Major Overhaul for a Cheapskate

[DREDIOCK]

Are LGA775s going to be around much longer?

Doesnt matter and here is why. And I know because its happened to me virtually every time I've bought a machine or built one

Lets say you build a hot rod system using the latest motherboard with an eye on not having to rebuild the entire thing in the future.
Whats going to happen. Is by the time your ready to get or build that next machine. That mother board. and most of the parts are going to be old school already
that LGA 1336 (for example) will be replaced by QFT 4,000,000 And quad core CPU will be replaced by some triple quadruple quad with a mind meld co proccesser, Your PCI card wont fit the new slot designed to take video bricks that will look more like a circuit breaker and will plug in pretty much the same way.
Forget that old PSU. the micro mini nuclear 450 gigawatt reactor  PSU will be needed to power it all. And a turbine wind machine to cool it all

Point is. Get what you think will last you a few years. Then just start saving for a new build.
6 months from now anything "new" you get will already be old technology.
After 4-5 years the money you saved by not buying upgrades will enable you to build a completely new machine and start all over again

That being said. A really nice machine can be built with a $1,000 hard price limit

[OOZ662]

Point is. Get what you think will last you a few years. Then just start saving for a new build.

I'm not expecting a lifetime computer here. My point being that I literally built that last computer within a few months of both AGP and Socket 478 being entirely phased out. That's all I'm trying to avoid. (And even then, she's turning...what, 8 this year? It's not like I didn't get my money's worth.)

[TequilaChaser]

Heya Ooz,
just to show you that you do not need a bunch of high priced components, here is what I was able to get out of a bunch of AH community member donated PC parts

heya gyrene,
that PC I was able to build for an AH member in need, with the AH Community member donated parts actually turned out real well

Gigabyte soctet 939 AMD type MB with (2) PCI-E slots capable of SLI-Mode (used)

AMD Opteron 185 dual core processor 2.6GHz cpu (used)

BFG Tech 650 watt PSU with (2) PCI-E power plugs for video cards ( used)

(4) 1 gig sticks of Patriot PC3200 DDR1 Memory sticks ( Used )

Antec 1200 case ( used )

Hitachi 320 gig SATA II HD ( only new item )

onboard sound

Nvidia 9500 videcard PCIE ( used )

Windows 7 64 bit Ultimate


the build which other AH Community members donated the parts, is capable of running Aces High with everything turned up to maximum and shadows in the Advanced graphic settings ingame runs at 2084 shadows using hi-res text package

and the FPS is locked at 75 /74 fps

all this on a PC that is built using 2 to 3 generations older typed PC parts that had all be previously used in all different PCs

incase someone wanted to compare with

will post a DXDIAG and a few screen shots later on.....

but htis completely donated by the community PC parts PC BUILD is outstanding

and scores a modest overall 6.7 on the Windows 7 performance index

also, this particular MB is only able to utilize only 3 Gigs of the memory because of a glitch in the Gigabyte Board, which is noted in the Gigabyte forums   new edit 7/9/2010: their is a fix with this MB to fix the 3 gig memory issue by updating the BIOS

hope this helps you make some comparisons when picking out your new parts

I do suggest a new case though, either an antec900 or NZXT Tempest

for PSU  go with 650 to 750 watt and perferbly 60 amp single 12V rail if you can find one ... ( whoever took over PC Power & Cooling PSU's is the best right now, the name eludes me right this moment )

that's bout all I have to offer, to many seem to argue in this forum these days...... everyone is a PC experten it seems.... I only started with this lil pc's back in mid/late 80's right before I got out of the Navy... I hold no  bachelor or doctoriate in PC building 

Good Luck

[Spikes]

I'm not expecting a lifetime computer here. My point being that I literally built that last computer within a few months of both AGP and Socket 478 being entirely phased out. That's all I'm trying to avoid. (And even then, she's turning...what, 8 this year? It's not like I didn't get my money's worth.)

Well the 775s will still be 'around' for a bit longer for sure. Lots of options for them. Definitely go for it or AM3.
Then again, why does it not need to be 'phased out'? You want an upgrade path? In that case it would be better to go with newer sockets...but if a 775 system plays games for cheaper than a 1366 system I'd get that and spend the money later on a new cpu/mobo...It's 2am here and I make no sense sorry.

[Dragon]

What power supply would you all suggest? Some online calculator said I'd need 400w for the i7/9800GTX+ build I randomly scoped out earlier today and that sounds a bit ludicrous. Note that noise is not an issue; it sounds like a jet anyway.

EDIT: Looks like I'll need to bust out the measuring tape for that GTX260. I can get everything cheaper at NewEgg except that video card, which is like $40 more before $20 rebate.

Damm, I overlooked the power supply.    650W minimum.  Spikes recommendation is 

Another MB option. 
 MSI P43-C51 LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard DDR3, APS & EZ OC Switch
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130252

[cattb]

yeah AMD isn't really for everyone.
but i'm glad i'm not everyone else.

this chip(see sig) is still chuggin along fine.

 

I am hijacking I guess, but what is the voltage you are running for the overclock and what are you using for cooling?
Okay, I see now 1.6 volts. Must be a temporary overclock.

[skribetm]

I am hijacking I guess, but what is the voltage you are running for the overclock and what are you using for cooling?
Okay, I see now 1.6 volts. Must be a temporary overclock.

4~5 hours of -75C/1.6v torture.
this thing is built like a tank. 

[OOZ662]

Are AMD CPUs still like 60% ceramic?

[cattb]

4~5 hours of -75C/1.6v torture.
this thing is built like a tank. 

What do you usually run at for a overclock during everyday use?

[gyrene81]

Are AMD CPUs still like 60% ceramic?

LOL...you're thinking of the old AMD K5 and K6 series processors. No the new processors are built somewhat similar to Intel Pentium 4s, except they are 45nm rather than 60nm. Those memory timing issues from the old Nforce2 days are gone too, except for times when someone is pushing things beyond their capacity. Even though I generally prefer Intel chips, when I build the next system, it's going to be AMD and ATI. Hard to beat the $50 to $100 price difference between Intel and AMD.

[cattb]

Are AMD CPUs still like 60% ceramic?

I'm not really all that keen on AMD

You can get a e8400 for a little over a hundred.

[Spikes]

Damm, I overlooked the power supply.    650W minimum.  Spikes recommendation is 

Another MB option. 
 MSI P43-C51 LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard DDR3, APS & EZ OC Switch
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130252

I guess that my comp isn't 'smart'...I run two HD5770s, an OC'd Q9550, 2 HDD's 5 fans 4 LED's and a mem cooler on a 600W....

[gyrene81]

I'm not really all that keen on AMD

You can get a e8400 for a little over a hundred.

Yeah, I could see that...$174 for an e8400 3.0Ghz versus $67 for an AMD Athlon II x2 3.1Ghz or AMD Phenom II x2 3.2Ghz for $99.

Flippin Wolfdale processors are still expensive...      ...would have thought the price would drop below $100 by now.

[Spikes]

The Athlon II processors are great little cheap ones...not sure how they are on gaming...maybe like gyrene mentioned a Phenom 2 or Phenom 4. Still cheap but more 'effective'.

[skribetm]

3d games aren't cpu-bound at higher resolutions.
even a $100 athlon ii x4 620 will be more than enough for AH2.
pair it with a 5870 and you will be able to max all settings 1920x1200.