Basic Recommendations for upgrading or selecting a PC:
First focus on the basics of your system in order to get a robust platform on which to build and upgrade later. This is a great time to upgrade, by the way, since there are a lot of new attractive options that recently have come on the market - unfortunately the great variety of systems and components can be very confusing.
A. First, decide if you want to go with: (i) an Intel Pentium III (P3) based system; or (ii) an AMD new Athlon (aka Thunderbird) based system; or (iii) an AMD Duron based system. These are the only systems I would recommend you consider at this time. You should be able to configure one or another of these systems to suit almost any budget or performance goal.
Second, decide whether or not you are going to overclock your new system.
Currently the Intel Pentium III and the AMD new Athlon Thunderbird CPU?s offer the best performance and, at the same nominal CPU speeds, offer roughly equal performance (some tests give a slight edge to the new Athlon). The new Athlon systems are usually a little cheaper than Intel systems. The AMD Duron CPU is somewhat slower than the P3 or new Athlon, but is cheaper and can be replaced later with a faster new Athlon (these two chips are basically interchangeable). I do not recommend the AMD old Athlon ?classic? or the Intel Celeron CPU?s, unless your budget or your current component mix only allow those choices, and I would not spend more than $US 100 on either of those chips. The old Athlon has been outdated by the new, and the Celeron, even when overclocked, falls short of the performance offered by the non-overclocked chips I have recommended.
Overclocking refers to changing the basic settings of the PC?s motherboard to make it run faster (such as setting a 700 MHz CPU to run at 933 MHz or a 750 to run at 1000), and is an easy way right now to get a lot more out of a system (and in effect to save perhaps as much as $US 500). Overclocking, if done conservatively, should not harm your system, but there is no guarantee of how fast a given system can be overclocked or at what speed an overclocked system will be unstable. Currently the Intel P3 has a better track record than the other recommended chips at overclocking, but any of those CPU?s can be overclocked successfully. In order to overclock your PC you must have a motherboard that facilitates the process, which usually requires a BIOS that at least allows adjustments to system bus speed and CPU voltage.
Most PC systems bought in stores or on-line will notallow significant overclocking adjustments of this type. This is a principle reason why many enthusiasts build their own systems.
B. If you are not going to overclock then I would suggest you could go with either an AMD or Intel system, whichever suits your budget or other preferences.
1. If you are not going to overclock and want to go with AMD then you can get either their new Athlon CPU (also known Thunderbird) or their new Duron CPU. Note that the Duron is slower and cheaper than the new Athlon but is interchangeable with it - this makes for a nice upgrade path (cheap Duron now, Thunderbird later). Get either of these CPU?s in what is called the Socket A format. Avoid the Slot A form of AMD?s new Athlon CPU, which may also be available, but is now an outdated form. I also recommend avoiding the old Athlon "classic" CPU, which is not as good as the new Athlon or the Intel Pentium III Coppermine. I'd recommend that you spend about $US 200-250 on the CPU and go for an Athlon Thunderbird 750 MHz Socket A CPU (or something near that speed).
You'll need a motherboard to match your Athlon Thunderbird or Duron processor and those are just coming out now, so you'll have to shop around to find one. Unfortunately I have seen no good comparative reviews of these new motherboards yet, but probably the model to get is the new ASUS A7V. ASUS has a very good reputation, and this board may cost close to $US 175 at first, but should be worth it. Also, with this mother-board you will be able to overclock your system if you wish.
2. If you don't want to overclock and want an Intel system, then you should get a Pentium III Coppermine CPU that is made to run on a 133 MHz system bus (some are designed to run on a 100 MHz system bus) and which is in the FC-PGA (flip chip pin grid array) format. FC-PGA means the CPU comes as a bare chip instead of a chip encased in a black plastic cartridge, and fits into a Socket 370 CPU connecter rather than a Slot 1 type connecter. Here I?d spend about $US 200-300 and get a Pentium III 733 MHz Coppermine CPU (or something near that speed).
You will need a motherboard for the Coppermine CPU and here I would recommend another new ASUS motherboard that is just coming out, the ASUS CUSL2. This is a great board with many new features that will allow it to grow with newer technologies ? it was an AnandTech Editor?s Choice, and that honor doesn?t come easy. This board is based on the Intel 815E chipset, which is that company?s latest. You may also see boards based on the older Intel 440BX chipset or the VIA Apollo Pro 133A chipset, and these boards may be quite good, but I prefer to recommend the latest type. Budget close to $US
175 for the ASUS board.
Note that motherboards for Intel P3 CPU?s (and the CPU?s themselves) will come in one of two styles: those with a Slot 1 CPU connecter for the traditional SECC2 black plastic cartridge CPU?s; and those with a Socket 370 connecter for the newer FC-PGA form of CPU. You can put an FC-PGA CPU in a Socket 370 motherboard directly or into a Slot 1 motherboard with the aid of a ?slotket? adapter (but see http://support.intel.com/support/processors/pentiumiii/ssalist.htm). You can put a Slot 1 or SECC2 CPU only into a Slot 1 motherboard. This is why I recommend an FC-PGA form P3 ? they?re more versatile.
C. If you are going to overclock then I would suggest you go with an Intel system. Intel Pentium III Coppermine CPU?s have a much better track record in this regard, at least at the present time. Here you can use the same motherboard mentioned above, the ASUS CUSL2, but make a slight change in your choice of CPU. For overclocking you should get an Intel Pentium III Coppermine 700 to 750 MHz processor (or something near that speed) that is made to run on a 100 MHz system bus (instead of 133) and is in the FC-PGA format and is from the ?cB0? stepping. You don?t have to know what ?cB0? means, but if the vendor can?t confirm the stepping before you buy then check another vendor. For overclocking you should avoid a P3 that is designed for a 133 MHz system bus, since those are running already at 133 MHz, and so have little ?headroom? for improvement. P3?s faster than 800 MHz at this time seem to offer no more overclocking advantage than the 750?s, but cost more. A system like that recommended, with a cB0 P3 CPU, may be able to operate reliably at between 900 and 1000 MHz, but there are no guarantees when overclocking.
For overclocking many enthusiasts prefer a motherboard based on the older Intel 440BX chipset, which was designed specifically for a 100 MHz system bus but which if run at 133 MHz or faster may outperform virtually anything else. Unfortunately there may be some problems with peripheral devices with such a setup, particularly related to the operation of AGP graphics cards in a 133 MHz system (see http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1270). For this and other reasons I prefer the newer boards based on the Intel 815E chipset. If you want to use a BX board then consider the MSI/Microstar BX Master, a Slot 1 board that was also an AnandTech Editor?s Choice. You can put an FC-PGA type P3 CPU into a Slot 1 motherboard with the aid of a ?slotket? adapter (but see http://support.intel.com/support/processors/pentiumiii/ssalist.htm).
D. For your memory you should use PC133 SDRAM, and if you will be overclocking you should see that your RAM is ?CAS 2-2-2? certified at 133 MHz. The amount of RAM you need will vary (see http://www.kingston.com/tools/assess/default.asp). If you are on a tight budget I would recommend that you be conservative (but not skimp) on the amount of RAM that you purchase and put the money saved into a better CPU and motherboard. Later you can add more RAM fairly cheaply, but upgrading later to a faster CPU is usually more costly.
E. Finally, remember that your hard drive also is a very important determinant of your system's performance. Here I would simply advise you to look for a drive from a major brand, with more than the capacity you might think you will need, and with a spindle speed of 7200 rpm rather than the slower 5400 rpm models.
F. With any of the above component combinations you will have the basis of a PC most enthusiasts will envy, or at least respect, whether they are AMD or Intel fans. The systems I?ve specified should last you long into the future and make later upgrades less expensive.
First focus on the basics of your system in order to get a robust platform on which to build and upgrade later. This is a great time to upgrade, by the way, since there are a lot of new attractive options that recently have come on the market - unfortunately the great variety of systems and components can be very confusing.
A. First, decide if you want to go with: (i) an Intel Pentium III (P3) based system; or (ii) an AMD new Athlon (aka Thunderbird) based system; or (iii) an AMD Duron based system. These are the only systems I would recommend you consider at this time. You should be able to configure one or another of these systems to suit almost any budget or performance goal.
Second, decide whether or not you are going to overclock your new system.
Currently the Intel Pentium III and the AMD new Athlon Thunderbird CPU?s offer the best performance and, at the same nominal CPU speeds, offer roughly equal performance (some tests give a slight edge to the new Athlon). The new Athlon systems are usually a little cheaper than Intel systems. The AMD Duron CPU is somewhat slower than the P3 or new Athlon, but is cheaper and can be replaced later with a faster new Athlon (these two chips are basically interchangeable). I do not recommend the AMD old Athlon ?classic? or the Intel Celeron CPU?s, unless your budget or your current component mix only allow those choices, and I would not spend more than $US 100 on either of those chips. The old Athlon has been outdated by the new, and the Celeron, even when overclocked, falls short of the performance offered by the non-overclocked chips I have recommended.
Overclocking refers to changing the basic settings of the PC?s motherboard to make it run faster (such as setting a 700 MHz CPU to run at 933 MHz or a 750 to run at 1000), and is an easy way right now to get a lot more out of a system (and in effect to save perhaps as much as $US 500). Overclocking, if done conservatively, should not harm your system, but there is no guarantee of how fast a given system can be overclocked or at what speed an overclocked system will be unstable. Currently the Intel P3 has a better track record than the other recommended chips at overclocking, but any of those CPU?s can be overclocked successfully. In order to overclock your PC you must have a motherboard that facilitates the process, which usually requires a BIOS that at least allows adjustments to system bus speed and CPU voltage.
Most PC systems bought in stores or on-line will notallow significant overclocking adjustments of this type. This is a principle reason why many enthusiasts build their own systems.
B. If you are not going to overclock then I would suggest you could go with either an AMD or Intel system, whichever suits your budget or other preferences.
1. If you are not going to overclock and want to go with AMD then you can get either their new Athlon CPU (also known Thunderbird) or their new Duron CPU. Note that the Duron is slower and cheaper than the new Athlon but is interchangeable with it - this makes for a nice upgrade path (cheap Duron now, Thunderbird later). Get either of these CPU?s in what is called the Socket A format. Avoid the Slot A form of AMD?s new Athlon CPU, which may also be available, but is now an outdated form. I also recommend avoiding the old Athlon "classic" CPU, which is not as good as the new Athlon or the Intel Pentium III Coppermine. I'd recommend that you spend about $US 200-250 on the CPU and go for an Athlon Thunderbird 750 MHz Socket A CPU (or something near that speed).
You'll need a motherboard to match your Athlon Thunderbird or Duron processor and those are just coming out now, so you'll have to shop around to find one. Unfortunately I have seen no good comparative reviews of these new motherboards yet, but probably the model to get is the new ASUS A7V. ASUS has a very good reputation, and this board may cost close to $US 175 at first, but should be worth it. Also, with this mother-board you will be able to overclock your system if you wish.
2. If you don't want to overclock and want an Intel system, then you should get a Pentium III Coppermine CPU that is made to run on a 133 MHz system bus (some are designed to run on a 100 MHz system bus) and which is in the FC-PGA (flip chip pin grid array) format. FC-PGA means the CPU comes as a bare chip instead of a chip encased in a black plastic cartridge, and fits into a Socket 370 CPU connecter rather than a Slot 1 type connecter. Here I?d spend about $US 200-300 and get a Pentium III 733 MHz Coppermine CPU (or something near that speed).
You will need a motherboard for the Coppermine CPU and here I would recommend another new ASUS motherboard that is just coming out, the ASUS CUSL2. This is a great board with many new features that will allow it to grow with newer technologies ? it was an AnandTech Editor?s Choice, and that honor doesn?t come easy. This board is based on the Intel 815E chipset, which is that company?s latest. You may also see boards based on the older Intel 440BX chipset or the VIA Apollo Pro 133A chipset, and these boards may be quite good, but I prefer to recommend the latest type. Budget close to $US
175 for the ASUS board.
Note that motherboards for Intel P3 CPU?s (and the CPU?s themselves) will come in one of two styles: those with a Slot 1 CPU connecter for the traditional SECC2 black plastic cartridge CPU?s; and those with a Socket 370 connecter for the newer FC-PGA form of CPU. You can put an FC-PGA CPU in a Socket 370 motherboard directly or into a Slot 1 motherboard with the aid of a ?slotket? adapter (but see http://support.intel.com/support/processors/pentiumiii/ssalist.htm). You can put a Slot 1 or SECC2 CPU only into a Slot 1 motherboard. This is why I recommend an FC-PGA form P3 ? they?re more versatile.
C. If you are going to overclock then I would suggest you go with an Intel system. Intel Pentium III Coppermine CPU?s have a much better track record in this regard, at least at the present time. Here you can use the same motherboard mentioned above, the ASUS CUSL2, but make a slight change in your choice of CPU. For overclocking you should get an Intel Pentium III Coppermine 700 to 750 MHz processor (or something near that speed) that is made to run on a 100 MHz system bus (instead of 133) and is in the FC-PGA format and is from the ?cB0? stepping. You don?t have to know what ?cB0? means, but if the vendor can?t confirm the stepping before you buy then check another vendor. For overclocking you should avoid a P3 that is designed for a 133 MHz system bus, since those are running already at 133 MHz, and so have little ?headroom? for improvement. P3?s faster than 800 MHz at this time seem to offer no more overclocking advantage than the 750?s, but cost more. A system like that recommended, with a cB0 P3 CPU, may be able to operate reliably at between 900 and 1000 MHz, but there are no guarantees when overclocking.
For overclocking many enthusiasts prefer a motherboard based on the older Intel 440BX chipset, which was designed specifically for a 100 MHz system bus but which if run at 133 MHz or faster may outperform virtually anything else. Unfortunately there may be some problems with peripheral devices with such a setup, particularly related to the operation of AGP graphics cards in a 133 MHz system (see http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1270). For this and other reasons I prefer the newer boards based on the Intel 815E chipset. If you want to use a BX board then consider the MSI/Microstar BX Master, a Slot 1 board that was also an AnandTech Editor?s Choice. You can put an FC-PGA type P3 CPU into a Slot 1 motherboard with the aid of a ?slotket? adapter (but see http://support.intel.com/support/processors/pentiumiii/ssalist.htm).
D. For your memory you should use PC133 SDRAM, and if you will be overclocking you should see that your RAM is ?CAS 2-2-2? certified at 133 MHz. The amount of RAM you need will vary (see http://www.kingston.com/tools/assess/default.asp). If you are on a tight budget I would recommend that you be conservative (but not skimp) on the amount of RAM that you purchase and put the money saved into a better CPU and motherboard. Later you can add more RAM fairly cheaply, but upgrading later to a faster CPU is usually more costly.
E. Finally, remember that your hard drive also is a very important determinant of your system's performance. Here I would simply advise you to look for a drive from a major brand, with more than the capacity you might think you will need, and with a spindle speed of 7200 rpm rather than the slower 5400 rpm models.
F. With any of the above component combinations you will have the basis of a PC most enthusiasts will envy, or at least respect, whether they are AMD or Intel fans. The systems I?ve specified should last you long into the future and make later upgrades less expensive.
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