Author Topic: New Athlon System, Help plz (Bloom, Skuzzy, etc) (Read 602 times)

LePaul · « **on:** May 09, 2002, 01:26:45 PM »

Just picked up a motherboard....

MSI (Micro Star) MS-6330 V5.0 (K7T Turbo2)

Goes up to a AMD XP 1800+

I'm looking for suggestions about video cards...I want killer/best/awesome without paying too much

Anyone who says "Trident 4mb AGP" gets beatings

I'm planning on purchasing a 512mb ram chip from Crucial soon, and this will run Windows 2000 Pro. On board sound.

Ideas ideas ideas! I've got 1 part, need many more

LePaul · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2002, 01:29:15 PM »

Oh my, misread something...

http://www.msicomputer.com/product/detail_spec/K7Tturbo2.htm

It takes an AMD XP 1900+

LePaul · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2002, 01:46:38 PM »

Ok, just got off the phone with MSI....asked the fella a few simple questions...

This board will take the XP 2000+ CPU so long as I get the latest Bios update. By default, their max is 1900. Cool

I told him the mission of the board, as a game machine, and he commented that of all the recent boards, this one has worked wonderfully, almost no support issues at all. (I asked, point blank, is this a good board, or should I am higher?).

So, so far, it looks like I nabbed a good system board. Just priing CPUs, hard drives, and wondering what the gurus suggest for video.

Lephturn · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2002, 02:19:38 PM »

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.html?i=1613

GeForce 4 Ti4400

If you want to spend less, either a Ti4200 (They should be avaialble soon) or a Radeon 8500 card.

http://www.sharkyextreme.com/guides/WCPG/article.php/1080161

The 1900+ looks to be at the best value point in the curve to me, but get the best you can afford.

That said, with Intel's stompy new P4's on the 533 bus coming out, stand by for heavy rolls in the CPU price department. You may see price drops in the next couple of weeks from both manufacturers if Intel drops it's price on the high end P4's a bit.

Eagler · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2002, 02:34:27 PM »

ASUS board with a 2000XP cpu and GeForce 4 Ti4400

good combo - pegs fps at 85 (monitor refresh limit due to vsync enabled) with 2X AA

LePaul · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2002, 02:36:15 PM »

I'm looking at the GeForce cards and Im wowed how pricey they are vs the ATI. I like the Radeons, but there is that part of me wondering about the FSAA in the GeForce cards I'd like to have (which my V5 5500 has, but do not plan to transplant into the XP 2000+ machine)

Im getting prices on the 8500LE (128mb) card now.

Eagler · « **Reply #6 on:** May 09, 2002, 02:39:09 PM »

3DMARK 2000 Score - 12748

3DMark2001 SE - 9482

$300

LePaul · « **Reply #7 on:** May 09, 2002, 03:10:14 PM »

Where's a good place to price/buy these video cards?

Im finding GeForce cards under the PNY brand, which I thought wasn't quite so good (from what some of you guys posted a while back)?

Thanks

Eagler · « **Reply #8 on:** May 09, 2002, 04:23:08 PM »

Mines a PNY

Got it at Circuit City $299 & it came with the 3D glasses which are fun in AH (if you don't mind dying:)) and IL2 and a blast in OP Flashpoint

bloom25 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 09, 2002, 04:35:41 PM »

GF 4 4400 would be my pick right now as well.

That board can probably take the XP 2100+ when they update the bios again. It's just support for the higher multiplier that is needed. There's a good chance it will also support the Throughbred core Athlon XP CPUs when they are released as well.

Those 2.533 Ghz P4s perform really well, but once again they are not compatible with current motherboards. If I had just bought a Northwood P4, I'd be kind of angry about that.

(Lets not also overlook pricing: When I looked on pricewatch yesterday an XP 2100+ was going for $215 and a 2.4 Ghz P4 was $530. An XP 1800+ was only $95. A 1.3 Ghz P4 was $95. That's a terrible matchup as far as price. A 1.3 Ghz P4 can be outperformed by a 1 Ghz P3... )

SKurj · « **Reply #10 on:** May 09, 2002, 05:54:28 PM »

BD5

I have that mobo and an XP 1800+ (btw latest BIOS supports XP 2100+)

I get great fps with a GF2 MX in AH.... BUT for other games I am gonna upgrade the vid card. Probably gonna look at the GF4 Ti 4400 if i can take the $500 price tag here in canada eh...

SKurj

LePaul · « **Reply #11 on:** May 09, 2002, 11:04:31 PM »

I just paid $225 for a *boxed* AMD 2000+, which includes fan and all. Lil high, but local guy, and Im content to support him. I thought about 2100+ but its a wee bit more than I want to spend now. So far, I have ordered the case (300w PS), 256mb PC133 RAM and the CPU. Next paycheck, more pieces

Sox62 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 09, 2002, 11:36:30 PM »

I'd ditch the fan that came with it,and buy a better one.Factory HSF's just don't get the job done.

Use Arctic Silver,not the cheap thermal paste or tape that will come with your factory HSF.

You might also consider buying a shim....it isn't crucial,but you won't have to worry about cracking the cpu core when you mount the fan.At $7,it's cheap insurance.

You can get all three at the link below.

http://www.1coolpc.com/

LePaul · « **Reply #13 on:** May 10, 2002, 01:52:34 PM »

Good suggestion with the fans/cooling

thanks for the link

LePaul · « **Reply #14 on:** May 12, 2002, 08:15:30 PM »

Serious question tho...which brand is the better card? Im eyeing the 4600 (GeForce 4)...the Gainward seems to be the best, is Gainward a good brand? MSI is up there too. What about PNY and the others?

Thanks