Computer Hope
Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: kpac on July 30, 2009, 06:15:06 AM
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Please note this thought is still in beta stages. ;D
I'm looking for some information/guideance on what's involved in making a custom built machine.
I'm not sure about budget yet, as I only want some information first.
The PC would be mainly be for gaming, music, design etc. I do a lot of website design using Adobe software, so it's quite resource intensive. I'd like a fairly high-end graphics gard anyway, sound possibly high-end also. I'd like at least 4 gigs of RAM to keep up with what I'm doing.
Even though I live in Ireland, I'd possibly be buying from Newegg or someone similar in the US. Do they ship worldwide? It would probably be cheaper to buy the parts in the US and ship them over instead of buying them here. Prices are mad here, especially now when 1 Euro = about 1.45 dollars.
That's about all I've thought about for now...
Thanks for any advice. :)
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Hey, and welcome to the amazingly rewarding world of do it yourself! A budget is usually a good place to start as it gives the conversation some parameters. Since you aren't to that stage yet, let me give you a brief overview of the kinds of information that will help narrow down good options for you. I will be talking about Intel CPU's specifically as I am more familiar with them than the AMD offerings (I'm working on it).
Things that are handy to know:
1) Budget
2) Usage
3) Hardware you have or intend to use
4) Time until upgrade
5) Ancillaries (desire to overclock/case mod/specific upgrade plans/etc.)
#1 is out of play. You've given us a little about #2, but you haven't mentioned any games, or what hardware you are using now as a frame of reference. For #3, if you have a monitor or other hardware you wish to re-use, that's handy info. And I think #'s 4&5 are self explanatory.
It will help us to help you if you can fill in some of these specifics and at least ballpark your budget (<$500, $500-$1000, $1000-$1500, >$1500).
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or what hardware you are using now as a frame of reference.
He mentioned Adobe, and was smart enough to state 4 GB RAM to start. Spot on. I'd go with a higher end video card, though I know not much about them, anymore, except the remarkable wide range of pricing available. I should think 512 MB of video RAM as ABSOLUTE MINIMUM -- more is better. Build for speed and efficiency in the Adobe Suite, and you'll be able to play just about any video game out there. I've seen Creative Suite 3. I know CS4 is even more hardware demanding.
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Thanks for the replies. I'm sorry I haven't given more detail, but I am very new to the hardware industry. I'll try and answer the questions as best I can...
1) Budget
I'd be talking about your second option, roughly between $500 - $1000. Anything over than might be a bit too much for me right now.
2) Usage
Right now I'm using 2GB RAM and a 128 MB video card, but this is a laptop, so the video card isn't too great. I can play most of the standard games now but the way things are going, it'll be hardly no time at all before all games will require something higher. So, as Aegis said, 512 MB at least, but I must have a look at prices on some 1 GB cards. I'd be talking about Call of Duty etc, new games like that with high detail levels. Also I mentioned Adobe - it is CS4 I have and I can't really run one of the programs in CS4 along with some other program without having slowdowns/programs not responding etc.
3) Hardware you have or intend to use
I have absolutely nothing at the moment regarding spare hardware. As I mentioned above, I primarily use this laptop.
4) Time until upgrade
I really don't have a time preference, as in I don't mind when I get it done. To set a time, I'd say more than likely within a year.
5) Ancillaries (desire to overclock/case mod/specific upgrade plans/etc.)
I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you mean here! What are the disadvantages of overclocking? A case mod - maybe, and I'll look more into it. On a Wikipedia article on case modding, "Cases may also be modified to improve a computer's performance" - how does that work exactly?
I have no preference over makes/models at the moment. I'd be using Vista as the OS, so I'll be able to use DirectX10.
Thanks for that, Aegis and Aardobard.
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I looked at some 1 GB video cards on Newegg and they're not as much as I thought they'd be, so that's almost a certain choice.
Also, I forgot to mention about a disc drive and HDD. I have a 1 TB external HD so which I use for backups at the moment. My laptop has a 160 GB HDD, so I'd say I'd want a 500 GB. For a disc drive.... What way are Blu-Ray drives going? I see some Blu-Ray/DVD Drive combos on Newegg (here (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=blu-ray+dvd+drive&x=0&y=0)). Would they be a good buy?
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Don't scrimp on the NIC....
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Don't scrimp on the NIC....
Note taken. ;D
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Sorry for all the bumps, but I've got some prices and a list of parts I think will suit. Right now I'd appreciate any advice/help/information on the parts I have, how good they work with each other, improvements etc. Also, I think I'll be "upping" my budget a bit, after looking at what I want.
All the prices are in GBP (from Amazon.co.uk), so convert if necessary.
Processor:
AMD HDZ940XCGIBOX Phenom II X4 940 Black Edition Quad-core Processor - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/AMD-HDZ940XCGIBOX-Phenom-Quad-core-Processor/dp/B001NFT2RI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249048275&sr=1-2)
£134.00
Motherboard:
Gigabyte GA-M720-US3 - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigabyte-GA-M720-US3-Motherboard-Definition-8-channel/dp/B001RQV4II/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249048987&sr=1-22)
£50.63
RAM:
Corsair - TWIN2X4096-6400C5 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) PC2-6400 DDRII-SDRAM - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-TWIN2X4096-6400C5-PC2-6400-DDRII-SDRAM-Memory/dp/B000TPXULC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249049603&sr=1-9)
£35.95
Graphics Card:
Sapphire Radeon HD 3650 512MB DDR2 PCI-E - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-Radeon-3650-512MB-PCI-E/dp/B001320VQW/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249056892&sr=1-16)
£44.50
HDD:
Seagate OEM 500GB Barracuda 7200.12 - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-OEM-Barracuda-7200-12-Internal/dp/B001IKKCLS/ref=sr_1_64?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249050663&sr=1-64)
£41.35
Disc Drives:
LG GGC-H20L Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Disc & HD DVD-ROM Drive - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/LG-GGC-H20L-Super-Blu-ray-DVD-ROM/dp/B000XH402E/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249051033&sr=1-28)
£79.99
LG Gh22np20 Auaa50b 22x DVD-RW Bare Black - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gh22np20-Auaa50b-Dvdrw-Bare-Black/dp/B001BZS0C8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249052026&sr=1-2)
£15.98
Case:
Raidmax - Windowed Tower Case - Ninja 918W - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raidmax-Windowed-Tower-Ninja-Black/dp/B001RHLDR4/ref=sr_1_33?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249052880&sr=1-33)
£61.90
Power Supply:
EZCOOL 650W ATX 24Pin Super Silent PSU - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/EZCOOL-650W-24Pin-Super-Silent/dp/B0010YLGZI/ref=sr_1_74?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249054237&sr=1-74)
£29.99
Monitor:
Acer 23-inch LCD TFT Monitor - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acer-23-inch-LCD-Monitor-40000/dp/B001QFP0X0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249056069&sr=1-2)
£122.00
Keyboard/Mouse:
Logitech Pro 2800 Cordless Desktop - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Pro-2800-Cordless-Desktop/dp/B001I2EAJQ/ref=sr_1_29?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249057096&sr=1-29)
£45.13
Operating System:
Windows Vista, Ultimate Edition SP1 - Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Windows-Vista-Ultimate-Service-Pack/dp/B0013O77GM/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1249057653&sr=1-12)
£165.51
Total: £826.93 / €966.55 / $1370.28
Go easy on me if some of those are stupid choices, this is my first time doing this and I've never really been too much into hardware.
Buying Vista on Amazon gives me a free version of Windows 7 when it comes out, so that's another plus.
Thanks again for replies. :)
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My impression is that those seem to be pretty good prices for your hardware choices. I've not priced video in quite a while -- my guess is anything higher than 512 Video RAM starts really raising prices?
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My impression is that those seem to be pretty good prices for your hardware choices.
I know - they are. The price of the monitor alone amazed me. 1080p HD, 16:9 aspect, and 23 inches? I couldn't believe that.
my guess is anything higher than 512 Video RAM starts really raising prices?
Yes, drastically. 1GB (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11133-04-20R-4870-PCI-E-Graphics/dp/B001HQHZ4K/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249062110&sr=1-12), 2GB (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-HD-4870-2GB-PCI/dp/B001E4XGIE/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249062110&sr=1-11).
I don't mind anyway - I've seen in so many places that the beauty of building your own PC is that you can always upgrade when you have the money.
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...and you can "kill yourself" over trying to save 10 here, 20 there...sometimes, it's best to just move forward once you have the basics covered.
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I don't see a NIC on there, are you just going with the integrated solution?
What about audio, is it going to be the integrated one again?
Something else to consider, many people don't is a good quality UPS with surge protection.
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...and you can "kill yourself" over trying to save 10 here, 20 there...sometimes, it's best to just move forward once you have the basics covered.
My thought exactly.
I don't see a NIC on there, are you just going with the integrated solution?
Don't need one - not right now anyway. I'm also trying to keep the price down as far as I can.
What about audio, is it going to be the integrated one again?
Yeah, integrated for now, but I'll hopefully be looking at them after the build is complete.
Something else to consider, many people don't is a good quality UPS with surge protection.
Thanks, I'll have a look at that. Hmmm.... I'm looking at some here on Amazon, and they're not too expensive. Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_ce?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=ups&x=0&y=0)
Right now I'm looking at around Christmas for buying the parts. Might wait until January depending on what way prices go up/down. I'll have to get a few more Web design contracts before this goes ahead. ;D
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Iv taught myself everything i know about computers. That may not have been the cheapest or fastest way to learn but that's how i enjoy learning.
Most of the other post are focusing on the system itself. Ill tell you about building itself.
When ordering your parts check if everything will work together, then DOUBLE CHECK.
Never order open box products as a beginner. As you become more familiar with building systems you might look into them then.
Patience...but not too much. I know this is key on find a video card. The big companies will come out with a new video card about every year. Wait till they release the latest card and then look at last years card. Theres always a significant price drop on last years card. If you don't mind having the " that's so last year " card.
Also if you find a good deal on anything GET IT not saying don't look around just don't wait a day or two. Iv noticed sales on the computer hardware doesn't last very long at all.
Organization. This is a big thing to a successful build. Get a small box to hold ALL of your screws. Trust me its alot nice to rumage around for 10 Min's in a small box than 10 Min's in an entire room. I always put my screws in in the box wether if I'm going to use them right away or if never again. Just good a practice.
RMA. Iv had some real bad experiences with returns. If ordering from newegg id recommend not ordering for a return. Nothing on neweggs fault just the shipping service i used i guess. Whenever i return something UPS always never tracks it well at all.
Not all that you need to know theres a bunch of other tiny things. These were just things that i thought of off the top of my head.
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Good tidbits of advice Nate...
And Welcome Aboard !
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one thing- do you absolutely need a blu-ray capable drive right away, or would you be able to use the DVD-RW to start with? If so you could either save a little dough or get a better motherboard or whatnot(up one of the system components) (maybe even more RAM; Adobe programs are notorious heavyweights for RAM, probably right up there with 3d modelling programs like 3ds max); so I'm sure it would be a worthy investment- (of course you could always get RAM later, too). I say this because for the most part you'll be using the motherboard/CPU for the longest time out of most of the components, and they are a pain to replace on their own- and a Blu-Ray drive is a easy addition later on down the road.
Regarding the video card I'm pretty clueless- I don't know wether it compares similarly to the one in my build (I think the price is similar, in CDN- my card (Geforce 9800GT) was around 125$ CDN - but the specs seem comparable and the price is right.
Since your time frame is so loose maybe you can wait for calum to get back from his holiday, he might have some good cost-cutting advice- my build was both made better and reduced in price thanks to his advice, so I can't see how it wouldn't be the same for others :)
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One way I have found to make sure everything will work together is to first pick out which cpu you want. Then go to their web site and find a list of recommended motherboards for your particular cpu. After picking out a motherboard, go to their web site and find a list of recommended ram. This will almost surely guarantee compatibility.
That's not to say that other cpu's, mb's and ram wont work together, but it does at least give you a starting point.
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Thanks everyone for the advice.
When ordering your parts check if everything will work together, then DOUBLE CHECK.
Thanks, Nate. This definitely is something I've done before and always do, not just with computers.
The big companies will come out with a new video card about every year. Wait till they release the latest card and then look at last years card. Theres always a significant price drop on last years card. If you don't mind having the " that's so last year " card.
As I said, I'll be waiting until around/after Christmas, so that is usually when all the new gear comes out.
Organization. This is a big thing to a successful build. Get a small box to hold ALL of your screws. Trust me its alot nice to rumage around for 10 Min's in a small box than 10 Min's in an entire room. I always put my screws in in the box wether if I'm going to use them right away or if never again. Just good a practice.
Thankfully, I can say that I have always been very organised. There is a right and a wrong way to do things - I'm usually good at doing it the right way.
RMA. Iv had some real bad experiences with returns. If ordering from newegg id recommend not ordering for a return. Nothing on neweggs fault just the shipping service i used i guess. Whenever i return something UPS always never tracks it well at all.
Thanks, although I won't/can't go with with Newegg because of shipping anyway.
do you absolutely need a blu-ray capable drive right away, or would you be able to use the DVD-RW to start with?
I was thinking about that... I might leave it for the time being as you said and add it at a later stage. 80 pounds could come in handy with some other part.
or get a better motherboard or whatnot(up one of the system components)
Motherboards are probably my worst area of "expertise", but I have been looking at other member's posts in the SBCC and other places, and seem to be learning bit by bit. I have made sure that the motherboard (and the rest of the parts) will work with each other.
(maybe even more RAM; Adobe programs are notorious heavyweights for RAM, probably right up there with 3d modelling programs like 3ds max); so I'm sure it would be a worthy investment- (of course you could always get RAM later, too)
I would definitely be thinking of getting more RAM in the future. That motherboard I picked is capable of 16GB RAM - but it might be a while before I get to that!
Regarding the video card I'm pretty clueless- I don't know wether it compares similarly to the one in my build (I think the price is similar, in CDN- my card (Geforce 9800GT) was around 125$ CDN - but the specs seem comparable and the price is right.
Yeah, I thought it would be more expensive. I've gone with Sapphire because of the AMD CPU - apparently they work great together.
Since your time frame is so loose maybe you can wait for calum to get back from his holiday, he might have some good cost-cutting advice- my build was both made better and reduced in price thanks to his advice, so I can't see how it wouldn't be the same for others
I thought of that already, actually! I read somewhere where you said he had gone on holiday so if he doesn't see this post, I might ask him to take a look.
One way I have found to make sure everything will work together is to first pick out which cpu you want. Then go to their web site and find a list of recommended motherboards for your particular cpu. After picking out a motherboard, go to their web site and find a list of recommended ram. This will almost surely guarantee compatibility.
Thanks - I find Amazon give great descriptions on their products, and they say exactly what will work with what.
Since I started thinking about doing this, I've used Buildacomputerguide.com (http://www.buildacomputerguide.com/index.html), which seems like great advice (for me anyway).
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Ouch. My eyes are bleeding from trying to generate ideas for hardware only to find out that the prices in the UK are inflated for certain items, but not for others. Kinda makes this too much like work. Bleh!
Let me give you the lowdown on what I've found so far. The PSU you selected is unknown to me and the little bit of information I did find on it's brand siblings did not impress me. 500-650 watts on a quality unit should do you. Check 12v amps as a guide. Corsair, some OCZ, PcP&C, and Antec are generally solid vendors, but there are others. It seems like you are going to be looking at about £75-£90 for a PSU offered through Amazon.UK.
Your CPU is fine, although it is at the higher end of the AM2+ sockets, and I might encourage you to look into the AM3 socket chips. I think you'll have an easier time with upgrading options and the AM3-only boards also have DDR3 RAM slots, both of which should help you with CPU heavy operations.
For a 23" monitor, I'd recommend at least a 4850 GPU. They are a great value at the moment and you can find them with 1Gb of memory. I just don't think a 3650 is going to make you happy at 23".
If I was planning a build today, for HDD's I'd get three. Two small ones (160-320Gb) to set in RAID0 for OS and applications and a single, larger (500Gb-1Tb) drive for files/media/etc. The RAID0 drives will make your OS and apps load quickly and feel very responsive. There is a higher risk of loss due to disc failure with RAID0, so that is why I recommend storing all non-application information on the secondary drive. Definitely wait on the Blu-ray drive unless you need it.
That's all for now. If I find a good online vendor for the UK, I'll work on this some more.
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There is a higher risk of loss due to disc failure with RAID0
Then why subject your operating system to that potential?
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The PSU you selected is unknown to me and the little bit of information I did find on it's brand siblings did not impress me. 500-650 watts on a quality unit should do you. Check 12v amps as a guide. Corsair, some OCZ, PcP&C, and Antec are generally solid vendors, but there are others. It seems like you are going to be looking at about £75-£90 for a PSU offered through Amazon.UK.
Okay... How about either this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/CORSAIR-PSU-Watt-Power-Supply/dp/B002G3K1FI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249295011&sr=1-3) or this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-Power-Supply-Version-CMPSU-650TXUK/dp/B000Z7KHLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249295011&sr=1-1)?
Your CPU is fine, although it is at the higher end of the AM2+ sockets, and I might encourage you to look into the AM3 socket chips. I think you'll have an easier time with upgrading options and the AM3-only boards also have DDR3 RAM slots, both of which should help you with CPU heavy operations.
Maybe this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/AMD-Phenom-Black-Quad-Core-Processor/dp/B00275G0VE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249295318&sr=1-1)?
For a 23" monitor, I'd recommend at least a 4850 GPU. They are a great value at the moment and you can find them with 1Gb of memory. I just don't think a 3650 is going to make you happy at 23".
Something like this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11133-04-20R-4870-PCI-E-Graphics/dp/B001HQHZ4K/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249294549&sr=1-10)?
Thanks for the help again.
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Then why subject your operating system to that potential?
Because the guaranteed speed increase is worth the possibility of disc failure. In the event that you do have a disc failure, you don't 'lose' data, you simply need to replace the disc and reinstall OS and apps. It's a hassle, sure, but even one disc has a risk to fail. Besides, I'm in the habit already of re-installing my Windows OS every 6-12 months.
@kpac,
The two links for PSU's are the same PSU. It is a brilliant PSU and will make you very happy. I'm not sure yet it is the most cost effective PSU for you.
The Phen2 955 is a great CPU that when teamed with a 790xx chipset will not only perform like a rocketship, but gives you some nice overclock potential should you decide to pursue that.
Pretty much any of the ATI HD48xx cards will do. The one you selected, a Sapphire 4870 1Gb, should have you in high or highest quality graphics in demanding games with solid, fluid frame rates.
The fact that you have so much time to make your decisions is a great boon to you. You can watch for sales and deals and pick up what you want when it is advantageous to you. Between now and the end of the year, I expect GPUs, CPUs, and motherboards to drop in price along with DDR3 DIMMs. I don't see cases, HDDs, DVDs, or PSUs changing much. So if you wait, you might be able to snatch that 4870 up for ~£100. =)
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Thanks for the advice.
So if you wait, you might be able to snatch that 4870 up for ~£100. =)
There is a big price difference between the 512 MB and the 1GB card, so £100 would be a nice drop...
I didn't realise the two PSUs were the same.... ;D
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Here's a quick build from overclock.co.uk. You can also check NCIX. Your original monitor selection is a better price.
Sometimes it's cheaper to buy cases locally, because shipping charges on them are heinous. Plus, more than any other component, you are going to have to get elbow deep in that case, so make sure it'll suit your needs. The CM 690 in this list is a good, easy to use case. Cheers!
(http://images2c.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp53666%3Enu%3D32%3A%3A%3E39%3B%3E5%3A8%3EWSNRCG%3D32%3B36549%3A232%3Bnu0mrj)
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Woah, thanks so much Aardobard. That is a great list - a lot more than I expected. And it's over £100 pounds cheaper. I'd being using at least Vista Home Premium, though, but the other monitor will balance the price. And 6 Gigs of RAM? Great!
Forgot to ask.......Do they ship to Ireland? I can't find anything on shipping.
The CM 690 in this list is a good, easy to use case.
Thanks, but I'd like something a bit more stylish! See-through panels with LEDs... ;D
Is it full-tower I need? How about this (http://www.overclock.co.uk/product/Antec-Nine-Hundred-Ultimate-Gaming-Case-No-PSU_103.html) one?
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yeah Home basic would be a bit silly to use with that system...
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yeah Home basic would be a bit silly to use with that system...
I don't think I'd use a 64 bit version either, to be honest.
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I don't think I'd use a 64 bit version either, to be honest.
that makes 6GB of RAM pointless then.... 32-bit OS's can only access up to around 3.5-4GB.
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Room for future expansion. It's only 2 - 2.5 Gig...
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Because the guaranteed speed increase is worth the possibility of disc failure.
What speed #'s can you come up with here....IE Raid vs. normal drive status ? ?
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Room for future expansion. It's only 2 - 2.5 Gig...
???
depends on the system. the 32-bit address width limits a 32-bit OS, no matter how much you tweak, to a definite limit of 4GB of RAM- however as with all PCs since the original a good portion of memory is stolen by the system. On the XT, for example, this was a teensy bit above the 640K of DOS memory (XT's could take 1MB of RAM). not all of this was used so that is how we got the HMA (high memory area)... but enough of that.
obviously nowadays peripherals and the system store a lot more data in the upper echelons of RAM; I have often heard that Video RAM is addressed here, but that is a load of bollocks- the VRAM is accessed via the display driver routines and or I/O addresses. what is actually reserved is for shared system memory, which Both AGP and PCI-E support. If more VRAM really did consume actual memory address space it would be kind of pointless to have VRAM in the first place anyway.
What is really consuming this space is the I/O address lanes of each peripheral; flipping bits here and there, writing memory, reading memory here and there at device I/O addresses in memory can tell you things about those devices. this RAM is reserved, and cannot be used for running applications.
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What speed #'s can you come up with here....IE Raid vs. normal drive status ? ?
Take a look at this thread on a sister forum: http://www.overclock.net/hard-drives-storage/551501-post-your-setup-hd-tune-results.html
The second post is a single drive 640GB with a 94 Mb/sec avg transfer rate.
The third post uses two of the same drives and achieves a 203 Mb/sec avg transfer rate. (Note: the raid setup in this example also uses a technique specifically to boost transfer rates at the expense of storage capacity (short-stroking) but the point is that the raid array is capable of achieving much faster transfers than a single drive.)
It was the best example I could find of two setups using identical drives.
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I don't think I'd use a 64 bit version either, to be honest.
I added Vista home basic 64 mostly as a place holder. By the time kpac buys, WIN7 will be out. In systems today, I see no reason to use 32 bit systems unless you have specific applications that do not function under a 64 bit OS. Visually, there is no difference. Functionally, you get to utilize more than 3.5 Gb of RAM, among other things. Pragmatically, if I had an application that needed a 32 bit OS to function, I'd be inclined to run it under a virtual machine within the 64 bit environment.
I made the switch to a 64 bit OS a year ago. For me, it's a no-brainer.
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Woah, thanks so much Aardobard. That is a great list - a lot more than I expected. And it's over £100 pounds cheaper. I'd being using at least Vista Home Premium, though, but the other monitor will balance the price. And 6 Gigs of RAM? Great!
Forgot to ask.......Do they ship to Ireland? I can't find anything on shipping.
Thanks, but I'd like something a bit more stylish! See-through panels with LEDs... ;D
Is it full-tower I need? How about this (http://www.overclock.co.uk/product/Antec-Nine-Hundred-Ultimate-Gaming-Case-No-PSU_103.html) one?
The Antec 900 is a legendary case, you will be very happy.
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Prices are changing like the weather. The CPU Aardobard priced went up ~£20, the motherboard came down ~£2, and the GPU must be out of stock, as I couldn't find it anywhere.
that makes 6GB of RAM pointless then.... 32-bit OS's can only access up to around 3.5-4GB.
I didn't know that, thanks.
Knowing that, I'll probably set up a partition with Windows Vista/7 32 bit, just in case I have any compatibility issues...
The Antec 900 is a legendary case, you will be very happy.
Thanks again.
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Actually I was also expecting at least a few compatability issues myself, but neither my laptop or my current build has had problems with 32-bit applications- they run just fine. And of course I can run fancy pants 64-bit programs too :)
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So, Mr. La-De-Da, what's out there for 64 bit, anyway? ;D
(We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.)
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not much, actually. A few games seem to have a 64-bit mode, and a few programs do, but for the most part all I run are 32-bit programs.
but I mean- c'mon- notepad is 64-bit... that's reason enough to switch. In fact that was the driving force behind the switch. Or maybe it was minesweeper. Not sure.
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Thanks for the enlightenment, BC. Vista Ultimate x64 is actually only about £5 more expensive than 32 bit... ;D
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Just teasin', BC. It'll all be 64 bit, someday, and then the 128 bit hardware will hit the market... ;)
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and you why we'll have 128-bit processors and 128-bit memory access architectures- it's all for notepad. and maybe minesweeper.
New features in the 128-bit version of minesweeper: now you can play field sizes up to 2^128 in width and height! (note: 1TB or more of RAM recommended)
new features in notepad: Insert key toggles insert mode. (note requires at least 2TB of RAM and internet explorer 9 to be installed)
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I have been running Vista Ultimatex64 for over a year now and the only 2 apps that i had issues with are out of my old toolbox and were written for Win ME or earlier...
Go for the x64.
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Thanks patio. :)
Anything special about Vista Ultimate?