Help me choose between these two rigs

[kikkler]

both cost the same.. so i just need to choose one

no1.

CPU : Intel Pentium IV 2.4C GHz HT 512K 800MHz Socket 478 CPU BOX
Motherboards for Intel : ABIT IS7-E Intel 865PE Motherboard (HT,FSB 800,SATA, Dual DDR400, 5.1 Sound, AGP8X,LAN, USB 2)
Memory : GeIL DDR-RAM 512MB (2*256MB) 3200 Golden Dragon Series Retail Memory
Hard Discs : Western Digital 80GB 7200 rpm 8MB Buffer ATA100 HDD
Video Cards : ATI Radeon 9500 PRO 128MB DVI Retail Video Card
Floppy : Teac / Alps / Mitsumi 1.44MB 3,5" Floppy Drive
CD-ROM / DVD-ROM : DVD-ROM Liteon 16/48 Retail
Monitors : 17" CTX PR705F Flat Trinitron Monitor
Keyboards : Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard + Optical Mouse KIT
Speakers : Altec Lansing AVS300 24W 2.1 Speakers
Cases : Enermax CS-3181L-S Case w/Neon Lighting (P/S not included)
Power Supplies : HEC (Heroichi) 300AR-T Power Supply


no2.

CPU : AMD Athlon XP 2500+ Barton (512K, 333 Mhz) Tray CPU
Motherboards for AMD : ABIT NF7 v2.0 nForce2 Motherboard (ATA133, DDR400, AGPx8, 5.1 Sound, USB 2.0)
Memory : GeIL DDR-RAM 512MB 3200 Ultra Memory
CPU Cooling : Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu Cooler for PIV/AMD
Hard Discs : Western Digital 40GB 7200 rpm 8MB Buffer ATA100 HDD
Video Cards : ATI Radeon 9800np 128MB DH DVI OEM Video Card
Floppy : Teac / Alps / Mitsumi 1.44MB 3,5" Floppy Drive
CD-ROM / DVD-ROM : DVD-ROM Liteon 16/48 Retail
Monitors : 17" CTX PR705F Flat Trinitron Monitor
Keyboards : Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard + Optical Mouse KIT
Speakers : Altec Lansing AVS300 24W 2.1 Speakers
Cases : Enermax CS-3181L-S Case w/Neon Lighting (P/S not included)
Power Supplies : HEC (Heroichi) 300AR-T Power Supply

 

[AnarchyInTheUS]

Personally I like the idea of getting a 9800 over a 9500. In terms of the CPUs, they don't make a big enough of a difference for me to pick one over the other. A big question you need to ask yourself is how much HD space do you need. 40GB sounds a little small, but 80 sounds too big...at least for me.

 

[Lonyo]

60GB HDD and a 9700 non-pro and the rest of the P4 system (9700 non-pro is about $215, not sure how much more that woul dbe than your 9500Pro) would be my thoughts.

On second thoughts though, the AMD system has a 166MHz processor, with 200MHz RAM, so you would have more overclocking capability if you want to overclock, and the 9800np would also most probably do a nice overclock, so you would probably end up with a more powerful system if you went AMD, but you'd be limited in harddrive space, if that is an issue for you.

I have 33GB used, with a a modest number of games installed, out of a total of 130GB, so I only need a 40GB drive really. Judge on your own needs, but the AMD would probably give you best games performance, if you want the system for games.

 

[JZilla]

2. Good hs, better video, and nforce sound.

 

[kikkler]

speaking about OC, i'll probebly be able to hit 3.2/3.3 with rig no1. ,and only 2.2/2.3 with rig no2.. that's quite an argument, isnt it ?

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: kikkler
speaking about OC, i'll probebly be able to hit 3.2/3.3 with rig no1. ,and only 2.2/2.3 with rig no2.. that's quite an argument, isnt it ?

no.

 

[MournSanity]

The AMD is better. 9800 NP overclocks well if it has samsung RAM, and the Barton is great.


EDIT: I don't that that Zalman works with the Athlon XP. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: kikkler
speaking about OC, i'll probebly be able to hit 3.2/3.3 with rig no1. ,and only 2.2/2.3 with rig no2.. that's quite an argument, isnt it ?

Yeah, course he will, with RAM that has 200MHz rated speed, so may not be able to go all that much higher. If he had PC3700/4000 it might be a different matter, but PC3200 won't cut it at really high speeds.

 

[kikkler]

EDIT: I don't that that Zalman works with the Athlon XP. Correct me if I am wrong

Zalman CNPS7000-cu doesn't. Zalman CNPS7000A-cu does.

Yeah, course he will, with RAM that has 200MHz rated speed, so may not be able to go all that much higher. If he had PC3700/4000 it might be a different matter, but PC3200 won't cut it at really high speeds.

I can always use 5:4 divider - 3.2Ghz is 267Mhz FSB, 214Mhz memory FSB - that's very doable with PC3200

 

[Sunny129]

On second thoughts though, the AMD system has a 166MHz processor, with 200MHz RAM, so you would have more overclocking capability if you want to overclock, and the 9800np would also most probably do a nice overclock, so you would probably end up with a more powerful system if you went AMD, but you'd be limited in harddrive space, if that is an issue for you.

I think he will have just as much OCing capability w/ the P4 2.4C. It has the lowest mulitiplier of all intel CPus these days, which means the fsb can be pushed much further (i.e. you can OC the sh_t out of it). And he plans on getting Geil Golden Dragon 3200 memory if he gets the P4 platform, which is Geils only safe bet when looking for stability in OCing (i realize that Geil Ultra 3200 won't be OCed on a 1:1 ratio as long as the fsb stays between 166-200MHz, but if he wants to push past the 200MHz fsb mark, the CPU won't hold him back, whereas the memory just might).

 

[Playmaker]

Go with the AMD solution if you don't want to upgrade for awhile and the Intel solution if you plan on upgrading your vid card when the next generation vid cards come out in the next few months. However, the P4 2.4C Retail set up shouldn't be more then $45 more then the 2500+ Barton w/ aftermarket HSF set up. Also, GameVE has 9800 np for $244. Great deal IMO.

 

[wetcat007]

2

 

[xenos500]

I'd take the Intel, hyperthreading is significant, and it uses less power than the AMD(makes less heat). Why a western digital harddrive? I would spend more money on the HDD. Get a Hitachi 7K250(non sata) or a Seagate 7200.7 ....and dont spend money on neon lights.

all my opinion!

 

[BaboonGuy]

the biggest purchases you'll ever make in regards to your computer setup are your monitor/speakers/kb/mouse. which is why you want to get quality stuff for those, which means if you are a serious gamer you gotta go with 19 inches. i used to use 17 and everything was too small, 19 is perfect

 

[lameaway]

The 2.4C dissapates 2 watts less than the 2500+ at full load (66w vs 68w)... that's hardly significant. The decision between the two processors is difficult. Personally, I'd save the money and go with the AMD chip, because the way I see it, a ~10% difference on a part that is rarely a bottleneck in the relevant applications isn't worth burning any money on.

A ~25% difference on a part that _is_ usually the bottleneck, however, is significant. Go with the faster graphics card (system 2).

EDIT: On the other hand, BaboonGuy has the priorities even straighter. Even when we're all joking about the old Athlon XP and Radeons, you'll likely still have the same monitor...

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

2

 

[Slappy00]

Well I would go with the Intel, not because I think it traunces the AMD setup but because AMD doesnt seem to know what to do next with its CPUs. I believe that the Bartons have reached the ceiling of their speed ablities short of 90nm processes., so i think that purchaseing a nforce2 board would not be very wise in the next few months when AMD will (hopefully) make some moves. The intel boards are also not that future-proof with the Tejas coming out using a whole new array in Q4 04 , but the prescott line should be good up to about 3.4Gh or so, and Intel has stated that the first of its new CPUs will be adaptable to the 478 array, but none knows whether the CPU will be compatible with the current voltages supplied by the 875/865 mobos. So in sum i would take my chances with Intel rather than AMD, AMD's future seems a bit more hazy whereas Intel's current chipset (abit a transitional one) still has one more upgrade left in it (nothing like the BX boards of old that old-timers like myself are so fond of but ill take what i can get)...hopefully

 

[lameaway]

AMD know rather well what they're doing with their CPUs - they're moving to Athlon64 later this year, and yes, that means Socket A is getting ditched. Intel has stated, IIRC, that some of the early Prescotts will work with some i865 boards, but by the time a CPU upgrade is really necessary (6 months to a year down the line), going with either manufacturer is going to demand a new motherboard. I really don't think we're gonna see another 440BX.

 

[d0wnthe11235813]

2...the videocard is the cherry on top and the 2500 is not too shabby at all

 

[fxsts]

Originally posted by: BaboonGuy
the biggest purchases you'll ever make in regards to your computer setup are your monitor/speakers/kb/mouse. which is why you want to get quality stuff for those, which means if you are a serious gamer you gotta go with 19 inches. i used to use 17 and everything was too small, 19 is perfect

I second. I would spend a good chunk of your budget on monitor. I would recommend a 17in or larger LCD w/ fast response time. CRTs have been considered better for gaming, but I think that the newer LCDs do pretty good job. If you still prefer CRT, get at least 19 in. Otherwise, you will be wasting the performance of the system to run games at higher resolution if you only display them on 17 in monitor.