So originally I was just going to upgrade my outdate PC Compaq SR1810nx. However after i did a little checking not only does it take PC3200 ram which is crap now compared to whats out today, but it also has a socket 939 which as most of you know is extinct. Added with the fact that case is a micro atx and its a pain to find mobos that fit it i'm deciding to scrap the whole thing and buy a new one, but rather than get ripped off by Dell or somebody I want to build my own. I don't play PC games as I have a PS3 and a 360 and PC gaming isn't really my thing beyond yahoo games or something like that. I mostly download large files and store them, so storage is key preferably 750 MB+ and my fiancee is in interior design so she uses AutoCAD and photoshop to render HUGE files so i need something that can keep her happy as well. In terms of price I'd like to stay under $1100.
cpu 305$ (roughly) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117134 mb 129.99 (after 50$ mail in rebate) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127030 hard drive 312$ (roughly) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145141 video card 127$ (roughly after mail in rebate) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130082 case 90$ (after mail in rebate) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156062 memory 82$ (after 20$ mail-in rebate) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145176 that actually probablly even above and beyond what you wanted for a system. Grand total $1046 and that wasn't taking my time thats was about a 10 min slap together system.
$300 for a dual core? what were you thinking? if you are using photoshop and auto cad then a quad core will be perfect. is an 8800gts really necessary for this kind of build? you would be better off going with something cheaper. cpu $215 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017 mobo $90 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128337 psu $70 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139003 gpu $65 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102700
Indeed, a Quad core is much more useful for CAD work. Additionally, as it happens, I'm not a big fan of Abit motherboards, EVGA graphics cards. or Hitachi hard drives. I also dislike Raidmax cases because they're poorly made, but then that's more personal taste.
