Working on my new PC...please advise

Captain Hero · Post by **Captain Hero** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 6:17 pm

I have been reading this forum for a little while and am impressed with the depth of knowledge. I am hoping that some of you will share that with me. I am in the process of building a new desktop system that I will be used both for video editing (so I need firewire) and for light gaming and all the other typical internet related things.

I have purchased an Antec P150 but do not yet know whether I will have a good PSU in it. I have also purchased a PCI-E GeForce 6800 GS from xVGA. I am also expecting a zalman northbridge heatsink (which is cheap and I added to my order just in case I needed it) and a Nexus 120 fan.

I am planning on grabbing a Ninja, a seagate 7200.9 HD and a Lite-On DVD Burner. This will be an AMD X2 system, so I want a 3800, most likely, but am considering a 4200. I would like to put it all on an Asus board, and even though I do not plan on using SLI, am looking at the A8N-SLI Premium. It seems to run cool and stable and unlike the Asus A8N-E, it has firewire.

I have no idea what sort of memory to plug in other than 3200. I will be getting 2X1gb, though.

I want this computer to be quiet, but am not nutzo about it. I don't plan on doing any modding. I just don't want the walls to shake.

So, any advice is appreciated. I am mainly concerned with the Motherboard, Ram and CPU. I already know I will get a seasonic if I get a bum PSU. I am just hoping that NEO HE430 is really new and likes my stuff.

Oh yeah...for the Vid Card...am I likely to have a lot of noise/heat generated? If so, is there a cooling path that would be agreeable? I don't want to go crazy with the cash.

If I have been unclear, please fire away with the questions. Thanks!

RaNDoMMAI · Post by **RaNDoMMAI** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 6:50 pm

Zalman Heatsink for videocard

You will want that for your vid card.

I really dont like the seagate harddrives. they are not quiet even on idle. I would get a samsung or a western dig that is black. They are far quieter then seagate.

I would just get 2 gigs of corsair value ram. i use that right now and have used it many other times for other people no problem.

I think The NeoHE PSU has problems with ASUS mobos. so even if it works you will most likely have a problem.

I myself have a opteron 165(almost same as the X2 3800+) and i love it.
i recently got myself a ATi X1300 as i just do dvd encoding and changing stuff to xvid and it works awesome. i dont game at all though

good luck to ya
~RaNDoM

~El~Jefe~ · Post by **~El~Jefe~** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:40 pm

your dvd burner is TERRIBLE.

i bet it has a pull start and needs 6 to 1 gas to oil mixture!

BRAAAAAAPPPP!! *mows the lawn with it*

Hows that for a 10 second review! they also die terribly one day, which is ok for their cheap price.

Pioneer makes a rubber encased one that also is fantastic for making backups of copyrighted software as well general movie watching. IT actually is near silent. there are some new pioneer models that arent as cool. expect over a 100 dollars though for it. it has dual layer and is quite speedy. lasts forever it seems using it daily for many tasks. never has gotten louder, doesnt get too hot either (considering it has a rubber encasement and it is in a very quiet setup)

I see you went zalman heatsink and now are talkingabout the psu and you are getting a 120mm nexus... me thinks you are on your way to truly enjoying a silent system... the bug is terrible once bitten by it! this is why i suggest the pioneer. or plextor.

Captain Hero · Post by **Captain Hero** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 1:53 pm

dvd...i want lightscribe

BigA · Post by **BigA** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:58 pm

I am looking at DVD writers, but will probably not go through with my purchase for another month or two. The market is evolving rapidly and good products keep coming to market. If I were to buy a Lightscribe DVD today, I would be take a close look at the BenQ DW1655. This drive is an updated version of the DW1640 drive which was given an editors choice award by CDFREAKS.COM:
http://www.cdfreaks.com/article/226/1

I am uncertain how this drive does for sound, although the review mentions that it does not run especially hot. The BenQ DW1670 drive will be coming out in the next couple months and I am looking forward to see what that drive will have to offer.

It might be helpful to read the technical reviews at CDFREAKS.COM, and then to search SPCR for notes on the noise levels of the drives you like. You can pull up a list of the CDFREAKS reviews at:
http://www.cdfreaks.com/article/search/B/

Hope this helps.

~El~Jefe~ · Post by **~El~Jefe~** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 6:35 pm

well. i mean ok I have purchased several modern drives in the past few years.

they all claim quiet. all review sites that said this one is quieter, I bought when the old one blew out.

ALL of them A: sucked and died, and B: were very loud after a month or from the first day.

I dont think anyone besides spcr people know what quiet is. not saying there isnt anything out there besides the plextor and the rubber surrounded Pioneer I own, but well, why gamble?

OTMOPO3OK · Post by **OTMOPO3OK** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 6:51 pm

i have NEC3550 DVDRW and its VERY quiet.
Compared to my Lite-On 52CDRW (which is like a turbine) it's inaudible at all.