Got £1000 to spend

[Nick F]

What MD, CPU, GFX card & Ram should I get for my new system?

Last PC was a 3.2ghz P4 this time I wanna go down the AMD route.

I already have hard disks and a sound card.

Anyone got any views on this case I think it looks great.

[Yohji]

That case looks pretty swish. I'm getting an Enermax CS-527 for my upcoming PC upgrade:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=174641

[Trippledence]

Looks nice what make is it? I love the lan-li cases. But too expencive for meh.

[Jinx]

I do like the new Antec P180......loads of potential for watercooling......hehe......had my eye on one of those myself.......now if only I can justify the 2gb Ram, 7800GTX and A64 4000+ to go with it.....

[Yohji]

Theres some really nice cases if you are prepared to spend a lot.

[RoGuE|SaBeR]

Assuming your going to spend the £1000 on those 4 components alone...

CPU

64bit Obviously, but anyway!

Your options are to either go for a high end single core or maybe try one of the dual core chips. Ball is in your court for that one depending on what you'll be doing with the system. Loads of articles available detailing the advantages of the dual core chips.

Single Core - One of the San Deigos, double the cache memory of the venice chips (3700 or 4000)
Dual Core - One of the X2's (4200 or 4400)

Graphics Card

Comes down to whether you want to spend the cash on CPU or Graphics grunt. If it's graphics the simple answer is get a 7800 based Nvidia Card - fastest kid on the block by a country mile. If you want to spend the money on CPU power either a 6800 GT or Ultra still has mega grunt - second hand GTs are a sweet spot at the moment in regards to bang for your buck at the high end im my opinion.

Motherboard

Nice high end Socket 939 NForce 4 SLI solution. Keeps your options open for future graphics upgrades as well as new AMD chips. If your going to overclock to toy with your system the Abit Fatality SLI board will be incredibly hard to beat for tweakability. Asus A8N Premium SLI comes highly recommended too with its passive chipset cooling.

RAM

It's going up in price at the moment - Fact. At your price range you may as well opt for a couple of nice 1gb sticks from Corsair or any other performance brand. If you want to overclock get some low latency sticks that will take a bit more juice and tweak till your hearts content otherwise some good branded vanilla RAM will do really.

[Spunkey]

Couple of options...

AMD X2:
4400+ X2, £417.07
DFI Ultra-D, £99.82
1Gb OCZ 3200 VX, £135.07
Leadtek 7800GTX, £358.32
Total: £1010.38

AMD64:
4000+ San Diego, £328.94
DFI Ultra-D, £99.82
2Gb Corsair Pro 2 x 1gb, £193.86
Leadtek 7800GTX, £358.32
Total: £980.94

and yes, that case is very nice

*edit*
changed memory to 2gb Pro instead of C2PT

[Dougal]

I would save another £65 and get the 4400+ system with the 2GB Corsair.

[Nick F]

Assuming your going to spend the £1000 on those 4 components alone...

CPU

64bit Obviously, but anyway!

Your options are to either go for a high end single core or maybe try one of the dual core chips. Ball is in your court for that one depending on what you'll be doing with the system. Loads of articles available detailing the advantages of the dual core chips.

Single Core - One of the San Deigos, double the cache memory of the venice chips (3700 or 4000)
Dual Core - One of the X2's (4200 or 4400)

Graphics Card

Comes down to whether you want to spend the cash on CPU or Graphics grunt. If it's graphics the simple answer is get a 7800 based Nvidia Card - fastest kid on the block by a country mile. If you want to spend the money on CPU power either a 6800 GT or Ultra still has mega grunt - second hand GTs are a sweet spot at the moment in regards to bang for your buck at the high end im my opinion.

Motherboard

Nice high end Socket 939 NForce 4 SLI solution. Keeps your options open for future graphics upgrades as well as new AMD chips. If your going to overclock to toy with your system the Abit Fatality SLI board will be incredibly hard to beat for tweakability. Asus A8N Premium SLI comes highly recommended too with its passive chipset cooling.

RAM

It's going up in price at the moment - Fact. At your price range you may as well opt for a couple of nice 1gb sticks from Corsair or any other performance brand. If you want to overclock get some low latency sticks that will take a bit more juice and tweak till your hearts content otherwise some good branded vanilla RAM will do really.

wow, cheers people, I think I am gonna stick with a single core CPU at the moment I think the Venice 3700. I will be getting a 7800 gfx card for sure though. I will do a bit more research and then post the complete system here.

[drunknmunky]

wow, cheers people, I think I am gonna stick with a single core CPU at the moment I think the Venice 3700. I will be getting a 7800 gfx card for sure though. I will do a bit more research and then post the complete system here.

You mean SanDiego 3700+?

[Nick F]

You mean SanDiego 3700+?

sorry thats it

[BenW]

AMD X2:
4400+ X2, £417.07
DFI Ultra-D, £99.82
1Gb OCZ 3200 VX, £135.07
Leadtek 7800GTX, £358.32
Total: £1010.38

Thats what i'd go for

[Nick F]

£420 for a CPU is a stupid amount. Don't forget I gotta buy the case as well. It will be used for a gaming PC with a little amount of website work.

[Dougal]

Its effectively 2 cpus and it will make you slightly more futureproof for gameing.

[Smokey21]

4400+ can be had for £380. http://www.lowestonweb.com/Products/...7-78706DBF5144

I recently spend this on my parts, should be similar to you:

4400+ - £380
7800GTX- £400
2GB Corsair -£182
Asus A8N-E- £69
Lian Li PC-65- £79

Now bearing in mind u can get a 7800GTX for 350quid, you can spend 50quid less than me, and you could get 1GB and save more there. or you could opt for a 3700+ SD, and it would be well under 1k.

[SilentDeath]

I wouldnt spend that much on a cpu, considering how well they are overclocking. The only reson to spend a lot is if you want dual core, or if you are aiming for a very high o/c like 3ghz.


The antec p160 case also looks horrible and plasticy, and the innards are steel, not aluminuim.