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OK, I'm planning on building my own computer hopefully in the near future (mom offered to buy one piece each month, still has yet to start :-( ) and the parts I want are as follows: ThermalTake Xaser III V1000D ATX Super Tower, ABIT IC7-G mobo, P4 2.8 GHz w/ 800 fsb, 1 GB ddr ram, and then western digital 80 gig drive and dvd burner, Gforce 5200 and Sound Blaster Audigy Z2. Do you think this will turn out to be a good system? Im not really a newb when it comes to computers but I am when it comes to building them. Thanks
I agree on the graphics card - it's a bit 'old hat' now. Also don't forget a standard DVD as well as the re-writer - try & avoid 'combo' units
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Not a bad setup at all.
I agree with frosty !!!!!!
Go for the ATI 9600 XT series, if you can afford the extra that is. it will run rings arround the FX5200. Particularly with a board of that calibar.
Drop down on the ram if you can.
If not rnning apps like Autocad 2004 yu dont need 1 gig. A total of 512 will run very nicely indeed.
Dont forget the agp card will have 128 meg on board so you wont need any system memory for it.
Good luck and have fun
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always glad to help someone who names themself after a cereal.
"mom offered to buy one piece each month"
then here is how you can help your mom and also yourself
1) Buy an amd mobo/cpu combo. Mom saves money and you save time in acquiring your parts.
2) Get an nf2 mobo with mcp-t and you can lose the audigy
3) Get a video card that costs $90 or more. Video cards are the most efficiently priced computer item - you get what you pay for. Unlike memory, power suppies, cpus
4) Get a great case. When you are 70 you will have a $15 walmart wardrobe because that reflects the values of the old. When you are young you sag your pants and work to have shaggy unkempt hair that looks like it just happened on its own and a studiously casual walk and an attention to your facial expression. It is normal to start out life with a value on appearance and only later migrate to a value on how you are remembered. What this means to a young builder is go ahead and focus on the case. Its what makes the machine cool.
Your mom has made you a cool promise but it is not good to hear that she is appearing to aim at how she appears more than how she is remembered.
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Tips:
get 512 ram or more
get a good vid card, ati's are ok but i am a nvidia fan boy so go with the 5700 ultra or 5900, they are good and are dx 9.0 so they will work with newest games
sound is important but audigy is expensive, a soundblast live 5.1 is awesome and a lot cheaper, my roomate didn't see much increase in performance with tha audigy
get onboard lan
look for upgradability, it will save you a lot of money in the long run, get a mobo that can use a lot higher cpu then you are going to buy, and a lor of ram, get a mobo with 8x agp so you can use new vid cards for a while
happy gaming and be really careful when you put the cpu and fan together
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From someone who just built a PC, here are my tips:
1. Buy the biggest (NOT the prettiest) case you can find, with the fattest power supply, and preferably thumbscrews in the back, so it opens easily. Ask the salesman to open the case for you. If he has a hard time doing it, chances are you'll have a worse time doing it on your own. Notice how the 5.25" drive cage (where your optical drives will go) works. Some tilt, some come apart, some don't move. Whatever you choose, make sure you'll feel comfortable working on it.
2. Try to buy the newest mobo you can find, since it'll be the LAST thing you'll want to upgrade. Think about the future. PCs get old fast, so you'll want something you'll be able to upgrade later. 6 PCI slots is the norm for most mobos. Also consider the processor and RAM your mobo will support.
3. Get QUALITY components even if they cost more. Depending on where you shop, never, EVER buy the extended warranty crap. It's a scam! That's why I'm suggesting you buy QUALITY components. I've been buying electronics/computer equipment for several years, never bought any extended warranty, and never wished I had.
4. Consider AMD as an alternative to Intel. No preaching here, you get similar performance, better configuration options (i.e. OC), and better price.
5. Unless you plan on attaching this system to a Gigabit Ethernet, stick with the onboard LAN card.
6. Video card is really a toss-up, IMHO. It depends on several factors, like what games you plan on playing, etc., which makes video card selection a personal choice. I use a Chaintech with Geforce FX 5200 chipset with 256 MB (yes, I broke my own rule #3 above, but this thing was just SO cheap I couldn't just walk away).
7. And, as always, DO NOT ASSUME THE DRIVERS SUPPLIED BY THE MANUFACTURER ARE THE LATEST, NO MATTER HOW MODERN YOUR HARDWARE IS. I wish I had remembered it sooner when installing WinXP on my SATA Seagate.
8. Enjoy! I know I did!
GeForce FX 5200 (256 MB)
Seagate 120 GB SATA
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 trading boxen
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TI4600 vs FX 5600
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