Gateway FX530

[akers]

I have configued a FX430 with the OC QX6700 with 4GB RAM for less than $3k. Is anyone familiar with this PC. I am not a gamer but I do a LOT of digital photgraphy and video.

BTW, my 3.2 P-4, 2GB RAM PC is running just fine but it is getting to be old and the newer software is definintely more haqrdware intensive. I am not in a great big hurry but if this is a reasonable deal for a good PC then I will jump now.

Opinions?

 

[catalysts17az]

so you have not bought it yet so just configured it on the web, correct? Since your doing a lot of digital photography you probably do some photoshop from time to time, that being said i have CS2 and adobe looks for dual core CPUs but i don't know if it is looking for quad core. that being said if you do not know how to build one then yes this is a decent price but find out how much of a difference in price it would be. i also have a question pertaining to your current hardware. is your current hardware a socket 478 or 775? if it is a socket 775 then maybe you should upgrade your existing hardware to a 900 series intel chip? the 800 series ran way too hot but they will work as well. this will give you a dual core system for under 200 bones. here is a link to such a processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819116255
also if you do not know how to swap out the processor find someone as this is a pretty substantial upgrade to your system. have fun!

 

[catalysts17az]

how much of a price difference would be? i was refferring between the x6800 and your chip the x6700.

 

[akers]

My old PC is home built and has been running at a 25% overclock for almoet 4 years (2.6 P-4 ant 3.2) so it is about time. I have 92GB of digital photos. I am currently running bot CS2 and teh CS3 beta (it is great BTW) I also use DXO Optics Pro and Nikon capture NX.

The bottom line on the overclocked (3.2) QX6700 is $2800 with tax and shipping.

 

[akers]

Well, I have had Quad-Zilla for a couple of weeks now and I am really impressed. BTW, it is an FX530 not 430 as I said in my first post. I am not thrilled at all with Vista but hopefully SP1 will make what it should have been when first released.

The latest version of the BOIS now allows limited overclocking. I have already upgraded to 800MHz RAM from the 667 that came with it and the fsb is now at 1333 instead of 1066. The processor is still at 3.2 but the muliplier goes higher. I have not ventured there yet. I will upgrade to an 8600 or 8500 Nvidia card when they come out and two more hard drives.

When I run Sandra XL (Hardware - CPU), it tells me that the mobo is designed for a faster CPU apparently up to 4.00. Looks like Gateway has configured the FX530 for future upgrades to keep it competitive. At any rate, I am very pleased.