New Rig Questions.

[JncoDragon]

I built my current machine about three years ago and have decided to build a new machine to last me for a while. I am a small gamer (WoW, some FPSs), but I am mainly a software developer. I spend a lot of time in Visual Studio, surfing the Internet, and listening to music. My current setup has been upgraded a few times over the years, and it still performs well for the Windows side of things. The gaming side, however, is a bit lacking.

Current setup:
AMD Athlon 3200+ Barton
1GB OCZ PC3200 RAM
Antec Sonata Case with an Antec TruePower 350W PS
ASUS A7N8X Deluxe mobo
GeForce 6600 GS AGP card
Audigy 2 ZS sound card
WD 80GB SE 8MB cache
WD 120GB SE 8MB cache

As you can see, the machine is a bit dated, but it still serves its purpose. I want the new machine to be a dual core machine using an AMD chip. I have always had awesome luck with the AMD processors, so I would like to stick with that. My propose setup is as follows:

AMD Athlon X2 3800
ASRock 939SLI32-eSATA2 mobo
2GB Corsair XMS (any recommendations here?)
Western Digital 74GB Raptor main drive (games, OS)
Western Digital SE16 SATA 250GB
ATI Radeon X1900XT
Antec TruePower 500W (recommendations?)
SoundBlaster X-Fi (Is the 64MB version worth it?)

I was looking at a CNPS7700 for cooling, but I was not sure if you had any other recommendations. Any insight into this would be awesome! Thank you!

 

[n7]

Welcome to teh forums.

OCZ 2x1 GB DDR400 2-3-2 - $200 - 40 MIR
Better timings (2-3-2 vs. the Corsair's 2-3-3) for similar price.
Or, if you want to OC: G.Skill 2x1 GB DDR500 3-4-4 - $192 - 18 MIR

For HSF, i'd go with the Thermaltake Big Typhoon. Very quiet & extremely good if OCing.
Stock HSF is okay, but it's rather loud usually.

Best value PSU i could find on newegg: ePower Tagan 480W 12V total = 40A - $91
Another good option: Enermax Liberty 500W - $110
If you wanna get serious with the PSU: Silverstone 600W - $170
Silverstone 560W single 12V = 38A - $138


Sorry...had a bit of fun looking thru all the newegg PSUs

 

[gtjr]

get an asus mobo

 

[AlkiYY]

I'm thinking of getting the new Nvidia 7900GT. Just a thought if your not a diehard ATI guy. 7900GT goes for $300, keep the extra $$$ from not getting a x1900 and put it towards a better MB or a better LCD.

One other thought is possibly waiting 'till June 6 when Socket AM2 comes out. Not really gonna get you any more performance in the now but you'd be more futureproof. There are no new 939's coming out.

 

[alimoalem]

are you overclocking? what's your budget

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: JncoDragon
I built my current machine about three years ago and have decided to build a new machine to last me for a while. I am a small gamer (WoW, some FPSs), but I am mainly a software developer. I spend a lot of time in Visual Studio, surfing the Internet, and listening to music. My current setup has been upgraded a few times over the years, and it still performs well for the Windows side of things. The gaming side, however, is a bit lacking.

Current setup:
AMD Athlon 3200+ Barton
1GB OCZ PC3200 RAM
Antec Sonata Case with an Antec TruePower 350W PS
ASUS A7N8X Deluxe mobo
GeForce 6600 GS AGP card
Audigy 2 ZS sound card
WD 80GB SE 8MB cache
WD 120GB SE 8MB cache

As you can see, the machine is a bit dated, but it still serves its purpose. I want the new machine to be a dual core machine using an AMD chip. I have always had awesome luck with the AMD processors, so I would like to stick with that. My propose setup is as follows:

AMD Athlon X2 3800
ASRock 939SLI32-eSATA2 mobo
2GB Corsair XMS (any recommendations here?)
Western Digital 74GB Raptor main drive (games, OS)
Western Digital SE16 SATA 250GB
ATI Radeon X1900XT
Antec TruePower 500W (recommendations?)
SoundBlaster X-Fi (Is the 64MB version worth it?)

I was looking at a CNPS7700 for cooling, but I was not sure if you had any other recommendations. Any insight into this would be awesome! Thank you!

to be perfectly honest, if you wanted to get a little more life out of your current rig, you could just get a x800xtep or x850xtpe agp card for ~$200. for gaming this will do wonders, which is where you are saying your machine is weak at.

 

[alimoalem]

i agree with bob

OP, do you have a 6600GS or 6800GS? cause your original post states you have a 6600gs...

 

[JncoDragon]

I do apologize for the untimely response. I was in Hawai'i for vacation when I originally posted and have since gotten back home to the east coast.

To address the questions above, I actually have a 6200 OC. I was going by memory, and it definitely did not serve me well! Haha. I have switched video cards so much in the past few months that I cannot keep them straight. I had to RMA the 9800 Pro, and I decided to sell it to a friend because I knew I would be building a new machine this year. I decided to go with the 6200 OC considering it was on special for $120, and I had a $50 gift card. I thought I would keep it around as a diagnostic card in the end.

I am not a diehard in any direction as far as video cards go. I was looking at the benchmarks for the 7900GT and hoping that it drags down the prices of the X1900. Hopefully it will! I have also thought about waiting for AM2 as well, but I was not sure when it was supposed to make its debut. I am still iffy about waiting around though.

I do not plan to overclock at all. I am fine with stock speeds on the processors. I would say my budget is around $1,300. I have priced the components to the system I proposed in my original post, and it was around this price point.

Hopefully this clears everything up!

 

[bamacre]

I would only get a new video card for now, the rest of your system is ok.

Wait for the new Intel cpu's to come out in 6 months and then overhaul your system around that.

 

[alimoalem]

Originally posted by: bamacre
I would only get a new video card for now, the rest of your system is ok.

Wait for the new Intel cpu's to come out in 6 months and then overhaul your system around that.

i agree. if the benchmarks were real (which i believe they are) then it is definitely worth waiting for. i just wonder how much they'll cost

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: alimoalem

Originally posted by: bamacre
I would only get a new video card for now, the rest of your system is ok.

Wait for the new Intel cpu's to come out in 6 months and then overhaul your system around that.

i agree. if the benchmarks were real (which i believe they are) then it is definitely worth waiting for. i just wonder how much they'll cost

Prices were listed, somewhere. Considering all, they appear to be very inexpensive. I think the one they benched was maybe ~530. A 1.86Ghz I think was ~200. Keep in mind, the one they benched was slaughtering an OC'ed ~900 AMD.

 

[imported_rod]

Originally posted by: JncoDragon
AMD Athlon X2 3800
ASRock 939SLI32-eSATA2 mobo
2GB Corsair XMS (any recommendations here?)
Western Digital 74GB Raptor main drive (games, OS)
Western Digital SE16 SATA 250GB
ATI Radeon X1900XT
Antec TruePower 500W (recommendations?)
SoundBlaster X-Fi (Is the 64MB version worth it?)

I was looking at a CNPS7700 for cooling, but I was not sure if you had any other recommendations. Any insight into this would be awesome! Thank you!

CPU:Good choice
MoBo: I would rather an ASUS
RAM: Good, but possibly overkill.
HDDs: The raptors are way overpriced. The 250GB.16MB drive will be plenty fast.
VC: That's a real top-end card for someone who is "a small gamer".
PSU: Another good choice
Sound: Start with onboard sound - if you don't like it, you can upgrade later.
Cooling: The Zalman CNPS9500 is better - looks awesome too - just make sure you have a big enough case...

RoD

 

[alimoalem]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: alimoalem

Originally posted by: bamacre
I would only get a new video card for now, the rest of your system is ok.

Wait for the new Intel cpu's to come out in 6 months and then overhaul your system around that.

i agree. if the benchmarks were real (which i believe they are) then it is definitely worth waiting for. i just wonder how much they'll cost

Prices were listed, somewhere. Considering all, they appear to be very inexpensive. I think the one they benched was maybe ~530. A 1.86Ghz I think was ~200. Keep in mind, the one they benched was slaughtering an OC'ed ~900 AMD.

o man that's awesome lol this may actually make me buy an intel....sorry OP for going a little off topic. what rod said i agree with, especially about the graphic card, raptor, and sound card