To keep or sell?

[fiveiron]

Right now now my current system is:
P4 3.0E
Abit ic7 max3
Ultra pc4000 2X512(3-4-4-8)
western digital 200gb cavier sata 7200 rpm
nvidia 5700le
480watt mutant mod psu
LG 16x dvdrw.

I use my computer for everything: running my own home studio(cubase sx) playing games(doom3, warcraft, etc) watching and encoding video, editing video and pictures, general browsing. So ive got about $1200 CND and ive been wanting to get a second computer for using just my recording stuff. my question is what is the better option. get one kick ass machine, or 2 good machines. I know some new stuff is coming out.. and is in the process of being refined right now so i would probably wait 2 months. I for sure dont need sli as the games are mostly played by my younger brother. so im looking at the machine mentioned above plus something that looks like this:

athlon 64 3200+
939 board nforce3-250 most likely
200 gb sata drive
radeon 9600
1 gb of probably crucial ballistix pc3200
decent psu and case.
dvdrw drive.

or i can sell this system i have for 1200$ cnd to a friend. and get something like this.

Athlon 64 4000+ or fx-55
Nforce4 motherboard: in a few months when they are more refinded and there is a better selection.
2 x1gb of crucial ballistix or high end corsair
nvidia ultra 6800gt or ati x800xt
2 or 3 200GB sata2 hard drives for raid(also hoping this technology more widely available) or 2 74gb raptors.
dvdrw drive
a really good case and psu.

I already ahve a really nice 19inch lg crt that i love so that wouldnt need and changing.

opinions?

 

[o1die]

I would keep your p4 system, and modify your second system to stay within your original budget. You don't need 2 gigs of memory for running your programs. 1 gig is plenty. Also, why not go with the 3200 and overclock it? No need for a top end cpu, when most lower speed cpus will overclock with a decent board and memory.

 

[peteroy]

Your current system is about the same as the AMD system, you won't even feel the difference if you get that new system you mentioned compared to your current system, it will be a terrible waste of money to change your system so soon.

A 6800 GT/Ultra video card will make much more of a difference in your situation.

Or just wait a year or more and use the money to buy a new system then.

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[Cybercraig]

I can't stand not having a back-up PC. Build a nice socket 754 A64 for a back-up PC and then wait and see what develops down the road a piece. You can always sell one or the other and jump into the latest platform.

Abit IS7 - 3.0C @ 3.6ghz - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - Yellowtail Merlot

 

[silverpig]

I would do a hybridization. Keep your old computer, but take some of the good parts out of it for the new one, and then buy some new parts and some old ones.

eg:

System 1:

P4 3.0E
Abit ic7 max3
512x1 DDR or maybe 2x256 (buy new valueram stuff to keep it cheap)
Cheap 7200 rpm seagate 80 gig drive (or 120... bang for buck is idea here)
nvidia 5700 le
Cheap DVD rom drive

Then use your money to buy:

A64 3500+
whatever mobo tickles your fancy
2x512 ram (from old computer)
wd 200 gb caviar sata (from old computer, maybe get one more if you have the $$$)
74 gb raptor (new)
Good case, decent psu (maybe swap for the old one again?)
DVDRW from old system
Whatever video card you have money left over for.

s signature has been formatted to fit your scr

 

[silverpig]

Soltek mobos are top notch and cheap. Their support is great. I love mine and will be buying more from them in the future.

s signature has been formatted to fit your scr

 

[Starfishy]

I use the MSI K8N Neo2 plat... I think it's great, but I am somewhat biased... the reviews I have seen have put it pretty high up on the pecking order though.

 

[endyen]

or i can sell this system i have for 1200$ cnd to a friend. and get something like this.

Why not sell the scotty, and get 2 like the one you were going to get for $1200?

 

[fishmahn]

I like the idea of getting a 2nd machine - that way you can encode and game at the same time.

Something like an A64 3200+, socket 939, 1gig RAM, hmmm... just looked, and pretty much what you wrote. Except for 1 thing. Better video card. 9600 isn't a slouch, but a 6600GT or 9800PRO (about 200USD, probably 250-275CDN - and 6600gt is better, probably by up to $30 or so difference in price - if that made sense) will be much faster, and for a game like Doom3, and probably most newer games, faster than a 9600 would be good. I have a 9600xt and I thought doom3 got kindof slow at some points (I only had the demo - wasn't worth it to me to incur the expense), and the 9600 is slower than my xt.

Hmm, maybe a raptor drive would be good too, and nix the 200gig for the machine you won't be working on if you want - or put the 2nd 200gig in your p4.

Mike.