Hardware experts!
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Chichester, UK
Hardware experts!
I'm a complete numpty when it comes to following the latest hardware, so could somebody who knows about these things let me know what they think of the following PC spec...
- 3.2GHz Intel Pentium 4 Processor 530 with Hyper-Threading Technology
- Intel 915G Express chipset
- 2x256MB/ PC2-3200 (400MHz) DDR2 SDRAM
- ATI RADEON X600 PRO (PCI Express)
- 160GB (Serial ATA)
- DVD Recordable
- Gigabit Ethernet- Integrated
- TerraTec soundcard (unknown model) +speakers
- Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
- IBM 18" ThinkVision L180p
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Chichester, UK
It's for business plus the odd bit of games playing. However, I don't think it's possible to change the specification. A friend has some kind of offer at work, and is wondering if he should take it. Price, which I forgot to mention, is around £800, incl.
Where I come from, "Express" is marketing-speak for "cut-down", so I'm not sure if "PCI express", "815G express" is good or bad. Google is a bit overwhelming when you haven't paid any attention to hardware for the last three years
Where I come from, "Express" is marketing-speak for "cut-down", so I'm not sure if "PCI express", "815G express" is good or bad. Google is a bit overwhelming when you haven't paid any attention to hardware for the last three years
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Peripatetic
PCI Express is the replacement for the present PCI and AGP slots, which is why it has a PCI Express graphics card. AGP has a maximum throughput of 2Gs a second, PCI Express supports 4Gb a second.
The first generation PCI express cards reviews do not show any great increase in capability over the best AGP cards, but you will be ready for any upgrades and AGP x 8 is the end of the line. The X600 itself is an average middle of the road card. Looks OK for what you want to use it for and you can replace it with something better latter.
The first generation PCI express cards reviews do not show any great increase in capability over the best AGP cards, but you will be ready for any upgrades and AGP x 8 is the end of the line. The X600 itself is an average middle of the road card. Looks OK for what you want to use it for and you can replace it with something better latter.
The Oracle
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Naples, Florida U.S.A.
Evo,
ORAC is correct, you will not see any benefit going to PCI-E for the Vid card, since we only just filled up the bandwidth for 4X AGP and 8X AGP has more than enough bandwidth for the next gen Vid Cards. Going PCI-E now gets does get you ready for the future though.
If you are going to go with "The Dark Side of the Force" (Intel), I would look at the 925X Chipset. It is the current leader for PIVs.
Personally I would look at the new 90nm Socket 939 Athlon64s. They are the hottest thing on the market and the first CPUs have hit the market at a sub $200.00 price. Put that with an nForce3 250GB or one of the new nForce4 Ultra/SLI mobos (Will launch Oct 19.) and you have a PIV killer on your hands for less money.
Take Care,
Richard
ORAC is correct, you will not see any benefit going to PCI-E for the Vid card, since we only just filled up the bandwidth for 4X AGP and 8X AGP has more than enough bandwidth for the next gen Vid Cards. Going PCI-E now gets does get you ready for the future though.
If you are going to go with "The Dark Side of the Force" (Intel), I would look at the 925X Chipset. It is the current leader for PIVs.
Personally I would look at the new 90nm Socket 939 Athlon64s. They are the hottest thing on the market and the first CPUs have hit the market at a sub $200.00 price. Put that with an nForce3 250GB or one of the new nForce4 Ultra/SLI mobos (Will launch Oct 19.) and you have a PIV killer on your hands for less money.
Take Care,
Richard
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Chichester, UK
Thanks folks!
Richard, i've only looked briefly, but the cheapest S939 Athlon 64 that I found was the Athlon 64 3500+ S939 512Kb at £236.98 - a Gigabyte nForce 3 250 Ultra with RAID (the only s939 board i found) was a further £129.99. While I have no doubt that they're a awesome combination, on their own they're nearly half the price of the system in question. Maybe it's bl**dy UK prices again, but i'm not sure we're really comparing like with like
As an aside, I couldn't find the monitor listed at dabs.com (the only place i've looked, and the source of the prices above), but the inch-smaller L170p monitor is listed at £556.98 - either it's all a rather good deal, or they've got the monitor spec wrong... (edit: actually dabs' price is rubbish - the L180p is £327.65 elsewhere...)
Richard, i've only looked briefly, but the cheapest S939 Athlon 64 that I found was the Athlon 64 3500+ S939 512Kb at £236.98 - a Gigabyte nForce 3 250 Ultra with RAID (the only s939 board i found) was a further £129.99. While I have no doubt that they're a awesome combination, on their own they're nearly half the price of the system in question. Maybe it's bl**dy UK prices again, but i'm not sure we're really comparing like with like
As an aside, I couldn't find the monitor listed at dabs.com (the only place i've looked, and the source of the prices above), but the inch-smaller L170p monitor is listed at £556.98 - either it's all a rather good deal, or they've got the monitor spec wrong... (edit: actually dabs' price is rubbish - the L180p is £327.65 elsewhere...
)
The Oracle
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,902
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From: Naples, Florida U.S.A.
Evo,
It is hard for me to look at U.K. Prices, they all seem like highway robbery to me.
There are two version of the L180p. The better one is twice the price of the other. (The cheaper one has a Response Time of 30ms which is really poor.)
Take Care,
Richard
It is hard for me to look at U.K. Prices, they all seem like highway robbery to me.
There are two version of the L180p. The better one is twice the price of the other. (The cheaper one has a Response Time of 30ms which is really poor.)
Take Care,
Richard
'nough said
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Raynes Park
actually dabs' price is rubbish
http://uk.insight.com/apps/nbs/index.php?K=L180p
Maybe the second one is a buy one get one free offer
The Oracle
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,902
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From: Naples, Florida U.S.A.
Charles,
Check the Response Times on them, one is 30ms and the other 25ms, neither all that great.
Take Care,
Richard
P.S. It does not look like they have the correct info on the website you linked.
Check the Response Times on them, one is 30ms and the other 25ms, neither all that great.
Take Care,
Richard
P.S. It does not look like they have the correct info on the website you linked.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,650
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From: Chichester, UK
D'oh, this is why I don't do hardware 
I've only managed to find one version of the L180, with a 25ms response time. Is that still poor? Would a L170m be a better choice then? It's an inch smaller, but the same resolution and seems to have a 16ms response time?
As for UK prices...
I've only managed to find one version of the L180, with a 25ms response time. Is that still poor? Would a L170m be a better choice then? It's an inch smaller, but the same resolution and seems to have a 16ms response time?
As for UK prices...
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: n/a
One of the major magazines in the uk ran a feature on build your own games machine.
The spec they used
Motherboard Abit KV-7 £43
processor AMD OEM Athlon 3000XP+ 400mhz fsb 512 cach £91
Thermalite Volcano 11+ heatsink fan £13
RAM 1024Mb pc3200 (400mhz)DDR £90
3D Card ATI Radeon 9800pro £140
HDD Maxtor Diamond +9 80gb 133/7200 HD £40
Sony 16X dvd-rom £25
Arianet ATX 420W Case £22
8cm Case fan £3
delivery £12
Total a shade over £470 pounds.
They got a 3d mark score of 5700. which compares to a shop built system costing £1500
Any comments?
Richard will now depress us and point out that in the USA it would cost 50% less to buy all the bits.
The spec they used
Motherboard Abit KV-7 £43
processor AMD OEM Athlon 3000XP+ 400mhz fsb 512 cach £91
Thermalite Volcano 11+ heatsink fan £13
RAM 1024Mb pc3200 (400mhz)DDR £90
3D Card ATI Radeon 9800pro £140
HDD Maxtor Diamond +9 80gb 133/7200 HD £40
Sony 16X dvd-rom £25
Arianet ATX 420W Case £22
8cm Case fan £3
delivery £12
Total a shade over £470 pounds.
They got a 3d mark score of 5700. which compares to a shop built system costing £1500
Any comments?
Richard will now depress us and point out that in the USA it would cost 50% less to buy all the bits.
The Oracle
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,902
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From: Naples, Florida U.S.A.
Daysleeper,
I will not make any comments on how overpriced your hardware in the U.K. is, I promise.
I would replace the VIA Chipset Mobo with an nForce and the Maxtor with a Western Digital though.
Take Care,
Richard
I will not make any comments on how overpriced your hardware in the U.K. is, I promise.
I would replace the VIA Chipset Mobo with an nForce and the Maxtor with a Western Digital though.
Take Care,
Richard
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,650
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From: Chichester, UK
Richard, what would you make of a system based around
Gigabyte GA-K8N Socket 754 Nvidia Nforce3 PRO Lan USB2 FSB800 ATA133 -> £56.12
Retail Boxed AMD Athlon 64 3000 Newcastle 512k Socket 754Pin CPU -> £113.65
Plus a gig of PC3200 RAM and a Radeon Pro 9800? It's not going to be the state of the art machine that the S939 would be, but it's a lot cheaper (as with Daysleeper's example, it's less than £500 all-in). Plus £300 for a 17" TFT and it's looking like more bang for the buck than the original system on offer...
Gigabyte GA-K8N Socket 754 Nvidia Nforce3 PRO Lan USB2 FSB800 ATA133 -> £56.12
Retail Boxed AMD Athlon 64 3000 Newcastle 512k Socket 754Pin CPU -> £113.65
Plus a gig of PC3200 RAM and a Radeon Pro 9800? It's not going to be the state of the art machine that the S939 would be, but it's a lot cheaper (as with Daysleeper's example, it's less than £500 all-in). Plus £300 for a 17" TFT and it's looking like more bang for the buck than the original system on offer...
