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Gaming PC

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Original Message
Name: ted_rocks01
Date: June 10, 2006 at 07:58:04 Pacific
Subject: Gaming PC
OS: Windows XP Home
CPU/Ram: AMD XP 2800 2.0GHZ/512MB
Model/Manufacturer: Discovery Computer
Comment:

I'm upgrading to a new computer to play all video games on highest settings, movies on a 51" HDTV w/ DVI connection and everything else I can think of for the next 2 years at least. My budget is whatever it would cost to get a computer that would be good for gaming for 2 years.

A system I was looking at had these specs:
AMD 64 3200 2.0 GHZ (Socket AM2)
OZC Dual Channel 1024MB PC4200 DDR2 553MHZ
200GB 7200RPM Western Digital
MSI K9N Neo F Nvidia Socket AM2(PCI-Express)
Nvidia 7600GS 256MB DDR SLI PCI-Express
Lite-On 16x8x16x DVD+RW

Total price is about $770 CDN

Anything I should upgrade or add to insure it will be compatible with the new technology coming out soon?


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Response Number 1
Name: AdamNelson
Date: June 10, 2006 at 08:11:06 Pacific
Subject: Gaming PC
Reply: (edit)

No system will be proofed for the next 2 years, especially a midrange system like that. If you want to "proof" your system for as long as possible, you need the best components available, which would be:

Athlon FX-60 s939
DFI Lanparty SLI
Any 600+W PSU from Antec or Enermax or OCZ
2GB OCZ Premier (at least, maybe higher OCZ brand)
2xHDD in RAID 0 (plus 1 drive for important stuff)
2x7900GTX 512 (or maybe 7950)

This will easily run you over $4000, but if you want THE fastest and best stuff, then that's what you'll need. However, your system is just fine for now and probably this time next year, with some exceptions:

Get a 3700+ A64 s939
DFI Infinity or Lanparty SLI mobo
Either SLI 7800GT or single 7900GT (with plans to upg to SLI 7900GT in the future)

Also if you go socket 939 then you'll need DDR RAM, not DDR2. Don't be fooled by DDR2 or AM2 chipsets yet. Latest tests show essentially no performance increase over s939 and DDR, and market analysts predict a long life for s939. 2 years from now you could consider upgrading to AM2, but probably before then it is unnecessary, from what I've heard.


I wish my lawn was emo so it would cut itself.


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Response Number 2
Name: Sabertooth
Date: June 10, 2006 at 08:14:49 Pacific
Subject: Gaming PC
Reply: (edit)

If you really think the specs from above is geared toward your described gaming aspiration, you must have been living in a cocoon for the last few years plus you barely have $700.00

I really think you should re-evalute your plans.


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Response Number 3
Name: TMP-Man
Date: June 10, 2006 at 08:48:47 Pacific
Subject: Gaming PC
Reply: (edit)

Geforce 7600GS @ all high settings = almost impossible for most games. 7900GT is what you need for high end gaming... For cheap gaming box, consider these below

Venice 3200+ S939
DFI Nforce 4 motherboard
1GB value series DDR400 RAM
Geforce 7900GT or Radeon X1800XT
500 watt power supply with at least 25+ amp on 12v rail
200GB HD SATA

TMP-Man

Asus P5P800-SE
P4 506 @ 4100Mhz 1.525v
Thermaltake CLP0024 w/ 2000RPM FAN + AS5
1GB Corsair 2-3-3-5 DDR400
40GB 5400RPM/120GB 7200RPM HD
Radoen 9500 mod 9700 @ 375/600 CHS+RHS


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Response Number 4
Name: ted_rocks01
Date: June 10, 2006 at 13:26:58 Pacific
Subject: Gaming PC
Reply: (edit)

Ok I'll probably end up going with Socket 939 because the DDR2 seems to produce bad results with Socket AM2. And I know the graphics card is bad so I'll probably change it to a 7800 or something in that range.


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Response Number 5
Name: heropsycho2177
Date: June 10, 2006 at 16:36:33 Pacific
Subject: Gaming PC
Reply: (edit)

"Either SLI 7800GT or single 7900GT (with plans to upg to SLI 7900GT in the future)"

Just get a single 7900GT and change it out for something better in two years. SLI is not cost effective.

I'd also get an Opteron 165 dual core CPU instead of a single core solution. Dual core gaming will be the norm in two years time, so no reason to wait. It has 1M L2 cache per core, and overclocks well, so you can beat the Athlon 64 3700 now in the meantime even for games that aren't optimized for dual core.

"I'm upgrading to a new computer to play all video games on highest settings, movies on a 51" HDTV w/ DVI connection and everything else I can think of for the next 2 years at least."

You'll probably need to adapt from DVI to HDMI. Shop around, and you can find an adapter a lot cheaper than running to Radio Shack when you finally need it. If this is a home theater setup, figure out now how you're gonna wire the computer into the sound system. Make sure the onboard sound card as coaxial or optical outputs (whichever you need), or factor in buying a soundcard that does.

"Milk was a bad choice!"


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