Buying a new computer - a few queries

[zulu9812]

The computer I'm thinking of buying has pretty much everything I'm looking to buy:

AMD Athlon XP 1800
512MB DDR PC2700 Kingston
80GB HDD w/8MB cache
52x CD-ROM (Samsung)
16x DVD (Pioneer)
64MB on-board video
SoundBlaster Live! Player 5.1
120W speakers
keyboard+optical mouse
onboard modem + onboard LAN
15" Monitor (1024x768, .28)
1 yr RTB warranty

(I can cannabilise CD-R drive, OS and Office software from old computer)

Now, the questions:

1. Is it true that I won't really see the benefit of a super-fast processor, since today's programs don't use the full potential. Should I just opt for a slower processor for a cheaper price?

2. AMD XP or P4?

3. Is the 8MB cache on the hard-drive really worth the extra cost?

4. Is that 1 yr warranty really worth anything. Should I go for a computer with a longer warranty? Hardware problems are usually outside the scope of my repair expertise (being a software man), and I just bet that if anything does go wrong it'll go wrong once into the 2 year period. And does return-to-base mean that I have to send it back, or will they come and get it?

5. Will I see significantly faster speeds on this set-up with PC2700 RAM, or will PC2100 be the same in effect?

6. Should I even bother with a DVD drive? I'm not planning on watching any movies on my PC, and the only other use I can think of would be for the free DVDs you get with computer magazines. Can anyone think of any other reasons to get a DVD drive?

Finally, I'd quite like to be able to keep my old computer and share files between it and the new one. So I can keep my new computer solely for gaming and 3D-modelling, and use the old one for the internet. How would I go about setting up a simple network so as to share files between the 2, using Windows 2000 Pro and Windows XP pro as the OS's?

 

[CrackedCrystal]

1) partially true. It depends on the program. What you said is common with video games. They are limited that way. Otherwise you will have the things zooming by at ultra high speed. Office applications are usually not programmed as such. Especially very time consuming ones like 3D Studio MAX and Adobe Premire.

2) AMD, they are much cheeper and not really any major downsides

3) Hard drive speed is one of those areas were speed may not be needed (like CD-ROM speed). The extra Buffer will probably speed up transfers. The question is do you care? You may save a few seconds loading a program, or save a 100MB file one second sooner. Where these little gains are nessisary is real time video capturing, or where-ever you cannot afford to pause the data flow.

4) I never buy warrenties.

5) Probably not. If your motherboard is designed for PC2100 there will be NO difference as the PC2700 will just be downclocked to the proper speed. If its designed for PC2700 there will be a little bit of preformance hit using PC2100

6) Skip the DVD drive if you have no need for it and already have a CD-ROM. Althogh for other people, I would not suggest buying a new CD-ROM. In that case go for DVD or CD-RW

Network question:
If you are not using your LAN for internet access (as in you have dial-up), the cheapest way is to buy a cross-over cable. This is a specially designed ethernet cable ($8) where the send and recieve wires have been flipped. Just plug each end into each computer's NIC and you have yourself a network (minus the software config). An alternate method is to use firewire or USB cables to connect them instead.

If you are using your LAN for Internet (like some DSL and Cable), you cannot use the cable method. You must either buy a hub, switch, or router. The best is a Router that can act as your internet gateway. If this is not an option, any of the three are fine. For most home networks, it does not even matter which of the three you get. Although they have different functions, it won't be apparent with so few computers. But if prices are about the same, go for a router first, then switch, then hub.

Edit: that is a fairly low-end monitor. You may want to see how much it would cost to upgrade to a larger model.

 

[damunzy]

Network followup: It is still possible to use the crossover cable but one of the computers will need two NICs (Network Interface Cards) in it. This way would be cheaper but it might be easier to get a cheap cable/DSL router if you have cable or DSL.

 

[CrackedCrystal]

Munzy is right, you could use multiple NIC cards. I didn't think of that. Munzy. However, unless you have some experience with networking, I would not recomend it (and from the sound of it I doubt Munzy would either). It take more configuration and the computer with two NICs would have to be turned on in order for the computer with one NIC to access the internet.

 

[zulu9812]

Another question about RAM. Why are some types of RAM labelled as 'major'? I came across 2 upgrades for this PC, one was 512MB DDR PC2100 RAM (Major) - priced at +£21.34 (+VAT) - and the other was 512MB DDR PC2700 Kingston - priced at +£59.40 (+VAT). Why the price difference?

 

[Jeratain]

Originally posted by CrackedCrystal
Munzy is right, you could use multiple NIC cards. I didn't think of that. Munzy. However, unless you have some experience with networking, I would not recomend it (and from the sound of it I doubt Munzy would either). It take more configuration and the computer with two NICs would have to be turned on in order for the computer with one NIC to access the internet.

With Windows 2000 or XP it's fairly simple to set up a network.

Let's say you have a two computer network you want to set up.

You need:
2 NIC cards (you can buy them for like 10 bucks each)
1 Hub or Router (relatively cheap hubs available, or if you want to share internet go with the router)
Also so many feet of RJ47 cable (sorry if that's the wrong cable type, I haven't actually checked the numbers in so long, someone correct me if I'm wrong).

Just plug in the NICs, and Windows will automatically detect them and install the necessary drivers and protocols - the NICs themselves will come with books and/or CDs telling you how to set up a network and what protocols to set up if not.

Run wire from one computer to the hub or router, then from there to the next.

Run the network set up wizard to set up the computer names and the workgroup name, and you're all set.

 

[CrackedCrystal]

Originally posted by Jeratain

Also so many feet of RJ47 cable (sorry if that's the wrong cable type, I haven't actually checked the numbers in so long, someone correct me if I'm wrong).

RJ-45 And there is a 100 meter distance limit the cable can go without using repeaters (though a home network would rarely go that far).

 

[damunzy]

Originally posted by CrackedCrystal


RJ-45 And there is a 100 meter distance limit the cable can go without using repeaters (though a home network would rarely go that far).

You don't live in a 3 story house like me.

Subject: Dual NICs:
(and from the sound of it I doubt Munzy would either)

You got it.

@zulu9812: Oh, and get the biggest monitor you can afford it. 17' monitors are normally only 30 - 50 USD more expensive and well worth it. Even better would be the 19' monitor but then you are looking at 100+ more than the 17' if you get a decent brand. I have had my 17' monitor for over 5 years now and it is the only piece of the original computer I purchased. I know someone that still has a monitor that was made in 1988 (nice big Sony 20' monitor).

Also, got a link to a web site that shows this (Major) tag on RAM? I have never heard of this before and would find it interesting to check out.