seraphim_9:11

I am posting here after ages but I dont think anywhere else can give me better info that here

I am planning to getting a new desktop with the AMD Athlon X2 processor but I need suggestions on what I should have in there. Here is what I came up with:

Possible processors:
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 3800+ with HyperTransport and Dual Core Technology
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 4200+ with HyperTransport and Dual Core Technology
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 4400+ with HyperTransport and Dual Core Technology
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 4600+ with HyperTransport and Dual Core Technology
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 4800+ with HyperTransport and Dual Core Technology
AMD Athlon™ 64 FX-57 with HyperTransport Technology
AMD Athlon™ 64 FX-60 with HyperTransport and Dual Core Technology

Possible Graphics Cards:
256MB PCI-Express x16 NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7900 GT
512MB PCI-Express x16 NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7900 GTX
512MB PCI-Express x16 ATI RADEON™ X1900 XTX
Dual 256MB PCI-Express x16 NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7900 GT - SLI Enabled
Dual 512MB PCI-Express x16 NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7900 GTX - SLI Enabled
Dual 512MB PCI-Express x16 ATI RADEON X1900 - XTX + CrossFire Edition

Possible motherboards:
NVidia nForce™4 SLI™ X16 Motherboard
ATI CrossFire™ Motherboard


This is just some stuff that I picked up from the internet. I am not sure what else I should be looking at like cooling solutions, sound cards, monitor specs etc. What I am not too sure about is that what ever I put into the CPU is going to be compatible with each other or not. The above seem to be but there are probably better choices that I am not aware of.

Just as an FYI - I need it for extreme performance like playing the very latest games, graphics etc.

I know guys like JA and SamCat would have some idea on this and any one else who has seen/read or already owns some stuff like this would help.

__________________
TJ
- Angel with swords -
-The best way to maintain order is a quick beheading -
- Hatred is the coward's revenge for getting intimidated

SamuraiCatJB

So what stops you from just taking the best of the best of the best? besides money?

if you want the best performance, go dual 7900GTX SLI ($1000 for 2 cards)
nForce 4 SLI X16 Motherboard
AMD Athlon™ 64 FX-60

That will be better than what I have.
I only have a X2 4600, nForce4 SLI (not X16) and single 7800GT

But don't forget high performance memory!

__________________
And now, Grandfather, I ask you to bless the White Man. He needs your Wisdom, your guidance. You see, for so long, he has tried to destroy my people, and only feels comfortable when given power. Bless them, show them the peace we understand, teach them humility. For I fear they will someday destroy themselves and their children, As they have done so Mother Earth. I plead, I cry. After all, They are my Brothers.... ~ Prayer ~

JackAxe

You forgot a video card.

And don't forget the screen.

For the price of a FX 60 you can get an Opteron 875, but I wouldn't get one for games.

<]=)

__________________

I be a hearty pirate that plunders many waffles.

The Dread Pirate Monkey Gizmo has scurvy! :)

Nintendo DS and Wii, me gaming machines of choice.

seraphim_9:11

Thanks guys

So here is what you guys suggest ???
dual 7900GTX SLI
nForce 4 SLI X16 Motherboard
AMD Athlon™ 64 FX-60

Would I need separate cooling for this ? or is whatever they provide sufficient ? - Also there would be slots enough to increase RAM to 4 GB minimum correct ?
Anything else that I should be investing in ? another processor/chip/board etc ?

JA - is that video card something different ? or will the nvidia one suffice ? also, I see that you suggest the Apple monitors, is there anything specific that I need to look for when I buy the monitor so that I can get most out of the video card for display ?

I am thinking of putting this one together my self dont have any idea if it will work but will give it a shot ? any idea where I can get someting on the net to put this together ?

__________________
TJ
- Angel with swords -
-The best way to maintain order is a quick beheading -
- Hatred is the coward's revenge for getting intimidated

SamuraiCatJB

There is only one thing faster... quad SLI, four graphics cards pumping out massive graphics capabilities... but only OEM... Dell and Alienware so far....
http://www.alienware.com/intro_page...spx?source=2598

__________________
And now, Grandfather, I ask you to bless the White Man. He needs your Wisdom, your guidance. You see, for so long, he has tried to destroy my people, and only feels comfortable when given power. Bless them, show them the peace we understand, teach them humility. For I fear they will someday destroy themselves and their children, As they have done so Mother Earth. I plead, I cry. After all, They are my Brothers.... ~ Prayer ~

seraphim_9:11

I would probably need nitro-cooling for that ... doesnt SLI allow for quad or am I talking rubbish ? - I'm happy with the Dual cards for now - what I aint sure about is that if I have 2 512MB cards, does that mean that I have effectively 1GB ? I'm just drawing an analogy to RAM. And if I have the set-up for the Dual video cards with the FX-60 and SLI X16, do I need to get separate cooling ? I see alienware is using extra cooling methods - just wondering if I need to go the same route ?

__________________
TJ
- Angel with swords -
-The best way to maintain order is a quick beheading -
- Hatred is the coward's revenge for getting intimidated

JackAxe

SCJB pointed this out to me, it's 512 mirrored, if I stated that right? And as he noted, you can only get a quad SLI OEM from Dellienware at the moment.

I wouldn't buy that 1 Gig card, I just thought it was interesting. I'm waiting to see what NVidia offers, which I wouldn't get either, since I wouldn't be able to afford it right now. But... I do recommend getting the 30" eventually no matter what your profession or intentions, so make sure your card has a Dual-Link DVI port, which most high-end cards do now days.

Assemby of a PC is straight forward. Installing the software takes more time.

I'm planning on upgrading my PC next year, at that time I really won't have a choice. They're starting to feel poky for what little I use them.

<]=)

__________________

I be a hearty pirate that plunders many waffles.

The Dread Pirate Monkey Gizmo has scurvy! :)

Nintendo DS and Wii, me gaming machines of choice.

seraphim_9:11

hmmm - time to go to the market and see what I can find here and for how much ... I will let you guys know what conspires

__________________
TJ
- Angel with swords -
-The best way to maintain order is a quick beheading -
- Hatred is the coward's revenge for getting intimidated

seraphim_9:11

what do guys say about this ???

http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/H...asus_a8n32-sli/

This looks kinda good to me and would be what I might end up buying - your thoughts on this ???

__________________
TJ
- Angel with swords -
-The best way to maintain order is a quick beheading -
- Hatred is the coward's revenge for getting intimidated

SamuraiCatJB

it looks good to me.... and yes, the graphics memory is mirrored... except for raster memory I found out... so the actually final rendering image size is cut in half and each half resides on one card (if in split render mode). In alternate render mode (one card does even frames, the other odd), it is a true share everything. Since objects could move from one half screen to the other, both render modes of SLI share all textures (mirrored) on all cards. SLI is dual without a special card, or special board. and a special powersupply....

remember, each graphics card is 110watt, each processor 125watt. Idle will be less, but those are the max pull from powersupply.

__________________
And now, Grandfather, I ask you to bless the White Man. He needs your Wisdom, your guidance. You see, for so long, he has tried to destroy my people, and only feels comfortable when given power. Bless them, show them the peace we understand, teach them humility. For I fear they will someday destroy themselves and their children, As they have done so Mother Earth. I plead, I cry. After all, They are my Brothers.... ~ Prayer ~

seraphim_9:11

So with the card, I would be having an equivalent of a single 512 card ? hmm - that should be better than a single card ...

__________________
TJ
- Angel with swords -
-The best way to maintain order is a quick beheading -
- Hatred is the coward's revenge for getting intimidated

JackAxe

If anything, you could brag that between your two cards, you have 1 Gig of ram. And course it's better.

Frig, my brain is fried. Must sleep...

<]=)

__________________

I be a hearty pirate that plunders many waffles.

The Dread Pirate Monkey Gizmo has scurvy! :)

Nintendo DS and Wii, me gaming machines of choice.

SamuraiCatJB

of course it is better.... the same data shared and both dedicated to solving the same problem.... you usually have a 80% or better speed up.... there are exceptions... when you overload one card, you might still be overloading two cards and the net effect is none ever running at full speed. Usually there is a big jump in speed with SLI.

__________________
And now, Grandfather, I ask you to bless the White Man. He needs your Wisdom, your guidance. You see, for so long, he has tried to destroy my people, and only feels comfortable when given power. Bless them, show them the peace we understand, teach them humility. For I fear they will someday destroy themselves and their children, As they have done so Mother Earth. I plead, I cry. After all, They are my Brothers.... ~ Prayer ~