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Computer Hardware advice pls

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Dave A

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Hi all.

Later today I will be going to buy a few new parts for my computer, and trade in my old. The thing is, I'm not really sure which is better and why, and evn if its worth my money, and was wondering if anybody (Gareth? :D) could help me?

I have 3 options:

1) A P4 2.4Ghz Prescott 533FSB + 2X256MB SDRAM + ATI RADEON 9600 256MB DDR = About £105

2) A P4 3Ghz prescott 800FSB + 2X256MB SDRAM + ATI RADEON 9250 128MB = About £112

3) Either CPU + 1X256MB SDRAM (+128MB which I have already) + Either Graphics = Between around £80 (lower spec) to £107 (Higher Spec)

Any help greatly appreciated by mid-moring :D

P.S.

Might help you - I am currently running:

P4 1.8Ghz + 256MB SDRAM + 32MB nVidia TNT M64 Graphics with Windows XP
 
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Gareth Hale

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11 Jun 2005
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David said:
Hi all.

Later today I will be going to buy a few new parts for my computer, and trade in my old. The thing is, I'm not really sure which is better and why, and evn if its worth my money, and was wondering if anybody (Gareth? :D) could help me?

I have 3 options:

1) A P4 2.4Ghz Prescott 533FSB + 2X256MB SDRAM + ATI RADEON 9600 256MB DDR = About £105

2) A P4 3Ghz prescott 800FSB + 2X256MB SDRAM + ATI RADEON 9250 128MB = About £112

3) Either CPU + 1X256MB SDRAM (+128MB which I have already) + Either Graphics = Between around £80 (lower spec) to £107 (Higher Spec)

Any help greatly appreciated by mid-moring :D

P.S.

Might help you - I am currently running:

P4 1.8Ghz + 256MB SDRAM + 32MB nVidia TNT M64 Graphics with Windows XP
The best one ot of the three there is Option two, although id reccomend something like the Athlon 64 3500+, Intels like to run hot, not that is a problem now, but it shortens the life of the CPU, also, they do run a bit slower. 512MB memory should be o.k if you do light usage, light gaming, id also reccomend 1GB on memory. Graphics, although ive never used ATI, my Dad uses them and they appier to be o.k, id reccomend the nVidia 6600GT.
Out of those three choices, Ill definatly reccomend "A P4 3Ghz prescott 800FSB + 2X256MB SDRAM + ATI RADEON 9250 128MB = About £112"

A few links which may be some interest to you..

http://www23.tomshardware.com/charts2/36-18-19.png
CPU Rank 2005 (more is better)
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu_2004.html?modelx=33&model1=36&model2=18&chart=26
Doom III FPS with an nVidia 6800
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu_2004.html?modelx=33&model1=36&model2=18&chart=20
283MB WINRAR Compressing.

If you have anymore questions, don't hesitate to contact me via e'mail, MSN or AIM



Edit:
http://www.misco.co.uk/productinformation/~110126~/Inno3D%20Geforce%207300GS%20256MB%20PCI-E.htm
I Seriously reccomend that graphics card. Your motherboard will have to have a PCI Express socket to run it mind.


- G
 

David

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I would go for option 1 myself, although try and get an nVidia gfx card, because I think they are a lot better than ATI Radeon's (IMO)
 

Craig

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Harry Potter said:
I would go for option 1 myself, although try and get an nVidia gfx card, because I think they are a lot better than ATI Radeon's (IMO)
I'd recommend the same.
 

Gareth Hale

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Why? The 2.4GHz is miles slower than the 3.0GHz. That 7300 looks pretty decent actually, if I didnt just buy this 6600GT, Id be considering it.
 

Gareth Hale

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Cockfosters said:
Clock speed isnt' everything...

Look at those charts which I posted in my first post. For more charts to compair the processsors. Go on www.tomshardware.com ;)


Also, where you said clock isnt everything, It is on Intel Processors.
Edited (by doublepost prevention system):
dvn1357 said:
Option 2 is the processor o have and TBH i'm not overly impressed! With 3 flipin fans it makes a racket!


You can always watercool or change your fans to make it quieter. I never use stock fans because of that reason. ;)
 
T

Tom

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It ******* isn't Gareth on Intel processors. a 2.4GHz clock doesn't show much change to a 2.8GHz clock. You're too biased to AMD anyway...
 

devon_metro

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tubechallenger said:
It ******* isn't Gareth on Intel processors. a 2.4GHz clock doesn't show much change to a 2.8GHz clock. You're too biased to AMD anyway...

I would agree! Yet i'm biased to Intel!

And gareth i was thinking of getting water cooling. Depends if i can be bothered to fit it!
 

Tom B

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27 Jul 2005
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Liquid nitrogen cooling sounds uber cool (hah, nice pun), though I've never tried it or seen it in action. Have done Carbon Dioxide cooling, you just need a helluvalot of fire extinguishers...
 

HSTfan!!!

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I'm biased to AMD yet have more intel than AMD in my house and use a lot more intel based machines than AMD based.... its a real joy to go back to my AMD occasionally.
Out of interest Gareth, why do you always look at CPU speeds, you'd be amazed how much extra speed a bit of extra ram can give you.... and besides, you're cache is an important factor.
Mind you put simply my AMD Duron 1Ghz with a tiny cache is faster than my Celeron 2.6Ghz with I guess 256k cache, and my Celeron Mobile 1.4Ghz 1mb cache
 

0118999

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18 Dec 2005
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Water cooling is an unessersary expense. Spend the £80 or more it would cost ya on buying better parts instead of cooling you're not going to need. Also please remember we're not just looking at processors here (though some people in this thread seem to think we are) - you need consider the whole package, graphics card, RAM and all.

I recentley upgraded my PC from a:
1.9 GHz P4, 768mb PC800 RD RAM and 64mb GeForce 2,
to a:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (939 socket), 1GB PC3200 DDR RAM and a 128mb ATI Radeon 9800 Pro.

It cost me about £250 for those 3 and a motherboard to support them (MSI K8N Neo 2 Platinum). You can probably pick them all up now for about £200.
 

Dave A

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7 Jun 2005
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1,161
Thanks all.

Ended up buying new graphics, more memory and a new HD as my old one is back in the shop. But now my PSU is messed up.

Thanks,

David
 
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