I haven't decided on which chip should I use. I'm on a fix here. People say in their own opinions," AMD is the gamer's tool," or," Pentium will leave the AMD behind in the dust. " Now, I'm confused. I did my research on the chips, and found some of the flaws, but I won't post them. I want a new gaming rig with all the power a gamer needs, but yet I have a problem. Don't want to buy something I'd regret later on through the months. And also, which video card is good for gaming? I heard the ATI AIW 2006 Edition is outstanding, plus it's cheap, around 200 bucks. Heard also geforce 7800XGT nVida is also an outstanding card, but the cost is well over 500 bucks. Which ones do you think is acceptable for gaming? Replies?

New PC will be anounced later on.

"I did my research on the chips, and found some of the flaws, but I won't post them."

You are doing yourself a disservice by not posting what you found out, forums like this will help corroborate or dispel all or some of that information.

Granted the video card is integral part of gaming systems, it is not where it ends. The CPU, RAM, MOBO and PSU all have important roles too.

When Google isn't your best pal

Hey I am an AMD guy.....so For gaming, go with AMD.
If money was not an issue my choice would be to go with 7800GTX in SLI with an AMD 64 FX 60? You want be disappointed down the road.

Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
Corsair 512X4 2048mb
2X WD Raptor 74gb 10K
2X 256 6800 GT
Raid-0
WinXP Pro X64

I like Dual core. Because, I tried the Pentium D 920, and I just fell in love with it's gaming power. :) Tested it out, and I liked it. I don't know if I can cling to AMD that much. And my friend, it's going to be a long hard time. Someone really has to convince me. :|

New PC will be anounced later on.

Well, I run and AMD at home because I use it mostly for gaming. The AMD can just run games better. I dont know why, it just does. At the office, I use an Intel machine because it runs the productivity software I use much faster than my AMD does, however, it can't hold a candle to my AMD when it comes to games (and yes, I do play games at work and the set up is the same except for the cpu).

Also, if you dont want to spend mega bucks on a video card, you should check out the 7800GT. It cost less than the GTX but you dont scarifice much perfomance.

ASUS A8N-SLI
A64 3000+@220x9
1gig Corsair XMS
EVGA 7800GT
Enermax 535W
Dual 80gig WD.

In terms of which processor to go with for gaming, there is no disputing AMD as the better candidate.

When Google isn't your best pal

I think the A-I-W 2006 edition is based on the Radeon 9600 GPU. The 7800GTX would outperform that by far.

Could be mistaken about that 9600 part though.

I would buy an AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core right off the self, but I need more information on it. Really, I'm leaning toward the Pentium D 920, because in my opinion, I think it can perform a little better though, but that's just my opinion.

New PC will be anounced later on.

Exactly, thats your opinion. If you check Sabertooths post, there is a link to FACTS. That should be all you need.

ASUS A8N-SLI
A64 3000+@220x9
1gig Corsair XMS
EVGA 7800GT
Enermax 535W
Dual 80gig WD.

What is the point of this post? You are apparently not interested in not hearing what otehr people have to say, so why ask? You state what your opinion is about which processor will be faster but don't provide any details as to WHY you came to that conclusion.

Michael J

I've built Intel and AMD based systems for years. For gaming, it is indisputable that AMD right now makes far better CPU's overall. The question for gaming isn't Intel or AMD; it's which AMD to get for the money.

Look at benchmarks from www.anandtech.com, www.tomshardware.com, etc. and the benchmarks provided by Sabertooth are repeatedly reaffirmed with games.

"The AMD can just run games better. I dont know why, it just does."

It's due to the integrated into the die memory controller as opposed to Intel's which still have the memory in the motherboard's northbridge chipset, which gives AMD a much lower latency datapath to the RAM coupled with it's superior math co-processor. Notice in exhaustive benchmarks that AMD slaughters Intel in memory i/o despite using older DDR1 compared to Intel using more advanced DDR2.

"At the office, I use an Intel machine because it runs the productivity software I use much faster than my AMD does"

Most benchmarks show AMD winning against the Intels in everything but media encoding tasks and some graphics packages, particularly if they are optimized for Intel's hyperthreading. However, a majority of applications run better on AMD currently.

"I like Dual core. Because, I tried the Pentium D 920, and I just fell in love with it's gaming power."

In dual cores, AMD's integrated memory controller and superior dual core design amplifies its lead. If you liked Intel's dual core, sorry, but the AMD utterly destroys it.

A good bargain for a dual core AMD is the Opteron 165. Similar to the 3800 X2 dual core, but has 2x the cache per core for about $330 instead of $295. Well worth the $35!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103588

However, bear in mind that for most games, dual core does not help you. Once games are coded to run better on dual core, it will, but that's not the case right now. Also, in general, you are much better off getting a better video card usually than a faster CPU for most games.

My advice: Budget an Athlon 64 3200 Venice and try to get at least a 7800GT video card before stepping up your CPU. If you have more money in the budget, THEN consider stepping up the CPU. Don't bother with any Venice higher than a 3200. Step up the the 3700 San Diego, and if budget allows, consider dual core past that as long as you understand that dual core will not perform any better than single core CPU's with the vast majority of today's games. In fact, the 3800 X2 would perform worse than the 3700 on average with the current gen of games! Cache and clock speed of the core are more important than dual core for the time being.

Other recommendations: Make sure you purchase a high quality reputable motherboard with an NForce4 Ultra chipset. Highly recommend DFI brand.

Get one gig of memory minimum. Make sure you get at least a 7800GT video card and at least an Athlon 64 3700 before considering 2 gigs.

Make sure you get a solid quality power supply with plenty of wattage from a reputable maker such as Antec, Thermaltake, Enermax, PC Power and Cooling, Coolermaster, etc. I'd say minimum 450W, preferably 480W or higher.

"If money was not an issue my choice would be to go with 7800GTX in SLI with an AMD 64 FX 60? You want be disappointed down the road."

I would be disappointed down the road to see I could buy parts two years from now at less than half the cost perform better than those parts I spent a fortune to buy today to get a few extra frames I probably can't even notice. The advantage of building your own box is the ability to upgrade it easily and affordably, so don't blow all your money on bleeding edge hardware of today when hardware that is a fraction of the cost performs way better than adequately.

Please help survivors of Hurricane Katrina!

www.redcross.org

"I'm leaning toward the Pentium D 920, because in my opinion, I think it can perform a little better"

Ain't nothing wrong with that, this forum is to help you make an informed decision before you buy your components, NOT pressuring you into doing it, ultimately you'll be the one pulling the trigger and by all accounts you'll be the one using the system.

However, contributors to this forum do so voluntarily, and it can be aggravating sometimes when an OP makes an inquiry with a pre-conceived agenda such as yours.

Goodluck !!!

When Google isn't your best pal

Yeah guys! Hey thanks for the encouragement. I've decided to go with AMD now. :) I did my research on it, and to find out AMD is much better than Intel. Even the lowest of the AMD chips are better than Pentium 4 HT series. Now, I just want the fastest, and the highest AMD chip out there! Oh yeah, and it has to be dual-core. ;)

New PC will be anounced later on.

The FX-60 is the current top tog in AMD, but @ over $1000, I don't recommend it. I would highly suggest that you look at the aforementioned Opteron 165. It is a great overclocker, and has 1M cache per core, and priced at $330. That is the best bang for the buck dual core available hands down.

Corn chips are no place for a mighty warrior!

Should I buy an AMD system from one of those customization websites, or build my own? I really want one of those AMD Athlon 64 FX chip processors, heard they were the best.

New PC will be anounced later on.

http://www.falcon-nw.com/flash/reviews/details/MaxPC_Feb06.pdf

I can't personally justify the purchase, since it's more of an ego versus a performance driven buy, but on the other hand, we all have different principles, so enjoy the rig.

People like me will be happy to unload it from you in a few months.......;-)
When Google isn't your best pal

Judging from your lack of hardware knowledge, I wouldn't recommending building your own system, at least not one with a $1000+ CPU. If you think the "AIW 2006 Edition is outstanding", you definitely need to do some more research. If the TV tuner features weren't a factor, would you pay $200 for a Radeon 9600XT? I hope not...but that's what the AIW 2006 basically is.

And as was explained to you, dual-core really isn't necessary (yet)...you'd be better off getting a single core A64 3700+ San Diego, then upgrade the CPU when the prices drop & there really is a need for dual-core. I suggest you reread response #10

I say a gateway Media Desktop Computer with AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+. Seen some good reviews on it, and some downfalls. If you're a gamer, and you buy the PC, there is alot of stuff to upgrade. Would you recommend this? I'm sorry, really. This year, I'm just lazy, lol. I want to buy it already built and stuff.

New PC will be anounced later on.

You'd HAVE to upgrade to be able to play games with it. If you look at the specs, the board isn't great (nForce410/GF6100)...it only has 2 PCI slots & both are already filled. It does have a PCI-E x16 though & you're definitely gonna need it. So you'd be paying between $875-1050 (depending on model) just for the PC, but you'd also need a decent PCI-E video card (at least $200), plus a monitor...

Actually, it's 892 at Circuit City. What do you mean the board isn't great. Just give me a site, and recommand me a customizable AMD Athlon PC under 1,500, and I'd be your friend for life. :)

New PC will be anounced later on.

http://www.cyberpowersystem.com/

When Google isn't your best pal

I mean, what's wrong with the Gateway AMD A64 X2 4200+, because it's a great buy when you think about it. I guess it's what inside that counts. ;)

New PC will be anounced later on.

While you're at Circuit City, you may as well get these too...you're gonna need em:

- eVGA e-GeForce™ 7800 GS Video Card for $300:

http://tinyurl.com/ep76c

- Samsung SyncMaster™ Monitor (930B) for $330:

http://tinyurl.com/8uvvq

Sorry, wrong video card...that one is AGP. Go for this one at newegg instead:

eVGA Geforce 7800GT 256MB PCI-E for $265 (after rebate):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130256

I'm thinking about emulating hardware from the Gamer Ultra 8900, probably will cost lower to build it with cheap parts though. This guy from CompuUsa said he can build the Gaming rig I want for less. What do you think about this?

New PC will be anounced later on.

I wouldn't let a "techie" from CompUSA install a stick of RAM, let alone build an entire system! LOL!

If you're not capable of building your own, buy a custom built system from a reputable place such as CyberPower. I don't recommend the pre-configured systems though, you'll get a much better system if you pick & choose using the 'custom configurator'. Of course, you have to be familiar with various hardware choices

CyberPower is a great website, I love it. Might take me some weeks to get the money all up, I liked the 8900, it's pricey though, don't know any customization website that'll have a cost lower for those specs.

New PC will be anounced later on.

Is AMD Athlon 64 4200+ is a great gaming chip?

New PC will be anounced later on.

Look at the specs of the X2's and find the speed of each core, and how much cache they have per core. Then chop off a core with its cache, and that's how good the CPU will be for most of today's games.

Case in point, the specs on the 4200...

Core speds 2.2GHz
L1 Cache 128KB+128KB
L2 Cache 2 x 512KB

So per core it's...

2.2Ghz
128KB L1 cache
512K L2 cache

Therefore, this will run as well as the Athlon 64 3500 in most games out there. The 3500 is a decent performing chip. However, it's disconcerting an Athlon 64 3700 non dual core will beat this CPU since it's single core runs ar 2.2Ghz, but has 1M of L2 cache.

Personally, if I were buying an X2 series dual core, I'd get the 4400. It has 1M of L2 cache per core, so you'd see performance instead that's comparable to the Athlon 64 3700 for today's games, which is very good.

Corn chips are no place for a mighty warrior!

Now with things like price, overclock potential (2.7GHz on air) and performance considered, the Athlon64 X2 4200+ ($357.00 shipped) is clearly an excellent choice
, provided the 4400+ does not offer the same or similar headroom.

If it does, then the extra $100.00 may well be more than worth it.

When Google isn't your best pal

There are MANY "customization" web sites. You can google "gaming computers". But I have not seen any as reasonable as Cyberpowersystems. If you order from them, make sure you check hardware/software compatibilities (bottlenecking). Do your homework and get it right the first time. Don't depend on them to get it right for you. Once you do that, select a system and post it here.

Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
Corsair 512X4 2048mb
2X WD Raptor 74gb 10K
2X 256 6800 GT
Raid-0
WinXP Pro X64

Hey, which SLI motherboard do you think is great, and cheap?

New PC will be anounced later on.

DFI brand.

Corn chips are no place for a mighty warrior!

I'm still on a fix on motherboards. Now I have to make a decision now. Which one should I choose: GIGABYTE GA-K8N-SLI NFORCE4 SLI CHIPSET SOCKET 939 DDR400 DUAL PCI-EXPRESS PLATFORM W/ 7.1AUDIO, USB2.0, & GbLAN, or ASUS A8N-SLI NFORCE4 SLI CHIPSET FOR ATHLON64 939PIN CPU DDR400 SATA RAID PCI-EXPRESS PLATFORM W/ AUDIO, USB2.0, IEEE 1394, & LAN. The Gigabyte is much cheaper, but the Asus is more pricy, compared to the Asus-SLI NForce4 deluxe( which is higher in price. ) Which motherboards do you think are better?

New PC will be anounced later on.

Dude, DFI all the way.

Please help survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

www.redcross.org

Actually, I'm going through the Cyberpower website. I just wanted to know which is better.

New PC will be anounced later on.

Then I'd personally go with the Gigabyte. I just don't see Asus being worth more money.

Please help survivors of Hurricane Katrina!

www.redcross.org

Tell me do I need any work on the specifications, or are there fine enough:

CASE : HOT NEW! Xplorer Mid-Tower Case 420W W/ WINDOW & LCD Temperature Display (Black Case w/Black Face)
CPU : (939-pin) AMD Athlon™64 X2 4400+ Dual-Core CPU w/ HyperTransport Technology
MOTHERBOARD : (Sckt939)GigaByte GA-K8N-SLI nForce4 SLI Chipset DDR400 SATA Dual PCI-E Mainboard w/GbLAN,USB2.0,&7.1Audio
MEMORY : 1024 MB (512MBx2) PC3200 400MHz Dual Channel DDR MEMORY (Corsair Value Select)
VIDEO CARD : NVIDIA Geforce 7800 GT 256MB 16X PCI Express Video Card
VIDEO CARD 2 : NONE
MONITOR & LCD : NONE
HARD DRIVE : 250GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 8M Cache 7200RPM Hard Drive
Hard Drive 2 : NONE
Optical Drive : (Special Price) LG GWA-4161 16X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW DRIVE DUAL LAYER (BLACK COLOR)
Optical Drive 2 : NONE
SOUND : HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO

New PC will be anounced later on.

Yeah I have not known Cyberpower to host DFI boards. I have two computers with Gigabyte's mobo. One is K8N-SLI and the other K8NXP-SLI. As first hand experience, neither has given me much of any problems though I will say when you're building a system, the manual needs to be improved. I don't have first hand experience with DFI. Only what I read. I think one slight advantage would be in overclocking but I don't think its significant. I searched for an article in Tomshardware.com that I once read comparing Asus, Gigabyte, and DFI SLI boards but could not find it in a timely manner.
I can go on and on about the BIOS with Gigabytes. Like every board, there are advantages and disadvantages. The assembly, bios updating, and raid systems were a snap while other areas not so great (i.e. too few expansion slots; poor system monitoring offering only CPU temperature control). Google the motherboards, study them, and take your pick. There are Pro's and Con's for each. Regardless, all of the three above are reputable companies (Asus, Gigabyte, and DFI).

Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
Corsair 512X4 2048mb
2X WD Raptor 74gb 10K
2X 256 6800 GT
Raid-0
WinXP Pro X64

I think the system should get you by for some time. The onboard sound on the mobo is okay but I use Creative Labs Sound Cards on both of my comuters with Gigabyte motherboards. I also recommend you to throw in a floppy reader since I did not see one listed. This is a must when you have to reformat. What is the price on this system?

Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
Corsair 512X4 2048mb
2X WD Raptor 74gb 10K
2X 256 6800 GT
Raid-0
WinXP Pro X64

Sorry for the multiple posts. But I left out an important recommendation. I would upgrade the PSU. Don't go with the one that comes with the case. Spend the extra $30.00 and get the Enermax EG565P 535 Watt Power Supply (SLI-Ready). You'll be glad you did.

Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
Corsair 512X4 2048mb
2X WD Raptor 74gb 10K
2X 256 6800 GT
Raid-0
WinXP Pro X64

I have the SLI-Ready though--PSU? The system is 1,515 plus tax. Is that a little too much?

New PC will be anounced later on.

I mean 1,515 that's with shipping also.

New PC will be anounced later on.

I reviewed the computer you are considering and feel the Power Supply Unit (PSU) that comes with the case is probably not a reputable brand. That is typically the case (pardon the pun). I chose the Enermax because I feel it was the best one in the selection that is not too expensive. Enermax, Thermaltake, and Antec are all trustworthy PSU's. But the Enermax is SLI ready (meaning it is manufactured and approved to meet nvidia SLI requirements). This one can protect your investment if and when you decide to upgrade to two graphic cards in SLI mode.
The $1.5K is not a bad price in my opinion. But it would probably make you sick if you priced all of these parts at www.newegg.com and built it yourself. I urge you to compare this price at other custom built companiese so you will feel more satisifed with the one you are considering. I hate it when I buy something and later I second guess myself and wonder if I could have gotten it cheaper. Here are some other sites:
adamant.com
alienware.com
falcon-nw.com
overdrivepc.com
monarchcomputer.com
polywell.com
pudgesystems.com
vicouspc.com
voodoopc.com
ibuypower.com
abspc.com

Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
Corsair 512X4 2048mb
2X WD Raptor 74gb 10K
2X 256 6800 GT
Raid-0
WinXP Pro X64

May also want to look at http://www.velocitymicro.com/

I know the guy who runs it, and he's big on quality, but the last time I checked their prices, not very price competitive. Could be better now.

Corn chips are no place for a mighty warrior!

I really like Cyberpower, and I feel I'm receiving what I really want from it. I can upgrade the PSU, no problem, but how much should I upgrade to?

New PC will be anounced later on.

Again, I recommend the Enermax EG565P 535 Watt Power Supply. You can't go wrong with a PSU that is SLI compatible with this sytem. But frankly if you want to go a little cheaper you can stick wtih the "cyber recommended NZXT PF-500 and upgrade it in the future. Beyond that is overkill unless you intend on doing some extraordinary OC benchmarking. In that case you can choose a "screamer" like the Turbo-Cool 850 Watt SLI Ready. LOL!
If you want to learn more about PSU's and what is the best, follow this link. Its interesting.
http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/07/11/stress_test/index.html

Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
Corsair 512X4 2048mb
2X WD Raptor 74gb 10K
2X 256 6800 GT
Raid-0
WinXP Pro X64

Heroedge. The PC I'm buying includes the Enermax SLI-ready, I forgot to tell you that. And, I'll also add the Floppy reader as well. Do I really need a modem, because once I receive the PC, I'm going to use high-speed cable instead of dial-up. But, is the modemn really needed in some cases?

New PC will be anounced later on.

Iastdays,
Cool. You're good to go. No need for the modem unless you think you might move out to some hillbilly property in the future that still uses dialup. :)
Hey once you receive your new computer, send us a post and let us know what you think.

Game on!

Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
Corsair 512X4 2048mb
2X WD Raptor 74gb 10K
2X 256 6800 GT
Raid-0
WinXP Pro X64