New Build Specs

[gherkin]

Hi all

Came across this forum by chance and after a bit of reading thought I would ask if anyone has had any experience with the kit I might be using in the build:

Motherboard: ASRock 939 Dual SATA2
Memory: Crucial 2x512mb PC3200
CPU: AMD 3700+ 1mb Retail
HDD: Western Digital Caviar 250Gb (might got for a smaller one as well for system files)

My budget is approx £350 ($610) and that spec comes in just under it. I have a ThermalTake case, 480W PSU already from my current build (which is about 4 years old for example I have a Creative Labs GeForce 2 Ti as the VGA card hence the upgrade). I will up the card to a PCI-e at a letter date due to budget.......any recommendations - I was looking at a 256mb card (nVidia or ATi?).

Many thanks for you help

Kev

[Freakitchen]

Welcome to the forums!

I'd change that motherboard to an ASUS, the A8N5X comes highly recommended, and is of higher quality than the ASRock.

You'll need a 24 pin ATX2 Spec Power supply for that build, so it's very unlikely your existing one will be suitable.

Obviously you'll need some way of outputting video right from the start. If your current card is AGP, then it won't be compatible with the new PCI-Express board. What's your budget for a graphics card, and what will be the main use for this system?

FK

[gherkin]

Hi

thanks for getting back to me

the PSU might that connector as it is only a few months old and it did have some connectors that I had never seen before.

As for the video i was planning to update to a PCIe later on (hence the ASRock board as it contains both AGP and PCIe).

As for the budget for the VGA card I was probably looking tops £115 ($198). The main purpose of the system is just capable of doing most things. It will be used for gaming but its not a dedicated gaming machine for example I only really play America's Army on my current one (whether thats because I'm limited to what I can play with my GeForce 2 who knows!! :rolleyes: ). I wouldn't mind having a bash at BF2

[glc]

The Asrock dual boards are getting decent reviews - but they are definitely a compromise, and Asrock is not regarded as a quality manufacturer. The duals use a ULi chipset - who just got bought out by Nvidia.

[786ARS]

If you want good graphics, try this http://overclock.co.uk/customer/product.php?productid=19045
£120, ATi gfx X800GTO - nice gfx card pci ex.
Otherwise, looks gd.

[gary_hendricks]

The ATI Radeon® X1800 Pro (ultra-threaded 3D architecture and Shader Model 3.0) - your graphics are going to go through the roof with this one.

[gherkin]

although I do think that the Pro series is some what outside my budget.

this one isn't though

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3YR5&CategorySelectedId=11137&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11137,40808,40662&InMerch=1&v=2#infoarea

daft question but will there be any conflict if you have an ATi graphics card with a motherboard that has nForce 4 on it (i'm presuming nForce is something to do with NVidia)

[Freakitchen]

There won't be any conflicts between an nForce chipset and an Ati graphics card.

Whats the make and model of your PSU? We can check it has the required connectors.

FK

[gherkin]

Its a Thermaltake one:

Thermaltake Silent 480W ATX PSU with Dual Fan - Silver

[786ARS]

nice gfx find. if you spend a bit more, you can get this
http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3VJZ&CategorySelectedId=11137&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11137,40695
shader model 3.0 compatibility and with that nforce4 board, scope for sli if yoou want to.

[gherkin]

if there are any of those 512mb ATi card left when i come to build mine I think I will be going with that. if they are going though I might have a look at the GF6600.

[glc]

You do not need 512mb video ram - save your money and get a 256mb card.

[gherkin]

i suppose your right there, although I was just thinking of future proofing, but was probably jumping the gun a bit

[gherkin]

Just come across something and it works out to be only £10 more expensive than I can get the A8N5X spec (although the processor is a 3500+ rather than the 3700+)

GeIL 1GB (2x512MB) PC3200 Value Dual Channel Kit CAS2.5
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Venice 90nm (Socket 939) - Retail
Asus A8N-SLi nForce4 SLi (Socket 939) PCI-Express Motherboard

How does that measure up, not knowing a great deal about SLi I could ovbioulsy utilise it at a later date. Haven't really heard of GeIL either has anyone else come across them?

[Freakitchen]

Getting an SLI-Ready motherboard is fine, although keep in mind you'd also need an SLI-Ready Power Supply too; your Thermaltake would not be suitable.

I haven't heard any particularly bad reports from GeIL memory, it's just that its not as widely used as Corsair and Crucial.

Basically, I wouldn't sacrifice your processor to get an SLI motherboard. The benefits of SLI are essentially voided with the pace at which Video Cards are released onto the market. By the time you want to add a second card, there'll undoubtadly be a higher-end card available on the market that would easily out-peform your dual, lower end cards.

FK

[gherkin]

thanks very much for that FK it makes sense.