We're shopping today. XP/AGP to 64/PCIe - opinions

[HedgeHocker]

This is my XP/AGP to 64/PCIe upgrade bag so far.

I game online alot. Transcode and digitize video ...and Bitorrent alot.

Money IS an object BUT I wanted high end performance. I'll pay where I have to. I dont want to skim much if I can help it.

On OCing, I'd like to and am in hopes this nice Kingston RAM will carry me past 220 and keep tight timings.

My card I'll obviously (click the link wo see my shop-cart at Newegg) OC to at least X1900XTX.

I have other nice parts that will migrate easy.

I'd like some opinions before I buy.

Thank you.

My Shop-Bag:

 

[PCcashCow]

This is my XP/AGP to 64/PCIe upgrade bag so far.

I game online alot. Transcode and digitize video ...and Bitorrent alot.

Money IS an object BUT I wanted high end performance. I'll pay where I have to. I dont want to skim much if I can help it.

On OCing, I'd like to and am in hopes this nice Kingston RAM will carry me past 220 and keep tight timings.

My card I'll obviously (click the link wo see my shop-cart at Newegg) OC to at least X1900XTX.

I have other nice parts that will migrate easy.

I'd like some opinions before I buy.

Thank you.

My Shop-Bag:

Hate to see you go with out any replies, but help us help you. What is your budget? How much gaming and what games? Sometimes you'll find one of us playing the same games with ideas as to what works bests with those games.

 

[HedgeHocker]

PcCashCow,

No max budget really ..but I DO want to save money, not cut performance/quality corners, ...and not alot of gamble on what week of chip I'll get - just a good base speed with some 300Mhz+ potential on the processor (RAM considered). Essentialy if I am paying a coupel hundred or more I want to see noticeable performance gains.

SLI isnt worth the extra money right now.

This particular Kingston RAM may not overclock at all or, my tech knowledge apparent, it may lose those timing way fast when OCing. No reviews available.

I like my Battlefield 2, Battlefield 1942/mods, Oblivion. Maybe an online RPG game again soon and here are some nice ones if my schedule permits. I even play the Diablo 2 LOD still (have pity). There are others and most are new games. Whatever the mood is.

I do the Bitorrent and digitized video thing also. I'm a proud site founder in that community.

The 7900GTX is certainly nice and I like Nvidia but the Radeon X1900XT's are the better cards still, "imo", in both IQ and speed for high resolutions.

I'll add that Zalman cooler to my 1900xt. OC it to xtx. Done.

DFI do not offically support the Opteron but but but ..they do work fine with no real complaints anywhere. Opterons are beign phased out of general retail availability right now. Whats out there is rumored the last so i am going Opteron. Dual core seems like a good move now whereas in earlier months a poor choice to game apparently.

DFI worries me only with parts compatibility and I havent found a link yet that will show me if I'll have an agrivating time with compatibility and have to RMA a good board over it. I plan to call them and tell them what I have before I buy.

So.. I game in the popular new games. I game often! This is my toy here... girlfriends a close second.

DivX, XviD transcode.
constantly download torrents.
I want to save money where I can. I do not want to worry too much on the week FAB or CABE stepping of the processor. I think the unlucky can still get 300Mhz easy.

I may go watercooling.. a whole new thread there.

 

[shadowduck]

This is my XP/AGP to 64/PCIe upgrade bag so far.

I game online alot. Transcode and digitize video ...and Bitorrent alot.

Money IS an object BUT I wanted high end performance. I'll pay where I have to. I dont want to skim much if I can help it.

On OCing, I'd like to and am in hopes this nice Kingston RAM will carry me past 220 and keep tight timings.

My card I'll obviously (click the link wo see my shop-cart at Newegg) OC to at least X1900XTX.

I have other nice parts that will migrate easy.

I'd like some opinions before I buy.

Thank you.

My Shop-Bag:

Overall, not bad. You will really like the 1900XT.

However, DFI does not recommend Kingston RAM for overclocking on their boards. AMD does not really like it much either. Use Corsair, OCZ, or G.Skill isntead.

 

[HedgeHocker]

shadowduck,

That RAM was in stock for 2 whole days and its gone now anyway....

No reviews, not much advice and days and days of tech info to catch up on (maybe I could thens ell RAM part time...)

Well crap.

Since I'm buying today I don't have much choice but to go with the mushkin eXtreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 500 (PC 4000) Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail

I put this on a few sites... 2 days really isnt enough time to have people view it and get advice really.

Oh well, fark it... I'm told the timings dont matter now anyway. I had no idea how well those Kingston HyperX would OC. May not have reached even a stable 230.