System Update

rjtaylor

rjtaylor

rjtaylor

Associate
Joined
27 Oct 2007
Posts
30
Hi all,

Great forum, already gained a signifiant level of knowledge from previous posts but would like your help and comments on my specific upgrade.

Presently running:
Athlon XP 3000+ (2.15gz)
768MB RAM :eek:
Maxtor 120GB HD 6Y120P0
Radeon 9800 Pro
SB Audigy 2 (5.1)
450w PSU

System is getting to a point as I am sure you will agree where it is stuggling to run new games so it's time for an upgrade (particularly as COD4 is on its way...). As I have a laptop as well, I use my desktop pretty much for games and music only. From my original build, I am guessing I can re-use the soundcard, possibly the HD (?), and the case which is a Thermaltake Xaser II.

I was hoping of getting the rest for something in the region of £600. However if I go for the 8800GTS, guess I am looking at a bit more? I did once buy a graphics card for £350 (GForce 2!) and said after that experience that I would sooner buy a mid range GFX and upgrade after 1-2 years rather than 1 top end one and hope I'll get 3 years out of it? Any thoughts. Or is the 8800 just worth the money? Anyway, would appreciate your thoughts on a good system to give me a good 3 years futureproof.

I was thinking:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 "LGA775 Conroe" 2.66GHz (1333FSB) - Retail
Asus P5K3 Deluxe WiFi Intel P35 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR3 Motherboard
OCZ 2GB (2 x 1GB) PC2-8500 1066MHz SLI-Ready Edition Dual Channel DDR2
GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB GDDR3 HDTV/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail
Corsair HX 620W ATX2.2 Modular SLI Compliant PSU (CMPSU-620HXUK)
Samsung SpinPoint S 250GB SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (HD250HJ) - if needed

Thoughts? Already at £700 with this build mind you?

Oh yeah, also have the Zalman Flower CPU cooler in my present system - is this still good enough or does this need upgrading?

Thanks all.
 
This would be a good setup:
581nu0.gif

The GTS here is a placeholder for an 8800 GS, which should be out next week. It'll be faster than the GTS but cost about the same.
 
I'll overclock with a level of help from here once up ad running as my competence stretches to bulding only - not overclocking....

Thanks re the RAM - missed that. Is 2GB enough, or should I stretch to 4GB?
As you put a new CPU cooler in, is the Zalman Flower no good?
Present hard drive ok?
Also, thanks on the heads up regarding the 8800GS
 
The GT you mean?

Yeah id get one of these if i was you :p http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1210/msi_geforce_nx8800gt_512mb_graphics_card/index.html. Expect them to be around 160-180 with the ocukl one being around 150.

4gb gives a big boost in performance in vista.

No the zalman flower isn't very good and really there is only one cpu cooler you should ever consider and that is the turniq tower. its amazing at cooling and a good price.


:EDIT:

Also i have found a new gem of a psu. I suggest this one its cheaper and superior to the corsairs, its a 650w psu but its rated minimum is 510w. The 520w corsair is likely to be around 480w minimum.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-003-PP&groupid=701&catid=123&subcat=928
 
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Go with Billy's system

Although, ontop of that i would add another 2GB of that ram, and Vista Home Premium 64-Bit.

( +£100 )
 
Thanks guys. I'll keep my eye out for the release of the GT then.
Dave, what are you trying to link on tweaktown? You just linked the index page?
Sorry I'm asking again, but do new hard drives offer something new over the Maxtor I have? 120gb is enough for me so not worried about size.
 
Its a review of the 8800GT. Just go to the reviews section and you'll see the performance of it.

Looks brilliant, & for slightly less then the 8800GTS
 
Newer drives are much faster, but that's about it. New ones are all SATA since PATA is dying. New motherboards have one PATA port, enough for two PATA devices.

If you want to get a new HDD the one to get is the Seagate 7200.10 250 GiB. It's the fastest 7200 RPM drive.
 
rjtaylor said:
Thanks guys. I'll keep my eye out for the release of the GT then.
Dave, what are you trying to link on tweaktown? You just linked the index page?
Sorry I'm asking again, but do new hard drives offer something new over the Maxtor I have? 120gb is enough for me so not worried about size.
Click to expand...

Sorry wrong link:
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1210/msi_geforce_nx8800gt_512mb_graphics_card/index.html

As billy said the new drives are a lot faster and a lot more reliable. Especialy maxtor ive had to many bad drives from them to touch their drives again!

rjtaylor said:
If I go for 4GB ram, what's the recomendation for use in Billy's system?
Click to expand...


And i dont quite understand what you mean



:EDIT:

Strange its showing as the same link when its not. I copy and paste the link and it shortens it

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1210/msi_geforce_nx8800gt_512mb_graphics_card/index.html

http://www .tweaktown.com/re...html They are both the same .. how strange.
 
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O definitly 4x1. 2x2gb is only useful if you need 8gb which no gamer does. Only though who do designing programs where they use very intence programs to simulate things.

4x1gb overclocks pritty much the same as 2x1 gb unless you go for the "value" ram which is unlikely to overclock much at all even when 2x1gb.

4x1gb is also a lot cheaper then 2x2.
 
Sorry to resurect this thread.
Still haven't upgraded, inititally due to stock issues with the 8800GT, then I waited until after xmas to see if any price drops of the GFX card... no such luck.

Anyway, now wanting to order. Still recomending the same build, or any changes given the delay?
Regarding the GFX card, I've read manufacturer makes little difference? I see the Asus one is on this week only - assume this is a good bet and then overclock myself? Stock of the cheap 8800GTs appears shocking so this looks like a good price.

Also, wrt cooling, it a good CPU cooler and my original thermaltake case sufficient? Assume no need for water cooling etc with a system like this?

Thanks all.

BillytheImpaler said:
This would be a good setup:
581nu0.gif

The GTS here is a placeholder for an 8800 GS, which should be out next week. It'll be faster than the GTS but cost about the same.
Click to expand...
 
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