YARMB Thread

[Bobthelost]

Main use will be as a gaming machine for my sister, well, if you count sims 2 as gaming (she'll be expanding into other games as well, but i doubt she'll ever make it to first person shooters). More graphics power would be nice, but she's coming from a laptop so what she's never had she won't miss.

It won't be overclocked, or if at all only by the teensyest little bit. It's going to have to last her at least 2 years more like 3 or 4 before it's replaced, i thought about going 939, but it's just not economical, and while the 805 is the same price as the 3400 754 i found it's slower for non SMP tasks.

1) If you can find cheaper alternatives then that's great, stick up a link if you could be so kind. Prices are from komplett.co.uk.

2) If you can see a better part/alternative for a similar price then please tell me.

A64 3400+ Newcastle (754) £105
http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=300494

MSI K8NGM 754 £47
http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=317050
(No idea what this motherboard is like)

1GB 3200 DDR £56
http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=309843

Club 3D 7600GT £137
http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=318805

Samsung SATA 250GB HD £65
http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=307913

Antec Sonata II + PSU £84
http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=311799

Samsung 19" LCD 913V £174
http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=308573

Mirco$oft XP home SP2 £60
http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=313486

Total = £728.

Thoughts?

 

[Bobthelost]

I take it by your silence that you think that it's a brilliant build with no flaws and no possibility for improvement?

(Or are you all doing something useful instead? )

 

[dBTelos]

Ok, just a few

RAM: OCZ Plat. 1GB RAM is about $20 more or so, with much better timings. Go for that.
Videocard: You have the right idea with a 7 series card, but go with eVGA, XFX, or BFG Tech.
Processor: You can up that to a FX if you want a little more life out of this computer, if not you have a good idea. But Newcastle is an old school core (not really, but you get the idea) anyway it has been replaced with the more powerful venice core, go w/ that.
Motherboard: MSI makes good boards.
HD: Link isn't opening for me for some reason, but a 12ms responce timing should be good, but no less.

 

[Ctrackstar126]

your killing yourself with the 754 for future upgrades. Next time you upgrade you will have to sell everything. If you get 939 you can up one part at a time. I already went through it.

 

[Bobthelost]

True, the 939 would mean that in 1/2 years she could upgrade the CPU to a dualcore one. But if i were to go for a 939 system the best i can find is a 2.0Ghz 3200 (?), which means instead of crippling it for future upgrades it's being crippled here and now. I'm wary of going 939 for future upgrades when i know there is a very good chance that i'll just end up ditching 939 for the followup to conroe or AM3 etc.

 

[Ctrackstar126]

overclock the 3200 past 3300. I got mine to a stable 2.5 but laid back to 2.4. Its an easy overclock. Believe me my 3200 does what it needs to do overclocked and even not. your getting no real diffeence between 3200 and 3400 but believe me it will cost you in the end

Also think of value of 754 system opposed to 939. Sure new sockets are coming out but do you think a year from now someone wants a system they cant put a dual core in when dual core will be more common?

 

[Bobthelost]

Overclocking is going to be moderate to say the least, it's not going to be my computer so if i overclock it at all it'll only be 200mhz or so. I doubt it'll get sold on, family of horders (We finally got rid of the old MacII a year and a bit ago). But i see your point, i'll check with her what she wants to do with it in the future.

 

[Ctrackstar126]

good idea. not bashing 754 just giving you a perspective

 

[Bobthelost]

Ta, final shameless bump before i head off to get some sleep.