03-16-2003, 11:05 PM
People are going to need a bit more information than that, I'm afraid. What do you want to use your computer for? Games? Graphic work?
How long do you want the computer/mobo to last before an upgrade? Do you want AMD or Intel? The last particularly is a matter of price and taste. Do you intend to overclock your processor? (I would assume not)
With that in mind, here would be my recommendations.
These are what I would buy in your situation. This does not meant that they are the best choice for you.
Mobo: Any decent Nforce2-based motherboard. Preferably the one without the onboard video, but with the 5.1 surround sound (MCP-T) The Epox 8RDA+ is a good example of what I'm talking about.
Processor: Whatever Athlon XP you can afford. Around a 2200+ is good, more if you can afford it. Think about getting a decent heatsink - the stock one can be a bit dodgy. For goodness sake, get someone experienced to help you install the heatsink! It is too easy to crash the core a ruin a CPU if you don't know what you're doing. This would be a reason to buy a P IV if you can't get help.
RAM: 2 sticks of DDR400 256MB RAM from a decent manufacturer. Corsair is the best. Double the amount if you want, and can afford it.
HDD: Seagate, 7200RPM+ 80GB+ More if you want it. Look at pricelists, and determine the point where the price starts ramping steeply.
CD-ROM: Decide if you want a DVD/CD-RW drive, or seperate DVD-ROM and CD-RW drives. Look at some review sites to see which are best for you. If you don't want to, Lite-On is generally good.
Monitor: Go out and see want you like. You'll be staring at this thing for a long time, and it will probably outlast everything in your computer thrice over and more.
Mouse: I like the Logitech Dual Optical, or the Wireless, but anything will do. Opticals are nicer.
Think about a decent power supply. Never trust a powersupply to actually deliver its rated wattage - if you are running things that close to the edge, there will be voltage dips, and you can damage your PC.
And, finally, there will almost certainly be people who know better than me, and will disagree with me. Remember that there is no 'best' computer other than that which fills your needs.
How long do you want the computer/mobo to last before an upgrade? Do you want AMD or Intel? The last particularly is a matter of price and taste. Do you intend to overclock your processor? (I would assume not)
With that in mind, here would be my recommendations.
These are what I would buy in your situation. This does not meant that they are the best choice for you.
Mobo: Any decent Nforce2-based motherboard. Preferably the one without the onboard video, but with the 5.1 surround sound (MCP-T) The Epox 8RDA+ is a good example of what I'm talking about.
Processor: Whatever Athlon XP you can afford. Around a 2200+ is good, more if you can afford it. Think about getting a decent heatsink - the stock one can be a bit dodgy. For goodness sake, get someone experienced to help you install the heatsink! It is too easy to crash the core a ruin a CPU if you don't know what you're doing. This would be a reason to buy a P IV if you can't get help.
RAM: 2 sticks of DDR400 256MB RAM from a decent manufacturer. Corsair is the best. Double the amount if you want, and can afford it.
HDD: Seagate, 7200RPM+ 80GB+ More if you want it. Look at pricelists, and determine the point where the price starts ramping steeply.
CD-ROM: Decide if you want a DVD/CD-RW drive, or seperate DVD-ROM and CD-RW drives. Look at some review sites to see which are best for you. If you don't want to, Lite-On is generally good.
Monitor: Go out and see want you like. You'll be staring at this thing for a long time, and it will probably outlast everything in your computer thrice over and more.
Mouse: I like the Logitech Dual Optical, or the Wireless, but anything will do. Opticals are nicer.
Think about a decent power supply. Never trust a powersupply to actually deliver its rated wattage - if you are running things that close to the edge, there will be voltage dips, and you can damage your PC.
And, finally, there will almost certainly be people who know better than me, and will disagree with me. Remember that there is no 'best' computer other than that which fills your needs.