..an itch to buy a new computer. Anyone know where to get one for a good price that is basically all processor speed and large hard drive (and maybe sound card)? I already got the RAM, video card, monitor, and speakers I need.

The one I have right now has tweaked my patience recently, and I just got a nice tax return (actually they direct deposited it about a month ago, but I didnt realize it until yesterday). I'm looking for something just under $1000 that I can play any game on from today, and any games that come out in the next 4 or 5 years.

[edit] now that I think of it, this should probably go in the technology forum, but I didnt think of it 'cus I wasn't really asking for support.

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"Guns don't kill people, I kill people."

[This message has been edited by KOP_Snake (edited May 27, 2004).]

The Athlon 64s are currently the fastest consumer-level processors. I like mine.

Give it a few months and you'll have more options, though.

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The Massassi-Map
There is no spoon.

4 or 5 years is a VERY, VERY long time. I don't think any system right now can do that. As for finding a system, I'd best leave that to the others.

5 years ago the P3 was still king, good luck playing modern games on that. 4 years ago though the P4 entered the market at 1.5ghz. You could probably play most modern games on a 1.5ghz P4, just not well

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The Massassi-Map
There is no spoon.

/me bows

That's my queue. I'm running a 1.5 P4, and i can say that it plays just about every game i've tried well enough. I may have to turn the graphics down on occation, but i always get enough fps to play. I can play Pandora Tomorrow and even FarCry without a hitch, though FarCry doesn't look that great.

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"No good can ever come from staying with normal people"
-Outlaw Star
"Some people play tennis. I erode the human soul"
-Tycho, Penny Arcade
"I'm a Cannabal-Vegitarian. I will BBQ an employee if there is no veggie option"
-DX:IW
A Knight's Tail
Exile: A Tale of Light in Dark
The Never Ending Story²[/i]

[This message has been edited by Noble Outlaw (edited May 27, 2004).]

You'd be surprised.


Hokai, here we go...

What you're looking for is a barebones system, and a processor. Go to www.newegg.com, find the one you like/want (you can get shuttlebox barebones, really nice, really small), and buy. Next, get yourself an Athlon 64 3400+ if at all possible...which it should be. Before you do ANY of this, however, post your current specs.

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Current specs:

P3 1000mhz
512 MB RAM
GEforce 4 Ti4200 128MB
Soundblaster PCI 128
22 inch monitor

I dont know how much detail you're looking for... but NewEgg wasn't really what I had in mind.

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"Guns don't kill people, I kill people."

Scratch it.

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http://www.sporkaudio.com

Yeah... Wanna compare FarCry screenshots?

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The Massassi-Map
There is no spoon.

Scratch it.


[Edit: WTF, NoESC!!! I posted before I even read your post...Freaky.]
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OSC Empire | A.H.N.U.L.D.
[Jim7 PING reply]: 666secs

[This message has been edited by SAJN_Master (edited May 27, 2004).]

The Athlon 64s are NICE processors, but keep in mind we probably won't be seeing a deluge of 64-bit applications for probably the next 2-3 years, depending on how fast the 64-bit architecture is pushed. For example, look at how long standard PCI and (going further back) ISA lasted.

Thankfully, the 64-bit CPUs aren't as bad as bus slots on a motherboard, as the 64-bit CPUs can run 32-bit applications (but obviously not vice versa), so there's no disadvantage to going 64-bit currently, and you'll be ahead of the curve. But then again, there's not going to be many 64-bit applications out for at least 2-3 years, I'd imagine. We'll almost assuredly see 64-bit OSes (64-bit Windows is out in a beta test release, iirc), as well as 64-bit drivers (hopefully), before that, so at least your system will run more efficiently. But those 32-bit apps aren't going to run faster just because the CPU is 64-bit. They're still written for 32-bit CPUs, after all.

The only REAL drawback I can see to the Athlon 64s is the price. Right now on newegg a retail boxed Athlon 64 3400+ is $416. Compared to the top of the line Athlon XP (the Barton core Athlon XP 3200+) which is $187 retail boxed on Newegg.

Beyond that, I'd still say go 64-bit, if only for bragging rights.


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I'll admit to Reactor CTF, Duel Abyss, Duel Turbulent, Duel Dustball, and even the CCCP, but not Sky High! (my first, be kind!) Ok so maybe I will.

Gonky - Dont forget Athlon 64s are the fastest processors for running 32-bit applications too. So yeah, they're just all-round good

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The Massassi-Map
There is no spoon.

Yeah they are nice. Isn't that due to their cache or FSB or somesuch doo-hickey? I can't remember right now. Brain no work. Anyways, I'll probably be grabbing an Athlon 64 for my next system (which is probably a good 2 years away).

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I'll admit to Reactor CTF, Duel Abyss, Duel Turbulent, Duel Dustball, and even the CCCP, but not Sky High! (my first, be kind!) Ok so maybe I will.

Yeah, the memory controller is part of the CPU core, meaning the bus effectively runs much faster.

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The Massassi-Map
There is no spoon.

They'll be changing from AGP/PCI buses over to PCI Express soon enough, so if you buy a new system right now, you probably won't be able to upgrade your components on that system again.

What he said. They run everything better also--they're just better processors.

Okay, you need to specify what kind of RAM (DDR, SD, DDR-SD), if you can the MHZ (133, 266, 400 are common ones), and maybe the brand.
As for the video card, wow...just wow. Upgrade is in DIRE need. The GeForce4 line is now 2 generations old, though it is holding its weight, it'll collapse with the onslaught of DX 9.0c. I suggest, HIGHLY suggest, going with at least a 9600XT, and would reccommend waiting for the next ATi card out which will support DX 9.0c. You also probably need another 512 MB of RAM at least...




PCI-Express isn't that great, it's overhyped, and they aren't going to do a TC (at least I know ATi isn't, and they're still showing better cards, so I'm putting my money on them for the future), and besides that, a new PCI-express motherboard, once it's needed, will cost only 60-100 bucks.
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[This message has been edited by Dj Yoshi (edited May 27, 2004).]

Yes, but you won't be able to use most of your old parts in that new PCI-Express motherboard. I realize that there's a lot of hype about PCI-Express, that the graphics card companies can't even use it's full potential currently, but representatives from both nVidia and ATi have said that they are going to gradually move from the AGP interface to PCI-E. For all anyone knows, they could change production efforts fully to PCI-Express within the next year or so and the AGP lines will become legacy products. Then again, they could come out with an even better technology by that time and change the interface again, making everyone who wants to upgrade buy more.

Basically, if you want to buy a system now, go ahead. Just don't expect it to last 4 to 5 years. Apparently, game companies are pushing for consumer graphics cards that carry 1 GB of VRAM or more within the next 2 years. PC gaming is just a very, very expensive hobby.

Snake, just wondering, but what kind of thing are you looking for if not a newegg-type place? Are you looking for an actual pre-built system? Or just the parts you were talking about (processor, hard-drive and sound card)?

[This message has been edited by spud (edited May 27, 2004).]

Just 5 months ago, I was barely hanging on with a AMD 533 mhz. You haven't had problems until you find out that not even Jedi Outcast would run on that thing.

My current comp (both of them) are 2.16 GHZ, and that's more than adequate, but that;s ofset by the total lack of a decent video card. This problem causes it to heat up like a blast furnace while gaming. AMDs always tend to run hot from my experience.



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Old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, poking me in the ribs and cackling, telling me, "You're next." They stopped after I started doing the same thing to them at funerals.

Um...negative. AMDs run fine cooled as long as there's some DECENT cooling and the cases are big enough to accommodate. They run cooler than Intels in my experience.

And as for the gradual change, yah, but if I remember correctly ATi said it was going for a longer, more extended change, while nVidia's going for the nearly immediate change. Besides, at what point did ANYBODY say your old components won't work on new boards that use PCI-E?

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Exactly, I said that already. it doesn't look as good as it can, however i can play it without a problem.

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"No good can ever come from staying with normal people"
-Outlaw Star
"Some people play tennis. I erode the human soul"
-Tycho, Penny Arcade
"I'm a Cannabal-Vegitarian. I will BBQ an employee if there is no veggie option"
-DX:IW
A Knight's Tail
Exile: A Tale of Light in Dark
The Never Ending Story²[/i]

[This message has been edited by Noble Outlaw (edited May 28, 2004).]

Some manufacturers will probably be making two kinds of boards after the PCI-Express release:

1) PCI-Express x16 graphics slot, maybe one or two PCI-Express expansion card slots, and then the standard PCI expansion slots (for backwards compatibility and a gradual switch to PCI-Express)

2) Full PCI-Express implementation with the x16 graphics slot, and every expansion slot being PCI-Express (like x1)

From what I've read, the PCI-Express slots themselves aren't backwards compatible since they're a different type of architecture, just that the technology allows both PCI-E and standard PCI to be used on a single mainboard (allowing situations like the first case.) So, you may very well be able to use those old PCI cards in a newer system, I just don't know for how long companies will keep PCI slots or if some companies might switch fully to PCI-Express when it comes out. Seriously, I doubt anyone really knows this stuff except the people who run the companies, and industry insiders who get information beforehand.

This is where I'm getting my new computer. Nice prices, and if you're on a budget, makes it a lot easier to shop for the PERFECT computer.

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<]-[ellequin> Nothing is quite as satisfying as placing a .177 lead pellet in between the eyes of a cat.
<]-[ellequin> I think I will leave it's corpse there, to warn all the other cats to keep out of my hibiscus patch

Live on, Adam.