Upgrading, but I cant decide... help

PeeJ · 8 Aug 2006 at 10:56

I decided to upgrade my bizzarrely underperforming computer. These are the main parts I'll be getting but I can't decide between the Uber ATI setup and the NVidia setup with the nice mobo. Little Help?

Processor this is the processor I'll be getting regardless of setup

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4200+ 2.20GHz (Socket AM2) - Retail (CP-168-AM)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Socket_AM2_X2.html

£129.19

ATI setup

Mobo

Sapphire PURE RD580 CrossFire Advantage (Socket 939) PCI-Express Motherboard (PC-A9RD580Adv) (MB-004-SP)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Sapphire_565.html

£93.94

GPU

Sapphire ATI Radeon X1900 XT-X TOXIC 512MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail (GX-123-SP)

http://www.sapphiretech.com/en/products/graphics_specifications.php?gpid=143

£334.82

NVidia Setup

MOBO

Its from a competitor site so I removed the ink but its an ASUS M2N32-SLI Del/WIFI-AP AM2 Sound 2 x GigaLan 1394 USB 2.0 WIFI-G ESATA ATX

£124.59

GPU

OcUK GeForce 7900 GTX 512MB GDDR3 TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail (GX-038-OK)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/7900_Series.html

£270.19

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ATI Total - £557.95

NVidia Total - £523.97

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So which would you suggest I get? The ATI setup has better specs and features. But the NVidia setup is slightly cheaper and is an ASUS Mobo. I want to give both setups a chance insead of just going with ATI cause I know the 7800 dicked the 1800 but from what I've heard/read and looking at those specs the 1900 looks like it destroys the 7900.
Any chance someone could have a look over the specs and make sure I'm not missing something that could be awesome / a problem (cant see the wood for the trees sorta thing, I've been looking at em for ages.).

Cheers

Gibbs · 8 Aug 2006 at 11:05

i wuld go with the ATi setup myself but they are just as good as each other.

Maybe the nV for the price as the percformance of both system should be on somewhat of a par with each other.

j00ni · 8 Aug 2006 at 11:22

In the ATi setup you have a 939 mobo which won't be compatible with the AM2 (940) processor

PeeJ · 8 Aug 2006 at 11:26

j00ni said:
In the ATi setup you have a 939 mobo which won't be compatible with the AM2 (940) processor

hmmmmmmmm *goes to look*

*EDIT* thanks for pointing that out... see thats why i posted ^^

Gibbs · 8 Aug 2006 at 11:34

j00ni said:
In the ATi setup you have a 939 mobo which won't be compatible with the AM2 (940) processor

i didnt even notice that neither

gimme back my glasses j00ni :eek:

realscot · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:00

I see you don't mention ram, so i'm assuming you already have some DDR2 ram waiting to go in, unless your mistake you made with the 939 ATI board also means you infact only have DDR1 ram??
TBH if you already have DDR2 ram available you'd be better getting a conroe and ds3/4 gigabyte board. they work out pretty much the same price as the AM2 4200 and either board. Plus the fact that even at stock the E6300 will outperform the AM2 4200 and unless the AM2 version of the 4200 overclocks much better than the 939 version then the E6300 is still going to be the best bang for your buck.
If you don't have DDR2 ram, why not get an X1800 XT for £150 ish and spend the change on some ram.

If you don't have DDR2 Ram ready.
Intel Core 2 DUO E6300 "LGA775 Allendale" 1.86GHz (1066FSB) - OEM £114.95
Gigabyte GA_965P_DS3 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard £87.95
G.Skill 2GB DDR2 NR PC2-6400 (2x1GB) CAS5 Dual Channel Kit £106.95
Connect3D ATI Radeon X1800 XT 256MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail £126.95
Subtotal £436.80
Shipping (City Link Parcel Next Day (Delivered Mon-Fri)) £8.25
VAT £77.89
Total £522.94

If you do have DDR2
Intel Core 2 DUO E6300 "LGA775 Allendale" 1.86GHz (1066FSB) - OEM £114.95
Gigabyte GA_965P_DS3 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard £87.95
HIS ATI Radeon X1900 XT ICEQ 3 SILENT Heatpipe 512MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI £194.95
Subtotal £397.85
Shipping (City Link Parcel Next Day (Delivered Mon-Fri)) £8.25
VAT £71.07
Total £477.17

I think all would agree that either Core 2 Duo setup would out perform your AMD AM2 configs.. And look at the money you'd save getting the second setup! ok ok, I just noticed I forgot a CPU cooler, so add a Scythe Ninja for £31!

-Ad- · 8 Aug 2006 at 13:40

If you don't have DDR2 Ram ready.
Intel Core 2 DUO E6300 "LGA775 Allendale" 1.86GHz (1066FSB) - OEM £114.95
Gigabyte GA_965P_DS3 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard £87.95
G.Skill 2GB DDR2 NR PC2-6400 (2x1GB) CAS5 Dual Channel Kit £106.95

STAY AWAY from the 'NR' Gskill ram paired with the DS3,DS4. THere are serious problems with those pairings as the mobo forces the ram to try to boot at a much too low CAS level. But the 'HZ' seems to work ok.

I don;t have any of these bits but have been reading up a lot as im getting a couple of conroe rigs soon.

t31os · 8 Aug 2006 at 14:23

adfinni said:
STAY AWAY from the 'NR' Gskill ram paired with the DS3,DS4. THere are serious problems with those pairings as the mobo forces the ram to try to boot at a much too low CAS level. But the 'HZ' seems to work ok.

I don;t have any of these bits but have been reading up a lot as im getting a couple of conroe rigs soon.

Correct, a friend just brought the NR with a DS3, the ram wont work because it defaults to CAS3 every boot, and although it now works with his corsair RAM the CAS setting problem is still there, so hopefully that'll be fixed in the next bios. He's still waiting.