Help me pick a new computer..

[Remote]

Since my old pc is getting old I really need to upgrade. I'm gonna keep my current gfx card and aiming at new mobo + cpu + ram.

I want a AMD based mobo with onboard sound / nic / no raid. Make isn't that important but should I aim at, Nforce?

I don't play so it's basicly a surf the web / watch movie computer. So, what mobo, what brand of ram do I want?

=)

 

[khanmeister]

I've been happy with the ASUS motherboards. Thier config isn't always what you'd expect though. Other than that I've got extensive experience in generic parts, with varying results. If it's just for movies/web, then don't bother with the latest greatest wizzbang, just get one of the cheap 2000 family athlons. That'll help you pick the mobo, too. Powerful, but no overkill, since you aren't rendering arm hair on every frame with AA tweaked to the roof.

 

[Stezo2k]

Since my old pc is getting old I really need to upgrade. I'm gonna keep my current gfx card and aiming at new mobo + cpu + ram.

I want a AMD based mobo with onboard sound / nic / no raid. Make isn't that important but should I aim at, Nforce?

I don't play so it's basicly a surf the web / watch movie computer. So, what mobo, what brand of ram do I want?

=)

I'd seriously wait for an upgrade, with the new technologies around the corner, namely PCI eXpress and DDR2 Memory.

It is also a good idea to wait for the AMD-64 Based processors to go down in price, this will make your system more future proof and faster if you want to game etc in the future.

But it's up to you really, if you want to stay 32-bit i'd highly recomend the Athlon XP Barton 2500+, you can clock it to 3200+ at 400FSB (200 x2) with bearly any heat gain, all you need is a decent cooler. I have also heard very good things about overclocking the Mobile Athlon XPs.

As for the motherboard, the NForce 2's are highly recomended for performence, if you want to save a bit of money try a VIA chipset, the KT600 is pretty good.

As for the ram, get DDR (400MHz) just make sure that is not unbranded, else performence will be lost, crutial make the best RAM.

 

[Alchy]

If you're only surfing, then whatever you've got now is probably ok, but since you're upgrading, go with what Khan said - I've had positive experiences with Asus mobos, they are very reliable. And Stezo's right, the Barton 2500XP is a good chip with reasonable heat production and lots of OC potential, if you're into that sort of thing. I'm not sure how you would get around to finding a mobile AMD chip though, they're usually soldered into the laptop mobo...

Don't skimp on the ram. Cheap ram causes instability.

I wouldn't advise waiting for the new tech, as when it comes out it will be priced well above what the actual performance is worth. As for CPUs, by the time 64-bit execution is widely supported anything you buy now will be out of date. The AMD 64s are just for people with money to burn ATM (though saying that, the lower models are quite affordable).

 

[Stezo2k]

If you're only surfing, then whatever you've got now is probably ok, but since you're upgrading, go with what Khan said - I've had positive experiences with Asus mobos, they are very reliable. And Stezo's right, the Barton 2500XP is a good chip with reasonable heat production and lots of OC potential, if you're into that sort of thing. I'm not sure how you would get around to finding a mobile AMD chip though, they're usually soldered into the laptop mobo...

Don't skimp on the ram. Cheap ram causes instability.

I wouldn't advise waiting for the new tech, as when it comes out it will be priced well above what the actual performance is worth. As for CPUs, by the time 64-bit execution is widely supported anything you buy now will be out of date. The AMD 64s are just for people with money to burn ATM (though saying that, the lower models are quite affordable).

nice advice there mate, i'm totally with you, as for the mobile xp2500 you can buy em seperately for around £60 which isn't bad, it overclocks better than the regular one, and runs at default at 1.45volts

 

[0z0n]

I can advise the processor on base AMD Athlon (Barton), with marks 2500-3200 +.
Motherboard it is better nForce 3PRO, it is the optimal variant, for processors AMD Athlon.
Well, and memory, as the standard 512Mb DDR 400.
You can now and do not play, but in due course, such computer is useful.

Well, and if you are critical in a choice then take weaker computer: AMD Duron 1.3Gz, 256Mb RAM, MB: Soltek SL75-KAV-X (based on KT-133 chipset)

 

[Doomulation]

If you're only surfing, then whatever you've got now is probably ok, but since you're upgrading, go with what Khan said - I've had positive experiences with Asus mobos, they are very reliable. And Stezo's right, the Barton 2500XP is a good chip with reasonable heat production and lots of OC potential, if you're into that sort of thing. I'm not sure how you would get around to finding a mobile AMD chip though, they're usually soldered into the laptop mobo...

Don't skimp on the ram. Cheap ram causes instability.

I wouldn't advise waiting for the new tech, as when it comes out it will be priced well above what the actual performance is worth. As for CPUs, by the time 64-bit execution is widely supported anything you buy now will be out of date. The AMD 64s are just for people with money to burn ATM (though saying that, the lower models are quite affordable).

He didn't imply to BUY the newest technology, rather wait until it's out and the prices will drop.

0z0n: That processor is overkill for watching movies and surfing only.

 

[0z0n]

0z0n: That processor is overkill for watching movies and surfing only.

Which of them?

 

[Alchy]

Any of them... If you're not playing games, or doing resource intensive stuff like video/audio/image file manipulation, then anything over a Ghz is overkill.

He didn't imply to BUY the newest technology, rather wait until it's out and the prices will drop.

It is also a good idea to wait for the AMD-64 Based processors to go down in price, this will make your system more future proof and faster if you want to game etc in the future.

That's what I was refering to. I don't think Athlon64's are worth buying yet, as it's only their decent 32-bit performance which makes them appealing. A basic 32-bit chip gives a higher performance per $ AFAIK. Your point is true enough though, current high-end 32-bit chips will go down in price when the next gen of 64-bit chips come out.

 

[Flash]

Any of them... If you're not playing games, or doing resource intensive stuff like video/audio/image file manipulation, then anything over a Ghz is overkill.

For audio manipulation 900Mhz is quite enough, RAM and soundcard(s) is more important.

 

[Hexidecimal]

www.mavericpc.com

not much else to say.

 

[sheik124]

www.mavericpc.com

not much else to say.

Almost all the stuff they're using you could go ahead and but from newegg and get it real cheap, i just built a new pc for under 900 with some parts i had lying around as well to keep me going until Socket 939, DDR2, and PCI-E all come together on a nVidia chipset (probably a year from now, mmmm FX-59)
AMD Athlon XP 2500+ @ 200 FSB (3200+)
Seagate 120 GB SATA HDD
Pioneer DVR-107D-Black
Samsung SM-352B (16x52x32x52 DVD/CD-RW Combo)
Kingwin K-11 Case (black)
Enermax 480W Noisetaker PSU
Zalman CNPS-7000A-AlCu Aluminum Copper Flower Heatsink
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe
GeForce FX 5700
512MB Kingston HyperX PC3700 DualChannel RAM

and man can this thing fly, but remote, for you, i'm thinking the cheapest nForce2 mobo you can find, this: "DFI nForce2 400 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU, Model "NFII 400-AL" -RETAIL", seems to be a good one and if you wanna chuck up some more $$$ for one with an nForce 2 Ultra get the ASUS A7N8X, an AMD Athlon XP 2200+, and Dual Channel 512MB RAM
can't go wrong with something like that if all you need it for is websurfing etc.

 

[0z0n]

If to speak about office computer, with the purpose to look films, to listen to music and to use the Internet then an optimum configuration will be:
CPU - Any AMD processor with speed ~ 1Gz
MB - Any MB support AMD Duron\Athlon processor
RAM - 256Mbytes of RAM
Video - Something like GeForce 2MX 400 w/32MB VRAM
Soundcard - If not the music fan and to not carp at a sound it may be any AC'97 audio codec
HDD - And the hard disk should not be less, than 40 - 60 Gygabites
Mouse\Keyboard - any on taste and color
Monitor - 17" it may be LG Flatron if LCD any Samsung SyncMaster
Optical drive - CD-R\RW or DVD+\- R-RW.
Like all would consider, if that has forgotten tell me.

 

[sheik124]

If to speak about office computer, with the purpose to look films, to listen to music and to use the Internet then an optimum configuration will be:
CPU - Any AMD processor with speed ~ 1Gz
MB - Any MB support AMD Duron\Athlon processor
RAM - 256Mbytes of RAM
Video - Something like GeForce 2MX 400 w/32MB VRAM
Soundcard - If not the music fan and to not carp at a sound it may be any AC'97 audio codec
HDD - And the hard disk should not be less, than 40 - 60 Gygabites
Mouse\Keyboard - any on taste and color
Monitor - 17" it may be LG Flatron if LCD any Samsung SyncMaster
Optical drive - CD-R\RW or DVD+\- R-RW.
Like all would consider, if that has forgotten tell me.

dude, that is what he has now

 

[0z0n]

Also what go does not arrange, if it does not play game?It becomes ridiculous.
All right, let itself solves, that to it to take, and for what purposes.
It is my last kontsept the personal computer:
Pentium IV EX 3.06Gz
Intel based on 875
512Mb DDR Ram 533Mhz
GeFroce FX 5950Ultra w/128-256Mb VRAM
HDD something like WesternDigital 120-250 Gugabytes.
Oprical drive - Whether proceeding from that it is necessary for the person, and if "yes" that proceeding from objects in view.
Display - Whether proceeding from that it is necessary for the person, and if "yes" that proceeding from objects in view. Though I recommend to take with seen area not less than 17 inches.
Sound card - I do not know, what interests at the person, but for example: Creative SB Live! 5.1
The rest as proceeding from interests, tastes and preferences.
Well tell to me please, the powerful computer what for is necessary for viewing cinema, listening of music and use the Internet?

 

[sheik124]

huh?

 

[Alchy]

For audio manipulation 900Mhz is quite enough, RAM and soundcard(s) is more important.

Depends what you're doing. I do a lot of effect processing (granular synthesis, filters, morphing etc) which uses my CPU AFAIK - I don't see how each custom routine could be implemented by my soundcard. I'm not sure though, I'm not an expert on the hardware level.

 

[Doomulation]

Despite what some says, I'd just get a cheap mobo that has onboard sound, get the chapest processor I can find (be sure to take a budget version, too, as they are CHEAP!),
and then of course, a card like gf2 mx or some other. Wonder how much a gf3 ti costs now...anyone knows? Even a gf4 ti4200 is overkill for office stuff.

Taking it, though, at least 512 mb ram (sdram I suppose) should be enough.

 

[Clements]

Since my old pc is getting old I really need to upgrade. I'm gonna keep my current gfx card and aiming at new mobo + cpu + ram.

I want a AMD based mobo with onboard sound / nic / no raid. Make isn't that important but should I aim at, Nforce?

I don't play so it's basicly a surf the web / watch movie computer. So, what mobo, what brand of ram do I want?

=)

I think an Abit NF7-S with an AthlonXP 2500+ and 2x 256MB PC3200 DDR or 2x 512MB PC3200 DDR of a named brand RAM will be the best choice. The onboard audio is nVidia SoundStorm and will be sufficient for anything, Dual Channel RAM gives you double the bandwidth over a single DIMM, and the processor can be overclocked to 3200+ if you know how to do that. These components are also very cheap but very good quality still.

 

[sheik124]

...and if you wanna chuck up some more $$$ for one with an nForce 2 Ultra get the ASUS A7N8X, an AMD Athlon XP 2500+, and Dual Channel 512MB RAM
can't go wrong with something like that if all you need it for is websurfing etc.

wow clements, exactly what i said