Gaming....What Is Good These Days

[Drobbins]

Hey All,

Iam after some further advice, i have just bought a PC (windows) and would like to build a second machine to get some games on it, i want something REALLY fast lightweight and overclockable and SLI

If you guys could bundel a quote together maybe from scan iam not really worried about budget i just wana good machine that is overlockable.

Cheers
Drobbins

[MantisCSS]

hiya m8, what u looking for? any kinda budget at all?? if not then u cud get the best of everyhting, give us soemhting to work with

[Drobbins]

I just want something that is gonna be good enough for gaming portable for lans that kind of thing. Budget i would say £1,000

Rich

[sawyen]

1 grand.. LAN capable..

Scan's ISOTOPE or Shuttles SLI bit would be great.

If gaming is all the 2nd rig is built for, then..

1. AMD Opteron 148 (£170)
2. Shuttle SN25P (about £280)
3. 2GB DDR or what have you.. (about £100)
4. 7900GT (about £200ish)
5. 2x74BG Raptors (about £200ish)
6. A DVD burner.. (£30)
7. Creative X-Fi X-music (£80)

total = £1060ish..

[this_is_gav]

For gaming you'd pick a RAID0 setup over a 7900GTX?

Don't get me wrong, I've strapped a couple of Raptors together myself, and have an X1900XT, but it's hard to justify RAID0 if it comes to a choice between that and a higher spec graphics card.

TBH, unless you're running stupidly high (24") resolutions, the 7900GT would be perfectly adequate (even though it's annoyingly loud), whereas you'd be better off saving a bundle of cash, and just getting a single more mainstream-orientated 7,200 drive, quite a sizable one if required.

[kasavien]

I would lean more towards a 1900XT or XTX instead of the 7900GT or GTX, just for the better picture quality, wish thats what i'd got instead of my 7800GTX

[this_is_gav]

7900GTX would be better suited to a SFF due to the lower power being pulled, reduced heat and noise. 7900GT is loud, as is any X1900, so I'd personally only go down that route in the knowledge that if you want near silence, you'll be looking at an aftermarket or non-reference design cooler.

[sawyen]

which is why I chose a 7900GT.. .. You don't often go carry a 24'' LCD to LAN parties now do you?

Since he has money to spare, might as well get 2 raptors and stripe it on RAID 0..

7900GTX may be an option if he drops the RAID setup..

[Drobbins]

What is currently the BEST chip on the market with the best overclocking potential and also best at stock

Was looking at the FX-57 but it seems discontinued.

Drobbins

[MantisCSS]

i second sawyens reomendation. i have a 146 running at 2.85 on stock voltage from scan (OEM) so i recont eh 148 wud be sexy. also the 7900GT is a real gd card.

[sawyen]

Recommended the 148 as I have heard Shuttles dun have the sexiest HTT stability.. 11x multi should help loads...

[this_is_gav]

which is why I chose a 7900GT.. .. You don't often go carry a 24'' LCD to LAN parties now do you?

Since he has money to spare, might as well get 2 raptors and stripe it on RAID 0..

7900GTX may be an option if he drops the RAID setup..

My point being 2x Raptors in an SFF wouldn't be ideal. What is essentially an overclocked FX, probably 2gb of RAM, presumably an optical drive, 2x 10,000rpm hard drives, a still hugely power-sucking graphics card in the GT, with a smaller than average PSU (even if it is a solid one)... I have doubts that would be stable, especially given it's purpose.