Building System Need Suggestion for Case and Motherboard

I'm going to build a system based on AMD CPU that'll be ready or upgradable
to run VISTA next year. It'll be used primarily for MS Office applications,
Google maps, VPN photo editing (photoshop) and occasional gaming. Gaming is
the last priority in building this sytem.


I haven't been able to locate a case that is designed similar to a Mac -
minimalist cool looking. I'm not interested in a case with blinkling neon
lights and a menacing grill on the front. Guess I've been looking in the
wrong places. Motherboard - AMD CPU, stable. At compter shows I see a
lot of m/b w/ onboard sound and video. I get away with using one them? I
suspect I still want a m/b w/ a separate video card and sound card.

Requirments - cool looking case, stable system.

Mike

On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 15:29:07 GMT, "Mike" wrote:

I'm going to build a system based on AMD CPU that'll be ready or upgradable
to run VISTA next year. It'll be used primarily for MS Office applications,
Google maps, VPN photo editing (photoshop) and occasional gaming. Gaming is
the last priority in building this sytem.


I haven't been able to locate a case that is designed similar to a Mac -
minimalist cool looking. I'm not interested in a case with blinkling neon
lights and a menacing grill on the front. Guess I've been looking in the
wrong places. Motherboard - AMD CPU, stable. At compter shows I see a
lot of m/b w/ onboard sound and video. I get away with using one them? I
suspect I still want a m/b w/ a separate video card and sound card.

Requirments - cool looking case, stable system.


I wouldn't bother with separate sound; today's built-in sound is good
enough for just about everything.

Mike wrote:
I'm going to build a system based on AMD CPU that'll be ready or upgradable
to run VISTA next year. It'll be used primarily for MS Office applications,
Google maps, VPN photo editing (photoshop) and occasional gaming. Gaming is
the last priority in building this sytem.


I haven't been able to locate a case that is designed similar to a Mac -
minimalist cool looking. I'm not interested in a case with blinkling neon
lights and a menacing grill on the front. Guess I've been looking in the
wrong places. Motherboard - AMD CPU, stable. At compter shows I see a
lot of m/b w/ onboard sound and video. I get away with using one them? I
suspect I still want a m/b w/ a separate video card and sound card.

Requirments - cool looking case, stable system.

Mike

A lot of cool looking cases made by Silverstone.
http://www.silverstonetek.com/product-case.htm

OK, except I wonder about audio stealing cpu cycles. Also, I'd like to be
able to perform other tasks while burning a cd or dvd.
I'm tired on my PC f
"Chris Hill" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 15:29:07 GMT, "Mike" wrote:

I'm going to build a system based on AMD CPU that'll be ready or
upgradable
to run VISTA next year. It'll be used primarily for MS Office
applications,
Google maps, VPN photo editing (photoshop) and occasional gaming. Gaming
is
the last priority in building this sytem.


I haven't been able to locate a case that is designed similar to a Mac -
minimalist cool looking. I'm not interested in a case with blinkling neon
lights and a menacing grill on the front. Guess I've been looking in the
wrong places. Motherboard - AMD CPU, stable. At compter shows I see a
lot of m/b w/ onboard sound and video. I get away with using one them? I
suspect I still want a m/b w/ a separate video card and sound card.

Requirments - cool looking case, stable system.


I wouldn't bother with separate sound; today's built-in sound is good
enough for just about everything.

I wouldn't bother with separate sound; today's built-in sound is good
enough for just about everything.


"Mike" wrote in message
news:q4Gmf.6209$Ea6.3994@trnddc08...
OK, except I wonder about audio stealing cpu cycles. Also, I'd like to be
able to perform other tasks while burning a cd or dvd.

Then look into getting a dual core CPU. AMD 3800 X2 for example.

On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 19:33:42 GMT, "Mike" wrote:

OK, except I wonder about audio stealing cpu cycles. Also, I'd like to be
able to perform other tasks while burning a cd or dvd.
I'm tired on my PC f



It is going to need some cpu anyway, and on this older system I can't
tell a bit of difference in cpu usage between my ac97 and sb-live. I
can easily play sounds while burning (that's what burn-proof is for
also, although I doubt sound is going to cause it to kick in. If you
want a nice sound card, go for it, but since most boards have sound
you might want to give it a try before considering it to be crap, it
isn't near the crap it used to be.