My New Comp... Good or Bad??

[WildHamster23]

I will be getting a new comp by next week (before Halloween) and then will go get the planetside game and have some fun... but I want to know is there anything that I need to get to improve my new comp!!! thanks alot ppl..
Dell 8300:
Tech info
http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems...0/sm/specs.htm

Picture of case and mobo
http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems...ov.htm#1102196

CPU: P4 2.6 HT
Graphic:ATI 9800 (non pro) 128 MB (is this version use 4 pipline or 8 pipline?)
Ram: 512mb DDR sdram (2 X 256mb) 400 Mhz (pc 3200) (don't know the band for the ram)
Hard Drive: 80 GB Ultra ATA/100 (should I get an ATA/133???)
48 X cd writer
sound card: on board 5.1 intergra sound card (I will try to get an audigy 2)
Price $655


I still need a new monitor plz get advice... (I like 19 inch CRT)
I'm think about the Viewsonic G90f $212 or Dell M992 $230

I Also need a new set of head set with speakers, so I can talk to my friends and not waking up my nebor when I play PS late at night.

I also need a good set of sound system so I can watch movies. Price around $50-$70

Thank alot ppl

[Biohazzard56]

Well id look into getting a GB of RAM , 512 no matter what type of RAM will studder at odd times.

[WildHamster23]

I will get some new ram but which band is good?

[Daleon]

I like Corsair XMS, the TwinX stuff is good. HyperX from Kingston. Mushkin is also ok.

If you want cheap, kick butt OC'ing ram get either Winbond, TwinMos, or OCZ. Though OCZ not that cheap.

[Terran Sniper]

go for the gig. and get flat panel. CRT's are fucking huge. and get the Altec Lansing 251 model speakers at walmart. they're like $80 and have 5 speakers. only 90watt, though

[WildHamster23]

Well CRT are big and heavy but isn't true that CRT has better graphic?? Isn't LCD lags. I have tried play Counter-strike with a LCD and it sucks. Sometime I would died, before I can see my enemies... plz give advice thx...

[NoSurrender]

LCDs suck for gaming because they dont have the speed on CRTs and yes go with the gig of memory it will make a huge difference and logitech makes good speakers...

[Daleon]

Yea, you take the horizontal and vertical refresh rates and do some math magic and come out with the refresh. The avg good LCD is 25ms. If you want one that will not ghost, the bad thing when you turn really fast, you need something down around 16 ms's. NEC makes the most popular one, can't think of the model. The 17" is down around $500 these days though. Waiting for a 19" LCD with 16ms or less and less than $500 and then i'll buy one.

[keaoi]

is there a chance that you have a friend that can build a computer? if so, have them do it. building a computer yourself ALWAYS saves u money. i reccommend using AMD processors as they are just as good, but half as expensive. intel is definatrly going to feel the burn with that new Athlon 64.

ATI is good, but you can get a GeForce4 Ti4800SE for much cheaper, and without a massive difference (until dx9 games are abundunt).

The reason i mention all this is that $655 is a good price, but it sounds like your already going to replace quite a bit of it. go to pricewatch and price a system for yourself. heres what i reccommend

MB - Asus A7N8X Deluxe - $115
CPU - AMD Athlon 2500+ - $90 (retail)
RAM - 2x AIB (these are name brands) 512MB 3200MHz
- 2x$70
GPU - Asus GeForce4 Ti4800SE - $155
HDD - Western Digital Caviar WD1200JB - $105

This all equals $605, but you dont have to get anything else. MUCH better deal IMHO

[Ait'al]

Definitly up the ram. Its only the minimun system req for planetside youll have problem. And thats never fun whne you just got your comp.

[Daleon]

Keaoi - The Dell system WildHamster23 has spec'd out lays the smack down on what you listed and for only $50 more. Even with only 512 ram, a 2.6 HT intel chip bslap's the XP2500, sorry. I love AMD as much as anyone, but you have to clock the hell of the XP2500 to really make it shine near a HT'd 800mhz Intel chip. He also gets all the other stuff like case, ps, cooling, etc for free.

The 9800NP will also give a pretty good amount of performance above the 4800SE. The 4800 is really a GF4 4400 with 8x agp, it'll do ok but its not in the same generation as the 9800 chip. It doesn't perform as well as a 4600 either. PS is also a D3D game, and ATI is best when it comes to D3D performance. NV is top dog in OGL.

Normally I hate prebuilt systems, but I work in a lab and were a Dell house, meaning we only buy Dell servers and workstations. My personal work machine is a Dell P4 2.8/800 1 gig DDR, NV Quadro 128. Not to shabby, haven't tried PS with it though. They hold up well, and if you can catch them they have some INSANE deal's. I've seen ppl get systems close to what I just listed for as little as $350. How? You find coupon codes, tons of free memory, cpu, HD upgrades, and sale's for Dell's and then find a big $200 mail in rebate or something to go with it. Best I saw a few months back was a P4 Xeon system for $450 with a free 2nd CPU. Thats insane. So Dell can sneak in some really cool deals if you keep an eye out for them and watch forums like Anandtech's "HotDeals" and others that ppl list them on.

[keaoi]

the 800 fsb doesnt really net that much of a benefit. sure, on a benchmark test its ok, but in game its a different story. however, what little difference there is, i would expect. The 2500+ is only a 1.87 ghz CPU, while his CPU is higher, it doesnt really beat it by that much. The 2600+ is basically just an overclocked 2500+ so here is a benchmark for you.

http://www.sharkextreme.com/index.php?doc=198

PS runs lag free on the system i just mentioned, and it was cheaper. though his system is good (im sure it would run fine), my spec are good, plus he gets another stick of ram.

i will admit that for 655 its a good idea, just posting a cheaper alternative, that wont see much less of a performance until doom3

[WildHamster23]

Thx for all the info. one more question
9600 XT or 9800 non pro.
I will get a CRT and I will get the 1 gig of ram.
I just want to know which V-card is better.
I'm thing to sell the 9800 non pro and get the new 9600xt with Half life 2.

[Rbstr]

I realy have never seen the 9800 non pro benched marked, the 9600 XT will be nice if you want to OC it because it has an on die temp sensor so you know if its getting to hot before its to late, or you coulc OC the 9800 to Pro speeds, its basiacly tha same chip just slower

[WildHamster23]

Guys, I Know how to build a system, and I have seen many self build system but all of them are as loud as hell. You can't sleep while the comp is on(comp is in my room). On the other hand, I think dell has one of the best Case out there(way better than Compq and HP, except sony they have good looking cases but they are still too loud and too much $$$). I have to put my ear against the case to hear the runing fan, I mean it is just basically noise free!!!! Also, you don't need to mess with any screws to open the system!!! Beside play games, I plan to use my comp. to download massive of stuff and leave my comp on all day and all night long so I don't want a loud system.
P.S. I don't buy other band of prebuild comps because either they have insane price tage or they have unreliable system (like Compq and HP personal opinion).
Some ppl able to get the 8300 for $540 last night, because dell mess up with their website. hehehe lucky for them....