Are these pc componets up to spec?

[lee_h._oswald 0]

Buy an NForce2 board, put an AthlonXP(FSB333) on it, purchase 2x512MB DDR333 Ram(like Kingston or same quality), and you won´t see a bluescreen or stupid bugs or whatever.

Good news for me  

You should use an AMD XP with "Barton Core", not one with "Thoroughbred B Core"

It has 512kb L2-cache instead of 256kb.

But wait.... the 2800+ should be a Barton. or someone try to sell you an old CPU!

MfG Lee

[Shashman 0]

Hmmm...this is quite a reputable shop

Ah well...

[Warin 0]

Mostly it isn´t Intel or AMD, it´s the USER that makes a system unstabel.

Install drivers correctly, don´t overclock your system and be happy with a fast and stable computer.

MfG Lee

BINGO!

The most unstable component in most systems is the user

BTW: The newest P4's dissipate just as much heat as any of the Athlon processors. Dont believe me? Look at Intel specs

[buggs 0]

Im pretty opened minded about processors. iv'e been using AMD for three years (my pc is by advent) with no problems.

from what i have read there seems to be very little between them.

[Donnervogel 0]

For the RAM. I have tons of Addons ;) What is affecting your RAM usage is other running programs and of course the Operating System. Win XP uses a lot more memory (they want you to buy more, those abstards) than win 2000.

But I really don't have RAM problems with my System. As I said with OFP running I never got to 100%. 91% was the highest with like 10 other programs running at the same time.

EDIT:

I am very happy with AMD 2600+ XP and the one I had before (1 Ghz Thunderbird). It certainly doesn't need more power than Intel because my power supply wouldn't provide enough power to run a Intel Chip. And the cooler is noiseless like the rest of my computer. AMD is cheaper and you get by far enough CPU power for gaming.

[Shashman 0]

OK I've been toiling and troubling over what PC to buy, whether it be self assembled or pre assembled and I've just found this attractive seeming offer :

Processor= Amd Barton XP 2500 FSB 333 - 512K cache -

Fan=Coolermaster Max 2600Mhz -

Motherboard= Asus A7N8X Deluxe Nvidia Nforce2 - Sound 128bit 3D - 6x USB 2 - Firewire 1394 - Network 10/100 -

Memory= 2x OCZ DDR 256 Mo Pro 333Mhz + Cooler -

Hard Disk= 120Go 7200rpm -

Graphics Card= 3D Geforce FX 5600 256Mo DDR + TV Out and DVI -

Sound Card= Sound Blaster Live Digital Player 5.1 -

DVD= DVD/CD 16x 48x -

CDRW=52x 24x 52x for CD-R and RW -

Case= Middle Deluxe 300W -

Speakers= Logitech 5.1 Z640 composed of 5 satellites + 1 Subwoofer -

Mouse= 2 buttons + Scroll -

Keyboard=Multimedia + programmable keys -

FDD= 1,44 -

Total= 899 Euros

This system is pre-assembled but I could probably change various compnents.If so which ones would you change keeping in mind that my budget is 1000E...

Thanks in advance

[Badgerboy 0]

I was an Intel man until I went AMD recently. No problems what so ever, and a hell of alot cheaper.

As for performance, I'm not complaining, the bugger flies! (Thanks to some large heatsinks, a spot of overclocking, and a stripped out, tweaked Win XP pro OS)

Abit AT7 MAX2 @ 200 FSB

Athlon XP2100 (1.7ghz) @ XP3200+ (2.3 Ghz) - 1.775 volts

TwinMOS 3200 DDR @ 400 mhz - 1.85 volts

Zalman Flower with AS3 and 120mm Papst, Passive Zalman NB cooler, and 4 Asaka case fans.

Temps :

CPU Idle : 32c

CPU Load : 45c

[Shashman 0]

*Bump Bump*

[lee_h._oswald 0]

@Shashman

DO NOT BUY A GEFORCE FX WITH 256MB RAM!!! <-  

Either buy a GF-FX5600 Ultra 128MB (it´s faster then the 256MB non Ultra)

or

see if you can save a little money and buy a GF4 TI4200 128MB 8xAGP.

MfG Lee

edit:

Looking at the UT2003 engine(Direct3D), you can see what I mean.

At a resuloution of 1280x1024 without AA and AF, the Ti4200 is close to a normal FX5600, the FX5600 Ultra is faster.

When playing with 4xAA and 8xAA, the Ti4200 is a little slow.

[Shashman 0]

Ah thanks for that Lee  

I can get a GF4 Ti4600 8x 128mb for 216 Euros or a GF4 Ti4800 128mb for 209 Euros...Hmmm I can't seem to find an Ultra GFFX5600...

Ahhh...here's one...Is it any good? :

Leadtek FX5600 A310TD 256MB DDR +VIVO Direct X9

That one is 217.95 Euros...

OK I spoke to a m8 and he said that Tom's Hardware guide isn't really reliable...This is because ATi and nVidia send them pre-release hardware,which is somehow faster than the stuff you buy in the shops    Don't tell me what this means, but it's only served to confucse me even more, lol...

[lee_h._oswald 0]

That Leadtek you found, is no Ultra.

This is a Ultra version:

As far as I know, there is no Ultra with 256MB available.

I tested exactly the Leadtek you found.

It´s ok but not really impressiv.

I´m running a Leadtek GF4 Ti4600 128MB.

This card is ok, but the next "step" must be a FX5900.(waiting for price fall)

A FX5600 is too much money for a little performance boost.

You should buy the FX5600 Ultra 128MB Version.

It fit´s good with an AthlonXP 2500+.

MfG Lee

[Shashman 0]

OK then,thanks for the tips

But I don't understand how a 128mb gfx card can be better than a 256mb one I mean it's the same make, practically the same model, but with more RAM

[denoir 0]

You need more disk, especially if you have a decent internet connection. I have two 160 GB disks and they're more or less full. So IMO 120 GB is way too small.

[Shashman 0]

LOL!

I have a 20GB HD and it's nowhere near full....Although I spose having a 56k kinda limits the downloadage

Nah I think 120Gigs is enough for me

[Dauragon 0]

BTW:  The newest P4's dissipate just as much heat as any of the Athlon processors.  Dont believe me? Look at Intel specs

no the P4 3.2 ghz makes less heat then the newest AMD, according to my local comp store,

AMD is for people who use a computer very "carefully" without going on it like a maniac

Intel for people who like to overclock, mod alot, run thousands of programs

when i had an AMD i had problems, problems and problems

now i do the same usage as i did with the amd on a p4, ooooooo looky, no more problemsy.

intel all the way

[Shashman 0]

Naaaah...I had an AMD system for yonks and not a single prob  

AMD allllllllllllll the way....

[Dauragon 0]

AMD allllllllllllll the way....

my pentium logo is bigger then your amd logo so its better !

J/K reminded me of an old kiddy joke

[Shashman 0]

It's all I could find *sniff*

OK the big day when I get my new PC is tommorrow, so could I have a final verdict on which GFX card to get? It's the only stalling point

Here are the conditions, it must be a good value for money card, that means maximum 250 Euros but decent performance.I was going to get that Leadtec FX5600 256mb one, but according to Lee H. Oswald it ain't really any good, so...?

[S_Z 0]

An alternative to 5600U is the 9600Pro. It's a bit cheaper than the 5600U (at least where I live) and they have pretty much equal performance. The 9600Pro has the better image quality of the two since ATIs anti-aliasing (AA) technique is better than nVidias (FX still uses the same old AA technique as they did on GF3/4).

Reviews:

http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NTAyLDE=

http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=3x5900u&page=9

And if you buy a ATI card you wont get any questionable optimizations in you drivers

You should not support a company that act like nVidia is doing right now (IMHO).

In case anyone doesn’t know what I’m talking about: http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NTAz

[Badgerboy 0]

BTW:  The newest P4's dissipate just as much heat as any of the Athlon processors.  Dont believe me? Look at Intel specs

no the P4 3.2 ghz makes less heat then the newest AMD, according to my local  comp store,

AMD is for people who use a computer very "carefully" without going on it like a maniac

Intel for people who like to overclock, mod alot, run thousands of programs

when i had an AMD i had problems, problems and problems

now i do the same usage as i did with the amd on a p4, ooooooo looky, no more problemsy.

intel all the way

I take it your local computer store is staffed by monkeys then? The actual P4 chip gives off extreme amounts of heat, hence the massive core and heatsink that are part of it.

AMDs are acutally favoured by overclockers as you get more bang for your buck. I bought a XP2100+ and I run it at XP3200+ speeds. Now thats a decent overclock. By doing that I saved at least £200. Most large computer shops badmouth AMD as they get most of their machiens with Intel chipsets and CPU's as prebuilt systems. They are hardly going to favour the opposition when their backrooms are stuffed full of Pentiums.

I'm typing this on my Dual PIII system which I cannot fault. Likewise, I cannot fault my AMD which is rock solid, despite the inane babblings of certain computer shop remedials.

[Shashman 0]

An alternative to 5600U is the 9600Pro. It's a bit cheaper than the 5600U (at least where I live) and they have pretty much equal performance. The 9600Pro has the better image quality of the two since ATIs anti-aliasing (AA) technique is better than nVidias (FX still uses the same old AA technique as they did on GF3/4).

Reviews:

http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NTAyLDE=

http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=3x5900u&page=9

And if you buy a ATI card you wont get any questionable optimizations in you drivers

You should not support a company that act like nVidia is doing right now (IMHO).

In case anyone doesn’t know what I’m talking about: http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NTAz

Yes is that the Sapphire 9600? I heard that that was a pretty good card

[S_Z 0]

It doesn’t matter too much what card manufacturing company you choose, the cards are pretty much the same all of them. There are some exceptions though, I believe PowerColor for example sell a card that is a bit factory overclock.  

One thing that might differ is the type of memory used on the card. It doesn’t matter what memory the card has if you are not going to overclock it since they all (except PowerColor) run at 400/300MHz (core/mem) but if you are planing to overclock the card you should have 2.86ns mem (theoretical max frequency at 350Mhz).

The Sapphire 9600pro in this review: http://www.vr-zone.com/reviews/Sapphire/9600Pro/page2.htm has 2.86ns memory so maybe all Sapphire has that, not sure though.

Oh, and be sure you buy the PRO version if you decide to go for a 9600 card not the regular 9600.

[Shashman 0]

I don't know the first thing about overclocking

[S_Z 0]

I don't know the first thing about overclocking  

It’s extremely easy to overclock a graphic card, well as long as it’s not “locked†that is. If its locked you need to flash the BIOS. But Im pretty sure (not 100% though) the 9600Pro is not locked. They usually “lock†the non-pro versions, I know they did that with the 9700 (I have a 9700Pro myself).

All I have to do to overclock my card is to download a program like Radeonator and then adjust the frequency of the core and memory as I wish, its really easy.

You should be careful though so you don’t overclock it do much and it gets damaged. You just increase the frequency small step at a time and then run  3Dmark or something like that to see that you don’t get any graphical errors. If you do lower the freqency a bit and try again. It’s not harder than that, but of course you always take a risk by overclocking.

[Shashman 0]

Exactly...It's a risk I'm not willing to take...

Oh and Happy Birthday, Denoir