GTO's Computer Recommendation Xmas edition.

[gto-pontiac]

Gto-pontiac's Computer Recommendations Xmas edition
Sorry for the delay,

the News
well ATI's new card 57xx and 58xx has come out, but the 5870s are very hard to find and even when you find them they are priced at the premium, the stock should come around at start of next year Jan 2010, if you can hold off till then its the best idea. Then thire is a SATAIII 6Gbps and USB3s are now available on some motherboard. but be careful, they uses one of the PCIe 16x lane, so if you want to run USB3 at the full speed then PCIe 16x will run at 8x and SATAIII will run at 250MB/s not at full speed, this is the case for the Gigabyte P55 chipset motherboard, not 10% sure about the X58s, and ASUS motherboards. will update this when i find out.
in the world of CPU and RAM.... nothing much have changed.
well here is the recommendation for xmas


Entry/low Cost

Intel
CPU: Intel E3300 $75 MSY
Motherboard: Gigabyte G41M-ES2L $64 MSY
or EG41MF-US2H $99 Pc case gear
RAM: DDR2 800 4GB kit $104 MSY
HDD: Seagate 500GB $64 MSY
VGA: onboard
Optical: samsung $39 MSY
Case: Cooler Master RC-330/331/334 $75 MSY
Total: $421/$456

AMD
CPU : AMD Athlonx2 240 $69 MSY
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H $94 MSY
RAM: RAM: DDR2 800 4GB kit $104 MSY
HDD: Seagate 500GB $64 MSY
VGA: onboard
Optical: samsung $39 MSY
Case: Cooler Master RC-330/331/334 $75 MSY
Total: $445

All rounder/ Mid-high gaming

Intel
CPU: Intel core i5 750 $234 MSY
Motherboard: Gigabyte EP55-UD3P $173 MSY
RAM: 4GB Kit (2GBx2) Patriot Signature $118 MSY
HDD: Seageat 500GB $64 MSY
VGA Game: Powercolor 1Gb 4890 $216 MSY
VGA Non-Game: 1GB Gainward GTS 250 $139 MSY
Optical: samsung $39 MSY
Case: Cooler Master CM690 No PSU $119 CPL
PSU: Cooler Master Extreme power+ 600w $90 MSY
Toatl: $993 gaming
Toatl: $916 non-gameing

AMD
CPU: AMD AM2+ PhenomII 945 $193 MSY
Motherboard: Gigabyte MA790XT-UD4P DDR3 $166 MSY
RAM: 4GB Kit (2GBx2) Patriot Signature $118 MSY
HDD: Seageat 500GB $64 MSY
VGA Game: Powercolor 1Gb 4890 $226 MSY
VGA Non-Game: 1GB Gainward GTS 250 $139 MSY
Optical: samsung $39 MSY
Case: Cooler Master CM690 No PSU $119 CPL
PSU: Cooler Master Extreme power+ 600w $90 MSY
Toatl: $1005 gaming
Toatl:$928non-gameing


High-End /Quad core /high end gaming computer


Intel
CPU: Intel i7 920 $389 MSY
Motherboard : Gigabyte X58A-UD7 $479 CPL
RAM: 6GB kit Kingston 1333 $145 MSY
VGA: Powercolor HD5870 1GB $619 CPL (Very low stock level every ware)
HDD OS : Kingston 64G $189 CPL
HDD DATA: W.D 1TB Green Drive $107 MSY
Optical: samsung $39 MSY
Case: Silverstone TJ07 $375 PC case gear
PSU: Seasonic M12D 80+ 750W $209 MSY
Total: $2551


AMD
CPU: AMD AM2+ Phenom II 965 $269 MSY
Motherboard: Gigabyte MA 790FXT-UD4P $169 MSY
RAM: 4GB Kit (2GBx2) Patriot Signature $118 MSY
VGA: Powercolor HD5870 1GB $619 CPL (low stock)
HDD OS : Kingston 64G $189 CPL
HDD DATA: W.D 1TB Green Drive $107 MSY
Optical: samsung $39 MSY
Case: Silverstone TJ07 $375 PC case gear
PSU: Seasonic M12D 80+ 750W $209 MSY
Total: $2094


HTPC

CPU : AMD Athlonx2 240 $69 MSY
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H $94 MSY
RAM: RAM: DDR2 800 4GB kit $104 MSY
HDD: Seagate 500GB $64 MSY
HDD DATA: W.D 1TB SATAII $107 MSY
Optical : Pionner Retail Blue-Ray Writer $249 MSY
TV Card: Leadtek DVR3200H $87 MSY
Case : Silverstone LC16-MR $279 CPL
PSU: Coolermaster Real power pro modular 520W $129 MSY
Total: $1182

[bazcaz]

Appreciate the time and effort that went in to that list, will be very helpful to many people, well done and thanks.

[Ozitraveller]

I'm looking for a HD 24" monitor have you any recommendations?

Thanks

[gto-pontiac]

I'm looking for a HD 24" monitor have you any recommendations?

Thanks

for just general use then can't go wrong with Samsung 2494HS $298 not the cheapest but one of the best TN panel.
if you want to get some thing cheaper then Acer X243HQ $245 then you get $49 cashback from Acer.

[Ozitraveller]

Excellent thanks. I already have the Acer X243HQ. But I'll have a hunt for the Samsung 2494HS.

Are there any with 1920 x 1200?

[gto-pontiac]

they are all 1980x1080 if you want to have 1920x1200 then i think Dell 24" and some HP24" are 1920x1200, most of the cheap/budget monitors use same panal TN so they come 1920x1080. so if you want to have 1920x1200 then you have to have a look for a more expensive models i believe.

[gto-pontiac]

here is some 1920x1200 monitors
http://www1.ap.dell.com/au/en/home/moni ... &cs=audhs1
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/au/en/sm ... 48442.html
http://www.scorptec.com.au/computer/35959-vw266h
http://www.scorptec.com.au/computer/34721-2443bw+

[Jayant]

Ordered yesterday basically what you have recommended here. They didn't have the case or the graphics card or that brand of RAM, so I went with slightly cheaper options and saved $100, but then forked out an extra $200 on a good sound card.

Thanks for the recommendations.

[anandasim]

gto, what's the diff between

Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H
Gigabyte GA-MA785GPM‐UD2H
Gigabyte GA-MA785GT-UD3H

Are they just minor differences in production batches?

Thanks.....

[gto-pontiac]

Gigabyte GA-MA785GT-UD3H
is DDR3 so takes full advantage of AM3 CPUs though AM3 will work with DDR2

with difference between this two
Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H
Gigabyte GA-MA785GPM‐UD2H
is that GPM got Dolby Home Theater sound
other than that its all the same

[anandasim]

Ok trying a different option

Gigabyte GA-MA785GT-UD3H
2 GB of DDR3
AMD 250 CPU

Will take the time to have fun later to put the thing together for the family PC. I think the AMD 250 should work in the DDR3 AM3 mobo.....

[gto-pontiac]

Ok trying a different option

Gigabyte GA-MA785GT-UD3H
2 GB of DDR3
AMD 250 CPU

Will take the time to have fun later to put the thing together for the family PC. I think the AMD 250 should work in the DDR3 AM3 mobo.....

according to Gigabyte webpage MoBo do support that CPU so it should be OK.

and if you are going to buy the CPU just hold on for a week or so if you can, apparently price are changing hoply Lower than higher.

[anandasim]

and if you are going to buy the CPU just hold on for a week or so if you can, apparently price are changing hoply Lower than higher.

Aiiiyah! Done already. Never mind, not too expensive. I remember how much a 386 CPU cost me all those years back.....

[gto-pontiac]

ohh well i think the price change is for the higher end CPUs is what i'm hearing from the different channels and lower end will be few Dollars difference

[anandasim]

gto, when did the power supply plugs to the mobo become wider in number of pins? I have been used to the old 20 pin standard

but the new AM3 mobo I bought seems to be have a 14 pins.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATX#Power_supply
Does the old powersupply work without filling the last few pins?

[RDee]

Ananda

The answer may lie here, easier to follow than the Wikipedia link:
http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnec ... ctors.html

Othewise you'll need GTO's reply

RDee

[anandasim]

Thanks RDee.

Good honest wording in that webpage. I'm not getting any sign of "on" when I plugged the 20 pin into the 24 pin mobo. May be a dud PSU. Will need to steal from the other machine just to test.

Eventually might spring for a 24 pin PSU - should not be too expensive....

[Bob]

G'Day Ananda,
Your new PC is an AMD based one, as long as I've had PCs, which have all had AMD chips they have all had 24 pin power sockets on their motherboards intel board use 20 pin. I have recently built a PC for a mate using the same Gigabyte motherboard as yours and the manual suggested a minimum of 500 watts power supply. This PC turned out to be quite a nice little unit with an AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core 250 3.0GHz and 2GB DDR3 RAM, my mate was really impressed.

Merry Xmas,

Bob

[anandasim]

G'Day Ananda,
Your new PC is an AMD based one, as long as I've had PCs, which have all had AMD chips they have all had 24 pin power sockets on their motherboards intel board use 20 pin. I have recently built a PC for a mate using the same Gigabyte motherboard as yours and the manual suggested a minimum of 500 watts power supply. This PC turned out to be quite a nice little unit with an AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core 250 3.0GHz and 2GB DDR3 RAM, my mate was really impressed.

Merry Xmas,

Bob

Thanks for the info Bob. Yes, the manual suggests a min 500 watt PSU and I'll get one later today after having a look at the Microsoft do in Southbank today. That DDR3 mobo is out of stock at PCDIY and MSY Box Hill. I got mine from CPL Notting Hill.

Merry Christmas to you and may the new year bring lots of prosperity and happiness.

Ananda

[gto-pontiac]

Sorry for the delay,
you can get a 20pin to 24pin converter, minimum PSU size..... you don't have to follow that, i use 380W on my AMD system using 20-24pin converter. but if your PSU is old and don't have the 8pin for the CPU i recommend getting a new one, i use molex to 8pin converter for that too but its not recommended since it take tooo much juice out of the 12V rails.
get a basic PSU, 500W, from coolermaster, seasonic, Vantec, antec, or may be thermalteke.

[anandasim]

Thanks GTO. I have one PSU in the current Duron family PC and another PSU in a fair chassis but I think that PSU must be a dud - I don't see any fan move or any LED light up on the mobo when I connect. I will go find a basic new PSU.

[RDee]

Ananda

I think CPL has or had a PSU tester. They used to sell an Antec version.

RDee

[anandasim]

Ananda

I think CPL has or had a PSU tester. They used to sell an Antec version.

RDee

hehe

Maybe he resigned?

[anandasim]

Hmm, some nigglies and progress.

I'm slowly getting the machine working.

Got a Vertex 600w PSU - yes I know I'm cheap but just wanting to give it a chance. Works. However, no display until I plugged in the extra ATX 4 pin power connector for on board graphic card in addition to the 24 pin power connector.

So it boots up but I have flaky DVD drive and HD (old stuff). So I get a newer HDD and install Windows 7 using a USB Flash stick. Now, Windows is installed and playing with it a while first to see how stable, any nigglies. So far have not connected to LAN but briefly to 3G pre-paid 3 modem. Works ok. Will progress this tomorrow (ouch, it's today!)

Anyway, the system starts up fine, shuts down fine. However, the num lock LED on the PS/2 keyboard is still lit even though the machine has shut down. Hmmmm....

[gto-pontiac]

i have that too ps/2 gets power even after the computer has been turned off, don't know why. good to see that its working!.

[anandasim]

Trying to keep the machine clean. The Gigabyte Driver CD has drivers for XP and stuff. I haven't yet connected the DVD burner. But I don't want to load things that are not relevant to Windows 7. I do want a BIOS search and updater.......

Still playing....

[gto-pontiac]

New Recommendation coming soon hoply tomorrow. Its going to be a major change to few of the PC, since Intel and AMD brought out new CPUs, Changes to Graphics cards, so stay tuned

[gto-pontiac]

new back to work edition is now up.