Looking for a sub £300 pc with 2GB

nigelb

nigelb

nigelb

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Joined
11 Oct 2007
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7
Hi

System is going to be used as a vmware server at home, so I'm looking for 2GB ram (plus the ability to double that later), and a sata disk.

Doesn't need fancy graphics, but I do want to overspec the psu and fans (so I can pop another disk in later and not worry next summer!).

Open to ideas?

Nige
 
This ticks all the boxes:
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You could steal an optical drive out of your main machine while you set it up, then put it back when you're done thus saving 20.

I have that motherboard and it's quite good. I recommend the ADA3800CUBOX processor, the low-power version of the 3800+ X2, rather than the one there since OcUK doesn't stock it. It's plenty fast for those tasks and is extremely power efficient. That means it'll cost less to run and will emit less heat for your small case to evacuate. I think it's a great thing.
 
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Hi

Thanks for that (boy, that was quick!).

Matter of interest, how do you think the AMD compares with say an Intel Core 2 Duo in terms of processing Power?

Cheers

Nige
 
nigelb said:
Matter of interest, how do you think the AMD compares with say an Intel Core 2 Duo in terms of processing Power?
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You're welcome. :)
They're not as quick but they're pretty close at stock. Overclocking is where the Intels really shine. The AMDs, however, are the best bargain at the low-end.
 
The only thing you can really compare them nowadays is the price bracket each chip is in. So match up the features and then the price bracket, and then check out charts on Toms Hardware Guide for example. Generally.. the C2D's have a better rep as they are known to be substantial overclockers, where as the CURRENT stuff from AMD does not overclock as well.

I would personally say go for a c2d if you can but only because it means later in it's life if you need more power for no extra money, you can overclock it and with luck double it's performance :D

Matthew
 
BillytheImpaler said:
You're welcome. :)
They're not as quick but they're pretty close at stock. Overclocking is where the Intels really shine. The AMDs, however, are the best bargain at the low-end.
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Precisely :) At stock they are good-ish match it seems, just the c2d's have more potential. But apparently the amd stuff can use less power which may be good for a simple VMWare server. Something to consider!

Matthew
 
ARnt you missing a pgrahics card? Add in the cheapest one you can get and youll be done. Perhaps the Asus GeForce EN7300TC 512MB DDR TV-Out/DVI (PCI-Express)

But it will not play a game at all rember as its only 128 achual memory as says the review on it. If you want to be able to use this pc to play films onto a tv or somthing could look at a 2400/2600
 
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I know that but if he ever did change it to play back films onto a tv etc he wouldn't be able to do it tahts all im saying.

Didn't know it had inbuilt. Not checked its full specs. That is a very reasonable price really. Pc prices really do make it a lot easyer to build home servers up etc now.
 
Playing a film at 1080i? Think i may have to check out this little wonder of a graphics card and possibly put one in my sis pc when she wants a new pc some time soon. She doesn't play games but will watch films etc.
 
I've never tried 1080i but mine works just fine with 720p .mkv (H.264, AAC) files over VGA. It also offers component, composite, DVI, and S-Video.

Playing high-def videos is really more a function of the CPU than the GPU.
 
Guys

Thanks very much for all the input.

Looks to me that if I use an old cd drive I have, I can get this up to 4GB to start with, and still be at ~£300, which is great news :-)

Off to check out the piggybank.

Nige
 
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for an extra tenner u could get the +4400, of stick with that and get the Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO SILENT 256MB, costs £34 so may just push to max limit, thou it will do full 1080P on hd-dvd & blu-ray
 
milkinc13 said:
for an extra tenner u could get the +4400, of stick with that and get the Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO SILENT 256MB, costs £34 so may just push to max limit, thou it will do full 1080P on hd-dvd & blu-ray
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Again, it's a VMWare server, NOT an HTPC. It needn't be able to play 1080p, 720p, 480p, or 3p. ;)
 
Was thinking along the lines that, for maybe a 3% increase in price, a 10% (ish) increase in performance was a good return.

I have often, in the past, bought mb's etc with plenty of extra speed, so I could upgrade the cpu later - never do though ...

Piggybank says "wait 2 weeks and check again" :-(

but the spec is cracking, that was just the sort of help I was after - thanks

Nige
 
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