Deciding on my Rig?

[masmith]

OK many of you may of seen me recently and a while back spamming a hardware secton to find out about all the new stuff.

About 6 six months ago I dint know there was such thing as a pci-e all I knew there was AGP and PCI I dint even know what DVI was! all I thought a graphics card was defined by was the Clock speed and the memory, but how wrong I was.

You guy on this forum may of made thing so confusing for me at first!  ???
but it all cleared its self up in the end

I also have been reading up on magazines and so on, and brosing around the net learning about hardware and the pros and cons of building a computer.

I You may of scene me posting specs for a rig comp I was considering building (Now I know enough), but since then my budget has changed since I invested in something else, I want to build a computer for photo and video editing, and of course flight sim. my budget being around

[NicksFXHouse]

Something you better learn about video editing is you WILL need drives that are fast. Moreso than for games. I have done video editing for years and learned a long time ago you can bottle neck a video editiong system fast with cheap and slow hard drives.

You WILL want RAID-0 on 2xWD Raptor 10,000 RPM 16mb cache drives.

The RAID-0 array will also provide the best game platform as well so it serves for video editing and gaming since your system will no longer wait for textures to load.

Buying a cheap video card is also going to cost you in the long run. I would not go any lower than a 7900GT. The 7600 is already outdated.

[masmith]

Well This is just to start off as I am planning to upgrade in the future to a 7800gtx or a 7900gtx and maybe 2 7900gtx and SLI them. but at the moument I dont have the cash.,and like I said im planning to upgrade thats why I went for a good mobo.

[cheesegrater]

Not everyone can afford a 7900. His budget is 450 pounds. Are you crazy?

Buying a video card later on is a good idea with DX10 cards just around the corner.

I think if you are planning to upgrade video later, go for a cheaper video card, and get a better processor. I would go for 6600GT or 6800XT at around 45 to 65 pounds. Also you should get a card from a better brand than "3D Club".

That Corsair RAM doesn't have the best timing. I think for that price you can get RAM with better timing.

For around 20 to 25 pounds you should be able to get a DVD burner.

[masmith]

Ok cheese,

What do you mean about RAM speed?

And can you get 6600GT and 6800 in PCI-e?

[ctjoyce]

You can, but I don't suggest them for a new system. Grab a 7900GT.

Also get rid of that RAM, you can get OCZ 2-3-2-5 Platnum kits for the same price. Also I suggest a 2GB kit over a 1GB, and if your doing video editing I would almost say its a must.

And the final thing that baffels me is that your concidering buying an AMD rig for this media / gaming computer? My friend your in Intel turf now. They always have prooved themselves much better than AMD. So I would suggest a 915 Presler over that 3500+

Cheers
Cameron

[NicksFXHouse]

If video editing will be the use more than gaming, I agree with Cam and go with an Intel platform. Intel does a better job with video editing software. I know, I run a dual xenon rig for video production work.

As for the memory, I also agree with Cam. You should be able to do much better on the memory choice and 2 gigs will be needed for video editing... it wont hurt games either. No matter what platform you choose, DONT BUY CHEAP MEMORY.

If you can

[cheesegrater]

[quote]450Pounds or (about 859 dollars) is not going to get you very much. If your budget is that limited and you do not want to wait until you get another 450 or so, my suggestion is make sure the motherboard platform will give you everything you need to expand. Keep in mind that SLI or Crossfire (more so SLI with today

[NicksFXHouse]

This is the part that I don't get. You make all this fuss about getting a 7900GT yet you suggest a 939 socket system? The socket has been discontinued, so in terms of upgrades in the future it is pretty much done. If you are building a high end 7900GT system you might as well go for AM2 or Conroe.

.

Because the guy does not have the cash to buy GOOD DDR2 memory for AM2, along with everything else, that's why. The AM2 processor, motherboard and memory alone would wipe out his budget for anything decent.


I am all for upgrading... as a matter of fact, I am the first one to suggest waiting until one has enough money to get something WORTH buying. Anything bought this year in 939, AM2 or Conroe in my opinion is a waste of money ----------> OUT THE DOOR

But he wants a system, he wants it to perform certain tasks and he wants the most he can get for the money to do those tasks.... so I make suggestions based on knowing what works and what does not work from personal and professional experience.

AM2 currently presents almost NOTHING in upgrade from 939 although it does provide some increase in performance. The cost to performance ratio is therefore NOT WORTH IT unless he has money to spend.

If it were me and I was limited I would buy the best 939 board, a dual core processor (or if not, the best cost/performace ratio single core I could get) and a 7900GTX or GT with at least a single WD 10K raptor and 2gb of OCZ memory.

If I was strapped but could afford the AM2 solution I would buy the best Asus board, the 5000+ dual core since it will perform the same as a FX62 or better for 1/2 the price and again, the 7900GTX or GT. and the same HDD.

The AM2 solution is a waste for budget buyers. It presents hardly any increase in performance and will have NO effect over 939 when DX10 comes out... on top of that, I'll bet 5 grand right now when DX10 is released and perfected another motherboard purchase will be due so why waste money on AM2 or Conroe.

I dont understand what part you dont get... I get it. The issue is what gets him the best bang for the buck... not what can he buy cheap just to boot a system

one thing I have learned about buying hardware over the last 40 years... dont screw myself with nickel and dime purchases... they ALWAYS cost more in both satisfaction AND price.


Ok so let

[cheesegrater]

Alright, I see your logic now. I just didn't know where you were coming from.

It was my understanding that most current processors aren't fast enough to take advantage of the DDR2 memory. So, I was expecting a new AM2 processor in the future to make a gap between 939 and AM2. Also, AM2 processors cost the same as 939. That was my logic for the AM2 socket.  

However, you have a point there. RAM and mobo for AM2 is much more expensive, and currently there is no performance difference.

Just out of curiosity what is the cheapest 939 processor you reccommend if you have FSX and Vista in mind?

[NicksFXHouse]

[quote]Alright, I see your logic now. I just didn't know where you were coming from.

It was my understanding that most current processors aren't fast enough to take advantage of the DDR2 memory. So, I was expecting a new AM2 processor in the future to make a gap between 939 and AM2. Also, AM2 processors cost the same as 939. That was my logic for the AM2 socket.

[congo]

I would get a Asus A8N-E and a 4400+, a 7900GT, if I was tied to a tree and beaten into a socket 939 choice.

The fancy mainboard choice you made is nice but by the time you build it up to it's glorious best, it will be badly outdated.

Any PC build now is an "interim" measure until the upcoming changes arrive, consider any money spent on PC's now as disposable.

Future proofing a PC now is impossible.

[NicksFXHouse]

I would get a Asus A8N-E and a 4400+, a 7900GT, if I was tied to a tree and beaten into a socket 939 choice.

The fancy mainboard choice you made is nice but by the time you build it up to it's glorious best, it will be badly outdated.

Any PC build now is an "interim" measure until the upcoming changes arrive, consider any money spent on PC's now as disposable.

Future proofing a PC now is impossible.

Now THERE is some good advice!

[congo]

If masmith wants to upgrade to SLI later on, he'll be able to Ebay a board like he chose for a fraction of the price, and then he'll be pouring more money into outdated graphics cards.

If it was a tradeoff between a dual core 4400+ or that SLI board, I'd take the dual core right now, but of course that's just the way I see it, I mean, you could ebay a 4400+ later on as well .....

EDIT:
Actually, strike all the above, the savings of a cheaper mainboard could go straight into a 7900GT, and that WILL provide some immediate benefit over the 7600GS, which is mediocre at best.

I'm considering a dual core upgrade myself, but I've so far got no practical reason to do that.

If you wanted an SLI board just in case, you could get one the same as mine (A8N-SLI) or cheaper.

I have no need or desire to fill two graphics slots either. No software I use requires it, or indeed would be aided by it.

I'm thinking, a lot of guys are going to buy 3 PC's before mine is superceeded, we'll all upgrade together a year from now, but in the meantime, I'll have saved up for the good stuff while they will  shelling out yet again for another pair of graphics cards, possibly second generation DX10 cards by that time..

I'm all for upgrading, but I think you shouldn't blow big bucks on any special hardware right now if you have a tight budget.

[NicksFXHouse]

I'm all for upgrading, but I think you shouldn't blow big bucks on any special hardware right now if you have a tight budget.

Amen

I agree with video card.. it just doesnt pay to put anything less in his rig