New computer

[namliaM]

I have been looking into getting a new computer as my old one just doesnt cut it anymore...

So I been shopping and reading a bit... eventually came up with this...
AMD® Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4600
1024MB Dual Channel DDR2 533MHz [2x512] Memory
320 GB Serial ATA hard drive (7.200 rpm) 8 MB DataBurst™-cache
256 MB ATI® Radeon® X1300 Pro
Sound on board 7.1 high def audio
16 X DVD +/- RW Drive

It is a prebuild Dell pc, it does say anything about the Motherboard.

What do you guys and galls? think about it... what would you change?
i.e. would it be smart to upgrade to 5200+ (+101 euro) or 5600+ (+137 euro)
Upgrade memory to 2048MB Dual Channel DDR2 533MHz [2x1024] Memory (+119)

Greets from Holland

 

[Turner]

If you're running Vista I would upgrade the mem to 2 gig. If you're going to stay on XP, 1 gig is probably enough. I've got an Athlon 64 3500+ w/ 1 gig and XP Media Center, and I rarely go under 200mb free, even when I start loading a bunch of different progs.

 

[Mulholland]

Most importantly. What do you plan to do with your computer? What programs, games do you want to run?

 

[warpus]

Get 800mhz RAM, it will synchronize perfectly with your 4600

The way it is now, your RAM will not even run at 533Mhz

As for dual channel, that's just a marketing term.. kinda.. ANY ram can be dual channel.. you just need 2 sticks of exactly the same type of RAM

I saved a bunch by ignoring 'dual channel' ram packages, and buying 2 "single channel" sticks individually and then running them in dual channel (this didn't even require any sort of setup, it's just a matter of putting them into the right slots.. depends on the mobo)

 

[namliaM]

I intend on running CIV offcourse.
Also probably Vista someplace in the future but not right now, I think I will wait for SP 1 atleast
I will be doing some heavier (access) databases, as well as I am going to go and try to get some cerifications on both Oracle and SQL Server. So I will want to run those so I can play with it a little.
I do some photoshopping and video thingy but not much... as I dont care much for it.

4600 is not a multiple of 800, thus that will not work either?? Or ?? does it not work that way??
Whats more, with Dell I cannot pick anything else but 533

But it is things like this I am looking for, I do not know this kind of thing... Thanks for your replies so far tho, keep em comming

 

[Mulholland]

It should be fine for what you want to do. I have two gigs of ram in mine.
X2 4200, 512 mb graphics card, and I rarely use over 1 gig (If ever). Runs civ 4 really nicely, no slowup even in Huge map modern era. The extra gig might come in handy in the future though. Though, if you want to play near future games I'd suggest a beefier video card too. Maybe a new Nvidia 8800 series. Those are quite powerful and DX 10 compatable, which will compliment vista nicely if you ever do upgrade.

 

[warpus]

4600 is not a multiple of 800, thus that will not work either?? Or ?? does it not work that way??
Whats more, with Dell I cannot pick anything else but 533

Well, the 4600 runs at 2400Mhz, which is a multiple of 800.. It isn't a multiple of 533, so your RAM will actually run at a lower speed, if you go with the 533Mhz sticks. (ie. maybe even lower than 500)

If Dell aren't offering 800mhz sticks.. I would get a computer elsewhere. It woudl really be worth getting 800mhz sticks..

Also.. they are probably ripping you off witht he "dual channel" BS. All the "dual channel" packages I've seen cost more than the equivalent "single channel" sticks.. It's all the same thing.. No need to pay more.

 

[Macha]

If you want to run your old programs, don't get Vista til they fix ALL the bugs.

 

[Felix Luce]

A suggestion...

Get a Macbook. Like I did.

It's a lot better than my HP desktop. MUCH better. And it's not very expensive; mine cost $1100 (838 euro), and with the technical service package plus other programs it was proably only like $1550 (1181 euro).

Anyway. Are there any specific things you need to do on your new computer? I do not know much about computers, but I do agree with what everyone else says: Wait till a new version of Vista comes out and/or they fix all the bugs; it'll be a lot easier. That's what I'm probably going to do when Leopard (new Mac OS) comes out.