What would you do...?

[RobertE]

As the subject line says, What would you do?

Microcenter has what I think is a decent "low end" machine for 199 after rebate. See here Link

Specs:

PowerSpec 1405
OS Linspire v.4.5
AMD® Sempron Processor 2200+ 1.5GHz
Motherboard Chipset VIA PM266 Chipset
RAM Installed / Max RAM Supported 128MB PC-2700 DDR RAM (Expandable to 2.0GB)
Memory Configuration (1) 128MB DIMM Memory Module
Memory Slots Available (1) Available 184-pin DIMM Slot
Hard Drive 40GB 7,200RPM Ultra ATA Hard Drive
Multimedia Drive 52x CD-ROM Drive
Video Card Integrated 4x AGP S3 Pro Savage 8 Video Chipset
Video Memory Installed Up to 8MB of Shared Memory
Sound Card Integrated AC97 SoundBlaster Compatible Audio Chipset

- or -
Celeron D 340 on a Matrix PM9MS board for 89.98, would need new ram

- or -
Sempron 2800 pm a Venom64 K8M8MS microATX board, would also need new ram

- or -

wait

What it would replace is a Celeron 600@900 on an Abit BX6 with 256 ram that has been running pretty much 24/7 since 2000 or 2001.

Its purpose in life would be: Email, web, extra storage & crunch.

Budget would be under $250 as I really shouldn't be spending a dime on toys.

 

[networkman]

I admit it - I voted for the food.

My own newest rigs are an AMD XP2500 and an Intel P4 2.66, and I'm not looking for any newer systems. Home re-modelling has gotten to be a higher priority for me, but food ranks right up there too.

 

[Wolfsraider]

If food is listed I would go that way.

But if I had to Choose a puter

The first thing you need to add is 19.95/yr. (for the basic subscription per year)
for the software updates iirc so keep that in mind if you keep linspire. (shows 4.5 and the newer version is 5.0 ) security updates are free though.

With the CNR Service you can install more than 2,000 FREE Linux software titles direct from the CNR Warehouse - all with just a single click

As far as which of them would crunch better...

info link

Comparing the 3300+ sempron here

The benchmarks show the semperons as faster in most benchmarks, but they tested the 2800+ and higher (remember that the celeron is a 2.9 so they did right, but the 2200+ might be slower unless you plan on overclocking.

Toms benchmarks seem backwards as usual to most of the main benchmarking sites.

as seen here the sempron is a viable choice in the 2800+ or better range.

Mwave has a few mobo combos as well

sempron 754 bundles

celeron 478 bundles including d 340

celeron d 340J 775 bundles



Realize I still think food is more important

Hope this helps

Mike

 

[GeoffS]

I'd join the Find-a-Drug team no matter what is chosen

 

[mrwizer]

Can we have an option of other?

 

[petrusbroder]

Hard decision - I have a sempron 2800 on a good mobo and it runs faster than a Celeron. So Celeron is out. The sempron 2200+ is much less than sempron 2800+. A better processor and mobo cost a bit more. So if I would want to have more bang for the buck, I would wait a month or three, and thats what I voted.

 

[emjem]

Well, for "Email, web, extra storage & crunch" the Semp 2200 is OK. And keep the BH6 crunching 24/7.

 

[RobertE]

The deed is done. I ended up going the Sempron 2800 route with 512 of PC3200 Cosair value select. Assuming all the rebates show up, about $165.

Bonic Benchmarks put it at: 1487 DP Mips, 2759 Int Mips. For comparison the Celeron 900 it replaced was 788/1376. My Althon XP is at 1459/2464

Have not messed with any tweaks yet, but not too bad for the $$$.

Its currently running all BONIC projets: SETI, LHC, Protein Predictor and Einstein.

 

[Wolfsraider]

Wow congrats and those are great marks too

Mike

 

[mrwizer]

A welcome addition to the projects.

 

[imported_Kensai]

I voted for food..

 

[mrwizer]

Originally posted by: Kensai
I voted for food..

Ahh, who needs that?