chiark

It's time for my home machine to be updated, as it's not quite as fast as I'd like it to be, and so won't play games well...

Recommendations, please, for a motherboard, chip and graphics card. I'm thinking of AMD 900MHz Thunderbird stuff on a socket A m/b, with a graphics card for about 80 quid with TV-out.

Any suggestions for MB and Gfx card?

Neil Smalley

robski

Abit or Asus for the mobo, no other choice if you want to overclock

would recomend you visit

ChrisB

If you want bang per buck, then AMD is the platform.

We've been using Asus boards at work for a year or two now. Good quality kit. Look for either an A7V-E if you are on a tight budget, or an A7V-133 if you want the extra features.

I'd highly recommend

Lee

I've got an amd1100 and asus board. Can't see the point of overclocking - amd chips are so cheap why bother ? Esp since its hard enough to get a stable system with an amd/via/geforce card

bought the wife an amd1Ghz and abit KT133 raid. nice board. Brother has amd1Ghx and Asus A7V. Done loads of em now and provided you get the latest via agp driver and set the agp speed to 2x bingo - one stable, fast system for faff all money.

chiark

Thanks a lot guys! I used to follow all this stuff, but recently haven't been doing so (well, recently = 3 years)...

TomsHardware: I forgot all about this. D'oh.

Personal recommendations of kit are very much appreciated. definitely AMD, probably ASUS, and probably GEFORCE/2 as they're getting cheaper.

Nick.

robski

Lee,

go and stand in the corner of the room

overclocking PCs is like tuning your car, how many people would say "why tune an impreza its fast enough anyway"

tut tut

must try harder LOL!

robski

The_Gza

Guys,

I was looking at buying a PC after i had to return my old 200MMX number

Friend recently bought an Axis number from Evesham Micros that I was really impressed by.

However, after trying to follow all of your chat on overclocking, buying this and buying that, I would be really keen to buy one of these more "custom" PC's. Are there any places that would do me a version already made up to similar specs as discussed.

I am hoping not to blow all of my hard earned cash on a PC, but could maybe force myself into spending about £700-800 in total.

Does anyone have any recommendations what to buy and where to buy it?

Would be used for games, internet, banging some tunes together with Reactor and Acid Pro.

Any help much appreciated

[This message has been edited by The_Gza (edited 22 March 2001).]

robski

Take the plunge and build it yourself.

Its a lot easier than you think. If you are capable of wiring a plug, programming a video recorder, and dont give electric shocks to people, go for it!!

I would, and Im sure many others would guide you through it (buliding a PC).

Follow this link :

The_Gza

Robski,

Thanks for the link - I'll have a study of that later.

If my budget was £750 inc. monitor for building a PC, what would your recommendations be? Is it a simple as getting this list together, and then putting the parts together? Are there any downsides to building your own PC?

I wouldn't really term losing manufacturer support as a huge loss, given that most of the helplines I have had cause to use were about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike

However, reliability would be high up on the priority list in any potential build.

Any suggestions/offers of help hugely appreciated

DavidRB

I'd second that. PC components look very confusing, but when you analyse them, it is virtually impossible to plug things in the wrong places. All the connectors on the motherboard are different shapes, just like the connectors around the back.

I reckon I could assemble one in under an hour now that I've done a couple. My first hand-built PC is now over 2 years old and still going strong.

My advice is don't expect to make much of a saving (the days of huge margins on PCs are long gone), instead you can buy the <I>exact</I> components that you want. The other big advantage (if you're brave!) is overclocking, which <I>is</I> a good way to save money.

robski

yep, you buy the bits and put them together

do you have an OS to put onit (win98/me etc)?

no real downsides apart from if you have a fault you have to dignose the part and get a replacement

I will have a play with some bits this afternoon and use it as a starter that others can challenge

I presume you are looking for CDROM not DVD?
no modem
no OS (see above)

the other advantage of building your own is that once you have done it and are comfortable, you can the upgrade easily, so more memory, another drive, etc etc is a doddle

robski

The_Gza

I've got Win98 that I can use for the OS, but might be able to get WindowsME.

I don't know if it would be CD or DVD? I already have a DVD player, so wouldn't be using it to play DVD's as such, but I wouldn't want to hamstring it for future developments. Although as you say, I can always upgrate at a future date.

Modem would just be a standard 56k number. No big plans for ISDN or similar as yet

robski

right,
starter for 10

256MB RAM £55+vat
Teac 40 speed £31+vat or Pioneer 16xDVD regionfree £75+vat
Hercules MX32 Geforce 2 at £80+vat
ABIT KT7A £99+vat
1.2Ghz Athlon unlocked £167+vat
Soundblaster live 1024 £36+vat
creative FPS1500 £44+vat

all above from

robski

oh smeg, missed the monitor

forget that list, need to start from scratch!

doh

robski

The_Gza

LOL - never mind mate - it's the thought that counts

I could always try and hook it up to the telly :P

Thanks for the effort so far

dsmith

All from

robski

Dell...

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

you will get a better machine by bulding yourself.

What they often do is use the lower performing items such as motherboards with built in sound etc. Never ever used by people who are serious about getting a decent PC, ever wondered why?

Ive previsouly got my old (old )P2 266 to thrash a mates new P2 350 which was a dell. Why? because mine had better components, and was set up to what the PC could run (BIOS etc), not the lowest common denominator which is what you get with people like Dell. Mine cost less as well.

robski

simes

Well I always used to roll me own when it came to PC's as it was so much cheaper, so when I last decided to get a new PC I did the usual buy Micromart, go to computer shows etc thing to price it all up and ended up buying a Dell.

The price difference was minimal, and you get the (3 year) warranty too.

Have to say I am a convert to Dell, software installation was superb, and so is support on the one occasion I have had to use it.

Far more fun to build your own tho...

Cheers

Simon

PS Just make sure you plug the PS to the MB the right way round...

simes

Robski,

They used to do that...I used to hate them cos I had a few at work and it was a real PITA to upgrade them i.e propriety MB's that you couldn't upgrade, as you say on board sound and graphics etc etc

Believe me when I was checking out the costs I bore that in mind, so when I bought the Dell I was comparing like with like i.e top quality components, expandability etc etc...

and bought a Dell...and it's great, honestly!

I was actually slightly disappointed when I made the decision cos I like putting PC's together and tinkering with them...still I've still got the other 3 to play with

Cheers

Simon