Help Me Build My New Computer!

ddv33 · Feb 6, 2002

Ok i am going to build a new computer and need a little help selecting parts.
Here's what im planning on getting:

1.4 Ghz AMD T-Bird 266 fsb
FIC AZ11ea mboard
256 mb pc133 sdram
Visiontek Geforce2 GTS 32mb
Sound Blaster Live 5.1
WD 40gb 7200 HD

Does this system sound good and stable?
I like to play games a lot and I have read about some freezing with similar systems. (maybe the sblive?)
The only parts I am willing to change are
Motherboard and Sound Card

Please let me know if you have any suggestions.
thanks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darbish Fish, Mmmmm Floppy!

Intel_inside · Feb 6, 2002

ug it's amd..

Oh well, if you are going to get that at least get an XP 1600 or 1700 and ddr ram and a board that supports it.

Hi I am from Canada, I don't use amd cause they melt my igloo eh.

Mnx4 · Feb 6, 2002

I back up intel_inside on the fact that you shouldn't kill performance by getting pc133 ram. That processor was made for going fast and should not be restricted because you got slow ram. I would go w/ pc2100 or even better 2400. Also, what are you going to be using this computer for? that will help us help you. Mnx4

Putting the laughter back in to Slaughter.

AMD_Man · Feb 6, 2002

Yeah, if you are getting a new system, you might as well get DDR.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the ULTIMATE PC processor

ddv33 · Feb 6, 2002

I would be using it mainly for games and music

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darbish Fish, Mmmmm Floppy!

Zlash · Feb 6, 2002

What OS?

...

Intel_inside · Feb 6, 2002

games will benefit from faster ram

Hi I am from Canada, I don't use amd cause they melt my igloo eh.

AMD_Man · Feb 6, 2002

games will benefit from faster ram

Actually, you're wrong, as the Athlon isn't as bandwidth sensitive as the P4. In fact my 1.33GHz Athlon and 256MB PC133 CL2 RAM runs as fast as an AMD760-mobo with PC2100 DDR RAM in all gaming programs. Games only benefit from faster RAM at 640*480 where the CPU/RAM/Chipset is the bottleneck.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the ULTIMATE PC processor

Guest · Feb 6, 2002

Ahhh, lol. Do you ever get tired of being wrong Intel_inside. Why dont you try being logical, instead of opinionated all the time. I guess its hard when you have fallen victim to the Brain washing technics of Intel, and MS.

Its ok. Your not the only one...

ddv33 · Feb 6, 2002

Ha you guys like to argue. Well anyway, im thinking of getting a Hercules Fortissimo II instead of the SBLive. I have been reading about conflicts between SBlive and VIA

Oh, and I'm using Win98 SE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darbish Fish, Mmmmm Floppy!

Matisaro · Feb 6, 2002

Actually, you're wrong, as the Athlon isn't as bandwidth sensitive as the P4. In fact my 1.33GHz Athlon and 256MB PC133 CL2 RAM runs as fast as an AMD760-mobo with PC2100 DDR RAM in all gaming programs. Games only benefit from faster RAM at 640*480 where the CPU/RAM/Chipset is the bottleneck.

Not true, the amd760 chipset shows 10% improvement in performance across the board, including gaming benchmarks, unless you make it so the videocard is the bottleneck on purpose.

"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!

texas_techie · Feb 6, 2002

DDR ram is better no matter what. At some point he will use this computer for something other than gaming. Then he will thank himself for going DDR. Besides Ram prices are still reasonable.
The SB live + via thing is a mystery to me. To be on the safe side, i would go with the hercules. Via's southbridge has issues IMO, in head to head benchmarks with other southbridges (ali, sis) the via sucked bad. There was bad latency, low transfer speeds, semi-regular hic-ups (brief pauses in transfers, which are bad for video capture and large file transfer). Take that for what its worth.
I am currently running a FIC AD-11 with the 761 reference design, no probs, no crashes, no freezes... EVER!
Good luck

Benchmarks are like sex, everybody loves doing it, everybody thinks they are good at it.

kusek · Feb 6, 2002

I would recommend an XP1600 and DDR since they will only cost slighty more(Well, DDR has gone up a lot recently so maybe more) but I see you are dead set on the T-Bird and PC133. Therefore, I will suggest "name" brand (not generic) PC133 and a Enermax PS (#365-350Watt-$55 or #465-430Watt-$80). Here is a link to some decent RAM that seems pretty reasonably priced. You will probably pay this much for crappy RAM anyway.
<A HREF="http://www.mushkin.com/cgi-bin/Mushkin.filereader?3c60eb7300998d1c2742c0a801020645+EN/products/990569" target="_new">mushkin PC150 $57</A>
Don't forget to get a decent HSF (Volcano6-cheapest -> Swiftech-best).

kusek · Feb 6, 2002

Sorry wrong link.
<A HREF="http://www.mushkin.com/cgi-bin/Mushkin.filereader?3c60f67f00ea01ec2742c0a801020616+EN/products/990595" target="_new">Mushkin PC133 rated 150</A>

Oracle · Feb 6, 2002

Try a motherboard with a 420-D nForce chipset (like the Asus A7N266-E) and sound would no longer be the source of conflicts, plus you'll benefit from the dual channel architecture of the memory interface with two identical DDR modules. Sure, the sound is not of the quality of an Audigy, but it is still pretty damn good for gaming. As for integrated graphics, you can switch that off and insert your GTS instead.

Floppy disk?!? What the heck's a floppy disk?!?

bikeman · Feb 6, 2002

Or maybe go for a nForce 415D-based mobo. Also available from Asus. Look <A HREF="http://www.asus.com.tw/mb/socketa/a7n266-c/overview.htm" target="_new">here</A> for the specs. I know the thing is available here in Belgium, in Europe, so it MUST be back there in the US. (Or any onther part of the world)
The nForce performs like .5% slower than the Via KT266A when having onboard video. The removal of that thing can only have a positive effect, and gives you better chances in overclocking.

FatBurger · Feb 6, 2002

The biggest problem isn't that the SB Live! conflicts with Via chipsets, it's that they conflict with every piece of hardware and software ever produced. In other words, it sucks.

I've also heard good things about the Fortissimo II. Haven't been able to try one out myself yet, but I love my Game Theater XP.

I'd recommend the Abit KT7a-RAID for a motherboard if you're going with SDRAM. If you switch to DDR, then that's a horse of a different color.

Quarter Pounder Inside

Matisaro · Feb 6, 2002

I'd recommend the Abit KT7a-RAID for a motherboard if you're going with SDRAM. If you switch to DDR, then that's a horse of a different color.

Yes, best sdram mobo there is IMO.

"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!

AMD_Man · Feb 6, 2002

Nope, I have it and it sux! Get an IWill KK266Plus, it's the best KT133A SDRAM mobo. My friend has one and it's a beauty. LHGPooBaa will definitely agree...

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the ULTIMATE PC processor

FatBurger · Feb 7, 2002

Yes, best socket a sdram mobo there is IMO.

BTW, Amd_Man, what don't you like about it? I've heard good things about that Iwill too.

Quarter Pounder Inside

Intel_inside · Feb 7, 2002

it was a good comment backed up by benchmarks

Hi I am from Canada, I don't use amd cause they melt my igloo eh.

ddv33 · Feb 7, 2002

OK heres my updated system specs:
AMD XP 1600+ 1.4Ghz 266 fsb
ECS K7S5A Mboard
256 mb pc133 sdram (may upgrade later)
Visiontek Geforce2 GTS 32mb
Hercules Fortissimo II sound card
WD 40gb 7200 HD

I have a few questions about this though:
*Can I disable the onboard sound on the card so I can use my on sound card?
*Will the ECS K7S5A Mboard take advantage of the AMD XP cpu? (I read something about older boards not using it correctly)
*Is the onboard NIC good or will I need to buy a separate network card?

BTW thanks for all the help!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darbish Fish, Mmmmm Floppy!

Matisaro · Feb 7, 2002

TRhe kt7a raid does not suck, do you have any proof the kk is better?

From what I recall back in the sdram board days, those two boards were neck and neck, and I would take abits overclocking features over any other companies ANY day.

"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!

Matisaro · Feb 7, 2002

*Can I disable the onboard sound on the card so I can use my on sound card?
*Will the ECS K7S5A Mboard take advantage of the AMD XP cpu? (I read something about older boards not using it correctly)
*Is the onboard NIC good or will I need to buy a separate network card?

Yes
Yes, ecs had quality control issues in the past, from what ive seen in forums of late, it has been cleared up, but if you get a doa board you will know it right away, dont bother trying to trouble shoot, rma immediatly.

A nic is a nic, the onboard one is better IMO, due to the fact that it frees up a pci slot and you save 10-20 bucks.
Nothing a home user does even begins to saturate the bandwidth of a 10/100 nic, so if the onboard nic is 5% slower than an add on card(made up number mind you) you would never stress the card enough to make it noticeable. So the onboard nic is fine.

"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!

FatBurger · Feb 7, 2002

Here, I fixed your post for you, Intel_Inside:

it was a stupid comment that wasn't backed up by benchmarks

ddv33, the K7S5A won't have any problem with Athlon XPs. It's a pretty new motherboard.

Quarter Pounder Inside

Help Me Build My New Computer!

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