Tempted to build a new rig...

[makken]

Hi guys,

I'm tempted to put together a new rig primary for gaming, but will also double as a file/media server for our LAN and as a media center (hooked up to home theatre). I've been out of the PC world for over 4 years now (last rig I put together had a P3 933Mhz, and an amazing 512MB of PC133 SDRAM )--I've since moved onto the laptop world.

I have the financial means to spend about $1300 to $1500 on something now, so I'm not expecting this to be cutting edge, but more mainstream. I'm also not opposed to using secondhand components, as long as they work properly.

My main question is, should I wait on this? Based on what I've seen, the whole computing world is currently in a transitional state right now (32 to 64bit, single to multi-core CPU's, BluRay, PCI-e, ATi's phantom R520, WiMax, 802.11n, Samsung Hybrid hard drives to name a few). I know in the computer world, there is never a good time to buy, but to me, this seems like an exceedingly bad time. Any signs that all these things will be settling down anytime soon?

My only requirements for this rig are
1) Play all modern games at high settings with 4xAA / 8xAF at whatever native resolution my new monitor will be (either 1280x768 17" Widescreen or 1680x1050 20.1" Widescreen)
2) 400 + GB of storage spread over 2 or more hard drives
3) Primary access to network via wireless with a gigabit LAN backup or for single large transfers.
4) able to output an HDTV signal (really, how do I do this?), Optical audio out perferred
5) able to burn DVD's
modest requirements at best.

Now, I currently have a really nice laptop, so I am in no dire need for a new machine. Its only short comings is a lack of hard drive space to store all my anime (why I want a file / media server), and the ability to play Doom3 at playable fps at 1024x768, (for some reason, it handles BF2 fine at 1280x768 widescreen mode at medium settings ~40fps average, dunno why Doom3 is craping out, it shows its limits with the FEAR demo though). If I do not build this rig within the next two months, I will probably not get another chance until summer of 2006.

What do you guys think?

 

[bob4432]

M/B:
EPoX EP-9NPA+Ultra Socket 939 - ~$100

CPU:
SKT939 3000 Venice - ~$150

RAM:
2x1GB OCZ - ~$240AR (Platinum Series)

HDDS:
2x200-2x250GB - you should be able to pick up a decent priced at your local bb and cc or compusa, but you will have to wait for the rebate

GPU:
eVGA 7800GT - ~$370

CASE:
Whatever you want

PSU:
Fortron, Enermax, Seasonic, PC&P - ~450-535W

this should get you started...

 

[GamerExpress]

Originally posted by: bob4432
M/B:
EPoX EP-9NPA+Ultra Socket 939 - ~$100

CPU:
SKT939 3000 Venice - ~$150

RAM:
2x1GB OCZ - ~$240AR (Platinum Series)

HDDS:
2x200-2x250GB - you should be able to pick up a decent priced at your local bb and cc or compusa, but you will have to wait for the rebate

GPU:
eVGA 7800GT - ~$370

CASE:
Whatever you want

PSU:
Fortron, Enermax, Seasonic, PC&P - ~450-535W

this should get you started...

Yep I agree with everything here, I would go with a Antec Sonata II case. I would also not go with the CPU recomended here with the budget you have go with a X2 3800+.

 

[Kyanzes]

It seems that you know quite well your way around PCs and you only wait for a nudge from others. The only thing that you didn't take into consideration is the constant change in requirements and available hardware. It's always in transition You could wait until you get really old and still see an article on your start page about a new chipset becoming available. One could say that you should wait until the new socketed mobos and cpus become available from both AMD and Intel which is about half a year. I bet that a few months after they appear a new socket technology will be announced to come in a year

I would certainly pick an AMD 939 (MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum) it has nearly everything bandwith sensitive connected to the nv bus instead of the PCI bus. Not all the NF4 mobos have them transported from the PCI bus though e.g. ASUS K8N-E

The CPU is a two-fold question for AMD: currently there seem to be issues with dual core gaming and I'm experiencing them myself. These problems can be overcome with utilities that forcing the games to run on one thread only. Aside from that dual core offers significant boost to your overall pc experience even if you don't work much in the background (video convert/render etc)

The upcoming consoles are multithreaded by default (PS3, XBOX360) and have 'fixed' video chipsets. That means the most important game developers (therefore the minors using the engines made by the bigger developers) are following this trend and utilize these technologies. PC games should be affected by this on a large scale I would say. (The choice over a Multi-Core CPU is justified.)

As for the video chipset, well, you don't have to wait much longer, ATI should come out with the 520 within the span of a few weeks now so you can decide it yourself what GPU to choose (G70/R520). As for multi-video-card solutions the tests until now proven that ATI's crossfire seems 'more compatible' and 'more efficient'. I can't prove it and won't believe it until I saw that myself though. I wouldn't count on huge differences actually. I also wouldn't bother to build a dual card config for the time being. Pick a 7800GTX

For the other stuff, it's not that hard to choose:
- SATA2 beats SATA1 in the long run (not that you lose much if you don't have a RAID array)
- PCI-E vs AGP: you must go for the PCI-E, period. You wouldn't find huge selection of mobos with new chipsets and AGP. There are exceptions of course. Still, if you build from the ground, you can forget about AGP.
- Audio: Creative X-Fi is now out. I couldn't covince myself to invest into one though. I don't feel an incredible breakthrough. Of course I can be wrong. Optical out should be present on all major sound cards by now.
- HDTV: the 7800GTX has dual DVI
- DVD burner: the FOTM on any major review site will do
- Blu-ray: surely will remain expensive for a while, wouldn't bother right now. Immediate future: expensive drives and expensive media.
- HDD: you could go for either the 7200RPM NCQ drives or the 10K RPM WD Raptors. I would mix them. A 10K Raptor for the system and one or two 7200RPM for storage. SATAII is only a must if you connect them in RAID so the bandwith is really utilized.


(Buy an X2...)

 

[CraKaJaX]

I'm in the same boat as you are. I want to build a new rig... but I don't want to spend $530 on a video card, especially 1k+ for SLI GTX's. I have the money, but I'm probably going to wait until around christmas time to order everything.

 

[jdport]

seems to me the computting world is ALWAYS in a transitional state
If you know what you want and it's available now and you have the money, i'd say buy it. Waiting has a cost too, it's time that you don't get to be using your new system. Unless there is something specific that you want or need on the horizon, I don't really think waiting is better in most cases.

-jd

 

[Blain]

Wait, because parts will get cheaper in the future.
BTW, If you stay away from these forums, you'll be far less "tempted". :shocked:

 

[Soccerman06]

Id wait for the R520 and then buy there, prices will be down on most products (~10%). The 3800 X2 is worth the extra money, just because of its potential in the future. The 3800 X2, from what Ive heard, doesnt have the same problems as the other dual cores AMD makes simply because its newer (I dont know, just what people are saying). There isnt much difference between storage, as long as you have Sata2. Mobo you cant really go wrong with, as long as its PCI-E you shouldnt have any trouble. I dont know if you really need a sound card because they are usually a waste of money if you are using sh!ty speakers and no 5.1 (or more) surround sound. Dont worry abut Blu-Ray, it still has another 2 years before they become readily cheap and availible for the mass market. Any major brand DVD burner with both +- will work just fine for what your needs.

Oh and buy everything online because you can save roughly %25-40 over msrp.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Wait, wait as long as possible.
That being said, a decent DVD burner is 50-60 bucks.
Decent budget RAM is about $100/GB
A hard drive is about $100/200GB, $125/250GB
The HDA Mystique 7.1 soundcard is $89, and has SPDIF coax and optical outs right on the card.
Any GF6/GF7 card should feed HDTV (720p/768p/1080i) with a second DVI output. Playing all games at max settings, I would pick a 7800GTX.
Intel is cutting prices again AMD should follow soon.

 

[Azndude2190]

Originally posted by: makken
Hi guys,

I'm tempted to put together a new rig primary for gaming, but will also double as a file/media server for our LAN and as a media center (hooked up to home theatre). I've been out of the PC world for over 4 years now (last rig I put together had a P3 933Mhz, and an amazing 512MB of PC133 SDRAM )--I've since moved onto the laptop world.

I have the financial means to spend about $1300 to $1500 on something now, so I'm not expecting this to be cutting edge, but more mainstream. I'm also not opposed to using secondhand components, as long as they work properly.

My main question is, should I wait on this? Based on what I've seen, the whole computing world is currently in a transitional state right now (32 to 64bit, single to multi-core CPU's, BluRay, PCI-e, ATi's phantom R520, WiMax, 802.11n, Samsung Hybrid hard drives to name a few). I know in the computer world, there is never a good time to buy, but to me, this seems like an exceedingly bad time. Any signs that all these things will be settling down anytime soon?

My only requirements for this rig are
1) Play all modern games at high settings with 4xAA / 8xAF at whatever native resolution my new monitor will be (either 1280x768 17" Widescreen or 1680x1050 20.1" Widescreen)
2) 400 + GB of storage spread over 2 or more hard drives
3) Primary access to network via wireless with a gigabit LAN backup or for single large transfers.
4) able to output an HDTV signal (really, how do I do this?), Optical audio out perferred
5) able to burn DVD's
modest requirements at best.

Now, I currently have a really nice laptop, so I am in no dire need for a new machine. Its only short comings is a lack of hard drive space to store all my anime (why I want a file / media server), and the ability to play Doom3 at playable fps at 1024x768, (for some reason, it handles BF2 fine at 1280x768 widescreen mode at medium settings ~40fps average, dunno why Doom3 is craping out, it shows its limits with the FEAR demo though). If I do not build this rig within the next two months, I will probably not get another chance until summer of 2006.

What do you guys think?

Yeah diffently wait it out...at least till the holiday season when prices go down than see whats around at what price...invest in more money while your waiting too...

 

[makken]

Hey guys, after some thinking and looking around; I've decided to wait on this mainly due to two reasons: a) no immediate need, and b) not quite sure what I want anymore

I say no immediate need because my laptop should be good for a while, an X600 and a 60GB hd are no where near top of the line, but I can game on low settings for a year, and grab an external USB hard drive.

Originally posted by: Kyanzes
It seems that you know quite well your way around PCs and you only wait for a nudge from others. The only thing that you didn't take into consideration is the constant change in requirements and available hardware. It's always in transition You could wait until you get really old and still see an article on your start page about a new chipset becoming available. One could say that you should wait until the new socketed mobos and cpus become available from both AMD and Intel which is about half a year. I bet that a few months after they appear a new socket technology will be announced to come in a year

Yeah, I admit i'm a little insecure on this, but $1500 isn't exactly pocket change to me; I'll rather run it through and think it out before ending up with buyers remorse

I know what you're saying about hardware always in transistion, but never to this level. I mean, a bumped up CPU only requires a quick swap, or at worst a new mobo, but the transistion from 32 bit to 64 bit and from single cores to mulit cores cause implications in both hardware and software. And since Netburst is on its last legs; part of me definately wants to see Intel's true offering before I jump in. (I don't think AMD has anything big planned in 2006 do they?)

Im not sure if you can make sure of what I said there, but my lunch break is almost up, so I'll probably expand more on it if it's not clear later;

One last thing, after looking around, I was really starting to like shuttle's systems; and SFF's in general. Would all normal PC hardware, minus the motherboard fit in those systems, and is cooling a big problem with them?