Need Computer Advice
- Thread starter Gary Childress
- Start date
LesCanadiens
Deity
Here's a website that might be able to help you out. It's in Dutch, but there's an English section. Just click on the UK flag in the upper left corner.
http://www.classpc.nl/
http://www.classpc.nl/
I could recommend a good mATX motherboard (I just built a nice mATX system for my parents), but 10 year old mATX cases tend to be relatively poor in airflow, so I'd recommend getting a new case anyway. FWIW, some good mATX cases still allow you full PSU's and video cards.
Onboard video is basically useless for anything in 3D, don't expect to be playing anything other than 2D games, or 5+ year-old 3D games if you go that route.
If you take my list without the HDD and OS, it should total to $668.
If you're going with a 32-bit OS, don't bother with 4GB of RAM, pick up something like this instead:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820609027
Quad-cores are significantly more capable than dual-core processors, and will have significantly more longevity. That being said, unless you're going for some huge overclock, or upgrade every 6 months, the price between the E8400 and Q6600 is small enough that I have trouble ever justifying dropping down to the E8400.
If you're dropping down to a dual-core to save price, I'd grab something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116070
Switching to that RAM and CPU would bring the build price to about $513.
Onboard video is basically useless for anything in 3D, don't expect to be playing anything other than 2D games, or 5+ year-old 3D games if you go that route.
If you take my list without the HDD and OS, it should total to $668.
If you're going with a 32-bit OS, don't bother with 4GB of RAM, pick up something like this instead:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820609027
Quad-cores are significantly more capable than dual-core processors, and will have significantly more longevity. That being said, unless you're going for some huge overclock, or upgrade every 6 months, the price between the E8400 and Q6600 is small enough that I have trouble ever justifying dropping down to the E8400.
If you're dropping down to a dual-core to save price, I'd grab something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116070
Switching to that RAM and CPU would bring the build price to about $513.
Gary Childress
Student for and of life
As far as RAM, I was told by a guy at Office Depot that 3 gigs of RAM was probably the minimum I would want for a gaming machine. Now since I'll be using XP does that mean XP won't be able to take sufficient advantage of 3 gigs of RAM?
Gary Childress
Student for and of life
XP tops out at around 3GB, depending on what other hardware you have in your system.
Problem here is that 3x1gb loses dual channel...
Options you have:
- 2x1gb. Cheapest solution, runs dual channel, so fast unless you go over 2gb of ram use. Can upgrade to 4gb (+2x1gb) or 6gb (+2x2gb) in the future.
- 3x1gb. Cheap solution per amount of usable ram. No dual channel, so slower, except in situations where more than 2gb is actually needed. Can upgrade to 4gb in the future and regain dual channel.
- 2x1gb + 2x512mb. Cheap solution per amount of usable ram. 3gb total, with dual channel. No upgrading without junking at least the 512MB sticks.
- 2x2gb. ~1gb of ram wasted. Upgradable to 8gb.
I forget exactly, but I think if you have the 32 bit version of XP then it will only make use of 2 gigs RAM, but the 64 bit version will handle more than that.
Aramazd
Deity
Yes, XP64 can use more than 4 gigs of RAM, but XP64 suffers from a lack of drivers. If your going to go 64 bit, you might as well just get Vista.
Gary Childress
Student for and of life
So I'm guessing the optimal situation here in terms of performance would be 2x1gb + 2x512mb? What is the advantage of "dual channel"?
BTW: Thanks for all the help everyone! (Except for LesCanadiens!
)
Aramazd
Deity
It increases the speed of the RAM.
Your welcome.BTW: Thanks for all the help everyone! (Except for LesCanadiens!
2x1gb + 2x512mb and 2x2gb are going to be equivalent in performance. I'd probably just go with the 2x2gb ($10 more) if you want more than 2gb, so you keep the easy upgrade option.
GoodGame
Red, White, & Blue, baby!
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2004
- Messages
- 13,725
My own mATX centered search about 3 months ago led me to this:
I haven't bought it yet, but all my research indicated it'd be a good fit. I did buy 2GB of this ram though, and it is real nice. I second not limiting yourself to a mATX case, or at least realizing that good performance mATX mobos tend to be rarer. If you want the best future-proofing, a full ATX mobo is the soundest criteria, given that most companies are making mATX boards that are 'economical' rather than 'enthusiast'.
ASUS P5E-VM HDMI not to be confused with plain old P5Es.
I haven't bought it yet, but all my research indicated it'd be a good fit. I did buy 2GB of this ram though, and it is real nice. I second not limiting yourself to a mATX case, or at least realizing that good performance mATX mobos tend to be rarer. If you want the best future-proofing, a full ATX mobo is the soundest criteria, given that most companies are making mATX boards that are 'economical' rather than 'enthusiast'.
ASUS P5E-VM HDMI not to be confused with plain old P5Es.
I got this about a year ago.
There were a couple of mail in rebates. http://www.newegg.com/
And I'm pretty happy with that except that the onboard RAID of the motherboard failed.
There were a couple of mail in rebates. http://www.newegg.com/
And I'm pretty happy with that except that the onboard RAID of the motherboard failed.
scy12
Deity
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
- Messages
- 5,181
E8400 . Best value for money IMO
Gary Childress
Student for and of life
Would someone be able to recommend a good tutorial on building your own PC? I'd like to find one that is up to date with the latest technology. When I Google I find a few but I'm not sure which one would be the best and most up to date.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Maybe because oblivion was coded to make use of 64 bit but CIV was not.
I would also recommend a full size case, better cooling is only one of the advantages.
Yes Vista is a resource hog. XP 32 bit tops out at 2 gig's you can add more but it will not be recognized.
Yes all 64 bit OS's are designed to recognize more RAM.
I'm not sure what you mean I have built my own systems for many years and there really is not that much to know.
Use an anti-static mat.
Use a better grade of heatsink cream than what comes with it. I recommend arctic silver.
If you plan to overclock increase the size and power of your heatsink fan and also add extra cooling fans or a water cooling system.
Make sure all your parts are compatible when ordering.
Gary Childress
Student for and of life
Thanks for the tips Badkharma.
I'm a little confused on one point. You say XP will not recognize 3 gig of RAM? Zelig was saying that 3 gig is the max that XP will recognize.
I'm a little confused on one point. You say XP will not recognize 3 gig of RAM? Zelig was saying that 3 gig is the max that XP will recognize.
Aramazd
Deity
The maximum memory a 32 bit OS will recognize is 4GB including other compenents in addition to RAM. The maximum memory a 32-bit application can use is 2GB.Thanks for the tips Badkharma.
I'm a little confused on one point. You say XP will not recognize 3 gig of RAM? Zelig was saying that 3 gig is the max that XP will recognize.
Googling "build your own PC 2008" I got this link:http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-your-own-computer/
Looks decent.
If that doesn't help, the manuals with the parts should help. Building your own computer is fairly easy, so don't worry.
Gary Childress
Student for and of life
When you say "including other components" in addition to RAM, what exactly do you mean? Does it mean that Video card memory is included in that 4 gigs?
So Windows XP should work with 4 gigs of RAM? When you say each operating system can use up to 2 gigs does that mean I could have two apps running simultaneously, each recognizing 2 gigs to total the 4 gigs of RAM?
Thanks.
