Need some help choosing components for new computer

[sickcamry]

Hi guys,

I'm a n00b on this forum so please bare with me. I've decided to build a new computer in the next few weeks. This is what I currently have:

AMD Athlon XP 1700+
256MB PC2100 DDR SDRAM
Abit Motherboard, cannot remember the chipset? but it was the latest VIA chipset when the 1700+ came out
Nvidia GeForce 2 GTS 32MB
40GB Maxtor UDMA/133 7200RPM
Sound Blaster Audigy
19" Viewsonic G790 monitor
Some great Altec Lansing speakers
A broken CD burner
52X CD-ROM
Generic case w/ 250-watt power supply

This PC has served it's purpose but I think it's time for something new. This will be primarily for playing games such as Doom 3, Half-Life 2, and whatever else will be coming out within the next couple of years. I am happy with the SB Audigy card, 52X CD-Rom, the monitor, and the speakers. Everything else probably needs to get replaced though.

I've been looking into the best processor for the money. I don't want to spend any more than $300 for the processor. I was thinking the Opteron 144 might be my best bet. I read Anandtech's overclocking review they did on the 144 and it looked to be blazing fast with the nForce 3 chipset. What do you guys think? I definitely want to go with an AMD product. I have heard the Opteron 144 is 333FSB but can be overclocked to 400+FSB, is this correct? Also, does the Opteron 144 and nForce 3 combo support dual channel DDR? If so, how much of a difference does this make? And lastly, how would the Opteron 144 (overclocked) compare to the Athlon 64 3200 and the Athlon XP 3200+ 400FSB?

Motherboards I haven't researched yet. I will get whichever board is the most stable and overclock friendly. And if possible, I would like to utilize dual channel DDR.

RAM, I have no idea. I haven't kept up on computer components in about 2 years, and when I checked today I discovered they are up to like PC4200! What speed would I need, and what is the benefit of going above PC3200? Would I need anything higher than that with an overclocked Opteron 144?

Video Card, I was thinking either the ATI Raedon 9700 Pro or the ATI Raedon 9800 Pro 128MB. The price difference isn't much. Is there a big difference between the two? Any other suggestions for price vs performance?

And finally, I'm debating whether or not I should go with a watercooled case. I want to overclock as much as possible and still have the system run stable. Again, need suggestions on the best price vs performace solution. How much higher would watercooling allow me to overclock everything including the video card?


Thanks in advance!!!

 

[CJP]

Originally posted by: sickcamry
Hi guys,

This PC has served it's purpose but I think it's time for something new. This will be primarily for playing games such as Doom 3, Half-Life 2, and whatever else will be coming out within the next couple of years. I am happy with the SB Audigy card, 52X CD-Rom, the monitor, and the speakers. Everything else probably needs to get replaced though.

I've been looking into the best processor for the money. I don't want to spend any more than $300 for the processor. I was thinking the Opteron 144 might be my best bet. I read Anandtech's overclocking review they did on the 144 and it looked to be blazing fast with the nForce 3 chipset. What do you guys think? I definitely want to go with an AMD product. I have heard the Opteron 144 is 333FSB but can be overclocked to 400+FSB, is this correct? Also, does the Opteron 144 and nForce 3 combo support dual channel DDR? If so, how much of a difference does this make? And lastly, how would the Opteron 144 (overclocked) compare to the Athlon 64 3200 and the Athlon XP 3200+ 400FSB?

Motherboards I haven't researched yet. I will get whichever board is the most stable and overclock friendly. And if possible, I would like to utilize dual channel DDR.

RAM, I have no idea. I haven't kept up on computer components in about 2 years, and when I checked today I discovered they are up to like PC4200! What speed would I need, and what is the benefit of going above PC3200? Would I need anything higher than that with an overclocked Opteron 144?

Video Card, I was thinking either the ATI Raedon 9700 Pro or the ATI Raedon 9800 Pro 128MB. The price difference isn't much. Is there a big difference between the two? Any other suggestions for price vs performance?

And finally, I'm debating whether or not I should go with a watercooled case. I want to overclock as much as possible and still have the system run stable. Again, need suggestions on the best price vs performace solution. How much higher would watercooling allow me to overclock everything including the video card?


Thanks in advance!!!

If you're target is a system you can max out Doom 3 on you might want to consider waiting a few months for the next gen video cards to come out which will be much faster than any of the 9800 line. Plus if you wait you can build a PCI Express system if it's out early next year.

There's not much difference between a 9700 Pro and a 9800 Pro except for minor enhancements and core/memory clock speed. If you like the price point of the 9700 Pro you could try and find a 9800non pro (I bought one and am happy with it) that will give you the same speed of the 9700 Pro and the tweaks in the 9800Pro.

 

[Camofrog]

Im not much of a AMD fan but i do know that ASUS boards are the best out there.

 

[DaveSimmons]

This PC has served it's purpose but I think it's time for something new. This will be primarily for playing games such as Doom 3, Half-Life 2, and whatever else will be coming out within the next couple of years.

Then don't buy yet. Intel P4 prices will drop again on 2-2-04 (3.2C at under $300) and AMD will have to drop A64 prices to compete.

It's always better to wait to buy until you actually need more speed -- If you'd bought a couple of months ago a P4 3.0 + ATI 9800 Pro would cost $800, now the pair goes for $600. In February or March the same $600 might get you a A64 3200+ and 9800XT.

 

[sickcamry]

Originally posted by: CJP
[There's not much difference between a 9700 Pro and a 9800 Pro except for minor enhancements and core/memory clock speed. If you like the price point of the 9700 Pro you could try and find a 9800non pro (I bought one and am happy with it) that will give you the same speed of the 9700 Pro and the tweaks in the 9800Pro.

I've heard that the Raedon 9800 non-pro could somehow be flashed into a 9800 Pro, and therefore ATI pulled it off the market. Is this true?

 

[MasterFlash]

You will definately need a new video card. That's a given. Now here's something you could do, grab a 512 MB stick of PC3200 and use it in you system now. That'll probably get you by until next spring (you could even try overclocking your cpu if you want, not much to lose at this point, and there's lots of advice on o/c'ing the 1700+ in the CPU forum). The big new DX9 games like HL2 aren't coming out until next spring. By that time Intel's Prescott should be out and driving prices down. Seems like that might be a good time to upgrade, but it's just speculation.

The 1700+ isn't too shabby, so try a new video card first and see how your performance is. You're going to need it, anyway. And yeah, the 9800 np could be flashed to pro, but I'm not sure if it's true anymore. I thought I heard somewhere that the new np cards can't be flashed. Not sure, tho.

 

[sickcamry]

Thanks for the tips guys. But can someone please comment on my question about the Opteron 144? I've been getting mixed answers regarding this and it's driving me crazy! :Q

To be more specific, how would it compare to the Athlon 64 3200 and the Athlon XP 3200+ 400FSB in games? I have heard from two people that the 100 series Opterons do not support dual-channel DDR memory, and yet two website reviews including Anandtech seem to state that it does. Same with the Opteron 146.

 

[sickcamry]

Nevermind, someone in another thread answered the question. It appears as if all the Opterons support dual channel memory.

I'm going to hold off until February to make my purchase because as you said the prices will be lower, and Registered PC3200 is very expensive and very hard to find. I don't feel like paying $300 just for RAM.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: sickcamry
Nevermind, someone in another thread answered the question. It appears as if all the Opterons support dual channel memory.

I'm going to hold off until February to make my purchase because as you said the prices will be lower, and Registered PC3200 is very expensive and very hard to find. I don't feel like paying $300 just for RAM.

best decision yet..grab a vid card, another stick of 256MB pc2100(can be had for $30 or less after MIR at most office superstores like OM,OD, Staples, BB,etc.) and you can get a decent cdrw for $35 shipped from newegg as well or near to free or free by rummaging thru Hot Deals forum