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New rig for CS:Source

M

monstar

n00b
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
11
 
Go with an SATA HDD they are pretty much the same price as that IDE you picked out. How could you forget a video card? Especially for a gaming rig. A lot of cards will run CS:S what's your price range for a video card?
 
Oh i forgot to mention that i already own a 6800 Nvidia PCI express. And the most i can spend is 700 bucks on everything beside the video card considering i already own one.
 
If all you're doing is CS:S there's no reason to go dual core. For a strickly gaming machine a faster single-core would do ya better than multi-core. Look at an Opteron 144 or 146. They'll overclock like mad. Save you quite a few bucks too. That's my thought anyways.
 
I agree with the above post, if this rig is strictly a source gaming rig, then single core is certainly the way to go EXCEPT for the fact that you're running a vanilla 6800. In my opinion that will hold you back before your CPU will. If you're worried about 2.2 Ghz not being enough, I'd add on a decent HSF like this to your build and overclock a bit. Dual core will also allow you to enjoy your computer more when you aren't gaming, which is usually more time than spent gaming.

In my opinion, the biggest change that needs to happen is the PSU. This FSP 450 is significantly better than the antec you've got up there, both in noise and performance, and is also slightly cheaper.

I'd also be wary of the quality of that case. A good quality but inexpensive case would be the Centurion 5 for $44, and if you'd prefer you can get one w/a window.

This HD is also faster (SATA 3.0 GB/S) than the one you've got listed, and is the same capacity. Again, it's also slightly cheaper.

So, with the three suggestions, I've saved you about $50 and gotten you better quality and better performing parts. Consider putting that back into your build for the bump up to 2 gigs of RAM, or into adding the HSF for some overclocking.
 
quadnad said:
In my opinion, the biggest change that needs to happen is the PSU. This FSP 450 is significantly better than the antec you've got up there, both in noise and performance, and is also slightly cheaper.
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The Fortron FSP400-60GLN is a better PSU at the same price.

I'd also be wary of the quality of that case. A good quality but inexpensive case would be the Centurion 5 for $44, and if you'd prefer you can get one w/a window.
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Or the Antec SLK3000B or Ever Case E4252.

This HD is also faster (SATA 3.0 GB/S) than the one you've got listed, and is the same capacity. Again, it's also slightly cheaper.
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SATA-II HDs aren't necessarily faster than SATA HDs. I think it's better to spend ~$25 more and get more than 3 times the capacity, like this one. It also happens to be the quietest 3.5" drive available.

monstar, I recommend that you wait until the price cuts on the AM2 X2 lineup, then buy an AM2 CPU/mobo and DDR2 memory. That way, you'll be able to upgrade to a new CPU architecture on AM2, or if you want to move to Intel later on, you can reuse your DDR2 memory. Also, before you get a sound card, try out the onboard sound first. It's probable that with your speakers, you won't be able to tell a difference between onboard and the AV-710.
 
i play CS:S with a p4 2.6Northwood and it was not restricting me running at 1680 x 1050, but my video card was also only a radeon 9700 64mb mobility so i turned details to low for most things. and kept 50-60FPS.
 
 
Thats a fine setup except for the HD and (in my opinion) the case.

The hard disk, while 10K, is only 36 gigs! You'll run out of space in no time at all if you stick with that drive!

I'd go with the Spinpoint suggestion above, and save the extra money. Grab a less expensive and better quality option (from what is listed above) for your case, and use that money to bump up to 2 gigs.
 
What is a good sound card considering i dont have speakers and just a headset.
 
Snag a Creative X-Fi Xtrememusic. And I wouldn't bother with a single core CPU.

I play Source a bunch also, X2 4200 on a X800-XT and I get frame rates always above 100 at 1400x900 with all settings on high, 4x AA, HDR. Get yourself a dual core, you will like it.
 
monstar said:
Is the dual core better in the long run?
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Yes it is better in the long run. More and more games will have dual core support as time goes on.

I too have the 4200 and love it.
 
Damn it, you don't need a sound card.

And I'll recommend the Fortron FSP400-60GLN again. It's a higher quality supply than the AX450-PN, at a lower price. You can also save a bit on the motherboard by going with the A8N5X.
 
Yea, a soundcard is a matter of taste, a X-Fi or any real soundcard for that matter would sound better than on board codecs. And Source makes exactly no use of the advanced EAX and other features found on an X-FI or Audigy.


But it sure does sound soooo nice in BF2..
 
........i play source with a amd 64 3500+....no problems at alll.....the game runs like butter....but i play it with a 6800 ultra ...................and i use onboard sound.....but its creative 24 bit sound blaster....i got EAX heheheheh..........on a onboard chip hahahah...my mobo is the MSI nforce 4 plat
 
Only get Dual Core if you are going to be using Games/Applications that will use it.

The 6800 card is fine for Source.

Get 2GB of Ram only if you are again going to be using other games/applications that will use it.

The PSU will be fine with those parts.

The case is good.

Get an X-fi Soundcard, has someone said the Xtrememusic would be ok.

That harddrive is abit small, but if this rig is only going to be for source and OS and other needed programs like Videocard ,soundcard , chipset drivers then it should be fine.
 
Look at my sig and you will see the specs of my rig. I have absolutely no problem playing css, i dont lag or stutter at all. i suggest the parts in my sig.....its worth it
 
Personnally I'd go with an AM2 rig as soon as you can get ahold of an AM2 X2, I believe monarch has some OEM ones the last I checked. Motherboard prices are comparable, i'd go with the 570 SLI board from MSI for 135 even if you don't plan on going SLI. That way you can always throw in another video card down the road for physics with your spare x16 slot. DDR2 is considerably cheaper then DDR now especially last week when newegg had a 2 gig kit of PQI 667 ram for 97 bucks after rebate.
 
Onboard sound lowers FPS only if the CPU is the bottleneck which at common resolutions, generally, it is not.
 
I would get an X2 3800+ and OC it, or possibly an Opteron 144/146 if necessary to make room in the budget for a faster video card, look at getting a larger drive with a 16mb buffer, and consider something better than a vanilla 6800 for video, that's what will hold you back the most.

454Casull said:
Onboard sound lowers FPS only if the CPU is the bottleneck which at common resolutions, generally, it is not.
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However, CS:S is also a good deal more CPU intensive than most games.
 
RavenD said:
I would get an X2 3800+ and OC it, or possibly an Opteron 144/146 if necessary to make room in the budget for a faster video card, look at getting a larger drive with a 16mb buffer, and consider something better than a vanilla 6800 for video, that's what will hold you back the most.



However, CS:S is also a good deal more CPU intensive than most games.
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Even if an X2 4200+ (especially when overclocked) is going to be the bottleneck, would the drop be at a point where the FPS is already low?

i.e. at the FPS he's likely to get, would it matter?
 
Since some of you are saying that with this setup i will be running a vanilla 6800, is it worth getting a new video card? I may consider buying a new card but i am willing to spend max $350. If someone could post up a good card to get with my setup posted above ( 4000+ amd) plz post here. BTW i play CSS very competively, which means i do not pub, I am in CAL main soon going invite so i need a nice computer that can handle recording demos and run certain 3rd party programs that leagues such as CEVO have (CMN3 for anyone who follows source) with no problem.

-Note : I think that ATI supports css better than Nvidia but i am not 100% sure.

Appreciate the help.
 
Midrange card - 7900GT

High End Card -X1900XTX

Yea, ATI does a better job at Source, but that doesn't matter when just about any card worth it's money today can run Source very very well. This was an issue back in the 9700 and FX days..
 
In the Gforce 68xx and Ati X8xx series the ATI cards pwned the nvidia at source. Don't know about the current generation though.
 
Met-AL said:
Midrange card - 7900GT

High End Card -X1900XTX

Yea, ATI does a better job at Source, but that doesn't matter when just about any card worth it's money today can run Source very very well. This was an issue back in the 9700 and FX days..
Click to expand...
So do you think its better to just stay with the 6800 and incorporate it into this new computer, and then possibly in 6 months upgrade to a better card?
 
If it is PCI-E then yes. Save your card purchase for later when DX10 cards come out.

Your 6800 will be the bottleneck, but I would expect you to still maintain frame rates of over 100 most of the time.
 
quadnad said:
The hard disk, while 10K, is only 36 gigs! You'll run out of space in no time at all if you stick with that drive!
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indeed, the HDD is a very, very poor choice. It is slower than a lot of current gen 7200 rpm drives and runs hotter and louder. either get yourself a nice 74GB raptor, or go with the WD KS series (WD2500KS for example), which is CHEAPER!
 
drizzt81 said:
indeed, the HDD is a very, very poor choice. It is slower than a lot of current gen 7200 rpm drives and runs hotter and louder. either get yourself a nice 74GB raptor, or go with the WD KS series (WD2500KS for example), which is CHEAPER!
Click to expand...
If you look at my first post everything is updated :D
 
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