JohnClark
02-26-2004, 06:25 PM
For the past fifteen months I've been using a system that I built with an i850E based Gigabyte GA-81HXP with 2x256MB 1066 RDRAM and a P4 Northwood B 533mhz processor. Due to the pc being hit with a series of brown out/power fluctuations a while back, while running (the UPS failed first, then the pc got socked)the motherboard has developed serious problems, and one stick of memory is also shot.
I had originally been waiting for Prescott and the related motherboards to build a completely new system around. Given the disappointment with Prescott's performance, at least currently, I was hoping to be able to hold out for Tejas and Alderwood (or whatever will replace it), or a socket 939 w/FX Proc when the prices get semi-down to earth. I REALLY want PCI Express, DDR2, etc.
Now my problem is that due to the need to replace the failed hardware I need to purchase another motherboard, new memory, and also a processor to carry me over till the stuff I want is available in roughly twelve months. I want very good performance, but also cant see expending more than say, $500-600.00, for this temporary need. I also can’t see re-investing more in another i850E platform (if I could even FIND a motherboard, and PC1066 both of which are long discontinued technology, and incompatible with current performance stuff.
What would you recommend as the best performance solution given my budget, and this situation? The 865/875 platform is getting a little long in the tooth and is, frankly, boring. Would my best value choice maybe be an nForce2 board, probably a DFI Lan Boy, w/ Mobile Athlon XP 2500/2600+w/ SLK900/SP97 cooling, overclocked..........or, maybe go Athlon 64 3200, no idea what motherboard, since they all seem to have compromises, though I like the Chaintech best of what I've seen.
The pc is used for heavy net surfing, some digital photography storage and manipulation, and a lot of gaming. The remaining components I can re-utilize include one WD Raptor drive, one 80gb Western Digital Special Edition w/8mb cache, a Radeon 9700 Pro, an Audigy ZS, a Plextor cdrw unit, Antec True 430 etc, AND I just grabbed two 256mb DDR3200 BH5 sticks from ZipZoomFly.
Thanks for any recommendations, assistance or expertise that you can provide to help with this. Its greatly appreciated. I'm using a "borrowed" pc as we speak or I coudlnt even leave this message.
John
I had originally been waiting for Prescott and the related motherboards to build a completely new system around. Given the disappointment with Prescott's performance, at least currently, I was hoping to be able to hold out for Tejas and Alderwood (or whatever will replace it), or a socket 939 w/FX Proc when the prices get semi-down to earth. I REALLY want PCI Express, DDR2, etc.
Now my problem is that due to the need to replace the failed hardware I need to purchase another motherboard, new memory, and also a processor to carry me over till the stuff I want is available in roughly twelve months. I want very good performance, but also cant see expending more than say, $500-600.00, for this temporary need. I also can’t see re-investing more in another i850E platform (if I could even FIND a motherboard, and PC1066 both of which are long discontinued technology, and incompatible with current performance stuff.
What would you recommend as the best performance solution given my budget, and this situation? The 865/875 platform is getting a little long in the tooth and is, frankly, boring. Would my best value choice maybe be an nForce2 board, probably a DFI Lan Boy, w/ Mobile Athlon XP 2500/2600+w/ SLK900/SP97 cooling, overclocked..........or, maybe go Athlon 64 3200, no idea what motherboard, since they all seem to have compromises, though I like the Chaintech best of what I've seen.
The pc is used for heavy net surfing, some digital photography storage and manipulation, and a lot of gaming. The remaining components I can re-utilize include one WD Raptor drive, one 80gb Western Digital Special Edition w/8mb cache, a Radeon 9700 Pro, an Audigy ZS, a Plextor cdrw unit, Antec True 430 etc, AND I just grabbed two 256mb DDR3200 BH5 sticks from ZipZoomFly.
Thanks for any recommendations, assistance or expertise that you can provide to help with this. Its greatly appreciated. I'm using a "borrowed" pc as we speak or I coudlnt even leave this message.
John