Contemplation

[Drexel]

I am just about to purchase a whole bucha new fun stuff for my computer. I am getting a new case, motherboard, cpu, memory, and new video card (got that tho).

Current sys:
Athlon 1.4
758mb pc133 ram
geforce 256 32mb
Tyan POS edition (its actually not too bad, its running sorta well)motherboard (goes well with current config)
Some crappy case with the generic 300W PSU a few centimeters parallel to the CPU Fan

New config:
Antec 1080 case with 430W Antec Truepower PSU
(( In question Athlon 2100 ))
Asus A7N8X Deluxe
ATI All in Wonder 8500 128mb
2x OCZ PC-3500 256MB Enhanced Latency CL2 CH

Now, I was thinking, should I wait for CPU prices to come down some, so I can get a 333FSB at a much cheaper price? And when do you think that will come into say the 100-200 dollar price range? I feel the 64bit processor and/or the Barton might make it fall a lil more rapidly.

 

[Scout]

Donno what you use your computer for, but a 1.4 Tbird isn't exactly a slouch! You can afford to wait a while. On the other hand, most folks in this forum build things way before we NEED them! (We're sicko's that way!!!)

Waiting for price reductions on the 333 FSB Athlons is probably a good strategy right now. You could go ahead with your new setup, but put your old Athlon in it for a while and wait till you can get a buy on the 333 chip and then pop it in that board.

Scout
700 Mflops in SETI!

 

[eden]

Thing is the XP2100 is like 333MHZ more than your Tbird. I don't expect stellar noticeable performance boost.
I would really wait and get the Bartons, we're approaching them.
Or an AthlonXP 2700+ will do the trick as well.

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[Drexel]

Will the price of that motherboard and that ram go down much in the near future?

 

[peteb]

probably a few $ only.

As said above, you have a perfectly good solution now and the upgrade you propose is not worth it.

If anything you could go with the board and memory, but use the Tbird with it for now and wait on the processor. The 2100 over 1.4 is no great leap for the cash. I need to wait for the details of the board to go up at Asus though to confirm pre-XP is supported, but I would be very surprised if it is not.

Merely sticking your 8500 into your current PC will greatly enhance your gaming experience and the the processor is matched well for the card. The newer Bartons and 2Ghz+ cpus will spend time waiting for an 8500 probably, unless you are running 640x480.

-* <font color=red> !! S O L D !! </font color=red> *-
To the gentleman in the pink Tutu

 

[Drexel]

Thanks for the help guys. Do you think getting the memory will be overkill? or will it help the performance? (or should I just choose lower speed ram)

Thanks again!

 

[peteb]

Unless you are going to unlock your chip to overclock the FSB I wouldn't bother with high speed memory.

If you are going to unlock it and use 166+FSB then by all means go for it.

-* <font color=red> !! S O L D !! </font color=red> *-
To the gentleman in the pink Tutu

 

[Drexel]

Since I am gonna keep my 1.4Tbird which has 133 bus, I was thinking of investing in some new 2700 ram. I want to get rid of my current 512 and 256 sticks of generic brand. Any ideas on some good sticks of that speed? (I will be buying the new A7N8X board)

 

[peteb]

Crucial. Rarely go wrong and they honour their warranties from what I've read.

Maybe a little more expensive, but that is what brand vs. generic means right?

-* <font color=red> !! S O L D !! </font color=red> *-
To the gentleman in the pink Tutu

 

[Drexel]

Wow that was fast, I was about to change my post. If I recall correct: Online I saw 2700 for 95 bucks. In a best buy magizine I saw a 2100 for 35 bucks (both crucial 256 modules) Think it is ok to save big with the 2100?



(Just an edited note: I was right, Save 65 dollars! Oh my! Crucial 256 pc2100 for 35 bucks)<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Drexel on 12/26/02 02:26 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[peteb]

Sorry - I meant Corsair, not Crucial (slight, but significant difference)

save with either, but make sure that they are rated as CL2 modules. The latency difference of CL2 is significant although the modules do cost more.

From what I see the Corsair starts around $90 for a CAS2 256MB module.

-* <font color=red> !! S O L D !! </font color=red> *-
To the gentleman in the pink Tutu

 

[Rubberbband]

Get a new mobo/case (and PSU) and some crucial Ram. Wait for a new processor. That system will handle anything you throw at it.

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[Drexel]

It was CL2.5 darn. I read post after post to find CL2.0 is much better. Do you advice finding corsair (I heard OCZ was good too) with cl2? And which should I look for, 2100 or will 2700 noticibly benefit me? (problem with 2700 is its 95 bucks, and 3500 is only 10 bucks more)

Side note: I have a western digital 80meg hard drive (2mb cache). I have a spankin new all-in-wonder and I am running outta space. Best buy has a Maxtor 120gig for 117 bucks (60 dollar mail in rebate). Should I go for it or should i try to match my hard drives?
[I might take this to hard drive forum, but it doesnt seem that important]

 

[lhgpoobaa]

Well you should realise that man good quality sticks of cas2.5 will easily run at or beyond Cas2....

Set your ram to Cas2, run MEMTEST86, see if it runs ok.

And regarding hard drives, get whatever is the right price for you. i have 2 80Gb drives, a maxtor and a W.D. the main proviso being that one usually chooses the fastest drive to be the primary OS drive.

<b><font color=purple>[Rik_]</font color=purple> I wonder how many people have made their own phasechange system?
<font color=blue>[LHGPooBaa]</font color=blue> I get phasechange whenever i eat a hot chillie :lol: </b>

 

[Drexel]

Can I get this verified by someone else? That I can set my ram to cas2. Right now that crucial ram for 35 bucks is really tempting, and it ends on the 28th, im spending 70 compared to 200 (its quite a savings)

 

[lhgpoobaa]

PC2700 by crucial is good. As is corsair and sambsung.

Relax matey. just set the ram to whatever speed you wish to run at and bootup off the memtest86 floppy. Within half an hour or less you will know if your ram is capable... and ive yet to hear or crucial or corsair not being able to do hardest timings at PC2700 speeds.

<b><font color=purple>[Rik_]</font color=purple> I wonder how many people have made their own phasechange system?
<font color=blue>[LHGPooBaa]</font color=blue> I get phasechange whenever i eat a hot chillie :lol: </b>