Can I Brag About My New PC?

VoodooDali · Post by **VoodooDali** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 3:40 pm

I just ordered it today. I'm so excited!!!

Here's the specs:
Intel P4 1.8 GHz, Socket 478
Cooler Master Socket 478 Cooling Fan
Intel D845PTL Socket 478, Intel 845, DDR, LAN, Audio--motherboard
512 MB PC2100 DDR 266MHz RAM
Maxtor 80GB UDMA 133 7200rpm Hard Drive (plan to add a scsi controller and a scsi Seagate Cheetah second hard drive later)
Gainward Geforce4 Ti4400 128MB, VIVO Video Card
Sound Blaster Audigy X-Gamer 5.1
Samsung 1.4mb Floppy
32x12x40 CDRW
Network card
Mid Tower w/400watt PS, P4 ready
logitech mouse/keyboard
Altec Lansing speakers
Viewsonic 17" monitor .24dpi
Win XP Pro--cd's + license

What do you all think?
I can't wait to get it. My current system is also custom-built, but is an 800mhz Athlon/Asus A7V system with a 32mb Geforce2 card. It's been great, but my significant other really needs a PC, and the Athlon from that era has some conflicts with Windows OS for some reason. I'm upgrading its RAM from 128 to 256, and going to upgrade the OS to WinXP.

Now if only some of the new games I want would hurry up and come out! (IWDII, Morrowwind, etc.)

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 3:46 pm

a calculator then?

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 3:47 pm

Originally posted by VoodooDali
What do you all think?

Why did you go with the Pentiums rather than AMD?

Everything seems pretty good, it will run pretty much every game out there at the moment without a thought of jumping, go you....and your new PC

My only concern would be the chip since i rate AMD higher and better, but that is personal preference

Are those Surround Sound Speakers?

Witch King · Post by **Witch King** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 3:50 pm

Originally posted by VoodooDali
...Cooler Master Socket 478 Cooling Fan

That is one hell of a fan.

Quark · Post by **Quark** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 4:01 pm

One thing: I don't know if I would mix and match SCSI and IDE hard drives. It'd probably be better w/ 2 SCSI or 2 IDE.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 4:15 pm

Very nice VoodooDali. couple of questions.

Why Intel over AMD? I must side with sleep on this one having built machines using both types of processors an chip sets?

Are you aware of the range and true speeds of the 1.8G Intel processor?

What are the bus speeds on the motherboard?

still, it's a kickin' system and will no doubt handle whatever you throw at it. How soon will you have the machine. I've been looking at the GeForce4 and might buy one to replace the GeForce2 in my current Athlon box. With all the good stuff on the way, it seems like a good idea but I'd like some testimony before I pull the trigger.

I definitely won't be building another system until next year so the GeForce4 is optional right now. With Dungeon Siege in my hands within 24 hours, I'd like to know if the Geforce4 will make a big difference.

Congrats on getting a new machine. Electronic toys are so fun.

Oh yeah, I forgot. **agrees with quark on mixing and matchin IDE/SCSI** definitely do not mix the technologies, the BIOS will hate you.

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 4:21 pm

Originally posted by Ned Flanders
still, it's a kickin' system and will no doubt handle whatever you throw at it. How soon will you have the machine. I've been looking at the GeForce4 and might buy one to replace the GeForce2 in my current Athlon box. With all the good stuff on the way, it seems like a good idea but I'd like some testimony before I pull the trigger.

I definitely won't be building another system until next year so the GeForce4 is optional right now. With Dungeon Siege in my hands within 24 hours, I'd like to know if the Geforce4 will make a big difference.

You might want to try the Radeon 8500's, i have heard good and bad things but they are supposedly pretty solid

I have always gone with the GeForce' but it might be worth a look

I think that the jump from GeForce 2 to GeForce 4 would make a lot of difference

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 4:41 pm

I think so too but how much...mr sleep...how...much...difference...will it make

(apologizes for the kirkism)

@the ATI8500's. most of the systems I set up at work use ATI's. The Radeon is a given on moo laptops. They are pretty solid as well. I'm partial to the GeForce because it is what I have used in my home systems for years now.

josh · Post by **josh** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 4:45 pm

No DVD?

K0r/\/f1@k€$ · Post by **K0r/\/f1@k€$** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 4:50 pm

Another voice is raised in support of AMD.

About the Radeon 8500; I have one of those beauties and I must say it props up my aging Duron 900 excellently. Triple figure frame rates in Q3 and UT and easily acheivable esp. with the beta drivers. Different sources rate these differently compared to the Geforce 3 Ti500, but I would say it was probably about its equal.

VoodooDali · Post by **VoodooDali** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 5:07 pm

Part of the reason for going with the P4 CPU is my brother--who is my main tech support. He is a reseller (tho he doesn't build PC's anymore, so I didn't buy this from him) and absolutely hates Athlon. Every time I call him with a problem, he yells at me about the Athlon. When I read comparisons, the Athlon does benchmark higher, but only slightly, so I went along with my brother this time. Besides, it will be fun to see the difference between an all Athlon system and an all Intel system.

As far as scsi goes--I know absolutely nothing about it--just that it would be a good idea to add another hard drive. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

@Ned:
Here's the info you asked about:
Intel® 845 Chipset Features & Benefits
400 MHz system bus Increased system bandwidth for greater system responsiveness and seamless user interaction
256 bit Internal data paths 4x the internal data transfer capability over previous generations
Intel® Hub Architecture Dedicated data paths to deliver maximum bandwidth for I/O intensive applications
DDR 200/266 or PC133 SDRAM Choice of memory technology to support a full range of price/performance requirements
AGP4X interface High-bandwidth interface for high-quality 2D, 3D, and video streams
LAN connect interface Multiple networking options taking advantage of Intel® SingleDriver™ technology
Alert on LAN* 1.0 Emits an alert in case of software failures or system intrusion, even when the O/S is not present or the system is suspended
Dual USB controllers Two controllers for four ports, delivering a total USB bandwidth of 24 Mbps
Ultra ATA/100 Takes advantage of the latest industry innovations in HDD features and performance
Intel® Application Accelerator Software that helps accelerate boot time and application launch times
AC97 Controller Excellent audio quality, with up to six channels for full surround sound capability including a simultaneous modem connection
Communications Network Riser Card Allows flexibility for multiple configurations on a single card to extend USB, LAN, and audio
Low-power sleep mode Energy savings
845PTL version has microATX, 1.5V 4X/2X AGP, AC97 Audio, 3 PCI slots, LAN, 6 USB 1.1 ports

Gotta go!

EMINEM · Post by **EMINEM** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 6:29 pm

So what's the price tag?

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 6:34 pm

Did you get the memo about the extra geek points you receive for having a cryogenic cooling system and a 5.25" floppy drive?

Looks like a kick-butt machine; I'm an ATI fan, so let us know how the GeForce4 card works out for you.

Waverly · Post by **Waverly** » Thu Apr 04, 2002 7:56 pm

Nice system Voodoo. It's obviously fine as is... but if you wanted some input:

That video card lusts for a larger monitor. If you didn't break the bank, think about upgrading to 19".

Similar story with the soundcard. If that is just a pair of altec lansings, consider getting something with a sub woofer. You won't regret it.

And finally: mechanical mice are dead. If the one you opted for is not optical, change it.

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 5:07 am

Originally posted by Ned Flanders
I think so too but how much...mr sleep...how...much...difference...will it make (apologizes for the kirkism)

I'll try to find the specs for you when i get a chance

@Vdali why don't you add this as well: Cough

@Waverly, sound advice, Speakers probably best to go for a Cambridge soundworks, something with 5.1

Tamerlane · Post by **Tamerlane** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 5:16 am

Originally posted by Mr Sleep
Cough

Thats quite an expensive cough you have there Sleep.

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 5:22 am

Well I for one wouldn't pay £2000 for a graphics card even if it ran Q3 at 1000fps...

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 5:23 am

Originally posted by Tamerlane
Thats quite an expensive cough you have there Sleep.

Yeah i thought so, more expensive than the average PC, but wow, look at that Fill Rate *drools like the sad techy low-life that he is*

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 5:29 am

Originally posted by Kameleon
Well I for one wouldn't pay £2000 for a graphics card even if it ran Q3 at 1000fps...

It is mostly used by design companies that create those lovely banners that you see around the world, almost essential for that kind of thing.

You want to see Q3A FPS scores check Here

They did more of these couldn't find them though

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 5:44 am

Originally posted by HighLordDave
Did you get the memo about the extra geek points you receive for having a cryogenic cooling system and a 5.25" floppy drive?

Hmm...a question about that 5.25" - I was trying to stick mine into my computer, but I had a cable crisis: the connector on the drive I need to plug into a floppy cable looks more like a small PCI slot than a standard pin connector. My old floppy cable had one of these connectors, but the new one that came with my new mobo and the rest of the 160-pin IDE cables doesn't. When I tried the old one, neither floppy drive would work. I know that IDE cables changed from 80- to 160-pin, but I didn't think that this affected the floppy cable. Nevertheless I can't get my 5.25" to work.

Any suggestions?

EDIT: And Sleep, that 308.5 fps test on Quake really had me drooling