Upgrade Advice

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Quite possible I'm gonna be upgrading soon. This is the sort of thing
I'm gonna be going for:

http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/config.asp?ConfigSystemId=10136

I'm going to build an entirely new machine aside from:

Monitors
Mouse + Keyboard
Sound Card

I'm spending between 600-1000 to build this thing and I want it to be
the best it can be, preferrably PCI Express with two very good graphics
cards in it.

Suggestions please

--
www.stri.tk
 
G

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Stri wrote:
> Quite possible I'm gonna be upgrading soon. This is the sort of thing
> I'm gonna be going for:
>
> http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/config.asp?ConfigSystemId=10136
>
> I'm going to build an entirely new machine aside from:
>
> Monitors
> Mouse + Keyboard
> Sound Card
>
> I'm spending between 600-1000 to build this thing and I want it to be
> the best it can be, preferrably PCI Express with two very good graphics
> cards in it.
>
> Suggestions please
>

Your chosen specs for chosen budget should be fine. You could always
save a few bucks by not getting the floppy drive though (USB pen drives
are a lot more useful these days, and NForce 4 chipsets do not require a
driver disk to support SATA in the Windows XP installation, hence the
floppy is not necessary there. If you decide to use RAID drives though,
you'll need it.

Also, you don't already have a copy of XP lying (or "lying") around?
 
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GFree proclaimed...

> Your chosen specs for chosen budget should be fine. You could always
> save a few bucks by not getting the floppy drive though (USB pen drives
> are a lot more useful these days, and NForce 4 chipsets do not require a
> driver disk to support SATA in the Windows XP installation, hence the
> floppy is not necessary there. If you decide to use RAID drives though,
> you'll need it.
>
> Also, you don't already have a copy of XP lying (or "lying") around?

I do, yeah.

--
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"Stri" <email.given@thepoint.youasknice> wrote in message
news:MPG.1d86d7a414611ea498addd@news-text.blueyonder.co.uk...
> Quite possible I'm gonna be upgrading soon. This is the sort of thing
> I'm gonna be going for:
>
> http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/config.asp?ConfigSystemId=10136
>
> I'm going to build an entirely new machine aside from:
>
> Monitors
> Mouse + Keyboard
> Sound Card
>
> I'm spending between 600-1000 to build this thing and I want it to be
> the best it can be, preferrably PCI Express with two very good graphics
> cards in it.

Can you cannibalise a floppy drive from an old machine? I have been using the
same one for 10 years :)

I notice if you get the Trust Power Plus keyboard, it costs you less than not
buying a keyboard. I guess it isn't very good :)

Have you checked out the motherboard? Komplett don't seem to provide any
specification for it, which would worry me.

I have an MSI board (nForce3), and it's been very good except for two minor
niggles. There is no gameport with the built-in soundcard, which I realise is
old hat with most devices being USB these days, but my expensive
joystick-throttle combo was rendered utterly useless as a result, and I had to
buy a new one (didn't notice the gameport was missing from the spec). Also, if
I want to use headphones I have to plug them into the same port as the speakers
at the back, which is a minor pain. My old sound card had separate ports.

--
Paul
 
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Stri wrote:
> Quite possible I'm gonna be upgrading soon. This is the sort of thing
> I'm gonna be going for:
>
> http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/config.asp?ConfigSystemId=10136
>
> I'm going to build an entirely new machine aside from:
>
> Monitors
> Mouse + Keyboard
> Sound Card
>
> I'm spending between 600-1000 to build this thing and I want it to be
> the best it can be, preferrably PCI Express with two very good graphics
> cards in it.
>
> Suggestions please

Well - I guess, you've seen what I intend to buy, albeit on a slightly
lower budget, but without a case and hard disks. And my recommendation
is, to hell with 2 graphics cards, buy a nice shiny TFT monitor instead.
SLI is just a waste of time IMHO, far too much useless graphics power.
Instead you could have a nice screen...

But if you want to stick with what you've got, the only suggestion is
that you throw in a DVD-reader as well as a writer, makes backing up
discs a lot easier, and its easy to forget how handy 2 optical drives
were until you go back to having none.

Anyway, you know my opinion for the same money, its posted just a little
further up, and I have since put my money where my mouth is...

Civilian_Target
 
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Paul Catley proclaimed...

> Can you cannibalise a floppy drive from an old machine? I have been using the
> same one for 10 years :)

Yeah. I was actually not going to put one in at all. The only reason I
could think to have one was for raid drivers which I wouldn't be
installing initially. Everything else can be done via, CD and USB.

> I notice if you get the Trust Power Plus keyboard, it costs you less than not
> buying a keyboard. I guess it isn't very good :)

Didn't notice that. Well might as well have another keyboard lying
around. Not that I need it quite as much as I used to in my keyboard
punching cs playing days!

> Have you checked out the motherboard? Komplett don't seem to provide any
> specification for it, which would worry me.

Yeah I have. It all sounds good. It's either that or a Gigabyte lan
board.

> I have an MSI board (nForce3), and it's been very good except for two minor
> niggles. There is no gameport with the built-in soundcard, which I realise is
> old hat with most devices being USB these days, but my expensive
> joystick-throttle combo was rendered utterly useless as a result, and I had to
> buy a new one (didn't notice the gameport was missing from the spec). Also, if
> I want to use headphones I have to plug them into the same port as the speakers
> at the back, which is a minor pain. My old sound card had separate ports.

I don't mind the sound. I can link it to the back, I have a small amp to
lead to speakers and headset. As for the joystick, I don't think I have
anything that doesn't run of USB now.

--
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Civilian_Target proclaimed...

> Anyway, you know my opinion for the same money, its posted just a little
> further up, and I have since put my money where my mouth is...

I've not yet. I'm in no hurry, the longer I wait and the more I read
then the better then PC will be in the long run.

--
www.stri.tk
 

rms

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> is, to hell with 2 graphics cards, buy a nice shiny TFT monitor instead.
> SLI is just a waste of time IMHO

Agree. Get a single 7800GT instead of two 6600gt.
Also, get a single 1gig dimm instead of 2x512, or get 2x1gig.
Also, get a 3800+ X2 instead of a normal a64.

rms
 
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rms proclaimed...

> Agree. Get a single 7800GT instead of two 6600gt.
> Also, get a single 1gig dimm instead of 2x512, or get 2x1gig.
> Also, get a 3800+ X2 instead of a normal a64.

Interesting.

So why the x2 instead of the 64bit?

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On 9/6/2005 10:10 AM Stri brightened our day with:

>rms proclaimed...
>
>
>
>> Agree. Get a single 7800GT instead of two 6600gt.
>> Also, get a single 1gig dimm instead of 2x512, or get 2x1gig.
>> Also, get a 3800+ X2 instead of a normal a64.
>>
>>
>
>Interesting.
>
>So why the x2 instead of the 64bit?
>
>
>
The X2 are 64 bit too, X2s are dual core.
They're "just better". and you "might as well, while you're at it"
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_9485_13041,00.html

In conversation with McGrandpa, who just got a X2 4800, they don't seem
to dazzle that much in games.

--
Dudley Moore: "You're a bleeding nutcase!" Peter Cook: "Hah! They said that about Galileo."
Moore: "They also said it about a lot of nutcases."

Steve ¤»Inglo«¤
www.inglostadt.com
 
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"Stri" <email.given@thepoint.youasknice> wrote in message
news:MPG.1d87ce94b4e46b0398addf@news-text.blueyonder.co.uk...
> Paul Catley proclaimed...
>
>> Can you cannibalise a floppy drive from an old machine? I have been
>> using the
>> same one for 10 years :)
>
> Yeah. I was actually not going to put one in at all. The only reason I
> could think to have one was for raid drivers which I wouldn't be
> installing initially. Everything else can be done via, CD and USB.

If you don't install the floppy permanently, then you may well need one to
flash the BIOS like I did just to get the board to recognize my dual core
chip and of course for the RAID/SATA drivers. Once they're IN you can
remove that drive. I did. Once XP is installed just snag stuff from the
net or off cd.
I think you will really enjoy the difference the A64 3500 makes :)
McG.

>
>> I notice if you get the Trust Power Plus keyboard, it costs you less than
>> not
>> buying a keyboard. I guess it isn't very good :)
>
> Didn't notice that. Well might as well have another keyboard lying
> around. Not that I need it quite as much as I used to in my keyboard
> punching cs playing days!
>
>> Have you checked out the motherboard? Komplett don't seem to provide any
>> specification for it, which would worry me.
>
> Yeah I have. It all sounds good. It's either that or a Gigabyte lan
> board.
>
>> I have an MSI board (nForce3), and it's been very good except for two
>> minor
>> niggles. There is no gameport with the built-in soundcard, which I
>> realise is
>> old hat with most devices being USB these days, but my expensive
>> joystick-throttle combo was rendered utterly useless as a result, and I
>> had to
>> buy a new one (didn't notice the gameport was missing from the spec).
>> Also, if
>> I want to use headphones I have to plug them into the same port as the
>> speakers
>> at the back, which is a minor pain. My old sound card had separate
>> ports.
>
> I don't mind the sound. I can link it to the back, I have a small amp to
> lead to speakers and headset. As for the joystick, I don't think I have
> anything that doesn't run of USB now.
>
> --
> www.stri.tk
 
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"Stri" <email.given@thepoint.youasknice> wrote in message
news:MPG.1d87dde6cde1957a98ade2@news-text.blueyonder.co.uk...
> rms proclaimed...
>
>> Agree. Get a single 7800GT instead of two 6600gt.
>> Also, get a single 1gig dimm instead of 2x512, or get 2x1gig.
>> Also, get a 3800+ X2 instead of a normal a64.
>
> Interesting.
>
> So why the x2 instead of the 64bit?
>
> --
> www.stri.tk

because it's 2 64 bit cores for about, wha, £50 diff? :)
McG.
 
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"Stri" <email.given@thepoint.youasknice> wrote in message
news:MPG.1d87feae733427f798ade3@news-text.blueyonder.co.uk...
> LymanAlpha proclaimed...
>
>> The X2 are 64 bit too, X2s are dual core.
>> They're "just better". and you "might as well, while you're at it"
>> http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_9485_13041,00.html
>>
>> In conversation with McGrandpa, who just got a X2 4800, they don't seem
>> to dazzle that much in games.
>
> Would that be a good reason not to buy one? :)
>
> --
> www.stri.tk

Inglo isn't impressed at all with the performance results I've posted about
Doom3, HL2 and 3DMark05. Perhaps I don't have optimal settings, CPU
driver, or motherboard chipset. I've installed what AMD says to from their
site, and do see some improvment. The mobo I have is a GA-K8NS Ultra 939
with F8 BIOS. It has the nForce3 Ultra chipset. I'm using just the IDE
ports, none of the SATA (for now).
I do see a *marked* improvment in 'desktop speed', as in how fast programs
open, do their work, etc. Paint Shop Pro 9 as example, when I do neg
scanning and/or image work, photo editing I usually have 3 instances of PSP9
running at the same time, with browser and images open in each. I'd
thought the P4 3.0E (prescott) with 2 gigs pc3200 was fast. Some of the
filters I apply to images after scanning could take a while to complete.
Sometimes as long as a minute if it's a big file...same file, same filter,
same video card, 2 gigs of ram and same XP Pro, the X2 rig completes that
filter on an 85 meg image in 6 to 7 seconds. Not nearly a minute. That
does impress me.
The X2 can also run Windows 64 bit, and will run Far Cry 64 and Riddick EFBB
64 bit. There is added content for both games, and the difference can not
be seen with that P4 and it is amazing. I wanna run Far Cry like that all
the time! But I'm not going for the Windows 64 cause it is NOT worth my
giving up one of my XP Pro licenses for. Not yet it isn't.
I'd still have to have XP Pro 32 bit installed just to be able to use my
peripherals, like printer, scanner and pen tablet. If I could get the
required 64 bit drivers for XP 64 then I'd have already done that swap out!
The A64 X2 4800+. Toledo core. Toms Hardware says that this chip is dual
FX53 cores, but 90nm process. It runs cooler than a single core 110nm FX53
and uses less current.
In x64, the X2 4800+ will run Far Cry 30% faster than Intels best dual core,
the 840EE. Check out the article on their AMD/Intel stress test:
http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20050714/index.html
Those results were the *final* factor in my deciding to get the X2 4800+
over an A64 3800+ or higher single core. I'd already wanted one real bad :)
One thing I particularly like about these new chips is that they run very
cool. The Toms article has a little more on overall efficiency of the CPU.
HIH!
McG.
 

shawk

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"Civilian_Target" <tadhgp@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:3o5bceF48cvhU1@individual.net...
> Stri wrote:
>> Quite possible I'm gonna be upgrading soon. This is the sort of thing I'm
>> gonna be going for:
>>
>> http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/config.asp?ConfigSystemId=10136
>>
>> I'm going to build an entirely new machine aside from:
>>
>> Monitors
>> Mouse + Keyboard
>> Sound Card
>>
>> I'm spending between 600-1000 to build this thing and I want it to be the
>> best it can be, preferrably PCI Express with two very good graphics cards
>> in it.
>>
>> Suggestions please
>
> Well - I guess, you've seen what I intend to buy, albeit on a slightly
> lower budget, but without a case and hard disks. And my recommendation is,
> to hell with 2 graphics cards, buy a nice shiny TFT monitor instead. SLI
> is just a waste of time IMHO, far too much useless graphics power. Instead
> you could have a nice screen...
>
> But if you want to stick with what you've got, the only suggestion is that
> you throw in a DVD-reader as well as a writer, makes backing up discs a
> lot easier, and its easy to forget how handy 2 optical drives were until
> you go back to having none.
>
> Anyway, you know my opinion for the same money, its posted just a little
> further up, and I have since put my money where my mouth is...
>
> Civilian_Target

In the same vein as Civ, how does two 6600GT's stack up against the new
7800GTX OC? There's a BFG in the 'this week only' at overclockers.co.uk for
£380 including VAT (but not post - that'd be around another £9). Have a
look at the following link about SLI - if you've already done your homework
then soz - you're way ahead of me... I'll be looking closer at it next
year.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2284&p=18
 
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"Shawk" <shawk@clara.co.uk.3guesses> wrote in message
news:1126050866.57885.0@doris.uk.clara.net...
>
> "Civilian_Target" <tadhgp@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
> news:3o5bceF48cvhU1@individual.net...
>> Stri wrote:
>>> Quite possible I'm gonna be upgrading soon. This is the sort of thing
>>> I'm gonna be going for:
>>>
>>> http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/config.asp?ConfigSystemId=10136
>>>
>>> I'm going to build an entirely new machine aside from:
>>>
>>> Monitors
>>> Mouse + Keyboard
>>> Sound Card
>>>
>>> I'm spending between 600-1000 to build this thing and I want it to be
>>> the best it can be, preferrably PCI Express with two very good graphics
>>> cards in it.
>>>
>>> Suggestions please
>>
>> Well - I guess, you've seen what I intend to buy, albeit on a slightly
>> lower budget, but without a case and hard disks. And my recommendation
>> is, to hell with 2 graphics cards, buy a nice shiny TFT monitor instead.
>> SLI is just a waste of time IMHO, far too much useless graphics power.
>> Instead you could have a nice screen...
>>
>> But if you want to stick with what you've got, the only suggestion is
>> that you throw in a DVD-reader as well as a writer, makes backing up
>> discs a lot easier, and its easy to forget how handy 2 optical drives
>> were until you go back to having none.
>>
>> Anyway, you know my opinion for the same money, its posted just a little
>> further up, and I have since put my money where my mouth is...
>>
>> Civilian_Target
>
> In the same vein as Civ, how does two 6600GT's stack up against the new
> 7800GTX OC? There's a BFG in the 'this week only' at overclockers.co.uk
> for £380 including VAT (but not post - that'd be around another £9). Have
> a look at the following link about SLI - if you've already done your
> homework then soz - you're way ahead of me... I'll be looking closer at
> it next year.
>
> http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2284&p=18
>
>
>
I've read somewhere that one 7800GTX is a little faster than two 6800 Ultras
in SLI. I wouldn't mind seeing comparative benches at Anandtech and Toms
Hardware.
McG.
 
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McGrandpa proclaimed...

> If you don't install the floppy permanently, then you may well need one to
> flash the BIOS like I did just to get the board to recognize my dual core
> chip and of course for the RAID/SATA drivers. Once they're IN you can
> remove that drive. I did. Once XP is installed just snag stuff from the
> net or off cd.
> I think you will really enjoy the difference the A64 3500 makes :)
> McG.

Well I suppose this calls for more reading.

--
www.stri.tk
 
G

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McGrandpa proclaimed...

> because it's 2 64 bit cores for about, wha, £50 diff? :)

Well if it's dual core doesn't that raise the question; which games
support dual core?

--
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G

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McGrandpa proclaimed...

> http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20050714/index.html

Thanks

> Those results were the *final* factor in my deciding to get the X2 4800+
> over an A64 3800+ or higher single core. I'd already wanted one real bad :)
> One thing I particularly like about these new chips is that they run very
> cool. The Toms article has a little more on overall efficiency of the CPU.

Interesting.

> HIH!

Huh?

Cheers

--
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G

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"Stri" <email.given@thepoint.youasknice> wrote in message
news:MPG.1d8888b017d7469e98ade7@news-text.blueyonder.co.uk...
> McGrandpa proclaimed...
>
>> because it's 2 64 bit cores for about, wha, £50 diff? :)
>
> Well if it's dual core doesn't that raise the question; which games
> support dual core?
>
> --
> www.stri.tk

At the moment, there is very little I think that actively supports dual
core. however, it does show up in the Device Manager as 2 cpu's, so XP uses
them. Along with 64 bit processing WHEN that can be used, it's powerful.
McG.
 
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McGrandpa proclaimed...

> At the moment, there is very little I think that actively supports dual
> core. however, it does show up in the Device Manager as 2 cpu's, so XP uses
> them. Along with 64 bit processing WHEN that can be used, it's powerful.
> McG.

Cheers McG

--
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Go to http://www.mysuperpc.com/. This site tells you step by step what
to buy, why you should buy 6 months late, and gives great,
understandable reviews of equipment. Have build several machines based
on his stuff and they handle everything I put at them. He is possessed
with waiting to purchase products that have hit the "sweet spot"(just
off cutting edge, lowered prices and proved they still work well).

Stri wrote:

> Quite possible I'm gonna be upgrading soon. This is the sort of thing
> I'm gonna be going for:
>
> http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/config.asp?ConfigSystemId=10136
>
> I'm going to build an entirely new machine aside from:
>
> Monitors
> Mouse + Keyboard
> Sound Card
>
> I'm spending between 600-1000 to build this thing and I want it to be
> the best it can be, preferrably PCI Express with two very good graphics
> cards in it.
>
> Suggestions please
>
 
G

Guest

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Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

Go to http://www.mysuperpc.com/. This site tells you step by step what
to buy, why you should buy 6 months late, and gives great,
understandable reviews of equipment. Have build several machines based
on his stuff and they handle everything I put at them. He is possessed
with waiting to purchase products that have hit the "sweet spot"(just
off cutting edge, lowered prices and proved they still work well).

Stri wrote:

> Quite possible I'm gonna be upgrading soon. This is the sort of thing
> I'm gonna be going for:
>
> http://www.komplett.co.uk/k/config.asp?ConfigSystemId=10136
>
> I'm going to build an entirely new machine aside from:
>
> Monitors
> Mouse + Keyboard
> Sound Card
>
> I'm spending between 600-1000 to build this thing and I want it to be
> the best it can be, preferrably PCI Express with two very good graphics
> cards in it.
>
> Suggestions please
>
 
G

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Tom Frederick proclaimed...

> Go to http://www.mysuperpc.com/. This site tells you step by step what
> to buy, why you should buy 6 months late, and gives great,
> understandable reviews of equipment. Have build several machines based
> on his stuff and they handle everything I put at them. He is possessed
> with waiting to purchase products that have hit the "sweet spot"(just
> off cutting edge, lowered prices and proved they still work well).

Interesting approach. I don't know if it would be useful to me, I don't
get the chance to upgrade very often.

The barman keeps stealing my dolla.

--
www.stri.tk