Newb Pentium Build!

finners

Member
Apr 26, 2006
45
0
0
Hi.
Background-
First of all I'd like to state that I realise that AMD's may out perform the Intels at the mo but for my budget, Intel offers more bang for the buck.

Gonna OC? -
No.

Main areas of use?-
Using programmes such as Matlab, CAD/CAE programmes and heavy number crunching programmes. Gaming of lesser importance but still would like to have a system to easily run MS Flight Sim X when it comes out!

Budget - ~1000

------

What I'm contemplating-

Case
Antec P180

Power Supply
Seasonic S12 430W

CPU
Intel Pentium D940

Mobo
ABIT AW8, I955X

Memory
Corsair Value S. PC5300 DDR2 2048MB

Graphics
Point of View GeForce 7900GT 256MB

HDD
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 250GB

Any recommendations and thoughts appreciated.
I have just read GamingDaemon's post and he said he has learned some hard lessons from previously building a dual core pentium machine. Just a little worried hearing that!
Sorry for another one of these info leeching posts but im sure that most people can understand people's apprehensions when they are about to spend $1000+ on a pc.

Thanks.

 

Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
0
0
Looks fine. If it were gaming then the AMD option might still have the edge, but for number crunching the 940 is pretty good. You could save some money on the graphics card for now and get either integrated (nice to have if things go horribly wrong) or a cheap card, then when you do want to play games on it you could upgrade to a more powerful card then. Somthing to consider.

Try and get the sleeved seasonic, it's a newer revision with more connectors and longer cables, good for the P180.
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Actually, the 940 hangs very well with an X2 3800 for gaming. And it's now almost $40 cheaper.
 

GamingDaemon

Senior member
Apr 28, 2006
474
7
76

Hi,

You said that the Pentium 940 D hangs with an X2 3800. Is that a dual core AMD?

The reason I am asking is that I just built a gaming rig with Intel 940, and some lesser components. The experience was less than fun, but this was really my first build. The mobo really frustrated me and just made the whole experience poor.

Now, after much consultation, I am thinking about going with an AMD processor. Given your statement, I am wondering if I should just swap out the mobo and keep the Intel Pentium 940D.

What do you think?

~Andrew
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Originally posted by: GamingDaemon

Hi,

You said that the Pentium 940 D hangs with an X2 3800. Is that a dual core AMD?

The reason I am asking is that I just built a gaming rig with Intel 940, and some lesser components. The experience was less than fun, but this was really my first build. The mobo really frustrated me and just made the whole experience poor.

Now, after much consultation, I am thinking about going with an AMD processor. Given your statement, I am wondering if I should just swap out the mobo and keep the Intel Pentium 940D.

What do you think?

~Andrew

Yes. What motherboard did you get? I would recommend one with a 945P chipset. Even more preferable is an Intel motherboard with a 945P chipset.

Also, yes, both the 940 and X2 3800+ are dual core cpu's.

What frustrations did you have with the system, or motherboard specifically?
 

GamingDaemon

Senior member
Apr 28, 2006
474
7
76
I got the ECS C19-A wit hthe nVidia SLI chipset. It had a lot of features, but poor engineering. It was very difficult to get it to all work together.

So, for just gaming purposes, the X2 3800+ and the Pentium 940D are equals?
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Originally posted by: GamingDaemon
I got the ECS C19-A wit hthe nVidia SLI chipset. It had a lot of features, but poor engineering. It was very difficult to get it to all work together.

So, for just gaming purposes, the X2 3800+ and the Pentium 940D are equals?


Yeah, pretty much. Check these benchmarks...

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2658&p=13

That will compare the 840 to the x2 3800. The 940 is a little faster than the 840, and runs cooler.

I have heard of some problems with nvidia chipsets and Pentium D's, and I'd recommend an Intel board with a 945P chipset.

This Epox also looks good...
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=246606

or Asus...
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=247065
 
Jun 14, 2003
10,442
0
0
Originally posted by: finners
Hi.
Background-
First of all I'd like to state that I realise that AMD's may out perform the Intels at the mo but for my budget, Intel offers more bang for the buck.

Gonna OC? -
No.

Main areas of use?-
Using programmes such as Matlab, CAD/CAE programmes and heavy number crunching programmes. Gaming of lesser importance but still would like to have a system to easily run MS Flight Sim X when it comes out!

Budget - ~1000

------

What I'm contemplating-

Case
Antec P180

Power Supply
Seasonic S12 430W

CPU
Intel Pentium D940

Mobo
ABIT AW8, I955X

Memory
Corsair Value S. PC5300 DDR2 2048MB

Graphics
Point of View GeForce 7900GT 256MB

HDD
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 250GB

Any recommendations and thoughts appreciated.
I have just read GamingDaemon's post and he said he has learned some hard lessons from previously building a dual core pentium machine. Just a little worried hearing that!
Sorry for another one of these info leeching posts but im sure that most people can understand people's apprehensions when they are about to spend $1000+ on a pc.

Thanks.



thats looking good.

if you research well enough, and purchase good quality components then it will be unlikely that you will run into trouble.

if your not bothered about gaming for the time being (ie untill flight sim arrives) then why not just use a cheap video card? and either save it or use it to expand else where?

then just save up for a more powerful GPU later on? im not sure when flight sim X is due out, but if it was say christmas 2006, then id hold off the GPU, expand on maybe the hard-drive, or some uprated CPU cooling, and then save up for a GPU later on, as by christmas the 7900GT will be yesterdays news, such is the way things are in this industry.
 

finners

Member
Apr 26, 2006
45
0
0
Bobthelost &
otispunkmeyer,

If I get a cheap video card will it be able to cope with a high res LCD monitor, i.e. 1280 x 1024 or greater?

Also, maybe I should have elaborated more on the fact that I am using Computer Aided Design software and will probably need a powerful video card now!

Will a 7900GT not provide more than adaquate performance for at least a year?!!
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
61
Originally posted by: finners
Bobthelost &
otispunkmeyer,

If I get a cheap video card will it be able to cope with a high res LCD monitor, i.e. 1280 x 1024 or greater?

Yes.

Also, maybe I should have elaborated more on the fact that I am using Computer Aided Design software and will probably need a powerful video card now!

Will a 7900GT not provide more than adaquate performance for at least a year?!!

I would HIGHLY recommend asking the maker of the software company what they recommend. A gaming video card is most likely not going to help. You may need a Quadro or FireGL card for your particular software.
 

OSX

Senior member
Feb 9, 2006
662
0
0
I have a Voodoo 3 that drives a 1280x1024 Samsung very well. Also, why buy MS Flight Sim when X-Plane is so much better?