Help me find a mailorder barebones computer
 

I need to put together a workstation that I will use primarily for video editing (Premiere Pro CS4 and Vegas 8). I really have nothing at this point that can edit HD comfortably in CS4.

I'm looking for the following:

• Intel Quad Core, at least 2.8 GHz (3.2 would be better) Comparable AMD Phenom might be okay, but it must support SSE2.
• 4 gig of RAM though 6 would be better, and expandable up to 16 would be nice
• Reasonably fast OpenGL 2.0–compatible graphics card with HDMI output (dual head would be better -- 1 HDMI/1 15-pin VGA)
• 1394/Firewire port
• Gigabit NIC
• Enough open drive bays for at least 2 SATA drives -- 4 or 5 would be better
• A couple of PCIe slots open
• At least a couple of USB 2.0 on the back of the case
• Power supply sufficient to drive all this (300-350 watt minimum)
• Operating System should be either XP Pro, Vista Business or Vista Home Premium, 32-bit (64-bit acceptable)

It doesn't need to come with:
- drives of any kind, including DVD, except for a main drive of any size to hold the O/S
- monitor
- keyboard and mouse
- any other software
- any of the usual junk they bundle with computers

Price: $600 or less and available mail-order outside of CA so I don't have to pay tax.

I have, for the last 20 years or so, always built my own workstations from scratch but I have neither the time nor inclination to try to match together the components I need, go shopping for them, and assemble them. I'd rather just add drives, plug in my existing monitor, keyboard, etc. and get going.

I am completely unfamiliar with the market for branded computers, e.g. Dell or HP, having encountered them only at work and finding them way underpowered for HD video editing. I saw this:

http://www.buy.com/prod/HP-Pavilion-...210902522.html

but the processor is a bit underpowered and I don't know if it can be overclocked. I'm okay with a refurb.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

And, no, I will not "buy a Mac," so please don't take this thread in that direction. :)

A machine with those specs won't come as a barebone. You are gonna have to hand pick the parts.

I'd be more than happy to put something together with parts you order off Newegg (plus they can ship to me without tax).

A good Quad core chip, board, 6GB of ram, good video card, good case and power supply won't be too hard to assemble for $600 using Newegg.

Thanks, Scott. I can throw it together myself. However, I would appreciate it if, after I check out Newegg, you can review and critique my proposed parts list. I really haven't kept up with motherboards, chipsets and the like as I should.

Unless you are planning on installing your own OS at some point such that you don't care about the OEM OS included you definitely need x64 to deal with that much RAM appropriately.

You're right -- I don't know what I was thinking. So, yes, I'll need a 64-bit O/S.

Are there computer shows in your area? That's the type of thing you hand them a list, stroll around for an hour, and then come back and they have it all put together for you.

There are, but I don't trust unknown and unreferenced mom-and-pop integrators.

Plus, I doubt any of them can beat Newegg anyway.

Assembling a PC is a 10 minute job nowadays, which is probably why there are barely any mom and pop stores left.

Yep, I have found it hard to beat Newegg's prices as well.

How does this sound?
 

OK, after a perusal of Newegg, what do you think of this:

Case:

SILVERSTONE KUBLAI Series KL03-B Black 2.5mm aluminum front door, 0.8mm SECC body ATX Full Tower Computer Case

$154.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811163100

Power supply:

OCZ StealthXStream OCZ700SXS 700W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply

$84.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817341019

CPU:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Yorkfield 2.83GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor

$269.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115041

Motherboard:

Open Box: ASUS P5N-D LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard

$89.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16813131232R

CPU Fan:

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler

$31.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835186134

Total: 631.95

This is more than I wanted to spend and I still have to spring for memory (I'll start with 4 gig, I think) and an O/S (probably XP Pro, only because I have an extra licensed copy sitting around -- that makes it free).

What do you think?

If I were looking at a new desktop now while thinking HD and CS4, I really try stretching to a Core i7 system. I'm not sure how much over budget it'll take you, but definitely consider it.

PTravel:

Looks good to me.

Asus is the MB brand that I've had the best luck with, too!

Don't fall for an open box motherboard on Newegg. Despite the savings, many of them do not include any parts for the board, and you would not be the first person to receive a board with absolutely nothing else included.

A 700W power supply is way too much for what you plan to do with the machine, unless you plan to install several top of the line video cards (you did not list one) and SLI them AND add 5-6 drives, you'll be just fine with a 500 or 550W supply.

That said; I'd invest more in the important parts of the machine, and a little less in the others. Spend more for a better board - it does not make sense to go budget on the motherboard and spend $225 on a case and PSU.

Most importantly - at these prices you are getting dangerously close to the prices of a refurbished Dell XPS430. Last year when I was looking for a new desktop for myself I priced a self build box, but found a much better deal with the XPS430 instead. I paid $700 for a Quad core (2.5GHz), 3GB DDR3, dual 750GB, Bluray drive and good video. The machine has a built in card reader, Bluetooth, Gigabit and even came with Wi-Fi, an $80 Bluetooth keyboard/mouse and a bunch of Adobe software.

Also, lower the specs on the CPU - you can save a fortune going one step below that.

Get a Q9400 for almost $100 less at Microcenter and just overclock it to 2.8, with a good cooler and decent board that'll run 100% stable and you'll save more.

For what you're doing, I'd strongly advise bumping up to a core i7. If not, do a Phenom.