Help Me Build A New Pc

[poorfarang]

Its time for me to get a new pc. Ive built my own computers in the past with out any hitches. I used to be really into technology and the latest and greatest and read up on everything but since moving to Thailand I have started spending my time persuing other things.

So I really dont know much about current technology or what is good and what I shoud avoid.

I really dont need a absolute latest and greatest machine but I would like something that has some power and will last me for a while to come.

My last machine I built using a Shuttle barebones system. I really liked the small for factor of the Shuttle system. I would go with another small form factor system again if I can get away with it. The thing is I want a machine that runs pretty quiet and Im worried that by using a shuttle with current technology I will need a decent size CPU fan to vent the system which will be rather loud.

If heat/fan noise is not a problem then great, I would love another small system. Otherwise Id go with a nice Lian Li case. (Yes im picky about the looks of my system)

As for the use of the machine, I dont do any heavy gaming or video editing, but I am on the computer 24x7 for business so I like a decent machine. I do a lot of photoshop/graphic work, web tasks, media tasks as well as your average office type tasks. Nothing to special here.

I like a nice chunk of ram because at all times I have at least 10,000 applications open and I am constantly switching between them. I currently have a monitor that runs via DVI so I need a video card that will support it. In fact, I might be getting a second DVI monitor so a dual-dvi card is even better. (but not if I have to buy one of those 15,000 baht dual cards)

Storage is key as well. I think 300 gigs would be good and good speed would also be good. Maybe some kind of raid setup? Maybe just to 160GB fast drives? Not those high speed Loud scsi drives though.

Can anybody offer some insight here? I saw that thread regarding building a system but I think my needs are a little different.

Also, any advice on where in BKK I should shop would be great.

Thanks

[Khutan]

Also, any advice on where in BKK I should shop would be great.

Thanks

Ok. In my Opinion, Fortune City in Rachada is the best, with Pantip just behind. Down side of Fortune City is you have to spend time looking and walking around, Upside it its near the MRT.

Other Stuff I can't help you with, as my home server is a MIPS class engine, not a Ghz engine.

[poorfarang]

Thanks for the info.

Also, Id like to try to buget this machine at around < 40,000 Baht

[Firefoxx]

I also use my computer 24/7... it's on all the time. I do mostly graphics and video editing, with only a few games.

Although you don't do games, media and photo editing are about as demanding as games, processor wise. The current latest and greatest are dual cores, with quad cores coming around next year. Helps a lot with multi-tasking. You can go with either camp, intel or AMD, depends on what you like.

The main gripe I have with SFF PCs is their limited expandability... at most 2 harddrives isn't much. I have 6 in my mid-tower case right now, and it's getting very cramped. I also like having 2 optical drives. You can get quiet components for a normal desktop if you look around.

RAM is cheap right now, so getting 2GB is not out of the question (I have 2GB on my notebook and desktop... comes to around 6-7,000).

A good graphics card with dual-output can be had for around 5-6,000... take the ATI x1600 series, for example, it's the latest (but not the fastest) and has all the new enhancements.

[poorfarang]

Sounds good. Ive always been an AMD fan but Id go with any good setup someone can recoomend. I would go for 2 gigs of ram and as well. Can anyone reccomend a mobo/processor that might work well in my situation?

[Jingjok]

Hi PF

I've had bad experiences buying computer parts in the supposedly cheap places in Thailand.

I've found these shops provide poor quality goods, and are often very expensive when compared with ordering via the net.

I've built a few machines here, but have always ordered parts from my home country (UK) on-line, had them delivered to my UK address, then picked them up and carried them back after my next visit home.

It works a treat and you get the latest and best at the cheapest possible price. But of course it's only possible if you go home occasionally, or have a friend who can send the parts on.

Good luck!

[poorfarang]

Well Im not really planning on going home to pick up computer parts and carry over here. That would just double the cost of the computer.

Thanks for the input though.

[Firefoxx]

There can be differing opinions on prices here vs elsewhere. The general rule is that if it's "mainstream" then it's available here (in Thailand) at around the same price as in the US. The exception is for printers/scanners, which are generally much more expensive here.

The US has very nice mail-ordering places (like Newegg), and the selection is very nice. Thailand's mail order (internet) is still in its infancy, and the prices aren't that great. The "Asian" way is IT supercenters, which the US lacks.

Whenever I want something very fancy, I usually get it from the US. For example, I got a 7200rpm 80GB notebook drive from the US, since it's very hard to find those here. However, if I wanted just a normal 5400 rpm notebook drive, they're very easy to find and cheap here.

I think that getting stuff from outside is OK, as long as it's feasible (you or your friend goes there a lot). However, you also have warranty issues to contend with. That's why I limit my purchases outside Thailand to exotic stuff.

[Tywais]

If you want quiet you can go with one of the ASUS passive cooling systems (heat pipes) such as the A8N-SLI-Premium or the A8N32-SLI-Deluxe and combine with a AMD 2X 3800+ dual core processor (to help with the multitasking part. And as Firefox mentioned a dual dvi card is not that expensive.

If you want to keep the price down a little, still recommend the AMD 3800+ but perhaps with an ASRock mainboard such as an ASRock K939Dual-SATA2.

Edited March 6, 2006 by tywais

[The Coder]

However, if I wanted just a normal 5400 rpm notebook drive, they're very easy to find and cheap here.

I think it is misleading to describe the price in Thailand as cheap on this or other mainstream components like RAM, CPU, etc. Take your mainstream 80GB 5400RPM notebook drive, you could save around 1000 baht buying in the US and most people would consider that kind of savings significant. Thai prices on high end components aren't just significant, they are better described as nightmarish and you can see fast disk drives marked up 30,000 baht over US prices for instance (common for Thai's to just double the price when the unit price is high). The one component I have to say is closing the price gap are mainstream 3.5" disk drives; I see price gaps of less than 1000 baht at times.

[poorfarang]

If you want quiet you can go with one of the ASUS passive cooling systems (heat pipes) such as the A8N-SLI-Premium or the A8N32-SLI-Deluxe and combine with a AMD 2X 3800+ dual core processor

Can you give me a model number on the ASUS? Its really able to passivly cool a 3800?? So does that mean there is no fan at all of just a small fan?

Keep the details comming guys, im open to everything here

[poorfarang]

Are you talking about the ASUS A8N32? It looks like there is only a fan on the chipset. Will I be able to get a quiet heatsink/fan combo here in thailand? It looks like that processor/mobo will be around 20,000 baht alone. Thats a big chunk of my budget. I will have to see.

[Tywais]

If you want quiet you can go with one of the ASUS passive cooling systems (heat pipes) such as the A8N-SLI-Premium or the A8N32-SLI-Deluxe and combine with a AMD 2X 3800+ dual core processor

Can you give me a model number on the ASUS? Its really able to passivly cool a 3800?? So does that mean there is no fan at all of just a small fan?

Keep the details comming guys, im open to everything here

Two different models already posted above. A small fan may be added to the heat pipe as an option. The passive cooling pipes connect to the CPU and also to the chip set. Case should of course still have a fan. The system I'm building is totally passive cooling including the video card (ASUS silence series).

For the A8N32-SLI-Deluxe

Heatpipe

The Heatpipe that passes through motherboard components effectively

transfers the heat away from the components. Because the copper

heatpipe is a fanless innovation, users are guaranteed of a quiet computing

environment and of a cost-effective cooling solution.

Stack Cool 2

The motherboard comes with the ASUS Stack Cool 2, an innovative

fan-less and zero-noise thermal solution that provides supplementary

cooling to the motherboard. Stack Cool 2 is a special layer underneath the

motherboard that improves heat dissipation.

Are you talking about the ASUS A8N32? It looks like there is only a fan on the chipset. Will I be able to get a quiet heatsink/fan combo here in thailand? It looks like that processor/mobo will be around 20,000 baht alone. Thats a big chunk of my budget. I will have to see.

Those were some options with the top of the line models first. You can save ~6000.00B if you go with the ASRock 939Dual-SATA2. The reviews for it have been positive, just need to use conventional fan cooling instead.

[poorfarang]

Does the Stack Cool 2 pass over the CPU for fanless cooling as well?

Also, How much of a performance cut would I take dropping down a notch on the processor? I notice the specs dont change a whole lot but the price does. Or do you think That this would be good for my situation.

Thanks for the extended details

Edit: Well it looks like the 3800+ is there lowest dual core CPU so a step down would be a big step.

Edited March 6, 2006 by poorfarang

[Tywais]

Does the Stack Cool 2 pass over the CPU for fanless cooling as well?

Also, How much of a performance cut would I take dropping down a notch on the processor? I notice the specs dont change a whole lot but the price does. Or do you think That this would be good for my situation.

Edit: Well it looks like the 3800+ is there lowest dual core CPU so a step down would be a big step.

The CPU still has its' own heat sink and fan but the fan is under computer control and automatically adjusts itself depending on CPU load to keep the system as quiet as possible.

[poorfarang]

Is there a Thai website that will give me a rough Idea of the prices here and allow me to mock up a sample rig?

[Tywais]

Is there a Thai website that will give me a rough Idea of the prices here and allow me to mock up a sample rig?

I have a pinned topic for sites: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=61857

Might start with 7daysit.com

[MikeWill]

Hi poorfarang.

It seems that we both are going to assemble qute similar systems. Take a look here < http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=60820 >.

There you will also find the cheapest online prices in Thailand I was able to find.

You're welcome to PM me for cooperation.

Edited March 7, 2006 by Condo_bk

[poorfarang]

So a ASUS A8N-SLi Premium will not fit in a Lian Li case?

Is it possible to buy a case in thailand that is well made like they are and not ugly chunks of plastic?

[Tywais]

So a ASUS A8N-SLi Premium will not fit in a Lian Li case?

Is it possible to buy a case in thailand that is well made like they are and not ugly chunks of plastic?

I just received my Cooler Master Centurion 530 case today and it is very good looking (IMHO). 5 - 5.25" bays, 3 - 3.5" bays (mounted sideways for easy access to the hard drives), all grill front for good air flow, 12cm front fan (12cm exhaust - option). Will try to put some pics up for you when I get home. Still waiting for my mainboard.

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=155&type=expert&pid=2

Mine came with a transparent side panel and not the side shroud.

Edited March 9, 2006 by tywais