Here's a retro question...

I'm looking to get a new system, but to be honest I can't be arsed paying for the latest and greatest kit.

Usually to get all the extras (decent case and PSU, monitor, speakers, printer, etc.) adds a few hundred to that already over-priced base unit setup.

So here's the plan, I'm going to go with a P4-C, 2.8GHz and I want to know what the top of the range kit (gfx, HDD, memory, mobo, etc) was at the time of the 2.8 being the top of the range CPU.

This should keep the worst of the prices down. I'd love one of the latest gfx cards, but I'm not paying £300 for one.

Given that I'm upgrading from PIII technology with 64MB Radeon, UDMA100 etc, I reckon I'll see a terrific performance improvement as it is.

So...any ideas folks?

<b><font color=blue>~ <A HREF="http://forums.btvillarin.com/index.php?act=ST&f=41&t=324&s=58e94ba84a16bedfebbf0f416d5bac48" target="_new">System Specs</A> ~<font color=blue></b>

I used to really like antec power supplies, they are really quiet. But I've had two fail on me. One was a True Power 380 (385?) watt psu, the other was the one that comes with the sonnata case.

The first doesn't work with anything that needs that much power, but still works with low power things, like my VIA C3 with a 120G hdd. The second died completely.

Just thought I'd share that.

<b><font color=red>"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."</font color=red><font color=blue> - Benjamin Franklin</font color=blue></b>

Enermax power supplies. You could go AMD on your new system and get a 32 bit XP ready 3200+ cpu and an ABIT or ASUS motherboard. much cheaper bu just as fast and faster for games.

If you want to save cash on a great graphics card get a ATI 9800 pro they are cheap now and 12MB or even cheaper if you can get your hands on one a Geforce Ti4200 @ 128MB true 8X AGP the ATI cards are 4x and 8x switchable and I dont like the card deciding if it's going to run without side band addressing or not all by themselves.

Use the 53.03_winxp2k_english_whql drivers package for the Ti4200 and you have full overclocking ability's for that card. The new driver packages are designed for the FX5200 and up and take away some of the cards control panel options.

Barton 3200+ 400MHz
A7N8X Deluxe
Air Cooled 45C
2x512 Corsair DDR 400 PC3200
GeForce FX5900
Two Maxtor 40Gig 8MB cach 7200rpm
SONY RW 52x/24x/52x
SONY DVD 16x/40x

The case version of the psu has a single fan instead of two, iirc. That could be a reason for that. Well, what can I say. Keep another PSU on standby? Replace this one when it fails?

Enjoy the case though. It is a good case. If you decide to replace the PSU now, don't get one that draws air from beneath. The Bigass fan on the back will be competing with the PSU intake fan for air creating low pressure around the CPU. The CPU temp will go up a few degrees. You can do some dyi cardboard airducting to solve that though. :-)



<b><font color=red>"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."</font color=red><font color=blue> - Benjamin Franklin</font color=blue></b>

Fortron Source has better power supplies than Antec, for less money.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

Stop drinking for a week, then, like me you should be able to afford wot u wont.

The LIVER is EVIL and must be punished.

Here's a retro answer.... 1955

...hey quit it...don't make me stop this car...

...?

So the hobby is spending all your money on the latest kit? Or is it in building/repairing/discovering about kit in general?

<b><font color=blue>~ <A HREF="http://forums.btvillarin.com/index.php?act=ST&f=41&t=324&s=58e94ba84a16bedfebbf0f416d5bac48" target="_new">System Specs</A> ~<font color=blue></b>