Critique my new Athlon64 $850 build :) Suggestions welcome!

[cgcaver]

I had a pretty strict budget of about $800 to work with. I have a P4 system right now (first intel sys i've ever built) that has just never run quite right imo, so I was gonna try another AMD system I use my computer mainly for games (DAOC, BF2, WoW, DoD:S)

Take a look at what I've put together and lemme know if anything stands out as "bad" or could be improved upon (while still within budget). Oh yeh, and I haven't decided if I'll be OC'ing anything. Thanks for any input!



Video = MSI RX800PRO-TD256E Radeon X800PRO 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card

Motherboard = MSI K8N Neo4-F Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 ATX AMD Motherboard - OEM

CPU = AMD Athlon 64 3800+ Venice 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor Model

HDD = [2x] Western Digital Caviar SE WD800JD 80GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM (Plan on doing RAID 0)

RAM = [2x] CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model VS1GBKIT400 - Retail

PSU = TTGI Super-Flower PS-TT-550SS-4fans Extremely Silent 550W Power Supply w/ 4 LED Fans

(I'll be using my current SB Live! Value sound card, 3com PCI NIC, mouse, keyboard, CDRW, and monitor)

Price tag (w/ case) = $854

 

[pickxx]

nope, nope, nope, nope, nope

For games you want a slower CPU and a better GPU.....bascially drop your cpu to a 3200+....save about $130 and put that money directly into your gpu fund....X800pro($191)+$130=320 which is a MUCH MUCH MUCH better card and that situation is way better for gaming.


NEXT



Get this Mobo
Why? because its cheaper and i like it more. The one you have listed is alright but this is better.



NEXT



HDD....WTF? for the price of RAID-0 for those two drives (about $120) you could get a 250GB SATA hard drive and still have about 15bucks left over...why do you need RAID-0? it will lower load times.....right? you serisouly would risk your data and for a smaller HDD for 5 seconds? NO


Now your gpu budget is X800pro($191)+$130+$15 saved from HDD=335



NEXT



RAM....NO! 2GB will give you a 5-10% boost in BF2 and FEAR...in all other games you will get nothing and in some you will actually LOOSE speed. get 1GB, save yourself 80bucks. if you apply that same $80 to your gpu you will get about a 20-35% increase in performance....so why spend it here?

GPU total....X800pro($191)+$130+$15+$80=$415



So what graphics card can you get for $410?
lets see...

how about a BFG7800GT for $369 shipped.....

What should we do with the extra $46? how about instead of a A64 3200+ you can now get a A64 3500+ for $201 shipped and you should have about $10 left over even after that upgrade.


***********WHAT YOU SHOULD GET*************
3500+
BFG 7800GT
Chaintech NF4
1GB corsair value ram
250GB HDD
Flower Power PSU...lol

*************WHAT NOT TO GETt******************

3800+ Venice
X800pro
MSI K8N
(x2)80GB SATA in raid-0
(x2)corsair value ram 1gb kit
Flower power



The one i built for you should do about 7000 in 3dmark05
the one you had would do about 5000
Mine is 40% better for gaming......and not even the same price...with $10 left.

 

[dhlucke]

He didn't show 2GB of memory.

 

[pickxx]

RAM = [2x] CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model VS1GBKIT400 - Retail

That to me reads two times the 1GB kit (of 512x2) 4 total sticks

considering he has that same notation for the two HDD's that he wanted for RAID-0 i assumed that's what he ment.

 

[cgcaver]

OK, first of all, thx for the input. I dont know you or anyone here at all, but I'll assume you know what you're talking about and take you up on that advice

However, wtf are you talking about "Flower Power" for PSU?

Wow... you sure about the only 1gb of RAM thing? I have 1gb right now, and I figured I could surely do better. Among other things, I play DAOC a whole lot, and with the gfx settings turned up (view distance, textures, reflective water, etc.), it can be a pretty taxing game. Would this affect your rec's at all? I really cant stand having ANY system lag in DAOC as often times it spells death.

And as far as the RAID goes... I don't have any important data on my comp at all... it's all stored on wife's comp. And there's no way in hell I'll ever fill up 80gb LOL


BTW, this is an upgrade for my current system (which Im giving to friend):

GeForce FX 5700 256mb
P4 2.8ghz 800
1gb generic pc2700
P4TSE-D2 Biostart mb
30gb 5400rpm WD PATA

 

[lordaardvark2]

okay, what am i missing? i went to the "buy this mobo" link, or whatever, and the fsb was stated as "800MHz Hyper Transport (1600MT/s)," whereas the processor that was recommended, the athlon 3500, has 1 ghz fsb. what am i missing? i was already concidering the very same 3500 for a build of my own, and would love that mobo, but is it compatible?

p.s., if its something very obvious that i'm missing, please don't tear me a new one. i'm young... fragile... innocent.... j/k.

 

[Rugger]

CASE/PSU: More than likely he's talking about the Super-Flower SF-201T case. It has no PSU, but is a great dela for that case. Throw in a Enermax 535W Whisper II model EG565P and that is a fine case/psu combo.

RAM: If you go with 2GB RAM, then go with 2x1GB sticks instead of 4x512MB sticks. Better performance. I know that WoW will use more than 1GB of RAM, but not sure about the other games. The slowdown inperformance you see when you turn on the eye candy in your current rig is due to the GPU - not the RAM.

GPU: The best option would be to step into the 7800 series. The eVGA 7800GT has been available for around $300-$330 recently. Check Benbargains.net and pricewatch.com for good deals. If your budget won't stretch to accomodate, then the 6800GS is a better option than the X800Pro. Lots of recent reviews on that video card so take a look around. 6800GT performance with great OC potential for as little as $200. Personally I'd go with the 3200+ and get the 7800GT. That CPU should easily OC to 3800+ performance level on stock cooling.


Aard: That CPU will work on the VNF4.

 

[pickxx]

PSU = TTGI Super-Flower PS-TT-550SS-4fans Extremely Silent 550W Power Supply w/ 4 LED Fans

That is the flower power PSU i was talking about....the one you listed...lol

Bascially you dont need RAID, and yuo dont need 2GB of RAM

With the money saved with ditching those two things you can upgrade your graphics card and some other things easily...

Get what i listed above for the same price as your original build and have fun gaming at crazy good settings.

 

[lordaardvark2]

Aard: That CPU will work on the VNF4.

you SUUUUUUUUUURE? POSSSSSSSSSSSSSITIVE? cause i sure would love it to, it kicks the hell outta my other mobo choice, but on newegg it doesn't say it supports the fsb.

 

[Rugger]

I'm sure. An AMD A64 CPU will work on a Chaintech VNF4 mobo - no doubt.

 

[lordaardvark2]

I'm sure. An AMD A64 CPU will work on a Chaintech VNF4 mobo - no doubt.

aight, just checking, because when i pop in this mobo and my processor, and it doesn't boot, i'm going to totally freak out, and i just want to make sure i got all the easy problem-causers taken care of.

 

[Rugger]

Just relax when you're doing the install. Before you even start breaking the parts out of packages you need to read the following items: FAQs from the CPU, Mobo, PSU, HDD and memory forums AND your motherboard manual. Know the process before you start assembling.

 

[lordaardvark2]

Just relax when you're doing the install. Before you even start breaking the parts out of packages you need to read the following items: FAQs from the CPU, Mobo, PSU, HDD and memory forums AND your motherboard manual. Know the process before you start assembling.

okay....thanks.... i'll do dat.

 

[pickxx]

Also, give yourself some time to do everything....plan on the build plus install of windows to take about 4hours. If you are in too much of a rush to get it built you will make stupid mistakes.

 

[Rugger]

+4 hours for installing software....actually just plan to do it over an entire weekend. If you get done early, then you've got extra time for wahtever else you want to do...

 

[lordaardvark2]

man, i feel bad.... throwing off the subject so far.... but one more thing. i've got this old case, right? its got a bad, low power psu. what do i need to do, wehn removing it, to prevent electrocution? 'cause i'd rather not die while building my cpu. that would be a bad way to go. i've heard you have to like unplug it for a month or something to drain the power...is that true?

 

[Rugger]

Whoever told you that needs to get off the crack pipe! :roll:

As long as you don't open the PSU iteslf you shouldn't get shocked. Turn off the computer, remove the power cord, unplug all of the cables from the components, unscrew the PSU retaining screws (usually 3-4) and pull out the PSU. Reverse that order for installation.

 

[lordaardvark2]

Whoever told you that needs to get off the crack pipe! :roll:

As long as you don't open the PSU iteslf you shouldn't get shocked. Turn off the computer, remove the power cord, unplug all of the cables from the components, unscrew the PSU retaining screws (usually 3-4) and pull out the PSU. Reverse that order for installation.

lol. i'll pass that message on. that easy, huh? sweet. thank you so much. how many builds have you done? you seem very wise and all-knowing.

 

[Rugger]

Sarcastic and fullofshit is a better description, but I've done more builds than I care to count.

 

[lordaardvark2]

not that it means anything coming from a noob like me, but you sound real cool! whats your current system?

 

[pickxx]

n00b, please go home and eat a bullet...
Thanx

 

[dhlucke]

Don't mess with capacitors. Besides that you should be fine. Just don't lick the wallsocket.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

What the hell is with this attitute of flaming all the newbs? Perhaps you're forgetting you're not in the Other? :?

 

[pickxx]

not that it means anything coming from a noob like me, but you sound real cool!

Thats why.....

It makes baby jesus cry. I will help them if they have something i can help them with.....but what requires me to be helpful and nice?

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Um, common decency?