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Jung
Most Exalted Highlord
Joined: 19 Jun 2002
Posts: 411
Location: Texas |
I've never used tigerdirect, but bizrate.com gives them a good rating.
http://www.bizrate.com/ratings_guide/cust_reviews.xpml?mid=23939&de_id=200&keyword=tigerdirect&prerd=1
I have a similar(but larger SX1240) Antec case that uses a Chieftec chassis(not sure if Chieftec is the actual manufacturer or just another brand) and Antec powersupply. The Chieftec you linked to does not seem to include a powersupply, so you will need to purchase one separately. Chieftec cases are very sturdy and easy to work with. I recommend them.
Think carefully about choosing colored cases because finding matching components can be an inconvenience, but many more stores sell colored components now than a few years ago.
_________________
"You two are a regular ol' Three Musketeers." |
Fri Jan 17, 2003 4:33 pm |
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New_Maxx
Village Dweller
Joined: 12 Jan 2003
Posts: 16
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The easiest colors to match for a case are white and black. You will pay more for black components, but it won't break the bank. Chieftec cases are excellent; essentially, they are budget-oriented Antec cases.
I always advise getting a decent power supply, but most people are fine just using a generic one that comes with a case. It's a lot cheaper and more convenient. There are a few things to look at when buying a case:
1) Color. I suggest white/beige or black, depending on your preference.
2) Size. I really think mid-towers are fine for most people; a full tower or server case are really only necessary if you plan on using plenty of bays and drives. A mid-tower will separate the power supply from the rest of the case, allowing better airflow to the processor; hence, do not get a small case.
3) Cooling. You should always have good cooling, for redundancy purposes if nothing else. The minimum you should accept is one intake and one exhaust. I do recommend finding one with a side intake, if possible, as that configuration seems to help out quite a bit. If you plan on overclocking and tweaking, look for one with at least two intakes and two exhausts. The amount of fans and their orientation does make a difference, due to case pressure. It is generally accepted that a positive pressure (more intake than exhaust) provides better cooling, but this depends on the particular orientation. In the two cases I have, the configuration is as follows: (1) two lower front intakes, one side intake, two rear exhaust, one intake PCI, 3-fan intake drive bay over burner. (2) two front intake, one side intake, two rear exhaust, one top exhaust. Both of these are extremely cool...but also loud. So factor in all of these points when considering a case's cooling aspect.
4) Power supply (PSU). You should get at least a 300W, 350W is better. IF it comes with the case, great; however for moderate overclocking, I advise getting a separate PSU, from either Antec or Zalman.
5) Appeal. Get a case that looks good and fits your style. However I am of the more practical nature...get whatever's best. Don't pay more for a case that just looks good. Chieftec offers good-looking and relatively inexpensive cases, so that's a good baseline, although there are decent cases for less.
I only work with NewEgg, as they are my distributor. But you should be fine at tigerdirect.com.
An example of a decent case:
Picture-- http://images2.newegg.com/productimage/11-124-041-02.JPG
The case and PSU are both made by Enermax, which means it is fairly decent. Moderate cooling and nice to look at, but a bit expensive for the typical user [$78]. 350W.
Now for a more 'entry level' case [$49], 300W:
http://images2.newegg.com/productimage/11-124-026-01.JPG
This case is good if you don't plan on overclocking [$38], 300W:
http://images2.newegg.com/productimage/11-154-003-01.JPG |
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Fri Jan 17, 2003 8:53 pm |
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ArcturusXIV
City Guard
Joined: 03 Dec 2002
Posts: 142
Location: Oz |
You've just found my dream case, Max. I like the first one, and it fits in my budget. 
_________________
"Madness is the first step towards unselfishness. Be mad and tell us what is behind the veil of 'sanity'. The purpose of life is to bring us closer to those secrets, and madness is the only means." --Kahlil Gibran |
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Fri Jan 17, 2003 9:22 pm |
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New_Maxx
Village Dweller
Joined: 12 Jan 2003
Posts: 16
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quote:
Originally posted by ArcturusXIV
You've just found my dream case, Max. I like the first one, and it fits in my budget.
Cool. I sorted their available cases by 'black' for color and '350W' for the PSU. Enermax makes decent power supplies, so that's a bonus, too. The cooling is also nice, and it looks good. Quite similar to my own case from them, actually...same color, same size, same wattage PSU...very nice one. I would certainly consider it ideal for the user who wants a bit more, but not too much. It's also got a sharp aluminum front. 
Glad you like it...when you get it next month, let me know how it goes for you. |
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Fri Jan 17, 2003 10:48 pm |
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ArcturusXIV
City Guard
Joined: 03 Dec 2002
Posts: 142
Location: Oz |
Great, if you're still hanging around the forums I'll send you a PM about it. School has been keeping me from doing anything for the last month, but I'm looking into buying it in the near future.
_________________
"Madness is the first step towards unselfishness. Be mad and tell us what is behind the veil of 'sanity'. The purpose of life is to bring us closer to those secrets, and madness is the only means." --Kahlil Gibran |
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Fri Jan 17, 2003 11:52 pm |
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New_Maxx
Village Dweller
Joined: 12 Jan 2003
Posts: 16
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quote:
Originally posted by ArcturusXIV
Great, if you're still hanging around the forums I'll send you a PM about it. School has been keeping me from doing anything for the last month, but I'm looking into buying it in the near future.
I know all about school.  Working on my MA in computer engineering...rough as hell, especially with a job. 
I'll probably still be around the forums...I drop by every day to catch on up news and posts. I've actually been on the forums for a long time, I just never registered or posted. So I should be around.
Good luck...I'm looking forward to seeing how your PC project works out. |
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Sat Jan 18, 2003 1:08 am |
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Guybrush Threepwood
High Emperor
Joined: 19 Jun 2002
Posts: 500
Location: Oklahoma |
if anyone is still reading this thread then... do any of you live in the US and know if CompUSA charges relatively low to build a computer? I'm trying to keep the price around the 1000$ mark....and wanted to know if they are any good. I'd build my own BUT....I don't know whats crappy and whats good. My sis bought a powerful computer....but the brand name and configuration was crap...you can't upgrade at all. I like to do minor tweaks to my computer every so often. Like a few months ago I bought a new video card and a sound card. And yes....I use my computer primarily for gaming and internet purposes. Right now I have a 1.1 ghz athlon... with 256 ram...60 gig hard drive...64mb geforce 4 or whatnot...some sort of soundblaster sound card....dvd player....cd drive...and writer drive... I know this is plenty for current games but I eventually want to upgrade again and was wondering if CompUSA had pretty decent prices when it came to building gaming machines.
_________________
"What are you gonna do? Release the dogs?! Or the bees?! Or dogs with bees in their mouth so that when they bark they shoot bees at you?" - Homer Simpson |
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Mon Jan 20, 2003 5:59 am |
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New_Maxx
Village Dweller
Joined: 12 Jan 2003
Posts: 16
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GT:
I would advise never purchasing retail (for components) or OEM (for systems). If you're going to go OEM anyway, then at least go to either a direct reseller (like Dell, Gateway) or a custom computer maker (like the bunch I listed earlier in this thread). The only advantage stores give you is rebates and deals, but you usually don't benefit much from them. Dell and Gateway are direct resellers AND offer deals/rebates, so it just makes more sense economically. It does take longer to get the PC from them, but, on the whole, you will pay less for the same thing.
I am not a big fan of Dell/Gateway/etc., and also not a fan of small-time custom computer manufacturers. You usually get stuck with poor configurations, poor future options, or both. However many online custom PC builders will give you a good price and offer decent compatibility; the key is to look for the golden mean. The more options they offer you off-the-bat, the better.
Of course building your own PC is the best way to go, but it's not always feasible. But, honestly, it's easy to put together. Buying compatible parts, with an eye to the future, can be a challenge; however it is a lot easier these days than it was a few years ago. It's really a learning experience. You start off with a basic foundation, based around price, and then do research on individual component areas. You will learn a lot in the process. A big advantage to this is that you can plan in advance and have time for research before buying your PC. Hardware and its prices change rapidly in this business, but if you start a few weeks before your target date, things will come out fairly consistent. Also you can ask for assistance from experts. There seem to be a few on this board, and places like [H]ardOCP, etc., also have plenty of people willing to help. And, of course, there's me; I build a custom PC about once a week, so I have a lot of experience when it comes to compatibility and upgrading. You are free to ask me anything...I love to talk about this stuff. |
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Mon Jan 20, 2003 5:51 pm |
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