To build a new PC or not to build a new PC...

[billt94]

Hi all, I've been contemplating what to do with my tax returns and Fin Aid money that I'll be getting next year as far as upgrading my PC. I am trying to decide to just replace my video card with another AGP card, like a 6800 series, or to just rebuild around an athlon system (the new athlon mobos will let me keep my current ram, which is probably better than any DDR 2 currently available, it's low 2 latency corsair XMS, good stuff...) I'll likely go with a dual core though, as anything less wouldn't be worth the cost, in my opinion, as well as adding the latest video card, liek a pci express 7800 gtx...

Anywho, here's the specs of my current system...

processor - Intel P4 prescott 3.0 gigahertz 478 pin proc w/ 1 meg cache
motherboard - Asus P4P 800
memory - 1 Gig corsair XMS low latency PC 3200 DDR Dimms (512 x 2 for DDR
video card - Gainward Gforce fx5900xt 128 meg ram w/256 bit bus
Boot drive - 36.7 Gig Raptor 10,000 rpm
data drive - 300 Gig maxtor diamondmax 10 SATA 2 w/16 meg cache
power supply - ultra 500 watt modular (voltage is rock solid stable)
Sound card - CL Audigy 2
optical drives - Asus 52x cd burner ; Nec 16x DVD burner
case - Thermaltake xaser 2 black

So what do you guys think? Is it worth it? Or should it be good enough for another year or so...OR should I just upgrade the video card to play the next generation of games like elder scrolls 4 and x3 reunion :?:

P.S.

I'll be keeping some of the new components of course like the 300 gig HD, ( I might even get a second to raid them together, and dump the raptor...)

[saphalline]

Welcome to the PC Guide Forums!! :D

Hi all, I've been contemplating what to do with my tax returns and Fin Aid money that I'll be getting next year as far as upgrading my PC.So... when are you getting this money? Next year? As in this time next year, or early next year? And what's the budget?

If you won't be getting the money for a long time, it would be silly for us to make recommendations now. They'll be out of date by the time you buy parts! :p

[billt94]

Thanks! It's always good to meet fellow computer people who I can talk to about these things and not get a blank stare... :D

But I'll be getting the money in February some time. I know that's a ways away, in computer terms, but I guess what I would like to know is, is how far behind the curve so you think I'm getting? And do you think my systems still adequate for gaming? Or will be by that time? (Actually it's not bad right now, I've been playing HL2 without any problems)

[Erik]

My guess would be that come February you would be best to just build a new PC. What you already have will be even more behind the curve, and dual cores will be getting better.

[classicsoftware]

My guess would be that come February you would be best to just build a new PC. What you already have will be even more behind the curve, and dual cores will be getting better.

I know were all uber geeks here but even in February a P4 3 ghz with a Gig of RAM and 300 Gb of hdd space will be nowhere near the curve let alone behind it. If you want to build a new system, go for it. But it's not because your system is obsolete. And it wont be near obsolete until VISTA comes out and we know what the real specs are........

[pop pop]

I have to pretty much agree with Classic here. IMHO that system only needs a video card upgrade to be just fine for awhile. A 6800GT or even a 7800 would be what I would do.

[billt94]

I have to pretty much agree with Classic here. IMHO that system only needs a video card upgrade to be just fine for awhile. A 6800GT or even a 7800 would be what I would do.

Yeah, you're probably right. What you said is part of the problem though, I would like to get a 7800 to take advantage of all of the new features, like hdl, etc., but it doesn't come in agp. Maybe the new ati radeon cards will though, and provide the same features? I'll have to check into that...

[Erik]

Yeah, true enough. I am just still loving the performance of my recently built Pentium D so much that I really think that is the way to go. Just last night I was able to compile and install an entire OS from scratch on one HD partition, while browsing the web, checking email, and using a development package on another partition, all without any noticable loss of performance.

[billt94]

Yeah, true enough. I am just still loving the performance of my recently built Pentium D so much that I really think that is the way to go.

Yeah, the new dual cores probably aren't really ready for prime time anyways. And it does seem, (now that I think about it, that the newest processors are over kill anyways, I mean, HL 2 and Doom 3, 2 of the most demanding games currently available, run flawlessly except on the highest settings.) Another thing I may do is get a 2nd 300 gig drive (the price is down to like 125 bucks only) to set up a raid 0 configuration. I'm really not too happy with the raptor drive. It seems to run really hot, and 36 gigs just isn't much space these days. Also, my 300 gig actually benchmarked faster than my raptor, so I don't think the raptors truly take advantage of the 10,000 rpm spindle speed. The 74 gig version might, as it has NCQ, but 200 bucks is still alot for a 74 gig drive IMHO.

[saphalline]

Hmmm... February is still a bit early...

I wrote a thread recently on Intel's new CPU's (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=40920) that are coming out. They look very impressive, but I think February will be too early still to build a new system based on them. I'm keeping my ear to the ground, but I don't know how the pricing will be set on them just yet. If you can get the money in February and hold onto it, you should be able to build a kick-a$$ gaming system by May or June. I know that's pretty far out there, but you should spend at least a year in your current relationship before you move on. :p ;)

[billt94]

Wow! Those cpu's from intel sound fantastic! I think it'll be worth the wait. I personally prefer Intel anyways, nothing really aginst AMD, they have some awesome chips on the market, but I'll never forget my old K6-2 system ( this was years ago) that always puked when I tried to run wing commander, but ran fine on a comparable intel system. I've heard that's changed nowadays but still...

Anyways, I may still get a graphics card to extend the life of my system for awhile, then go with the new intel chips sometime next year. 5 ghz, sweeet!

[saphalline]

I prefer the right CPU for the job! :p

I'm into all things related to CPU's, from x86 to ARM to SPARC to Power5 to Cell to Godson - it's all cool stuff to me. There are multiple ways to crunch data, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. I just go with whatever's best for the job...

[hockey man]

x86 to ARM to SPARC to Power5 to Cell to Godson

Would you like to explain the differences to a newbie :p ?

[saphalline]

Very briefly:

x86 is the type of CPU's in our PC's. P4, A64, Celeron D, Sempron, etc.

ARM is a type of small RISC-based CPU that are most often found in small devices like microwaves and old PDA's.

SPARC is the type of powerful RISC-based CPU that Sun Technologies developed.

Cell is the type of massively multi-threaded CPU that is going into the PlayStation 3, among other things.

Godson is a new CPU designed in China, of all places, with tremendous potential as soon as they catch up in FAB technology with us over here.