Help needed with FINAL specs for my new comp

[Shinova]

Here it is, more or less:

Intel Pentium 4 3.06GHz (512/533 FSB)

Motherboard: Intel D845PESVL

Memory: 1GB Kingston PC-2700 DDR RAM (512MB x 2)

Hard Drive: 120GB 7200rpm Ultra DMA/100 (8MB Buffer)

Display Card: 4/8X AGP ATI Radeon 9700Pro 128MB DDR

CD-Writer: Pioneer A05 DVD-RW Writer

Sound Card: PCI Sound Blaster Audigy2 Platinum 6.1

System Case: ATX 278WB Black Color & Edge LED Styler Case 10 Bay & Side Fan w/ 350W P.S. (With neon light)

I think that's about it. For the missing stuff like monitor, I already have. What do you think?

[Headshots_Sold_Here]

Intel + DDR == Lose. Get RDRAM or get AMD (ideally AMD, intel is into that whole tcpa shit with M$). If you decide to go with DDR, max it out. Corsair XMS DDR 3500 or 3700, fastest u can buy.

[Shinova]

Intel + DDR == Lose. Get RDRAM or get AMD (ideally AMD, intel is into that whole tcpa shit with M$). If you decide to go with DDR, max it out. Corsair XMS DDR 3500 or 3700, fastest u can buy.

Currently my options are limited. RDRAM only comes in PC800 sizes.

How supposedly slow is Intel + DDR? Is it like, half-cpu-speed-cut slow or something?


EDIT: I hear AMD is following into the TCPA thing as well. And I don't think they've implemented that yet.

[Hyperion]

First 2 things:

1) ditch inhell, you're not gonna get the performance for your money
2) ditch the ATI POS, you get more bang for your buck with the GF4 series.

Btw, a little bit of info on RDRAM and DDR: 1) RDRAM may be clocked higher than hell, but it has 3 major fallicies: 1: it is serial interface rather than parallel like all the other types of ram, this is why it's clocked higher, it also has reduced bandwidth. 2: the cost is too fucking high. 3: you need to install it in pairs.

DDR is parallel interface of course but with double the data thruput rate (hence the name) it in general will give you better performance at a lower cost. Also DDR400 gives less performance than DDR333 due to the higher system overhead and the fact that there isn't much out there that utilizes it.

[Headshots_Sold_Here]

RDRAM also comes in PC1066
I am just wondering why you are mixing. Intel and AMD top of thelines are fairly similar, with thier proper ram. As for GF4 vs RADEON vs FX: Seems like you have $$ to burn, if you're going intel 3.06. Go for a 9800 or 5800, no point in making another bottleneck. The ATH 3k is marginally faster, for $13 and you save on the ram.

as for TCPA bullshit, I've only heard about intel.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

Intel + DDR == Lose. Get RDRAM or get AMD (ideally AMD, intel is into that whole tcpa shit with M$). If you decide to go with DDR, max it out. Corsair XMS DDR 3500 or 3700, fastest u can buy.

Currently my options are limited. RDRAM only comes in PC800 sizes.

How supposedly slow is Intel + DDR? Is it like, half-cpu-speed-cut slow or something?


EDIT: I hear AMD is following into the TCPA thing as well. And I don't think they've implemented that yet.

For Intel, DDR is shit.

DDR memory:
DDR3200 is 400 MHz FSB.
DDR2700 is 333 MHz FSB.
DDR2100 is 266 MHz FSB.

On an Intel system with a 533 Mhz FSB, that translates into a lot of latency, which is time the CPU wastes waiting for stuff to come in from main memory.

[weemadando]

Here it is, more or less:

Sound Card: PCI Sound Blaster Audigy2 Platinum 6.1

Hissssss....

Find yourself a Hercules Gametheater XP. With the latest drivers it is a truly wonderful piece of hardware. It also provides you with massive amounts of connectivity via the lovely blue box. While the blue box adds immense street cred to your computers appearance.

Trust me, once you get this baby you won't look back. Not to mention the fact that it will likely be about 100 cheaper than the SB card.

[Shinova]

1. I don't need super sound. As long as it can give me good game sound, play mp3s and MIDIs well, I'm fine.

2. How much of a difference is there between DDR and RDRAM? Is it possible to get a stat based on, say, FPS? (FPS=frames per second)

3. I read somewhere just a minute ago that Intel won't be implementing Palladium until second half of 2003. It's not second half yet. And it's supposedly on the P5, not the P4.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

First 2 things:

1) ditch inhell, you're not gonna get the performance for your money
2) ditch the ATI POS, you get more bang for your buck with the GF4 series.

Btw, a little bit of info on RDRAM and DDR: 1) RDRAM may be clocked higher than hell, but it has 3 major fallicies: 1: it is serial interface rather than parallel like all the other types of ram, this is why it's clocked higher, it also has reduced bandwidth. 2: the cost is too fucking high. 3: you need to install it in pairs.

DDR is parallel interface of course but with double the data thruput rate (hence the name) it in general will give you better performance at a lower cost. Also DDR400 gives less performance than DDR333 due to the higher system overhead and the fact that there isn't much out there that utilizes it.

Ain't that the goddamned truth. There are systems that support DDR at 400 MHz, but the throughput compared to 333 is disappointing. And I haven't seen a system that takes any more than one DDR 400 MHz stick.

I am told the best system in terms of memory bandwidth is a new Athlon XP 2800+ or better system with the 333 MHz FSB, paired with 333 MHz DDR memory. Practically no latency to speak of.

[weemadando]

1. I don't need super sound. As long as it can give me good game sound, play mp3s and MIDIs well, I'm fine.

Perhaps you missed my point. The GameTheater XP gives you a superiour sound deck, and lots of connectivity (not just sound, but USB, gameports et al) as well. And its CHEAPER than you're currently selected card.

[Glocksman]

If you go AMD, get an nForce 2 chipset board, but avoid Asus like the plague.

I have an Asus A7N8X Deluxe, and I am not happy with the quality of the board (voltage fluctuations, audio popping, and RF interference with the video at lower refresh rates).

Go over to the nforcershq boards and marvel at the sheer number of problems with the Asus board. I wish someone had steered me to the site before I bought mine.

AOpen just introduced some nForce boards that look interesting.

[Glocksman]

Addendum:
If sound isn't that important, why the SB Audigy Platinum?

If you go Intel:

A more economical choice would be to get the Intel D845PEBT Blue Mountain 2 board.
It has pretty decent built in sound, built in LAN, and Serial ATA built in for future HD upgrades.

Blue Mountain Specs

And if you go AMD, nForce2 sound is roughly the equal of the Audigy2's without the extra $160 for a separate card.

[weemadando]

Addendum:
If sound isn't that important, why the SB Audigy Platinum?

If you go Intel:

A more economical choice would be to get the Intel D845PEBT Blue Mountain 2 board.
It has pretty decent built in sound, built in LAN, and Serial ATA built in for future HD upgrades.

Blue Mountain Specs

And if you go AMD, nForce2 sound is roughly the equal of the Audigy2's without the extra $160 for a separate card.

Never EVER go with onboard sound. I did it for a year before shelling out for my GTXP. Its uniformly horrid, tinny and all-around shitty. You'd be better off with PC speaker before going that option.

[Shinova]

I forgot to mention that my budget is, relatively speaking, limitless at the moment.

The only restraint are the options available to me at the moment. I might, in the future, go fish for better ram or something.

[Glocksman]

Never EVER go with onboard sound. I did it for a year before shelling out for my GTXP. Its uniformly horrid, tinny and all-around shitty. You'd be better off with PC speaker before going that option.

Two years ago, I would have agreed totally with you.

However, the sound quality of my nForce2 onboard sound totally blows away an SB Live! and is only slightly inferior in analog output (slight bass rolloff) to the Audigy2. If you use the digital output, that difference vanishes.

The Intel onboard sound?
I don't know from personal experience but reviews say it's acceptable, if not nForce2 or Audigy2 level.

I forgot to mention that my budget is, relatively speaking, limitless at the moment.

In that case, get an Intel 850 board and lots of RDRAM.

[Shinova]

The intel 850 board available to me only supports PC800 it seems.


And should I go with Intel D845PESVL or Intel D845PEBT2? Both don't seem to have that much of a difference.

[Glocksman]

The PEBT has Serial ATA support, 6 channel built in sound with digital out, and Firewire.

The PESVL has built in audio, but it's not as advanced and it lacks SATA and Firewire support.

[Shinova]

Last minute change to D845PEBT2.

[Glocksman]

Also, who makes the power supply in that case you mentioned?

If it's the Raidmax case that sells for about $60, forget it and get a case with a decent power supply. P4's are power hogs and need clean power and a lot of amps to run.

Skimp on the power supply and you'll have lots of reliability issues.

This is the case I bought.



It's got a quality 380 watt PS that provides plenty of power for your proposed system.

A decent case and PS will last you through several upgrades.

[Glocksman]

The only fault with the Sonata is that it's a little cramped to work inside when compared to its bigger brothers (such as the SX 1040). But it does run 120mm fans for quietness.

[Shinova]

I think it's a ATX case, with 350 watts power supply. 80mm fan (on the side) + normal fans (there ARE normal rear fans too, right? )

[Crayz9000]

Go for a 400w power supply, a 350 isn't going to cut it.

[weemadando]

Did you say money is no issue?

Lian-Li cases all the way.

And get a decent uninterruptable power supply as well. For about 100 you should be able to find a shiny powerboard with UPS, surge protection etc.

[Glocksman]

If this is it, find another case or throw away the PS and buy an Antec or Enermax 380 or 430 watt to replace it.

Among the decent PS brands are Antec, Enermax, Channel Well, Heroichi, and Sparkle.

I would get a better case if cost isn't a concern though.[/url]

[Shinova]

Go for a 400w power supply, a 350 isn't going to cut it.

AAAARRRGG!!!! I have to change the stupid list again!!!!!



(note: I'm not angry at you ppl)