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Thread: I need a new PC and would appreciate your thoughts!

  1. #1
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    • GingerNinja.net's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Abit Fatal1ty AN8 SLI
      • CPU:
      • AMD Opteron 144 @ 2507MHz
      • Memory:
      • GSKILL Extreme Series (HZ) DDR I PC4000 3-4-4-8 Dual Channel (2x1024MB)
      • Storage:
      • 3 x 250GB Samsung Spinpoint P120S in RAID3 via XFX Revo 64 SATA Netcell controller
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Leadtek WinFast PX8800 GTS TDH 640MB @ 630/950 (1.9GHz eff.)
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic S12-600
      • Case:
      • Akasa Eclipse 66
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2005FPW @ 1680x1050
      • Internet:
      • TalkTalk Free 8Mbps @ 5.5Mbps actual (with frequent drops & router reboots needed!)

    I need a new PC and would appreciate your thoughts!

    Despite being a 30 year old gamer and geek, I've only ever taken an existing PC down to its basic components and reassembled it into a new case. I thought it was about time I replaced my current rig and do it by building it myself. Ooooo!

    Current Rig:
    AMD Athlon XP 1700+
    Asus A7N266-E nForce MoBo
    2 x 512MB PC 2100
    MSI GeForce FX600 TD-256
    2 x 80GB Hitachi Deskstar 7k250 in RAID 0 on PCI EIDE Controller
    Plextor CD-RW 40/12/40A
    Generic DVD-Rom

    Obviously, I need an upgrade and I am focusing on "bang per buck" with a max budget of £1000 (£300 or so of which I am spending on a Super LANBoy with a custom paint job, colour matched keyboard and 480W TAGAN or ANTEC PSU).

    In case you are wondering, I am a gamer who also dabbles in web/image design and that is the reason for going AMD 64:

    Proposed Rig:
    AMD Athlon 64 3500+ (or 3800+ or FX-53 if they drop significantly or I can afford at the time!)
    Asus A8V Deluxe WiFi (revision 2)
    2 x 512MB PC3200 Crucial CT6464Z40B
    XFX GeForce 6800 GT 256Mb
    2 x 160Gb Hitachi Deskstar 7K250 SATA (For RAID 0)

    He's got me by the opticals!
    I am very tempted to get an Asus DRW-0804P to replace my DVD-ROM as I don't really plan on copying DVD's but burning them, sure! If I do that I will either keep my Plextor or sell it on E-Bay and get a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive - thoughts on this would be appreciated as that equates to an extra £150 atleast out of my budget.

    Drive a Hard bargain (ouch)
    I am also planning on also moving across my 2 x 80GB 7K250's and running them in RAID 1 for my user data section. I will probably get 2 SATA to EIDE cables to keep things tidy, although I can only find a "converter" on Maplin's and these are £25 a piece. OUCH! Would it be cheaper in the long run to sell these (they are only 4 months old!) and buy SATA equivilents? Any thoughts on this would (again) be appreciated.

    In Conclusion....
    Does anyone have any thoughts on whether this is a decent spec? Also, I assume that I will need a decent CPU heatsink & fan. Does the Akasa AK-855 fit on S939?

    GingerNinja.net - Gamer, Geek & Father of 3

  2. #2
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    NF7-S comes bundled with a single IDE to SATA convertor. I have one that I'm not using and I'm sure alot of other folks around here do also.

  3. #3
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    • GingerNinja.net's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Abit Fatal1ty AN8 SLI
      • CPU:
      • AMD Opteron 144 @ 2507MHz
      • Memory:
      • GSKILL Extreme Series (HZ) DDR I PC4000 3-4-4-8 Dual Channel (2x1024MB)
      • Storage:
      • 3 x 250GB Samsung Spinpoint P120S in RAID3 via XFX Revo 64 SATA Netcell controller
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Leadtek WinFast PX8800 GTS TDH 640MB @ 630/950 (1.9GHz eff.)
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic S12-600
      • Case:
      • Akasa Eclipse 66
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2005FPW @ 1680x1050
      • Internet:
      • TalkTalk Free 8Mbps @ 5.5Mbps actual (with frequent drops & router reboots needed!)
    Quote Originally Posted by ed^chigliak
    NF7-S comes bundled with a single IDE to SATA convertor. I have one that I'm not using and I'm sure alot of other folks around here do also.
    Thanks Ed! If you or any of the other lovely people who read my little post have convertors that you don't need and would like to sell (or donate!) to me, please PM me and we'll discuss

    GingerNinja.net - Gamer, Geek & Father of 3

  4. #4
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    • GingerNinja.net's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Abit Fatal1ty AN8 SLI
      • CPU:
      • AMD Opteron 144 @ 2507MHz
      • Memory:
      • GSKILL Extreme Series (HZ) DDR I PC4000 3-4-4-8 Dual Channel (2x1024MB)
      • Storage:
      • 3 x 250GB Samsung Spinpoint P120S in RAID3 via XFX Revo 64 SATA Netcell controller
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Leadtek WinFast PX8800 GTS TDH 640MB @ 630/950 (1.9GHz eff.)
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic S12-600
      • Case:
      • Akasa Eclipse 66
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2005FPW @ 1680x1050
      • Internet:
      • TalkTalk Free 8Mbps @ 5.5Mbps actual (with frequent drops & router reboots needed!)
    OK - slight update. Folllowing much trawling around the forums here and asking you lovely peeps lots of questions, I've been able to tweak things a bit in my proposed rig:

    Motherboard & CPU:
    Either:
    - S939 Asus A8V Deluxe (revision 2)
    - S939 AMD Athlon 64 3500+ (or 3800+ or FX-53 if the price drops!)
    or
    - S754 MSI K8N Neo Platinum (I would have gone for the Albatron K8X800 Pro II but it only has 2 SATA ports!)
    - S754 AMD Athlon 64 ClawHammer ??????

    Memory:
    Either (in order of expense!):
    - 2*512MB PC3200 Crucial CT6464Z40B (Boring but reliable?)
    or
    - 2*512MB Corsair TwinX Pro PC4000 Matched Pair with Activity LEDs (greater scope for overclocking or is that not needed?)
    or
    - 2*512MB Corsair TwinX-XL PC3200XLPT (Super fast 5-2-2-2 low latency)

    Graphics:
    Galaxy Glacier GeForce 6800 GT 256Mb with Arctic Cooler Rev 4

    Storage:
    Don't know. See my other post for the ongoing discussion on "RAID or not to RAID?"


    That was a lie, wasn't it? I haven't come to a decision at all - I've gone bloody multiple choice!

    HELPPP!

    GingerNinja.net - Gamer, Geek & Father of 3

  5. #5
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    Cant help you with your decision really - i would always go for the most expensive (within the reasonable limits of sanity) as i have a weird complex about getting what you pay for.

    but looky looky
    http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=28408
    be quick though offer expires tonight / tomoz

  6. #6
    Resident abit mourner BUFF's Avatar
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    Make your mind up quick & get the 25% discount at PCWComponents - that will make a big difference to the cost of a 3500+, 6800GT & 1Gb good RAM.

    (Btw I have a brand new, unopened MSI K8N Neo Platinum sitting here if you decide on 754 & wanted to make me an offer?)

    MSI P55-GD80, i5 750
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  7. #7
    Ah, Mrs. Peel! mike_w's Avatar
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    For RAM, you might want to consider 2x512mb Corsair Value Select. It's from Corsair, so should be pretty reliable, along with a lifetime warranty, and for Value RAM it's not too bad. It's CAS (2.5) is better than Crucial's (3.0) as well.

    For the graphics card, I would stick with the nVidia. Although the X800 and 6800 are pretty close in the benchmarks so far, the 6800 has Shader Model 3.0, which just pushes it ahead for me. Of course, they're both so stupidly fast that you can't really go wrong with either of them.

    I would choose a Socket 939 Athlon 64 over a Socket 754 since 939 is supposed to stay AMDs main socket for quite a while, whereas Socket 754 is destined to become the budget socket, limiting the upgradability.
    "Well, there was your Uncle Tiberius who died wrapped in cabbage leaves but we assumed that was a freak accident."

  8. #8
    Richard Allen Evans mr_anderson187's Avatar
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    ive gota sata converter pata thingy here, if u still need one, gimme a pm and well talk business
    Under Development...

  9. #9
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    • GingerNinja.net's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Abit Fatal1ty AN8 SLI
      • CPU:
      • AMD Opteron 144 @ 2507MHz
      • Memory:
      • GSKILL Extreme Series (HZ) DDR I PC4000 3-4-4-8 Dual Channel (2x1024MB)
      • Storage:
      • 3 x 250GB Samsung Spinpoint P120S in RAID3 via XFX Revo 64 SATA Netcell controller
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Leadtek WinFast PX8800 GTS TDH 640MB @ 630/950 (1.9GHz eff.)
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic S12-600
      • Case:
      • Akasa Eclipse 66
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2005FPW @ 1680x1050
      • Internet:
      • TalkTalk Free 8Mbps @ 5.5Mbps actual (with frequent drops & router reboots needed!)
    Quote Originally Posted by Purple
    Cant help you with your decision really - i would always go for the most expensive (within the reasonable limits of sanity) as i have a weird complex about getting what you pay for.

    but looky looky
    http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=28408
    be quick though offer expires tonight / tomoz
    OMG! Now then. Just been browsing and putting Excel through it's paces (all prices exclu VAT!!!).

    Not only can I now get the XFX (instead of the Galaxy) for a fantastic £50 less, I can also either go for:

    - 3500+ and save £45 on the normal cost of the processor
    or
    - 3800+ and save £80 on the standard cost of the processor
    or
    - FX-53 and save £105 on the standard cost of the processor

    If, instead of looking at those savings I compare them against my normal cost of a 3500+, my upgrade cost is:
    3500 to 3800 = £135.64
    3500 to FX-53 = £219.84 (extra £84.20)

    Hmmm - just melted my brain, but I think that means that the money I save more or less equals the cost of the upgrade.

    Nomal Price 3500+ = £203
    PCW Price 3800+ = £293
    ------------------------
    PCW Upgrade Cost = £90
    Normal Upgrade Cost = £171
    ===================
    Total Savings = £81

    YES! That makes sense - at 25% off, I can upgrade at 50% of the upgrade difference.
    Last edited by GingerNinja.net; 24-09-2004 at 10:43 PM.

    GingerNinja.net - Gamer, Geek & Father of 3

  10. #10
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    • GingerNinja.net's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Abit Fatal1ty AN8 SLI
      • CPU:
      • AMD Opteron 144 @ 2507MHz
      • Memory:
      • GSKILL Extreme Series (HZ) DDR I PC4000 3-4-4-8 Dual Channel (2x1024MB)
      • Storage:
      • 3 x 250GB Samsung Spinpoint P120S in RAID3 via XFX Revo 64 SATA Netcell controller
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Leadtek WinFast PX8800 GTS TDH 640MB @ 630/950 (1.9GHz eff.)
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic S12-600
      • Case:
      • Akasa Eclipse 66
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2005FPW @ 1680x1050
      • Internet:
      • TalkTalk Free 8Mbps @ 5.5Mbps actual (with frequent drops & router reboots needed!)
    Well, I did it!

    AMD Athlon 64 3800+ = £344.92 inc. VAT
    XFX GeForce 6800 GT 256Mb inc DOOM 3 = £222.71 inc VAT
    Samsung SM 352N DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo = £24.58 inc VAT
    Total inc. Delivery = £597.71

    I wonder who will be the first to call me a fool for going with the 3800+?
    I could have shaved £140 off of that price by going for the 3500+, but I figured I deserved a treat of a bloody fast processor.

    And I am pretty certain I am going for the Corsair TwinX-XL Pro memory (2-2-2-5) which I hadn't previously considered, but I prefer over the Platinum purely on color!

    GingerNinja.net - Gamer, Geek & Father of 3

  11. #11
    Resident abit mourner BUFF's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GingerNinja.net

    I wonder who will be the first to call me a fool for going with the 3800+?
    Me, me -you're a fool, 3500+'s have been overclocking nicely
    Seriously though enjoy your system.

    MSI P55-GD80, i5 750
    abit A-S78H, Phenom 9750,

    My HEXUS.trust abit forums

  12. #12
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    • GingerNinja.net's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Abit Fatal1ty AN8 SLI
      • CPU:
      • AMD Opteron 144 @ 2507MHz
      • Memory:
      • GSKILL Extreme Series (HZ) DDR I PC4000 3-4-4-8 Dual Channel (2x1024MB)
      • Storage:
      • 3 x 250GB Samsung Spinpoint P120S in RAID3 via XFX Revo 64 SATA Netcell controller
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Leadtek WinFast PX8800 GTS TDH 640MB @ 630/950 (1.9GHz eff.)
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic S12-600
      • Case:
      • Akasa Eclipse 66
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2005FPW @ 1680x1050
      • Internet:
      • TalkTalk Free 8Mbps @ 5.5Mbps actual (with frequent drops & router reboots needed!)
    Quote Originally Posted by BUFF
    Me, me -you're a fool, 3500+'s have been overclocking nicely
    Seriously though enjoy your system.
    Seriously - have I wasted my money? Should I have stuck with the 3500+??
    I believe I should be able to contact them to change the order.....

    GingerNinja.net - Gamer, Geek & Father of 3

  13. #13
    Resident abit mourner BUFF's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GingerNinja.net
    Seriously - have I wasted my money? Should I have stuck with the 3500+??
    I'm sure that you will be very happy with your 3800+ & I understand that you can probably get a slight overclock out of that too (given decent cooling etc.).

    MSI P55-GD80, i5 750
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    • GingerNinja.net's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Abit Fatal1ty AN8 SLI
      • CPU:
      • AMD Opteron 144 @ 2507MHz
      • Memory:
      • GSKILL Extreme Series (HZ) DDR I PC4000 3-4-4-8 Dual Channel (2x1024MB)
      • Storage:
      • 3 x 250GB Samsung Spinpoint P120S in RAID3 via XFX Revo 64 SATA Netcell controller
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Leadtek WinFast PX8800 GTS TDH 640MB @ 630/950 (1.9GHz eff.)
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic S12-600
      • Case:
      • Akasa Eclipse 66
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2005FPW @ 1680x1050
      • Internet:
      • TalkTalk Free 8Mbps @ 5.5Mbps actual (with frequent drops & router reboots needed!)
    Quote Originally Posted by BUFF
    I'm sure that you will be very happy with your 3800+ & I understand that you can probably get a slight overclock out of that too (given decent cooling etc.).
    But you still think it would have been better to go with the 3500+ and OC like crazy? Thanks for being honest!
    Wouldn't mind OC'ing it at some point....

    GingerNinja.net - Gamer, Geek & Father of 3

  15. #15
    Resident abit mourner BUFF's Avatar
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    I've just recently bought a 3700+ (admittedly s/h but still a few £) so we must both be crazy

    MSI P55-GD80, i5 750
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    My HEXUS.trust abit forums

  16. #16
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    It all comes down to money mate, you're going to get an extra bit of performance out of the 3700+ compared to the 3500+ but with the difference in percentage overclockability between the two the performance increase won't be worth anywhere near the extra money. That's all in my opinion, end of the day your system's gonna be nicer than nice so don't worry about it.

    I personally think u shoulda saved the cash tho

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