Buying Bare bones Sys...advice..comments

[batdog]

 Okies.. had a post like this but it gone? Anyway my current system sucks booty. Its a AMD k6-2 500   and mannnnn does it rot in this game. SO I'm gonna upgrade my MB and processor. Gonna post a couple so let fly on the comments please.  


 Bare Bones
 Assembled w/ cpu
 AMD Tbird Athlon
 1.2GHz 266fsb ATX
 Case 300W upgdl1.5GHz
 Microstar K7Tturbo MB ata100,5PCI
 1AGP4X, 3dimm 266MHz FSB Socket A,
 ATX tower 300W Coolmaster fan
           $ 334
It doesnt mention a warrenty...

 Or this...

Bare Bones Assembled
With CPU AMD 1.2GHz Athlon 266, 1 Year WARR
ASUS A7V133 COOLING FAN & HEAT SINK,
ENL 7237 300WT PS. KB & MOUSE
$ 379

 Oh and what the diff in these boards. Is one better than the other? Also do I need a 300 watt PS? I see some cheaper that use a 250 watt PS...?

xBAT

[bloom25]

If that's the only two choices I've got, I'd pick number 2.  The MB used in choice one is about to be recalled for problems with being unable to post after a warm boot.  (It may have already.  Anandtech had to replace all their servers that used this MB with Asus A7vs for this reason.)  The 2nd is also using the better Enlight case.  Other than the brand, those two MBs are pretty much the same, but the Asus is probably faster, easier to overclock (this is for sure), and more stable.

Both are using the Via Kt133a chipset, which is overall very good.  It accepts PC133 Sdram.  This chipset is also highly overclockable.  You will also be able to use the new Athlon 4s when they become available for future upgrading.

(By bare bones you do realize that means you reuse all the rest of your old computer right?  Harddrives, cd rom, floppy, soundcard, videocard, modem, ram, etc.)

(Side note:  Make sure you get the 4.31 via drivers from www.viahardware.com  when you assemble this system and load drivers.)

------------------
bloom25
-MAW-
(Formerly of the)
THUNDERBIRDS

[bloom25]

300W powersupply is a must in a Tbird system.  No way around that.  (Unless you like a system that crashes every 5 minutes.   )



------------------
bloom25
-MAW-
(Formerly of the)
THUNDERBIRDS

[batdog]

  Yea... gonna reuse my HD, Vid, Sound, USB, etc. I'll upgrade the HD and Vid Card later this year. I guess I'll go with a Azus A7V133
board then.

 What are some better MB's. I'm looking to get a barebones for no more than 400... or buy the total equivalent.

 xBAT

[Ghosth]

I've got that case, the Enlight 7237 300w
and like it fine.

The only real change I made was bolting in a second case fan in the back. And drilling out the holes in the front bezel 4 sizes bigger.

As for the rest, listen to Bloom, he's the GURU!

[batdog]

  Well I bought basicly the 2nd system on my list but w/a A7A266 MB w/128 DDR RAM. Hopefully it'll cook.

xBAT

[MrBill]

Before vanishing your orignal thread listed a K7VZA Tbird system.
You might wish to take another look at that board. http://www.active-hardware.com/english/reviews/mainboard/k7vza.htm
I have no complaints with the one I am using.

------------------
OhNooo
Smile Awhile

[bloom25]

The A7A266 is a DDR board.  It uses an Ali Chipset called the Magik 1.  It is probably a little bit faster than the A7V133 overall, and it will be easier to get ram for in the future if DDR ram catches on.



------------------
bloom25
-MAW-
(Formerly of the)
THUNDERBIRDS

[Defiance]

Hiya's,
       Just got me an Asus A7a266 revision 1.03 it is dual ram (one type only at 1 time) i have 256 of Crucial Cas2 pc133 in it for now and will get some ddr in a while (just bought this 133 ram 2 days later bios chip got zapped with static in my a7v)
I had an Asus A7v which i volt modded and got a TB 750 to 1.1gig  

The later A7v133 is a great board and this a7a266 i rate as a good reliable and fairly future proof being it can take sdram or ddr  

Have Fun

Goodluck

Def

ps asus do many a bios update as i found out with my a7v, imho they really keep up drivers updates etc for some time which is a plus