The Quest To Build My Next PC (Part 1)

[Kent Pribbernow]

<img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/holygrail.jpg" /><br /><br />As a digital media enthusiast and creative professional, I place great demand on computing performance and power. My primary workstation is a circa 2001 Dell Dimension PC running an antiquated 1.7GHZ Pentium 4 (Willamette) with 768MB of RDRAM (bleh). For today’s applications and games, it’s just not up to the challenge. I bang my fists on my desktop every time I work in Photoshop and Macromedia Studio MX as the system slowly renders images, filter effects ooze onto the screen. Grrrr! Needless to say, it’s time to drag this old clunker out into the pumpkin patch and play stick ball with it. Or drop it off the nearest highway overpass (don’t do that, kids). <br /> <!> <br />My problem is that I am left somewhat at a crossroads as to what kind of system will replace it. My PC serves a dual role; it's a workstation that I earn my living from in the creative field (well partly anyway), and it's my personal entertainment system...or gaming box. Traditionally, I purchase an off-the-shelf box from Dell and spice it up a bit to suit my needs. But there’s a slight catch this time around; I want this machine to be a Media Center PC as well. On the gaming front, Intel falls well short of the curve in performance compared with AMD offerings. That means no Intel for me. Combining two distinctly different PCs; one Gaming, one Media Center, into one unit is going to be interesting. But heck, I love a challenge! My overall budget for this system will probably be somewhere around $1,500, give or take. I'm not looking to build the absolute fastest system here, just one that has a high-end dual core processor, gaming-focussed graphics card (not sure whether to go ATI or nVidia yet), big hard drive (over 100GB), and lots of RAM. And of course, the machine will be running Windows Media Center 2005. The classic gaming rig, plus Media Center. Understand? Good, because I'm lost. And so it begins...<br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/blackknight.gif" /><br /><br />As I began my quest to map out a new system I was blown away, and somewhat disappointed, by the dizzying array of hardware choices on the market. Step one in the process, for me anyway, is choosing a case. Sounds simple, right? Au contraire! It has been a bloody nightmare, largely because I am so fussy about aesthetics and tasteful design. To put it mildly I'm not your average PC geek. I have a fetish with sleek design and sexy looking hardware. It's one of the reasons why I love Apple hardware. As such, I want something stylish and elegant in a PC enclosure, like the PowerMac G5 tower. In fact, I even gave serious thought to buying a G5 case (available from some websites for around $200-300). But after reading what hellish lengths one must go through to fit a PC motherboard into a G5 (soldering and metal cutting is involved) I quickly tossed that idea into the dustbin. So I’m back to looking at aftermarket case options. Again, not fun. <br /><br />Much to my astonishment, aftermarket case options for someone of my tastes are rather sucktacular. Most cater to the gaming crowd who seem to have a bizarre fixation with LED illumated cases. Personally, I have no desire to display the innards of my PC like some half-arsed aquarium, or freakish computer peepshow. I just want something sleek, understated, elegant. Something that would impress my geeky friends and Martha Stewart at the same time! :wink: Is that so hard to understand? <br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/LC16m.jpg" /><br /><br />Ok, so while I didn't find a swell of prime choices in my first attempt, I did find a small assortment of really nice looking cases from SilverStone, a company that specializes in aluminum HTPC chassis and other high-end enclosures, some of which are highly rated by hardware review sites. Speaking of home theater PCs, I almost went with an HTPC case, but decided against it due to expansion issues and the fact that this PC will be sitting on my desk, not in the living room next to the TV. HTPC cases are cool, but a traditional tower is probably better suited to my tasks.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/poweredge.jpg" /><br /><br />Not pleased with aftermarket options, I toyed briefly with the idea of turning a Dell PowerEdge server or Precision Workstation into a gaming rig. In fact, I just ordered a PowerEdge 2500 case dirt cheap off eBay just to play around with for this or other purposes. I have an odd fixation with the PowerEdge server, and often gaze longingly at its perforated metal cage façade. Hey, I said I have a design fetish! But, as with the PowerMac, certain compatibility challenges exist with accommodating standard PC components into a Dell chassis (which are designed strictly for Intel motherboard configurations). There’s also a possible issue of noise. Servers are designed to be heard, not seen. Converting one into a gaming box with a multitude of fans may prove impractical. That said, I still haven’t completely written this idea off, partly because I think it might be fun. If anyone has feedback on this subject I would love to hear it.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/lexa.jpg" /><br /><br />So back we go again to aftermarket cases. This time a slight glimmer of hope begins to peek through an overcast sky. I found two cases that jump out at me. One is NZXT’s Lexa case. This unit is definitely unique in design. It features a curved façade with a semi-chrome polish to it. Unfortunately it also has the widely used aquarium side-window that I detest. Say it ain't so! Well scratch another case off my list. So close, so far.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/3d.jpg" /><br /><br />Then I happen to stumble on a post in a hardware forum by a user bragging about the awesome system which he just built. As I click on the link to his personal homepage, I feast my eyes on a case that may finally be the one for me. It’s the GigaByte 3D Aurora…and it is indeed a sweet little box. Available in two colors, silver or black, with an all-aluminum design and front LED that adds a graceful blue light. Best of all…NO SIDE-WINDOW! Can this be the case that will satisfy my hunger? Which to get...silver or black? <br /><br />So I thought it might be interesting to turn my project into a sort of Open Source effort, building on the advice and input of the Digital Media Thoughts community. In a sense, letting you guys build this PC for me...or rather choose what goes into it. I get first dibbs on the case though!! :wink: <br /><br />Give me your feedback in the forum.

[Mike Temporale]

http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/LC16m.jpg

Maybe it's just me, but I think one of these sitting on your desk would look pretty cool. Everyone would think it's just a stereo. :mrgreen:

I think the hardest part of your project will be the case. You'll have to make sure that the video card is MCE compatible. Which will limit the cards you can choose. I don't know how many MCE compatible gaming video cards there are. But I would hazzard a guess that it's not a lot. :?

[Felix Torres]

Okay, you asked for suggestions, here's one way out of left field:

Take a step back and instead of looking at a jack-of-all-trades PC, think, instead, in terms of a complete system, a personal network.

You want a high-power graphics workstation and a Media Center equivalent, plus gaming? Under $1500? I see tight trade-offs to get all that in one box. Doable but sub-optimal.

Why not break up the functions into a multi-box solution, with each box optimized for its specific purpose?

After all, Media Centers serve two purposes: capturing and storing and serving Media files, much like a corporate server, and *displaying* those files.
Well, the display part is more CPU intensive than the rest of the functions. And, you don't need a PC to do the honors. (Extenders, XBOX360, etc)

You already have a fairly solid box that would do yeoman work as a media server. So reconfigure it to MCE, add storage (if needed) and pair it with an XBOX360 for remote display.

Once that is settled, you can then focus on optimizing the content creation/gameplay aspects.

If console gaming works for you, you're covered with the 360 and you can focus on maximizing CPU power and RAM. If not, you'll have to trade off CPU+RAM vs Graphics card power and cost.

Figure $200 for a TV tuner/capture card+Windows MCE, $400 for an XBOX360 premium (you need the remote and the HD cable anyway, right? Might as well get the HD and headset for an extra $20) and maybe $100 for an extra 200GB drive.

That leaves you $800 for a dual Athlon 64/2GB RAM, monster and at least mid-range graphics. Quite doable, since you wouldn't then need a living-room capable case, and you could go with a good quality tower that can later be recycled as a new media server.

&lt;shrug>

Just a suggestion.

That's more or less how I've been operating for the last two years. When I built my last PC, three years ago, I went with a big 10 drive-bay case cause I expected it would end up as a server. Which it has.

My personal computing isn't graphics intensive, but rather text-intensive so a Tablet PC is with me most of the day, whether at home or work. Gaming (two or three games a year is the most I do) runs on the XBOX, and media playback off an old HP networked media receiver, both of which I expect to migrate to a 360 by spring (once Oblivion comes out).

Sometime next year, when Vista comes out, I'll revisit the media server side of the equation, and look to replace my set top box-based PVR solution with an HD Media center (if a suitable once exists) and probably boost the server storage. The year after, the upcoming baby Tablets will be mature and cheap enough to replace my existing Tablet PC and I can either retire it or reconfigure it as a super media remote control/web-pad running the softsled software extender add-in. ;-)

The main advantage of a multi-box system approach is that it lets you spread the upgrades and the costs over time and you can really optimize the individual functions to your taste. Plus, you gain the added redundancy and protection of avoiding single-point failures. It probably *will* cost more that a single box compromise early on but I do think over time it is cheaper than a series of single box solutions.

Just a suggestion to think about...

[Jason Dunn]

Since I'm a Shuttle guy, my recommendations:

AMD-based systems:

http://global.shuttle.com/Product/Barebone/SN26P.asp
http://global.shuttle.com/Product/Barebone/SN95G5%20V3.asp

I know you said you wanted an AMD system, but this one is worth looking at if you want a REALLY quiet system with the ability to use a powerful CPU and fast video card:

http://global.shuttle.com/Product/Barebone/SD11G5.asp

[Jason Dunn]

I don't know how many MCE compatible gaming video cards there are. But I would hazzard a guess that it's not a lot. :?

That's a really common misconception, and I don't really know where it comes from. Here's the compatibility list:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/partners/dfw/partnerlisting.mspx

GeForce 6200/6600/6800, ATI Radeon X600/700/800...that's almost every video card on the market today! ;-)

[Kent Pribbernow]

Hmm. Interesting points you make Felix. Perhaps I should forego the Media center angle. I don't really care about recording TV content on my PC at all, and don't plan on using this system for such purposes. I had simply planned on going with Media Center edition just to dork around with, and I noticed that many Gaming systems from box makers like Alienware are preconfigured with MCE instead of XP home/pro. Even Dell does this with its XPS Game rig. But if it's going to be too much of a hassle...

My main criteria is on hardware. One thing that really knocked my socks off is astronomical price of AMD x2 processors. They cost more than any other component. Intel Pentium D chips are much more reasonably priced, but you take one hell of a hit in terms of performance.

What sort of video card should I be looking at for gaming? I had my heart set on a GeForce 6800 GS, but now I'm wondering if I should wait for ATI's upcoming product rollout. Nvidia's card is SLI aware, so I thought of pairing that up with an ASUS sli mobo. Whether I actually adopt a second card or not, it's nice to have that "future proof" feature in your system.

[Jason Eaton]

Well now...

Might I be able to tempt your design taste buds with this?

Lian-LI V1000 (http://www.lian-li.com/Product/Chassis/M_V_C_PC-V1000.htm)

It is about the closest I have seen to a G5 case. All aluminum, no window, and accepts standard ATX boards. It has some pretty interesting design concepts and that it mounts the board 'upside down' if you will and creates compartments for power supply and such.

The biggest draw back is the price, 200 bucks.

Throw in a Coolmaster Aquagate R120 for the cpu and an Artic Silencer for the video card, a quiet power supply and you can get a 'near' silent rig. Loudest thing is my hard drive.

[Felix Torres]

Hmm. Interesting points you make Felix. Perhaps I should forego the Media center angle. I don't really care about recording TV content on my PC at all, and don't plan on using this system for such purposes. I had simply planned on going with Media Center edition just to dork around with, and I noticed that many Gaming systems from box makers like Alienware are preconfigured with MCE instead of XP home/pro. Even Dell does this with its XPS Game rig. But if it's going to be too much of a hassle...


Its not that much of a hassle per se.
But it is something like a $40 premium and if you're not looking to use the PVR or Media server features...?

Might as well save that money until VISTA comes out and use it for the upgrade. :-)

Also, on future-proofing motherboards? Don't bother.
The technology is moving too fast.
Buy what you need now and accept that the mobo and CPU are a unit to be replaced at the same time.
(In fact, 05 is a bad year to be buying PCs, period. 06 is going to be great but everything you get this year will be obsolete by 07 if not sooner.)

You sure you can't wait 6-9 months?

Cause next summer things are going to explode across the board (CPU, OS, RAM, security, networking, *everything* gets a new architecture) just in time for the Vista generation.

If you can't wait, then don't look ahead.
Just meet your needs today as best you can and don't even think of looking at a PC magazine for a year. :twisted:

[Kent Pribbernow]

One of the advantages to building your own PC is that you can upgrade the Proc/mobo (or any other component) at will. Something that isn't always easy to do with an OEM box. I know that from experience with Dell systems that you can't necessarily fit any motherboard into their cases, especially if you're trying to install an AMD board.

The system I am using now is just not going to get me by until next summer...that's out of the question, and I see no logic in putting any money into it in the form of hardware upgrades. Frankly I don't really mind buying a new processor and mobo next summer if something truly wicked-cool appears on the market. That's the price of progress. I'll just use the "old" components from my new system for some other dark seedy purpose. :twisted:

[Kent Pribbernow]

Well now...

Might I be able to tempt your design taste buds with this?

Lian-LI V1000 (http://www.lian-li.com/Product/Chassis/M_V_C_PC-V1000.htm)


Yep, I've already seen Lian Li's offerings. It's a nice case, but not quite my fancy. And for the record there are actually quite a few G5 clone cases out there are look even more PowerMac-like than this little beauty. Of course, most of them are crap.

[Kent Pribbernow]

I'm still not quite sure which color to choose for the GigaByte case...black or silver? :?

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Word of warning: Black shows up dust really easily!

Felix has some great advice, and I'd say that for most tasks the X2 is going to be underused, unless you have some demanding apps that you'll run in the background most of the time.

[Felix Torres]

I'm still not quite sure which color to choose for the GigaByte case...black or silver? :?

Silver is the new beige; just walk into any retailer and check out the HP, Compaq, and eMachines offerings.

Are you partial to purple? ;-)

[Kent Pribbernow]

Hah! Most of my peripherals are black so it probably makes more sense to go with that motif. But the silver models is quite sleek I must say.

[Jeremy Charette]

I've built my own systems for over a decade now, and I've gotta say, a high-quality well-built case makes all the difference when it comes time to bolt everything together. Kent, worry less about what it looks like on the outside, and how well it's made on the inside. Lian-Li cases look a bit drab compared to some of the whiz-bang designs on the market today, but trust me, they're worth the investment. High-quality hardware, everything fits perfectly the first time, and when it comes time to service your computer, all the components are easily accessible. They also have some great "stealth" covers for your various disk drives, maintaining a sleek, clean look.

Trying to work on a cheap steel case built in the far east from stamped metal parts is an exercise in frustration. Trust me, I'm reminded every time I have to work on my fiance's computer. :?

As far as components, raw power isn't always the best route. Stick with high bus speeds (800 mhz+), PCI Express, high speed RAM...even if it means having to go with a slower CPU, slower graphics card, less memory etc. Those things can always be upgraded later, but headroom is harder to come by.

[Kent Pribbernow]

Well the Gigabyte 3D Aurora case I'm looking at (pictured in the last photo) is highly recommended by most hardware review sites, winning most "editor's choice" awards. So I feel confident in picking this particular case. I like the design (not 100%, but closest so far), and the expansion options it offers. It represents the best compromise I've seen so far.

On the other hand, I still have that darn Dell PowerEdge server case I'm tempted to convert into a gaming rig. I want to do it because it's so sacrilegious. Like turning an abandoned church into an adult video store. :twisted:

[jmulder]

Kent- let us know where you order that Aurora case. I've been looking and haven't found anybody who carries it in the US.

[Kent Pribbernow]

Kent- let us know where you order that Aurora case. I've been looking and haven't found anybody who carries it in the US.

Huh? There are a bunch of vendors who offer these cases...at least according to our friends at Pricegrabber.

Here are just a few I pulled up.

http://www.digitalhotbuy.com/dhbstore/part/partTechnotes.do;ECSESSIONID=D2SQ6hhJTTSHB1pGbKTXSjvqBnVbYTptwM1sfVnbdM8LGFyy2x2p!-428425804?skuNo=1059653

http://newsite.pagecomputers.com/store/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=Computer+Cases+%26+Mods&amp;category%5Fname=7g7c55s1330&amp;product%5Fid=848320

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1538603&amp;Sku=G452-4002&amp;SRCCODE=PRICEGRABBER&amp;CMP=OTC-PRICEGRABBER

TigerDirect would be my top choice.

[surfer]

I use the antec p160 not the 160w http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=81602 The difference here is that the it has viewable side panel . It offers great functionality for the price.

If your interested here is a link to aprice grabber search about it http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_attrib.php?page_id=41&amp;form_keyword=antec+p160&amp;rd=1 I really recommend it and you can't go wrong it.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

As far as components, raw power isn't always the best route. Stick with high bus speeds (800 mhz+), PCI Express, high speed RAM...even if it means having to go with a slower CPU, slower graphics card, less memory etc. Those things can always be upgraded later, but headroom is harder to come by.

I disagree on this. By the time an upgrade is needed, you'll have to upgrade everything else anyway. Faster RAM/Bus speeds give at most a 10% speed, whereas for the same premium you paid a faster CPU or 3D card will give a much much faster boost in speed.