The Mother Board

[anaphylacticman]

As you can see from my signature block, I am desperately in need of an upgrade. (That was good stuff in 2002). Actually, that computer is in a box at the moment, and I am getting by on my T42 for computing and an MSI netbook for surfing. I am getting a little tired of only playing flash games on the T42, though, so I should probably do something about that.

So what to do? I built my last computer and used it as a gaming rig, media center, and ftp server. I saved a considerable amount of money building it myself, rather than purchasing a comparable computer from a retailer. These days though I no longer host the ftp and I do most of my gaming on the PS3. In other words, I’m old now and mostly use the computer for word processing. Still, I like to play some games on the PC and I want a computer with high data storage for keeping digital media (movies, tv shows, and music) ready to install into portable devices. My gaming needs will not require the newest, most powerful gear, but I would like to make an investment that will last a few years. Money is not really an issue, but I am still frugal.

With that in mind, I turn to the combined expertise of the forums for advice. Is it still worth it to build? I have been out of the loop for a bit on the new tech, but do not anticipate that the technical challenge will be too much for me. On the other hand, I do not have very much free time to research technology and compare prices. For what I need, is it still worth it to build or are there comparable retail options?

Maybe this will be like asking a dentist if I should floss more, but I am hoping you all can help.

Thanks much.
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Case: Thermaltake Xaser III
P/S: Thermaltake Dual Fan 420w
Mobo: Giga-byte GA-SINXP1394 SIS655
M: 2 x Corsair XMS DDRAM512 PC32
P: Intel P4 2.66GHz 533M
V/c: ATI Radeon X1950Pro (256 MB)
OS: Microsoft XP Pro

[o1die2]

Go to fatwallet. In the search column, type i7. The first entry is from a website called "revonate". They have 6 refurbished gateway core i7 920 systems in stock for $587. They may have some minor scratches, but the price is right, and I believe they come with factory warranty. Check them out and be quick to order if you're ready to spend. They will sell out fast.

[fussnfeathers]

Ewp.........two things I can spot right off that may be an issue here. Board only supports 8GB RAM, which leads me to believe it's an OEM knockoff that may or may not last, and could be impossible to replace. 500 watt PSU, when the vid card requires 450 minimum for the system. Given that it's going to be a cheapie PSU, that's probably not going to work very well under any kind of load.

Other things......no monitor. Not a problem if he has a good one now, but tack on a bit for a new one if needed. And Vista 64 bit........erm. Go with it if you have to. And only a 90 day warranty. Still a great price for an OEM system, though. Just weigh those potential disadvantages. You've got some pitfalls there that could knock those savings out in a big big hurry.

What kind of budget do we have here? Any preference between AMD and Intel?
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Mine go to 11

[skippyboy]

For your needs I would build again. Start with a AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition, good mid range board, 4GB DDR3, Radeon HD 5770, quality 650 watt power supply, and a couple of new sata drives. Should run around $700 to $800. Your case is fine. I have not seen any prebuilt systems in this price range that is worth anything.

[fussnfeathers]

Or an i7 860, 1.5TB drive, 4GB Ripjaws DDR3 1600, Asus Sabretooth motherboard, just add vid card. $179 for the 5770, then what.......$120-$150 for a good 750 watter? That'd be around $900.
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Mine go to 11

[o1die2]

I got the name wrong the first time. It's "revonate". They actually had this same system for $100 less the first time around. Once word got out, the price went up for the next batch.

[anaphylacticman]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

My general preference is to build, mainly because it is more enjoyable. The problem is that I lack the time these days and who knows when I will get around to researching what I need.

If I choose to build, I will probably get a new case, but I will keep the monitor, printer, and all the peripherals. I will need at the very least a new motherboard, memory, processor, videocard, soundcard and harddrives. I might choose to buy a blu-ray drive. I am more familiar with intel, and will probably go with some model of i7 processor. I am not married to the brand though and will go with an AMD if that is better, but I would have to do more research to make sure I buy compatible parts.

The budget is relative, and more or less the reason for this thread. I can afford $2,000 plus for a system, but I am not going to spend that much unless (a) I need to (i.e., any computer that will do what I need it for will require that kind of money) and (b) it is a worthwhile investment (i.e., the system will last considerably longer than a $1,000 system). My old system cost about $2,000 (back when I couldn’t afford it), but it lasted several years and a comparable retail computer would have cost me $3,000. I am also willing to forgo the joy of building a new system if the price is right. In other words, if I could have purchased a comparable computer in 2002 for $2,000 from a store, I probably would have done that. So now that I am thinking about a new build, I am wondering if I will save the same kind of money building a new system versus buying one off the shelf. If it will only save me a couple hundred dollars to build a new system, I will probably go with instant gratification and just buy one. Any thoughts?
Thanks again.
_________________
Case: Thermaltake Xaser III
P/S: Thermaltake Dual Fan 420w
Mobo: Giga-byte GA-SINXP1394 SIS655
M: 2 x Corsair XMS DDRAM512 PC32
P: Intel P4 2.66GHz 533M
V/c: ATI Radeon X1950Pro (256 MB)
OS: Microsoft XP Pro

[fussnfeathers]

OK, on the Intel front, you have two new sockets, the 1156, and the 1366. I suggested the i7 860, up above, for a good, powerful proc that won't break the bank. That's an 1156 proc. You could go the 1366 route, and get an i7 920 for the same price, give or take a few bucks.

Now, here's where the differences hit. On a 1156 motherboard with the P55 chipset, you're limited to dual-channel RAM, you have the capability of dual video cards, but if you do, the PCIe slots run at 8x, or half-speed, a few other things. On a 1366 board, you have triple channel RAM, PCIe slots that run at full 16x, a faster X58 chipset, stuff like that.

If you like to compare, think of the 1156 platform as a performance setup. Upgradable to a point, probably more than the average joe really needs, but good. The 1366 is the enthusiast platform, meant to be overclocked, more upgradable, faster out of the box. For example, the i7 860 s1156 proc I recommended is one step from the fastest processor for that platform. It performs pretty much equal to the i7 920 on the s1366 platform.........but the 920 is the lowest end processor for that socket. You have room to grow. There's already a Xeon Nelahem proc out for that socket, and when the i9's hit with six cores, they should drop right into a 1366 board. 1156 is going the other way, with the i3 budget processor.

That's not detailed, but it's enough to give you an idea of where you might want to be looking.
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Mine go to 11