# Building a computer, need help **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 18, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427 "2003-07-18T17:16:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stccrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Stccrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stccrd)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/1 "2003-07-18T17:16:40Z")
I guess what I need most is information on where parts can be purchased for the lowest prices, that are reputable merchants. I know all about [Pricewatch.com](http://Pricewatch.com), and all that, but is there one single merchant that someone would reccommend, preferably online? So you have an idea, its going to be an AMD Athlon XP based system, with a 333mHz bus, preferably the Asus A7N8X board, etc. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Zenham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a5b964/32.png) [@Zenham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenham)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/2 "2003-07-18T21:21:52Z")
> **[Newegg – Shopping Upgraded](https://www.newegg.com/)** > > Newegg offers customers an awesome experience shopping for computers, hardware, electronics, networking solutions, and more. Upgrade your shopping experience today! Many good experiences with them. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/3 "2003-07-18T21:34:58Z")
I second newegg – I’ve had really good luck with them. ---
**Author:** ![pestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@pestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pestie)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/4 "2003-07-18T21:41:52Z")
[Pricewatch](http://www.pricewatch.com) is your friend. I like your choice of the A7N8X, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/5 "2003-07-18T22:14:15Z")
I like a Dell, cause you just push two buttons & everything is right there in front of you & all set to take more HDs or cdrom drives. Also they use a bios lock software actvation which never needs to be activated & you can change all the stuff with out having to activate. They are always having one sale or another. Used to be cheaper to buy parts & make one yourself, but not anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/6 "2003-07-18T22:51:02Z")
Personally, I had a good experience with [Essencompu.com](http://Essencompu.com) when I was building my computer, and they haven’t gone bankrupt yet, which is a good sign in this day and age 😛 \ But… may I ask why you want to limit yourself to one or two certain merchants? In my experience, I’ve found that no merchant seems to consistently offer the lowest prices on EVERYTHING. IMHO, it would make more sense to search for a low price on the item(s) you want, and then compare the merchants that offer it to each other. You can easily do this with tools like: [Pricegrabber.com](http://Pricegrabber.com). It’s like Pricewatch, but I think it has a better interface… and more importantly, it has buyer reviews for the stores. For example, it tells you that [newegg.com](http://newegg.com), Zenham’s recommendation, has the second-lowest price for the motherboard you want, and that the store was rated 4.88/5 by some 1600 people (so it’s probably a good choice). [Bizrate.com](http://Bizrate.com). Go to the Store Ratings section to get reviews. [BBB.com](http://BBB.com). Use “Check Out a Company”. For US stores (including online dealers), you can get the Better Business Bureau’s report on the company, including information on unsettled customer complaints, etc. Just wondering 🙂 \ ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/7 "2003-07-19T00:41:46Z")
Pricewatch is good, but [Pricegrabber](http://www.pricegrabber.com) is better. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/8 "2003-07-19T01:05:27Z")
I bought my CD-rw drive from [Directron.com](http://Directron.com)… no complaints, and their tech support boards are excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/9 "2003-07-19T12:59:45Z")
Just wanted to drop buy and note that if you go for that motherboard, make sure you get the Deluxe version. The A7N8X non-Deluxe doesn’t feature nVidia Soundstorm onboard audio, which really is quite a major feature. I would also suggest the Abit NF7-S v2.0 as an alternative choice, as it includes TOSLINK Optical audio out, as well as a free SATA adapter. It also tends to cost a little less too, and I just prefer Abit over Asus. YMMV. As for buying from multiple shops, the increased shipping you pay usually cancels out any cost savings. I’ll third the suggestion of newegg. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/10 "2003-07-22T06:47:28Z")
Between [googlegear.com](http://googlegear.com) and newegg, you’ll usually get pretty damn good prices. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/11 "2003-07-22T07:35:47Z")
I have the A7N8X Deluxe and I like it plenty. Comes with built-in Firewire. ---
**Author:** ![HeatMiser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecd19e/32.png) [@HeatMiser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeatMiser)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/12 "2003-07-22T12:47:34Z")
Another useful resource for evaluating unknown retailers is [www.resellerratings.com](http://www.resellerratings.com). It’s a database of customer feedback, so there’s a certain subjectivity to it all but it can still be quite helpful - and most of the comments are quite specific as to the pros and cons of people’s experiences. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/13 "2003-07-22T12:54:46Z")
I’ll second [www.googlegear.com](http://www.googlegear.com) . Also I’ll second the idea of using more than one vendor. Someone else almost always has a better price on something. ---
**Author:** ![Stccrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Stccrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stccrd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/14 "2003-07-22T19:27:07Z")
Well, I decided [NewEgg.com](http://NewEgg.com) was my best bet. Here are the stats of what I am building. Criticisms and suggestions welcome and desired! Lite On 48x24x48x16 CDROM/CDRW/DVD Combo Drive LTC-48161H SMART-BURN avoiding Buffer Under Run error, Automatically adjusting writing strategy & running OPC to provide the best burning quality Specifications: Speed: Writing 48X, Rewriting 24X, Reading: 48X Maximum Speed 48X DVD Read: 16X Interface: ATAPI/E-IDE Buffer Memory Size: 2MB Operating System: MS-Windows 95/98/NT4.0/ME/2000/XP Lite On 52x Cd Rom - Model LTN-526 -Full OEM PACK Innovated SMART-X® Specifications: Speed : CD-ROM 52X Interface : ATAPI-E/IDE Sustained Transfer Rate : 3300~7800KB/sec (Average:5700KB/sec) PIO mode 4 16.6MB/sec, SW DMA 2, 8.3MB/sec, MW DMA 2, 16.6MB/sec, Ultra-DMA/33, 33.3MB/sec Access Time : 80ms (typical) MTBF : 120’000 Power On Hours with 10% Duty Full OEM Package with manu, driver, Audio cable and screws. MAXTOR 60GB 7200RPM EIDE HARD DRIVE MODEL # 6Y060L0 - OEM, DRIVE ONLY DiamondMax Plus 9 Specifications: Size: 60 Gigabytes Interface: IDE ULTRA ATA133 Seek time: 9 msec RPM:7200 Cache 2MB OEM(Drive alone) 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty ALL COMPONENTS 64x64 512MB PC-2100 DDR266 Memory module. 16-chip. 184 pins. OEM. Specifications: Type: 64X64 DDR RAM Capacity: 512MB Speed: DDR266 PC-2100 Lifetime warranty Asus Motherboard for AMD Athlon XP Processors, Model# A7N8X-VM Retail Specifications: CPU: Socket A for AMD Athlon XP Thoroughbred/ Barton Core Support FSB: 333/266/200 MHz (up to Barton XP3000+) Chipset: NVIDIA nForce2 IGP + MCP RAM: 2x Dual Channel 184-pin DIMM Sockets DDR400/333/266 non-ECC (DDR400 Support w/ external VGA card only) IDE: 2x ATA133/100 Slots: 1x AGP 8X (1.5V), 3x PCI Ports: 2xPS/2, 1xLPT, 6xUSB2.0, VGA, & Audio Onboard LAN: Integrated 10/100 Mbps LAN controller + Realtek PHY Onboard Video: Integrated GeForce4 MX GPU + Integrated TV encoder Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC650 Form Factor: MicroATX NVidia nVIEW Dual Display Architecture allows you to use two displays at once (VGA+TV or DVI+TV only) AMD ATHLON XP 2500+ “Barton” 333 FSB PROCESSOR CPU- RETAIL Specifications: CPU: 1.83 GHz Type: XP 2500 Barton Core Cache: 512K L2, 128K L1, Total 640KB BUS: 333MHz Socket A Retail Box (Heatsink and Fan included) Creative SBS450 4.1 Speakers - RETAIL ---
**Author:** ![Stccrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Stccrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stccrd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/15 "2003-07-22T19:29:09Z")
Oh, and total cost after shipping is about $500 ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/16 "2003-07-22T19:32:58Z")
**Stccrd** , send me $1000 and I’ll take my Dell apart and ship it to you in 15 or 20 small boxes (at no additional charge). \*\*\*Hmm. Sounds suspiciously like a ransome note 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Stccrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Stccrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stccrd)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/17 "2003-07-22T19:36:54Z")
I really need to remember preview. The ram is actually this kind: KINGSTON KVR333X64C25/512 512MB 32x64 PC2700 DDR RAM CL 2.5; 184-Pin Unbuffered. Lifetime Warranty. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-computer-need-help/189427/18 "2003-07-24T04:06:24Z")
Not sure what your budget is, but a dual format (DVD +/- R +/-RW) DVD burner can be had for \<$200 these days. Just a thought.