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Thinking of new system..

G

Gamerguy68

Member
I am considering building a new gaming system and am looking for any opinions. Money is not an issue (within reason..lol)

1 - P4 or XP
2 - mobo (brand, model) DDR or RDRAM if P4
3 - video (brand, model, 64 or 128)
4 - amount of RAM


Any other suggestions are welcomed. I will not be overclocking. Strictly stock, and mostly for FPS, sports, flight sims, and internet.

Just considering my options 😕
 
1.intel 2.4b for 192.00 if you dont need the latest and greatest.
2.Asus P4T533-C rdram uses the 16 bit rdram that must be installed in pairs 166.00 also can use 1066 rdram
3.ati 9700 pro can't beat it but you can get a ti4200 or radeon 8500 for better bang for the buck.
4.512 don't skimp here imho

ddr is fast and with the granite bay coming you may want to go ddr ram(rdram isn't dead)

i like my epox 4g4a+ ymmv

hth
mike

 
Overclocking system:
Spec out the cheapest Dell you can off their website that comes with a P4 1.8A chip
Pull the CPU, and any other parts from the Dell you're happy with and sell the rest.
Wait a week or to and buy a Granite Bay motherboard
Get 2x256MB PC3000C2 or PC3200C2 Corsair XMS RAM
If you decide to get your own HDD, go with a WD Caviar 'SE' 8MB drive
Get a Radeon 9700 or 9700 Pro
If recent reports from various OC forums are the rule rather than the exception, then this should yield you a system running 3-3.5GHz with enough memory bandwidth to make you wet your pants 😉

Non-OC system:
P4 2.4B or 2.53B
Wait a week or two and get a Granite Bay motherboard
Get 2x256MB of PC2700 RAM
Get a WD Caviar 'SE' 8MB drive
Get a Lite-on CD-RW
Get a Radeon 9700 or 9700 Pro
 
Hehe Crazy, why would you buy a Dell, strip it and then sell what you don't want?
You could just buy the parts you do want now and not go through the trouble of selling other stuff off.
I don't see you getting such a great deal by buying the Dell. Please explain 😕

I would look for one of the P4 2.0Ghz cpus with the c1 stepping and overclock it like some people are doing now (over 3Ghz even).
 
Originally posted by: Mavrick007
Hehe Crazy, why would you buy a Dell, strip it and then sell what you don't want?
You could just buy the parts you do want now and not go through the trouble of selling other stuff off.
I don't see you getting such a great deal by buying the Dell. Please explain 😕

I would look for one of the P4 2.0Ghz cpus with the c1 stepping and overclock it like some people are doing now (over 3Ghz even).
Click to expand...

hehe, I recommended a Dell because it seems to be about the only way to get a guaranteed C1 stepping 😀 Btw, those guys who got C1 stepping 2.0As, got 'em out of Dell systems 😉
 
Originally posted by: CrazySaint

If recent reports from various OC forums are the rule rather than the exception, then this should yield you a system running 3-3.5GHz with enough memory bandwidth to make you wet your pants 😉



😀

I haven't laughed so hard since watching Dumb & Dumber!

To be quite honest, i have never overclocked and don't have the faintest idea on how to. I worry about damage to the components. Shortened cpu and mobo life span being a few worries.
Click to expand...
 
Intel Pentium 4 2.53GHz
Asus P4P3
Leadtek GeForce 4 Ti4600
512 Corsiar XMS PC2700
Western Digital 8MB Buffer 120GB

Some time next year........

AMD 2800+
NForce 2 Mobo....
Corsiar XMS PC2700 X2
Try waiting for NV30 or R350

 
Originally posted by: Gamerguy68
Originally posted by: CrazySaint

If recent reports from various OC forums are the rule rather than the exception, then this should yield you a system running 3-3.5GHz with enough memory bandwidth to make you wet your pants 😉
Click to expand...



😀

I haven't laughed so hard since watching Dumb & Dumber!

To be quite honest, i have never overclocked and don't have the faintest idea on how to. I worry about damage to the components. Shortened cpu and mobo life span being a few worries.
Click to expand...

Believe me, overclocking P4 Northwood chips is ridiculously easy! A base overclock is literally as easy as changing one setting in the BIOS! As for shortening your CPU and mobo lifespan, about the worst that will happen as long as you go easy on the voltage is that your CPU and mobo will only last 5 years instead of 10 😉 Of course, you can always get a fast P4 system now then OC it later when you feel more comfortable with OC'ing and/or need the extra speed.
 

Originally posted by: CrazySaint


Believe me, overclocking P4 Northwood chips is ridiculously easy! A base overclock is literally as easy as changing one setting in the BIOS! As for shortening your CPU and mobo lifespan, about the worst that will happen as long as you go easy on the voltage is that your CPU and mobo will only last 5 years instead of 10 😉 Of course, you can always get a fast P4 system now then OC it later when you feel more comfortable with OC'ing and/or need the extra speed.
Click to expand...



So nothing has to be done on the cpu itself? I used to hear about having to "unlock" Duron's by penciling in the L1 or L2??
What mobo would be the best to go with? Is RDRAM the best solution or DDR?
 
Originally posted by: Gamerguy68
Originally posted by: CrazySaint


Believe me, overclocking P4 Northwood chips is ridiculously easy! A base overclock is literally as easy as changing one setting in the BIOS! As for shortening your CPU and mobo lifespan, about the worst that will happen as long as you go easy on the voltage is that your CPU and mobo will only last 5 years instead of 10 😉 Of course, you can always get a fast P4 system now then OC it later when you feel more comfortable with OC'ing and/or need the extra speed.
Click to expand...



So nothing has to be done on the cpu itself? I used to hear about having to "unlock" Duron's by penciling in the L1 or L2??
What mobo would be the best to go with? Is RDRAM the best solution or DDR?
Click to expand...

There's no way to unlock P4s, using a pencil or otherwise, so no messing with the CPU except to install it 🙂

I'm very happy with my P4B533-V, but I would recommend you wait for Granite Bay motherboards. With Granite Bay, DDR will provide more memory bandwidth than RDRAM, and will also OC better.
 
I did some reading up on GB and sure looks promising. I'll take your advice and wait 🙂
Most benchmarks that I come across put the P4 ahead of the XP, so it looks like my cpu choice is done.
 
Originally posted by: CrazySaint
Originally posted by: Mavrick007
Hehe Crazy, why would you buy a Dell, strip it and then sell what you don't want?
You could just buy the parts you do want now and not go through the trouble of selling other stuff off.
I don't see you getting such a great deal by buying the Dell. Please explain 😕

I would look for one of the P4 2.0Ghz cpus with the c1 stepping and overclock it like some people are doing now (over 3Ghz even).
Click to expand...

hehe, I recommended a Dell because it seems to be about the only way to get a guaranteed C1 stepping 😀 Btw, those guys who got C1 stepping 2.0As, got 'em out of Dell systems 😉
Click to expand...

True, they have been getting the c1's from Dell, but soon I'm sure that the new stepping will be the norm and the price will be lower too. Also, I don't think they're still making new 1.8 cpu's are they? I wouldn't expect them to make a 1.8 with a c1 stepping (all I've heard is the 2.0 lately).
 
Originally posted by: Mavrick007
Originally posted by: CrazySaint
Originally posted by: Mavrick007
Hehe Crazy, why would you buy a Dell, strip it and then sell what you don't want?
You could just buy the parts you do want now and not go through the trouble of selling other stuff off.
I don't see you getting such a great deal by buying the Dell. Please explain 😕

I would look for one of the P4 2.0Ghz cpus with the c1 stepping and overclock it like some people are doing now (over 3Ghz even).
Click to expand...

hehe, I recommended a Dell because it seems to be about the only way to get a guaranteed C1 stepping 😀 Btw, those guys who got C1 stepping 2.0As, got 'em out of Dell systems 😉
Click to expand...

True, they have been getting the c1's from Dell, but soon I'm sure that the new stepping will be the norm and the price will be lower too. Also, I don't think they're still making new 1.8 cpu's are they? I wouldn't expect them to make a 1.8 with a c1 stepping (all I've heard is the 2.0 lately).
Click to expand...

They are definitely still making 1.8As, I believe they will be discontinued in January, though. They're already making them with C1 steppings.

neoro said:

Does Granite Bay support
Dual DDR PC 2700
or does it just support Dual PC 2100
Click to expand...

It will "officially" only support PC2100, we don't know yet whether it will have any mem ratios. But really, since dual channel PC2100 will theoretically provide the P4 with all the bandwidth it can handle, I don't see the advantage of mem ratios, at most, a very small ratio would be all that's needed.
 
The only recommendation I can make it to get a SONY BURNER. Same performance as the Liteon but less noise! They cost about the same too.
 
Originally posted by: Gamerguy68
I am considering building a new gaming system and am looking for any opinions. Money is not an issue (within reason..lol)

1 - P4 or XP
2 - mobo (brand, model) DDR or RDRAM if P4
3 - video (brand, model, 64 or 128)
4 - amount of RAM


Any other suggestions are welcomed. I will not be overclocking. Strictly stock, and mostly for FPS, sports, flight sims, and internet.

Just considering my options 😕
Click to expand...


1 - AMD XP 2700+ (Easy to OC to 2800~3000 speeds with stock fan)
2 - ASUS mobo... The upcoming A7N8X is top dog.
3 - $125~175 = GF4 Ti4200 w/64mb (The others are a little faster) or $325~375 the ATI 9700Pro
4 - two sticks of RAM (DDR 333)
5 - Sb Audigy2 ($100~130) - includes 2 games. helps overall performance over an onboard audio chip.

If you look on Anandtech's 3.0ghz CPU, you'll find that they are neck and neck and that the AMD chip does very well in games like UT2003 over a P4 CPU that is 800mhz faster. below is the link.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpu/showdoc.html?i=1746&p=14

And you won't have to worry about upgrading to the next P4 mobo in 2-3 months etc etc.


get an antec or in-win J523 chassis or for the $$$ a LianLi or the one reviewed on this site (on home page - I have my take on that case in the forum room of that article).

 
1) Athlon XP 2700+ $359 plus shipping
2) A7V8X $134 with DDR PC2700 CL2
3) Radeon (or AIW) 9700 pro $~330 plus shipping (or ~$500 if you want to capture/edit video or watch TV)
4) 512meg Corsair CMX512-2700C2 $189 plus shipping

If money is no object, I would use an array of 4-8 Maxtor or Seagate (only the new ones) drives using raid 5. The controller would be a 3Ware Escalade 7850 and use a DLT backup device also. I also like Plextor burners, the best in the business. DVD burners are cool, but the standards are still not set.

Note : If you are doing CAD work or video editing, get 2 512 meg modules. You didn't mention any of those though, so 512 should do it.
 
I no longer have faith in Tape Back ups (other than un attended servers, and thats a maybe)...

Why bother with a tape drive... even $1200 gets you a 40gb~60gb TBU which won't cover a 120gb drive.

Best LOW COST and fastest backup system I've used.

FIREWIRE HDs.!

$70 - 3.5" HD firewire case (CompUSA , or elseware)
$150~200 = 120gb 7200 RPM drive.

If needed:

$50 for Firewire card (some mobos have them built in)
$70 for Norton System Works 2003 with GHOST (now works with Windows & file ghosting)

Backup rate with firewire drive : 416mb per minute. Typical fast TBUs are about 30mb per min thru SCSI.

 
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