Selecing a Value-Oriented PC System:
This is an excellent time to put together a value type system - a month ago it would have been more difficult, or you'ld have gotten a lot less for your money. The really smart way to go at this time is to build a system based on the new AMD Duron or new Athlon Thunderbird CPU's, such as the Duron 700 or the Athlon Thunderbird 700, in the new Socket A format (that's where the CPU is in the form of a bare chip with connector pins sticking out of the bottom).
The only problem you will have is that not all retailers may at this time have the newer motherboards to match these new processors - but they are available - you'll just have to shop around a bit on-line (see below for tips on that). You will want to get a straightforward Socket A type motherboard based on the VIA Apollo KT133 chipset (not the older KX133 !! ). See specific recommendation below. These systems will even have on-board sound so you can save money on that component if you wish, but still have a powerful PC. Don't think that speed doesn't matter in everyday applications - it really does.
You should avoid the following types of systems:
1. Avoid Celerons of any kind - they are just too slow if not overclocked, and even when overclocked the performance is barely up to par compared to Duron, Thunderbird or Pentium III Coppermine 700's. You will only save a small amount by getting a Cele system, but the performance hit is too great, in my opinion. The Celeron until very recently was the price/performance king, but has been displaced by the Duron, if not by the Tbird. If for budget reasons you do drop down and get a Celeron system, then get either the 533A (not the 533), 566 or 600 CPU ? any faster Cele is just a waste of money.
2. Avoid Pentium III's - they are fine performers (better than the Duron, and about as good as the Tbird) but are too expensive. They will cost about $100 more than a Duron or Thunderbird 700, but any performance benefit will be minimal. Also, there are many P3 models and you may get confused and buy a poor performing one without realizing it.
3. Avoid the old Athlon (which comes only in Slot A format) or any new Athlon Thunderbird in Slot A format (the Tbirds comes in both Slot A and Socket A format) - the Slot A format is outdated now.
4. Perhaps avoid ?OEM? CPU?s ? unless you know what you are doing. They are a little cheaper and their performance is the same as the ?retail? version of the chip, but you may have to get a heatsink and fan yourself. or accept a weaker warranty. If you get an OEM CPU and need a fan, then get a Golden Orb HSF made to fit your processor- they cost under $20. On the other hand, an OEM CPU plus a Golden Orb, since they look so sharp, might actually be a nice way to put your signature on a PC you?ve built for someone else
So to get specific, for your CPU get an AMD Duron 700 or AMD new Athlon Thunderbird 700 in the Socket A form (they actually cost about the same so get the Tbird, which is a much better performer). If a 700 is too expensive, then go for a Duron 600 or 650, since the Tbirds don?t come any slower than 700. You may later upgrade to a faster Thunderbird, since the Duron and Thunderbird CPU's are basically interchangeable in Socket A motherboards.
And for your motherboard I would suggest one of the following:
Preferred: MSI (aka Microstar) K7T Pro Motherboard. See:
http://www.anandtech.com/printarticle.html?i=1286
Runner up: Gigabyte GA-72X Motherboard. See:
http://www.anandtech.com/printarticle.html?i=1280
For RAM, if you can afford it get PC133 SDRAM. If not then PC100 SDRAM will have to do. You can squeek by with only 64 MB, but 128 MB would be nicer.
For your hard drive see if you can squeeze in a 7200 rpm drive, rather than a slower 5400 rpm model, if your budget permits. But stick with a major brand. It may be better to get a smaller 7200 rpm drive than a big 5400.
Another good point is to look for a modem that is not a "software" modem (sometimes called a "Winmodem"
😉, since these types of modems may slow down your system. You want to get a ?hardware? modem. Any modem that says it requires Windows is a software modem, and should be avoided. This will help performance. I've always liked 3COM modems myself but they are a little pricey.
Also take a look at AnandTech Buyer?s Guide - Value Systems ? July, 2000:
http://www.anandtech.com/printarticle.html?i=1269
When shopping on-line, check prices at:
http:// [url]http://www.pricewatch.com/ [/url]
or
http:// [url]http://ibuyer.net/ [/url]
And always check vendors at:
http:// [url]http://www.resellerratings.com/ [/url]
