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| Thread ID: 61694 | 2005-09-13 12:01:00 | After advice from knowledgable ones re upgrade | Tukapa (62) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 388153 | 2005-09-13 12:01:00 | Hi all I am just getting ready to upgrade my old PC and replace it with a new box. Was wondering if those knowledgable ones can cast their eye over my current choice of hardware and advise me of where I have gone wrong (if at all) or suggest other paths. Asus A8N-E motherboard - www.c1com.co.nz Athlon 64 3000+ CPU (Venice Core cos I heard that is better) - www.c1com.co.nz 2 x 512MB PC3200 Ram - www.c1com.co.nz Asus DL DVD-RW Drive (recommended in latest PC World) - www.c1com.co.nz 128MB PCI-E Video card (don't play games so not too important) - www.c1com.co.nz XCLIO case with 400W PSU - www.c1com.co.nz I intend to use my 2 x 80GB PATA Hard Drives for now and upgrade to larger SATA hard drives when money permits in the future. Also have a 160GB USB 2.0 Hard drive. Any advice, suggestions or constructive criticism gratefully accepted. Thanks in advance. |
Tukapa (62) | ||
| 388154 | 2005-09-13 12:35:00 | Hi all I am just getting ready to upgrade my old PC and replace it with a new box. Was wondering if those knowledgable ones can cast their eye over my current choice of hardware and advise me of where I have gone wrong (if at all) or suggest other paths. Asus A8N-E motherboard - www.c1com.co.nz Athlon 64 3000+ CPU (Venice Core cos I heard that is better) - www.c1com.co.nz 2 x 512MB PC3200 Ram - www.c1com.co.nz Asus DL DVD-RW Drive (recommended in latest PC World) - www.c1com.co.nz 128MB PCI-E Video card (don't play games so not too important) - www.c1com.co.nz XCLIO case with 400W PSU - www.c1com.co.nz I intend to use my 2 x 80GB PATA Hard Drives for now and upgrade to larger SATA hard drives when money permits in the future. Also have a 160GB USB 2.0 Hard drive. Any advice, suggestions or constructive criticism gratefully accepted. Thanks in advance. What do you intend to use the pc for? I would go for 3200+ cpu since price difference between is not considerable. Also get a seperate power supply. Enermax, Thermaltake and Antec are known to make good reliable power supplies. |
STi (8857) | ||
| 388155 | 2005-09-13 13:41:00 | 1. What are you going to be using your computer for? 2. Is anybody else going to use the computer and what for? 3. The case only comes with only one 80mm case fan make sure you get them to add some more fans to the case,if you want/need to use them, you have them and if you dont then just dont plug them into the psu, but will need to have if you have overheating case proplems later on. 4. I recommand a case with 120mm case fans if buying a new case and would be better to buy now and get all your stuff installed in it at the start,instead of doing it later on.(120mm case fans better cooling)(People are going to 120mm case fans because of this and are supposed to be quieter). 5. Get a fan controler and all your case fans plugged into it.(Can fit in a spare floppy drive bay or spare cd/dvd drive bay).Helps to make your computer quiet. 6. Are you going to get a sound card or use the motherboard sound? Sound card (Creative Audigy 2 zs) recommend if watching dvds/playing music/playing games. 7. Speakers? (Can plug into a stereo or home theater system if you wanted to and get the cables from Dick Smith.) :D 8. PSU (power supply unit) get a name brand no less then 400w,(more power the better,for later on upgrades). 9. If sound matters get a Zalman,Thermalright etc... 92mm/120mm cpu heat sink fan. 10. CPU at least 2 ghz. (3200+ 939) (your supposed to be upgradding). :) 11. CPU and VGA depend on what you are going to use the computer for. Good list really just saying what I would change. :) |
memphis (2869) | ||
| 388156 | 2005-09-13 21:16:00 | Asus A8N-E motherboard - FINE Athlon 64 3000+ CPU (Venice Core cos I heard that is better) - FINE 2 x 512MB PC3200 Ram - Never heard of the brand... Asus DL DVD-RW Drive (recommended in latest PC World) - FINE 128MB PCI-E Video card (don't play games so not too important) - OK XCLIO case with 400W PSU - Hmm. I would put an Enermax PSU in it, regardless what case you like - its the PSU that matters. WHo knows what this PSU is like? |
pctek (84) | ||
| 388157 | 2005-09-13 21:22:00 | You're shopping at C1. :groan: | vapo (5203) | ||
| 388158 | 2005-09-13 21:59:00 | I would go for a larger case, Aside from the fact I personally hate working on the small ones the airflow of the larger ones will be better, you will have more room to add items and it will be far easier to work on. On that page that lists the case you can click on user review and someone has already stated the harddrive when installed hamperad access and he/she/they/it/bing bing had to mount it in one of teh bays that normally house a cd-drive.... |
Metla (12) | ||
| 388159 | 2005-09-13 22:35:00 | Thanks all. Some thoughts/ideas/suggestions to consider there!! I am mainly using my computer for internet, music, video, digital camera and about to invest in a digital video camera so intend to do video editing. Only myself and my other half use the computer and she just uses it for internet and e-mail (nothing too taxing there). I was going to use motherboard onboard sound and already have a cheap (but adequate) 5.1 set of surround speakers. Maybe it would be better to shell out a little more for recognised ram. I would upgrade the PSU later but as I am on a strict budget an extra $40 here and $60 there soon adds up to a few hundred dollars I can't afford right now! I know it may pay to wait but I have a workmate who is prepared to give me a good price for my old box so I want to take advantage of that and was hoping not to have to fork out any more than an extra $200. To Vapo - what is wrong with c1? I haven't used them before. I know price isn't everything but I thought their prices were pretty good (without shopping at a different place for every component which soon costs more due to freight!) To Metla - thanks for that - will bear the bigger case in mind. Once again - thanks to all for their helpful input. |
Tukapa (62) | ||
| 388160 | 2005-09-13 22:46:00 | No name ram is fine, It all does the same job and comes with a warrenty . Using 5 . 1 onboard can be a pain, requiring in some cases an additional whodackywhatsit that has to be ordered in, or that the input ports are assigned as output . This is motherboard dependant though . If money is tight then give it a whirl, but you maybe looking for an audio card for xmas . (having said that, once its set up and working it is no longer a pain . . . untill you need to use the audio in put, Then the ground litterly splits open and satan's horde spills forth) Video editing is an excellent way to pass some time . and you end up with something worth owning (though Mrs Metla is known to wonder why I would spend 2 weeks changing 10 minutes fotage of our son into a 20 minute opus of music,special effects,edits and mayhem) The answer of course, is because thats all that was on the tape . . . apart from cats, and I dont work with cats . . . . . |
Metla (12) | ||
| 388161 | 2005-09-14 16:17:00 | well... i agree with most of what you are looking at,with a couple of small addendums... i own an athlon64 3200+ myself,and they are PHAT .good choice there...im guessing the ppl that said"go for a venice core"were referring to overclocking it,which it is good at,but for someone in your "space",a waste of time(and it voids your warranty!).it runs a little cooler than the previous core,but the stock amd cooler that comes with it is more than up to the task,on either. the athlon 64's are known to be terribly neurotic about memory...i had all sorts of trouble with "no name" RAM...at the amd site you will find an approved list here... www.amd.com getting a huge psu is only really needed if you buy a huge video card and/or lotsa peripherals eg"the raid array from hell" etc...but getting a quality smaller one can save a lot of angst... keep in mind the nforce boards all have onboard firewalls,you may want to bone up on how to configure them properly,they have some great features... oh about sound?...i agree with memphis,nvidia(who make the nforce chips,which the asus motherboard you are looking at buying uses) used to have an awesome onboard sound solution called soundstorm,but its nowhere to be seen on this generation of boards(something nvidia are harassed about often),having said that,creative have just bought out a sound card series called x-fi...for you it either means an impressive sound solution,equal to a very expensive stereo system...or if you go for something like a live 7.1 24bit,cheap,and equal to a very expensive sound system...hang on...that didn't come out right... :lol: this is all IMHO,by the way... |
satanx (8009) | ||
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