I'm building my first complete computer (have added a new mobo, processor, hard drive, etc... over the years to the one I currently have) and need some advice. These are the components I'm looking at:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115036
- My reasoning behind this choice (may be completely wrong): I only really play old games (Warcraft 3, Diablo 2, etc... I do play America's Army but that is really the only new one) so none of my games will really benefit from having a quad core versus a duo core (I think?). Probably the highest intensity application I use my computer for is Adobe CS2 (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc...) but that's the old version so will a quad core matter much to it? Because of these things, it seems to me that I might as well spend the same amount and get a 3.16 GHz duo core over a 2.4 GHz (Q6600) quad core. However, I don''t want to immediately preclude myself from any new games. Also, never even considered AMD although I am definitely open to it. Since I won't be overclocking would they be a better choice?
Video Card: ASUS EAH4850 512MB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121253
- I want the Radeon 4850 but if you would recommend a different brand, let me know
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 500 GB, 7200 RPM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288
- Went through Tom's Hardware reviews and this one was rated high
RAM: G.SKILL 4GB DDR2 800 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122
- If I decide on AMD via your recommendations, this will probably change as well.
Case: NZXT Tempest http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146047&Tpk=nzxt tempest
- probably overkill but Tom's Hardware rated it high and it looks cool
CPU Fan: Xigmatek HDT-S1283 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003&Tpk=Xigmatek HDT-S1283) or ZALMAN CNPS9700(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019)
- Any other recommendations?
So, I need help choosing a motherboard and PSU. I would also appreciate any recommendations you might have for me. Feel free to recommend something completely different but if you recommend a new part, please confirm that it will work with all of the other parts.
Budget for the basic computer is between 1000 (preferred) and 1200. I'll get a monitor and keyboard/mouse on top of that.
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115036
- My reasoning behind this choice (may be completely wrong): I only really play old games (Warcraft 3, Diablo 2, etc... I do play America's Army but that is really the only new one) so none of my games will really benefit from having a quad core versus a duo core (I think?). Probably the highest intensity application I use my computer for is Adobe CS2 (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc...) but that's the old version so will a quad core matter much to it? Because of these things, it seems to me that I might as well spend the same amount and get a 3.16 GHz duo core over a 2.4 GHz (Q6600) quad core. However, I don''t want to immediately preclude myself from any new games. Also, never even considered AMD although I am definitely open to it. Since I won't be overclocking would they be a better choice?
Video Card: ASUS EAH4850 512MB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121253
- I want the Radeon 4850 but if you would recommend a different brand, let me know
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 500 GB, 7200 RPM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148288
- Went through Tom's Hardware reviews and this one was rated high
RAM: G.SKILL 4GB DDR2 800 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122
- If I decide on AMD via your recommendations, this will probably change as well.
Case: NZXT Tempest http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146047&Tpk=nzxt tempest
- probably overkill but Tom's Hardware rated it high and it looks cool
CPU Fan: Xigmatek HDT-S1283 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003&Tpk=Xigmatek HDT-S1283) or ZALMAN CNPS9700(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019)
- Any other recommendations?
So, I need help choosing a motherboard and PSU. I would also appreciate any recommendations you might have for me. Feel free to recommend something completely different but if you recommend a new part, please confirm that it will work with all of the other parts.
Budget for the basic computer is between 1000 (preferred) and 1200. I'll get a monitor and keyboard/mouse on top of that.