System Suggestions

[Rhodesee]

*I've posted this on guru3d.com as well as this site... just trying to get opinions from two crowds*

Well, the time has finally come for me to buy a good desktop PC... I can't continue using my laptop for stuff other than taking notes in class and the occasional *cough* gaming; not to mention the papers I write for class are rough on the keyboard (this is my justification for treating myself to a new computer). Anyway, I've put together (tentatively) a system that is within my price range. Also, I don't plan on OC'ing any of the components until they are fairly out of date. I'll list the links to the parts and then some questions I've had, but none of my research has given me any solid answers. If anybody has the time to respond, they will have my never-ending love... for a short amount of time, that is.

Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811119023

CD/DVD Drive (not too important) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827106013

Hard Drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148039

Motherboard - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131569

Power Supply - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103937

Processor - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103622

RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820144321

Video Card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814161171

1) With the AMD 3700+, how do the different cores stack up to each other? (San Diego vs. Clawhammer)

2) I've heard that two one-gig sticks of RAM outperform four half-gig sticks. To what extent (if at all) is this true?

3) How well does Antec's Smart-Power line stack up against their True-Power line?

4) I know it probably is, but will the PSU I've selected be sufficient for my system, overall? I've never been too learned in the area of PSU knowledge.

5) If anybody has a few other case recommendations, I would appreciate it. I'm looking for something that is functional (good cooling) but not all flashy (i.e. a million LED lights).

For the time being, I'll be using an old keyboard/mouse/monitor, so I left those out.

P.S. - I hope I don't come off as lazy by dumping a bunch of links in the forum and then asking for help. I've done research on each part, but sometimes it was hard to find much information.

P.S.S. - Thanks again for any help. <3

P.S.S.S. - If any of the questions I asked have either blatantly obvious answers, or have already been covered a bazillion times, please let me know in the rudest, most violent manner possible (please).

 

[Karamon]

2) I've heard that two one-gig sticks of RAM outperform four half-gig sticks. To what extent (if at all) is this true?

Why two sticks is better is because DDR memory is able to work in "dual channel" mode which means when two sticks are side by side in the correct slots they get greater bandwidth. This is why two is better than four. I'm not sure how big the increase is, but I know its big enough to just get two sticks when you can.

 

[shadowduck]

Things to consider:

1) Change the motherboard to the Asus A8N-E. It is only about $13 more and gains you the NF4 Ultra chipset which is superior to the NF4. Plus you gain SATA II (3.0gb/s)

2) For your system 3700+ is fine, if you can afford it though you might want to consider dual core. X2 3800+ ($300) or Opteron 165 ($327). The $27 more you spend on the 165 will gain you twice the cache, a cooler running CPU, and one hell of an overclocker.

3) For your system, Smartpower 500W is fine. Truepower II is more for SLI systems.

4) Get a matched pair. Like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145579
OR if you want to go with the 165 and O/C it:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145575

5) That's a good case, but I just love the Antec P180. GREAT case.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129154

6) If you are gaming, the Logitech G5 is awesome. You should really consider it. (Or the G7 if you want wireless)

 

[Rhodesee]

@ Karamon: I had known about dual channel RAM, but I had kinda stopped following computer technology for a bit (a little over a year), so I didn't know if they had managed to make some dual-channelx2 RAM configuration or something magical like that work. At the moment I'm gonna go with one 1-gig stick (buying another gig stick is no big deal if I feel like I need more). Thanks for the reply

@ Shadowduck: Jeebus, thank you for sending me that case link... I think I've fallen in love with it as well. Do you own one at the moment? I read a good review on it, and they said the cooling on it was superb. Also, I'm pretty much set on the 3700+ at the moment. I've flipped through a few benchmarks, and the performance increase (at the moment) doesn't seem to justify an extra $70-$90, though I'll try and wait to see what prices do when AM2 comes out. Thanks to you too for the reply

Any other suggestions?

 

[shadowduck]

@ Shadowduck: Jeebus, thank you for sending me that case link... I think I've fallen in love with it as well. Do you own one at the moment? I read a good review on it, and they said the cooling on it was superb. Also, I'm pretty much set on the 3700+ at the moment. I've flipped through a few benchmarks, and the performance increase (at the moment) doesn't seem to justify an extra $70-$90, though I'll try and wait to see what prices do when AM2 comes out. Thanks to you too for the reply

I have the P160, I wanted the 180 but i found a 160 with a PSU and extra FAN for ebay for $75. That was impossible to pass up.

 

[sandmannight]

you should get 2gb of ram and if you can only get 1gb then get 2 512 sticks

 

[Rhodesee]

Anybody have any information on the 3700+ cores, by any chance? I've only been able to find one benchmark comparing the Clawhammer to the San Diego.

*edit*

I've found the information I was looking for. Something about the Clawhammer being a 130nm, whereas the San Diego is a 90nm... I guess I'll have to read up on what all that entails. Thanks again guys!

 

[shadowduck]

Anybody have any information on the 3700+ cores, by any chance? I've only been able to find one benchmark comparing the Clawhammer to the San Diego.

*edit*

I've found the information I was looking for. Something about the Clawhammer being a 130nm, whereas the San Diego is a 90nm... I guess I'll have to read up on what all that entails. Thanks again guys!

Size of the core.. simple.. the smaller the core the faster the CPU that in theory perform because of less heat generated. Intel's Conroe CPUs are 65nm and that accounts for their rather impressive jump in performance.

 

[Rhodesee]

Aaah, I read up on that. Also says something about the San Diego having better memory management capabilities, or something like that.

 

[Sekeru]

You should definetly get the motherboard that shadowduck suggested.And i also have a case to recomend.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811146018
I think it looks really nice and it cools really well.

 

[Rhodesee]

@Sekeru: I've gone with the motherboard upgrade suggestion, but as to the case you recommended, I probably won't be able to do that. I actually like the way it looks as well, and the cooling seems to be pretty awesome too... Thing is, I'm moving into an on-campus apartment next semseter, and I don't know 2 out of 3 roommates... Call me paranoid, but I don't want to draw much attention to my case (which the case you recommended does, though in a good way). In other words, I'm probably going to stick with the P180 because it looks somewhat like a sorta-nice refrigerator, whereas the one you recommended looks like a very nice refrigerator. Either way though, if anybody steals my computer, there will be blood...

 

[Rhodesee]

I didn't feel like starting another thread for this, so I'm putting it in here.

Would anybody say that HiS video cards (the x1800xt in particular) that don't have the IceQII cooling are still worth the extra money? I'm just wondering because I could save myself a bit and buy from another company.