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Chat => Entertainment & Technology => Topic started by: DEViANCE on November 03, 2007, 20:04:50 PM

Title: Value for Money System
Post by: DEViANCE on November 03, 2007, 20:04:50 PM
My Athlon 1700 JIUHB and NF7 are well past their best now, as is the old AGP gfx card.

Looking to sensibly move to a more upto date system.

What is the best value for money these days, im well out of the hardware loop so have no idea whats about.

im thinking core duo? and maybe a pci-e board and ddr2?

anywhere close?

needs to have some upgradeablity for the future etc

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks
DEV
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: neXus on November 03, 2007, 20:53:59 PM
Always a good idea to post a budget and then fit what can go in it..
But could start you off with:
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Graphics+Cards/PCI-E/nVIDIA+GeForce+7+Series/+XFX+GeForce+7950GT+550M+512MB+DDR3?productId=25677
as new I am selling on ebay you can have it for £96, they are £140 ish new

But you could do with saying how much you have but core duo and ddr2 is the way to go
You can get 2 gig these days for f all memory is nice and cheap right now with ddr3 stepping about.
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Shakey on November 04, 2007, 00:13:52 AM
if youre spending ~£150 on a GFX, definitely go for an 8800GT, dont even consider anything else. It even beats the £200 offerings from Nvidia themselves!

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/NVIDIA-GeForce-8800-GT-G92,review-29719.html
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Beaker on November 04, 2007, 00:57:25 AM
Rough Budget?
Title: Value for Money System
Post by: knighty on November 04, 2007, 11:59:43 AM
if i were you id go for an AMDx2.... more bang for youre buck !
Title: Value for Money System
Post by: DEViANCE on November 04, 2007, 16:50:16 PM
Quote from: knightyif i were you id go for an AMDx2.... more bang for youre buck !

is that true? i thought core2s pood all over amd at the moment?

dont really have a budget, just after what ever is the best value. performance:price ratio etc
Title: Value for Money System
Post by: neXus on November 04, 2007, 17:14:16 PM
Quote from: DEViANCE
Quote from: knightyif i were you id go for an AMDx2.... more bang for youre buck !

is that true? i thought core2s pood all over amd at the moment?

dont really have a budget, just after what ever is the best value. performance:price ratio etc

They do
Title: Value for Money System
Post by: knighty on November 04, 2007, 19:09:38 PM
just the top end ones tho ?

~£50 the AMDs come top dont they ?

(not that sure bth)

when i last upgraded I got an x2 because they were way ahead of the core2duos at the time...
Title: Value for Money System
Post by: Beaker on November 04, 2007, 20:23:22 PM
Quote from: neXus
Quote from: DEViANCE
Quote from: knightyif i were you id go for an AMDx2.... more bang for youre buck !

is that true? i thought core2s pood all over amd at the moment?

dont really have a budget, just after what ever is the best value. performance:price ratio etc

They do

Price/Performance that is disputable.  The E6600 is between £30 and £40 more expensive than the 6000+ most places, and the motherboards spec-for-spec are more expensive.  At the moment AMD hold the balance if you are on a budget.  The 6600 will clock higher if you are into overclocking though, but the AM2 socket will take one of the newer AM3 socket chips if you buy the right motherboard as well.  It depends if you want to take the risk TBH.
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Serious on November 04, 2007, 22:18:50 PM
If you are going for pure performance out of the box then its Intel, same with overclocking. If you are more into bang for the buck out of the box then its AMD but only just.

TBH I would go for one of the cheap Intels and overclock it if you are strapped for cash.
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: DEViANCE on November 04, 2007, 22:20:38 PM
what are the best chipsets/boards around at the moment?

i have no idea, last time i was looking into hardware, nforce2 was the top dog  :?
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Beaker on November 04, 2007, 22:24:15 PM
Quote from: DEViANCEwhat are the best chipsets/boards around at the moment?

i have no idea, last time i was looking into hardware, nforce2 was the top dog  :?

Not sure to be honest, im happy enough with the AMD 690 chipset im on at the moment, but its not an overclockers chipset because when I got the thing it was put into an mATX case.  
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on November 05, 2007, 08:19:23 AM
Im looking to upgrade soon so Id be interested to hear what the crucial differences are in the AMD X2s and the Core2 Duos as far as performance goes, how are we equating this bang for buck? From what Ive been reading the Core 2 Duos have been the CPU of choice for some time.
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Pete on November 05, 2007, 08:41:57 AM
I went intel, got a E4sommink and its pretty good.


Stuff to think about:
Cache size vs price: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/processor-cache-size,review-29707-5.html

amd vs intel mid-range: http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3112 (web page is knackered - scroll down)

For reference a X2 5000 is £70, E4500 is £74 ...Id base my choice around best motherboard. I went intel cos I wanted a specific board.


Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Beaker on November 05, 2007, 09:59:51 AM
I worked out that I was looking at spending a max of £150 on a CPU, and when i got mine the 6000+ was £140, while the E6600 was £180.  Price difference is still the same, the 6000+ is about £40 cheaper than the E6600, and im still not regretting it.  I would have bought the E6600 if it wasnt for the fact the CPU + Motherboard was working out about £80 more for the same spec, and they are comparable processers.  I have no intention of overclocking either, so the 6600 really wasnt worth the extra spend.
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Serious on November 05, 2007, 11:39:38 AM
Quote from: Clockd 0NeIm looking to upgrade soon so Id be interested to hear what the crucial differences are in the AMD X2s and the Core2 Duos as far as performance goes, how are we equating this bang for buck? From what Ive been reading the Core 2 Duos have been the CPU of choice for some time.

AMD reduced their prices, so their top CPUs compete with lesser Intel ones on price. Intel rules the top end, but you may have to pay a price premium through motherboard and cpu prices. Same with overclocking, the Intel ones are better here too but if you arent going to overclock there is no point inbuying Intel over an AMD.
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Beaker on November 05, 2007, 11:53:44 AM
Quote from: SeriousSame with overclocking, the Intel ones are better here too but if you arent going to overclock there is no point inbuying Intel over an AMD.

depends man, the newer 5000+ is supposed to be a mean overclocker as its on the 65nm process so it runs cooler, its also got an unlocked multiplyer.  Ive been told it just _may_ be possible to squeeze some serious speeds out of them.  However its still a K8, and the K10s should be here in the next few weeks.  
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: soopahfly on November 05, 2007, 17:56:10 PM
http://www.bigpockets.co.uk/product.php?lang=&submenu=&menu=&product_id=22513&session=d55251d6bec3c8d433c3ae2df93b0ab8

http://www.bigpockets.co.uk/product.php?lang=&submenu=&menu=&product_id=22496&session=d55251d6bec3c8d433c3ae2df93b0ab8
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: DEViANCE on November 05, 2007, 21:38:41 PM
im thinking either Core2duo E4500 (£75) or Dual-Core E2160 (£45)

the E2160 are very overclockable apparently and out perform the X2 5000 at 3ghz.

still stuck on a chipset/main board though. need something that supports a bit of future tech, quad core, ddr3 maybe.

the intel p35 seems good but is quite steep.

Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Serious on November 06, 2007, 01:47:42 AM
E2160s are teh doggys hanging bits, providing you are willing to overclock :ptu:
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: DEViANCE on November 06, 2007, 07:26:01 AM
stuck on 2 boards at the moment.
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131173

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132275
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Liam on November 06, 2007, 08:51:53 AM
I would go for the Asus board, as the Gigabyte board has some bad reviews on it partically with to do the Rev versions of the board. If i was you it would put me off the Gigabyte board.

LiAM
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: soopahfly on November 06, 2007, 18:41:11 PM
I just dont think theres any point in building your own anymore, as you cant build them as cheap as you can pick em up for!
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Clock'd 0Ne on November 06, 2007, 21:04:30 PM
Youre right there, but at least in building your own you know the components, youre sure its done correctly and you can totally tailor the system appropriately.

I keep looking at the prebuilds and then I start looking at other hardware options and realise that I might as well just build it myself without the cost being an issue at all. It would save time but Id end up thinking I could have done a better job.
Title: Re:Value for Money System
Post by: Liam on November 07, 2007, 09:51:44 AM
I am now possibly thinking about upgrading to these new Core 2 Quad Cores, iv read a lot of good things about then partically the Q6600 ones. The prices for them look really good as well but i am still thinking about it. If i do upgrade to it i will be getting the Q6600 CPU, Asus P5K motherboard & 2GB of Corsair PC6400 RAM would all this be a good choice? on Ebuyer this all came to £260.

Thanks - LiAM