View Full Version : Spec me a new system please?
With the approach of Command & Conquer coming out, I've come to the grim realisation that my current system is in no way going to cut it, so Tina gave me the go-ahead to upgrade.
This is what I'm looking at :
Biostar MCP6P-M2
AMD Phenom Triple Core 8450 2.1GHz
Viotek 600W PSU
4GB DDR2 PC6400
8400 GS 512MB PCI-E (or should I go for the HD 3450 for the same price?)
All of the above come with a 1yr warranty. I'd use my existing HDD (160GB) and my XP, my DVDRW, keyboard, mouse and monitor.
Would the above system handle everything the new game could throw at it, or are there some things that I've overlooked?
Please help out someone who's been out of the loop since Athlon XP2500M's were the shiznit...
Psymonkee
13-10-2008, 20:34
Was just buying a GFX card for my sisters new machine and noticed that (at least in the UK) the 9800GT's are almost the same price as the 8800GT's. Worth a look at those.
Core 2 Duo's also seem to be the desired chips right now (2.4 - 3.0GHz)
Can't say I've heard of that particular brand of PSU before either - I tend to stick to Tagan/Enermax/Seasonic.
Otherwise looks ok.
Not sure on the 4GB of RAM under XP though - you might only get 3GB usable
Usable RAM under XP will be about 3.2GB. XP isn't nearly as RAM-hungry as Vista, so 2GB may be enough, but it depends on the price difference (buy smart, buy once).
Assuming you're on some kind of budget...
E2180 and overclock it a lot, very good performer for not a lot, paired with something like a P5K or P5Q motherboard.
4GB of PC2-6400 will do the E2180 a good service for overclocking (multi of 10, so PC6400 will in theory give you headroom way beyond 3GHz). Or go Core2Duo and get an E4000 series of some description. The AMD Phenom chips are worth looking at at the budget range but i'd still rather go Intel at the moment.
Graphics wise, I dunno about in the US (unless im getting my usernames confused) but the 8800GS was cheap over here, I got mine for £45. An 8400GS is pretty much bottom end and you'll want to replace it sooner rather than later, it wont run a new C&C game nicely IMO.
A good branded 550W/600W PSU will serve you better than an unheard of 700W one too.
Same comment applies with the Radeon 3450. It's very much the bargain end of the 3-series and will probably struggle with graphics at a decent resolution. I don't know the system requirements for C&C (or most other games for that matter) but if the budget is tight then cutting back on the RAM (to 2GB) and spending the difference on better graphics might be a good plan.
On XP 2GB should be plenty and yeah, spending the extra on graphics would be more beneficial to games playing.
Psymonkee
13-10-2008, 22:16
but DDR2 RAM is so cheap would it make much difference on the GFX budget?
Hmmm anyone want to loan me a grand to do some testing? :p
About £30 difference and when you're looking at moving from a £30 3450 or 8400GS, to a £60 8800GT or something, it would make a hell of a difference, compared to the extra 2GB of RAM, that XP won't even fully utilise.
A 2GB + 8800GT machine would run rings around a 4GB (~3.25GB) + 8400GS machine.
Of course, assuming prices in dollars follow the same sort of differences etc.
Ok, here might be the stupid question of the week. What's the difference between PNY and EVGA? Other than $26.00...
semi-pro waster
14-10-2008, 08:17
Ok, here might be the stupid question of the week. What's the difference between PNY and EVGA? Other than $26.00...
The EVGA comes with a longer warranty normally (10 years I think offhand) but in terms of actual performance there is almost certainly negligible difference since they are all built to the same reference design.
Ok, how about this new spec?
I'm working with a company I've dealt with before and they are outstanding.
http://www.boomspeed.com/bofh1968/boatdrinks/specs.JPG
Once again, I'd use my existing keyboard, mouse, monitor, DVDRW and XP. Looking at Vertigo's memory he has and drop 2GB of that in. All in for $382.00 delivered.
Vertigo's memory he has and drop 2GB of that in
2GB of PC2-6400 is what, $35 from someone like Crucial direct in the US?
It'd probably cost almost that much just for Vertigo to send it to you surely?
I honestly have no idea what you folks' postage rates are.
And 2GB (2 X 1GB sticks) of DDR2 is $60 + shipping.
semi-pro waster
18-10-2008, 03:35
2GB of PC2-6400 is what, $35 from someone like Crucial direct in the US?
It'd probably cost almost that much just for Vertigo to send it to you surely?
Nah, not really, even Airsure (http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?catId=400033&mediaId=400034) which is covered up to £500 starts at less than £5. I don't know how much the Ram plus packaging costs but probably not massively over the basic cost.
I honestly have no idea what you folks' postage rates are.
And 2GB (2 X 1GB sticks) of DDR2 is $60 + shipping.
http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=E7FEBD18A5CA7304
$34, which I think includes shipping too, though i'm not 100% sure.
edit - shipping is $4, so it comes to $37.98.
Still, I was just thinking about helping out a forum member for a few bucks more. Depends on how much Vertigo wants for it, though.
Just to cover the remaining bases, the rest of the spec looks good to me. I have much time for Gigabyte motherboards.
Yeah, I loved the hell out of my old one that had my XP2500M on it. Great board, easy to flash, even easier to OC, and even kept going after the water block fell off the CPU clipping the vid card and the mobo on the way down. It also took a full dunking (barb came off the waterblock) at the same time and still worked afterwards.
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