$2000 system... need help

Here it goes:

Asus P4P800 Deluxe $128
Intel Pentium 4 2.6c Retail $174
Corsair XMS 1GB(512x2) DDR PC4000 Pro $357
Sapphire Radeon 9800 Pro OEM $302
Maxtor 160GB SATA 8MB HDD $132
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum $162
Lite On Black 52x32x52 CD-RW Drive OEM $38
LITE-ON BLACK 16X DVD ROM Drive OEM $32
Antec Sonata w/ True Power 380w $96

Total: $1421 (Newegg.com)

You can easily overclock this system to 3.2GHz by increasing the FSB to 250MHz. Note also that I have not included a monitor.

Just wait until Intel brings out the new GUN for a CPU that way you will have $4000.00 Bucks stashed and you can read the benchmarks for both the AMD 64 and the Intel CPU.
I would find it unlikely that Intel will only release the New CPU that not only beats the new AMD 64's but that weeks after that they will surprise the public with an even faster CPU.........Intel has more then just 1 gun up its sleeve they proly have more then 1 version of the new CPU in the works.

I am an AMD fan but when you talk about the big boys in the play ground you need to think correctly and Intel is going to release some serious stuff.

My current system is surprising me in so many ways just now that I cant think about another home P.C to upgrade to. My 3200+ is ripping frame rates out of some of my older games. I cant see the new Hyper Threading running some of them it is to advanced for some of my 2 year old games but I am having a real ball replaying some old favourites with every graphics detail set to high and all the games set to the hardest levels I am going to be a while finishing all those off again.

Barton 3200+ 400MHz
A7N8X Deluxe
Liquid
2x512 KinstonHyperX PC3200
GeForce FX5900
Maxtor DiamondMaxPlus9@80Gig
SONY CD 52x
SONY RW 52x/24x/52x
SONY DVD 16x/40x

You can do more than set every detail to high, turn on FSAA and Anisotropic filtering under your Geforce settings in the display properties, though I don't know how old games you're playing, (Keen probably doesn't support Aniso  )

Is 2^33634943-1 prime? (more than 10Mil digits @61.18%) I will know in 2 weeks when <A HREF="http://www.mersenne.org" target="_new">Prime95</A> finishes checking!

You have old vid card? ATI will give you $50 for it. At ATI's web site 9800Pro will cost you $250.

Abit IS7 Mobo best bang for the buck.

Do you plan on OCing your Cpu? You do buy 2.6C OC it to 3.2.

Yea well when intel hits 20 gillahertz and amd is chugging along with 10 ghz.. but for some reason every other website on the entire earth is still showing that AMD is performing way better.. it'll make you wonder wtf is going on.

p4 2.8 533fsb
intel mobo
1gb rdram pc 800
radeon9800 pro
120gb seagate s-ata

Yes the graphics card is tweaked out the Yahoo and I also use registry edits such as adding Coolbits so I can control MORE direct 3D settings. Coolbits adds another option into the graphics card control panel.
The games I meant I had cranked up to the highest settings.

Barton 3200+ 400MHz
A7N8X Deluxe
Liquid
2x512 KinstonHyperX PC3200
GeForce FX5900
Maxtor DiamondMaxPlus9@80Gig
SONY CD 52x
SONY RW 52x/24x/52x
SONY DVD 16x/40x

If i choose to do the 2.6C @ 3.2 what kind of cooling do I need? and are there any links to show how to do this? i've never actually OCed before

If you go with something that supports SATA, and you have room to spare within your budget, I'd recommend throwing a Raptor series harddrive in there. They operate at 10k rpm, versus 7500 for most other drives, and they will really add some zip to your overall system experience.

The 36gb one is 120 and the 72gb one is 292 at newegg. They will make a big difference in overall system performance. I recommend if you need the space, get the 36gb for your main drive, and then a large 7500rpm drive for a secondary one for lots of storage.

<i>SCO is to Linux what a flea is to a dog.</i>

Go to OC Forum CPU's Check out scottchen's rig. He can help with 2.6C OC. His hit 3.5.

Get an Athlon64 3200+ based system.

With your budget, getting a DVD±RW drive won't be a problem. You can get LiteOn LWD-811S DVD±RW drive for only $150

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