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Advice on my new computer

B

Bauman

n00b
Joined
Oct 5, 2004
Messages
48
Right now I have: AMD Athlon XP 2500+ Barton, generic 1 GB PC2700 (1 stick), Radeon 9600 Pro, Soyo Dragon Ultra Platinum (KT400 chipset), 4x Lite-On DVD+-R burner

I'm looking to upgrade to this new system I have planned out, and I'm looking for advice (what might I think about changing & why). Here's the system and links to sites where I'm planning on buying from - $750 total including shipping for what I have planned out:

AMD Athlon 3000+ Barton here
MSI Radeon 9800 Pro here
1 GB Dual-Channel Patriot PC3200 RAM (2 sticks, obviously) here
ASRock KT880 chipset mobo here
NEC 16x DVD+-R, 4x DVD+R9 (dual-layer) here

Please let me know what you think about this (I'm selling my current, so this is actually costing me a little less than $300 for the upgrade)... does anyone think there are areas I can improve without going over budget... $400, so I have another $100 to spare, but I'd like to keep the video card down to a 9800 Pro, I dont' think I need to go up to an XT or anything like that... plus I've read that most of these MSI cards can be oc'd to XT speeds.
 
sorry to say, thats not much of an upgrade. If you really want to do something, go A64. If it was a year ago, I'd say go for it, but not now
 
got that MSI card...They actually are recognized by WinXP as a 9800XT in the device manager.

v57
 
For as much money as you're spending you could almost go the A64 route, especially if you recycle some of your old parts for the new computer, or save up a little longer. It'd be worth the wait. Really.
 
that doesn't mean that all MSI 9800's will. The name doesn't mean shit, its how fast it is
 
I wouldn't consider that an upgrade. You need to go with an A64 or at least a Pentium 4 because the Athlon XP can't even keep up with the Pentium 4.

And buy yourself one of the new video cards. Dont get a 9800 pro. Get a 6600 or 6600GT or anything from the NV40 series.

I would get a 90 nano A64 3000+ along with an nForce 3 Ultra chipset board and probably a 6600 or 6600GT.

And please dont buy generic RAM. Your just asking for problems.
 
yeah.. i don't see any point in getting that stuff... especially the motherboard.. if you stay with socket A get an nForce2 ultra mobo.. build an a64 system though.. do you already have a buyer for your old stuff?

the memory is good.. the vid card is ok but you could also get a 6600..
i would say look at the sempron 3100+.. just read the amd section of the forum and see how people aren't buying socket A anymore..
 
New options - much more costly than I REALLY wanted... but I'd still do it - $500 cost for me:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (939 socket)
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum (nForce3 chipset)
1GB (2x512) dual-channel Patriot CL2.0 DDR RAM
ugly yellow Chieftec case
X-Connect 500-watt PSU
some sort of 9800 Pro video card (this is still up in the air, I've only ever had ATI chipset vid cards, but a lot of people are talking nVidia up.. not sure on this part yet, but no more than $275 on a video card for me...)
NEC 3500A 16x DVD±R

That doesn't include a new HD if I was to get one... I'd just be keeping 1 of my 2 old 120GB WD Caviars.
 
maybe a 6800 graphics card, better memory, and a name brand PSU too... just being pickey ;)
 
Bauman said:
New options - much more costly than I REALLY wanted... but I'd still do it - $500 cost for me:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (939 socket)
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum (nForce3 chipset)
1GB (2x512) dual-channel Patriot CL2.0 DDR RAM
ugly yellow Chieftec case
X-Connect 500-watt PSU
some sort of 9800 Pro video card (this is still up in the air, I've only ever had ATI chipset vid cards, but a lot of people are talking nVidia up.. not sure on this part yet, but no more than $275 on a video card for me...)
NEC 3500A 16x DVD±R

That doesn't include a new HD if I was to get one... I'd just be keeping 1 of my 2 old 120GB WD Caviars.
Click to expand...


Lose the X-Connect 500w PSU. You DONT need it. They cost $100+ and you definitely aren't going to need 500w for your system. I still dont trust them as a high quality PSU ither because i havn't seen them put under any extensive tests and my friends isn't holding up to his high-end rig with watercooling. A Fortron PSU will be your best bet for top quality and a cheap price tag.

And if your looking to spend up to $275 on a vid card you damn well better be looking into a 6600GT or 6800nu because a 9800 pro is old tech now even if the X800's are based off old tech :p.
 
Well, the PSU I'm looking into a different one, we'll see what I decide.

In terms of the vid. card - the thing that scares me about the 6600 is that it's only 128-bit, not 256. I know this isn't the place to really ask about since there's a video card forum... so I won't ask here. And, at $275 minimum for a 6800... that's right on the edge of my price. Admittedly, I haven't really seen any benchmarks or comparisons between a 9800 Pro and a plain 6800, I've only seen the 6800GT or Ultra. Any advice in that category?
 
Well... here's the final details, I'm ordering stuff tonight, looking to finish the build sometime next week.

AMD Athlon64 3200 (s939) OEM - $215
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum NForce3 Retail - $131 (too bad they're out of stock for them right now, I really hope they get some in today or tomorrow... :( :( )
PDP Patriot 1GB (2x512M) PC3200 DDR RAM 2-3-2-5 timings Retail - $178
Thermalright XP-90 CPU fan, aluminum w/ copper core Retail - 39.99+5.99=$45.99
Chieftec black case with window Retail - $65
Thermaltake Silent PurePower 420W PSU - $36.99
NEC ND-3500A 16x DVD±R, 4x DVD+R9 (dual-layer) - $70.99
WD Caviar 1200JB 120GB 8MB Buffer HDD - free (in current computer)
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro - free (in current computer)
There's also some various things like floppy drive (no idea why I would need one but as a just in case...), cables, 92mm fan for heatsink, etc that I don't have listed.

I've also thought about possibly buying this case/psu instead... but I have a XaserII currently and wasn't that impressed when the 100lbs. metal door broke off of the little tiny plastic hinges about a month ago after not even a year of use...Thermaltake XaserV w/ previously stated 420W PSU - $127.50

The main "gametime" decision for me is going to be 3000 vs. 3200 - the 3000 is down to $179 for OEM on monarch vs. $215 for the 3200... decisions decisions.

Also, there are 2 main things I want to upgrade right now which is impossible due to $$$ - I want a new HDD (Maxtor 7200 rpm SATA 16MB Buffer or WD Raptor 10k), and a new video card - I already know I'm going to buy the 6800nu or GT whenever I can scrape together some more money, probably won't be for another 3-6 months so maybe that will change by then but I doubt it.
 
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