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.
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JarredWalton - Friday, January 21, 2005 - link
Next Guide is due out "soon" - like this weekend probably.As for PATA vs. SATA, the performance difference is negligible. The cables are a different story. PATA (also called IDE/EIDE) uses 40 pin connectors and 80 pin cables. SATA gets by with a cable that's about 1/4 as large, and the connector is only about 1 cm wide instead of 5 cm or so. Rounded IDE cables help, but the IDE connector is still rather a pain in the butt.
Also, SATA is point-to-point, which means there are no worries about master/slave settings. Each SATA device is on its own channel. The theoretical performance of SATA is higher than PATA, but in practice all current hard drives are limited by the hard drive's sustained transfer rate.
Fauno - Thursday, January 20, 2005 - link
Dumb question: what´s the difference for SATA and PATA?Tkx for all.
Fauno - Thursday, January 20, 2005 - link
Mr. Jarred, thank you for the great newsletter!I would like to see an improved, i mean, something
better than the Budget and Performance scenarios.
How long may i have to wait for your next guide?
I´m anxious because i´m in hurry to make a brand new computer.
Thank you vey much.
micronot - Monday, January 17, 2005 - link
Show me the Benhchmarks ---I have no complaints about the selections, but it would have been nice to also see how these systems compare on a few benchmarks. This would help show a price to performance ratio.
erinlegault - Wednesday, January 12, 2005 - link
How do think nForce motherboards have instability at default settings?I know VIA has been very reliable since their Apollo Pro 133 chipset, I have owned several. But, to say Nvidia nForce chipsets are unstable is unfounded. The various flavors of nForce 2, 3 and now 4 are the probably the best chipsets ever made.
I have no opinion about the initial nForce chipset, I personally never give first timers a chance. This is probably the chipset you call unstable, but what company does not produce a first generation product that isn't perfect.
bob661 - Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - link
I don't recommend Nforce boards to non-enthusiasts because of instability or just plain quirkiness (sp?). I figure a geek wouldn't mind troubleshooting and tinkering but I don't assume that for newbies or general users. VIA has always treated me kindly and I don't have people coming back to me after I build them a computer complaining about quirks. I remember when VIA was the quirky, problem-ridden chipset but I haven't seen that for at least 5 years. We use computers with that chipset at work as CAD workstations (29 machines) and there's no instability.Live - Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - link
If the 6600 is an option in PCIe why not as AGP it is available in both?woodchuk - Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - link
Have to agree on the VIA and SIS chipsets, not only because they tend to lose sound drivers and such occasionally, but the nVidia solutions seem bulletproof.Also, the Semprons I've built recently are very disappointing in anything that likes a lot of cache, either Tbird or Barton equivelents are faster.
justly - Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - link
Thanks again, although I really wasn't expecting a responce to my last post.I understand the reluctance tward integrated video, but to be fair there are two reasons for building a budget system one is obviously because you cant afford the alternitive, and the other is because you know you dont need the alternitive. If someone is simply trying to make a performance system fit a tight budget then I would expect them to have problems simply because that is not the correct way to make a performance system. Is this the type of person that you are making a budget guide for? if so then I guess I misunderstood the purpose of the budget guide.
I'm NOT intentionally trying to argue with you, it just irritates me that the impression I (and I think others may also) get from the article is that Nforce is not just the chipset of choice but that it seems to be the only chipset that is acceptable, and now I see you say "a less expensive chipset isn't necessarily inferior". That was the point I was trying to make.
A lot of what you say makes sense, but a few things don't (at least to me), one being that you assume cheaper capacitors, resistors, fabrication facilities, etc (along with cheaper chipsets and less features) are used to make a budget board, but unless the Nvidia chipset is cheaper or the board has less features then the only way a Nvidia motherboard can compete in price is to use as cheep or cheeper parts or fabrication facilities yet you still claim it is more stable/compatible, how can this be? ok maybe it is the BIOS, I guess I just have a hard time believing that every non-Nvidia moterboards out there has problems with their BIOS.
My experiances are a little different than yours. I have had very little or no problems with SiS or ALi drivers in the past (VIA is a different story). When the K6-2/III was popular I had both ALi and VIA based motherboards and I would say without a doubt that I liked the ALi better. On the Athlon platform I can also say without a doubt that I liked the SiS better than the VIA. While I personally haven't owned a Nvidia chipset I do know of more than one person that had problems with them (and they where not budget builds either, in fact they where top of the line in most cases).
Having a bias is normal everyone has them, I just think with a following as large as what Anandtech has you should try to hide that bias a little better. Maybe it is time you try a SiS or ALi/ULi chipset again, you might be pleasantly surprised. Then again maybe you know yoou need more than SiS or ULi can give you in that case continue on with your "self-perpetuating bias. :p" just kidding, have a nice day and thanks for the insight regarding your recommendation.
JarredWalton - Monday, January 10, 2005 - link
Let me go back to an earlier statement, just to make sure we're all on the same page. I said the following on page 2: "There are boards that use the VIA K8M800 chipset with its S3 UniChrome Pro graphics, and there are also boards that include the SiS Mirage graphics. Performance and reliability of either one are questionable in our opinion." Just to make this clear, the "questionable" aspect is specifically in regards to the integrated graphics - lowest common denominator graphics almost always cause me grief. Some will only support 24-bit color, which is not 100% compatible with all applications, forcing you to use 16-bit mode at times. Others simply perform very poorly even in 2D applications, and then there's the supported refresh rates which may end up being 60 Hz at any resolution above 1280x1024.Okay, now back to the topic at hand....
Memory compatibility issues can come from a variety of areas. For example, even with an Intel 865PE chipset, you're not going to see identical performance or compatibility across all motherboards. It probably has a lot to do with the BIOS, not to mention some other items like quality and location of capacitors, resistors, etc.
THG did a memory comparison maybe six months back where they tested about 10 to 15 different brands of RAM on 10 to 15 different motherboards. I don't recall the specifics, other than the ASUS K8V SE Deluxe was the most compatible motherboard (working with all the RAM types used) and that the Corsair RAM was the most compatible RAM.
As I'm not a BIOS programmer or motherboard manufacturer, I can't say for sure what causes the issues that some boards experience, but I can hazzard a guess. Let's assume you're trying to make a budget board that will sell for $25 less than other motherboards. The first step is usually to go with a cheaper chipset, i.e. SiS or ALi or VIA as opposed to Intel or NVIDIA. (I don't know how expensive NV chipsets are, but I know that Intel is regarded as the most expensive out there.) Now, a less expensive chipset isn't necessarily inferior, but I have a feeling a lot of motherboards that use cheaper chipsets also use cheaper capacitors, resistors, fabrication facilities, etc.
I would guess that this is why the ASUS A8V Deluxe and the Abit AV8 are still very good boards even with the VIA K8T800 Pro chipset. They also cost nearly as much as competing NVIDIA boards. As with all things, compromises are made to reach any price point. If most motherboards with a certain chipset sell for $85+ and a new board comes out that only costs $70, you can be almost sure that either features or quality were cut - possibly both. Long-term reliability of cheap motherboards has never been good for me, although I'm sure others have had okay experiences.
Beyond that, I don't have any real concerns with the VIA A64 motherboards. SiS and ALi/ULi are a different matter, although I freely admit that I have avoided using motherboards with those chipsets for years. Finding comprehensive chipset drivers for NVIDIA, Intel, and VIA motherboards is generally a simple matter; not so with SiS and ALi (in my experience). Drivers always end up mattering, and the easier it is to get all the drivers installed, the better.
In the end, it's a Catch-22 situation: I don't trust SiS and ALi/ULi based motherboards as much as NVIDIA and Intel based motherboards due to some bad experiences. The only thing that would really convince me that they no longer have problems would be extended use of such a motherboard over a two year period. However, when I look at the prices and it's only $10 more for a board that I already trust, why take a chance?
I'm only one person, with limited access to hardware (even if I have more access than most people, I can't just get anything I want). No one has perfect knowledge of how specific boards will work over a 4 year period, so we end up guessing based off of previous knowledge. My previous knowledge says that SiS and ALi boards are more likely to have issues over an extended period of time, but what I really know is that *previous* SiS and ALi boards had a lot of problems. Yup, it's a self-perpetuating bias. :p