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" JimH" jimh_osudadATyahooDOT com wrote in message

I am planning to put together a gaming (and general use) computer for my
son as a high school graduation gift.

Here are my specs so far:

Any suggestions or comments?


If he's seriously into gaming, and is into his computers at all, he probably
has his own ideas and preferences for component specs. I have one of those
in the family (college soph son, comp eng major, serious comp geek and
gamer). He specs his own machines, thank you very much, and I wouldn't
dream of interfering.

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Go with PC4200 DDR2 memory I think it runs at 533 not 400.
" JimH" jimh_osudadATyahooDOT com wrote in message
. ..

"bowgus" wrote in message
oups.com...
Yer monitor's way small ... as is the PS (400W) if you intend to add a
2nd 7800gtx at a later date (which is why SLI). I like my asus A8N-SLI
with Seasonic S12 PS (600W, all the right connectors). Maybe I'll get a
case for it one day. Here's a link ...
http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone2_build.html ... and good luck
with that. Ok, back to browsing for that new boat.


The case comes with a 400W ATX 12V 2.0 power supply with a PCI-E power
plug and comes with variable speed cooling fans. It was highly rated
(including the power supply) by a couple of PC gaming magazines and is
more than enough power as I see it, although I will look into the ps you
recommend.

Regarding the monitor, a 17" is all he needs, especially considering it is
a flat panel LCD. He can upgrade later to something bigger as I did want
to stick to a budget (I am trying to keep it at $2,000).

What are your thoughts on the motherboard, CPU and memory?

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If you wait, your kid can probably get Windows XP Professional through the
school for next to nothing.
My wife got it for $10.00 US 2 years ago.
Fredo

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...

" JimH" jimh_osudadATyahooDOT com wrote in message
. ..
I am planning to put together a gaming (and general use) computer for my
son as a high school graduation gift.

Here are my specs so far:

MSI K8N Neo4/SLI motherboard (w/built in SoundBlaster Live chip)
Althion 64 3000+ CPU, Socket 939 version
2 GB DDR400 Corair Ram
256MB Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX video card
Antec Performance TX640B Series Case
Plextor PX-716A dual layer DVD 16X
Maxtor 300GB DiamondMax hard drive
Viewsonic 17" Thinedge VP171B LCD flat panel monitor
Windows XP Professional OEM

He already has a decent keyboard, speakers and optical mouse. I will
also add a DVD player so he can record copies of the DVD's he owns.

I can do this for around $2,000.

Any suggestions or comments?


Pirate windows XP and save yourself the bucks...

hey seriously - when you get the rig put together, before loading windows,
get ubuntu linux (free download) http://www.ubuntulinux.org/ and just try
it out for a day. Ubuntu project is bankrolled by this millionaire
kid(well early 30s) that is really something else. It will work with all
the hardware (get the 64 bit version) and it will just fly!!! Just try it
to see how you like it. I have it at work and never went back to windows.
It's amazing! I will be doing the same at home soon...

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"FREDO" wrote in message
.. .
If you wait, your kid can probably get Windows XP Professional through the
school for next to nothing.
My wife got it for $10.00 US 2 years ago.
Fredo


How so?

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On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 12:08:25 GMT, Shortwave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 07:51:29 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:56:31 -0500, JimH wrote:


Here are my specs so far:

MSI K8N Neo4/SLI motherboard (w/built in SoundBlaster Live chip) Althion
64 3000+ CPU, Socket 939 version 2 GB DDR400 Corair Ram
256MB Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX video card Antec Performance TX640B Series
Case
Plextor PX-716A dual layer DVD 16X
Maxtor 300GB DiamondMax hard drive
Viewsonic 17" Thinedge VP171B LCD flat panel monitor Windows XP
Professional OEM

Any suggestions or comments?

I like Maxtor drives, but you are aware that they were just purchased by
Seagate. I'm also assuming it's a SATA drive.

Corsair is good memory, but be aware that matching memory, and timings, to
a motherboard is becoming a pain. You may want to look here, if you
haven't already.

http://www.corsairmemory.com/corsair...or_search.html

I'd also point out that Windows and 64 bit computing can be somewhat
problematic.

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/article/1795/

http://www.3dvelocity.com/articles/w...64softlist.htm

FWIW, I've been using a true 64 bit system, Debian Linux, for over a year
without *any* problems. You might want to consider coming over to the
dark side. ;-)

are you his father?

jim - i am your father....

Tom, have you *already* started on the pills today?

--
John H.

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

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"John Gaquin" wrote in message
...

" JimH" jimh_osudadATyahooDOT com wrote in message

I am planning to put together a gaming (and general use) computer for my
son as a high school graduation gift.

Here are my specs so far:

Any suggestions or comments?


If he's seriously into gaming, and is into his computers at all, he
probably has his own ideas and preferences for component specs.

Actually no. He is relying on me.

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"thunder" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:56:31 -0500, JimH wrote:


Here are my specs so far:

MSI K8N Neo4/SLI motherboard (w/built in SoundBlaster Live chip) Althion
64 3000+ CPU, Socket 939 version 2 GB DDR400 Corair Ram
256MB Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX video card Antec Performance TX640B Series
Case
Plextor PX-716A dual layer DVD 16X
Maxtor 300GB DiamondMax hard drive
Viewsonic 17" Thinedge VP171B LCD flat panel monitor Windows XP
Professional OEM

Any suggestions or comments?

I like Maxtor drives, but you are aware that they were just purchased by
Seagate. I'm also assuming it's a SATA drive.

Corsair is good memory, but be aware that matching memory, and timings, to
a motherboard is becoming a pain. You may want to look here, if you
haven't already.

http://www.corsairmemory.com/corsair...or_search.html

I'd also point out that Windows and 64 bit computing can be somewhat
problematic.

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/article/1795/

http://www.3dvelocity.com/articles/w...64softlist.htm

FWIW, I've been using a true 64 bit system, Debian Linux, for over a year
without *any* problems. You might want to consider coming over to the
dark side. ;-)


Thanks, will look into the issues you brought up.

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On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:56:31 -0500, JimH wrote:


Here are my specs so far:

MSI K8N Neo4/SLI motherboard (w/built in SoundBlaster Live chip) Althion
64 3000+ CPU, Socket 939 version 2 GB DDR400 Corair Ram
256MB Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX video card Antec Performance TX640B Series
Case
Plextor PX-716A dual layer DVD 16X
Maxtor 300GB DiamondMax hard drive
Viewsonic 17" Thinedge VP171B LCD flat panel monitor Windows XP
Professional OEM

Any suggestions or comments?

I like Maxtor drives, but you are aware that they were just purchased by
Seagate. I'm also assuming it's a SATA drive.

Corsair is good memory, but be aware that matching memory, and timings, to
a motherboard is becoming a pain. You may want to look here, if you
haven't already.

http://www.corsairmemory.com/corsair...or_search.html

I'd also point out that Windows and 64 bit computing can be somewhat
problematic.

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/article/1795/

http://www.3dvelocity.com/articles/w...64softlist.htm

FWIW, I've been using a true 64 bit system, Debian Linux, for over a year
without *any* problems. You might want to consider coming over to the
dark side. ;-)

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JimH wrote:
I am planning to put together a gaming (and general use) computer for my son
as a high school graduation gift.

Here are my specs so far:

MSI K8N Neo4/SLI motherboard (w/built in SoundBlaster Live chip)
Althion 64 3000+ CPU, Socket 939 version
2 GB DDR400 Corair Ram
256MB Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX video card
Antec Performance TX640B Series Case
Plextor PX-716A dual layer DVD 16X
Maxtor 300GB DiamondMax hard drive
Viewsonic 17" Thinedge VP171B LCD flat panel monitor
Windows XP Professional OEM

He already has a decent keyboard, speakers and optical mouse. I will also
add a DVD player so he can record copies of the DVD's he owns.

I can do this for around $2,000.

Any suggestions or comments?

Why? You can buy a computer off the shelf with as good or better
features for less money!!

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JimH wrote:
"FREDO" wrote in message
.. .
If you wait, your kid can probably get Windows XP Professional through the
school for next to nothing.
My wife got it for $10.00 US 2 years ago.
Fredo


How so?

Educational package.