Topic: OK You Computers <gaming> Gurus..

[Hexx]

OK how does this look..

Processor
 AMD  Athlon? XP 3200+ / 2.2 GHz ( 400 MHz ) - L2 512 KB - Retail $278.00

MB
ABIT NF7-S  - nVIDIA® nForce2 - 8x AGP,  400MHz DDR, 5-PCI, SATA, Dolby Digital 5.1, USB 2.0, 10/100 LAN, IEEE 1394 $149.99

HD
 WD  200GB 7200 ATA100 IDE  8M 3yr. $189.00

Vid Card
ATI  RADEON? 9800 PRO  - 256MB DDR, 8x AGP DVI + TVO - Retail - ((380/680MHz core/memory) $415.00

CD   
AOpen DRW8800 - DVD+/-R(8X) DVD+/-RW(4X) CD-R(32X) CD-RW(16X), DVD-ROM(12X) DVD+/-R(8X) DVD+/-RW(8X) DVD-Video(5X) CD-ROM(40X) CD-R(40X) CD-RW(32X) - Retail   $120.00

RAM
2xKingston 512MB 64X64 DDR PC3200 400MHz $149.00  (298.00)


How does this look? Anyone know anything about it?

Cost (for the above) would be about $1450 Canadian plus some sort of tower.
I chose the 9800pro as although it is $200 more than the 9600 it *seems* to have far higher benchmarks. (PLEASE correct me if I'm way off)

I need (or would like) a system that will run Doom3 and HL2 nicely, as well as EQ2 (maybe) and of course (and actually most imprtantly) will continue to run OP for me 

Also I really don't know how all the above meshes together -if I've completely screwed something up could someone please tell me? 

Thanks for all the suggestions made so far

[Kroma BaSyl]

I like the Corsair XMS Series TWINS for matched RAM in nVidia MB due to the dual memory controllers, although I have heard good things about the RAM you choose too.

Make sure your DVD burner does Dual Layer DVDs. NEC makes one that is $89 US.

[Strat]

I like the Corsair XMS Series TWINS for matched RAM in nVidia MB due to the dual memory controllers, although I have heard good things about the RAM you choose too.

Make sure your DVD burner does Dual Layer DVDs. NEC makes one that is $89 US.

According to benchamks, Kingston HyperX performs just as well as the XMS series for overclocking and same performance stock.

[Kroma BaSyl]

I like the Corsair XMS Series TWINS for matched RAM in nVidia MB due to the dual memory controllers, although I have heard good things about the RAM you choose too.

Make sure your DVD burner does Dual Layer DVDs. NEC makes one that is $89 US.

According to benchamks, Kingston HyperX performs just as well as the XMS series for overclocking and same performance stock.

Yeah, but I like the Corsair TWIN matched DIMMs for stability on the nVidia dual memory controler chipset is all. Although the Kingston are high quality and shouldn't poses any trouble.

[Hexx]

I like the Corsair XMS Series TWINS for matched RAM in nVidia MB due to the dual memory controllers, although I have heard good things about the RAM you choose too.

Make sure your DVD burner does Dual Layer DVDs. NEC makes one that is $89 US.

According to benchamks, Kingston HyperX performs just as well as the XMS series for overclocking and same performance stock.

Yeah, but I like the Corsair TWIN matched DIMMs for stability on the nVidia dual memory controler chipset is all. Although the Kingston are high quality and shouldn't poses any trouble.

 


<sigh> I remember buying my first computer " Wow you got a 486/DX2?? You rule!"

Sooo what you're all saying is the above componenets should work OK together? I didn't screw anything up?

[Kroma BaSyl]

<sigh> I remember buying my first computer " Wow you got a 486/DX2?? You rule!"

Sooo what you're all saying is the above componenets should work OK together? I didn't screw anything up?

Just make sure you get a Dual Layer DVD burner is all.

[kbf-jd]

HD
 WD  200GB 7200 ATA100 IDE  8M 3yr. $189.00

Go with a SATA Drive.  Should be faster and your board will support it....

jd

[SSCF-LeRoy]

HD
 WD  200GB 7200 ATA100 IDE  8M 3yr. $189.00

Go with a SATA Drive.  Should be faster and your board will support it....

jd

SATA=Serial ATA. It's faster and does away with those big ribbon cables.

[Hexx]

OK seems to be all good, Thanks All!

Before I run out and order it though- the DVD burner doesn't have "dual layer dvd burning"

What is it and why should I get it?

(If it's just to be stylish I'll still do it.. just wondering what it does..)

[SSCF-LeRoy]

Dual layer recordable DVDs have twice the capacity of previous media because they have two data surfaces on one side stacked on top of eachother. Dual layer DVD burners are designed to record to dual layer media, which is still somewhat difficult to come by and goes for $1.00 US per disk.

[Kroma BaSyl]

Yeah, basically it is like this. DVDs (movies) bought in the store are Dual Layer and have a capacity of ~9 GB (format is known as DVD9), non-Dual Layer DVDs (DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW) can only write on a single layer and are limited to half the capacity of factory burned DVDs (format is known as DVD5, i.e. ~5GB of storage, although it is more like 4.3GB). The new Dual Layer burners can reach storage capacities of the store bought DVDs. All the Dual Layer burners also burn single layer formats, so by going with a Dual Layer drive you are not necessarily restricted to buying the more expensive blanks. Many of the newer single layer drives can be upgraded to dual layer with a firmwear patch, and may of the Dual Layer drives being marketed today are nothing more than the same old single layer model being sold last month with the firmwear already upgraded.

In anycase a Dual Layer drive can now be had for about the same price as a single layer, so you might as well go with the dual layer even if you will be waiting for the price of the dual layer blanks to drop before making use of that feature. In the mean time just use it as you would the single layer, but know that you are future proofed.

Here is a link to the Dual Layer drive by NEC that I just ordered. It turned out to be the exact same price as their single layer version ~83 US (probably just the single layer hardware with new patch applied).

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=27-152-025&depa=0

BTW, I order all my stuff from this site as well. Newegg rocks.

[SSCF-LeRoy]

Many of the newer single layer drives can be upgraded to dual layer with a firmwear patch, and may of the Dual Layer drives being marketed today are nothing more than the same old single layer model being sold last month with the firmwear already upgraded.

Really? Other sources have claimed that such updates are merely rumor.

[Kroma BaSyl]

Many of the newer single layer drives can be upgraded to dual layer with a firmwear patch, and may of the Dual Layer drives being marketed today are nothing more than the same old single layer model being sold last month with the firmwear already upgraded.

Really? Other sources have claimed that such updates are merely rumor.

There were rumors for certian drives. I believe that HP had initially marketed a single layer drive saying that it would be upgradable later, put it turned out that it couldn't be for some technical reason. It depends on the drive. It is probably more accurate to say that some of the current single layer drives on the market are in fact dual layer drives with the dual layer feature turned off in the firmwear, than the other way around.

[Age]

OK seems to be all good, Thanks All!

Before I run out and order it though- the DVD burner doesn't have "dual layer dvd burning"

What is it and why should I get it?

(If it's just to be stylish I'll still do it.. just wondering what it does..)

  I thought you knew all this ? See you later.

[Hexx]

OK seems to be all good, Thanks All!

Before I run out and order it though- the DVD burner doesn't have "dual layer dvd burning"

What is it and why should I get it?

(If it's just to be stylish I'll still do it.. just wondering what it does..)

  I thought you knew all this ? See you later.

No I don't know..
that's why I ask questions...

[kbf-jd]

HD
 WD  200GB 7200 ATA100 IDE  8M 3yr. $189.00

Go with a SATA Drive.  Should be faster and your board will support it....

jd

SATA=Serial ATA. It's faster and does away with those big ribbon cables.

Well, it does get rid of the bulky cables.  That helps....

But REALLY faster?  It's supposed to be.  But most makers are just tacking SATA interfaces on their current HDD units.  These units don't really push the ATA133 standard now(cannot sustain the throughput of 133)  So having a 150 interface on the same hard disk is not going to help.

There are some faster drives out there, but they are expensive and smaller(basically server (AKA SCSI 10k rpm) drives)

I still agree to go SATA.  As a matter of fact, a lot of SATA cards are also RAID cards.  I like using hardware RAID where money allows...

jd

[Hexx]

HD
 WD  200GB 7200 ATA100 IDE  8M 3yr. $189.00

Go with a SATA Drive.  Should be faster and your board will support it....

jd

SATA=Serial ATA. It's faster and does away with those big ribbon cables.

Well, it does get rid of the bulky cables.  That helps....

But REALLY faster?  It's supposed to be.  But most makers are just tacking SATA interfaces on their current HDD units.  These units don't really push the ATA133 standard now(cannot sustain the throughput of 133)  So having a 150 interface on the same hard disk is not going to help.

There are some faster drives out there, but they are expensive and smaller(basically server (AKA SCSI 10k rpm) drives)

I still agree to go SATA.  As a matter of fact, a lot of SATA cards are also RAID cards.  I like using hardware RAID where money allows...

jd

Thanks jd
I think I'm just going to grab the one Kroma had listed for his system (probably go with 160 GB though, $75 cheaper for 40 gigs less) Seagate something or otheri"ll assume he's done the research and blame him if it's not worth it.

I can't really need 200GB can I ?
(asks the guy who thought he would never need 40..)

Oh and anything I should look for in a case?- I assume a 400w one is better than a 350 w but other than that?

[Kroma BaSyl]

In a PSU definitely go for 450 min. Enermax and Antec are both great quality. A good PSU is important for a rig like that.

This is a good one:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-103-443&depa=0

Ones with ajustable fans are good, so as to crank down noise when not gaming.

[Age]

   You are right on the F-BCE but the person who is giving me all the Tactical information is Pestalence.Where would you think I get it from and he says Quote that you have to fire at range when taking on I-CCZ Quote That is why it take 40 minutes to take one out.I ask him the questions and always will.That is who supplies me with all the info.
    I will say this that I am still new at all this posting on forums and Pestalence knows that.I was only on Taldrens Boards for 4+ months and then here but I am on others as well SFC&Commmunity Tri- Mods Boards at STGD.There I am in Dom Wars.I hope you can understand all this now.         See you later or come over to the Tri -Mods forum.I am talking to some of the D3ers right now and collecting some latinum.I still like you guys but you drive me bonkers sometimes where I am about to blow up.

   www.stcd.sgnonline.com/forum/index.php

[Kroma BaSyl]

   You are right on the F-BCE but the person who is giving me all the Tactical information is Pestalence.Where would you think I get it from and he says Quote that you have to fire at range when taking on I-CCZ Quote That is why it take 40 minutes to take one out.I ask him the questions and always will.That is who supplies me with all the info.
    I will say this that I am still new at all this posting on forums and Pestalence knows that.I was only on Taldrens Boards for 4+ months and then here but I am on others as well SFC&Commmunity Tri- Mods Boards at STGD.There I am in Dom Wars.I hope you can understand all this now.         See you later or come over to the Tri -Mods forum.I am talking to some of the D3ers right now and collecting some latinum.I still like you guys but you drive me bonkers sometimes where I am abou to blow up.

   www.stcd.sgonline.com/forum/index.php

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=non%20sequitur