Just my "show & tell" of my Sunday.

Quicky upgrade of my "Internet" computer that Dan Penny once nicknamed "El Diablo".

New: motherboard; CPU; RAM; Graphics card. Case; PSU; Drives: existing.

Most choices were made in respect to my Thermaltake 500 Watt which I did not want to replace. Hence the need for a graphics card which required only a single 6 pin PCI_E lead and operable under 500 Watts. The 9800 was as high as I could go as the newer series require at least 2 X 6 pin PCI_E leads.

No problem as this is the "Internet" computer and I have my SLi "gamer" already.

I also opted for a 3.3GHz dual core CPU again in respect the the PSU and the other components and again the basic intentions of the computer.

Went with 2 X 2GB RAM with the Kingston heat sinks. Speaking of heat sinks I think ASUS hired an architect to design this board as the heat sinks are a thing of beauty! I also opted for the ASUS CPU cooler over the Intel stock. More nice copper pipes! ASUS claims a 20 to 30% reduction over the Intel stock.

Anyway went together in about 2 hours and booted straight into the BIOS. I will try a Repair Install on my old XP and I also plan to put Win 7 RC on that one as well as this I am now using.

Pics:

Shazam Dude. I'm Jealous.

oh mi gosh.

Your "internet" computer kicks my Vostro's ass straight to Timbuktu. Heck, straight to the Timbuktu at Earth-616 universe. El Diablo indeed.

I was toying with the fantasy of building my own desktop, but after estimating the measly pay I'm getting... highly unlikely.

And of course the parts I picked out for fun at Newegg were a tad too costly.

How much did that whole build cost?

The new stuff:

Motherboard; CPU; CPU fan; RAM; Graphics card was @$600.

The old stuff:

Case; PSU; 2 x SATA 3.0 500GB; DVD/CD RW was @$400.

So it's a $1,000 computer sans the keyboard; mouse; speakers & monitor.

nice computer Jehpree!!

Wow... That's expensive to me. Unfortunately :-(

" the heat sinks are a thing of beauty!" Wow,they truly are.
If that was mine I'd leave the side off and just drool lol.