Comments on potential new system please

[DaKid]

Hiya,

Just run across this forum and it seems pretty busy and knowledgeable so I thought I'd post the probable spec of my new PC and ask for any comments anyone has, please.

If I've made some dumb mistake or missed something that should be on there, please do comment (max budget is £1500 though, so please no wild ideas)


PRICE DESCRIPTION

£ 129.95 AMD Athlon 64 3200 (Socket 754) - Retail
£ 69.95 Asus K8VSE Deluxe (Socket 754) Motherboard
£ 195.00 Corsair 1GB DDR XMS3200XLPT TwinX (2x512MB) CAS2
£ 46.50 Sony DWU-18A 8x DVD±RW ReWriter (Black) - OEM
£ 14.80 Sony DDU1612 DVD-ROM (Black) - OEM
£ 324.95 HIS Excalibur ATI Radeon X800 XT ICEQ II 256MB DDR3 VIVO TV-Out/DVI (AGP) - Retail
£ 57.95 Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 160GB SATA 8MB Cache - OEM
£ 31.50 Zalman CNPS7000B-Cu Ultra-Quiet CPU Cooler - Retail
£ 69.95 Antec Sonata Piano Black Quiet Case - 380W TruePower Silent PSU
£ 29.95 AcoustiPack Pre-cut Kit For Antec Sonata
£ 8.50 Vantec SF12025L Stealth 120mm fan - Retail
£ 5.75 Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound (3.5g)
£ 4.50 Belkin Cat5e Network Patch Cable 10m - Grey
£ 64.95 Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS 7.1 THX - Retail
£ 81.75 Creative Inspire 7.1 T7700 Speakers - Retail
£ 62.95 Logitech Cordless Desktop MX - Retail
£ 53.00 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition - OEM
£ 6.50 OcUK Value Floppy Drive - Black

£ 1258.40 Subtotal
£ 20.75 Shipping (Amtrak Next Day (Mon-Fri) - UK Mainland)
£ 223.85 VAT
£ 1503.00 TOTAL

[Firelord]

Hiya,

Just run across this forum and it seems pretty busy and knowledgeable so I thought I'd post the probable spec of my new PC and ask for any comments anyone has, please.

If I've made some dumb mistake or missed something that should be on there, please do comment (max budget is £1500 though, so please no wild ideas)


PRICE DESCRIPTION

£ 129.95 AMD Athlon 64 3200 (Socket 754) - Retail - Get OEM if your buying an after market HSF and save some dough
£ 69.95 Asus K8VSE Deluxe (Socket 754) Motherboard - Look at the K8N Neo Plat, i'm running one and runs at 270FSB all day long can do 300FSB but a little flakey
£ 195.00 Corsair 1GB DDR XMS3200XLPT TwinX (2x512MB) CAS2
£ 46.50 Sony DWU-18A 8x DVD±RW ReWriter (Black) - OEM
£ 14.80 Sony DDU1612 DVD-ROM (Black) - OEM
£ 324.95 HIS Excalibur ATI Radeon X800 XT ICEQ II 256MB DDR3 VIVO TV-Out/DVI (AGP) - Retail - Good choice
£ 57.95 Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 160GB SATA 8MB Cache - OEM
£ 31.50 Zalman CNPS7000B-Cu Ultra-Quiet CPU Cooler - Retail
£ 69.95 Antec Sonata Piano Black Quiet Case - 380W TruePower Silent PSU - Fantastic case you won't been disappointed
£ 29.95 AcoustiPack Pre-cut Kit For Antec Sonata - It's pretty quiet with out it tbh and me thinks be overkill
£ 8.50 Vantec SF12025L Stealth 120mm fan - Retail
£ 5.75 Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound (3.5g)
£ 4.50 Belkin Cat5e Network Patch Cable 10m - Grey - Might be able to grab one cheaper on eBay
£ 64.95 Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS 7.1 THX - Retail
£ 81.75 Creative Inspire 7.1 T7700 Speakers - Retail
£ 62.95 Logitech Cordless Desktop MX - Retail
£ 53.00 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition - OEM
£ 6.50 OcUK Value Floppy Drive - Black

£ 1258.40 Subtotal
£ 20.75 Shipping (Amtrak Next Day (Mon-Fri) - UK Mainland)
£ 223.85 VAT
£ 1503.00 TOTAL

Would this all be from Overclockers.co.uk? Just from personal experience and numerous other people avoid em like the plague!

I personally use Komplett, MicroDirect and Over-clock.co.uk and never ever had an issue...

BTW see the quote for my comemnts

[Nomadd]

Well, apart from the fact that I'd never order anything from OcUK (read a bit of the feedback on them on this site as well as http://www.romulus2.com/feedback), I'd say that you are in for a pretty long wait on that order, as the X800XT orderers on OcUK's forums have been waiting months; and they are now being told an additional month or more may not be out of the question. Oh, and their credit cards were debited on the day they placed their orders...

Apart from that your spec. looks OK. Although do you really need a second DVD-ROM? And I hope that the 380w PSU would be enough to power the A64 and the X800XT (which it probably will...)

Nomadd

[Firelord]

Well, apart from the fact that I'd never order anything from OcUK (read a bit of the feedback on them on this site as well as http://www.romulus2.com/feedback), I'd say that you are in for a pretty long wait on that order, as the X800XT orderers on OcUK's forums have been waiting months; and they are now being told an additional month or more may not be out of the question. Oh, and their credit cards were debited on the day they placed their orders...

Apart from that your spec. looks OK. Although do you really need a second DVD-ROM? And I hope that the 380w PSU would be enough to power the A64 and the X800XT (which it probably will...)

Nomadd

The 380w is a very good unit Built a machine based on a A64 3000+ standard K8V, 1GB DDR400 etc etc and held voltages extremely well at the end of the day if it is a problem it could be ebayed and a tagan or like could be brought

I have a DVD Writer and CD Writer and wish I had DVD ROM and DVD Writer... Much easier and saves wear on the DVD Writer laser

[DaKid]

Thanks guys,

I never knew anything bad about Overclockers. Used them quite a few times before in the past and never had any problems. Will look around using Romulus as my guide

[Firelord]

Kustom PCs are very good too

[mike_w]

Thanks guys,

I never knew anything bad about Overclockers. Used them quite a few times before in the past and never had any problems. Will look around using Romulus as my guide

In case you want to know, the stores I use are Komplett, CPUCity and Watford Electronics. Heard nothing but good things from Scan as well.

[Mblaster]

I have used overclockers many time only problem had is i recieved a faulty cpu/mobo and had to RMA it. Not their fault but shame they couldn't cover the shipping costs though.

[Kumagoro]

I would say you are wasting your money on the RAM.

you are spending more on that then the cpu.... to me that doesnt make sense esp as its only 3200. Which im guessing means your not going to be over clocking it... do yourself a favour and get a faster cpu.

Several months back Custom PC did a test between bog standard cheapo ram and superfast low cas ram... at like for like freqs the diff was at best 3% or around that.. (thats the diff between the cheapest and the supposed best)
This is common knowledge long before they even did the test.

----

Also when i used Kustom PC my case came through, the whole of the plastic front had sheared off. Emailed kustom and they picked it up and brought me a new one within a couple of days.... and they DIDNT charge me money for this. not being funny but surely it is illegal for OCUK to expect you to pay money to send something back which doesnt work. I would have been livid if they tried that on with me.

[blueprint]

3200 is the fastest isnt it?

Also Most of that stuff in your spec there can be found much cheaper on www.ebuyer.co.uk they are so cheap and very good. Those network cables are under a pound. They stock massive amounts of those kinds fo things so they cna sell them at good prices.

Ebuyer will do most of those things, apart from any specialty modding things, possibly not the case. But the rest!

[mike_w]

The thing to remember is that, in my opinion, really high quality RAM is only worth it if you're overclocking. If you're not going to be overclocking, then it doesn't make much of a difference, and you're better off with some cheaper stuff (but not the generic stuff, best is something like Crucial RAM - cheap, but reliable, and, apparently, with excellent support)

[Mblaster]

3400 is the fastest S754 CPU and 3800 is the fastest AMD CPU overall (S939)

[BUFF]

3400 is the fastest S754 CPU and 3800 is the fastest AMD CPU overall (S939)

i thought that there was a 3700+ 754 now too & FX-53 fastest overall (same clockspeed as 3800+. more cache)

[mike_w]

FX-53 fastest overall (same clockspeed as 3800+. more cache)

Here it is: http://www.cpucitystore.co.uk/catalo...roducts_id=498

[Stewart]

The people telling you to not waste all that money on RAM, and get some nice, reliable Crucial instead speak the truth. Listen to them.

[Tom]

or even better if you DO want to overclock, get some GeIL value pc3200 £120 for a gig from microdirect....this stuff loves FSB, mine does 215 but my board wont go any higher with any ram and my mates does 245




Also, i think it might be worth it if you're spending that much on the system to try and get an s939? itll cost u another £100 or so but you'll get a faster CPU and at least you'll be able to upgrade the CPU later