HajimeNoIppo

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Hi,

I need advice, I will have 3,673.00 USD to spend on a machine in a couple of weeks, but dont know what Cpu route to go.

Whats specs should i look at for a Gaming machine that will last for a few years. I aslo want to play LINEAGE 2 on the high settings.
 

ytoledano

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That's a lot of cash! For gaming, the Radeon 9800 Pro is recommended, the XT is better but less bang for the buck. As for CPU, at that budget you can go with AMD's FX-51 which is 64-bit compliant and the 940 pin socket. The problem with the FX-51 is that not only the processor is expensive but also the motherboard the the PC3200 Registered RAM, but it should fit your budget.

Got a nice overclocked overvolted system to keep you warm at night? That's great. Guess I'll have to settle for a woman...
 

HajimeNoIppo

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Thanks For the info, I think i'll go down the AMD route with a Radeon 9800 Pro Card.


Feb 10 is when I get the money
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by hajimenoippo on 01/10/04 12:54 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
 

Kanavit

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I would get a P4 EE 3.20ghz 2mb 800fsb HT cpu. This cpu supports intel's netburst architecture and hyperthreading and is designed for power users and gamers in mind. Hyper accelerate your games now, and not wait until 64-bits to arrive, which could take 2 years. I am aware that the A64 FX-51 is faster in certain games such as UT2K3, and Serious sam, but not Quake III which the P4 EE is number one. 2mb of L3 cache can be used for other tasks as well such as Data compiling. The P4 EE is $1000, which is a great bargain since an equivalent Xeon MP 2mb(redesigned for socket 478) costs $4000! the difference is the P4 EE doesn't have MP support and has 800fsb. the P4 EE should last 2 years for good gaming such as Half life 2 and Doom3 which is rumored to support hyperthreading technology. When finally 64bit arrives, Intel will have a better chip than AMD. it's called Tejas and it will be multi-cored and have 1200mhz fsb.

<b><font color=red>Aquamark3 score: 26,467</b></font color=red> :smile:
<b><font color=blue>Intel P4 2ghz ATI Radeon 9500 pro</b></font color=blue>
 

Vapor

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Either of those systems are nice...but if you are willing to OC, get a 2.8C, Corsair PC4400 and a Prometeia CPU cooler (4.06GHz at 290MHz FSB...or at 3.0C at 4.125GHz and 275FSB--the 3.0's OC is easier to hit but will be slower). Oh yeah, an Asus P4C800-E Deluxe will probably be the best choice of motherboard for you.

If you don't want to OC, I'd go for an FX for a gaming machine and an EE for a multimedia machine.

Maxtor disgraces the six letters that make Matrox.
 

silverpig

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A64 3400+
1 GB DDR
R9800 Pro
74 GB WD raptor
2x 200 GB WD SATA drives
Plextor 8x DVD RW
19" LCD from dell (that fp2001 or whatever it's called with the 16 ms response time)

Some day I'll be rich and famous for inventing a device that allows you to stab people in the face over the internet.
 

Snaggle

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The presott is suppose to be out in feb and using the new ddr2 and pci express(the replacement for the agp slot)-I would wait for that;otherwise go with the fx 51 or amd athlon 64 3400+. I would use the asus 9800xp,which is the best built gpu right now and has great bundled software to lure peope into using an asus radeon.With your budget you should also get a pair of the larger western digital raptors and raid them 0 and add a ide HD as a boot and storage disk.I think the only real reason to go for the fx 51 is to take advantage of the ability to use more than two raptors.
 

pitsi

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Feb 10 is when I get the money
So if I get this right, you won't be buying anything before Feb 10. What's your current system specs?

My advice is that if possible, you should wait until Prescott and San Diego are released. Then you can choose among those two since your budget is not a problem. I strongly advice you to consider this, because if you buy something in February, it will become outdated in 1-2 months. AGP will be gone, SATA will be gone, current sockets will be gone, DDR will be gone (Intel), ATX will be gone (Intel). I think you get the point.

<b>blah:</b> <font color=red>Don't show your stupidity, whole world knows that Intel is a much better CPU for stable work.</font color=red>
 

HajimeNoIppo

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pitsi

I'll take your advice and wait, the games i want, wont be out untill the summer at least, thanks to everyone who has posted, I have alot to think about in the up coming months.
 

Johanthegnarler

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Quake 3 is lame. Play a real frag fest like UT2k3.
Or play a real mans FPS like Halo.
Hyperthreading is over rated.

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

gobeavers

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With that much money, as far as HD's go, 2 74 gb raptors in RAID 0, and maybe a pair of 250 gb 8 mb cache WD's in RAID 1. That would be about 1000 USD. With the other ~2500, get either prescott, tejas, or whatever AMD 64-bit processor is best and you are willing to wait for. I would like that setup... :)

Anxiously awaiting prescott....is it here yet?
 

Coop

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Do not buy the prescott ! This is an intel bias site, and many users of this forum advise you to go intel while AMD has the best offerings at the moment, and the Prescott is not gooing to change that ! (prescott runs very hot and is not gooing to be faster then the curent P4).
P4 3.2 GHz EE is a joke, AMD Athlon 3400+ eats it for lunch !
If i was you, i would be buying a Athlon 3400+(wich is the fastest in gaming together with the FX51 but that FX cost much much more !) ore wait until the socket 939 from AMD comes out 30 april, then you have dual channel 3700+ and you can easely upgrade !

But read some reviews man, but please dont read them @ this site ! they are Intel bias, read them somewhere else.
Realy i think i should warn you !
 

darko21

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Re: Do not buy the prescott !

Don't ya think you are slaging the prescott a little premature? Could be this thing will rock.

You don't know how prescotts going to perform so hold off on the fanboy stuff.

Oh and thg might have an intel bias but these forums have just as many amd fanboys as intel fanboys.

If I glanced at a spilt box of tooth picks on the floor, could I tell you how many are in the pile. Not a chance, But then again I don't have to buy my underware at Kmart.
 

speeduk

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LOL you guys make me laugh. Its not as simple as buy the AMD or buy the INTEL. Look around the net for reviews and its pretty clear. For gaming, the FX-51,3400 and the 3.2EE are top, but the EE is overpriced and doesn't quite match the FX in performance. For encoding and internet apps, the 3.2C and EE are excellent. Its all about what you will be using the pc for more than who is best in general.

Gaming = FX-51 or 3400 (or 3.2EE but its very expensive for performance).

Most other apps the 3.2C or EE are the choice here, with the 3.2 taking my vote because its so cheap now.

I myself am going the 3400 route because all I do is play games on my pc, and it will be equiv to about a 3.8ghz P4 or 3.4EE.



My system spec: Fast PC<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=7000747" target="_new"> 3D-2001 </A>
"It's not the spoon that bends, it's only yourself."
 

Frozen_Fallout

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If I was ya I would also keep one thing in mind the FX oced to 2.8Ghz. Now this thing is flying and I know you can fit it in your bugget unless you go all out on extras. But if I had the cash right now I woul be getting my self the OCed FX. You can always upgrade later and use the same Cooler for you new CPU and OC the hell out of it.

Frozen
Fallout
OUT

-------------------------------------------------
Remember what your fighting for, Remember why you even started fighting, and Remember who you are
 

Coop

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Don't ya think you are slaging the prescott a little premature? Could be this thing will rock.

You don't know how prescotts going to perform so hold off on the fanboy stuff.
I was just informing the person !
Prescott will very likely not perform well, sorry to dissapoint you...(not faster then curent P4)
This is the time of AMD64, they are simply the fastest on this moment, and still some persons advice p4 ore p4 EE.
This i can not allow, i know many people who think P4 is the fastest and buy a P4, if i explain to them THG is intel bias and P4 is not the fastest they are disapointed(by letting them read other reviews then THG) , so i think good information is importend, surtenly on a intel site/forum as THG.

Kanavit was telling Half life 2 will suport Hyper Treading.
This must be a joke, Hyper treading is very much over rated and slower`s the system in much cases !The only thing where it looks good is sysoft Sandra(intel payed a lot i gues).
64 bit is what gamedevelopers love ! 30% extra performence !! they are all chosing for 64 bit ! UT2004, Half life2, Far Cry !
http://www.amdzone.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=70898

Quake runs best on Intel says Kanavit, that`s maybe true, but all the other games run faster on AMD :eek:)
so i would say, let the baby have his cooky :)
 

Kanavit

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Ok Coop, you got me. i'm an Intel fan, and i am a believer in <i>mhz</i>. when i spend money, i expect value. when my computer boots , i love seeing 3.2ghz on the post screen, and not 2ghz (3200+). :smile: :tongue: i'm sorry but the brand new AMD A64 couldn't beat an 3 year old P4 architecture in the battle review. Plus, all Intel did was rebadge the xeon and it more than held its own against the A64.

LOL, half-life2 64-bit? i'm sorry but wasn't half-life 2 was suppose to be out last year? And it required DX9 also. I hate to see how long it takes before HL2 64-bits hit store shelves, i'm guess sometime 2010 maybe.

<b><font color=red>Aquamark3 score: 26,467</b></font color=red> :smile:
<b><font color=blue>Intel P4 2ghz ATI Radeon 9500 pro</b></font color=blue>
 

InkSpot

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Well Kanavit your are truly am product of Intels agressive "Mhz Matters" campaign, i laughed when i read your post at futuremark where you claimed that "Netburst" would improve your surfspeed and the other time when you told that you choose Intel because they have better maketing methods...

Other than that i don't really think prescott will be faster than the P4 clock for clock, especially not in games where raw memory latency tends to be the deciding factor. But sure the P4E will scale to higher speeds, because of the improved clock distribution.

But atleast you never offend anyone you just can't listen to other people with diffrent opinions :). Having a conversation with you about CPUs is like talkaing the fridge in the kitchen
 

darko21

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Re: Look around the net for reviews and its pretty clear. For gaming, the FX-51,3400 and the 3.2EE are top, but the EE is overpriced and doesn't quite match the FX in performance.

I agree but we don't know what intel has up its sleve with the prescott. maybe it will be a dud maybe it will rock, we won't know forsure untill we see it tested so lets not slag the prescott untill we know how it performs.

Personaly I can't see intel releasing a new chip that performs worse than the previous chip. Not that it can't happen just look at the p4 @ 1.3 but i'd be suprised if the prescott does not offer more performance.

If I glanced at a spilt box of tooth picks on the floor, could I tell you how many are in the pile. Not a chance, But then again I don't have to buy my underware at Kmart.
 

darko21

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Re: I was just informing the person !
Prescott will very likely not perform well, sorry to dissapoint you...(not faster then curent P4)

I'm not dissapointed. While I do think it's high time amd got the performance crown for a while I also think they gotta earn it fair and square maybe amd has it right now but prescott might change all that. Like I said one can guess how prescott will perform but untill then that's all it is a guess.

Lets wait for the test results before you knock it.

If I glanced at a spilt box of tooth picks on the floor, could I tell you how many are in the pile. Not a chance, But then again I don't have to buy my underware at Kmart.
 

pitsi

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i'm an Intel fan, and i am a believer in mhz. when i spend money, i expect value. when my computer boots , i love seeing 3.2ghz on the post screen, and not 2ghz (3200+). i'm sorry but the brand new AMD A64 couldn't beat an 3 year old P4 architecture in the battle review. Plus, all Intel did was rebadge the xeon and it more than held its own against the A64.
Whatever!

<b>blah:</b> <font color=red>Don't show your stupidity, whole world knows that Intel is a much better CPU for stable work.</font color=red>
 

pitsi

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I was just informing the person !
How can you inform someone without any information? Please show me all the info you used, in order to draw any conclusions about Prescott's performance. I am really interested in this! Btw, not any "The Inquirer" style articles, real reviews is what I am looking for!

<b>blah:</b> <font color=red>Don't show your stupidity, whole world knows that Intel is a much better CPU for stable work.</font color=red>
 

gobeavers

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I agree with just waiting for the test results. It is only 1 month away, so just wait! Plus, I would say not to buy a new computer right now, because new techs will be coming out soon (PCI express, DDR2, and I just forgot the queing HD's name)

Anxiously awaiting prescott....is it here yet?