Khapheen
08-06-2008, 04:28 PM
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for their help in putting together my PC. Before I stumbled across this site a couple of months ago, I would never have dreamed of attempting anything like this. But, I'm proud to say I'm posting this review from my new computer, and loving the way it works.
Here are the specs:
Your first name: Matt
Your state or country: Colorado, USA
Month and date of completion: August, 2008
Operating system used: XP Pro
Case: Antec Three Hundred
Motherboard brand and model used: ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
Processor brand and speed used: AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ AM2 (dual-core)
Video card brand and model: eVGA GeForce 8600 GT 256MB DDR3
Amount of system memory: 4GB Gskill (2 xc 2GB 240 pin 800 DDR2)
Hard drive brand and size: Seagate 500 GB w/32 MB cache
A few notes in case they help anyone in the future:
First, I decided to scale down a bit at the last minute. Part of this was some unexpected budgetary issues, part was a general apprehension about messing around with expensive parts when I had no idea what I was doing. I realized that a quad core processor and a RAID setup were going to be massive overkill for what I'd be doing, and so decided to save a few bucks and order some less expensive parts. In retrospect, I think it's been a good decision that turned out well.
Also, another place where I changed my mind is with the case. After ordering from Amazon/Newegg, I got anxious for everything to come and decided to hold off my excitement by visiting MicroCenter, which is only 15 mins or so from my place. After taking a look around, I saw a bunch of cases - including the Sonata III, the Nine Hundred, and the Three Hundred side by side. It only took a moment to figure out that I'd be much better off with the Three Hundred, which was pretty much the same size and didn't have the front door. Plus, I just really liked the way it looked better - more to my taste than the Sonata III, and less flash than the Nine Hundred. So, I guess what I'm saying is that it's probably good advice for new builders to actually see their case if possible, as you might be surprised at what you like. In any case, I decided to buy it for $60 and bring it home.
When it came to the actual building, things went pretty smoothly. There were a few head-scratching moments (like finding a way to plug in the USB connectors from the front of the case to the motherboard, or getting the wireless to work with my router at home,) but nothing that would put me off of the experience. In fact, the whole thing just took a bit of time and patience, nothing more. Not being a 'fix-it' type, and with no experience, I worried that I'd break something, put together a system that didn't work, or maybe even fry the parts with static electricity. But by simply following the guidelines laid out on these pages and the manuals (mostly for the case and motherboard,) I didn't have any troubles.
Finally, the last point I'd make is that my new computer rocks. After reading all the reviews of different top-end components on Newegg, I thought I might regret scaling back. But this computer is much faster and stronger than any I've ever used before, and seems to handle anything I throw at it without even blinking. Earlier today I was using Photoshop, InDesign, Word and Dragon Naturally Speaking, back and forth from one to the other, without so much as a hitch. My old computer (a Dell laptop about 2 years old) choked on any one of them. So what turned out to be a relatively small investment has made me way more productive.
I asked a ton of questions during this process and want to extend my deepest thanks to everyone who took time out of their days to give me answers and advice. I'd recommend this to anyone, and I can't believe how well/fast my new computer is. Thanks!
Here are the specs:
Your first name: Matt
Your state or country: Colorado, USA
Month and date of completion: August, 2008
Operating system used: XP Pro
Case: Antec Three Hundred
Motherboard brand and model used: ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
Processor brand and speed used: AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ AM2 (dual-core)
Video card brand and model: eVGA GeForce 8600 GT 256MB DDR3
Amount of system memory: 4GB Gskill (2 xc 2GB 240 pin 800 DDR2)
Hard drive brand and size: Seagate 500 GB w/32 MB cache
A few notes in case they help anyone in the future:
First, I decided to scale down a bit at the last minute. Part of this was some unexpected budgetary issues, part was a general apprehension about messing around with expensive parts when I had no idea what I was doing. I realized that a quad core processor and a RAID setup were going to be massive overkill for what I'd be doing, and so decided to save a few bucks and order some less expensive parts. In retrospect, I think it's been a good decision that turned out well.
Also, another place where I changed my mind is with the case. After ordering from Amazon/Newegg, I got anxious for everything to come and decided to hold off my excitement by visiting MicroCenter, which is only 15 mins or so from my place. After taking a look around, I saw a bunch of cases - including the Sonata III, the Nine Hundred, and the Three Hundred side by side. It only took a moment to figure out that I'd be much better off with the Three Hundred, which was pretty much the same size and didn't have the front door. Plus, I just really liked the way it looked better - more to my taste than the Sonata III, and less flash than the Nine Hundred. So, I guess what I'm saying is that it's probably good advice for new builders to actually see their case if possible, as you might be surprised at what you like. In any case, I decided to buy it for $60 and bring it home.
When it came to the actual building, things went pretty smoothly. There were a few head-scratching moments (like finding a way to plug in the USB connectors from the front of the case to the motherboard, or getting the wireless to work with my router at home,) but nothing that would put me off of the experience. In fact, the whole thing just took a bit of time and patience, nothing more. Not being a 'fix-it' type, and with no experience, I worried that I'd break something, put together a system that didn't work, or maybe even fry the parts with static electricity. But by simply following the guidelines laid out on these pages and the manuals (mostly for the case and motherboard,) I didn't have any troubles.
Finally, the last point I'd make is that my new computer rocks. After reading all the reviews of different top-end components on Newegg, I thought I might regret scaling back. But this computer is much faster and stronger than any I've ever used before, and seems to handle anything I throw at it without even blinking. Earlier today I was using Photoshop, InDesign, Word and Dragon Naturally Speaking, back and forth from one to the other, without so much as a hitch. My old computer (a Dell laptop about 2 years old) choked on any one of them. So what turned out to be a relatively small investment has made me way more productive.
I asked a ton of questions during this process and want to extend my deepest thanks to everyone who took time out of their days to give me answers and advice. I'd recommend this to anyone, and I can't believe how well/fast my new computer is. Thanks!