gto-pontiac's computer reccomendation June 06

[gto-pontiac]

June 2006 gto-pontiac’s Computer buyers guide


Up-dated prices
This is only to be used as a guide not what to buy


System 1 (Strict budget)
Case: thermaltake mambo $95
PSU: w/ 350W included
CPU: Intel Celeron D346 3.0Ghz $90
Motherboard: Asus P5LD2 $142.00
Memory: Samsung 1Gb Kit DDR2 PC4200 (2x512Mb) $107
Hard Drive: Maxtor 160Gb SATA $98.00
Video Card: Leadteck 128mb 7300GS $95
CD/DVD-RW: Benq oem $54
$681

You can upgrade the CPU to Pentium Ds if you like to add extra power.

System 2 (Best value for money) mid end Gaming
Thermaltake Soprano with 430W PSU $125
AMD Athlon 64 3700+ Venice $321.00
Asus A8N-E $125.00
1GB (2x512MB) OCZ PC3200 Value $118.00
Maxtor SATA 160GB $98.00
LeadTek 256Mb 7600GT $284
Benq oem $54
$1,125.00

this system can play most of the recent Games, like Need for speed, FEAR, BF2, and others that require good graphic card.
or you can upgrade the card to X1800, X1900, or 7900
and you can up-grade the CPU to X2 3800+ for extra $109

High-End PC AMD Dual Core Extreme gaming

Case: Antec P180 no PSU $214.00
PSU: Antec TruePower2 480W $127.00
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ $670.00
Motherboard: Asus A8N-SLI Plat $235.00
Memory: 1GB (2x512MB) OCZ PC3200 Performance $181.00
HDD(Boot Drive): Western Digital 74GB Raptor $249.00 (scoprtec)
HDD (Storage): Maxtor 16Mb SATAII 250Gb $117.00
Video Card: 512Mb Leadtek 7900GTX $799
CD/DVD-RW: BenQ oem $54
$2646.00

High End Intel Dual Core

Case: CoolerMaster Stacker-810 $205
PSU: Antec 550W “true Powe2” $155
CPU: Intel Pentiam D920 2.8Ghz $308
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA 8i955X-Pro $225
RAM: 2Gb for Multimedia computer $213
HDD(Boot Drive): Western Digital 74GB Raptor $249.00 (scoprtec)
HDD (Storage): Maxtor 16Mb SATAII 250Gb $1117.00
Video Card: 512Mb Sapphire X1900XTX $823
CD/DVD-RW: BenQ oem $54
$2349

as you might know that AMD has brought out a new CPUs AM2 sockets so I have put together a AM2 socket system

CPU & MoBo price at PlusCorp http://www.pluscorp.com.au/SearchProduc ... Detail=AM2
AMD AM2 X2 4000+ Dual core $529
Gigabyte M55pluce-s3g $171
Or
ASUS M2N32-SLI $335
DDR2 (533) RAM CPU&MoBo can support up to DDR800
OCZ Kit 1GB (2x 512MB) $135
MAXTOR SATAII 250GB $117
256MB Leadtek 7600GT $284
Thermaltake Soprano with 430W PSU $125
BenQ oem DVD-RW $54

I have kept the system as a mid gaming set-up it can be up-graded to be a high-end gaming.


any components can be changed to your needs.
comment, suggestions or any question please ask us!

[karmick]

gto

Nice list as always. I was wondering what your thoughts are on the new AM2 systems...better to go down this road for the sake of upgradeability or take advantage of falling prices on the 939 socket systems? I have't heard much about how long they plan to continue production of the 939 cpus or whether any issues/bugs have yet been identified on the AM2 platform that would make it better to wait and see?

thanks
karmick

[gto-pontiac]

well i read that 939 socket will be fased out by end of 2007.
if you are looking for get the basick now and upgarde latter then i would go with the AM2 set-up, but if you are not going to up grade in later then 939 will do most of the job.
i haven't seen all the motherborad list and i havn't payed that much attenstion to AM2 yet. i just started to read the reviwes and look at specks of the MoBo.
price wise AM2 are about the same as 939 sockets, may be just bit more.
i would wait about month or 2 to see what they come up with and see all the benchmarking.

[newman]

May 2006 gto-pontiac’s Computer buyers guide

May or June?

[gto-pontiac]

May 2006 gto-pontiac’s Computer buyers guide

May or June?

Thanks

[TinBane]

Every benchmark I've seen places AM2 at a very slim advantage over 939. If you are getting something new, NOW, AM2 is a good option as they will undoubtedly release better CPUs for it in the future. As it stands now, 939 is about as good, the only real difference is that AM2 uses DDR2.

However, if you can hold off, conroe is just around the corner, and engineering models of conroe beat the pulp out of current AM2s (AM2s atm are basically resocketed 939 chips). Which is harldy surprising.

[Stephen]

"TinBane"
Every benchmark I've seen places AM2 at a very slim advantage over 939. If you are getting something new, NOW, AM2 is a good option as they will undoubtedly release better CPUs for it in the future. As it stands now, 939 is about as good, the only real difference is that AM2 uses DDR2.

However, if you can hold off, conroe is just around the corner, and engineering models of conroe beat the pulp out of current AM2s (AM2s atm are basically resocketed 939 chips). Which is harldy surprising.

Are the 'conroe' chips the ones that will have 'pacifica' in them...

Intel have the 920, 930, 940, 950, 955 & 965 with 'Virtualization Technology' and AMD have something coming out that used to be codenamed 'Pacifica' and is now known as 'Virtualization I/O' or similar. ASFAIK though they have not released a CPU running this yet...

As one of the above CPU's will be in my next purchase. (The wish list is growing...)

[anandasim]

Hi gto, do you feel up to specing a work machine, for a friend:

no games. graphics and web design work (Adobe Creative Suite, InDesign, Microsoft Office),no screen, below AUD 1000. Aim for before 1st July in use. Don't like Celerons.

Thanks

Ananda

[gto-pontiac]

OK
let me see
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0GHz 939-Pin $185
Motherboard: ASUS A8N-E nForce 4 Ultra $125
RAM: 1GB Hynix (Hyundai) DDR400 $119
HDD:WD 160GB SATA $99
Case & PSU: Thermaltake Mambo w/430W PSU $95
Graphics: 256MB MSI X1300 Pro $99
Optical Drive: BenQ OEM $54

Total: $776

its pitty basik but it should do the job.
i think i can go even lower if i use All-in one mobo.
that way you can have Bigger HDD.

if you can find this one
srock 939NF4G-SATA2 $99
or
GIGABYTE® (K8N51PVM9-RHNV) $169
Price at Pluse corp

and i havn't seen and read any reviwe on all-in one MoBo so.
i'll look in to it and report back by the weekend for you.

[anandasim]

Thanks gto. No AM2?

[gto-pontiac]

well as i mentioned before, i havn't studied AM2 much yet so let me study the new technology, so give me few days to read the reviwes and see the motherborads then i'll come back to you on that one.
give me till weekend.

[Paul]

Hardly worth going AM2 for work, it will cost more for no significant advantage.

cheers, Paul

[TinBane]

Not worth going for AM2 imho. CPUs are more expensive for the same 'grunt' as 939 versions. Ram is more expensive still for DDR2 vs DDR, and its not going to be stressed enough that the RAM speed (only diff between 939 and AM2) is going to matter.

[anandasim]

Hardly worth going AM2 for work, it will cost more for no significant advantage.l

Thanks all. gto - no rush, take your time. Yes, I agree from reviews AM2 will have no significant advantage over 939 for speed in office work. And if it costs more, then the longevity angle doesn't justify. Obviously as 939 fades out and AM2 comes in, then there will be a point when AM2 is the way to go.

It is intriguing that they have made an AM2 model with a 35Watt consumption. I wonder whether this will be slow slow that it will be like when you think of a VIA/Cyrix processor or the Crusoe - great promise of reduced energy consumption and reduced heat but next to useless for any fun.

Conroe seems to have a significant speed increase though but at what current or near future cost?

[Stephen]

When I purchased my 3.06Ghz CPU at 533Mhz Bus the day Intel released them for sale (Lets just say $1000+ for that) I purchased for the one and only sole reason of Hyperthreading to improve my 'virtualization' performance. It did this at maybe 20%-30% better than the 2.6 I had at the time and as such I got great benefit from a very expensive upgrade.

Now that I 'usually' have 8-10 virtual machines on my primary PC with anywhere up to 6 running at one time, I am an 'edge' case and don't dispute that fact.

Now and then benchmarks are not quite up2spec when the latest CPU's hit the shelf to interpret what the new transistors in the CPU can do and as such specialised benchmarks for the newly added transistors in a CPU may not be accuratly measured. This was the case with the Intel 3.06 when released as benchmarking was not able to check the hyperthreading status of the CPU when it was released and as such those benchmarks didn't mean a thing to me as I noticeably saw a vast improvement in my 'Virtual Machines'

I am far from saying that the AM2 is actually better than what it may appear, as typical CPU releases go the first speed CPU core of the new design is released and in the not to distant future the 'faster' chips start hitting the market and blow away the competition.

I would expect that the AM2 CPU in the not too distant future will no doubt increase in speed dramitically and if it has AMD 'Virtualization I/O' on board then this is all good in my view for the Intel v AMD battle. If the AM2 does not have 'Virt. I/O (aka. Pacifica)', I would almost suggest completely skipping any AM2 CPU that does not contain this as AMD have <strike>promised</strike> suggessted that the 'Pacifica Virtualization I/O' will be released in the early second half of 2006.

I have hardly ever 'owned' AMD CPU's though I see AMD lagging well behind Intel on this as Intel have the 'VT (Virtualization Technology)' in the entire 9xx series of CPU's and AMD have no competing product available which I see as a bit of a pitfall in even trying to consider AMD as a CPU in my opinion at the present time in the market and as I am a 'high-end' consumer that would no doubt class this/the PC as a 'workstation' rather than a desktop or workhorse.

[gto-pontiac]

ok i worked split shift today and i just go back home.
how on my 3 hours i worked out the AMD AM2 budget system using On-board Video and using m-ATX.
now the price is from CPL
CPU: AMD AM2 64bit 3000+ @1.8Ghz $169
MoBo: ASUS M2NPV-VM $149
RAM: DDR2 4200(566) OCZ Value 1Gb $129
HDD: Seagate or Maxtor SATAII 200GB 8MB buffer $117
VGA: on-board
Sound: on-board
Case Antec SLK3000 $85
Optical drive: Pioneer 111D $62

Box only $711

Now this is what i think its good value and for now its not too bad
when AMD move 90nm to 65nm thats when i think CPU up-gared whould be dun.
and don't forget its a m-ATX board so you only got 2PCI slots.
and other good m-ATX boards i've looked at are
MSI K9NGM2

if you like to get the full ATX board i recomend:
MSI K9N Ultra
MSI K9N Neo
MSI K9NU Neo
ASUS M2N32-SLI Delux
or
Gigabyte GA-M55plus-S3G

i havn't seen any price on the MoBo yet so....

[anandasim]

Thanks for doing the legwork gto. So you can get an AM2 at similar price to 939.

One point to note is that if everything is new, then the mobo BIOS etc.. may not be as tested as a 939 mobo.

Right?

[gto-pontiac]

well yes since AM2 sockets are less than 1 month old.
but BIOS will have up-dates. so you can up-dte BIOS when the new one come out with a Bug fixed.
some Japanese web page are saying that price of AMD single core CPU will be cut up to 50% by the end of the month, most likly 939 socket CPUs, and some Am2s with 90nm so they can bring in the 65nm CPUs.
if you are going for AMD then why not go for the AM2 if you need one RIGHT NOW, other wise i would wait 2-3 month, when the Intel bring out the new CPU lines and see what happens with AMD and ATI merger do to the price of the CPUs and Graphics cards. Who knows things chainge so quikly its hard to keep up.
or if its a one off perches like you are not going to up-gade the CPU or Memory , then i would go for the 939 system. you still be able to up-grade to system but not as much easer as now by late 2007. ( you can still up-grade the HDD, Videocards, est)