I`m buying a new PC. (New configuration) Need opinions.

[Erica McLane]

Motherboard: Gigabyte 7VA
CPU: AMD XP 2200+
RAM: DDRRAM 512 MB /266MHz
HDD: 60GB Western Digital /7200rpm
Videocard: GeForce 4 MX440SE 64MB

So, what do you think? You can give me some advice, if you want.
Thanks in advance.

Read my latest reply here.

[Barcik]

Well, can you give us the budget as well? It will help a lot.

[Archangel (aka SoupDragon)]

Don't get a geforce4 MX, go for the TI instead. And what soundcard does it have? Onboard sound kindof sucks.

[juncmodule]

I will second the anti-GeForce MX statement. I own one and it is REALLY bad. It will play all of the new high tech super duper games like nobody's business. But, open up microsoft paint and start working on a 50x50 greyscale image...and poof, crash!

My understanding is that Intel has moved ahead of AMD in the processor world. I have AMD though and I can't say I have any complaints about it.

When it comes to soundcards SoundBlasters never seem to fail. On board sound is sure to suck. Then again, if your budget doesn't allow for it right now just hold off. It may not be that big of a deal to you. As a musician it makes since for me to drop $200 on a soundcard. Might not for others.

Good luck!
-junc

[Adamski]

Actually, it wont play all the new high tech super-duper games. It's not technically a Geforce 4 level card either... nVidia just did some really sneaky naming guff...

[Erica McLane]

My hardware provider wants 127 $ for a GeForve 4 TI4200 64MB so I can`t buy it.
The sound is intergated on the mainboard, the chip is ALC650 from Realtek.
If there is problem with the video card I will change it.
My budget is 550 $.

[Archangel (aka SoupDragon)]

You'll appreciate the benifits a £30 sblive digital 5.1 card will do for performance. Even if you don't use the surround sound, the extra processing power will ease off the processor more than you might think.

And AMD processors are fine, even though intel seems to have pulled ahead, Athlon processors are still way better value for money.

[Erica McLane]

Thanks a lot for the opinions.

[Barcik]

Actually, it wont play all the new high tech super-duper games.

Nope, Darkey, it will. It is quiet capalble of pulling out a smooth performance with almost maximal detail.

[Ceagon]

Don't get a geforce4 MX, go for the TI instead. And what soundcard does it have? Onboard sound kindof sucks.

woo... now i dont know about that. i've gotta geforce3 MX [Nvida] and it's purty dang nice; i've played w/ the geforce4 MX a LITTLE, and it's real good.... i used to have a TI but it got blitzed [no surge protecter + storm + didnt unplug comp from wall = bad]

[scotch]

The GF4 will be fine for most games now.. it is fast.. it's just the lack of shaders that will become a problem soon I think (stuff like Doom 3 and other games using similar techniques).
I've already seen some effects that work on GF3Tis but not GF4mxs.
Although to be honest unless you want to play a lot of new games for the next couple of years the GF4 is a good card.

That system look fine to me.

[Erica McLane]

I think this would be better:

Mainboard: Epox 8RGA+ (nVidia APU, GF4 integrated)
Processor: AMD XP 2200+ (1,8 GHz)
RAM: DDR 512MB PC 2100
HDD: 40GB WD (What`s better - 5400rpm or 7200rpm. It there a difference).
Monitor: LG 575E

What do you think now?

[AGA]

7200 spins faster tgab 5400, which means the data can be read from the harddisk faster... go for 7200 if it doesn't cost that much more...

The rest of the system sounds pretty good...

[Adamski]

Nope, Darkey, it will. It is quiet capalble of pulling out a smooth performance with almost maximal detail.

Perhaps if you think Quake 3 is a latest high-tec superduper game...
There is no way that a Geforce 4 MX, which is actually a tweaked Geforce 2 core (yes, it really is) could run a game like Unreal 2 or Splinter Cell with smooth performance with maximum detail... and maximum detail does mean full Anti-aliasing and Aniostropic Filtering...

[Barcik]

Well I ran Splinter Cell on the game's maximal details and it worked quite fine, except a few places (no more than 5) where it had the best lightining affects ever!

[miguel]

can´t believe the prices you have in your country Erica!
I payed 1300 euros for a very similar system. also I don´t think you should worry about using AMD, your paying the brand not the quality when you buy intel

[Jimi]

You can't have too many USB ports. I have 4.

[Czar]

A long and not much helpful post ahead:
Well for starters i'd like to introduce to my way, how i bought my PC ( and the thing that my mom works(worked till today, she quit today, after 9,5 yrs of service  ) in a company that sells PC btw helps)..
Anyway first i thought...actually drop it... I dont think i should talk about this since you have a 550$ budget...
And for all you who dont know AMD has put out a new proc. that is really really great and beats Intel in every view, but i forgot its name...
Anyway, yes, as DS stated GF4 MX IS a tweaked GF2, so i would think of buying an old (not old, just used) GF2 Ti TV-out(or not TV-out) 64ddr...But i think you want it all new, so nevermind...
So looks like youre buying a 15" monitor, and OMG yes, you should definetly take the 7200 rpm...
I think those 512 DDR PC 2100 are 333mhz?
I think because recently i've upgraded my 256 MB DDR 333 to 512 cuz i know prices have fallen for about more than 50 % since end of summer..
And about the GF again, i dont think you should have it integrated...that is if you want TV out...
And about the processor it's OK, since i have covinced myself that i dont need my P4 2.4 ghz 512kb 533 and that i would have been satisfied with a lesser conf.
So the choice is up to you, and dont worry, all those talk about you need this you need that arent really that serious, since today pretty much all of the PC run everythingm and whatever you choose  i think you will be more or less satisfied...

I think i have typed a little bit too much...

Shorten version:
Use the force within you!The dark side is seductive!

I think i should get some sleep now