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Starting From Scratch

Post Date: 2009-07-31
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BigKid View Drop Down
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Posts: 41 		  Quote BigKid Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: Starting From Scratch
    Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 1:33pm
Hi ya'll. I feel like a kid in a candy store discovering DS and this forum. I am starting from scratch soooooo, here goes .... It was suggested that I note the resolution of the display I will run and then suggestions could be made regarding the system to buy.

I do not know the answer regarding the display, so I would like some feed back on the that issue to get started. I may run 2 displays because when I am not gaming on WoW I will be running "live" stock market streaming quotes (etc.), and I also would like to browse the web and edit video too.

I do appreciate the level of expertise and openess of this forum and am pretty darn excited to get going and buy a system. Thanks up front for the help!

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DS ELITE
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 1:38pm
OK so are you planing on getting a new monitor or using the 2 displays you have?

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Kliebor2 View Drop Down
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Posts: 659 		  Quote Kliebor2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 1:46pm
In General Displays that are common these days run in two reasonable size ranges without going into the stratosphere for prices

  • 20-22" (1440x900 or 1680x1050 Both Widescereen)
  • 24-26" (1920x1080 or 1920x1200 Both Widescreen)
          And for those with Deep Pockets
  • 28"+ (2560x1600 Widescreen is common and very expensive)
In General you can consider a good LCD for 199 - 399 and a great one for about double that. The low end for 20-22" and the high side for 24-26".

Brands we generally see that have good reputation - Samsung, Viewsonic, HP, LG, NEC or BenQ. I tend to be partial to Samsung, I have never gone wrong with their displays, I own 3, a 22" a 23" and a 26".

The other detail that would help DST or KryHavoc our resident builders that seem to put together the nicest systems is a price range you can afford to spend.

All the Best -- Dave Ouch


Edited by Kliebor2 - 31 Jul 2009 at 1:52pm
Digital Storm 950Si - Q9450 Quad Core @ 3 Ghz
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2 Western Digital 500 GB SATAII 7200 RPM HD
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Posts: 41 		  Quote BigKid Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 2:00pm
I do not own any displays. I may as well get this confession over with early on: I have owned Macs since 1986. I have worked with PCs at my job, but never owned one. I bought a new HP system 2 months ago, but to make a short story shorter, I returned it within a week. So, I am truly starting from scratch. I would like to spend no more than 3k for everything. But I would not quibble on cost if extra money spent would not be wasted on marginal performance increases.
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Posts: 659 		  Quote Kliebor2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 2:06pm
Well then I would say go the 24-26" monitor, get a decent one 400-600 for a nice one maybe less if you catch a sale or go with NewEgg, and sink the rest into the PC. I would bet DST can build a killer rig that will play at 1920x1200 for the 2400-2600 dollar budget range pretty easily, and that monitor size is really nice, not too big or small.

Dave Ouch
Digital Storm 950Si - Q9450 Quad Core @ 3 Ghz
Dual PNY OC2 GTX 560Ti
8 Gigabytes DDR2/800
2 Western Digital 500 GB SATAII 7200 RPM HD
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Posts: 41 		  Quote BigKid Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 2:07pm
I should also say here that two displays are not necessary at this point, but the capacity to eventually add a second display is important on my build. So the 3K budget (or thereabouts) does not include a second display, but just one.
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Posts: 41 		  Quote BigKid Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 2:09pm
Thanx ... that sounds good to me!!!!!
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 2:47pm
One killer rig that will play what ever thrown at it, at 1920x1200 for the 2400-2600 dollar budget range coming up:

Here you go Ticket# 315666 --- Price: $2571 (To see this build click here) Price after current promotion $2321

Copy of Specifications:
Chassis Model: Cooler Master HAF 932
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Interior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz (Quad Core)
Motherboard: EVGA X58 LE Edition SLI (Intel X58 Chipset) (Supports SLI or CrossFire)
System Memory: 6GB DDR3 1333MHz Digital Storm Certified by mushkin enhanced (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply: 1000W Corsair HX (Dual/Triple/Quad SLI Compatible) (Silent Edition)
Card Reader: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM) (SATA)
Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks
Optical Drive 1: DVD±R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 20x / CD-Writer 48x)
Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card: 2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275 896MB (Includes PhysX Technology)
Add-on Card: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 2: Noctua NH-U12P High Performance Cooler (Compatible With ONLY i7 Processors)
Liquid Color:- Not Applicable, I do not have a H20: Stage 3 Cooling System Selected
Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Red)
Enhancements: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Boost Processor: Stage 1: Overclock the processor between 3.3GHz to 3.9GHz (Requires Air Cooling Upgrade)
Boost Video Card: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Boost Memory: Memory Fan Kit Only (Does not include memory overclocking service)
Tweak Windows: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-Bit Edition) With Windows 7 Upgrade Coupon
Restore Kit: Digital Storm Specialized Recovery System (DVD Image Based)
Virus Protection: - No Thanks
Office: - No Thanks
Benchmarking: - No Thanks
Install/Test Game: - No Thanks
LCD Display: - No Thanks
Surge Shield: - No Thanks
Speakers: - No Thanks
Keyboard: - No Thanks
Mouse: - No Thanks
External Storage: - No Thanks
Exclusive T-Shirt: - No Thanks
Priority Build: - No Thanks, Ship Within 5-10 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed
Warranty: 3 Year Platinum Care Extended Parts & Labor Warranty




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BigKid View Drop Down
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Posts: 41 		  Quote BigKid Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 2:54pm
Well, I have been shopping ... how does this look to you DST4ME? I really am not sure what to look for spec-wise.

SAMSUNG TOC T260HD Rose Black 25.5" 5ms Widescreen. I don't know about the 5ms response time. Price is $369.

Am I on the right track, or should I look at different monitor specs such as response time, contrast, etc.?
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 2:57pm
I'm not good myself but justin says, and from what I've been reading lately, he is right, you need to look at the "Viewing Angle", both vertical and horizontal needs to be the same angle and the angle should be 170 or higher.

this one's angle is 170/150 so its not that great.

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Posts: 41 		  Quote BigKid Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 3:10pm
Looks very sweeeeeet DST4ME. Price is right in the ballpark too.

A couple of questions here. I believe I need a card reader, USB ports, a second drive for backup, anti-virus and Office software, speakers, keyboard and mouse. I really am starting from scratch. Are these OK or am I gumming up the works? I need the machine for work-related tasks, thus the need for the above. Would you suggest a different build if I add these extras?
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Kliebor2 View Drop Down
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Posts: 659 		  Quote Kliebor2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 3:21pm
To Keep you in price range here is what I would recommend:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824002359

This is a 24" NEC 1920x1200, 178 degree/178 degree viewing angle and 89% 4 and 5 star reviewes on New Egg out of 71 reviewers, so it seems like a display that will serve you well.

As to the rest - A second Drive is an easy add later if you want, or they can pop in a second hard drive no problem at DSO for a decent cost.

Card Reader is an easy 20 bucks, no problem there either.

Office... if it is for work and you work for a company see if they will give you a copy to install, most companies do if you are expected to work from home. Self install on that is easy and quick.


Dave Ouch


Edited by Kliebor2 - 31 Jul 2009 at 3:24pm
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2 Western Digital 500 GB SATAII 7200 RPM HD
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 3:23pm
then we need to add a card reader , your mobo has bunch of usb ports, I wanna say you will have 4 upfront, but I'm not sure.

if your second drive is for backing up the OS drive then it needs to be external, if this is the case let me know and I will show you how to go about that.

av you best get ESET Smart Security, it has a 30 day full free trial, try it first then buy a license after 30 days

keyboard and mouse you can get choose from here just add to my config, your office software you should get from newegg or amazon.

so just click on my config, and then add the mouse and keyboard of your choice also add the card reader.

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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 3:25pm
Originally posted by Kliebor2


To Keep you in price range here is what I would recommend:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824002359 This is a 24" NEC 1920x1200, 178 degree/178 degree viewing angle and 89% 4 and 5 star reviewes on New Egg out of 71 reviewers, so it seems like a display that will serve you well.As to the rest - A second Drive is an easy add later if you want, or they can pop in a second hard drive no problem at DSO for a decent cost. Card Reader is an easy 20 bucks, no problem there either. Office... if it is for work and you work for a company see if they will give you a copy to install, most companies do if you are expected to work from home. Self install on that is easy and quick.Dave Ouch


that is funny I was gonna recommend that but the last 2 shoppers had a horrible experience with lines and failure so it turned me off, or should I say scared me, but the specs on it look good.

Edited by DST4ME - 31 Jul 2009 at 3:25pm

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Kliebor2 View Drop Down
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Posts: 659 		  Quote Kliebor2 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 3:28pm
DST The Haf-932 has 4 USB up front, the motherboard has a minimum of 2 in back likely more, and the card reader if they have not changed the model they use has one additional USB port as well.

So minimum should be 7 ports, more likely 9 or 11 (My old 780i motherboard has 6 USB on back.)

Dave Ouch
Digital Storm 950Si - Q9450 Quad Core @ 3 Ghz
Dual PNY OC2 GTX 560Ti
8 Gigabytes DDR2/800
2 Western Digital 500 GB SATAII 7200 RPM HD
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 3:37pm
I know it has 4 upfront but sometimes its not connected, as a matter of fact I think if he chooses the card reader the 4 ports won't be connected, instead the card reader will be connected. the usb ports in the back always work of course no matter what.

the mobo I picked for him has 12

Edited by DST4ME - 31 Jul 2009 at 3:38pm

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BigKid View Drop Down
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Posts: 41 		  Quote BigKid Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 3:44pm
You guys jammmmmmm! Going to think about it over lunch. I'll let you know what I do.

On the finer points I need to keep it rollin'. I will add the KB and mouse to your build but which ones do you suggest?

I feel like a lost puppy who just found a good home. Thanx you guys.
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 3:50pm
Honestly, its a pleasurewe all feel the same way you do


I can't really advise any kb or mouse since I use wireless myself and those are not a great idea for gaming as they have a bit of lag.

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Posts: 41 		  Quote BigKid Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 6:29pm
Bought it!

I bought the system you suggested - with one material change - the sales rep said that WoW does not support SLI, so she said to order only one graphics card. She said that if I tried playing WoW with SLI it would cause problems. I added wireless capability and got the basic mouse and keyboard for now.

I am now going to shop for the monitor, external HD, speakers, etc., and get the AV software you suggested. so I may need to contact you down the road about backing up with the HD.

I want to thank DST4ME and Dave both for the help. I am feeling even more like a big kid now!!!
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 6:36pm
Our pleasure, I'm sorry I didn't realize you didn't play other games then wow, if all games you play then there was no use for the second card that is true.

Congrats

Edited by DST4ME - 31 Jul 2009 at 6:36pm

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Posts: 41 		  Quote BigKid Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 6:48pm
That brings up another question. If I would ever want to play a game that would benefit from SLI, is it difficult to add a second card? How about a video capture card too? Well, there I go, that's 2 questions ... LOL
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Posts: 36758 		  Quote DST4ME Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Jul 2009 at 6:50pm
you can ask them to put in a capture card if you like, they have a few or you can request your own, or you can add yours in later, its very easy.

adding sli is easy. you just drop the card and then connect the power cords then use a sli bridge and connect the two cards with the sli bridge.

Edited by DST4ME - 31 Jul 2009 at 6:50pm

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