Out with the old, in with the new

Post by **bicostp** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 3:32 pm

I'm getting a new computer to replace my aging internet PC. (This one's having trouble keeping up with what I need it for) I orderedthe whole shebang from www.tigerdirect.com , basically an online computer parts warehouse. My dad's co-workers have ordered from them a lot, and have been pleased with them.

I wanted a decent network system and a board that will accept new processors in the future. I basically need it for browsing, light to medium gaming (from The Sims to Unreal Tournement to Half-Life), and stuff like Photoshop, web authoring, etc. This machine can't really cut it anymore for what I need. It's stuck in 1999-2000. But hey I can't complain. It's not too shabby, concidering I built it over the course of 15 months out of scrounged parts... I'm still going to keep it around, though. It's still better than mySuSE/Ubuntu/Knoppix machine

(a P2 300

)

Here's the specs:

Old:
P3 500 (shows up as P2 450 on POST)
256MB RAM
fairly old CD-RW drive
IDE Zip-100 drive
nVidia 64 MB TNT2 graphics
ATX case
Intel SE440BX-2 Motherboard
Netgear GA302T gigabit adapter
Soundblaster 16 compatible
---------------------------------------
$10 (for an IDE cable)

New:
MSI PM8M-V Socket 478 MicroATX Motherboard
Intel Celeron D 340
512 MB DDR PC3200 RAM
ATX Mid-tower case
425 watt power supply
----------------------------
$150

Extra stuff I ordered:
Maxtor DiamondMax10 160 GB HD - $50
512 MB PC3200 400 mhz DDR memory - $30 (for a total of 1024 MB RAM)

Ihad initially wanted to buy an iPod, but I'm going to use this more, and it's cheaper too!

Plus this won't die in 18 months.)(hopefully)

Grand total: $230 USD

Not too bad, concidering theysell eMachines PCs for $300 (emachines are crap IMO, especially the one at school with the cracked VIA chips

)

Links:
<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... >Barebones Kit</a>
<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... =524">Hard Drive</a>
<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... >Memory</a>

It should be in sometime next week.
Sorry if this is spam, I'm just excited, that's all. <img src="http://bicostp.portablesofdoom.org/phpb ... _dance.gif">
Comments?

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 3:33 pm

celrons are the same as p4's, unless you want to game. Then, the cache size is too small.

gamer2 · Post by **gamer2** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:28 pm

is your Old PC a Lappy? and are you just going to junk it?

madc0w · Post by **madc0w** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:31 pm

hey! my emachine works just fine!!! I love mine.

Post by **Sparkfist** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:32 pm

Why dont you buy an AMD64 system? At the moment Pentium are not 64bit capible and also just so you know AMD is also know to outperform Intel chips in almost every area.

And if you do decide to go with a Pentium anyways, DON'T GET A CELERON! Knowing everyone on this board you like to do some heavy CPU dependent programs. If you have a Celeron you will have either a 256k or 512k L2 which will bottle-neck your speed.

Other things to look into:
Get a DVD burner. DVDRs are at about .20 each and you can back up your movies *wink wink* very effectifly.

Post by **bicostp** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:41 pm

gamer2 wrote:is your Old PC a Lappy? and are you just going to junk it?

No, it's an ATX Case (tower)

Yes I'm keeping it. I <3 it, and maybe I can setitupformy sisteror something, once I'm 100% "moved into" the new one.

@madcow: Well, at least the emachines I have used weren't all that great...

@Sparkfist: Well this board supports P4s with HT technology, but my Celeron PC does justfineforwhatI need it to do. And I've heard some horror stories about some AMD processors. I don't need a whole ton of speed. My Celeron machine is 2.6 ghz, and this is roughly 3, and this will have more RAM, so it will suit my needs just fine. A DVD burner is a good thing to keepin mind, though. (BTW my 2.6 gig Celeron is plenty fast through Photoshop) Plus I'm tryingtoget my Christmas andBirthday money to cover as much of it as possible.

sniper_spike · Post by **sniper_spike** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:55 pm

I would recommend against getting Sockt 478/AGP for a new build. It will not have much upgradability in the near future, so a waste of money then if it can't be upgraded IMO. A budget Socket 939 system would be more in order.

And about the harddrive--I've heard Maxtors have a tendancy to die out on people sooner than they bargained for. Seagate (with a 5 year warranty) is my choice for harddrives.

Edit:
...Oh you already bought it?.....
Too late then.

Post by **bicostp** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:14 pm

Well I guess anything new is better than what I have.

Jeez does anyone have anything POSITIVE to say?

Post by **Sparkfist** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:12 pm

bicostp wrote:Well I guess anything new is better than what I have.

Jeez does anyone have anything POSITIVE to say?

Atleast your getting a faster computer.

Really I know this will burn a hole in your pocket or where-ever you keep your money. But Get a computer that supports 64bit archeteture, has PCI-E and at least 1.5GHz FSB. This way you have a nice high speed system, will be able to use all the new peripherials and you'll be able to use new OSs that are now coming out.

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:15 pm

well, the ram will be good...i also have 1024 mb of ram............but you should upgrade the proccesor......i have a P4 3.2 Ghz with HT tech........it's sweet, expensive, but sweet........it's sad how my pc was top of the line one year ago, and now it's ranked as a 9.5/10.........forget the pc ranker site...it's on here somewhere......im thinking about upgrading ram.....whoops going off-topic...sorry

Joes2Silly · Post by **Joes2Silly** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:28 pm

guese what? My PSP is faster than my old comp and I can access the internet on my PSP

Luckly I have a family comp I use

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:36 pm

Jeez does anyone have anything POSITIVE to say?

It's Celeron, not a Pentium XXXXXXXVI, has only lots of memory instead of ENORMOUS amounts of memory, blah blah blah

You know what's really positive is this:

Grand total: $230 USD

Now THAT's positive! Who cares if its Celeron (which is perfectly fine for just about anything you could possibly want to do)!? At the price you've given us, it's a steal!

My PSP is faster than my old comp

If your comp is a P2 200MHz, it is WAAAAAAAY faster than your 333MHz PSP.

sniper_spike · Post by **sniper_spike** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:02 pm

Harshboy wrote:well, the ram will be good...i also have 1024 mb of ram............but you should upgrade the proccesor......i have a P4 3.2 Ghz with HT tech........it's sweet, expensive, but sweet........it's sad how my pc was top of the line one year ago, and now it's ranked as a 9.5/10.........forget the pc ranker site...it's on here somewhere......im thinking about upgrading ram.....whoops going off-topic...sorry

9.5? A P4 3.2 ranked that high? I'm suprised, I must be 10/10 then with my Amd 64 3700+ Sandy Oc'ed to 4000+

Back on the SteamPowered forums (Hardware section of course), that wouldn't even be considered Top-Of-The-Line. Thats reserved for FX57's\X2 4800+'s.

Post by **bicostp** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:05 pm

Well, the parts should come in via UPS tomorrow. Everything but the processor, for some reason.

I don't mind waiting.

One of my friends is going to give me his old ATI (IIRC)1800 128 MB graphics card. (he got a new one to play Battlefield II with. I'm the most I'm going to use it for will probably be Battleship II.

) Is it any good? (relatively speaking)

sniper_spike · Post by **sniper_spike** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:19 pm

To the right is your current card, to the left is where you will chose your new card to compare. I couldn't find any ATI "1800" 128mb, which I've never heard of either, so get the correct name and find it in the list.

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php ... &card2=207