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Need some purchase advice

E

emdin

Junior Member
Cheers all!

I'm about to buy a new computer, and need a few tips:

1) Dual Core seems awfully nice (I'm an Alt-Tab junkie) and will probably have good use of it. My options are the cheap X2 3800 with 2x512kb cache OR X2 4400 with 2x1mb cache. The 4400 currently costs 50% more and feels a little expensive (for a 16% increase in performance), and I'm wondering when I would benefit from the extra cache? Is any difference completely independent of other hardward or would more cache be more important if I have for example more RAM?

2) I'm going to ditch my CRT and go for an LCD. But how much GPU will I need for a 1280x1024 resolution, really? Would a GeForce 6800LE be enough, or do I really need a GeForce 7800GTX if I want GOOD graphics in say Battlefield 2? (4x AA is not required, but nice).

3) How many Watts do I need on my PSU? The current chassis (Antec Sonata II) comes with a 450 W... will that be enough, assuming I won't be overclocking alot? Or will a dual-core with say a 7800GT/GTX, single HDD and a DVD-burner need more? How much more?

4) What's this "Affinity" thing with EQ2 and AMD X2's? Will it hurt performance much or just disable the dual-core-effect?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
 
http://www.c627627.com/AMD/Athlon64/

I dont know if im reading this right but I bought the x2 3800 because its a newer cpu.. I believe that the 3800 is a newer design and uses less power than the 4400 and I heard that you can oc the 3800 to 4xxx level on STOCK..

I'm still researching this but I already bought the x2 3800.. if you find any other info.. post it here...


The PSU should be fine.. at one point I was running a dual xeon with 10 drives on a Powerman 300W. It also depends on how many amp that 450w is putting out.. do you have the PSU model # ?

 
The X2 3800+ will be perfectly fine. Also, 1280x1024 doesn't require as much video muscle as you think. I can run quite a few of my game at 1280x1024 on my 6600GT. So The 6800LE should be fine. As for the PSU, I think you should be alright there with the wattage, just make sure to get a good unit like an OCZ Powerstream or a Antec TruePower.
 
Originally posted by: emdin
Cheers all!

I'm about to buy a new computer, and need a few tips:

1) Dual Core seems awfully nice (I'm an Alt-Tab junkie) and will probably have good use of it. My options are the cheap X2 3800 with 2x512kb cache OR X2 4400 with 2x1mb cache. The 4400 currently costs 50% more and feels a little expensive (for a 16% increase in performance), and I'm wondering when I would benefit from the extra cache? Is any difference completely independent of other hardward or would more cache be more important if I have for example more RAM?

2) I'm going to ditch my CRT and go for an LCD. But how much GPU will I need for a 1280x1024 resolution, really? Would a GeForce 6800LE be enough, or do I really need a GeForce 7800GTX if I want GOOD graphics in say Battlefield 2? (4x AA is not required, but nice).

3) How many Watts do I need on my PSU? The current chassis (Antec Sonata II) comes with a 450 W... will that be enough, assuming I won't be overclocking alot? Or will a dual-core with say a 7800GT/GTX, single HDD and a DVD-burner need more? How much more?

4) What's this "Affinity" thing with EQ2 and AMD X2's? Will it hurt performance much or just disable the dual-core-effect?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...

just out of curiosity, do you really need dc? this is just out of curiosity because you can pick up a 3000venice and o/c nicely and save ~$200 in the process.

as far as video card is concerned with my rig in sig i can run bf2 @ 1280x960 6AA, all settings on high, no dynamic lighting/shadowing fine and with fps at the very least 30-40 in the most intense action and gpu taxing areas of the maps. i think the x800xtpe comes in between a 6800gt and ultra.

as far as the psu, you should be fine with your current 450W model since according to antec it has 12V1 @ 15A and 12V2 @ 17A.
 
3800 is fine, Antec smartpower is a nice budget modular psu (60-70, depending on wattage), and maybe get a 7800gt as your vid card.
 
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