A new system for your consideration

[slowpogo]

Hello all...I've been doing my homework and trying to build a system that will play the newest games reasonably well and last at least a few years with minimal upgrading, without breaking the bank. Here's what I got so far:

Abit AT8 Mobo
AMD 3700 CPU
Sapphire X1800XT 512MB video (will get a 2nd for Crossfire at some point)
1 GB Corsair Value RAM (will upgrade to 2GB soon)

Undecided on case:
Thermaltake Swing OR
Cooler Master Centurion 531 (fans maxed out on either)
Thermaltake 430W power supply


Already have IDE hard drives, will jump to SATA2 eventually, and would be using an Echo pro-level sound card rather than on-board.

Any of you knowledgable people have thoughts on this system? From what I can gather it should play FEAR and Oblivion decently, if not maxed out. I know in any case it would work well for audio production and web devel., my other two computer uses...Have also considered an Opteron 146 instead of the 3700...

Any thoughts appreciated, thanks!

 

[Ultralight]

Great cpu that +3700, but if you are going to overclock then go for an Opteran. If you aren't going to overclock your cpu then an Opty is a waste of money. Ditch the power supply. I have a Thermatake Eclipse and I loveit.

 

[JMoore]

The case is totally up to your own taste...but cmon if you look at any "rate my rig" threads your going to see people recomending the Forton PSU or S-12

 

[Howard]

SLI/Crossfire != value

Choose another PSU.

EDIT: Got a hard number for the budget?

 

[slowpogo]

I started out with a $600 limit, and ended up with that system 🙂 so I'd rather not go any higher, it's already too expensive, really

what's wrong with the PSU? It's cheap, offers adequate power for my needs, has all the connections I could need, and 579 Newegg customers like it. Still I'll look into some others.

 

[JMoore]

Originally posted by: slowpogo
I started out with a $600 limit, and ended up with that system 🙂 so I'd rather not go any higher, it's already too expensive, really

what's wrong with the PSU? It's cheap, offers adequate power for my needs, has all the connections I could need, and 579 Newegg customers like it. Still I'll look into some others.

Nothing is wrong with it persay, but when anyone mention PSU's around here about 20 ppl end up saying Forton.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: JMoore

Originally posted by: slowpogo
I started out with a $600 limit, and ended up with that system 🙂 so I'd rather not go any higher, it's already too expensive, really

what's wrong with the PSU? It's cheap, offers adequate power for my needs, has all the connections I could need, and 579 Newegg customers like it. Still I'll look into some others.

Nothing is wrong with it persay, but when anyone mention PSU's around here about 20 ppl end up saying Forton.

Poor reliability.

OP, Oblivion is limited by your video card, not your CPU. A 3200+ would net you the same frame rates, according to this article:

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2747&p=4

EDIT: Any noise concerns?

 

[JMoore]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: JMoore

Originally posted by: slowpogo
I started out with a $600 limit, and ended up with that system 🙂 so I'd rather not go any higher, it's already too expensive, really

what's wrong with the PSU? It's cheap, offers adequate power for my needs, has all the connections I could need, and 579 Newegg customers like it. Still I'll look into some others.

Nothing is wrong with it persay, but when anyone mention PSU's around here about 20 ppl end up saying Forton.

Poor reliability.

yeah, but most likely he/she would be fine unless they are going to overclock.... maybe...

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: JMoore

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: JMoore

Originally posted by: slowpogo
I started out with a $600 limit, and ended up with that system 🙂 so I'd rather not go any higher, it's already too expensive, really

what's wrong with the PSU? It's cheap, offers adequate power for my needs, has all the connections I could need, and 579 Newegg customers like it. Still I'll look into some others.

Nothing is wrong with it persay, but when anyone mention PSU's around here about 20 ppl end up saying Forton.

Poor reliability.

yeah, but most likely he/she would be fine unless they are going to overclock.... maybe...

I'm not willing to entrust the life of somebody's system to that.

EDIT: I don't believe the PSU will provide sufficient power. At full load, his system requires around 22A or so from the +12V rail (the calculator says 23.5A), while the PSU only supplies 18A.

 

[Operandi]

I don't recommend Thermaltake anything, but I would definitely stay way from their PSUs. 18 amps on the 12v rail for a 430 watt PSU is pathetic.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: slowpogo
I started out with a $600 limit, and ended up with that system so I'd rather not go any higher, it's already too expensive, really

what's wrong with the PSU? It's cheap, offers adequate power for my needs, has all the connections I could need, and 579 Newegg customers like it. Still I'll look into some others.

Of course 579 customers liked it!! When you have no PSU and need a PSU you would like anything that works!!

Ask thise 579 customers a year or even 6 months from now...

NewEgg is NOT a review site!!


Nothing is wrong persay but if your going to scrimp or if your on a budget you really cannot go wrong with a Fortron!!

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Fortron Fortron fortron!

hehe

Ok, umm, dont do crossfire unless you're getting an x1900xt. Dual cards only makes 'sense' (loosely) if you're going top end. Cos for 2 x1800xts you might as well get 1 x1900. Easier to sell in the future; more stable reliable performance compared to dual cards.

 

[Cabages]

Dont go crossfire/SLI, unless you play at higher resolutions and have lots of money. I do like the video card, however. Best in that price range, IMO.

 

[slowpogo]

If I were buying two x1800xt's at once, I'd agree it would make more sense to go with an x1900xt. But that can't, won't happen. I can afford to spend (barely) $300 on the video card now...and somewhere down the road, not immediately, I'll grab a second one.

I'm just trying to be ready for the future; SLI/Crossfire might seem like a luxury now, but it's only a matter of time before it's all but necessary to keep up with things...

 

[Ultralight]

Do you actually need a new build right now? The reason I ask this is because both AMD and Intel will be opening the flood gates starting this month with new offerings and it doesn't look like the dust will settle until Spring 2007. Vista is right around the corner.

This is only a suggestion, but if your current PC pretty much meets your needs then hold off, save more cash, and when things settle down, bugs are tweaked, and more knowledge about the new offerings are known then I would say jump in the game.

And I like Thermaltake. My brand new build has their Eclipse DV case. It was wonderful to work with.

If you want to know how to get ready for the future check out Microsoft's page on Vista requirements. A lot of people, though, are sticking with XP until Vista proves itself.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Originally posted by: Ultralight
Do you actually need a new build right now? The reason I ask this is because both AMD and Intel will be opening the flood gates starting this month with new offerings and it doesn't look like the dust will settle until Spring 2007. Vista is right around the corner.

This is only a suggestion, but if your current PC pretty much meets your needs then hold off, save more cash, and when things settle down, bugs are tweaked, and more knowledge about the new offerings are known then I would say jump in the game.

And I like Thermaltake. My brand new build has their Eclipse DV case. It was wonderful to work with.

If you want to know how to get ready for the future check out Microsoft's page on Vista requirements. A lot of people, though, are sticking with XP until Vista proves itself.

QFT

 

[slowpogo]

Well, at the moment I'm using a 5YO Dimension 8200, 1.7GHz, 256 MB RAM, and a GeforceFX5200 running at 4X AGP. I can't run any of the newer games. Upgrading the RAM would go a long way I know, but RDRAM is so damn expensive that I realized, for the cost of upgrading to 1GB of RAM, I'd be more than halfway there to building a new and better system.

Am I wrong or won't the new A2 processors be wicked expensive when they finally roll out? I've already been waiting like a year to do this, and don't wanna go another year with an outdated PC while prices drop. I appreciate the advice, but I think I'd rather take the plunge now, and maybe in 2 years upgrade if I need to..

I've seen a few mobos from mainstream manufacturers that offer a "CPU upgrade slot." Might that be the A2, or something that could be converted to it?

 

[JMoore]

Conroe is the next big thing and it is said that it will start shipping in July. The prices I have seen for the chips also seem reasonable if they are true.

However, I and many others like to wait for the technology to "mature" or get all the intial bugs out.

And for your question, no 939 board will support a AM2 processor. Wish they could.

If I were you, though, I would prob wait for Conroe even if it is just get a good deal on a 939 processor. Many ppl in here are going to be selling there old processors on this board once Conroe comes out.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: Ultralight
Do you actually need a new build right now? The reason I ask this is because both AMD and Intel will be opening the flood gates starting this month with new offerings and it doesn't look like the dust will settle until Spring 2007. Vista is right around the corner.

This is only a suggestion, but if your current PC pretty much meets your needs then hold off, save more cash, and when things settle down, bugs are tweaked, and more knowledge about the new offerings are known then I would say jump in the game.

And I like Thermaltake. My brand new build has their Eclipse DV case. It was wonderful to work with.

If you want to know how to get ready for the future check out Microsoft's page on Vista requirements. A lot of people, though, are sticking with XP until Vista proves itself.

VISTA has been postponed until early January 2007....

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda

Originally posted by: Ultralight
Do you actually need a new build right now? The reason I ask this is because both AMD and Intel will be opening the flood gates starting this month with new offerings and it doesn't look like the dust will settle until Spring 2007. Vista is right around the corner.

This is only a suggestion, but if your current PC pretty much meets your needs then hold off, save more cash, and when things settle down, bugs are tweaked, and more knowledge about the new offerings are known then I would say jump in the game.

And I like Thermaltake. My brand new build has their Eclipse DV case. It was wonderful to work with.

If you want to know how to get ready for the future check out Microsoft's page on Vista requirements. A lot of people, though, are sticking with XP until Vista proves itself.

VISTA has been postponed until early January 2007....

and there have been rumors that Vista will be delayed even more, possibly till april 07.