How're these specs?

[ag3nt]

Hi everyone, first time posting here.

Anyways, I'm planning on building my own machine for both work and play. With the following specifications, I've estimated it to cost $1004.56 CAD (which is $780.18 USD). Any comments or suggestions?

Intel Pentium 4 3.00E GHz 800FSB w/ 1MB Cache, Hyper-Threading
Intel Retail Heatsink and Fan included with CPU
Gigabyte GA-8I848P-G w/ 7.1 Audio, Gigabit Lan, SATA, AGP8X
Micron Original 512MB PC3200 DDR400
Atx SuperCase 115 (Grey) w/ Front USB, 300watts p/s
Western Digital 120GB Caviar 7200rpm 8MB Cache
BenQ 16x16 DVD+/- RW Dual Layer Drive Beige
Sapphire Atlantis Radeon 9600 256MB w/ TV-Out DVI(Retail)
Onboard 8-Channel 7.1 Audio (included with motherboard)
Onboard 10/100/1000 Ethernet Lan (included with motherboard)

Is that worth it? Would it be able to support the latest and upcoming games (such as Joint Ops, HL2, Halo 2, etc.)? Any suggestions or comments are welcome.

 

[pickxx]

Um....you are worring about playing the lastest games like HL2...with a 9600?
First off get an A64, they dominate in games. getting a cheaper A64 2800+ and a better video card will be tremendous for you.
I dont know your total budget, but i would get an A64 2800+, Chaintech VNF3-250, 1 gig Value Ram from kingson or corsair or crucial whatever is cheapest, 6800GT...with that you should fly.

if you need to lower the price get only 512MB of Ram and when you can save up another 80bucks put the 2nd dimm in.

If you need to drop the price even more...get 512MB ram and a 9800Pro. but unlike the ram, you can't just upgrade with an $80 dimm when you save up the money, you will have to buy a whole new video card.

An A64 will beat a P4 3.0E in every game, the 6800GT is a tremendous card, and with a reliable board and 1 gig or 512mb of value ram....you will be set for quite a while...2-3years.

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[ag3nt]

Well, since I'm an unemployed high school student, my budget is pretty tight. Anyways, I actually am planning to get another 512MB of memory, but that'll probably be around Thanksgiving or Christmas (where prices always drop ).

Regarding the 6800GT... The current card I'm planning to get is only $169.95 CAD, while a "Gainward Geforce 6800 PowerPack! Ultra/2100 TV-DVI 128MB" is $449.95 CAD... That's over double my original price.

As money becomes more readily available to me (via a part-time job or freelance web development jobs), I'm planning to slowly upgrade this computer. For example, I may decide to get more RAM later, or upgrade my video card, buy a better sound card, etc.

Anyways, thanks for your input. I'll keep it in mind.

 

[Cybercraig]

Make sure your ram is 2 X 256 and get a better power supply!

Abit IS7 - 3.0C @ 3.6ghz - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - Yellowtail Merlot

 

[endyen]

Not good. The mobo chipset sucks, and the processor blows. This could lead to a vortex, that destroys your parent's house.
Reality
1 The 848 chipset does not support dual channel memory, a major performance hit.
2 The prescott generates a lot of heat. This is not just hard on the chip, it will ruin the mobo, and everything else in your box.
If you want to stay with Intel, get a second rate system, rather than a third rate prescott system.
The better Intel solution would be an IS7-G mobo, and a P4c 3.0

 

[lb19984]

Stick with the prescott
change the mobo

System Spec's:
Asus P4c800-E 3.2e @3.8ghz
1gb corsair xms pro2-2-2-5 aiw 9800 pro
audigy 2zs klipsch ultra's
74gb raptor wd 2000jb
pioneer 108 pioneer 120s

 

[endyen]

Change the 8I848 board, for a GA-K8NS board ($119can at <A HREF="http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?minorcatid=107" target="_new">http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?minorcatid=107</A> and the P4e for an A64- 3000+,($226can at <A HREF="http://www.anitec.ca/?mode=category&catid=123" target="_new">http://www.anitec.ca/?mode=category&catid=123</A> and you will have a better system, especially in games. Savs about $5 to.

 

[Crashman]

Great suggestions!

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