Deadline New Computer
 

Deadline: Leave for Cincinnati August 19th
Computer Must be finished by: August 15th

At what point should I start ordering the parts from Newegg.com and how long does it take to get the computer from a bunch of parts to a full functioning computer?

Have you ever built a computer before? If you have once or twice I would give the building phase a day or two, but if you are proficcient, then a couple hours to slap and screw and it's done. I would give shipping 2 weeks. Not that it's going to take that long, but if you HAVE to have it done by the 15th of august, you're screwed if something is DOA.

I forgot to post the near final specs:
Case: RAIDMAX Beige 10-bay Case, Model "ATX-208" -RETAIL
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE
$16

CD Burner: Plextor 52x32x52 CD-RW Drive, Model PX-PREMIUM/SW, Retail
$86
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Floppy Drive: Sony, no point in link $12

HDD: Western Digital 200GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD2000JB, OEM Drive Only
$121
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Memory: Corsair Value Select Dual Channel Kit 184 Pin 1G(512MBx2) DDR PC-3200 - OEM
$171
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Monitor: SONY SDM-S74/B 17" LCD Monitor -RETAIL
$437
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Motherboard: ASUS "P4G800-V" i865G Chipset Motherboard for Intel Socket 478 CPU -RETAIL
$91
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Mouse: Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer Version 4.0 USB/ PS/2 -OEM
$23
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Power Supply: ENERMAX Noisetaker Series 420W Power Supply, ATX 12V V1.3 compatible: Support latest P4 and Athlon 64 platforms, Model "EG425P-VE-SFMA"
$75
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Processor: Intel Pentium 4/ 3.2E GHz 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache, Hyper Threading Technology - Retail
$279
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Security: Symantec Norton SystemWorks Professional 2003 with 1 Year of Live Update - OEM Full Version
$20

Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 PCI Sound Card, Model "SB0244" -OEM
$72
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Speakers (These are gonna be AWESOME): Creative Labs MegaWorks THX 5.1 550 Speakers -RETAIL
$199
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Video Card: eVGA nVIDIA GeForce 6800 Video Card, 128MB GDDR, 256-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "128-A8-N343-AX" -RETAIL
$289
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Windows XP Pro: Not through Newegg.com if someone can hook me up with a cheaper XP then $141 I will be grateful!

Round Floppy, CD, HDD Cables: $8

CPU Cooler: Arctic cooling 80mm CPU Cooler For Intel Socket 478 3.2GHz+, Model "ACSS4PL" -RETAIL
$18
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Total Bill (w/o XP Software): $1918.50

Two things that spring to mind:
1) Intel retail CPUs come supplied with a cooler, so the extra one might not be needed. It might be more quiet, though.

2) You spend tons of money on the components, but get a cheap-ass case. It may be just good enough, but it's still cheap. At least it doesn't include a PSU (would've been crap), but it'll likely be really light, with lots of vibration problems (=sound!). I might be wrong, but that's quite typical. If at all possible, spend some more money on a *good quality* case; you won't regret it.

Oh, the quality case you will really notice. I have a nice huge Antec that came with a power supply. Not only does it work great, but it was easy to install everything, and there is still plenty of room for additions. And I got it all for under $100.

Just search around newegg for Antec cases and you can find some great bargins on some very high quality cases.

Me and a bunch of other people already gave him crap about his choice of cases in a previous thread. :D

Anyway, I live in Seattle and when I order from newegg and get the standard fedex free shipping it usually gets to my house in 2-3 days, no later than 3.

If all the parts arrive in perfect condition and you know what you're doing it should only take a few hours, but like others have said, if something arrives DOA and you have to go through the RMA process it would tack on a number of days to get replacement parts. So allow time for that possibility.

You could also try Chieftec cases. They're basically Antec ones with some added details. Great for building and expanding. Heavy (=sturdy) too.

He's absolutely right. I live in Boone, NC, and it couldn't have taken any more than 4 days to get it ordered to my dorm. Newegg is teh fast.

If you buy a P4, don't stick with stock cooling. I have a 2.4 Prescott that dropped 13 degrees with an after market cooling solution, and a 3.4 Northwood that dropped 10 degrees with the same cooler.

Other than that, nice setup.

I have spend over $2500 with newegg already this year and haven't had one delay or DOA. They package the stuff well, and ship it quickly. If you order it first thing in the am, it SHOULD ship same day. :)

The stock cooler is fine as it is. It keeps the processor *cool enough*. Now, I'd be the first to admit that there are better coolers out there (I have one), but those cost (extra) money.

If you have to get a better cooler, there's tons of options. Get a good, quiet one (such as my Zalman 7000-AlCu). But I was under the impression that soccerchamp76 wasn't aware (like many people) that there's a stock cooler supplied with a retail P4. I could've been wrong, of course. :)

(Check <a href="http://www.frostytech.com/">frostytech.com</a> for reviews of coolers)

Oh, by the way... Just noticed something about his list: there's a Plextor CD burner there, costing some 84 dollars. It's a fine burner, I agree. But it's EXPENSIVE. Any old cd burner will do, and will typically cost you less than half that amount. For 84 dollars, you can get a cheap DVD-burner these days!

I *AM* aware that P4's come with stock coolers but I would like a nice quiet one so I went with the Arctic for noise reasons.

Due to my case controversy, and my list being relatively tentative, I upgraded my case choice to an Antec:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...factory=BROWSE

Too assemble a fully decked out computer it takes me about 15 minutes......to install os...it all depends on you internet connection to do updates...

ooh, nice looking case. My Antec case cost me $130 back in the day. Never have ordered parts online, as it was easier for numerous reasons to drive to Portland and purchase everything locally. Going to be harder if I build a system now as Spokane is the closest 'big city' to me now at 80 or so miles and I still would prefer buy to everything 'in the flesh'.
I would buy a different soundcard personally but that is my own strong bias against anything Creative and more importantly the fact that nothing without a breakout box will be on my main system after using my sturdy Hercules Game Theatre XP for over three years and counting.

definitely keep in mind any parts that come in NG...

I love newegg, the free shipping is almost always 3 days, very occassionally 4 days. They are awesome, but unfortunately they can't control the quality of all the parts they sell.

I've had a couple HD's from newegg die within 2 days. Learned to ALWAYS ALWAYS stress test the HD, after I lost some valuable data.

Also had an ATI AIW 9800 come in defective....weird lines throughout the display, including the windows xp logo on booting...wasn't drivers, just defective hardware.

so best case scenario, you're done in a day, worst case the HD dies the next day and you have to send it back and reinstall windows/updates etc.

I am just hoping for the best!

Let us know how this turns out soccerchamp.. You have put a ton of work into researching this, and I am interested in the results! :)

I've got your speakers- believe me- you won't be disapppointed :-D

...but the neighbors sure as hell will be. :)

By the way: I have a 2.6c processor, idling at 33C, and I know for a fact that a 2.8e processor idles around 50C. Given the minute speed difference between the c and e versions, you might want to consider a 3.2c...

You have a point there, Dragonlich, but from the upgrading standpoint....ah fuckit, upgrading is useless. When I "upgrade" it's usually everything except drives (exlcuding optical) getting replaced altogether. Either that, or add some RAM, and keep everything else the same. By the time I "upgrade" my system (sometime later this year or early next year, depending on how bad HL2 and the games that WILL be based on that engine perform on my computer) any parts that I could buy now as an "upgrade" will be useless then.