Getting a New Computer!

[cold14]

So the time has finally come to replace my old (7 years old to be presice) desktop. Now I always planned to build one, but plans change, so I'm just gonna buy one. So far I've whittled it down to two options. I'll mainly be using it for the usual computer stuff and also gaming (finally i'll be able to play COD4, and orange box 2. My laptop hasn't been cutting it lately). I'm also planning to take it to uni with me which is going to be a year from now so it will have to be able to last for a while. But I do know a little about builds, I'd probably upgarde the graphics card in a few years time.

So anyway, the computers i want to buy come with vista as standard :/. I'm probably just going to partition the drive and install XP aswell, but there is an option for an extra ?10 ($20) to upgrade to 64-bit vista. Is there any point in doing that, i mean normally 32 and 64 bit are the same price so should i bother upgrading since i'm just going to mainly use XP anyway?

These are the two systems i'm thinking about:

1) The first option

- Q9400 2.66GHz

- 4GB ram (probably generic)

- ASUS P5N-D Mobo, nForce 750i SLI

- 500GB HD

- Upgrading the standard grfx card to 2x 512MB 9600GT (for an extra ?90, upgraded from 2x 512mb 9500GT)

- Total price: ?904.75

2) Second option

- Q9550 2.83GHZ

- ASUS P5K SE Mobo (no SLI)

- 4GB ram

- 500GB HD

- Blu-ray drive

- Upgrading to 512mb 9800GT (for ?30, from a 9600GT)

- Total price: ?934.25

So yea, the first has a better graphics card(s) and has SLI so better upgrade capability and the second has blu-ray and a slightly better processor. But just a quick question, in the future when i do upgrade, can i just remove one of the cards and stick in another one or do the two SLI cards needs to be the same? Also are 2 9600GT's good, as in, much better than just one 9800GT, and how are the divers for SLI? Now i doubt i'm ever going to use blu-ray and the clock speeds of the processors are very similar i don't think it would be very noticeable at all especially since there are four cores.

Also if there are any reccomendations please say them, except self build. Th:)ks :)

[gwai lo]

Is your budget 1000 pounds?

As for SLI as an upgrade path..this still kind of holds true (this is only in reference to your line "SLI so better upgrade capability").

Just some info on SLI / Crossfire: It's absolutely not worth considering if a) you're gaming at a resolution under 1920x1200 (as you'll see no performance benefit over a single card,) and b) if you plan to buy one card now and another later. SLI / Crossfire as an upgrade path is usually a very poor idea, as by the time you're ready to get that second card, a new single card solution will likely be available that will outperform two of your older cards in tandem. Furthermore, there really is no cost benefit to the SLI Upgrade Route, as any additional cost in getting the new card can be easily mitigated in most situations by selling the original. By avoiding an SLI / Crossfire solution when it will not be of benefit, you gain a cooler running, simpler to maintain system and more importantly, access to a much better (and broader) selection of motherboards.

I would go with the second option, except find one that swaps in the Q6600. The Q9xx0's are faster clock for clock, but those improvements and SSE4.1 will not show up in games or "normal stuff".

As for 9600GT SLI v. 9800GT, the 9800GT seems to basically be a die shrink of the 8800GT. So it should pick up some performance, but not enough to outperform SLIed 9600GTs. You can avoid the issue-prone, warmer running, and not-overclocking-as-well Nvidia chipsets as well as possible microstutter issues.

[obiwong]

So anyway, the computers i want to buy come with vista as standard :/. I'm probably just going to partition the drive and install XP aswell, but there is an option for an extra ?10 ($20) to upgrade to 64-bit vista. Is there any point in doing that, i mean normally 32 and 64 bit are the same price so should i bother upgrading since i'm just going to mainly use XP anyway?

32bit OS will only map up to ~3.5GB

so to make use of the 4GB of RAM you have there, you'll need a 64bit OS

[Impact]

I would take the second one. Faster processor and SLI doesn't really seem to be worth it.

[cold14]

Is your budget 1000 pounds?

As for SLI as an upgrade path..this still kind of holds true (this is only in reference to your line "SLI so better upgrade capability").

I would go with the second option, except find one that swaps in the Q6600. The Q9xx0's are faster clock for clock, but those improvements and SSE4.1 will not show up in games or "normal stuff".

As for 9600GT SLI v. 9800GT, the 9800GT seems to basically be a die shrink of the 8800GT. So it should pick up some performance, but not enough to outperform SLIed 9600GTs. You can avoid the issue-prone, warmer running, and not-overclocking-as-well Nvidia chipsets as well as possible microstutter issues.

I don't really get the last bit :s and i don't really have a budget but keeping it under 1k would be nice.

Anyway i saw this one , it has a Q6600 and with the grfx card upgraded to a GeForce 9800GTX+ for ?160 for a total of ?887. Everything else is the same except it comes with 4GB ram which i don't see the point of. Should i just get this one?

[gwai lo]

The 9800GT is more or less the same as the 8800GT.

The new option there comes with 8GB of RAM. I tried looking for a better configuration, but your options are rather limited..so oh well. What exactly is wrong with building yourself?

[Owen W Veteran]

I would take the second one. Faster processor and SLI doesn't really seem to be worth it.

Mm SLI doesn't seem to be all it's cracked up to be just yet.

[+PeterUK MVC]

Anyway i saw this one

Go with this model with ATi 4850 and 64bit OS.

[cold14]

The 9800GT is more or less the same as the 8800GT.

The new option there comes with 8GB of RAM. I tried looking for a better configuration, but your options are rather limited..so oh well. What exactly is wrong with building yourself?

I haven't got the time, i know it's doesn't take long to build i just don't want to deal with troubleshooting etc. And i don't think my dad trusts me with ?1000 to build one:pp

Go with this model with ATi 4850 and 64bit OS.

That sounds like a good idea.

Edited August 26, 2008 by cold14

[TEX4S]

As mentioned you NEED to use 64-bit OS. Also you mentioned wanting to have XP as well --- My boot drive is exactly that.

XP Pro 64

Vista Ultimate 64

If you want to do this you HAVE to install XP first - then partition, then install Vista - when you boot up your computer you will have a small 2-line menu to choose from :

___ Older Version of Windows

___ Microsoft Windows Vista

[cold14]

OK, i think i'm going to go with PeterUK's suggestion and get this one but upgrade the OS to 64-bit and upgrade to a 512mb 4850. Any thoughts on that? BTW, price comes up to ?851.75

[gwai lo]

Should be your best option.

[cold14]

Should be your best option.

ok thanks gwai lo, you've been a great help :)

[Argote]

In the price range you are looking for you'd probably be better off with an HD4850 or HD4870. Also, do you really need the BluRay?

Also I wouldn't recommend the 64 bit version of XP, just go straight for Vista x64

[SimplyComplex]

?934.25

for the second build? how much is that canadian? stuff over there is quite expensive, i built this today for my friend for roughly $950 canadian give or take.

Asus P5K eu

Intel Core2Duo E8400 3.0 ghz

Wester Digital Caviar 500GB HD 16mb cache

DVD R/RW+

2 GB DDR2 Corsair dual channel kit

Case + PSU combo (500 watt, excellent looking case and very sturdy + a lot of space)

Asus 9600 GT 512 MB

22"" LG LCD monitor

[TEX4S]

...?

Also I wouldn't recommend the 64 bit version of XP, just go straight for Vista x64

Why not ?

The fact its built on Windows 2003 and has only 2 Service Packs is the only difference I see - never had an issue w/ drivers...

[gwai lo]

for the second build? how much is that canadian? stuff over there is quite expensive, i built this today for my friend for roughly $950 canadian give or take.

Asus P5K eu

Intel Core2Duo E8400 3.0 ghz

Wester Digital Caviar 500GB HD 16mb cache

DVD R/RW+

2 GB DDR2 Corsair dual channel kit

Case + PSU combo (500 watt, excellent looking case and very sturdy + a lot of space)

Asus 9600 GT 512 MB

22"" LG LCD monitor

Well, since he's not doing it himself he's getting boned a little by the OEM.