Building a computer -- need a few small suggestions

C

ChoppinBroccoli

New member
Hi,

So far I've decided that this setup should work for me:


Intel P4 3.0Ghz
ASUS P4S800-MX Mobo
Zalman CNPS700B-CU Heatsink
1G of Corsair RAM
Maxtor 80GB SATA Harddrive
Maxtor 60GB EIDE Harddrive
Plextor 12/10/32 CD-Writer Drive
Hitachi 8X DVD ROM Drive
Case with 350W Power Supply


Just a few questions:

1) Should I use onboard video or get a graphics card? If I should get a graphics card, what do you recommend? (I'm not a gamer, this is just strictly a recording machine)

2) Is having the 1 SATA and 1 EIDE a good setup? Right now I have 1 EIDE harddrive I must use. Should the second drive I get be EIDE or SATA? And if I should mix EIDE and SATA, which one should hold the OS and which the audio files?

3) Is 350W enough power? If not, what should I bump that up to?

4) Is the heatsink I mentioned quiet enough? If not, what should I go with instead?


Thanks
 
In todays world I wouldn't build a new computer with anything less than a 400watt power supply at the bare-minimum.

I'd be happy with a 450- but would at preference want something at least 500 to keep it certain for now- and worry-free of expansion in time to come.

I'd get a video card, if it's just for recording and you're not needing steller graphics- the Matrox cards are always really recommended with non-bloated drivers and doing what it does very well and efficiently...they can be had at dirt-cheap prices for older models to big-bucks. Depending on what you really want/how many monitors you plan to run.

I can't help with the Hard-Drive set-up, not something I'm proficiently knowledgable about.

I've never used a Zalman- but I hear good things about them and see them listed all the time in what a lot of people have in their DAW's...
 
Thanks!

So I decided I might go with the Sapphire Radeon 9250 with 128MB and 64bits. Anyone tried this one out? Also I can't find any cheep cases+power supplies from my computer store that has 450W or 500W. The best I can do for now is 400W. I'll ask them tomorrow if they can change the power supply to something higher.

Also I think I'll get a Pioneer DVR instead of the two drives I listed above. So my reconfigured system looks like:

Intel P4 3.0Ghz
ASUS P4S800-MX Mobo
Zalman CNPS700B-CU Heatsink
1GB of Corsair RAM
Maxtor 80GB SATA Harddrive
Maxtor 60GB EIDE Harddrive
Pioneer DVR-109 Beige 16XDL
Sapphire Radeon 9250
Case with 400W Power Supply


So the only question remains is:

Is having the 1 SATA and 1 EIDE a good setup? Right now I have 1 EIDE harddrive I must use. Should the second drive I get be EIDE or SATA? And if I should mix EIDE and SATA, which one should hold the OS and which the audio files?

Also if there are any other suggestions, I'm all ears.

Thanks again!
 
Get this case

http://www.provantage.com/buy-7antg...t-power-supply-black-antec-cases-shopping.htm

With this PSU

http://case-mod.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1578&src=fr

Great combination. It might be a bit pricey, but this is the best combination I know of for a "reasonable price". If it makes you feel any better, the PSU has an efficiency rating of 80%...you can make up the difference in your electrical bills in the long run.

Using an EIDE and SATA drive together shouldn't be a problem at all. You could easily set up the EIDE as the OS/Applications drive and the SATA as your audio drive.
 
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