Under 22dB for $398?

[ist.martin]

I currently have a 0 dB VIA EPIA M10000 system that needs upgrading. I am not really a gamer, but it seems that modern websites require a lot more horsepower than they did a year ago. I'm currently running 98 SE as well, which is suddenly showing its age on the 'net.

I'd like to put together an 'inaudible from under my desk' work system for ~ $500. It'd be nice if it had the power to run Civilization IV. I will install XP on it, and use XPLite to remove Microsoft excess and speed it up.

Here's what I'm thinking (prices, shipped, are from NewEgg):

Antec Solo case - $26
Fortron Zen FSP300 PS - $35
BIOSTAR TForce TF7050-M2- $82
AMD X2 4000+ - $65
Scythe Ninja Rev B - $47
2GB Corsair DDR2-800- $47
Scythe Slipstream case fan - $15

Samsung Spinpoint M 120 GB 2.5" HD - $81 (I'm not really sure about this - are there quieter or more reliable alternatives?)

Do I need an isolation box for the HDD? Do I need a fan controller for the case fan? Anything else? Will I be able to run Civilization IV on it without a dedicated graphics card (manual says I need a GeForce 2 or Radeon 7500 or better)?

Should I go for a PicoPSU instead?

The total of all this is $398 (discounting the mail in rebates for the Solo, Zen and RAM).

Also, I am not a tinkerer. I'd like to build it, turn it on and have it run trouble-free for 3 years. Any reliability issues with these parts?

I am not hardware proficient, so Id like to get it all in one place and take it to someone to build. I'm in Vancouver, and would prefer to shop locally - can any retailer here come close to matching these NewEgg prices?

Thanks a lot.

[Blue_Sky]

You're in luck with respect to buying all of this - Ncix.com operates a store in Vancouver. They have the widest selection and usually the best prices of any of the reputable parts sellers in Canada. Ordering online is quick (shipping wise) and cheep if you want to be lazy about it.

I believe that the case will cost you a lot more here, but if you sign up for their newsletter, you should be able to get the fans, ram and CPU for much cheaper than the normal price.

Going with a Pico PSU will lower your temps and eliminate a fan, but will cost you considerably more if you don't already have the power brick. I'm sure someone else has more to say on this.

[ACook]

$26 for a Solo???

[Blue_Sky]

Newegg had some ridiculous deals on cases and PSUs lately.

Biostar F7050 $80
Antec Solo $85
AMD X2 4000+ $83
Fortron PSU $85 ($50 rebate)
Scythe Ninja $45
Corsair 2 GB PC-6400 RAM $85 ($30 rebate)
Seagate 160GB 7200 RPM 2.5 in HDD $164 or WD 160 GB 5400 RPM 2.4 in HDD $100

$563-627, $483-$547 after rebates.

Depends on what you buy, but things are still more expensive here.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello,

$26 for a Solo???

Yes -- shipped, after MIR!

[jessekopelman]

Will I be able to run Civilization IV on it without a dedicated graphics card (manual says I need a GeForce 2 or Radeon 7500 or better)?

Yep. I can run the highest settings on a 1680X1050 screen using an Intel GMA950. My friend does the same using an Nvidia 6150. Your 7050 should trounce either of these. Those discrete video solutions mentioned in the manual are ancient by GPU standards and are likely well below the performance of a current generation IGP.

[Erssa]

My friend does the same using an Nvidia 6150.

I too have been playing Civ4 BTS with 6150. You should have no problems.

[aristide1]

I put an order in yesterday because it seemed silly not to.

All prices after rebates.

$65 - Biostart TForce 7050
$65 - AMD X2 4000+
$15 - Antec EA380 power supply
$27 - 2*1GB Crucial DDR2-667 CAS 3

[ACook]

Hello,

$26 for a Solo???

Yes -- shipped, after MIR!

that's € 17,60... can't even get the cheapest of the cheapest case for that here.
cheapest solo is €75...

NE would get so many orders from .eu right now with the dollar this low and xmas approaching, if they only shipped to .eu...
even with $25 s&h most things'd be cheaper there...

[mx-5]

Here's what I'm thinking (prices, shipped, are from NewEgg):

Too bad Newegg isn't shipping to Canada.

Were you thinking of picking up across the border?

[ist.martin]

Here's what I'm thinking (prices, shipped, are from NewEgg):

Too bad Newegg isn't shipping to Canada.

Were you thinking of picking up across the border?

I'm in Vancouver, with friends in Point Roberts, WA - which is about a 45 minute drive, and no border lineup. Point Roberts is an isolated spit of land only accessible by land from Canada.

Back to topic - I was reading the posts here on the Fortron Zen, and it sounds like it would be a terrible fit for this low-powered system, as it might fail on startup due to an insufficient load. It also has reliability problems. So I need to decide on a different PS.