AMD Opteron

[Xpyrofuryx]

Firstly, this is my first post here at Tomshardware

Ok, now. I have a rig i built myself (well, actually i built it for someone else, but then they backed out and im stuck with it...) since its not up to par with what i want for my pc i am upgrading parts of it. And i figured id ask here if what i am planning to go with is a good idea.

Heres the specs of it as of right now:

AMD Athlon 64 4000+
1GB 266mhz DDR RAM
A-bit KN8 SLI mobo
160GB Western DIgital SATA (and a 280GB WD 3gb/s i added a week ago)
a nVidia 7300 LE
500watt power supply


So after looking at it, i already upgraded the hard drive. and i think the RAM, CPU, and GPU are next. heres what i am planning on getting:

CPU: AMD Opteron 165 (i am going to OC) --$159
RAM: add another 1GB 400mhz G.Skill stick --$86
GPU: a XFX nVidia 7900GS with these specs: $199

Card: XFX nVidia 7900GS
Core Clock: 600mhz
memory clock: 1600mhz
pipelines: 20
RAMDAC: 400mhz
memory: 256mb
bit: 256-bit


So, what do you think?

 

[BaronMatrix]

Firstly, this is my first post here at Tomshardware

Ok, now. I have a rig i built myself (well, actually i built it for someone else, but then they backed out and im stuck with it...) since its not up to par with what i want for my pc i am upgrading parts of it. And i figured id ask here if what i am planning to go with is a good idea.

Heres the specs of it as of right now:

AMD Athlon 64 4000+
1GB 266mhz DDR RAM
A-bit KN8 SLI mobo
160GB Western DIgital SATA (and a 280GB WD 3gb/s i added a week ago)
a nVidia 7300 LE
500watt power supply


So after looking at it, i already upgraded the hard drive. and i think the RAM, CPU, and GPU are next. heres what i am planning on getting:

CPU: AMD Opteron 165 (i am going to OC) --$159
RAM: add another 1GB 400mhz G.Skill stick --$86
GPU: a XFX nVidia 7900GS with these specs: $199

Card: XFX nVidia 7900GS
Core Clock: 600mhz
memory clock: 1600mhz
pipelines: 20
RAMDAC: 400mhz
memory: 256mb
bit: 256-bit


So, what do you think?

Sounds good but if you put 400MHz RAM in it will run at 266MHz. Is that your price limit? I'd actually wait and save up a little more. See what happens when Vista releases. There should be bunches of fire-sales.

 

[Xpyrofuryx]

ah, i did not know that about the RAM, thank you. and also i dont have a set price range, but id like to keep it like this:

CPU: under $200
RAM: under $100
GPU: under $200

oh, and also i am getting a cheapy sound card and NIC

they are both $10 each. if you know of any cheap ones please tell.

Oh, and also i need a CPU cooler, my price range is about $30 i guess. I could even fork out more if you know of a good deal on a water cooling system. Although i have absolutely no experience with water cooling so prefereably one thats easy to setup.

And thank you very much for your help

 

[BaronMatrix]

ah, i did not know that about the RAM, thank you. and also i dont have a set price range, but id like to keep it like this:

CPU: under $200
RAM: under $100
GPU: under $200

oh, and also i am getting a cheapy sound card and NIC

they are both $10 each. if you know of any cheap ones please tell.

Oh, and also i need a CPU cooler, my price range is about $30 i guess. I could even fork out more if you know of a good deal on a water cooling system. Although i have absolutely no experience with water cooling so prefereably one thats easy to setup.

And thank you very much for your help

OK. That limits your choices somewhat but it depends on what you use the PC for. If you want to play FEAR, you're not going to get a good experience with that GPU, but Q4, D3, SplinterCell, NFS, and others will play fine (I play them with a 7800GT @ 1280).


Check out Newegg. I know there are a few sound cards and NICs up there cheap. Water cooling isn't hard. It's designed to clamp on like a heatsink. I haven't really looked but I know there are some out there but they are more expensive than HSFs. I believe Newegg carries one or two.

 

[Xpyrofuryx]

why wouldnt that GPU run it? thats really good specs. even better than the 7900GT's

But anyway, yeah i checked out newegg for NICs and sound card and found some.

Would anyone suggest a specific water cooling kit? preferably around $100

 

[sirheck]

keep the amd 4000 and get different ram.

then later (a little later) get a dualcore cpu.
the 4000 will work just fine for now.

 

[sirheck]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102022

this would be a better gpu than the 79gs for the price that is.

 

[BaronMatrix]

why wouldnt that GPU run it? thats really good specs. even better than the 7900GT's

But anyway, yeah i checked out newegg for NICs and sound card and found some.

Would anyone suggest a specific water cooling kit? preferably around $100

I went up to Newegg. Just go to Heatsink and Fans. Water cooling is listed there.

FEAR is perhaps the second most demanding game out right now. If you turn down the settings you will be able to play but the idea is to be able to turn the settings up and still eb able to play.

You can check Toms' Graphics section for reviews on it. I think it's the TwitchGuru link at the top.

 

[Xpyrofuryx]

Sirheck, the Opteron 165 is a dual-core CPU. and that GPU has lower specs than the 7900GS i was looking at.

And i was looking at neweggs water cooling kits and all of them had bad reviews except for this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835192012

 

[sirheck]

Sirheck, the Opteron 165 is a dual-core CPU. and that GPU has lower specs than the 7900GS i was looking at.

And i was looking at neweggs water cooling kits and all of them had bad reviews except for this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835192012

the dualcore is the way to go but if you already have a 4000
i say keep it. but get a dualcore a little later.
you run the 4000 and run the opty 165 and the 4000 will kick the snot
out of the 165. about this time next year the opty will be better.

and the gpu i listed will kick the $hit out of the 79gs for the price.

 

[Xpyrofuryx]

I read the opteron 165 can fairly easily OC to meet the speed of the AMD X2 4800+

 

[BaronMatrix]

I read the opteron 165 can fairly easily OC to meet the speed of the AMD X2 4800+

You read right. With a little extra voltage and good cooling you can.

 

[sirheck]

yes the 165 is a good overclocker. you should beable to reach 2.2 or 2.4
and higher. it also depends on the rest of your sys.

and the opty,s should run cooler too.

 

[Xpyrofuryx]

Ok, so by the end of next week (ill have 3 more paychecks and a christmas bonus by then(i work 2 jobs)) this is what I am planning to have my system be after ordering new parts.


CPU- AMD Opteron 175 overclocked (i found a deal on Newegg i can afford)
RAM- 1GB @400mhz DDR G.Skill RAM
mobo- A-bit KN8 SLI
HD1- 280GB Western Digital 3gb/s
HD2- 160GB Western Digital 1.5gb/s
GPU- XFX nVidia GeForce 7900GS 256mb (or ATI x1900GT)
PSU- 500watt power supply
Cooling- Titan Water cooling kit and fans for case



So what do you think? and ill get some more 400mhz ram in the paycheck after those.

 

[Xpyrofuryx]

Ok, so far I have $349 in my account. So I was going to start ordering parts of it. I was thinking id order:

AMD Opteron 175 @2.2Ghz -----$179
Titan Water Cooler -----------$75
Cheap Sound Card ----$7
Cheap NIC -----------$10
Koolance liquid -------------$11


Total: $295


Also will the Opteron 175 be able to run better than the 165 when overclocked?

 

[ajfink]

Get rid of your current RAM and get at least 1 gig of DDR400. Grab an Opty 165 or 170 and OC it. The GPU you have picked out is okay if you don't want to spend more on an X1950 and it will run all current games fine.

The 175 you have picked out may not necessary OC any more than the lower clocked versions. Get it if you want and still OC it, you should be able to get good increases out of it.

 

[Xpyrofuryx]

Get rid of your current RAM and get at least 1 gig of DDR400. Grab an Opty 165 or 170 and OC it. The GPU you have picked out is okay if you don't want to spend more on an X1950 and it will run all current games fine.

The 175 you have picked out may not necessary OC any more than the lower clocked versions. Get it if you want and still OC it, you should be able to get good increases out of it.

Thank you, Yeah I found a opty 175 on newegg for $179. Oh and I just ordered everything that I posted... its all payed for now. but, yeah so the 175 was a good choice?

 

[ajfink]

Get rid of your current RAM and get at least 1 gig of DDR400. Grab an Opty 165 or 170 and OC it. The GPU you have picked out is okay if you don't want to spend more on an X1950 and it will run all current games fine.

The 175 you have picked out may not necessary OC any more than the lower clocked versions. Get it if you want and still OC it, you should be able to get good increases out of it.

Thank you, Yeah I found a opty 175 on newegg for $179. Oh and I just ordered everything that I posted... its all payed for now. but, yeah so the 175 was a good choice?

It's a good choice, but I wouldn't expect it to OC much / any higher than a 165 or 170.

 

[Xpyrofuryx]

And oh yeah I just checked my RAM im running now and its running at 166mhz... Hopefully Ill have enough money from my paycheck I get tommorow to buy that 1GB 400mhz G.Skill stick

 

[Xpyrofuryx]

Get rid of your current RAM and get at least 1 gig of DDR400. Grab an Opty 165 or 170 and OC it. The GPU you have picked out is okay if you don't want to spend more on an X1950 and it will run all current games fine.

The 175 you have picked out may not necessary OC any more than the lower clocked versions. Get it if you want and still OC it, you should be able to get good increases out of it.

Thank you, Yeah I found a opty 175 on newegg for $179. Oh and I just ordered everything that I posted... its all payed for now. but, yeah so the 175 was a good choice?

It's a good choice, but I wouldn't expect it to OC much / any higher than a 165 or 170.

Yeah, well in comparison to the price of the 165 it was only like $15 more.