Reader Comments Please

[shyyenyen]

Okay guys – I'm new here an dmy experiance is limited - so some comments from the experienced amongst you would be much appreciated……

This is my setup – which is used for gaming and CAD work:

Motherboard: INTEL DP35DP
Processor: INTEL CORE 2 DUO E8500 (this is the new 45nm/1333Mhz Penryn type)
Memory: CORSAIR 2 x 2GB XMS DDR2 800Mhz modules and KINGSTON 2 x 1GB 800Mhz modules
Graphics: XFX GEFORCE 8600 GT FATALITY PRO
Sound: X-FI PLATINUM FATALITY CHAMPION SERIES

The screen is nothing fantastic, a simple Samsung SyncMaster 171N … and there are 2 x 120GB SATA connected hard disks. Ignoring the screen (which I know is crap – and is due for replacement), and ignoring the hard disks, can I have some opinions regards the hardware setup.

How would you guys rate it?

– very capable
- capable
- just capable
- below capable
- or poor.

Keeping in mind the cost of this lot (i.e. the motherboard/processor/memory/graphics card/sound card - lets say 400quid overall – I think that’s a fair price for these bits with delivery + vat included) – how, and in what way would you change any of these components if you were inclined to, not for comparable results but to achieve real world noticable improvements (staying in the same price range of around 400quid) – and just how, or in what way would I see those improvement's?

Thanks for all comments & opinions guys

Oh - nearly forgot: I have 2 x 2GB CORSAIR XMS DDR2 800Mhz modules and KINGSTON 2 x 1GB 667Mhz modules - the CORSAIR's in the Channel A & B (DIMM 0) slots and the KINGSTONS in Channel A & B (DIMM 1) slots.

Question's on this memory setup:
a) although both 667 and 800 is suitable, I keep wondering about whether I have put them in in the right configuration, or will they work better if installed in some other confirguration?

b) is there a problem in using 667 and 800Mhz memory like this i.e. am I slowing things down and would it be better to leave the 667's out complelty?

[ajones]

I know you say the monitor is cr@p, but what resolution do you intend to game at? I'm guessing that for CAD work you've a pretty high res monitor, so I'd upgrade that grafix card some something a little beefier... ATI 3850/3870 (512 MB versions for high res support) ?

I think having different memory like that will result in the memory controller running all 4 sticks at the slower speed. Nowt wrong with that, as I've always suggested that more is better than faster when it comes to memory...

However, was is your OS? If you're using 32bit XP (can't remember whether Linux et.al. uses clever methods to get over the limit), then dump the Kingston as you won't be using it anyway!

Whatever you decide, make sure you match the sticks in the channels. Don't have one channel with one Corsair and one Kingston; It's too early in the morning for me to work our whether DIMM0 and DIMM 1 are the channels on your mobo, or Channel A&B are so am a little confused with what you've written.

[shyyenyen]

Thanx for the reply - no question about the the Channels and the Dimms - I've got that right and your comments on that tie in with what I understood to be the case - so thats all in order.

OS is XP Pro- but as you proberbly know running Vista would be no problem and 64 bit - as the boad and the processor are both capable of this

Res is 1280 x 800

[Blackmage]

Do, you have a budget?

[kalniel]

The system looks ok apart from the graphics card, and if you are gaming this is the key component. At the least aim for a 3850/512 or 9600GT/512. Cards of this power will last you a good while, and are 100% better than the 8600GT you list.

[DanceswithUnix]

Do you specifically want the passive cooling on that graphics card? It is a lot of money for a minor upgrade on the basic 50 quid XFX or Palit 8600GT.

OK, at this point I looked up that sound card, and OMG 80+ quid? That money should be diverted into the graphics! Ditch the sound card, get an 8800GT or if you want passive cooling something like this.

[shyyenyen]

Do, you have a budget?

BLACKMAGE - around 350quid (GBP) - and already spent as I already have the parts.

KALNEIL - the graphics card, that really was my big concern about this

DanceswithUnix - do I specifically want pasive cooling? It's a non isue either way for me, but the card needs it as it comes from the manufacturer substanbtially overclocked.

Actually guys from a hardware point of view I think this has worked out pretty good - the DP35DP with 4 to 6 Gigs of SDDRAM - using the SATA HDD connectors, running with a E8500 processor flies - it walks all over my older 60nm Quad core system.

But BEWARE - you have being warned.

Setting up a P35 EXPRESS chipset on a SATA enabled mobo, - with a a 45nm processor with 2 HDD's is a COMPLETE & UTTER NIGHTMARE. I finished the job at 4am this morning (having started at 3pm yesterday).

Intel in the stupid wisdom (and this the only way I can describe it), box the board for retail with all the support drivers on a floppy disc - in particular those needed for SATA setup - and this is for a mobo that doesn't support internal or external floppy disc drives!!!!!!!!!!

The result is - hours spent on the net reading through various other user experiances - most of whom have come close to killing themselves in the process trying to sort out the very same problems.

Eventually solved it - the key being in setting the SATA in the BIOS to IDE, and a "tweeking" some other seemingly insignificant BIOS settings - but boy oh boy, are they siginificant.

Anyway - the net is full of horror stories authored by DP35DP owners - all revolving the SATA configuration.

But once up and running - ohmygod!! - very impressed - processing CAD on one screen, while running games on the second screen (the card has dual DV outputs and is running at 1280 x 1024 in 32bit) - no prob's at all.

In combination for +/- 350quid, the following bits take some beating:

P35 Express/Core 2 Duo 8500/4 Gigs SDDRAM/SATA/DP35DP/8600GT/XP Pro.

[this_is_gav]

Am I missing something, or could you not just download them from the Intel site as had access to another PC?

[s_kinton]

running with a E8500 processor flies - it walks all over my older 60nm Quad core system.

In what way? You've essentially lost 2 cores for processing work and gaming, giving you one core for each rather than 2 for each. Were the CPUs both stock clocked?

[DanceswithUnix]

Does seem odd that the new machine is faster, wonder what the bottleneck in the quad was?

Fresh build, maybe he hasn't installed the virus checker yet

Still, congratulations on a working build and glad to see you are happy with it.