New Machine - Good specs?

[bm]

As you can see what I am aiming at here is a top of the range system which should last a good long time. At the moment I am looking at a Demonite Performance from http://www.demonite.com/systemprod.asp?systemvar=2

I have set it up like so but was wondering which option of some of the parts to go for, the one to the left is my current choise but any advice on which would be best would be great:

CPU: Pentium 4 3.2Ghz 512k level 2 Cache or AMD Athlon 64 3200+
Mobo: Asus P4S800 (P4) \ Asus K8v Deluxe (AMD)
RAM: 1024Mb DDR PC3200 Memory
OS: Windows XP Home Edition

HD1: 120Gb SATA 7200rpm
HD1: 120Gb SATA 7200rpm

OD: 16x DVD-ROM
OD2: Sony DWA14a +/- DVD writer

Video card: 256 NVIDIA Geforce FX5950 ultra or 256Mb ATI Radion  pro 9800XT


I am particularly interested in which CPU to get, I really can't see any difference and no computer magazine is particularly useful in helping me decide between the Intel and the AMD.

Also the Video card, which is the one to go for?

And lastly the RAM, they offer Corsair DDR-XMS but that would be pushing the budget too far, 1gig PC3200 is still pretty future proof isn't it?

I think these people seem to be pretty good, there a front of Carrera. + there's a pretty good warranty coming with it. I tried to get the same specs from a dell but it wasn't quite so customizable and was more expensive. Do you think this is good or should I look elsewhere?

Thanks,

[swanny338]

I am an AMD fan just look at my avatar.

Go with the AMD 64 its better than the P4

Maybe, instead of PC3200 RAM get PC3500 and maybe go Kingston instead of Corsair

graphics card, get the ATI 9800XT. ATIs technology is older than Nvidias brand new Technology yet ATIs kills Nvidia in... everything....

My ATI 9800 Pro i got a couple weeks ago beats the heck outta my G4 Ti4800.

btw, ignore whats under my avatar


and it comes to computer companies.... Build it yourself  ;D

[4_Series_Scania]

I'd go for neither and wait for a few months!!!

Why?

Its called the Pentium 4 extreme edition, - extremely expensive though, hence the advice to wait, especially when you consider how much p4's were just a few months back.....

The "EE" p4 will get considerably cheaper, no question.
Considering how an 800fsb p4 3.2 betters its AMD equivalent, and a 32bit p4 EE betters the 64 bit AMD, perhaps waiting for Intels p5 (which I'd hazzard a guess will be 64bit) would be the long term solution?

A review at launch of the AMD 64 here http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20030923/athlon_64-53.html And this quote, considering the different platforms (1 32bit , 1 64bit ) utterly sums this up for me.

Summary: The P4 3.2 EE wins 32 times, the Athlon 64 FX-51 15 times - an uncertain 64-bit future for AMD

As I say, wait a while.

On the other hand, if you must upgrade now, a 3.2ghz 800fsb p4 with either Canterwood or Springdale chipset and dual channel RAM will more than make up for the price premium over the AMD XP (Cheaper but slower.)

Do NOT consider a 533fsb 3.2b p4 - AMD's XP 3200 is certainly a better buy - and probably why Intel had to quickly released the 800fsb version of the p4 relatively shortly after the release of the 533fsb chip!

As I've said before though,ultimately, its your money, your choice!

Paul.

I'm just glad I don't have a Celeron any more!  ;D

[swanny338]

4_Series_Scania, look at my avatar  ::) lol

using P4s is like a sin where i come from  :P

anyways, you should probably wait, not for the prices to go down on the P4 Extreme but for PCI-Xpress. I totally forgot about this until just a few minutes ago. Of course i have no idea how expensive it will be when it comes out.

thats it from me for now

[bm]

I think I do need it now, and the next few months is when I will be needing it most unfortunately so I don't think I can take your sensible advice and wait

I think the Pentium is an 800fsb, heres the quote from the Info button:
[color=Green]Pentium 4 3.2 Ghz 512k Level 2 Cache
Intel extends Hyper-Threading Technology

[swanny338]

PCI-Xpres isnt very well known, but its much faster than regular PCI and AGP

[4_Series_Scania]

swanny338, Sorry to pee in your PC's pond as they say....

[bm]

Unfortunately the list of motherboards they offer for selection on this model with the P4 is as follows:

Asus P4P800 Deluxe Motherboard (Intel P4)
Asus P4P800 Deluxe "Springdale" (Socket 478) Motherboard (MB-026-AS) Improving on the high-speed P4P800, this Deluxe edition throws in an rich-array of features such as IEEE 1394 connectivity, the unique POST Reporter and IDE RAID
technology. Let

[bm]

In fact ATI looks the clear winner!

PS. Swanny I really think its time you changed your avitar!

[swanny338]

yeah considering i have an ATI 9800 Pro lmao

[4_Series_Scania]

Nvidia need a boot up their collective arses for the performance of the FX cards!  >:( I'd still be inclined to go for Nvidia,  Ati ,many driver issues read about I have, as Yoda would say!  ;D

Fair play to those benchmarks! - I do wonder which drivers they used though.....

Talking of which, you may find this interesting Bird man.... http://www.simhq.com/_technology/technology_012a.html

I suppose I'm just not the proverbial Ati fan, far from it!

[swanny338]

AMD 3200+ is right up there with a p4 3.2 GHZ CPU with an 800FSB... while the AMD 3200+ is a Ghz below the P4 at only 2.2 Ghz... and only a 400 FSB... if amd made a bigger Cache on a newerline of 64Bit CPUs it would pwn Intel anyday  ::)

[bm]

That was great Scania - just what I needed, Intel are victorios! I could still go for 1024Mb of Corsair DDR-XMS 3200 and still be in budget if it would make any performance increase - its about a hundred pounds more than the normal PC3200 so it must be quite a bit better?

Right, this is the final setup:
CPU: Pentium 4 3.2Ghz
Mobo: Asus P4C800 Deluxe (P4)
RAM: 1024Mb DDR PC3200 Memory  (Could go 1024Mb Corsair 3200)
OS: Windows XP Home Edition

HD1: 120Gb SATA 7200rpm
HD1: 120Gb SATA 7200rpm

OD: 16x DVD-ROM
OD2: Sony DWA14a +/- DVD writer

Video card: 256Mb ATI Radion  pro 9800XT  (Still undicided.....)


They have a range of power supply's too. 400W, 420W coolermaster True, 520 coolermaster true power or 28DB Low noise 420W.


These power supplies feature dedicated output circuitry for each voltage so that each output delivers maximum power whenever you need it. To make sure these voltages stay accurate, TruePower also includes voltage feedback circuitry to improve system stability. Thanks to Antec New Low Noise Technology, system noise is substantially reduced, too.


Thanks for all your help and advice - I really do appreachiate it, I'll have a look at these driver problems. Like you I still have an incling to go NVIDIA but those benchmarks pretty strongly suggest that ATi is the way to go.

[Delta_]

swanny try this for an avatar

[Joe105]

Man I want a new computer so bad, but theres nothing wrong with this one to complain about to the parents. I thought mine was decent, then i saw a normal pc in a ad with like 3 times the hard drive that mine has. Im really itching for a new machine.