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Scrap the old in with the new


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#1
silverblades

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Recently ive been having problems that i cant seem to fix even with helpfull staff here at (Geeks To Go). So i currently have an old setup and i will keep the following: in red
1 x Nemesis Elite Edition (case)
1 x Intel Pentium 4 2.8Ghz (S478)
1 x ECS L4VXA2 - P4X400-8235 Mobo
1 x Geforce 6600GT x 256mb AGP
1 x OCZ ModStream 520W ATX Power Supply
2 x 512 sticks 3200 (buget brand)
1 x CD Burner
1 x DVD Burner
Keyboards+mouse+LCD
2 x 200Gb IDE Hard Drives
And out of my add-on cards just my wireless card and tv card
1 x beetle fan (CPU)
i think thats everything (posting on another PC)

(Note i live in Aus, but i can/will order from overseas if i have to for better prices/products)
Now i want to go AMD from what ive seen here on the forums and also SLI (nvidia) capable Mobo, depending on the Mobo i will fill the RAM slots up(maybe OCZ)
As for my buget i have to save but able to spend about $150-200 a week
Most likely to go with 2 x GF 6600GTs 256mb PCIE.

Anyway i need help mainly deciding on a Mobo(maybe Socket 939 (Athlon64)) & CPU equel to or faster than my current CPU
thank you in advance because i know you guys are a great help :tazz:

Is this CPU ok Athlon64 X2 3800+ (2x2.0GHz 2GHzHTSB Manchester) Soc 939 Retail
http://www.digispan....roducts_id=4555 (i am clueless to AMD)

Edited by silverblades, 14 August 2005 - 08:56 PM.

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#2
KGH

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Good prices are hard to find here (Aust). I recommend you look at Digispan for CPU, as well as Techbuy for motherboard and video card; Gamedude - if you can get over the name, occasionally have good specials on video cards; and PC Casegear for anything else.

Given that you want an SLI capable mobo, I presume you will use the PC for gaming? Will that be its predominant use? My recommendations are on that assumption:

(1) Mobo - you should definitely go with a 939 based board.

DFI SLi DR NF4; or
MSI K8N Platinum SLI - or the Diamond model if you can afford it.

(2) Cpu - the X2 3800+ is a dual core cpu (2 x 3000+ cores). It will be great if you do a lot of multi tasking and probably has some gaming utility if dual core games are released soonish. If you don't think you will utilise dual core, and are primarily interested in gaming, you could look at a 3700+ San Diego (core type - 90nm) which is a great gaming cpu. I am running a 4000+ and it performs very well. Digispan is best for cpus.

A 3200+, 3500+, 3700+, 3800+, 4000+, X2 3800+ to 4800+ or an FX cpu will provide superior performance to your P4 in gaming apps, with the 4000+, the X2 4800+ and the FX chips being the best on paper. It really comes down to budget and use.

(3) Video card - 2 good 6600GT's will set you back about $650-700. You'd be better going with one 7800GTX or an X850XT.

Some will probably tell you that SLi is a waste of money and to wait for the ATI Crossfire boards to be released, which are apparently going to stop the world and everything else will be, and is, rubbish. You may want to have a look at this on the web.

Edited by KGH, 14 August 2005 - 11:02 PM.

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#3
silverblades

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Thanks for the reply, iam just going to have a look right now at the ideas you gave me :tazz:
P.S i only said two 6600GTs because im running an AGP version now in my old setup and it runs doom3 and every other game i have in highest qualities (doom3 in ultra high when my PC is not crapping itself over other matters)
i can get 2x 256-gf6600GT's PCI-E 4 about $460
Anyway thanks :)

Edited by silverblades, 16 August 2005 - 12:58 AM.

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#4
silverblades

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From what i have seen i think i might go with LANPARTY nF4 SLI-DR from pccasegear since ive used them alot and they are quick. the msi boards are ok and i did not see much diff between diamond and the lanparty(i could have missed something). I will go with SLI because nvidia has never given me problems where family and friends are always stuffing around with there ATI's(and i dont want to wait)

http://www.mvktech.n...iew/1824/0/1/0/

Edited by silverblades, 16 August 2005 - 01:41 AM.

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#5
silverblades

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Probably the AMD 64 3700+ San Diego s939 CPU at $415 from pccasegear. (digispan is $489.80 for the SAME CPU)
the 4000+ at $520 (didispan $714) is a bit much since i need my other bits as well.

Also if an intel runs at 2.8Ghz and then the AMD 3700 is 2.2Ghz how come the AMD is faster/better?
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#6
KGH

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Wow, I'm surprised that Digispan prices are so much more.

If those prices are for San Diegos, definitely grab that 3700+ from PC Casegear. Great price.

AMD's use more instructions per process so their cpu's are more efficient, requiring less clock speed. The memory controller on AMD64's also provides a significant boost. I suggest you check out some bench marks of the 3700+ and see how it compares with, for example, a 3.4ghz P4, in gaming that is. You will be amazed.
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#7
warriorscot

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Right ok, for your SLI dreams you are going to instead of purchasing one really good card you are going to buy two mediocre ones, as a rule single high end gfx cards are better than two more mediocre cards(prices in aus must be more riduclously screwed than i have ever thought for that not to be true). a pair of 6800ultras isnt as powerful as a 7800GTX. I never reccomend, only if someone has rakes of cash and can afford a pair of 7800GTX will i reccomend SLI, for the main fact it is dangerous to implement after you have built your system. The reviews on the reference boards and the tech demos on crossfire put it in a different league, considering this is ATIs second dual card dydtem the improvement is to expected.

So get a normal nforce 4 ultra and get a good single card it will last you much longer. The newer ATI cards are comparable or better than nvidia cards and are cheaper by a fair amount.
Also if you are dead set on getting the two 6600GTs they have to be absolutley identical, in every way down to the batch number from the same factory.
It is also cheaper to save your money and buy everything at the same time rather than buying one thing when you can afford it, put your money in a savings account that way you get interest while the parts all reduce in price.

Edited by warriorscot, 16 August 2005 - 04:43 AM.

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#8
silverblades

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Just 4 the record in Aus A 7800GTX range between Xpertvision at $826 and ASUS at $1089 with $1000 being average :tazz:

so i know that the fps and resolutions are going to be better with a 7800 but what type of games can a 7800 play that a 6600GT cant (and i know that the 6600GT is not a super card or anything but ive had good results thats all)
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#9
warriorscot

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Well the 6600GT wont play the chronicles of riddick very well at all, 6600GTs are pretty rubish you would be better with a 6800GT as the 128bit memory interface on the 6600GT really cuts its peformance compared to the other cards you can get. Its not a bad card but its performance doesnt match up with its price tag. Those prices really suck nvidia prices are bad here but they rarely go over 500 pounds.
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#10
silverblades

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(500 pounds is about 1200 Aus) so about the same really. ok so i will have a look around at some upper class cards as i want to stick with nvidia because of the Mobo i have decided on has nvidia based.

Also as far as memory goes the board supports up to 4GB system memory
so is it better to put in 2 x (2x512 kits)-im talking name brand stuff or is it better to put in 3 or 4 1G sticks

thanks
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#11
warriorscot

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You want two 1gb sticks for best performance if you use say 4 1 gig sticks of ddr400 they will only be effective to ddr333 so two 1 gb sticks will give you a dual channel matched pair and more than enough memory. You dont need to use an nvidia card just because it is an nvidia chipset pick the card with the best peformance that you can afford(my card will give my pals 6800ultra a run for its money and cost half the price), if you can afford it the x850s are the best deal, more powerful than anything except the 7800 and it is cheaper than a 6800ultra, i would think though you seem pretty set in your ways maybe a 6800GT would be the best for you.
500 pounds is 1200 in aus but its more affordable here than it is in aus its not quite so much money to most brits its still an awful lot but you know what i mean.
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#12
silverblades

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ok thanks, so i should go with duel channel using 2 good name brand sticks of 1G DDR400 RAM. If i can get my hands on a 7800 (=4x6600GT's :) ) is the LANPARTY nF4 SLI-DR Mobo still the way to go?
(Maybe Corsair 2048MB (2 x 1024MB) TWINX-3200C2PRO (400Mhz) DDR RAM - CL2 is this type of stuff ok)

As i said above i have a Nemesis case so i have 3 120mm fans running i dont think my cpu fan will fit on the new board Thermaltake Beetle. So i guess my question is what should i use to cool the new cpu AMD 3700 any suggestions?
:tazz:

(Also whats with DDR2 RAM-Types of Mobos)

Edited by silverblades, 16 August 2005 - 08:48 PM.

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#13
KGH

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Thermalright XP-90, XP-90C or XP-120.

Gigabyte G Power Cooler Pro (available from PC Case Gear) has performance equivalent to XP-90C but is louder. I use one on my 4000+. Does a very good job and is easy to install. You don't need to change the H-Plate on the back of the motherboard and fit a new bracket.
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#14
silverblades

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a pair of 6800ultras isnt as powerful as a 7800GTX

This is for what warriorscot :tazz: I found this while looking at the 7800 http://www.hardwarea...t/article/1806/ but this is just one setup i guess it depends on other factors to

Edited by silverblades, 17 August 2005 - 02:00 AM.

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#15
warriorscot

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I have read at least three magazines that have the GTX power at triple a normal 6800Ultra and it is over a ultra SLI. They rest of the systems they were using though were uber powerful as the 7800GTX is heavily cpu limited without the absolute fastest cpu. Or you could just get an x850 or 6800ultra its a good halfway house for this high end market.

That ram is really good stuff if you can afford it, Thermal right cpus are the best, but also worth mentioning are the akasa evos and the arctic freezer 64 all really good well reviewed coolers. The new vapochill coolers look quite promising as well. But i wouldnt bother buying a HSF the one that comes with the HSF is pretty good and unless you really want to heavily overclock then you should just kepp it on, the stock hsf will last through alot of overclocking though.
While that ram is great it is awfully expensive and is the bit that is cheapest to upgrade further down the line a gig of the cl2 stuff might be adequate then you get the two gig in 2-3 years when the price is about the same as your gig was.
Intel switched over to ddr2 and AMD didnt they said it didnt increase performance and when you look at intel benchmarks it didnt make much difference. The Lanparty motherboard is the mother of overclocking boards so if you are going to overclock that is the best choice. If you arent going to overclock maybe something like the the MSI and ABIT boards they have better stability and more features the lanparty doesnt reach its full potentila until you overclock it.
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