Which way to go with new system??? Help required please

[carol_s]

I had decided to build a new system based on the AMD 64 x2 4800+ chip - but just read that AMD will be releasing a new 4800+ chip in a few months. I believe the new chips will be able to utilise DDR2 800 RAM which should be available in 2Gb modules at a much more competitive price than existing modules.

I am a photographer shooting digitally and make heavy use of Photoshop - so I need a system to make Photoshop fly. The system will not be used for gaming - but I also need a graphics card (or 2 Sli connected cards) in order to drive two large monitors. Any recommendations for this - and will it be worth waiting for these new cpu's??

Thanks

 

[Maxiius]

The system will not be used for gaming - but I also need a graphics card (or 2 Sli connected cards) in order to drive two large monitors.

1 Good card will run 2 monitors, and if you have 2 cards SLI'd, SLI only supports 1 monitor anyway.

 

[mdd1963]

"I had decided to build a new system based on the AMD 64 x2 4800+ chip - but just read that AMD will be releasing a new 4800+ chip in a few months."

Yes, socket AM2 will be hitting the scene in perhaps mid-June, although from preliminary benchamrking results earlier this month using a DDR2/667 rig, I'm not really expecting any earth shattering improvements using DDR2/800...(plus, DDR2/800 is more expensive than PC3200)

If you need a rig NOW, I'd not wait til June, and perhaps save a couple hundred $$ and get an Opty 170 or 175 instead, or perhaps the X2-4400, in lieu of the top speed X2 available, which always commands a premium for that last 2-3% of performance...

If you are indeed willing to wait until summertime, it also might be worthwile to see what Intel's Conroe processors and compatible chipsets bring to the dual core table, as Intel is planning on some very nice pricepoints fo these dualcore cpus...