What to do...?

syke

syke

syke

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Joined
18 Feb 2006
Posts
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I am thinking about getting a new desktop for gaming.

Im debating whether or not to go C2D (E6400-6600) or go for the cheapest option of the E6300 or a Cheap AM2 System, with a high powered graphics card or to go the easier way and get the more higher powered CPU rather than the GFX (7950 GTX / 8800).

The spec i was thinking was:

E6400/6600
DS3
2GB Ram
7900 GS
120-160GB HDD
19" Widescreen Monitor

Im debating whether or not to get the more higher powered processor first or to get the graphics card?

What specs you guys got to recommend in this circumstance?

Max Budget £1,000 or so.

Thankyou in Advance
 
I'd go for the C2D option. The 7900 will work very nicely for any game out now and it is upgradable to a DX10 card when there are more of them and prices are down.
 
Would you say the 7900 GS is adequate and for example, the OcUK 19" Digimate would be also?

Im trying to keep it as low as i can but keep the speed.

Would you get E6400 or E6600?
 
Also which 7900GS would you go for?
And would it be capable of playing COD2 on max at minimum or 1024x768?
 
Syk3 said:
Also which 7900GS would you go for?
And would it be capable of playing COD2 on max at minimum or 1024x768?
Click to expand...

It should be, personally though, I say get a E6400, and then do what I am going to do and grab a X1950 (either a PRO or an XT).

Pretty much going to be my spec for about 6 months, then I will pop in a DX10 card.
 
Yeah i was thinking that, but i am not going to overclock (for a while anyway..) so i was thinking the E6600 would be better without the overclock for the time.

And i would consider the possibility of the X1950..i was thinking about the 7950 too..
 
Can someone spec me the spec you would get with a monitor & everything else (not O/S) for £800-1000. £1000 Absolute Max.

Uses will be gaming & general use.

TIA

So far ive come up with:

Gigabyte GA_965P_DS3
G.Skill 2GB DDR2 NR PC2-6400 (2x1GB) CAS5 Dual Channel Kit
SpinPoint 160GB ATA-133 8MB Cache
Samsung SH-182MRSMN 18x18 DVD±RW Dual Layer Lightscribe ReWriter
Lian-Li PC-7 PLUS Aluminium Midi-Tower Case - Black
Corsair HX 520W ATX2.2 Modular SLI Compliant PSU
Asus VW192S 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor - Black
Intel Core 2 DUO E6400 "LGA775 Allendale" 2.13GHz
Sapphire ATI Radeon X1950 XT 256MB GDDR3 HDTV/Dual DVI

Sub Total : £788.91
Shipping : £12.95
Vat : £140.33
Total : £942.19

Only thing ive missed is a Keyboard/Mouse i think..
 
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Good spec, although i would strongly recommend looking at some of the Seagate Barracuda SATA drives, very good performing drives imo :), Also you could save yourself a tenner and get Gigabyte S3, same as a DS3 but with lower grade capacitors (shortens life span by a few years)
 
Also found this full system:

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E6600 Processor
(2.40GHz ,4MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz)
ASUS Deluxe Mainboard-nForce 650i SLI
2048MB DDR2 Memory
320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive
256MB nVIDIA GeForce 7950 GT - Dual DVI
19" Sony LCD TFT Display (DVI, 8ms)
Sony 18x Super Format DVD Writer
Sony 16x DVD-ROM Drive (40x CD-ROM)
Creative's Sounblaster X-FI Xtreme Audio
T7900 7.1 Speakers & Subwoofer
6 USB, 2x Firewire, GB LAN
Logitech Cordless KB & Optical Mouse

Price: £1050inc.

Or i could built with a less powerful CPU + Processor to save some money.

I am thinking whether or not to buy a budget gaming PC. For Example:
E6300
7900GS
2GB RAm
19" Widescreen

which i feel would become a fair amount cheaper, but would you recommend getting the more powerful now..or upgrade again in 1-2 years?
 
What do you think of this? Got £60 spare too:

[EDIT: missed out a load of stuff lmao]
[EDIT: listed all the items]

syk3.jpg
 
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Missing a cooler, but thats a great spec.

If i was to get the Retail that would be a great spec.

You recon the X1950 Pro could handle COD2 Max'd out etc?
 
Syk3 said:
Also found this full system:


I am thinking whether or not to buy a budget gaming PC. For Example:
E6300
7900GS
2GB RAm
19" Widescreen

which i feel would become a fair amount cheaper, but would you recommend getting the more powerful now..or upgrade again in 1-2 years?
Click to expand...

My personal advice, save the money now. Forget anything other than a X1950 Pro (unless you want an 8800GTX/S. Get a conroe 6300/6400.

Honestly even if you go for the very best stuff, in 1 year it will be pretty midrange, at least doing this aves you 300 or so, stuff that in a bank labled "PC upgrades" then in 6 - 12 months, get a better CPU and GPU. Its what I want to do, and I think the best option for PC gaming.
 
Dark_Angel said:
My personal advice, save the money now. Forget anything other than a X1950 Pro (unless you want an 8800GTX/S. Get a conroe 6300/6400.

Honestly even if you go for the very best stuff, in 1 year it will be pretty midrange, at least doing this aves you 300 or so, stuff that in a bank labled "PC upgrades" then in 6 - 12 months, get a better CPU and GPU. Its what I want to do, and I think the best option for PC gaming.
Click to expand...
What spec would you recommend for now?
Or wait till more DX10 and see price drops?
 
Syk3 said:
What spec would you recommend for now?
Or wait till more DX10 and see price drops?
Click to expand...

Well I would go with pretty much everyone else is doing (including me!) for a nice gaming system:

Conroe E6300
2 GB DDR2 6400 (OCuk value ram)
X1950 PRO 512MB OR 256MB (whatever make is cheapest)
Asus widescreen 19" monitor (or whatever widescreen you think is nice)
Hard drive up to you
Motherboard either a DS3 or if you want an extreme budget solution something like an asrock one.

Why those components?

E6300 = Overclocks WELL. you should get it to at LEAST E6600 speeds, and maybe a bit more, besides its just over 100 bucks, and will last you till quad core becomes the "norm" in a few years.

Graphics card = The x1950 Pro rocks for the price. I will be honest and say it wont stand a prayer against an 8800GTS or something, but then again, the Pro overclocks nice, and will run games at 1600x1200 or more at decent speeds.

Moreever, DX10 cards will hold their price for a while yet. Get the cheapest card you can get I vote, and then have that do you till DX10 (remember you need vista with DX10 anyway) comes cheaper in 6 momths. Sell your x1950 in may/june time and then grab either the R600 OR the new Nvidia cards released.
 
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Ah right, looking at the amount, i may try keep it under £800-850 to save for new DX10 Card.

I had this:

E6300
2GB OcUK RAM
160GB HDD
X1950Pro 256MB
Asus 19" Widescreen
Lian Li PC7+
Samsung Lightscribe DVD/RW
Cherry Keyboard
Razer Mouse
Corsair 520W PSU
DS3 Motherboard

This came to around £880..
 
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