Integrated components vs. Performance?

[Guest]

HI, I'm looking to build a new system and one thing that nags me that a lot of sites don't mention is how having integrated components (like integrated ethernet, sound) will impact gaming performance. Especially with good integrated chipsets like the Sis735 and the nForce coming out, I would like to know if I should save money and stick with the integrated stuff or if it's worth the money to buy a seperate ethernet card and Sound Blaster card for added performance. Anybody heard anything?

-Victor Hsieh

 

[zengeos]

Where performance is most affected on integrated chipsets/boards is with graphics performance. In theory, integrated ethernet and sound could actually improve performance if it didn't take PCI bandwidth.

Integrated sound likely would only adversely effect performance inso far as sound *quality* goes.

Mark-

When all else fails, throw your computer out the window!!!

 

[njeske]

First off, having integrated components will always have an adverse effect on performance. However, with the availabilty of 1GHz and faster processors, most computers can handle intergrated audio with no noticable performance difference. Integrated video, for now, is always a bad idea when talking about a gaming system. The nForce, supposedly fixes that.

I may be a Doubting Thomas, but I won't trust the nForce until it comes out and can be more acurately tested. As for the SiS735, most of the motherboard manufacturers that use that chipset are not at all known for either stability or performance. Therefore, while the video might not hurt performance much, the performance is sub-par to begin with. Another issue with integrated video is that it shares your system memory. This means that if you have 128MB of system memory and you want to have a decent ammount of video memory (32MB or more), you will only be left with a maximum of 96MB of system memory. Not only that, but your system memory will always be slower than memory integrated onto a video card, and a GPU will always run faster than your chipset/cpu trying to do video along with everything else it has to worry about.

So... I would go with a motherboard that has an integrated Creative audio chip (none of that AC'97 crap). Integrated video on any platform available as of this moment will have a huge negative impact on gaming. A decent, cheap gaming video card is the GeForce2 MX400. It won't give you quite the performace of a GeForce2 GTS or Pro, but it will get the job done on almost any game available.

As for integrated NIC, a PCI network card can be found for as little as $15 so that isn't an issue at all.

I apologize for the length of this post, but I figured I would give you as much information as I have. All of the information here is correct to my knowledge. If someone wants to correct something I have said and substantiate it with fact, then go ahead. I am open to correction and constructive criticism.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies, that helps me out. I guess I'll wait for some nForce reviews to decide. Oh and I forgot to mention that of course I intend to get at least a Geforce2 MX400 card on it. I was just looking to save some money on the integrated ethernet and audio because its not really that important to me in my games. Thanks everyone

-Victor Hsieh