New computer, need opinions

bernardTheBlack · Apr 24, 2007, 08:25 PM

First of all I want to say hi, I been following this website since almost a year and I know this is one of the best sites (if not the best) about computers, new techs, overclocking...

Now, I wanted to get your opinions in something. Im getting a new pc this september so I started looking around for parts and found what I think is a pretty good pc (for the money I have).

M2N32-SLI DELUXE Wir.Edition (AM2) or ATI CrossFire Xpress 3200
AMD Athlon64 5200+ Mhz X2 DUAL CORE (AM2)
2 GB (2X1GB) 800MHZ PC-6400 5-5-5-12
2x 160 Gb Serial ATA 2 8Mb Buffer Western Digital Wd1600Js
SAPPHIRE ATI X1950PRO 256MB PCI-E GDDR3 X1950
Custom case with a 550W PSU

I'll be using it for gaming most of the time...

Im from Argentina and here I can get all of this for aprox. U$S 1286.
Is this a good setup? If not, could you give me some pointers?

English is not my native language, I tried to be as clear as I could.
Thank you all for taking the time to read this...

procupine14 · Apr 24, 2007, 11:07 PM

not going to lie i love ASUS's mobos for AMD
i have the M2N-SLI Deluxe board personally and it works great
looks like you have a good setup going i dont see any fault there
maybe a bigger or at least really good, stable PSU at that wattage
but if you have a good one 550w should do you fine

BlueMak · Apr 25, 2007, 12:14 AM

I would go for a 8800 GTS which by September should be at a very good price too.

bernardTheBlack · Apr 25, 2007, 12:49 AM

Thanks for your answers.

If the 8800 GTS goes down to about U$S300 I'll definitely go for it, though Im kind of curious about the performance of the CrossFire system to the SLI. I read a comparison and I really liked the supertile rendering mode of the crossfire.

I love asus mobo's too, the M2N32-SLI DELUXE kicks a$$ but after reading the article I mentioned I looked up a mobo compatible with crossfire, the M2R32-MVP. Its similar to sli mobo and I think is cheaper...

Im a little confused now, but I still have 4 months to clear my mind...

Thanks again guys

CDsDontBurn · Apr 25, 2007, 01:10 AM

that seems like a good build right there. one suggestion for a video card though, especially IF you were getting this right now, you should look into the 320Mb 8800GTS card. it will outperform that x1950pro with a breeze. and it's in the price range you're looking for in a video card.

also, the HDDs you'll be getting, you should look into the 16Mb buffer drives. the seek/read time is much faster and typically no more than $10 USD more than the 8Mb version of the drive.

power supply, you should look for a seperate one, not one that comes with the case. a power supply that comes with the case is typically of poor/low quality build. you want to spend about $100 USD on a power supply alone ($100 USD for a 500 to 550w PSU).

other than that, it's all gravy

.

oh yea, one other note though. if you're going to be using x-fire, be sure you have an x-fire compatible ATI board, and if going SLI, you've got an SLI compatible NVIDIA board. you can't use x-fire on an NVIDIA board, and vice versa.

Yousaif · Apr 25, 2007, 04:53 AM

See my specs. They're almost exactly what you are looking to build. I love this rig and, like you, am waiting for some less expensive DX10 cards before I make the switch.

CDsDontBurn · Apr 25, 2007, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yousaif

See my specs. They're almost exactly what you are looking to build. I love this rig and, like you, am waiting for some less expensive DX10 cards before I make the switch.

8600GTS/GT is right up you're alley then

Vampyromaniac · Apr 25, 2007, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDsDontBurn

8600GTS/GT is right up you're alley then

If he went from an X1950XTX to an 8600GTS, I would slap him

CDsDontBurn · Apr 25, 2007, 05:54 AM

lol, no. not that downgrade. i was referring to the cheap dx10 cards

Grace · Apr 25, 2007, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernardTheBlack

Now, I wanted to get your opinions in something. Im getting a new pc this september so I started looking around for parts and found what I think is a pretty good pc (for the money I have).

Welcome to DH.

Now, that was an absolute mistake. By September not only new parts will be available, but it is most likely that most of the part you chose now will be much cheaper or even obsolete! Not even a seer can tell you what to buy after 6 months from now.

Don't get your mind tired over this. Just let it be now and think about it whenever you are going to actually build it.

ChaosMinionX · Apr 25, 2007, 06:11 AM

What !? No Core2Duo? You have offended the performance gods

bernardTheBlack · Apr 25, 2007, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grace

By September not only new parts will be available, but it is most likely that most of the part you chose now will be much cheaper or even obsolete! Not even a seer can tell you what to buy after 6 months from now.

Yes, I thought about that. I was trying to get an idea about prices, technologies, availability..., so I know what to buy when the time comes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaosMinionX

What !? No Core2Duo? You have offended the performance gods

As of now the Core2Duo is kind of expensive (E6400 and up).

You have all been a great help! Thanks a lot.

Yousaif · Apr 26, 2007, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vampyromaniac

If he went from an X1950XTX to an 8600GTS, I would slap him

I would slap myself. But if you want to slap me too then I will abide.

I am really waiting for an ATI DX10 card. I have found, in the past, that ATI's AA is superior to Nvidia's. I'm too stubborn to swich atm.

ChaosMinionX · Apr 26, 2007, 07:18 AM

Theres been termendous Intel price cuts, and they came out with the E4300 and whatnot. Should be quite affordable by now.

Apr 24, 2007, 08:25 PM	#1
bernardTheBlack DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	New computer, need opinions First of all I want to say hi, I been following this website since almost a year and I know this is one of the best sites (if not the best) about computers, new techs, overclocking... Now, I wanted to get your opinions in something. Im getting a new pc this september so I started looking around for parts and found what I think is a pretty good pc (for the money I have). M2N32-SLI DELUXE Wir.Edition (AM2) or ATI CrossFire Xpress 3200 AMD Athlon64 5200+ Mhz X2 DUAL CORE (AM2) 2 GB (2X1GB) 800MHZ PC-6400 5-5-5-12 2x 160 Gb Serial ATA 2 8Mb Buffer Western Digital Wd1600Js SAPPHIRE ATI X1950PRO 256MB PCI-E GDDR3 X1950 Custom case with a 550W PSU I'll be using it for gaming most of the time... Im from Argentina and here I can get all of this for aprox. U$S 1286. Is this a good setup? If not, could you give me some pointers? English is not my native language, I tried to be as clear as I could. Thank you all for taking the time to read this... Last edited by bernardTheBlack; Apr 24, 2007 at 11:00 PM.

Apr 25, 2007, 12:14 AM	#3
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,465 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	I would go for a 8800 GTS which by September should be at a very good price too. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Apr 25, 2007, 01:10 AM	#5
CDsDontBurn Lurking DriverHeaven Join Date: May 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 22,779 Rep Power: 235 System Specs	that seems like a good build right there. one suggestion for a video card though, especially IF you were getting this right now, you should look into the 320Mb 8800GTS card. it will outperform that x1950pro with a breeze. and it's in the price range you're looking for in a video card. also, the HDDs you'll be getting, you should look into the 16Mb buffer drives. the seek/read time is much faster and typically no more than $10 USD more than the 8Mb version of the drive. power supply, you should look for a seperate one, not one that comes with the case. a power supply that comes with the case is typically of poor/low quality build. you want to spend about $100 USD on a power supply alone ($100 USD for a 500 to 550w PSU). other than that, it's all gravy . oh yea, one other note though. if you're going to be using x-fire, be sure you have an x-fire compatible ATI board, and if going SLI, you've got an SLI compatible NVIDIA board. you can't use x-fire on an NVIDIA board, and vice versa. __________________ Her First Day \| A year later

Apr 25, 2007, 05:54 AM	#9
CDsDontBurn Lurking DriverHeaven Join Date: May 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 22,779 Rep Power: 235 System Specs	lol, no. not that downgrade. i was referring to the cheap dx10 cards __________________ Her First Day \| A year later

Apr 25, 2007, 06:11 AM	#11
ChaosMinionX USB 3 dot oh Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,911 Rep Power: 47 System Specs	What !? No Core2Duo? You have offended the performance gods __________________ ::Heatware:: How you can help DriverHeaven by using Digg!

Apr 24, 2007, 11:07 PM	#2
procupine14 Why is it Beeping!?!?! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA, Missouri Posts: 1,400 Rep Power: 58 System Specs	not going to lie i love ASUS's mobos for AMD i have the M2N-SLI Deluxe board personally and it works great looks like you have a good setup going i dont see any fault there maybe a bigger or at least really good, stable PSU at that wattage but if you have a good one 550w should do you fine

Apr 25, 2007, 12:49 AM	Thread Starter #4
bernardTheBlack DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Thanks for your answers. If the 8800 GTS goes down to about U$S300 I'll definitely go for it, though Im kind of curious about the performance of the CrossFire system to the SLI. I read a comparison and I really liked the supertile rendering mode of the crossfire. I love asus mobo's too, the M2N32-SLI DELUXE kicks a$$ but after reading the article I mentioned I looked up a mobo compatible with crossfire, the M2R32-MVP. Its similar to sli mobo and I think is cheaper... Im a little confused now, but I still have 4 months to clear my mind... Thanks again guys

Apr 26, 2007, 07:18 AM	#14
ChaosMinionX USB 3 dot oh Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,911 Rep Power: 47 System Specs	Theres been termendous Intel price cuts, and they came out with the E4300 and whatnot. Should be quite affordable by now. __________________ ::Heatware:: How you can help DriverHeaven by using Digg!