Final Computer Build....Feedback Please!!

[gman1975]

Well I think I finally have this system about as low as I can get it price wise, but as high as I can get feature/performance wise.

Biostar Tforce 965PT ATX LGA775 Conroe DDR2 965P 1PCI-E16 PCI-E1 3PCI SATA2 Sound GBLAN Motherboard
$121.65
Hauppauge Wintv PVR-150 Media Center Kit MPEG2 PCI TV Tuner Retail Box W/ Certified MCE Remote
$104.39
Sony MRW620 11-IN-1 Multi Card READER/WRITER INT 3.5IN Black MS/MS-PRO CF SD MMC XD OEM
$11.00
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with SP2 OEM English W/ Vista Upgrade Coupon
$134.99
PC ASSEMBLY AND TESTING (PRE-CONFIG OS IF PURCHASED)
$1.00
Corsair Value Select PC2-5300 2X1024MB DDR2-667 240PIN DIMM
$165.98
Western Digital Caviar SE 160GB SATA2 7200RPM 8.9MS 8MB Hard Drive 3 Year MFR Warranty
$67.99
Sapphire Radeon X1600 Pro 128MB 128-BIT PCI-E VGA DVI-I TV Out Video Card Lite Retail
$64.99
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 Dual Core Processor LGA775 Conroe 1.86GHZ 1066FSB 2MB Retail (open box, full warranty)
$206.55
NEC Super-Multi (AD-7170A) / 18x DVD±R Burn / 16x DVD±R Read / 8x DVD±RW / 8x DVD-R DL / 12x DVD-RAM / 48x32x CD-R/RW / Black / DVD Burner - OEM
$32.97
Logisys CS-51WBK 51W Black 450W ATX Tower Case 4X5.25 2X3.5 5X3.5INT W/ Window
$40.40
Shipping & Handling:
$30.00
Shipping Insurance (1.5%):
$14.28
SUBTOTAL:
$996.19
GST(6%):
$59.77
TOTAL:
CAD $1,055.96

The only upgrade I see is using the X800 Crossfire Edition for $19.56 more plus tax and a 250GB hard drive for $19.26 more plus tax.

I want to keep under $1100, do you guys have any final suggestions before I order????

It is being used as an entertainment PC.

Thanks

[ppl4golf]

A bigger HDD is a must, get the 500GB for <$160, and that currently tied with the 320GB for lowest $/GB champ.

Also, you really cheaped out on the case relatively to the investment on your decent rig, I hate to say, but I might do the same thing but maybe get an Antec Sonata II or a HTPC case that can fit your mobo.

[Jucius Maximus]

I prefer Seagate or Samsung drives myself. Western Digital's is not something I would buy unless it was one of the 10K Raptor drives. Also, you are only getting 160GB? Disk space is cheap and plentiful these days. If you are going to be doing mp3s or a lot of downloading (read: piracy,) get yourself a bigger drive.

Logisys tower case - Isn't Logisys a knockoff brand? Also if you are getting a case and a 450W power supply for $40.40, that is a major warning sign. I wouldn't buy the PSU alone for $40.40. It is probably a crap low quality PSU that will give unstable voltages and slowly kill your equipment. Personally I use Antec power supplies. Good names are also Enermax, Zalman and Fortron. The best is PC Power & Cooling but it's VERY expensive.

I am anal about these things but I would prefer to get cases from Antec, Thermaltake, Chenming or Lian Li. (My own Lian Li case was about $285 and PSU was ~$90.)

Excellent choice on the DVD burner.

Also I do not see monitor / mouse / keyboard / speakers here so I assume you have those already.

[gman1975]

A bigger HDD is a must, get the 500GB for <$160, and that currently tied with the 320GB for lowest $/GB champ.

Also, you really cheaped out on the case relatively to the investment on your decent rig, I hate to say, but I might do the same thing but maybe get an Antec Sonata II or a HTPC case that can fit your mobo.

PPL - That case is $110 and that HD is $150. That adds $163 to the price and puts me over budget bigtime. Any other suggestions??

[Jucius Maximus]

Do you need The tuner right now?

If anything, I would suggest you temporaruly cancel the tuner and get a high quality PSU right from the start.

Save your money and later on put in a 2nd HDD and the Tuner. Those are easy upgrades.

[gman1975]

How about:

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB SATA2 3GB/S 7200RPM 16MB Cache NCQ Hard Drive for $99.99

Better choice????

Also someone please find me a good case for a reasonable price that includes the p/s.

[mingyang]

Antec Sonata II is best case + psu for the buck, although recently Antec has problems with their PSu manufacture but you cant go wrong with Antec cases

(if you overclock)
Since you're getting
Corsair Value Select PC2-5300 2X1024MB DDR2-667 240PIN DIMM
Why not get a e4300v, the VT thing is useless
I've seen DDR400 hitting 3ghz with E4300

[ppl4golf]

How about:

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB SATA2 3GB/S 7200RPM 16MB Cache NCQ Hard Drive for $99.99

Better choice????

Also someone please find me a good case for a reasonable price that includes the p/s.

That's better. Actually 3.2GB per dollar is not bad at all.

Take a lot at some of the AOPEN cases, a little less pleasing to the eyes but their PSUs seem ok for an OEM.

[CSR]

Where are you ordering from?

Why the $30 shipping + $15 insurance?

Why not buy from Direct Canada and get free shipping?



Take away the tuner, card reader, O/S (if Possible).

[jolok]

harddisc are too small for HT, get 500GB

[terrybear]

Defiantly get the seagate 320 gig Sata2 drive & call it a day then.

[cpus456]

[QUOTE=Hauppauge Wintv PVR-150 Media Center Kit MPEG2 PCI TV Tuner Retail Box W/ Certified MCE Remote
$104.39[/QUOTE]

Please pm

[magical]

Again like i say drop that video card in favor of a board with built in GMA3000 Graphics, Drop the WD hdd in favor of seagate, get a Pioneer 112 Drive instead of that NEC ... those are all best bang for the buck...

[lincoln]

How about:

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB SATA2 3GB/S 7200RPM 16MB Cache NCQ Hard Drive for $99.99

Better choice????

Also someone please find me a good case for a reasonable price that includes the p/s.

Stick with the 160gb caviar or if you must, get the 250gb caviar for $87.99. The access time of the 160gb is far faster than the barracuda. Same goes for the 250gb, although it isn't quite as fast as the 160gb. If you're looking for a 300gb harddrive (which is a lot to fill) then why not get two 160gb caviar's and run them in RAID? The access time of the drive when in RAID is phenominal!
According to tests on Tomshardware, the barracuda's can't even touch caviar's for performance.

I'd scrap the video card. A x1600 pro is not good at all. Why not just spend that money and buy a better mobo and use the onboard video card?

[lincoln]

harddisc are too small for HT, get 500GB

The harddrive access time of 500gb harddrives fades dramatically as you start to fill them up. You'll notice a dramatic slowdown past the 250gb mark. You'd be far better off RAIDING two 250gb's for the same price or 3 160gb's.