Bit by the tech bug

[CryingEmo]

Every few years I get bit by this bug and update to the latest hardware platforms.


I've settled on building a machine based on an intel chipset, and CPU. I'm going with a P35 mobo, and Q6600 CPU, and I plan on OC'ing it a bit to 3.0-3.2 gigahertz if I can get g0 stepping. I've seen so many arguements about e7200 for buget, and e8400/8500 being superior for oc'ing versus quad core in games, but quad core is future proof so to speak.


Anyways newegg has a deal on gskill ram. 2 gigz of ddr2 pc800 for 43$. I got a DFI LANPARTY DK P35-T2RS mobo btw. It has very good reviews, good stability, and OC'ing. I didn't need crossfire or SLI.


I can't decide on the video card however. I'm looking to spend 200$ max on it, and I have my eye on the radeon 4850. Any thoughts?

vid card:

Newegg.com - ASUS EAH4850/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

I'm using an Antec three hundred case, with NeoPower Blue 650W PS, 12v X 3 rails I believe, and modular.

By the way, newegg has a good deal on a HD-DVD/Blu Ray Reader / DVD-RW drive for 125 bucks. This is currently not in my budget until I build an HTPC, but looks like a good deal. I believe they have an ASUS bluray burner for 150$, but it's out of stock.


I also like this case:

 

[EasyEJL]

Really I think right now video card choices are tough in general. We're kind of close to another cusp and flip of versions, supporting the next version of directx in hardware.

But looking at it, that card does seem to rock So i'd go with it. looks to be nice performance the whole way around. I was looking at anandtech, I trust them for video card reviews.

 

[CryingEmo]

Word, it seems we're waiting for the next gen platforms, p53, and Core I7's, and even next gen nvideo and radeons.


The bottle neck for games currently is the vid card. If you buy the most godly expensive card and have a system that can make it the bottle neck (pretty much any core duo above e2200, and ddr2 667+ ram), you still can't run crysis at ultra high settings and high resolution and get a smooth frame rate at 30+ frames.

Check this out:

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTUxOCw0LCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==


Spend 400-500 on a GTX280, and you still can't play crysis on the nicest settings.

 

[manifesto]

Every few years I get bit by this bug and update to the latest hardware platforms.


I've settled on building a machine based on an intel chipset, and CPU. I'm going with a P35 mobo, and Q6600 CPU, and I plan on OC'ing it a bit to 3.0-3.2 gigahertz if I can get g0 stepping. I've seen so many arguements about e7200 for buget, and e8400/8500 being superior for oc'ing versus quad core in games, but quad core is future proof so to speak.


Anyways newegg has a deal on gskill ram. 2 gigz of ddr2 pc800 for 43$. I got a DFI LANPARTY DK P35-T2RS mobo btw. It has very good reviews, good stability, and OC'ing. I didn't need crossfire or SLI.


I can't decide on the video card however. I'm looking to spend 200$ max on it, and I have my eye on the radeon 4850. Any thoughts?

vid card:

Newegg.com - ASUS EAH4850/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

I'm using an Antec three hundred case, with NeoPower Blue 650W PS, 12v X 3 rails I believe, and modular.

By the way, newegg has a good deal on a HD-DVD/Blu Ray Reader / DVD-RW drive for 125 bucks. This is currently not in my budget until I build an HTPC, but looks like a good deal. I believe they have an ASUS bluray burner for 150$, but it's out of stock.


I also like this case:

Can you repeat that....?

 

[EasyEJL]

for 150 after rebate, you've got me thinking about picking one of those up

 

[CryingEmo]

for 150 after rebate, you've got me thinking about picking one of those up

Those damn mail in rebates are a pain though.

 

[EasyEJL]

yeah, but still, thtats a nice price, and I bet id does a nice job of accelerating decoding x264 + vc1, and it has hdcp. would be nice for my living room pc

 

[EasyEJL]

on sale at best buy for 185

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8894057&type=product&id=1212192380309

if you are a reward zone memeber or can find a coupon, easier since its local

 

[SilentBob187]

Don't get a quad core. Currently programs/OS are running faster on dual core machines than they are quad core machines. They haven't been writing software with quad cores in mind just yet. Save a little money and stick to a dual core...and don't get me started on intel (save more money, go AMD)

 

[EasyEJL]

Well, I looked around, found a 3450 based card for $16 after rebate. should be perfect in my HTPC machine, its a p4 3.2ghz and kinda chokes up a little on x264/VC1 stuff at 1080p. With the new video card, should offload it all off the cpu.

 

[CryingEmo]

Don't get a quad core. Currently programs/OS are running faster on dual core machines than they are quad core machines. They haven't been writing software with quad cores in mind just yet. Save a little money and stick to a dual core...and don't get me started on intel (save more money, go AMD)

I'd like to hear your arguement for this. I have heard both sides of the arguement, but I got a q6600 with g0 stepping, so you can OC it as well as a dual core, and at this point it will out perform it. I realize that quad cores aren't being fully utilized yet, but this will change very soon.


I also used to be an AMD man myself. AMD just doesn't seem to be priced competitively however.

 

[CryingEmo]

Well, I looked around, found a 3450 based card for $16 after rebate. should be perfect in my HTPC machine, its a p4 3.2ghz and kinda chokes up a little on x264/VC1 stuff at 1080p. With the new video card, should offload it all off the cpu.

New egg has a Lite On drive for sale that plays blu ray and hd-dvd's, as well as can do lightscribe and burn in any DVD/CD format. It's 130 bucks w/ free shipping I believe.


If you buy HD-DVD's now, you can get them at DEEP discount DVD for like 9 bucks a peice. Buy HD-DVD's, play them on the drive, and switch to blu ray when new movies come out that obviously aren't on HD-DVD's.

 

[EasyEJL]

already have an hddvd drive i was thinking about the bluray drive, but not really necessary

 

[CryingEmo]

already have an hddvd drive i was thinking about the bluray drive, but not really necessary

Only nessasary if you want to play future hi-def movies.

 

[EasyEJL]

Only nessasary if you want to play future hi-def movies.

There are non-disc ways to watch high def movies

 

[CryingEmo]

There are non-disc ways to watch high def movies

True, but it's nice to have the ability and save the disk space of having them on a seperate disk. I also like the box and everything. You can always burn them too. Blu ray burners are around 199 now.

 

[EasyEJL]

yeah, I was looking at that. and the bluray read only drives (not the combo hddvd ones) are as low as $99. I can always toss one of those in later. I may move the hddvd drive into that htpc now that you mention it tho

 

[Inarius]

no reason not to go up in ram speed. I love my ddr2 1066.
I have a p5k deluxe board with g.skill 2x2gb sticks. I have an e8500 and an 8800gt. I can play crysis on very high settings. It's sweet. I love the e8500 and would recommend it over the q6600. it's smaller and has newer technology.

 

[CryingEmo]

no reason not to go up in ram speed. I love my ddr2 1066.
I have a p5k deluxe board with g.skill 2x2gb sticks. I have an e8500 and an 8800gt. I can play crysis on very high settings. It's sweet. I love the e8500 and would recommend it over the q6600. it's smaller and has newer technology.

Crysis is optimised for 4 cores. I got a q660 with a low vid and g0 stepping, so i should be able to OC it to 3.6 ghz+

 

[Nightwanderer]

I thought one of the reasons people went with AMD (aside from being just as good and usually cheaper) over intel was that current intel designs are made to prevent/discourage overclocking attempts?
EDIT: Should add that I was a bit of a pc tech junkie for a long while but i've been out of the loop for like two years

 

[CryingEmo]

I thought one of the reasons people went with AMD (aside from being just as good and usually cheaper) over intel was that current intel designs are made to prevent/discourage overclocking attempts?
EDIT: Should add that I was a bit of a pc tech junkie for a long while but i've been out of the loop for like two years

Things have changed a bit. Core 2 Duo's are decent overclockers, but most have locked multiplers, unless you buy insanely expensive Extreme version of the processor.

 

[EasyEJL]

and amd's perfmance has been piss poor the last few years, and often with ludicrous processor power requirements. some of the processors draw 125 watts now. and its not just an issue of raw power usage, but also of the amount of heat generated

 

[CryingEmo]

and amd's perfmance has been piss poor the last few years, and often with ludicrous processor power requirements. some of the processors draw 125 watts now. and its not just an issue of raw power usage, but also of the amount of heat generated

Yeah, and the argument of dollars per watt. Over the years, a processor that consumes more watt per ghz is that much more expensive.


Back in the athlon XP and Socket A (478) days I was an AMD man. Now I'm a equal opportunity consumer.

 

[CryingEmo]

I ended up with a q6600, luckily g0 stepping. Fingers crossed for low VID.


I will buy a core 2 duo e8600 when they're in the 150$ price range and compare performance.