well when i get my grant for going abroad i do beleive the best thing is to get a new machine which can handle all the software ill be throwing at it in my final year. im going to go for some beef to cope with assemblies (an absolute whore for memory and graphics) and some gaming.


can i have your opinions on these components and weither my £600 budget is well spent..


starting with a case
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/103562
Coolermaster Cavalier 3
£43.81 inc VAT

dvdrw
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/117544/rb/0
£18.25 inc VAT

zalman cooler
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/120876
£34.37 inc VAT

EVGA 8800GTS
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/125117
£76.38 inc VAT

processor
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/126904
intel core 2 duo 1.8 ghz
£100.35 inc VAT

motherboard
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/123837
Asus P5VD2-X
£34.34 inc VAT


ram
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/63618/rb/0
2 x Crucial 1GB DDR2 533MHz / PC2- 4200 Unbuffered Non ECC
£24.43 inc VAT

psu
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/112899
Hiper 530W Black Type M
£46.91 inc VAT

this comes to £378.84 so i just need a monitor. so these are my three monitor choices...

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/117386 Samsung SM225BW 22.1" £214.99 inc VAT
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/91494 Formac Gallery Xtreme Digital 20.1" £264.38 inc VAT
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/113148 Samsung SM204BW 20" Widescreen Gaming TFT £154.75 inc VAT

if anyone can reccomend something which has a good contast, fast reponse time and has the ability for hd stuff it would be nice

just a question on the monitors...

the formac 20.1" has 1000:1 aspect ratio and the samsung has 700:1...

surely that cant justify the £110 difference in price?

just curious as i dont know much about monitors

If you want the best of the 22" LCDs for reasonable prices, look at the Samsung 226BW and the LG L226.  The latter would probably be your best bet, as I think you can find it for around £210

[edit] a mate has a formac, I reckon a 22" widescreen would be a lot nicer.  All the contrast ratios are incredible, so as long as you get somethjing decent you shouldnt have a problem.  Formacs are expensive because they were apparently set up by apple to make mac peripherals - For Mac. (so i was told anyway)

Id just make two changes

processor
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/126904
intel core 2 duo 1.8 ghz
£100.35 inc VAT

to

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/125197/rb/0

and

motherboard
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/123837
Asus P5VD2-X
£34.34 inc VAT

to

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/125457/rb/0

Faster at the same price.

So your not going for my case but with the (stupid) "cool" dial on the front then.

Monitor...
Samsung SyncMaster 226BW

3000:1 Contrast Ratio, 2MS.  £250

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/03/15/Samsung_226BW/1

Quote from: MadrockerId just make two changes

processor
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/126904
intel core 2 duo 1.8 ghz
£100.35 inc VAT

to

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/125197/rb/0

and

motherboard
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/123837
Asus P5VD2-X
£34.34 inc VAT

to

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/125457/rb/0

Faster at the same price.

for what i do the amd is unsuitable. the core2duo is sh*t quick. and yes the voltmeter is sexy!

I sitll have some old fans if your having cooling issues!

Quote from: MadrockerId just make two changes

processor
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/126904
intel core 2 duo 1.8 ghz
£100.35 inc VAT

to

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/125197/rb/0

Faster at the same price.

Dont let the clock speed fool you.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core2duo-e6420_6.html#sect1

5771 against 5745 on 3D Mark.  Its especailly going to get whipped at rendering.  Just shows you what you get for your money, usaully around the same performance either side of the playing field.   AMD have had to cut their prices to stay competitve.

those core2duos are beasts to overclock, especially with that zalman cooler 3.06 ghz isnt unheard of apparently.

Quote from: Cypher

Quote from: MadrockerId just make two changes

processor
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/126904
intel core 2 duo 1.8 ghz
£100.35 inc VAT

to

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/125197/rb/0

Faster at the same price.

Dont let the clock speed fool you.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core2duo-e6420_6.html#sect1

5771 against 5745 on 3D Mark.  Its especailly going to get whipped at rendering.  Just shows you what you get for your money, usaully around the same performance either side of the playing field.   AMD have had to cut their prices to stay competitve.

intel follow suit as well.  IMO the best way to buy a rig is to pick your budget, then buy the best bang-for-buck you can.

The 8800GTS is nearly £200 , so that really blows the budget !

but its quick essential for watching porn/studio shading while doing assemblies/while playing stalker at high settings.

Quote from: redbut its quick essential for watching porn/studio shading while doing assemblies/while playing stalker at high settings.

to be fair the x1950XT will do all that fine.  Or so im told  

in comparison it gets hammered by the 8800 :/

Quote from: redin comparison it gets hammered by the 8800 :/

yeah it does, but £200 for a graphics card?  Erm, No.

Edit : Hammered is relative anyway, anything at the top end of the graphics card scale will give more than enough performance to keep you happy.  I run stalker at full settings, and its lovely to look at, but im usually doing something else in the background at the same time.