New Computer Phase I: Planning
So, I haven’t mentioned anything, but I got a boring data-entry job starting at $8.60/hr (which, by my state’s standards and cost of living expenses, is pretty good) that starts in about 2 weeks. This, of course, has opened the door to the possibility of catching up on game and DVD purchases, but I’m going to limit myself, as two major purchases loom on the horizon, namely, a Nikon D70s digital SLR camera, and a new computer. I’ve been trying to figure out which one I want more to decide the purchasing order, as each one will require a good deal of saving up. The more I’ve used my computer recently, though, the more I realize this thing needs to be replaced. Bad. A stick of RAM went bad on me a couple months back, so I’m down to 768mbs, and while that sounds like a decent amount, dealing with large amounts of images (which, with my recent photography obsession, has become normal) in the incredible (but a little bloated) Adobe bridge slows my computer to a crawl. If I have any torrents going (which is also very normal), the computer chugs along even worse. Sure, my motherboard supports up to 3gbs, and if I wanted, I could just throw some more RAM in and have a temporary fix. Still, lots of advances have been made in the 3 years since I built this computer, and it’s time to move up to more current technologies, now that they are more affordable, specifically: 64bit computing, SATA drives, and DVD burning.
Here’s where my computer currently stands:
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 2400+
Mobo: ASUS A7V333
Mem: 768mbs Crucial PC2700 DDR
Vid: MSI ti4200
DVD: Lite-On 16x DVDROM
CDRW: Lite-On 52×24x52x
HDD: Western Digital 80gb (Primary)
Western Digital 300gb (Secondary)
All wrapped up in a pretty generic shell that I bought locally one day in desperation. There are no front USB, audio, OR firewire ports, and I have several other small gripes with it. While that system (a couple things have been upgraded since I originally put it together) was pretty sweet several years ago, your average computer nerd nowadays would be embarassed and frustrated with a system like that, and frankly, I am.
I’ve decided it’s time to start fresh, and build a new system from the ground up. Since my job begins in about 2 weeks, I decided it was time to start putting together a rough price list to see what I’m looking at. Surprisingly, the system comes in at a VERY reasonable $1750, before shipping, which is great because I have some high-end parts in there.
As an aside, I would like to mention that that price is also without a new keyboard/mouse combo, because I would like a bluetooth set (preferably with one of those sweet new laser mice), and no mouse manufacturer on the planet seems to want to acknowledge that there are left-handed computer users. Almost ALL modern mice have ugly, futuristic designs, ergonomically designed for the right hand. Most low-end mice are ambidextrous, so it seems I’m doomed to $15 mice for the rest of my life.
So what makes this new system so incredible and worth nearly $2000? Let’s take a look at some of the specs I’ve “decided” upon (these are subject to change, especially since by the time I can afford this system, several of these parts may be cheaper, or better ones may replace them):
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
That’s right, I not only want to go 64 bit, I want to go dual core. This is the equivalent of having two processors, which adds up to a huge performance boost in multi-threaded applications, but you get all that power in one socket. This of course means, only one heatsink/fan, and less power consumption/noise. This is considerably cheaper than the 64X2 4200+, but can easily be overclocked to match the performance of the 4200+.
Mobo: ASUS A8N-E
This motherboard was chosen arbitrarily. I basically needed something that would support my new CPU, a PCI express video card, and a boatload of RAM. Generally speaking, I’ve found that most motherboard features are identical or comparable, and there are only a few specs you really need to pay attention to. ASUS is my brand, but as I research boards that support the 64X2’s, if I find one that performs better, I will opt for performance over brand loyalty.
Mem: 2gbs OCZ PC3200 DDR
This is subject to change. I like the reviews OCZ RAM has been getting, but as the 64X2 platform doesn’t support DDR2 RAM, I’d like as fast of DDR as I can get, so I will be reading more to find a good motherboard/memory matchup to support over PC4000. The 2gbs will be distributed between 4 512mb modules, and will be MORE than enough RAM.
Vid: MSI GeForce 7800GT
This choice is also basically arbitrary. I wanted an nVidia chipset, and the 7800GT is only a generation behind of the cutting edge, the 7800GTX. I don’t do much PC gaming, but when I do, I want it to be nice. I will also be reading more reviews of good 7800GT cards. I only chose this MSI because I like my current MSI card.
DVD: Plextor PX-740A
My DVD burning needs are basically non-existent, but since I saw how drastically DVD burner prices have come down (this one is fairly high-end and only about $75), I figured I may as well throw one in so the option is there. This drive will most likely be playing DVDs more often that burning them.
CDRW: Plextor PX-230A
This Plextor drive is basically identical to my current CD burner, but I haven’t been excited about Lite-On’s craftsmanship. The drive just FEELS cheap and makes an annoying whirring noise when it opens/closes. Also, the tray was open one day and my dog ran into it, and it has been burning goofy ever since, so this thing needs replacing, regardless. I like to match brands on optical drives, so I’m going to give Plextor a go.
HDD: Western Digital Caviar SE 300gb SATA x2
No, I won’t have 600gbs of SATA storage, I plan on mirroring my data in RAID 1, because I’ve grown paranoid over data loss. In the future, I plan on moving my current secondary drive (that stores all my movies, TV shows, MP3s, ROMs, software, etc) to a dedicated network storage system running a RAID 1 configuration. With an upgraded gigabit LAN, streaming any of those items over the network will be absolutely no problem. I also want it RAIDed because the thought of losing my 25gb, meticulously organized MP3 collection OR my equally painstakingly organized ~60gbs of ROMs makes me sick. 500gbs mirrored (1tb of drive space) should do me just fine, and the mirrored 300gbs on my desktop should handle my programs and “general usage” files just fine. To put it in perspective, I currently have less than 80gbs free out of the 480gbs available on my system. I’m generally a packrat, and I even keep old versions of software (Photoshop 7.0, CS, AND CS2 for example).
So those are basically the parts, and I plan on housing it all in the Cooler Master Centurion.
This will all be powered with a nearly silent 550w Coolmax power supply, and IDE cabling will all be round. As far as other accessories, I currently have a USB hub and multi-card reader cluttering up my desktop and taking up USB ports. That will be solved with an additional drive, an awesome little device made by Koutech. This can either be used as a regular internal 5.25 inch internal device or can be set up to be used externally. I won’t be using this feature, however.
Down the road, I plan on two additional purchases, but they are pretty much currently out of the question, as they increase the computer’s value by about $800. This is a matching pair of 19″ CRT monitors (I miss my dual-monitor setup) and a 9×12″ Intuos Wacom tablet (my 4×5″ just doesn’t really cut it anymore).
As it stands, I’m considering taking out a loan, but that depends on whether or not I decide I can stomach my job long enough to pay the loan off. To be able to purchase this system, though, I would put up with just about anything.
Finally, here is a rich text file with the complete list of parts I plan on purchasing, complete with Newegg product links. This file will constantly be updated and amended, so may not necessarily reflect what is outlined in this post.
