New computer time!

[pATCheS]

I have on the order of about $1300 to build a new box. I can't reuse anything from my old one apart from the sound card, as it is going to my sister. I also need an LCD that doesn't suck. 17\" is fine, even preferred, over a 19+ because of space constraints. I would lurb to have anything over 1280x1024, but it's damn near impossible to find such a thing unfortunately. So, the ultimate question right now is, AMD's AM2 platform or Intel's Core? Core is faster, but AMD is better known for its forward upgradeability. Then again, I haven't bothered with upgrading my current CPU at all. I plan on keeping this machine for a while, probably around two years or more... Fortunately, with the advent of PCI Express, this isn't totally unreasonable. Quiet is important. I don't need dead silent, but the closer to it the better.

So, thoughts, recommendations, etc would be appreciated. I need input on cases (I've been nothing but pleased with my Antec Sonata), hard drives over 250GB, CPU/mobo, and RAM. Overclocking isn't too important, but I'd like to get 5-10% without any hassle.

[Krom]

If you take on a Core system, you will probably have to pay the Intel Tax, but odds are it will be the fastest system you can build. AMD's offering does have a pretty well proven track record behind it, but that doesn't really mean anything today.

You can get a LCD that runs over 1280x1024, but you have to go all the way up to 20\" to do it. I have a samsung syncmaster 204b that runs 1600x1200, but it would eat over $350 of that budget on just one item, and if you are building a whole computer that would cut the budget extremely tight.

For hard drives, the price/capacity sweet spot seems to be around 250-300 GB right now so you are in luck there.

A Intel Core or AMD Athlon AM2 system should both overclock well over 10% with no problems. The Intel Core samples seem to do really well in that department, but the Athlon is no slouch either. I wouldn't bother with a single core system anymore. I'm going to say that the AMD system stands a better chance of staying in the budget then an Intel system right now.

Your best option for CPU would be to get one of the energy efficient AM2 processors, they cost a little more, but use less energy (and probably overclock exceptionally well) and they should run cooler at stock speeds then the other AMD options. Intel Core systems use even less energy and should all have silent or very near silent cooling at stock speeds.

[fliptw]

techincally, with core 2, you don't need to buy a new motherboard if you are already using a LGA775 board.

beyond that, Core 2 does beat the snot out of everything, and you need to find something that would seriously task the memory bandwidth to make it blink(ie both cores running a bandwidth intensive task). This won't be a serious issue until 4-core CPU's appear.


and you can keep your sonata - just go with sata drives, keep the cable clutter down.

[Mr. Perfect]

The way I understand it, not all LGA775 mobos accept Conroe. There's a list of compatible boards going on over at the OC. Conroe just came out, so there's a bit of price gouging and limited supply yet. Give it a few weeks if you can. The E6600 at $316 would be my choice, but the sub-$200 Conroe is said to OC well.

Also, Core 2/Conroe doesn't seem bothered much by high latencies on RAM, so don't feal that you have to allocate a large chunk of cash to \"enthusiast\" ram.

[pATCheS]

Well, however tempting it is to buy a new machine now, I'm thinking it's better to wait for Core2 to become more available. Thanks for the pointers, guys.

[Burlyman]

Have you tried Zip Zoom Fly?

Core 2 should be more available next Monday.

[Zantor]

Go for AMD's Socket AM2, for you can make use of DDR2 memory (which is faster), and especially with dual core, you can do more and crunch harder than Intel stuff.

Krom is right that the past doesn't matter a whole lot. Both are about on par, but they each have a favored role. Intel seems to fit businesses and typical computer users. AMD fits gamers and those really hard data crunchers. (AMD's prices are lower than Intel's!) Pick what you want. I've made my suggestion. The best AM2 chip right now is an Athlon 4600+ Windsor(dual core).

I would also suggest PCIe over AGP if you are getting a new computer. Video card I suggest is a PCIe eVGA GeForce 7800 GT. If you're an ATi guy, then go ATi. I myself prefer NVidia, but that's me.

[Krom]

Go for AMD's Socket AM2, for you can make use of DDR2 memory (which is faster), and especially with dual core, you can do more and crunch harder than Intel stuff.

Krom is right that the past doesn't matter a whole lot. Both are about on par, but they each have a favored role. Intel seems to fit businesses and typical computer users. AMD fits gamers and those really hard data crunchers. (AMD's prices are lower than Intel's!) Pick what you want. I've made my suggestion. The best AM2 chip right now is an Athlon 4600+ Windsor(dual core).

I would also suggest PCIe over AGP if you are getting a new computer. Video card I suggest is a PCIe eVGA GeForce 7800 GT. If you're an ATi guy, then go ATi. I myself prefer NVidia, but that's me.

1: Conroe is faster then the Athlon in any flavor, period.
2: DDR2 is at best 2% faster then DDR1, at worst totally identical on an AMD platform.
3: Intel and AMD both fit in business, casual users, and gamers alike.
4: AGP is already dead, finding a motherboard that is current and still has an AGP slot is an oxymoron.

[Immortal Lobster]

1: Conroe is faster then the Athlon in any flavor, period.
2: DDR2 is at best 2% faster then DDR1, at worst totally identical on an AMD platform.
3: Intel and AMD both fit in business, casual users, and gamers alike.
4: AGP is already dead, finding a motherboard that is current and still has an AGP slot is an oxymoron.

1: Only the 4MB L2 models =p (otherwise, yes)
2: Actually, AMD CPUs take a performance hit due to the extra latencies in the ram
3:true true
4: AGP may be dead, but its starting its own religous like cult out there lol

Another option, if youve got the time to wait, and the money to spare, is consider AMDs 4x4 System, aka the Quad Father. its a dual socked motherboard, that you can drop two Dual Core CPUs into, and they activly function as a single Quad Core CPU. when K8L releases around Q2 next year, the Quad cores from the K8L arch will drop into the 4x4 board, and it becomes an 8x8 with a bios upgrade, so yo get two quads activly functioning as one octa-core

there were rumors that this platform would be limited to the FX series, AMD decided, in order to beat Core Duo 2 (Conroe) theyd have to launch this on a price/performance assault, so any matching pair of X2s, FXs, or (in the future) X4s will drop in there. another plus, is AM3, AMDs next socket type is backwards compatable with AM2 sockets, in otherwords, simply drop an Am3 CPU into an AM2 board, and voila

While Conroe s currently the undoubted leader, the upgrade path on AMDs AM2 is a wide, long, and clear one. Its already being called the next Socket A.

and zang, why a 7800, their priced way higher then a 7900, and are slower.

[edit]Oh, and supposedly, Conroe doesnt handle 64bit instructions very well, I havnt heard much more about that, but there were benchmarks of an AMD k8 vs a Conroe in Windows x64, the conroe still lead, but the margain shrank, dramatically

[Grendel]

1: Only the 4MB L2 models =p (otherwise, yes)

Barely

[edit]Oh, and supposedly, Conroe doesnt handle 64bit instructions very well, I havnt heard much more about that, but there were benchmarks of an AMD k8 vs a Conroe in Windows x64, the conroe still lead, but the margain shrank, dramatically

Not true.

[fliptw]

everytime the K8 beats the conroe soundly on Grendels' second link, its was probably due to the dedicated hyper-transport connect that each core has on K8.

which is only one program.

wait for more choice in chipsets, like the new one from nvidia.

[FunkyStickman]

4: AGP may be dead, but its starting its own religous like cult out there lol

Until they start making SLI boards with more than one PCI slot, AGP isn't dead.

[Aggressor Prime]

Go Core 2, that is what I'm doing this Christmas. And the motherboards are either bad now or too expensive (if you consider $150 and up expensive). I'm waiting for mobo prices to drop and the introduction of nForce 500s for Intel. Hopefully somebody like DFI can keep the price low on their 570 version so if I do have to spend $150 on a mobo, it will be a quality one.