Vanquished

Hey everyone,
I'm looking to build a new media PC to replace the old Athlon X2 rig I'm currently using. I need the computer to play 1080p MKVs with DTS audio. I was able to get the Athlon X2 to play 720p files with DTS but 1080p were on the glitchy side.

I need to be able to utilize the following which I already have:

• APEX DM318 Case: APEX COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY (got for free from Amazon)

• 8Gigs (4X2GB 1333mhz ram)

I'd like the mobo to also have an IDE so I can utilize one of the many many IDE DVD/RW drives I've got lying around, and maybe even one of the IDE HDDs, but I guess thats not a steadfast requirement since I know they don't usually have IDEs anymore.

I'm going to be looking for Combo deals on Newegg over the next couple of weeks, but I'd need to know what I'm looking for. The DM318 is a thin case unfortunately so I know this makes it harder, also the Mico-ATX, Flex-ATX, DTX form factor will make it hard. I got the case for free from Amazon because of a mix-up with the case I paid for, but I can't sell it or send it back to Amazon because shipping would negate any value I earned back.

I understand that it might be hard to find a micro atx mobo with 4 ram slots but I'd really like to find a use for the current 8 gigs of 1333mhz ram I have sitting around, I was gonna use 4 in the pc I just built my mother but i noticed significant lag (A4-3400 APU) with only 4 gigs verse some 8 gigs I took out of my pc so I'm back to have 4 sticks of 2 gigs lying around...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
-Vanq

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dreamliner77

I'd probably head over to MicroCenter and grab one of their bundles.

http://www.microcenter.com/site/prod...d_bundles.aspx

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Vanquished

If I had a microcenter real close to me (I think one is in boston maybe) I definitely would have.

To update though the setup I chose was:

CPU/APU: AMD A6-3500 Triple Core - $64.99
RAM: 8GB (2X4GB) 1600mhz HyperX - $29.99
MOBO: ASRock A75M FM1 - $74.99
CASE: APEX DM-318 - $40 but I got for free
HDD: SATA 2.5" HDD (From 8 month old dell laptop)
OS: Windows 7 HP 64-bit ($28 special when 7 released)

Total Cost: $237.99 + Whatever you can get a HDD for. Cost to me was $237.99-$40 = 197.99

Computer plays 1080p video with DTS audio perfectly.
Overall it gets an 1100 PCMark 7 score. considering the A4-3400 got a 1000 PCMark 7 score I'm not sure it was totally worth the extra core but I feel better at least. Neither the A6 PC or the A4 PC is overclocked at all BTW.

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