Would you build a PIII system today?

[Ron_Jeremy]

My current "fun" system is:
Abit BF6
1200 Celeron (on a Powerleap adapter)
512MB SDRAM
TNT2/32

I just bought a GF3 Ti 200 & was looking to build a new system to go along with it. I can buy from a reputable internet shop a Asus TUSLC & Tualatin 1.2GHz/256k (retail boxed) cpu for $US250. I have loads of Micron CAS2 256MB DIMMS lying around doing nothing, plus compatible power supply's, etc.

I will mostly use this "new" machine for office apps & to play Counter-Strike (yes, very old engine). I will <b>not</b> be doing any memory intensive (e.g., video stuff) applications.

Sitting with my current rig & just swapping in the GF3 is not an option. Although I wish I could, I need the second PC. Building anything with a VIA chipset is <b>not</b> an option. Building a XP or P4 system would at the very least require me to add memory & case/power supply to the price tag.

So, what do you guys think?

Cheers,

Ron_Jeremy

I amd guilty intel proven innocent

 

[NurseMSIC]

I'd be asking myself how long the system will be used for, as buying a P3 now will mean the end of the line, and then buying a whole new load of upgrades in the future.
I very much like AMD sticking with the Socket A route, be it for technical reasons or not, as upgradability seems (relatively) superb. I just bought a brand new P4 1.6A because a) i can overclock it to something that performs well now, and b) in 18 months or so, i only have to stick a new chip in there and i'm away (i hope!).

My opinion - if you are going to leave the computer 'as is' for at least 4 years, then go ahead and buy a P3. If not, then don't.

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=18108" target="_new">http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=18108</A>

 

[M_C_Hammer]

'Would you build a PIII system today?'

No, buying yesturdays technology is not a good idea because you can not upgrade easily.

I need a 1.5 Ghz Athlon + 512mb ddr ram to write emails......honestly

 

[Kelledin]

Would you build a PIII system today?

For a light or medium duty server, yes. A server's config usually remains static for ages, and P3's are still more than powerful enough for many kinds of servers. (Really, so are PPro's; I have a dual PPro server handling almost all activity on my current network.)

For a "silent" workstation or for certain embedded applications, yes. P3's are generally the most powerful x86 processors available that can run fanless without locking or throttling.

I wouldn't run P3's for much else, though.

<i>If a server crashes in a server farm and no one pings it, does it still cost four figures to fix?

 

[buckman666]

Depending of the type of work you do (and you say "only office and CS) and since CS need only about a p2 to work really fine, a classic p3 1.2 would be fine. I use a not so brand new dually, 2 p3 866 with 760 CL2 SDRAM, and it does all the work i need. Using it for office, for little 3d apps, for a gaming machine and at last as my daily server. What you need to decide is, doest it worth it to buy a p4? They are still a bit costly (well, for me at least) and do you need all the power they give for now? build a good p3 system, work with it 2 year and than build another one for you games (b-coz, hey, office applications won't need a 2.4 Ghz chip for a while! (i'm not talking about 3d apps)) Think of all you need, high speed processor with some cheap hdd, memory and all, or a good old p3 with 2 or 3 100 mb hdd in stripping mode, along with a 512 + SDRAM CL2..
Its been.. something like 8 month with my old p3, and i'm gonna keep it for a while.

 

[Crashman]

Ugh, my PIII 1000EB beets my Celeron 1.2GHz, even when the Celeron is at ~1500MHz overclocked (If I recall, I think it was 1480MHz I ran it at).

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

 

[jclw]

Yes, I would.

I think some people upgrade more then others. I put a CPU in a motherboard, and that's that. If I want a new computer, I build from scratch so "upgradeability" does not list high on my list of priorities.

- JW

 

[Ron_Jeremy]

Crash, would you still build my proposed system today?

Cheers,

Ron_Jeremy

I amd guilty intel proven innocent

 

[Crashman]

Nope, not when the P4 1.6A and Abit TH7-II is priced similarly.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

 

[Matisaro]

Sitting with my current rig & just swapping in the GF3 is not an option. Although I wish I could, I need the second PC. Building anything with a VIA chipset is not an option. Building a XP or P4 system would at the very least require me to add memory & case/power supply to the price tag.

Get a sis735 chipset and use your sdram with it, and an axp1900+ and a psu is less than the 250 tually, any other choice is stupid, im sorry but I have to call it as I see it man.

You can spend 250 on a tually/mobo, when you can spend 250 on a much faster axp/mobo combo AND have enough left for an extra psu.

Choice=clear.

The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark