So my system seems a little lacking in recent games, especially tring to do native res at 1680x1050, but I'm stuck on a NF2 chipset with a Barton XP @ 3200+, 1gb pc3200 RAM, and a 9800 Pro.
I could:
1) Pay the absurd price for a fast AGP card like a 850XT or 6800GT/GS, keeping everything else the same. I don't need 16x12 1000x AA 😉 ike some people are obsessed with, but mostly I'd like to be able to play all of my games smoothly at 1680x1050 with mid-high details plus some AF. I'm not sure if the AGP card alone would allow me this (tho I can make exceptions for certain games like FEAR and COD2, but I wanna play the majority of recent games at those settings). Plus with the next round of games like ES4, I would have to run lower resolutions like I'm at now. Maybe? On the plus side my cousin's computer seemed to hose and if he needs to buy all-new, I can prolly get this AGp 6800GT for cheap. That might be good for a few months while I decide what to do next. But not for sure if he'll be selling it at the moment.
2) Buy a Socket 754+A64, possibly a used one or some package deal that would be picked up very cheap. Then I would get a 7800GT. So I figure this route would cost $200 for mobo + cpu + hsf, and $280 for video. What is the maximum speed of the 754 A64s? Are they any slower than the same speed 939? Like a 3500+ 754 vs. 3500+ 90nm 939? Again, this is almost exclusively for gaming, so media encoding times or whatever don't matter. I want FPS! 🙂
3) Buy 939 + A64. This was what I was going to first do until I seen the ridiculous prices on the chips! I mean I already have a 3200+ so I'd want a 3700+ Venice minimum! They are like $200+. Even worse, everyone is getting the X2s now, or the Opterons, which are even more expensive than the regular A64. Are they worth it? I don't see dual core being much of a difference in game. Who the fvck encodes video while they game anyway? I pretty much have everything shut down when I game so that my CPU and RAM are free. So would dual core provide someone like me with very little benefit? If I went this route I'd possibly have to skimp on the video card and go with a 6800GS or so.
Would the 939s go like this?
Heavy multitasking, wanting future performance (via patches) -> get X2
On a budget, but want 939 chip still -> A64 3500-3700ish
Excellent overclocker, 1MB L2 helpful in what??, Price between the two above? -> Opteron
4) Something else? Any ideas?
Note that unless I only do choice 1, and maybe not still, I will automatically need a new PSU with any of the choices. My generic Fortron 350w would likely do okay with a 6800GT, but not a new system. i woould get a Fortron 450W probably.
Finally, I really want to get a small, sleek case like the Shuttle XPC. It would not be a HTPC, its still just my gaming machine, but I really would pay $$$ for a quality, light, small, quiet, AND cool case. So like the Aspire Q-xpack are something I'd like. They require MicroATX, correct? Do they still make good NF4 mobos in MicroATX form that don't have integrated video?
I'm wondering if the Shuttle XPC-style PCs can still be gaming rigs, or if they don't have the proper power and cooling to house a performance rig.
One more, is there anything particulary wrong with NF3 or K8T800 mobos? Or should I stick with NF4 Ultra or NF4-X?
I could:
1) Pay the absurd price for a fast AGP card like a 850XT or 6800GT/GS, keeping everything else the same. I don't need 16x12 1000x AA 😉 ike some people are obsessed with, but mostly I'd like to be able to play all of my games smoothly at 1680x1050 with mid-high details plus some AF. I'm not sure if the AGP card alone would allow me this (tho I can make exceptions for certain games like FEAR and COD2, but I wanna play the majority of recent games at those settings). Plus with the next round of games like ES4, I would have to run lower resolutions like I'm at now. Maybe? On the plus side my cousin's computer seemed to hose and if he needs to buy all-new, I can prolly get this AGp 6800GT for cheap. That might be good for a few months while I decide what to do next. But not for sure if he'll be selling it at the moment.
2) Buy a Socket 754+A64, possibly a used one or some package deal that would be picked up very cheap. Then I would get a 7800GT. So I figure this route would cost $200 for mobo + cpu + hsf, and $280 for video. What is the maximum speed of the 754 A64s? Are they any slower than the same speed 939? Like a 3500+ 754 vs. 3500+ 90nm 939? Again, this is almost exclusively for gaming, so media encoding times or whatever don't matter. I want FPS! 🙂
3) Buy 939 + A64. This was what I was going to first do until I seen the ridiculous prices on the chips! I mean I already have a 3200+ so I'd want a 3700+ Venice minimum! They are like $200+. Even worse, everyone is getting the X2s now, or the Opterons, which are even more expensive than the regular A64. Are they worth it? I don't see dual core being much of a difference in game. Who the fvck encodes video while they game anyway? I pretty much have everything shut down when I game so that my CPU and RAM are free. So would dual core provide someone like me with very little benefit? If I went this route I'd possibly have to skimp on the video card and go with a 6800GS or so.
Would the 939s go like this?
Heavy multitasking, wanting future performance (via patches) -> get X2
On a budget, but want 939 chip still -> A64 3500-3700ish
Excellent overclocker, 1MB L2 helpful in what??, Price between the two above? -> Opteron
4) Something else? Any ideas?
Note that unless I only do choice 1, and maybe not still, I will automatically need a new PSU with any of the choices. My generic Fortron 350w would likely do okay with a 6800GT, but not a new system. i woould get a Fortron 450W probably.
Finally, I really want to get a small, sleek case like the Shuttle XPC. It would not be a HTPC, its still just my gaming machine, but I really would pay $$$ for a quality, light, small, quiet, AND cool case. So like the Aspire Q-xpack are something I'd like. They require MicroATX, correct? Do they still make good NF4 mobos in MicroATX form that don't have integrated video?
I'm wondering if the Shuttle XPC-style PCs can still be gaming rigs, or if they don't have the proper power and cooling to house a performance rig.
One more, is there anything particulary wrong with NF3 or K8T800 mobos? Or should I stick with NF4 Ultra or NF4-X?
