System analysis and recommendations!

[Dethjester]

Hello everyone. This is my first post here, so be gentle if I picked the wrong forum for this thread to go.

Simply, I wish to post my PC specs and get some honest and sensible comments and suggestions on what sucks, where I should seek upgrades and anything related.

My PC has been somewhat neglected over the years (nothing new since 2003) as I ceased to play high-end FPS games, but am now looking to optimise it for a couple of upcoming games and software. Here is my current set-up:

128MB Radeon 7500 SDR Tv Out - the one port edition, grr!
ASUS A7N8X/DELUXE AMD Motherboard *url removed*
1024MB (possibly more, will update at home) DDR RAM, unsure of speed.
AMD Athlon 1.80GHz

I'll update this shortly when I get home from work.

[pands@scan]

IF im being honest, pretty much everything isnt really uptoscratch from what you posted if you want to be playing the latest games at reasonable detail

Ideally, you should upgrade board, cpu and gpu and possibly keep your memory (dependant on memory speeds + bus type) but of course its down to how much you are willing to spend

I would advise waiting a few weeks/month until conroe is finally officially released, prices are most likely to drop because of this in the near future

[chrestomanci]

Considering the age of the system that RAM is probably not DDR 3200 (200MHz). More likely it is 133 or 166 MHz.

The latests Athlon 64 systems will run on Slower RAM, but you will not get the best performance.

If you have the cash, my advice would be to replace the entire system.

If you don't have the cash, I suggest you check the forsale boards for a second hand faster CPU, and graphics card, that you should be able to get for £100-150.

I have an Socket A based System at home with a XP2500 CPU and 9700pro, and I can play recent games at lower resoluitons.

[sawyen]

I think its DDR.. Athlon never went 1.8Ghz until the XP days which.. drum roll please.. supports DDR memory..

But as Pands already said.. really non of your bits are up to scratch. The 1.8Ghz Athlon.. which I would assume its either a 2200+ or a 2500+ (333MHz FSB) XP was a pretty good chip during its days. But its pretty slow now..

The graphics card is by far the slowest of all. I cant recall how my 5600Ultra looks like now (walks up to attic to check)..

What I would suggest is you dish out some money and get a new system..

A mid-range system that spots balance is probably:

Athlon X2 3800+
Abit KN8 Ultra
2GB Generic bits at DDR400
Nvidia 7600GT 256MB / ATI X1800GTO 256MB
throw in some HDD, a DVD-RW and a decent Tagan PSU
You could very well reuse that case of yours..

That should set you back for around £500ish..

Gaming now should never be left out without a TFT..

so a mid-low range 19'' TFT LCD should set another £120-130ish..

Which totals up to under £650 for a complete system that should tide you past another year or year and a half..

[amjedm]

I would advise waiting a few weeks/month until conroe is finally officially released, prices are most likely to drop because of this in the near future

Do you think S939 prices will fall as well? I will hold you to it

[charleski]

If you're buying all-new, I'd seriously advise buying an AM2 or Core2 system with DDR2 memory which will probably still be usable in a couple of years' time. DDR is dead, as is S939.

[-ChEM-]

939 - if you had a 939 system you could get a top end chip with the price cuts and spend the rest on a new graphics card and youd have a very nice system, cheaper than buying new board/ram/chip for the other platforms... but you dont, so dont bother when AM2 is the same price

AM2 - these chips arent what they used to be now conroe is out but the prices have come down accordingly... they are still slightly more expensive performance per £ but you save money on the motherboard so it ends up being cheaper

core2duo - these are the best chips ever and they overclock to be a lot faster still... they are a bit more expensive when you consider the cost of the motherboard though

BUT another important thing is that unlike AM2 chips which had ddr2 controllers and couldnt be used with standard, the new AM3 chips will have ddr2 AND ddr3 controllers and will fit into AM2 sockets

so basically the best stuff is
core2duo E6600/E6700/X6800/X6900 - get these if your budget allows, they are all faster than the entire AM2 range
lower priced - the E6300 and E6400 compare to the AM2s so unless you want to overclock (if you do, get one) you will save a bit of money on AM2, and come 12 months time you should be able to get something tasty to replace the chip and not lose out at all... if you think you will upgrade sooner than that youll be worse off on AM2 though

[sawyen]

939 - if you had a 939 system you could get a top end chip with the price cuts and spend the rest on a new graphics card and youd have a very nice system, cheaper than buying new board/ram/chip for the other platforms... but you dont, so dont bother when AM2 is the same price

AM2 - these chips arent what they used to be now conroe is out but the prices have come down accordingly... they are still slightly more expensive performance per £ but you save money on the motherboard so it ends up being cheaper

core2duo - these are the best chips ever and they overclock to be a lot faster still... they are a bit more expensive when you consider the cost of the motherboard though

BUT another important thing is that unlike AM2 chips which had ddr2 controllers and couldnt be used with standard, the new AM3 chips will have ddr2 AND ddr3 controllers and will fit into AM2 sockets

so basically the best stuff is
core2duo E6600/E6700/X6800/X6900 - get these if your budget allows, they are all faster than the entire AM2 range
lower priced - the E6300 and E6400 compare to the AM2s so unless you want to overclock (if you do, get one) you will save a bit of money on AM2, and come 12 months time you should be able to get something tasty to replace the chip and not lose out at all... if you think you will upgrade sooner than that youll be worse off on AM2 though

True to the extent that if Conroe's are actually in stock.. AFAIK, most conroe chips are still on pre-order till mid of August.. hint hint *paper launch*.. and the only stuff in stock are X6800 which incidently cost an arm and a leg.. and the OEM 6300.. which isnt worth the hassle for 30 day warranty.. and until they actually release a mobo that wont need someone to sell their daughters to the slave camp to buy one, I cant see myself buying one..

Then again, I might be wrong on the stock level as I CBA to check..

I still think 939 still has ample performance in it.. Perhaps a little dim on the upgrading bit.. but still a fair platform to upgrade to now, with everything related to it plunging in price.. A decent 939 setup with high end bits cost alot cheaper.. IMO AM2 is still a little too fresh at the moment for the money shelled out.. DDR2 hasnt really reach the stage of it use yet.. so techincally an AM2 = 939 with no performance advantage until you throw in £300 for a pair of speedy DDR2. When AM3 and the 4x4 platform arrives, then i'll probably upgrade..

[charleski]

Yes, if you have a decent S939 platform now (which you do) there's no point in getting embroiled in upgrade-fever until things have settled down in a couple of months.

But if, like Dethjester, you need to consider a global upgrade, then there's no point buying an S939 board as it's a dead-end in terms of future potential.

[sawyen]

Yes, if you have a decent S939 platform now (which you do) there's no point in getting embroiled in upgrade-fever until things have settled down in a couple of months.

But if, like Dethjester, you need to consider a global upgrade, then there's no point buying an S939 board as it's a dead-end in terms of future potential.

I see your rationale, but I think AM2 is still too much of a stepping stone.. buying a 939 is better value now even as a new system.

Getting 939 will have essnetially the same performance to tide ppl over till the actual proper AMD platform (AM3, 4x4 and the hounds).. Indeed AM2 will work fine with AM3, but I see little reason to dwell on a motherboard platform that's only a stepping stone really.

Conroe on the other hand is a different argument. Its an excellent platform.. and definitely worth the upgrade.. *if they're actually in stock*.. until Conroe shows up in plentiful reserves, my opinion still stands with 939.

Anyways, everyone thinks differently.. and I respect individual opinions by others..