Author Topic: System recommendation (Read 863 times)

Silat · « **on:** July 27, 2007, 07:50:35 PM »

Hi guys, gals and undecided.

Helping someone put together a system.

Please make any changes you feel would improve the system.
The $$ amount max is $1500 excluding monitor.
Monitor choice is the Samsung 226:

Motherboard - Asus p5w-dh deluxe 975w

CPU - Conroe E6850

Sound Card - Audigy2

Video Card - Sapphire or ? X1950XT 256mb -

Ram - G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail $180

Power Supply - PC P&C Silencer 610W EPS12V $149.99

CD DVD RW -

HD - A Western Digital Caviar type 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Case -

Windows XP pro w/sp2 - about $120

Spikes · « **Reply #1 on:** July 27, 2007, 09:19:17 PM »

3 gig harddrive?
or am I reading that wrong

Avaro · « **Reply #2 on:** July 27, 2007, 10:31:28 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by SpikesX
3 gig harddrive?
or am I reading that wrong

3.0gb/s transfer.. lol Best cases out right now are antec 900 and P180 series. I'd defiently get a better videocard

Spatula · « **Reply #3 on:** July 28, 2007, 01:47:31 AM »

Sounds kick-arnold to me

jpeg · « **Reply #4 on:** July 28, 2007, 07:49:45 AM »

Yeah video card is on the low end.

Go with nvidia based with at least 512MB RAM on board. Like 7950 or 8800 series.

As far as the case, I used the antec p180b case for my recent system, it's a little heavier than I wanted but very nice, lots of silient 120mm fans.

I'd also go with a seagate drive, seagate is only company that offers 5 year warranty with their drives.

Fulmar · « **Reply #5 on:** July 28, 2007, 09:22:52 AM »

Are you planning on overclocking this system? If not, stick with 800mhz DDR2, its a lot cheaper than 1066mhz. You would need a water cooled overclock to use 1066mhz to its potential. Otherwise you're just throwing money away. Even 667mhz DDR2 will work within like 2% of the 800mhz stuff because you're matching it with a 1:1 ratio (667mhz x 2 = 1333mhz = 1333mhz E6850's FSB) with the FSB speed. But 800mhz gives you headroom for upgrades and is about the same price as the 667mhz, so stick with 800. If you overclock your system with 800mhz DDR2, you can pump the FSB of the Conroe up to 1600mhz without overclocking the RAM. But overclocking is a different tune.

This is what I use in my system. 4gb of it. It's 667mhz but has good timings. $82.99. Same brand as you picked out G.Skill. I've had no issues with this ram.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231055

I would recommend this ram over the above one. 800mhz, good reviews (500+) 5 stars on neweeg. $88.99.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098

With the money you save on your ram ($90-100) you can add a little more horsepower to your video card.

Roscoroo · « **Reply #6 on:** July 28, 2007, 11:02:00 AM »

actually the 1950 cards arnt "low end", ive got a x1950xtx 512 card and that thing just screams . its just a hair under a 8800 but without the driver problems.

Silat · « **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2007, 11:45:32 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Roscoroo
actually the 1950 cards arnt "low end", ive got a x1950xtx 512 card and that thing just screams . its just a hair under a 8800 but without the driver problems.

Specifically what card for less than $300?
And specifically what memory for the system?

Roscoroo · « **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2007, 12:09:21 PM »

you pesky budget card buyer

id probely stay with the cheaper priced 1950 over the 7950 ...from what ive read thru the reviews/tests dollar for dollar the 1950 is the better bang for buck . and most of the tests are very comparable (when there not porked by overclocking) so in reality there bolth very good cards ...it just depends on how much you wanna spend.

Fulmar · « **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2007, 01:14:58 PM »

Here, if you want to rate video cards, use the Tomshardware.com Video card charts. You can select different cards, select the game, resolution etc. This is an overall FPS off all the games combined.

8800GTS 640mb (what I have and no driver issues) - this 320mb are a little slower buy you can save some $$.

vs.

1950XTX 512mb

http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=723&model2=707&chart=318

I'd avoid the 2900 series ATI cards for now, their initial release showed driver problems and the cards were underperforming (in addition to running on the hot side). Recent updates have showed a boost in performance.

Here's one of my favorite articles the site does each month. Best video card for the money. Gives you price ranges and what card is best bang for the buck. This is the July edition. August is almost here so look for the article again.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/07/03/the_best_gaming_video_cards_for_the_money/

According to that lin above, best bang for the buck in the ~$280 PCI-E category is the 8800GTS 320mb.

"The GeForce 8800 GTS is the little brother of the 8800 GTX, and both are based on the same Nvidia next-generation DirectX 10 GPU. The 8800 GTS is slightly crippled compared to the GTX, but it will still beat powerhouse cards like the dual-GPU 7950 GX2 in many cases. At $280, this card really brings unheard-of performance for the price. It also isn't notably slower than it's 640MB 8800 GTS cousin, which costs almost $100 more.

Fulmar · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2007, 01:29:30 PM »

For a ~$200 range:

1950XT (not XTX)

"The X1950 XT is a powerful video card. Its core runs a mere 25 MHz slower than that of the X1950 XTX, and its memory runs a full 250 MHz (effective) faster than the X1900 XTX. In English, it is on par with the previous X1900 XTX champ, and fast enough to run at high resolutions with nice eye candy. It will handily beat a 7950 GT, and even best a 7900 GTO or 7900 GTX at most things.

The X1950 XT is an incredible deal at the $200 price point and I've seen it go for as low as $180 on Newegg. Many are $250 or higher though, and at that price it begins to tread too closely to the 8800 GTS, which is more powerful."

humble · « **Reply #11 on:** July 28, 2007, 05:41:25 PM »

I'd at least consider a P35 MB...

Silat · « **Reply #12 on:** July 28, 2007, 05:55:30 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by humble
I'd at least consider a P35 MB...

\
Humble which one? And do the p35 mb's only take ddr3 or both ddr2 and 3?

Silat · « **Reply #13 on:** July 28, 2007, 05:56:11 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Roscoroo
you pesky budget card buyer

id probely stay with the cheaper priced 1950 over the 7950 ...from what ive read thru the reviews/tests dollar for dollar the 1950 is the better bang for buck . and most of the tests are very comparable (when there not porked by overclocking) so in reality there bolth very good cards ...it just depends on how much you wanna spend.

HAHA its for someone else:)

Roscoroo · « **Reply #14 on:** July 28, 2007, 06:10:48 PM »

I know that ... i'm just rubbin ur stockings the wrong way