Shuttle ST20G5 CPU

[Mikey]

Looking at getting a new Shuttle ST20G5 based system. Currently I'm running an Athlon 2500 @ 3200 and wanted to know what people recommended. I've been out of the game for quit some time from the hardware side of things.

The main thing the box will get used for is Interner / Email / Virtual Server / iTunes and possibly some TV if I get a TV card (Nebula)

What are peoples thoughts?

 

[Mikey]

id say a venice 3000 or even a sempy if the budgets tight

Not keen on the sempron

The only game I can think of getting back into is something command & conquer, age of emipires or civilisation style

(don't know what's good and not these days)

 

[Mikey]

do you have a budget?


and what mobo etc does the shuttle come with?

Budget mmm well I've just bought the shuttle and NEC DVD-RW for £180, got it 2nd hand in the end, so prob £70 ish 2nd hand again, or even less if I go for a 3200 a64

 

[Mikey]

The Semprons aren't bad, if you get the 256kb versions, the E revision ones clock like mad too.

I think I'd rather go for a 2nd hand A64 chip.

May get a copy of XP 64 on there too as I don't think I use anything at the moment that wouldn't work... Mmm then again come to think of it, mcafee Enterprise 8

I'd probably sell my WD Raptor for a better chip at the moment or just to raise a bit more funds.

 

[Mikey]

It's a socket 939 based shuttle so Semprons are a no go?

Might be some bargains in the MM so whatever you can get really in the A64 939 and if you aren't going to overclock then probably best to get something that is already running at a high clock speed.

What RAM will you be using? If it's low latency DDR400 then it's probably even more of a good idea to go for something with a high multiplier.

RAM at the moment is standard Crucial PC3200 from my old system 2 x 512MB. I did have 6 x 512MB PC3200 spread across two systems which has been sold to help fund the upgrade etc, but long term it'll be change for 2 x 1GB sticks to help with the VMWare stuff etc.

 

[Mikey]

I suggest you go for a San Diego like the 3700+ if you can get one within or stretch your budget. The 1MB cache will make a good bit of a difference especially if you run it at stock with DDR400. The 3700+ is clocked at 2.2Ghz with 1.4v so most likely if you were to overclock (does your board allow changing the vcore?) you would get it to 2.5Ghz or even higher with around 1.5v and use a divider so the memory remains at around DDR400.

Yeah noticed that CPU, not sure home much I want to spend, tempted to spend on a 2nd hand at the moment with a few of a dual core later

 

[Mikey]

Well I'm going to get the 3700+ I think, it's a hell of a bargin, just not sure the differences ref venus / san diego (been out of the hardware game a long time, HP Proliant servers are all that I get near these days)

 

[Mikey]

Venus and San Diego are identical

In that case it'll be deffo a 3700+ ordered later tonight