Newbie wants new system

[NardKlaassens]

Hello everyone,

I hope someone can help me with the following:

I would like to buy an own system (currently using the one from my parents), mainly for video editing and gaming. Looking for quite an elaborate system (up to around $2200 is possible), and I would like to compile it myself, since no system I've seen so far is what I like. My idea is somewhat like this:

P4 3.2 Ghz
1024 mb RAM
Nvidia GF 6800 of ATi X800
at least 2 harddisks (maybe S-ATA?)

Since I have no idea which components are advisable, and what does go well together and what doesn't, I'm mainly looking for sources on this matter (tests, advice, etc.). I know the salespeople also know what they're talking about, but a 2nd opinion never hurts.

Also I heard from someone that this site contains example systems (tried and tested).

Can someone please give me a kick in the right direction, beacause that would be great!!!


Thanks in advance!!


Nard Klaassens

 

[HardWareBoss]

Do you plan on OCing your Cpu?

 

[HardWareBoss]

Mobo buy Abit IS7. Ram any of the top brands. Do you need case and monitor?

 

[wschuerm]

first of all pentium is good for video amd is good for gaming. With the videocard ur going for CPU won't matter that much. Secondly if u are buying a completely new system u should go for socket 775 pentiums. Adding to that Intel will release their new chipset next moth i think 925XE this will support their 64bit chips and ddr667. The X800 is the only true (no bridge chip) PCIX videocard there is so chose this one. ddr 533 will suffide in any case (intels new chip will most likely have 1066 fsb). SATA hard disk in raid will be the fastest. The raptors are fatest but I think the speed u gain over 'normal' SATA drives with 8 mb cache isn't that spectacular.

If ur buying right now:
PIV 3.2 (only one flavour in socket 775) (for now)
ASUS P5GAD2 (various versions price depends on features)
2*512 mb ram ddr II (if u want to oc buy ddr II 667 from corsair or OCZ or something like that
harddrives are up to u
X800 video card (PCIX) and get a 256 mb version if u have the money I think the card will get you through most coming gamez because I have a feeling the engines for HL2 and DOOM III will be reused.

ASUS P4P800S-X
P IV 2,4 @ nothing caus this board doesn't OC for [-peep-]
2x512MB Corsair pc4000
120 maxtor SATA
Sapphire Radeon 9800pro 128mb
Watercooled

 

[DonnieDarko]

first of all pentium is good for video amd is good for gaming. With the videocard ur going for CPU won't matter that much. Secondly if u are buying a completely new system u should go for socket 775 pentiums. Adding to that Intel will release their new chipset next moth i think 925XE this will support their 64bit chips and ddr667. The X800 is the only true (no bridge chip) PCIX videocard there is so chose this one. ddr 533 will suffide in any case (intels new chip will most likely have 1066 fsb). SATA hard disk in raid will be the fastest. The raptors are fatest but I think the speed u gain over 'normal' SATA drives with 8 mb cache isn't that spectacular

I don't know how you can suggest a s775 system with all the heat problems they have. Since he is new to building computers he will probably run into alot of heat issues. Now as far as the x800 being the only native pci express card your wrong. The x700 and 6600 series cards are also native. Even thought the x800 is native for pci-express it is no faster than the agp version. Don't believe me than go look it up. Same bandwidth and speeds.
The best system for him right now that will fit his needs is a good s939 mobo & althon 64. I'd probably wait if I were him for another month or 2. Than get a nforce4 s939 mobo, and an athlon 64 3500+.
edit: "X800 video card (PCIX)" I believe it's pci-e, pci-x is something totally different.

Watch out for the <b><font color=red>bloody</font color=red></b> Fanboys!

AMD64 2800+ :: MSI Neo-Fis2r :: 1024mb Kingmax ddr400 :: Sapphire 9800pro 128mb :: 10K WD Raptor

Addicted, finally.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by DonnieDarko on 10/10/04 12:41 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[wschuerm]

If he isn't planning to overclock then what are you going on about heat problems. If the "problems" were really that great Intel wouldn't have brought the 775 to market in the first place. Socket 478 prescots have been around for a while and yes they run hotter but even boxed cooling leaves u headroom for overclocking. If u don't look at the cpu running at 60C then why be bothered about it...

Ur right on the X700 and 6600 but they are a class less then X800 which he is talking about. Also if u can find me one to buy let me know where...

AMD or Intel is up to him and up to what he's planning to do, if it's mainly for gaming then ur right on the AMD. But then again most i(ve read on 90nm Athlons isn't great either and suggest they have the same problems as intel had and still has. The 3500+ is also a lot costlier than a 3.2 Piv (over a 100€ where I live) believe me I know caus Im indecisive on what to buy at the moment. Socket 939 is definetly the way to go but it's also the more expensive way to go right now.

ASUS P4P800S-X
P IV 2,4 @ nothing caus this board doesn't OC for [-peep-]
2x512MB Corsair pc4000
120 maxtor SATA
Sapphire Radeon 9800pro 128mb
Watercooled

 

[wschuerm]

Je kan ook naar www.tweakers.nl gaan daar zijn de forums zeker zo goed en zal je geen taalmisverstanden krijgen. NL is over het algemeen redelijk in hardwareprijzen. Kijk zeker eens naar de pricewatch op www.tweakers.nl of www.tweakers.be omdat daar alle betere en goedkopere shops met producten en per product staan gelist...

ASUS P4P800S-X
P IV 2,4 @ nothing caus this board doesn't OC for [-peep-]
2x512MB Corsair pc4000
120 maxtor SATA
Sapphire Radeon 9800pro 128mb
Watercooled

 

[DonnieDarko]

Ur right on the X700 and 6600 but they are a class less then X800 which he is talking about. Also if u can find me one to buy let me know where...

AMD or Intel is up to him and up to what he's planning to do, if it's mainly for gaming then ur right on the AMD. But then again most i(ve read on 90nm Athlons isn't great either and suggest they have the same problems as intel had and still has. The 3500+ is also a lot costlier than a 3.2 Piv (over a 100€ where I live) believe me I know caus Im indecisive on what to buy at the moment. Socket 939 is definetly the way to go but it's also the more expensive way to go right now.

first off go to <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com" target="_new">http://www.newegg.com</A>
they have quite a few x700 and 6600s to choose from.
Second, the 90nm athlons have NO WHERE near the problems the prescots do. The only problem they have is they don't have much o/cing headroom. They put out less heat than the 130nm athlons, able to run at a lower voltage, and also perform better per clock. So please tell me where your getting your information.


Watch out for the <b><font color=red>bloody</font color=red></b> Fanboys!

AMD64 2800+ :: MSI Neo-Fis2r :: 1024mb Kingmax ddr400 :: Sapphire 9800pro 128mb :: 10K WD Raptor

Addicted, finally.

 

[wschuerm]

I also read the review of 90 nm athlons against 130 nm athlons, I also read afterwards that there was a problem with the review and that they were going to redo the test. But anyway whats good on 130 nm is bound to ok at 90 nm but indeed as you point out the 90 nm ones aren't going to be great overclockers in the first couple of months probably.

As for the cards, you may have noticed that the guy lives in holland. I know exactly one store that sells 6600 over here and none that sell x700. I would over course love to have neweggg shipping to europe but aslass were still stuck with slightly overpriced hardware. 90 nm athlons can't be bought over here for now period.

ASUS P4P800S-X
P IV 2,4 @ nothing caus this board doesn't OC for [-peep-]
2x512MB Corsair pc4000
120 maxtor SATA
Sapphire Radeon 9800pro 128mb
Watercooled

 

[tomhardwareguide]

So you want a new system, check my bechmarks:
-Intel P4 530 3.0Ghz
-Asus P5AD2-Deluxe (firmware 1005)
-Asus eax600pro t/d
-2 256 Corsair twinx(512)XMS DDRII 667Mhz dual channel
-2 Seagate 160Gig SATA hard drives (RAID MATRIX)
-Win XP pro Sp2 + DirectX9
-OCZ Powerstream 420 power supply
-Antec Sonata with 2 120mil fans
-Pioneer DVR-108 Dvd-RW

CPU Arithmatic Benchmark - SiSoftware Sanda
Dhrystone ALU 9618MIPS
Whetstone FPU 3955MFLOPS
Whetstone iSSE2 6903MFLOPS

Memory Bandwidth Benchmark - SiSoftware Sandra
Ram Bandwidth Int Buff'd iSSE2 5301MB/s
Ram Bandwidth Float Buff'd iSSE2 5269MB/s

PCMark04 Score
5024 PCMarks

 

[endyen]

I think wschuerm has said it all. The Intel chips are almost as good as the Amd chips. If you want 64 bits, you can wait, for Intel. Sure it wont be as good as Amd's but, heh, it will be good enough.
Dont waste your money on the better system, when buying the name brand , Intel system will be not too much worse.
Buy second rate, make Intel happy.

 

[Spitfire_x86]

I recommend getting following items.

Athlon 64 3400+ (2.4 GHz, 512k L2 cache)
MSI K8N Neo Platinum
1 GB PC3200 DDR RAM
GeForce 6800GT


------------
<A HREF="http://geocities.com/spitfire_x86" target="_new">My Website</A>

<A HREF="http://geocities.com/spitfire_x86/myrig.html" target="_new">My Rig</A> & <A HREF="http://geocities.com/spitfire_x86/benchmark.html" target="_new">3DMark score</A>

 

[DonnieDarko]

I smell sarcasm?

Watch out for the <b><font color=red>bloody</font color=red></b> Fanboys!

AMD64 2800+ :: MSI Neo-Fis2r :: 1024mb Kingmax ddr400 :: Sapphire 9800pro 128mb :: 10K WD Raptor

Addicted, finally.

 

[wschuerm]

a 3400+ is quite abit more expensive. Anyway this thread has resolved in yet another meaningless Intel vs AMD fanclub

ASUS P4P800S-X
P IV 2,4 @ nothing caus this board doesn't OC for [-peep-]
2x512MB Corsair pc4000
120 maxtor SATA
Sapphire Radeon 9800pro 128mb
Watercooled<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by wschuerm on 10/11/04 03:19 PM.</EM></FONT></P>