sammyh

iTrader: (1)

Used mostly for gaming, I need to get it built as I don't have the confidence to build one myself and have no idea about compatible parts etc

I am thinking of staying with AMD and going for the 4800 chip, graphics wise 2 x 7900 GT's in SLI appeal

What else should I go for?

Thanks

Sam

TristarPC

They have been dropping in price for a while now the 4800+ and AMD have also introduced a 5000+ on the new AM2 platform, allowing you to use DDR2 memory which is a good deal cheaper than normal DDR.

For gaming, as I know you are a big battlefield 2 player, I would also add in 2GB of quality memory, a SATA II drive and a single 1GB card might be preferable to two 512mb cards for future upgradeability leaving an SLi slot free

Criss

Go for the NvIdia 7950 top of the range version as above post and a physics card. The card has 2 processors, like 2 cards so if you buy another card in the future your physically running 4 cards in 2 slots in SLi mode!

Im running 2 x 7900gtx 512mb and a physics card for BF2 and omg, the physics card makes so much more difference! ALl ou have to do is google physicscard demo and look at some of the videos

sammyh

iTrader: (1)

In English please

TristarPC

(Serial Advanced Technology Attachment or SATA) is the current standard for connecting hard drives into computer systems. As its name implies, SATA is based on serial signaling technology, unlike current IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) hard drives that use parallel signaling.

In view of the achieved speeds, the technology of parallel data transfer can only be implemented across short distances. Greater distances require a lower transfer speed, as Bits can arrive with different speeds and different levels at their destination. Such run-time differences can only be leveled out through a decreased clock speed. Numerous line drivers also consume significant power; large connects incorporate several expensive and error-prone contacts. Additionally, flatband cables with 40 and 80 wires hinder air streams to cool single components inside the PC casing.

Serial ATA II is the second generation of the serial interface and is to be considered as extension. The focus of Serial ATA II is on more functions for professional applications and compatibility to the Serial ATA 1.0 standard. The new features are supposed to pave the way into servers and network-based storage solutions, for example extended RAID functions. Also, Serial ATA II is supposed to integrate efficient command queuing and support more than just four devices.

TristarPC

Here's a speed comparison that might help.

Planned technical development of Serial ATA
Generation 1 - Serial data rate (GBit/s) 1.5
Generation 2 - Serial data rate (GBit/s) 3
Generation 3 - Serial data rate (GBit/s) 6

Data rate at 8B/10B (MByte/s) 150 300 600 respectively

Source: Serial ATA Working Group


So you get higher speeds for the same prices

Daz34

AMD chips are cheap but the new Conroe walks all over it.
A 2.4Ghz E6600 costs £25 more than an X2 5000 yet will comfortably beat a top of the line FX-62.