO 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Video Card - Retail

This card will do you well for current applications. (The early issues with the VRMS seem to have been resolved).