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You have $1600 to spend on a new computer.... (excluding software)

Already own (and therefore dont need to purchase) :

DVD Writer
Mouse
Keyboard
ATX Case
Hard drives (altho 1 SATA would be nice)

Reqd in new system :

1 GB RAM
256MB Video Card
17" LCD Monitor
2 PATA (IDE) controllers (to run DVD drive and existing HDDs)

You play latest games a bit, do a bit of video work but just generally geek
a lot (so browsing, email, playing with new s/ware etc quite a bit)

Now.....what would you buy ?
AMD ? Intel ?
32 or 64 bit ?
Top of the line video card or budget ?

Remember... $1600 maximum inc GST.

Your answers appreciated :-p

XPD wrote:
> You have $1600 to spend on a new computer.... (excluding software)
>
> Already own (and therefore dont need to purchase) :
>
> DVD Writer
> Mouse
> Keyboard
> ATX Case
> Hard drives (altho 1 SATA would be nice)
>
> Reqd in new system :
>
> 1 GB RAM
> 256MB Video Card
> 17" LCD Monitor
> 2 PATA (IDE) controllers (to run DVD drive and existing HDDs)
>
> You play latest games a bit, do a bit of video work but just generally geek
> a lot (so browsing, email, playing with new s/ware etc quite a bit)
>
> Now.....what would you buy ?
> AMD ? Intel ?
> 32 or 64 bit ?
> Top of the line video card or budget ?
>
> Remember... $1600 maximum inc GST.
>
> Your answers appreciated :-p
>
>

A motherboard that supports at least 2 gig of ram. I think Gigabyte or
MSI good value myself. Onboard gigabyte network? an intel 1000 chipset
is preferred, the 8139 is pretty crappy.

Firewire? 800 at least 2 preferably 3 ports

USB2 4 seperate usb2 channels.....

A front panel to feed firewire and usb2 into? ie sick of groveliing
around the back for a port?

External sound card, I have the creative one and its good.

Cordless keyboard and mouse?

400w+ PSU?

I would look at the all-in-wonder ati series of cards if you want to
play with video.

Dual head?

I'd go 19inch monitor, a bigger monitor is really worth it IMHO.

regards

Thing

XPD wrote:
> You have $1600 to spend on a new computer.... (excluding software)
>
> Already own (and therefore dont need to purchase) :
>
> DVD Writer
> Mouse
> Keyboard
> ATX Case
> Hard drives (altho 1 SATA would be nice)
>
> Reqd in new system :
>
> 1 GB RAM
> 256MB Video Card
> 17" LCD Monitor
> 2 PATA (IDE) controllers (to run DVD drive and existing HDDs)
>
> You play latest games a bit, do a bit of video work but just generally geek
> a lot (so browsing, email, playing with new s/ware etc quite a bit)
>
> Now.....what would you buy ?
> AMD ? Intel ?
> 32 or 64 bit ?
> Top of the line video card or budget ?
>
> Remember... $1600 maximum inc GST.
>
> Your answers appreciated :-p
>
>

Get a socket-939 board and maybe with SLI
This lets you get a AMD 64 or a AMD 64 dual core, as dual core is
expensive still right now you can just get the single core and upgrade
later, socket 939 will give you a decent life.

If you get sli, then you can buy a geforce 6600GT and then maybe get a
second or you can get the second later to add some extra power to the
system when you need it.

Or you can get the geforce 6800 which are coming down in price too.

If you have read any review sites lately, AMD are the king of the
mountain at the moment in both dual core and single core.

I'd also go with ndvidia if you can cause I just like them more than ati
(I've had problems with ati cards and drivers)

That is also what I plan on getting when I next upgrade...I've been
reading reviews for ages and from everythinh I read AMD is the way to go
currently, intel seemed to have slipped off the ball a bit lately.. i am
sure they will come up with something again eventually.. Intel seem to
be doing really well with their mobile cpu's but their p4's sucked
really... (especially power!)

"XPD" <> wrote in message
news:4302a131$...
> You have $1600 to spend on a new computer.... (excluding software)
>
> Already own (and therefore dont need to purchase) :
>
> DVD Writer
> Mouse
> Keyboard
> ATX Case
> Hard drives (altho 1 SATA would be nice)
>
> Reqd in new system :
>
> 1 GB RAM
> 256MB Video Card
> 17" LCD Monitor
> 2 PATA (IDE) controllers (to run DVD drive and existing HDDs)
>
> You play latest games a bit, do a bit of video work but just generally
geek
> a lot (so browsing, email, playing with new s/ware etc quite a bit)
>
> Now.....what would you buy ?
> AMD ? Intel ?
> 32 or 64 bit ?
> Top of the line video card or budget ?

Asus Premium sli m.b ($400)
CPU Athlon 3500+
2 gig
7800GTX graphics card

didn't check the prices , oops forgot the lcd?
go to lower model graphics card and spend rest on lcd

"XPD" <> wrote in
news:4302a131$:

> You have $1600 to spend on a new computer.... (excluding software)
>
> Already own (and therefore dont need to purchase) :
>
> DVD Writer
> Mouse
> Keyboard
> ATX Case
> Hard drives (altho 1 SATA would be nice)
>
> Reqd in new system :
>
> 1 GB RAM
> 256MB Video Card
> 17" LCD Monitor
> 2 PATA (IDE) controllers (to run DVD drive and existing HDDs)
>
> You play latest games a bit, do a bit of video work but just generally
> geek a lot (so browsing, email, playing with new s/ware etc quite a
> bit)
>
> Now.....what would you buy ?
> AMD ? Intel ?
> 32 or 64 bit ?
> Top of the line video card or budget ?
>
> Remember... $1600 maximum inc GST.
>
> Your answers appreciated :-p

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (or faster if the budget allows)
Asus A8N-E (NForce 4 chipset, 2 x PATA, 4 x SATA, 1 x GB LAN, 10 x USB2)
2 x 512MB DDR400 RAM (or 2 x 1GB DDR400 if the budget allows)
Philips 170B6 Monitor (or 19" if the budget allows)
Nvidia GT6600 or better video card (Nvidia 6800 or ATI X700 or X800)
New case with USB in front if you don’t already have that.
New PSU, not a cheapie.

Checking prices from my local supplier (Advertised prices, not some
cheaper deal that I might get).
CPU $325
M/B $225
RAM $240
LCD $450
Vid $340

Total: $1580 incl GST.

If you can find better pricing elsewhere then you might be able to
afford the case or PSU.


--
Mark Heyes (New Zealand)
See my pics at www.gigatech.co.nz (last updated 16-August-05)
"There are 10 types of people, those that
understand binary and those that don't"

XPD wrote:
> You have $1600 to spend on a new computer.... (excluding software)
>
<snip>
> 256MB Video Card
<snip>
> Top of the line video card or budget ?
<snip>
>

On the video card front, at the moment the 6600GT still offers the best
bang for buck IMHO.

However, the *X800GT* has just been released, and I suggest you wait for
that to hit NZ shores. It's ATI's answer to 6600GT (finally!), and is
priced accordingly - although, I think the damage has already been done.

"XPD" <> wrote in news:4302a131$1
@news.maxnet.co.nz:

> AMD ? Intel ?
> 32 or 64 bit ?
> Top of the line video card

AMD
64
Awesome Video Card.

Rest of machine will fill in bits.

--
Ciao, Dave