Buyer's Guide - Entry Level, January 2005
by Jarred Walton on January 9, 2005 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Guides
Case and Power Supply
Choosing a case for the computer can be as simple or complex as you want to make it. For some, finding the cheapest $20 case available is all they're after, while for others, it will need to match the décor of their office/den/living room. You might also want to buy additional lights to spruce up your case, or more likely quieter fans to make your case less obtrusive. Considering that you'll spend a lot more time looking at your case - and hearing it - than at any of the internal components, we would encourage you to spend more rather than less.Budget-minded PC builders are more likely to stick with the cheaper cases, but we do recommend that you pick up a decent quality power supply if you purchase a $20 case. If you're shopping locally, comparing the weights of power supplies often says a lot about their quality - heavier is better. When shopping online, we would recommend a well-known brand like Antec, Enermax, Fotron Source, PC Power and Cooling, Tagan, and ThermalTake. There are other reliable brands as well, so ask around - our forum members are more than willing to offer their advice on any specific brand that you might be considering, and rather than trying to give a comprehensive list of every PSU available, we suggest that you ask there instead. Once you factor in the cost of a reasonable power supply - 350W is the minimum to buy, in our opinion - getting a better case with a quality power supply included is often as cheap as or cheaper than buying a low end case and adding in a power supply. Some sites (for example, DirecTron.com) will even allow you to custom select a power supply on any case that they offer, which is a nice feature, although the total savings may or may not make that the best option.
By the time that you factor in shipping, ordering a case online can become quite an expensive proposition. Shipping rates can easily cost as much as $25 or $30, depending on the site and weight of the case, so visiting a local shop may end up being a better choice. It might also allow you to check out power supplies, which is an added bonus.
Click to enlarge.
Case Recommendation: Antec SLK1650B with 350W PSU
Price: $76 shipped
Once you factor in the cost of shipping and a reasonable power supply, we find it hard to beat the Antec SLK1650B case (also available in beige as the SLK1650). The advantages of the Antec 1650 are that it is well-built, it includes a relatively quiet power supply and 120 mm temperature controlled rear fan, and a CPU air duct that helps considerably with cooling the processor. With shipping adding almost $20 to the cost, however, it does hurt our overall budget. If you're willing to take the risk of a cheaper power supply, you can easily find cases at a local shop for under $50.
Click to enlarge.
Case Alternative: RaidMax Elite ATX-208BP with 380W PSU
Price: $46 shipped
Our alternative budget case this time is the RaidMax Elite 208BP (available in beige as the 208P). You get what you pay for, and the overall quality of such a case is definitely inferior to the Antec 1650. However, particularly in a budget system, such a case and the included power supply should be more than sufficient. Remember that with the base budget system including integrated graphics as well as a slower processor and less RAM than a "high-end" system, the total power draw is likely to be well under 200W, even at load. The case itself is reasonably attractive, and it includes front USB ports and a side-mounted case fan that blows cool air directly at the processor. RaidMax makes a large variety of cases in many colors, and they are also one of the most inexpensive options. They won't win many awards for silence or innovation - particularly if you actually try running with all seven 80mm fan locations occupied - but they do well in meeting budget constraints.
Again, be forewarned that power supply failure in a year or so is a very real possibility, especially if you begin upgrading and adding additional components. Even the cheapest "quality" power supply will cost $30, equaling the cost of the Antec. Should you want to get a different case and buy a power supply (i.e. you like the way a case looks from the outside, even if the included PSU is junk), the list of PSU manufacturers above is a good place to start, and Fortron Source in particular has quite a few reliable models for $30 or so.
Quiet Fan Alternatives
Price: $5 to $20 plus shipping, depending on model
For those interested in a silent system, one of the best ways to achieve this goal is to get fans that make less noise. Panaflo's L1A series with their Hydro-Wave bearings are one such option, but in general, the best way to make a system quieter is to use fewer fans as well as fans that move less air. The movement of air makes a lot of noise, relatively speaking, and that noise usually more than drowns out that of the fan bearings. Typically speaking, 80 mm fans that spin at more than 2000 RPM are going to make a moderate amount of noise, and 120 mm fans should spin even slower than that (e.g. 1200 to 1500 RPM) as they inherently move more air. Another option for reducing fan noise is to get a voltage converter that will run your fans at 7V instead of 12V - it's just a different way of reducing the RPMs, really. Many motherboards can also adjust fan speeds automatically based on system temperatures, which work to varying degrees. We prefer to get fans with 3-pin motherboard connectors as well as all three wires - the third wire is used to monitor fan RPMs, and it is not always available (e.g. on the Panaflo fans). Antec and Enermax again make some good quality fans for a reasonable price, as do Vantec, Zalman, and several others; just check the RPM and CFM ratings and remember that higher values will equate to more noise. As with power supplies, asking around in our forums can give you more specific advice on any particular model.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
31 Comments
View All Comments
edlight - Sunday, January 9, 2005 - link
Warning for Corsair Value Select: If you want to run dual channel get one of their dual channel kits containing a matched pair. I bought one stick and another a month later, and they are totally different and won't run dual channel at all on my Asus A7V880. In fact, one is single sided and one dual sided. The memory isn't made by Corsair at all.justly - Sunday, January 9, 2005 - link
I really don't have a problem if you prefer the Nforce 3-250 chipset BUT to call the "performance and reliability" of either VIA and SiS "questionable" for a budget system seems a bit (actually quite a bit) narrow minded.If this where a overclocking or performance guide I would have less of a complaint, but for a budget guide I think you should elaborate on why these chipsets are so "questionable". Has Anandtech pionted out these "performance and reliability" issues in any reviews of either VIA or SiS, because the ony complaint I can recall had to do with overclocking.
You even mention that a Nforce 3-250 board (Epox) has "memory compatibility issues" so Nforce 3-250 is not void of "performance and reliability" issues either.
A BUDGET GUIDE is about two things "reliability and cost", performance is a "distant concern" (does this sound familiar? it should its on the first page). So when it comes to the motherboard why is "performance" now a concern (especially when performance differances between A64 motherboards seem trivial compared to other components)?
If I sound upset because of this then you are correct. I offen hear review sites hope for more competition in the chipset market (things like wishing some board manufacturer would try to make a performance board with a SiS chipset) and then I read things like this. If you really want to see some competition then the least you could do is not cut them from the market that they are targeting with their product without explaining why.
ChineseDemocracyGNR - Sunday, January 9, 2005 - link
"Intel has socket 478 parts, and these are often cheaper than the more recent platforms, but longevity is something of a concern."I agree that longetivy is a concern, but the socket 478 platform is not necessarily cheaper. Intel released the Celeron D in LGA775, starting with the 2.53GHz model (the lower ones are to be discontinued in Februrary according to the Inquirer). The LGA775 is a "J" version, which adds NX support for less than $5 more compared to the socket 478 version.
Given this, I would switch the Intel budget system to the Celeron D 325J, a little more expensive than the 320. There are cheap LGA775 motherboards available, like the ECS 661FX-M7 ($53.50) and the ASRock 775V88 ($57).
Another thing I would like to comment on is the Radeon 9600Pro suggestion. Newegg is selling 400/446 Sapphire cards as 400/600 (without saying it's an Advantage card) so be careful. I would suggest these for budget systems:
SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 9000PRO Video Card, 64MB DDR, 128-bit $46 shipped
ABIT ATI RADEON 9550 Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-Bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "R9550-Guru " -RETAIL $80 shipped
This ABIT card comes with 3.6ns and overclocks to 500/600 (9600XT) more often than not.
bupkus - Sunday, January 9, 2005 - link
I just bought the Biostar 210V and according to their website http://www.biostar-usa.com/ideqdetails.asp?model=i... this model does support a 400 fsb. Don't expect to overclock an AXP as there is neither a voltage nor a multiplier setting in the bios. The fsb for your cpu is set using jumpers which I hope also changes the AGP/PCI ratio as I'm told are unlocked. BTW, newegg had this model for fifteen dollars less than it is now, so look for possible sale prices. Currently $154.Avalon - Sunday, January 9, 2005 - link
You can get the Samsung 997DF 19" monitor for $202 shipped at techonweb.com, I bought it there two weeks ago. If the price hasn't changed....then I'd think $202 > $215 in terms of savings.Glassmaster - Sunday, January 9, 2005 - link
Great guide Jarred!Though I would rather not have seen the RAIDMAX PSU in there, it probably won't be as big a deal for the entry level budget system. It was good to see Fortron Source being mentioned too, as a cheap but reliable PSU alternative.
You might also point people in the direction of the excellent power supply guide by computerpro3 of the hardforums. http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=792566
He lists the brands to stay away from, and those worth buying, along with links to newegg for his specific recommendations.
Glassmaster.
Spacecomber - Sunday, January 9, 2005 - link
I always enjoy reading these system guides; so, thanks for this latest one.A couple of minor comments.
I don't think that the 120mm fan on the Antec SLK1650 cases is temperature controlled. At least one of the fans in the power supply is; so, perhaps that is what you were thinking. Nevertheless, the 120mm fan is fairly quiet and becomes virtually silent, if you use 7 volts for it.
I have been a big fan of the Seagate drives, because of their 5 year warranties (started at the time when there seemed to be a trend toward 1 year warranties on hard drives). While my initial experience of these drives was how quiet they were, I have been hearing other complain of getting drives that were not that quiet. My most recent Seagate purchase was a 120GB PATA model, and I too noticed that it seemed to buzz relatively loudly when it was seeking. I don't think it is so much how loud the noise is, but it has a kind of annoying quality to it.
Apparently, Seagate is involved in a lawsuit that alleges that Seagate stole their accoustic management technology from someone else. As a result, they have disabled this feature in their current line of drives. (You can use something like Hitachi's Feature Tool to see that accoustic management doesn't show up as an option on these drives.)
So, while Seagate continues to offer a 5 year warranty, which nobody else does (except the WD Raptors), they no longer should be looked to when a quiet drive is one of your criteria, imo.
Space
Pollock - Sunday, January 9, 2005 - link
I think you should forgo the SATA Seagate and go with the IDE version, which I've seen as cheap as $59-$62, saving you $7-10 for a pointless upgrade.bigpow - Sunday, January 9, 2005 - link
Entry Level Budget & Entry Level Performance labels should make the conclusion less confusing.kmmatney - Sunday, January 9, 2005 - link
Great review. The graphics section was very good, as well as the SFF section. Nice work.Although you did mention it, I think the Athlon XP-M is the best budget cpu, with a Barton core and unlocked multiplier. It is more expensive than the Sempron, but you can team it up with a $42 Asrock motherboard and overclock it 3200+ speeds easy, even with cheapo RAM.