THE Budget Computer :) Help Needed! (long)

[BaboonGuy]

I've been using the original iMac for 4 years now. Specs are 233 MHz G3/4 GB HD/64 MB RAM/OS 9.1/24x CD-ROM. Now tell me that's outdated. And I'm a gamer...really I am! I've been getting along these past 4 years playing perhaps the best PC game ever, StarCraft. However, with Warcraft III out, I soon found out what I had already known, my iMac just wasn't cutting it anymore. So the search began for a new computer. I found out early on my quest that building a PC was the way to go. Cheap, customizable, and cool. Like Queen, I'm just a poor boy, every dollar counts for me. So here I am, with a list of components that were cheap and to my liking (for the most part). I'll hopefully be ordering the parts within the next 10 days. Check it out.

Case : Evercase E4252W005A 10-bay Case Retail -Black-
$26
$15 Shipping
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=11-127-003

Power Supply : Heroichi Electronic corp. Power Supply 350watt HEC-350LDT-R
$44
$0 Shipping
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=17-104-003

Motherboard : EPoX EP-8K5A2+ w/RAID, LAN, USB 2.0 & AUDIO
$99.51
$8.51 Shipping
http://direct.mwave.com/mwave/doc2/a16117.html

Processor : AMD Athlon XP 1600+ 1.4 GHz OEM -AGOIA Cores-
$52.99
$0 Shipping
http://newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=19-103-303&DEPA=1


Heatsink/Fan : Taisol CGK760092 Copper Insert
$15
$5 Shipping
http://www.kdcomputers.com/eui/prime/profile/87/78/component.htm


Thermal Paste : ARCTIC SILVER III 3G
$6
$6 Shipping
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=35-100-003

Memory : Samsung IC Chipset 512MB DDR333 PC2700 OEM
$127
$0.50 Shipping
http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80040

Kingston 512MB DDR333 PC2700 Retail
$127
$0.50 Shipping
http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80065-K

Hard Drive : WD Western Digital "Special Edition" 80GB 7200 RPM EIDE Model #WD800JB
$108
$0 Shipping
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=22-144-122


Video Card : ATI Radeon 8500LE 64MB DDR
$89
$0 Shipping
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=14-102-226

CD Burner : Lite On 40x12x48 CDRW Model: LTR40125S Retail
$57
$0 Shipping
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=27-106-176

Speakers : Logitech Z540 5-Piece Speaker System
$57
$12 Shipping
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=36-121-103

Keyboard : Compaq Black "Lite-On" Multimedia Internet PS/2 Keyboard
$6.99
$8.24
http://www.enpc.com/cgi-bin/enpc/KB-SK-2850C.html

Mouse : Pine Group Optical Scroll Mouse w/Red Light Scroll button
$7
$6 Shipping
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=26-150-001

Subtotal : $695.49
Shipping : $61.75
Total : $757.24

Here are my concerns:

1) The case. Will it fit these components? Will it have good airflow? What extra case fans should I get with it?

2) The power supply. Eventually I think I want to put in a DVD-ROM drive, so will the 350W be enough?

3) The memory. I listed the same memory (512 MB DDR 333) from two different manufacturers, Kingston and Samsung. I'm torn as to which to get. I am going to be, ideally, overclocking this 1600+ to 1.75 GHz. Therefore is this memory going to be sufficient for this, they are both CL 2.5 CAS 2.5? What brand will be the better for oc-ing?

4) The heatsink/fan. This came highly recommended from Insane3d (from AT forum), and even though I highly respect that man (look at his silent rigs, crazzy) I just want to make sure about this. Will it be enough for the overclock? And will it fit on my mobo (EPoX 8K5A2+)?

5) The keyboard/mouse. Anyone got any better recommendations at comparable prices?

The last thing I have to say is that this will be my first experience building a PC, anyone got any other suggestions for me?

Pleeeease comment freely on anything and everything!

 

[Grimlock]

Originally posted by BaboonGuy
Here are my concerns:

1) The case. Will it fit these components? Will it have good airflow? What extra case fans should I get with it?

2) The power supply. Eventually I think I want to put in a DVD-ROM drive, so will the 350W be enough?

3) The memory. I listed the same memory (512 MB DDR 333) from two different manufacturers, Kingston and Samsung. I'm torn as to which to get. I am going to be, ideally, overclocking this 1600+ to 1.75 GHz. Therefore is this memory going to be sufficient for this, they are both CL 2.5 CAS 2.5? What brand will be the better for oc-ing?

4) The heatsink/fan. This came highly recommended from Insane3d (from AT forum), and even though I highly respect that man (look at his silent rigs, crazzy) I just want to make sure about this. Will it be enough for the overclock? And will it fit on my mobo (EPoX 8K5A2+)?

5) The keyboard/mouse. Anyone got any better recommendations at comparable prices?

The last thing I have to say is that this will be my first experience building a PC, anyone got any other suggestions for me?

Pleeeease comment freely on anything and everything!

1)The motherboard will just fit the case according to the specs for both.

If you are looking to overclock, you will want either a 400 or 450 watt PSU, maybe even a 550 watt one. If you look around, you may find a cheaper one.

For overclocking purposes, I know the samsung will perform well for you, so I'd go with that.

As for the heatsink, if you are planning on notching a 1.46ghz processor to 1.75 ghz, you are gonna have to be looking at watercooling my friend. If you could find a heatsink/fan combo that could cool it, you wouldn't be able to stand in the same room, because it would either blow you away or deafen you.

The keyboard and mouse look, OK, but I don't care about pretty peripherals, I just want ones that do the job.

 

[Bobaroo330]

For overclocking I would go with a Sparkle Power Supply, Maybe a bigger case, Antec or Chietec. It will keep your components cooler.

And for a heatsink, I hear that the Thermalright SLK-800 is a great Heatsink and you can attach a a 35mm fan to it and it will work great. Make sure you have atleast 2 case fans, 1 for intake and 1 for exhaust.

The 1600+ is great for overclocking, I hope you have good luck with it.

 

[Darthtoast]

I think you're going a little overboard on what PSU you'd have to have to overclock. I bet he could do fine with the one he had previously selected.

 

[Swilo]

I wouldn't even think about overclocking, at least no more than an extra .66-1.33GHz. That CPU is plenty powerful for anything you'd be doing at home, and it just doesn't seem worth the risk of frying it to get bragging rights.
I'd look into a 400 Watt power supply if you plan on O/Cing the CPU and adding a dvd drive. But onyl if you're going to be using both CD Drives at once, if it's just one or the other you should be fine with 350. Especially since that video card isn't a huge power hog.
I'd go with the samsung memory. Kingston is the "most recognized" brand because they put out so much stuff, but it's really only meant for standard use.
The case should be fine if you pump it full of fans to get some air moving.
Good choice for a CD Burner, but make sure it you'll have the software you'll need to use it.
I don't like the keyboard, but only because it says comqrap and looks like qrap too. I'd look into getting a logitech one, it'll be almost exactly the same but not branded.
I've never heard of that mouse company, but if it dies you'll be able to get another one and still save $20 over a name brand optical.

 

[Grimlock]

Once you start overclocking, you need extra case fans, the PCU draws more power, and at the levels he's looking at, he'd need to supply power to a water cooling system tbh. I've seen completely normal systems no mods at all, run out of power on a 350 Watt PSU. For a few extra dollars why not go out and get a decent 450-550 watt one?