How to make a MONSTER

[Climhazzard]

Hey everyone, first post here!
Sorry if this isn't the right section for this, but I looked around and it seemed the most appropriate.

Here is the situation: My close friend and I are having a contest between ourselves to see who can build the better machine. To test this, we will be using various benchmarks like 3DMark 2003 SE and stuff like that. Main thing we care about is gaming performance. To make the contest challenging, our price ceiling is $2000 USD (for main components only, like RAM, CPU, mobo, case, etc)

I am not very up to date on computer hardware, so could you computer experts give me some advice on what to get? Please post what you think would be the best, fastest setup, I would really appreciate the help. Build date is May 21st!

Thanks in advance, I look forward to reading your suggestions!

 

[jammydodger]

Athlon FX51
OCZ PC4200
Nvidia Geforce 6800pro
...sorted

P4c 2.6@3.25
512Mb PC4000
2x120Gb 7200.7 in RAID0
Waterchill KT12-L30
Abit AI7
Radeon 9800Pro

 

[BunnyStroker]

A good start is to check the <A HREF="http://www.sharkyextreme.com/guides/MHGSBG/article.php/3336081" target="_new">Sharky Extreme April High-End Buying Guide</A>. They spec out a pretty good system for $2500, which is $500 dollars over your budget. Also look at the Value rig ($1500) and the extreme rig ($4000, links are on the left of the page) for ideas on how and where to spend your money.



<b>1.4 Ghz AMD T-Bird underclocked to 1 Ghz...just to be safe!</b>

 

[Ned_Flanders]

P1 - 50Mhz
PC100 Ram (32mb)
Generic PCI Graphics card (8mb)
15" monitor
Win XP 3.1

Sorted

Hope it don't cost too much

<A HREF="http://www.tubgirl.com" target="_new">Don't Click This - Please! (NSFW)</A>

 

[jammydodger]

P1 used EDO RAM did it not? I think the P1 was only avaliable at 90Mhz and up (the 486 DX2 was 66Mhz).
Other than that its a great system

P4c 2.6@3.25
512Mb PC4000
2x120Gb 7200.7 in RAID0
Waterchill KT12-L30
Abit AI7
Radeon 9800Pro

 

[etp777]

Pentium was available at 60, 66, 75, 90, 100, 120, 133, 166 and 200, mmx in 166, 200 and 233.

S7/SS7 boards were available with either 72pin edo/parity slots or 168pin sdram slots(or both). Think I also remmeber at least one board with the older 30pin sipp slots, so people could use old ram.

 

[bum_jcrules]

While you are at it...

I have a 80MB SCSI HDD setup in a IBM PS/2 Model 80 and its 386DX running at 20MHz. That should give you all of the power you could use.

<A HREF="http://www.can.ibm.com/helpware/8580.html" target="_new">Check out this link to the real source of power because after all "Less is more!"</A>



Got a LAN Party that you want people to know about?

Let me know about it.

 

[jammydodger]

Ah twas before my time, I was only about 10 when the first pentium came out and the only memories I have of it were in my first pentium90 a few years later.

P4c 2.6@3.25
512Mb PC4000
2x120Gb 7200.7 in RAID0
Waterchill KT12-L30
Abit AI7
Radeon 9800Pro

 

[etp777]

Yeah, probalby true of most users on here, or any computer boards. And I missed one or two in that list anyways. Was just bored at work, so had to answer that one.

 

[jammydodger]

How long you been using computers for? What was the first computer you ever had?

P4c 2.6@3.25
512Mb PC4000
2x120Gb 7200.7 in RAID0
Waterchill KT12-L30
Abit AI7
Radeon 9800Pro

 

[etp777]

20 years maybe? Something like that. First computer I remember ever using was an Atari 400(400 and 800 were computers, 2600 and 7200 were the game system) with a 1.446MHz or so Motorola chip. First one that was mine personally was an XT, 4.77mhz 8088. And various computers since then to current P4.

 

[jammydodger]

1.446Mhz...those were the days.

P4c 2.6@3.25
512Mb PC4000
2x120Gb 7200.7 in RAID0
Waterchill KT12-L30
Abit AI7
Radeon 9800Pro