Topic: My next box (hopefully) (Read 7317 times)

ActiveX · « **Reply #20 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:02:09 pm »

SATA is problematic, the XT isn't anything special over the Pro, PCI Express wont be a huge performance advantage right away for video, and 940 is being superceded by 939, but 940 wont be totally phased for a time...IIRC...

This system will evolve until I actually get the cash to buy it, but it wont vary much from this template...

Elvis · « **Reply #21 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:29:01 pm »

Where did you hear SATA was problematic? Other than needing a floppy at install and me manhandling a SATA connector I've not had any problems. I've not had any problems with heat either and I've got 2 10000 RPM drives running on top of each other in RAID 0. As far as the 9800XT is concerned your right, the difference over a pro isn't really all that much.

ActiveX · « **Reply #22 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:35:37 pm »

Is the performance difference worth the cost?

Elvis · « **Reply #23 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:42:23 pm »

I would say, yes; but I'm biased, I've got 2 already. Isn't there a little bit of irony in discussing cost versus performance when discussing an FX-53 machine?

ActiveX · « **Reply #24 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:45:08 pm »

You got yerself a point, hehe...

I originally planned for SCSI 320, but it's hard to find those in decent supply...

Stormbringer · « **Reply #25 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:51:59 pm »

Elvis is correct. if you can wait for th release of the mid 2004 MB's and processors they will allow more longevity and a huge jump in performance due to new interfaces, memory tech, faster CPUs and any number of improvements. My own super computer (tm) came just before such a change and it was obsolete within 3 months of inception.

Stormbringer · « **Reply #26 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:55:28 pm »

of course. But high wattage does cause heat problems and increase the need for additional cooling so a compromise is often called for. Also wattage does not equal quality. Stability, redundant cooling, surge protection and autosafety features among other factors are equally important.

E_Look · « **Reply #27 on:** March 21, 2004, 09:44:08 pm »

I must say, as much I think my current system is hot, your dream system blows my rig right out of the oil well!

Still, I think I'm kinda through paying too much more than $1500-$1750 for a GOOD computer system. I hurt when I bought my first system, a Leading Edge (Daewoo 80286 processor) Model D2 with a monochrome amber monitor and a 30 Mb MFM HD, and Toshiba dot matrix.... and NO 3.5" floppy, all for around $3000 USD! Then years later for about $500 less, color 15" monitor and 40 Mb IDE HD, no printer, a Gateway 80486 (Intel chip). My last system, I paid only about $1000, got a free el cheapo Lexmark inkjet with it, was a HP Intel (Pentium II based) Celeron 466 with a Zip drive (got me hooked!).

But still, I'd back up the guys here who'd recommend the Athlon 64 3000+ chip over the FX-51. It's almost infinitely cheaper (Newegg has it for around $225 USD) and is only marginally less of a performer. But I do believe in maxing out on the video card as far as you can afford it, so as someone said, with the difference in CPU savings, get a top-of-the-line video card, like the Radeon 9800 XT.

Anyhow, anyway you configure it, I wish you the best in obtaining every part of it!

ActiveX · « **Reply #28 on:** March 21, 2004, 12:56:01 pm »

This is the computer I priced on www.newegg.com :

Case: ANTEC
Motherboard: GIGABYTE nForce3
Video Card: ASUS Radeon 9800 Pro
Power Supply: ANTEC 550w
CPU: AMD Athlon FX-53
RAM: Crucial 512Mb DDR400 x4
Primary HDD: Western Digital 40Gb IDE x2 (RAID)
Secondary HDD: Western Digital 250Gb IDE x2 (RAID)
Keyboard: ViewSonic KU-201 I like small keyboards ::-iv:
Primary Monitor: ViewSonic A90f+ 19" CRT (already own it

)
Secondary Monitor: ViewSonic VG700 17" LCD
Mouse: Micro$oft IntelliMouse (not interested in wireless yet)
Primary Media: Pioneer ROM 40x CD/16x DVD (I hate disk caddies)
Secondary Media: Pioneer RW 8X DVDR/4X DVDRW/24X CDR/24X CDRW (I din want a caddy here either

)
Sound Card: Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy II
OS: Win XP (yeah still havent bought it)
UPS: APC 350VA Back-UPS x2

I may tag on a Digital Nikon, Printer, and Scanner later...

Anyhow it comes out to a total of $3,688.49 which is $800 less than a comparable, but vastly inferior Dell XPS

James_Smith · « **Reply #29 on:** March 21, 2004, 02:43:05 pm »

DAMN thats nice. Kinda blows my setup out of the water!

Stormbringer · « **Reply #30 on:** March 21, 2004, 03:30:06 pm »

It's not always a problem, but large powersupplies are seldom necessary and the larger they are in wattage the more heat they produce. If you are pushing the envelope with processor, GPU, and memory this can become a problem particularly if you decide to overclock at some point. just my two cents. YMMV. It is a great system.

ActiveX · « **Reply #31 on:** March 21, 2004, 05:14:53 pm »

Well Ima have 4 HDDs a screamin CPU and GPU, and a whole bunch of stuff so I'd say the 550W is necessary...

Sides, haveing one too weak will gimp your system performance, esp if you overclock

Towelie · « **Reply #32 on:** March 21, 2004, 07:08:33 pm »

Quote:

It's not always a problem, but large powersupplies are seldom necessary and the larger they are in wattage the more heat they produce. If you are pushing the envelope with processor, GPU, and memory this can become a problem particularly if you decide to overclock at some point. just my two cents. YMMV. It is a great system.

After I overloaded a 400 watt power supply by upgrading to a Geforce FX with 256 megs, I learned to overdo it. Using a 550 watt power supply and PLENTY of cooling.

Elvis · « **Reply #33 on:** March 21, 2004, 07:57:27 pm »

It'll be speedy. But, there always is a but isn't there; the 940 processors aren't worth it. THe FX-53 is the last of the 940 processors(save for the Opterons) and the performance increase over the Athlon 64 3000 or 3200 is mininmal. ECC memory also makes the costs go up. If this system is in the future wait. The 939 processors will be out shortly along with PCI Express and the 939 socket won't require ECC memory. But that is in the future. If your buying now, go with a 754 processor like the the Athlon 64 3000 or 3200. Use the money saved for a couple of WD 10000RPM SATA hard drives and the 9800XT. Also check out Razer Boomslang's new optical mouse ,the Viper.

ActiveX · « **Reply #34 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:02:09 pm »

SATA is problematic, the XT isn't anything special over the Pro, PCI Express wont be a huge performance advantage right away for video, and 940 is being superceded by 939, but 940 wont be totally phased for a time...IIRC...

This system will evolve until I actually get the cash to buy it, but it wont vary much from this template...

Elvis · « **Reply #35 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:29:01 pm »

Where did you hear SATA was problematic? Other than needing a floppy at install and me manhandling a SATA connector I've not had any problems. I've not had any problems with heat either and I've got 2 10000 RPM drives running on top of each other in RAID 0. As far as the 9800XT is concerned your right, the difference over a pro isn't really all that much.

ActiveX · « **Reply #36 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:35:37 pm »

Is the performance difference worth the cost?

Elvis · « **Reply #37 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:42:23 pm »

I would say, yes; but I'm biased, I've got 2 already. Isn't there a little bit of irony in discussing cost versus performance when discussing an FX-53 machine?

ActiveX · « **Reply #38 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:45:08 pm »

You got yerself a point, hehe...

I originally planned for SCSI 320, but it's hard to find those in decent supply...

Stormbringer · « **Reply #39 on:** March 21, 2004, 08:51:59 pm »

Elvis is correct. if you can wait for th release of the mid 2004 MB's and processors they will allow more longevity and a huge jump in performance due to new interfaces, memory tech, faster CPUs and any number of improvements. My own super computer (tm) came just before such a change and it was obsolete within 3 months of inception.

News:

Topic: My next box (hopefully) (Read 7317 times) var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};

ActiveX

Elvis

ActiveX

Elvis

ActiveX

Stormbringer

Stormbringer

E_Look

ActiveX

James_Smith

Stormbringer

ActiveX

Towelie

Elvis

ActiveX

Elvis

ActiveX

Elvis

ActiveX

Stormbringer

Topic: My next box (hopefully) (Read 7317 times)