Need help deciding

[Bebo]

Falcon NW Fragbox 2
Mortherboard - Intel D925XB~ PCIE/Socket T
Power Supply - 520 Watt
Pentium4 560 3.6 GHz - Prescott
Corsair 1 GB DDR2
Nvidia GeForce 6800 Ultra 256MB - PCIE
Hard Drive - 80GB 7200 RPM

Basically, it's time for an upgrade and I am thinking of buying this PC. I use my PC for gaming and gaming only. I do consider myself a hardcore gamer. What I would like to know is the following:

Should I get more ram?
Should I get a faster HD, 10000 RPM?
Should I get the P4 3.4 EE? Is it worth it vs the P4 3.6?

Also I would like to know are there any new processors coming out like very soon that I should wait for? I hate buying something new and then it is outdated one month later!

Well, thank you to anybody who helps me out. It is greatly apperciated!

 

[endyen]

The PCI-express graphics card by nvidia uses an agp to express bridge. This makes it a little slower.
That prescott puts out far too much heat to be a good choice, esp. on the socket T config.

 

[Mr5oh]

Should I get more ram?

1 gig should be more than plenty.

Should I get a faster HD, 10000 RPM?

In my opinion, yes you should get the 10000 RPM harddrive.


My Desktop: <A HREF="http://Mr5oh.tripod.com/pc.html" target="_new">http://Mr5oh.tripod.com/pc.html</A>
Overclocking Results: <A HREF="http://Mr5oh.tripod.com/pc2.html" target="_new">http://Mr5oh.tripod.com/pc2.html</A>

 

[Cybercraig]

That thing will be so fast you won't know what to do with yourself.


Abit IS7 - 2.8C @ 3.4 - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!

 

[endyen]

In Doom3 it should be almost as good as an A64-3000+ system with an agp 6800. The big plus is that it's only 50% more money. Who cares that it couldn't come near the A64- 3400+

 

[scottchen]

Gaming then socket775 would be a horrible way to go. If you don't like overclocking, go with a socket939 3500+ A64, you'll get FAR better performance, for much lower price, and you only need cheap ddr1 ram with comparatively cheaper AGP solution VGA cards.

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[Cybercraig]

We know that and he knows that too. There is NO game that rig won't play just fine. Who knows, maybe his middle name is Prescott. {smile]


Abit IS7 - 2.8C @ 3.4 - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!

 

[pickxx]

You must have money to burn. That must be nice, stupid college steals all my money and time.
Anyway...
You can get a cheaper processor thats faster (A64)and cheaper ram thats just as fast(DDR).
for the same money you could almost buy a A64 3800+, which would be way above the P4 for gaming.

 

[Bebo]

Thank you all for the opinions, and yes I do have money to burn. I've had my last pc for basically 3 years now. My last pc is p4 1.8 ghz 512 mb and a Geforece3ti500. I saved up and I am rdy to purchase the best. I'll look in to AMD. Seems that is the best way to go. I want the best of the best, so it can last me for another 3 years.

 

[Kanavit]

looks good to me, you will have the best of technologies. PCIe, DDR2, Intel(r) matrix storage, Intel(r) azalia 8-channel sound. Plus new LGA 775 pinless socket is dual core ready.

------
Prescott 3.2E 1MB L2 HT
1GB PC 3200 Dual channel(PAT)
Asus P4P800 Bios 1016
PNY Geforce 6800 GT 256MB DDR3
60,823 Aquamarks

 

[pickxx]

Well if you were wondering about the p4EE that means you have some SERIOUS cash. If that is the case then get the A64 FX-53. There is nothing Intel has thats even close. Put that into a Socket 939 board with 1GB of fast RAM, a RAID-0 setup of 2nd gen Raptors (the 74GB ones) and to cap it all a 6800 Ultra. You will be golden. This will be a gaming rig that you will be able to have for years.

 

[Bebo]

Is it true if you overclock the P4 3.4EE, it will then run faster than the A64 FX-53?

 

[pickxx]

Ghz wise, it already runs faster.
I think it would take one hell of an overclock to beat a fx53.
I haven't seen anything reviewed that shows the P4EE beat a A64 3500+...and the FX53 is considerably faster and is easily overclockable, and best of all about 250 cheeper then the p4EE.

 

[phial]

looks good to me, you will have the best of technologies. PCIe, DDR2, Intel(r) matrix storage, Intel(r) azalia 8-channel sound. Plus new LGA 775 pinless socket is dual core ready

your such a brand name whore, you even put the trademarks after Intel lmao!

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[scottchen]

No phial he's not a brand name whore!! LISTEN TO ME HE IS A,


Limped dick Intel loving pussy!


Memorize that phrase!!

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[P4Man]

A few general comments, aside from the A64/P4 discussion; having lots of money is great, spending it also helps the economy, but frankly, it makes no sense. A setup costing roughly 2/3 or half of your budget will play any current game without any problems, no matter how 'hardcore' you are. Spending less means you can upgrade faster, and you end up having a much better rig on average over time. Buying the highest end, just doesn't pay off. Its much better to buy midrange/highend and upgrade more frequently.

That said, while 1 gig should be enough, 1.5 wouldn't hurt. Some games are beginning to max out 1 gig, if you like having lots of backgrounds open at the same time as well, and you're spending money like water anyway, I'd go further on this. Go for 1.5 Gb if you're buying so high end.

Same with the harddisk.. You're spending roughly what, $700 on the cpu alone ? A cpu that is *at most* 12% faster than one that costs ~half as much (in reality, it will be more like 2-3% faster for games). Buying a small, relatively slow harddisk makes little or no sense then. I'd much rather get a 3.4E (or A64) with a fast raptor raid setup for the same money.

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my wife. =

 

[phial]

exactly


Hard drives are a *MAJOR* bottleneck.. in my computer (and i have only an Athlonxp) my hard drive is by FARRR the slowest thing, and the only slow downs i experience are from that

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