Please leave comments on my forthcoming AMD64 nF4 rig (UPDATED)

[BOLt]

Here is my current rig:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (Venice) CPU
DFI LANParty UT nF4 Ultra-D Motherboard
(512MB x 2) Crucial Ballistix PC3200 DDR RAM
BFG GeForce 6800 GT OC PCI-e
Lite-On 16P9S DVD-ROM Drive
Maxtor DiamondMax 10 200GB SATA HDD
Western Digital 60GB IDE HDD
Antec SmartPower 2.0 400W PSU
Sony 3.5" FDD
Dell UltraSharp 1905FP 19" LCD Monitor
Antec Super LANBoy ATX Mid-Tower Case

My intentions are to build this one:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (Venice) CPU
MSI nF4 Motherboard -- Not sure which model, but I want one with the SB Live! codec. I am not interested in SLI, but the audio codec is a must have.
(1GB x 2) Corsair ValueSelect PC3200 DDR RAM
A 6800 GT
Lite-On 16P9S DVD-ROM Drive
Seagate Barracuda 250GB SATAII HDD -- They make SATAII for the Barracuda line, right?
Antec PERFORMANCE TX640 (includes PSU)
Dell UltraSharp 2001FP 20" LCD Monitor or equivalent 20" LCD

Alternatively, I could do Intel dual core for its lower cost, but then I have no idea on the motherboard or RAM options.

Any comments are greatly appreciated!

 

[biostud]

why???????????????

 

[flexy]

yeah...."why ???" is the question here

 

[mooncancook]

CPU: same
mobo: no reason to switch. If you care about sound quality then get a sound card that you can re-use.
RAM: sell/trade, or just get another 2x512.
HDD: no reason to switch to SATA2 now.
Case and PSU: nothing wrong with them, but try to sell them if you really want sth else

I think the more of your old rig you are trying to sell, the more it is going to cost you

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

Pretty strange. I'm still using the same build 2 years ago, and your redoing your computer thats not even a year old or so..

 

[Rike]

If you have money to throw around on minor upgrades, throw some my way. I see no rational reason to do what you propose.

 

[feelthaflo]

First thing's first, a SB Live card is only 30 bucks (I have one). If you want HDD performance, go with a Raptor 10K. The Antec PSU that you have should run fine as long as you're not going SLI. Stay away from LCD's if you want to get the most out of your graphics card (what's the max res/freq of that LCD?).

Bottom line:
Get another gig of Crucial if you must. The mobo isn't an upgrade at all unless you go SLI, so stick with the DFI. Go ahead and get a SATAII hdd if you really want. Keep the PSU you got and get a new case if you want. Don't spend WAY too much money on a 20" LCD (especially a DELL), when a CRT will be able to squeeze much more out of your video card. And get rid of that Maxtor if you know what's good for you (and your data)...

 

[feelthaflo]

Wait a minute, are these going to be 2 separate computers, or are you trying to 'upgrade' from the one you already have?

 

[flexy]

i think he has probs with his dfi...why else should he "upgrade" ?

 

[BOLt]

Oops. I forgot to mention stuff -- very sorry!

CPU: I multitask like hell (read: 12 applications idle and 16 when doing something, including audio or video encoding and downloading). I run out of RAM constantly. My paging file gets resized all the time and it starts to run out too. My programs close out often and I get weird errors all the time because I'm using too many resources. Ideally, I'd get dual core, which is why I'm also seriously considering buying a Dell, however, I'm going to Case Western Reserve in two week for Computer Engineering -- might get laughed at for having a Dell. Plus there's an OC3 connection there, which means I'm going to attempt to download the Internet (not literally, but to put it best, I think I have a serious compulsive problem to get things on my computer). It'd be nice to play a game like GTA: SA or HL2 (all options turned all the way up) and also download things at the same time... can't do that now.

Motherboard: I used to have a SB Audigy2 ZS which I sold along with some old components awhile ago to pay for the new computer. I'm getting the Logitech z-2300s and I want that sound quality I used to have. I listen to music when I'm at my computer not playing a game. I heard that SB Live! plays just as well as the Audigy2 (for the most part), so I figure the MSI board will be a 2 for 1 buy (no need to buy a sound card). I never OC and don't think I'll have the time to spend OCing that I was assuming I would have when I bought the computer. I like EAX.

RAM: With 2GB of Corsair VS RAM (I heard it's the best cheap RAM), I think my resource hogging would be significantly appeased. I may even need more, but I don't want to go there. DFI hates Corsair -- especially VS -- so that's why I'm getting rid of the DFI. 4 DIMMs of RAM doesn't work well, I've heard, which is why I'll get 1GB sticks of VS.

Monitor: This monitor took out a huge chunk of change from my pocket. My original build based off an ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe motherboard and other good components bought when the nF4 boards first came out got stripped down and sold. I bought this the 1905FP with the money I got back and purchased my current rig with what was left (no good speakers or soundcard, unfortunately). With 1280x1024 being my native res, I don't feel that it is enough to stay viable for the next 5 years that I plan to use it. I was planning on this monitor lasting me through another one or two builds and there's no point in buying a better graphics card than the one I have to display this monitor. What I'm saying is I think this monitor's resolution isn't enough. I saw the BF1942 AT article and thought, great, I bought the perfect GPU for my monitor! Wait, what about a few years down the road?! CRAP! So yeah, I think a 2001FP would be a better future proof choice (1600x1200 native res). I won't buy a 7800 GTX for money reasons, I think. BTW, I can get a 2001FP for about $450 or so most likely. Dell LCDs are good, for whoever was a Dell detractor. AT loves them and I love mine (just not quite big enough).

Case: I like my case, but I kind of want something with less flair. I bought this a bit grudgingly. It was cheap, had cool stuff about it, was silver anodized aluminium, which I was really keen on, etc. However, I can't put my finger on it, I somehow don't like the look as much as the Antec PERFORMANCE TX640 or the Dell Dimension 9100 case (I like this a lot, but it's by no means the deciding factor if I do get a Dell).

I'm selling my stuff, BTW, not throwing it away. Ideally, I'd sell it to my friend locally, but he's not too timely about the buying thing and like I said earlier, I have college in two weeks. I have a thread (FS or FT) on the FS/FT forum: Shameless plug

Very sorry for no clarification earlier. I probably looked like a doofus earlier, but I hope this sheds some much needed light on the situation. It's a really quirky situation, I know. Really an AMD64 x2 3800+ would be ideal because it retains the power the AMD64 proc for gaming and what not and the dual core covers the multitasking that would justify an Intel build.

 

[EvilRage]

If it were me I'd get a 2005 FPW and not a 2001, especially considering how close the prices are (and especially if Dell has another deal on the 2005). Initially I didn't think a widescreen monitor would make as big of an impact on my day-to-day computer usage (It was primarily for gaming) but after I got my 2405, I realized just how valuable the extra space is (I'm currently using about half the screen for this page, and the rest is IM Windows + Fallout 2 in a Virtual PC Win98 SE box)

I see no reason to change your case unless you really REALLY can't stand how it looks. I'd rather hold on to the cash and reuse that.

Buy an SB Live! card, cheaper and less hassle than replacing a motherboard, plus you won't lose money on the sale of the old one and the purchase of the new one. And a seperate audio processing card is usually better than something integrated onto the motherboard (Although I imagine if it's an SB Live chipset on the motherboard it'd be better than other onboard solutions) IF DFI hates your corsair RAM so much, get a different brand.

With the money you've saved, get yourself a dual-core proc. AMD just dropped prices on them, so it's a good time to pick one up.

 

[feelthaflo]

Due to your multitasking and gaming needs, I would definitely recommend the x2 3800+ if you can afford it. I have heard good things about Dell LCD's, but I tend to be harsh on things that are not the absolute optimum performance. If you have room (and strong arms), you can save alot of cash and get even better performance by going with a nice crt. My 19 was under 200 bucks. How about we do this: give us a budget and tell us what components you intend to buy new, and we will make suggestions based on these factors and your needs. Sound good?

 

[BOLt]

DFI dislikes all cheap RAM in general from what I've heard. That's why I was just going to ditch it and go with Corsair VS. Is there cheap RAM that DFI likes? What should I do with my old RAM?

A CRT is not an option for me, though I wouldn't mind the exercise of moving it. My dorm space is a big factor in my monitor selection.

I've heard the widescreen LCDs aren't good for gaming. The 1905FP and 2001FP seem to be fine for everything, so I figured that I'll just go with one of those two. Unfortunately, I chose the one with the lower resolution -- oops.

Budget is basically I have to sell what I have now and get the new stuff. I might be able to get a bit of money out of my parents to help pay for the processor, but I'd have to repay sometime with money earned from college job, so it'd be nice to minimize any additional costs.

 

[EvilRage]

Originally posted by: BOLt
I've heard the widescreen LCDs aren't good for gaming. The 1905FP and 2001FP seem to be fine for everything, so I figured that I'll just go with one of those two. Unfortunately, I chose the one with the lower resolution -- oops.

As mentioned earlier, I have a 2405FPW. CSS looks absolutely stunning on its native resolution of 1920x1200, as does Doom 3. No ghosting, artifacts, or anything weird like that. I do remember hearing something about the older rev 2005's having backlight issues, and I'm not sure if that's been fixed or not. In any case, I'm pretty sure Dell will replace it if it's affected.

 

[BOLt]

Selling:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (Venice) CPU Retail $140
DFI LANParty UT nF4 Ultra-D Motherboard Retail $100
(512MB x 2) Crucial Ballistix PC3200 DDR RAM OEM $140
BFG GeForce 6800 GT OC PCI-e (dual DVI) OEM $340
Lite-On 16P9S DVD-ROM Drive OEM $20
Maxtor DiamondMax 10 200GB SATA HDD OEM $100
Western Digital 60GB IDE HDD OEM $30
Antec SmartPower 2.0 400W PSU Retail $60
Sony 3.5" FDD OEM $5
Dell UltraSharp 1905FP 19" LCD Monitor (DVI/VGA) Retail $325
Antec Super LANBoy ATX Mid-Tower Case Retail $70
Logitech MX510 Performance Optical Mouse Retail $25

My intentions are to build this one:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (Venice) CPU
MSI nF4 Motherboard -- Not sure which model, but I want one with the SB Live! codec. I am not interested in SLI, but the audio codec is a must have.
(1GB x 2) Corsair ValueSelect PC3200 DDR RAM
A 6800 GT
Lite-On 16P9S DVD-ROM Drive
Seagate Barracuda 250GB SATAII HDD -- They make SATAII for the Barracuda line, right?
Antec PERFORMANCE TX640 (includes PSU)
Dell UltraSharp 2001FP 20" LCD Monitor or equivalent 20" LCD

I will update prices soon -- I am going out tonight and when I come back I will edit the stuff. Thanks for the input, guys!

EDIT:

Originally posted by: EvilRage

Originally posted by: BOLt
I've heard the widescreen LCDs aren't good for gaming. The 1905FP and 2001FP seem to be fine for everything, so I figured that I'll just go with one of those two. Unfortunately, I chose the one with the lower resolution -- oops.

As mentioned earlier, I have a 2405FPW. CSS looks absolutely stunning on its native resolution of 1920x1200, as does Doom 3. No ghosting, artifacts, or anything weird like that. I do remember hearing something about the older rev 2005's having backlight issues, and I'm not sure if that's been fixed or not. In any case, I'm pretty sure Dell will replace it if it's affected.

It doesn't look weird because it is widescreen? I heard BF2 doesn't support widescreen from someone on AT.

 

[EvilRage]

For CSS it's not stretched, it's an increased FOV (which also gives a gameplay/tactical advantage). I think it's the same with Doom 3. Older games do look odd with stretched 4:3 resolutions (ie, games that do not support widescreen). For example, Fallout 2 looks horrible in widescreen, as its only resolution is 640x480. So, I run it in a window (yay!). BF2 doesn't support widescreen, it stretches the image. However, it appears you can get a pseudo-widescreen resolution by editing some properties or running a file, in which case the top and bottom of the screen is chopped off enough to fit your monitor. Not the ideal solution, but it works.

 

[BOLt]

Well, I think I'll go for the 2001FP, but if I can find the 2005FPW for less, I'll get that. It's all about budget at this point...

 

[BOLt]

bump