Questions (going to build)

[BenjaminGun]

okay, i'm going to build a new system very shortly.
Here is what i'm thinking:
athlon xp 2500
a7n8x deluxe
2x 256 corsair xms 3200
seagate sata 120gb

but i have a few questions..
does the barton core make the 2500 worth it over the 2600?
people talking about running their ram in sync with their processor to get better performance, will 3200 perform better than 2700, even though the fsb is 333? (i'm not sure i understand the running in sync, so if this is a dumb Q, ignore it)
any objections to the sata over say a wd special edition?
any suggestions on cooling? i'm thinking vantec aeroflow, will that be enough to oc?
any suggestions on video cards? the ti 4200s look good, but fx cards are directx9 optimized or whatever..
will 350w be enough?
okay i can't think of any more right now, thanks in advance to all who answer..

 

[BenjaminGun]

any takers? you don't have to be able to answer all of my questions, just what you can, thanks.😉

 

[seraph621]

I don't have much time at the moment, so I can only answer one part of your question. If you buy a quality PS (one that doesn't cost $15) 350W should be fine. A quality 350W PS is infinitely better than a generic 400+.

Also, if you're building this system for gaming then don't skimp on the graphics card. You're building a pretty solid system, so why cripple it with a budget card? The very least you should get is the Ti-4600.

 

[BenjaminGun]

consider it considered😉
i will probably get one off ebay or refurbed

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: BenGrulz
okay, i'm going to build a new system very shortly.


but i have a few questions..
does the barton core make the 2500 worth it over the 2600?
people talking about running their ram in sync with their processor to get better performance, will 3200 perform better than 2700, even though the fsb is 333? (i'm not sure i understand the running in sync, so if this is a dumb Q, ignore it)
any objections to the sata over say a wd special edition?
any suggestions on cooling? i'm thinking vantec aeroflow, will that be enough to oc?
any suggestions on video cards? the ti 4200s look good, but fx cards are directx9 optimized or whatever..
will 350w be enough?
okay i can't think of any more right now, thanks in advance to all who answer..

yes
no
no
the 19 dollar vantec > aeroflow
4200 is a better deal than ANY FX card
depends on quality. if its enermax, antec, sparkle, fortron, then yes. if its a cheapo, dont use it.

 

[Shooters]

does the barton core make the 2500 worth it over the 2600?

In my opinion, yes. Plus the 2500+ is supposed to be a good overclocker.

people talking about running their ram in sync with their processor to get better performance, will 3200 perform better than 2700, even though the fsb is 333? (i'm not sure i understand the running in sync, so if this is a dumb Q, ignore it)

Running in sync simply means that your FSB and memory clock are the same. It's possibly for memory performance to actually decrease if you run the RAM faster than the FSB because of latency issues. Go for the PC3200; it will give you more headroom when overclocking.

any objections to the sata over say a wd special edition?

Personally, I would rather have the WD SE or an IBM 180GXP for performance reasons. Look here for a comparison between the three.

any suggestions on cooling? i'm thinking vantec aeroflow, will that be enough to oc?

I've never used that heatsink, but I've heard that it's okay. Personally I would go for a Thermalright SK-7 for around $20, or an SLK-800U if you don't mind spending the extra money.

any suggestions on video cards? the ti 4200s look good, but fx cards are directx9 optimized or whatever..

Get a something from the Radeon 9500 or 9600 line of cards. They're about the same price as a Ti4200 and you'll get full DirectX 9 compliance. The only FX card out there that I think is even worth considering is the 5900, but I think that may be out of your price range.

will 350w be enough?

Yes, get a quality brand.

 

[BenjaminGun]

bump for more opinions🙂