Trimming the FAT?

[prohaska41]

Im trying to decide where to trim the fat on the cost of the new PC I plan to build. The specs I have chosen are as of now:

AMD 64 4000
MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130484
OCZ 2GB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227210
eVGA 7800GT - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130249

Those are my basic specs. What I wan't to do is keep the mobo and the processor but I am open for suggestions on the RAM and Videocard. I play Call of Duty and BF2. I want to try and trim the cost a little but without killing myself for performance. Anyone have any suggestions? The ram is really nice and ide like to keep it but how much performance would I loose if I dropped from CAS2 to CAS3. I just want to see if there is a way.

-Kyle

 

[idontknow]

Well if you like everything else but the graphics card you might want to trim down. You can cut about 100 dollars off if you wanted to you could get the 6800Gs http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130258

 

[Elbatrop1]

You could lose the extra 1GB of RAM. And on that topic, if you arent gonna be overclocking, get some ValueRAM, as "Performance RAM" isnt gonna do you any good unless you overclock.

 

[FghtinIrshNvrDi]

woah! totally wrong advice. If the machine is being geared as a game box, then you want to KEEP the video card, upgrade if possible, and trim down the PROCESSOR. That 4000 is a lot of guts you just don't need right now. You can get a 3700+ for a lot less and upgrade to dual core down the road if need be.

Ryan

on edit: When I said wrong advice, I was referring to the second post since you posted while I was typing!

 

[idontknow]

The only problem was he said he was keeping the processor, motherboard and he liked the ram. So of course the only thing left to trim was the video card.

But i originally was gonna suggest it til i read he was planning on keeping them.

 

[prohaska41]

I wanted to keep the processor because I also do video editing, gaming, 3D animation, and compositing lol. This machine will basically be an all purpose machine hence the performance ram and CPU. I would get a lower-end videocard if I could somehow find out the performance in the games I play. My main concerns are BF2 and COD2. I dont wan't to run things on low anymore its horrible. Can anyone suggest a card based on the one they have and results they get in those games?

-Kyle

 

[prohaska41]

Hmm something I forgot about is the 3700 vs. 4000 AMD. The only difference between the two is 200mhz and 100 bucks. Would getting the 3700 and OC to 4000 speeds be a good idea? They are supposed to run really cool anyways and the retail heatsinks are also supposed to be good. It would drop 100 bucks as well as the vid card.

In terms of the ram, would I be cutting alot of performance if I got a CAS Latency of 3 as opposed to 2 CAS?

Also my mother board supprts 4x184pinn slots for my RAM. They run in dual channel. If I buy a 1GB (512x2) set I could cut back on some money for right now and buy another of the same set later. My only question is will I loose dual channel if I put 4 512 sticks in the slots and fill them all?

-Kyle

 

[Elbatrop1]

Personally, I would go with the 3700. The 200MHz difference isnt worth that much money.

There will be no noticable difference in running lower latency RAM.

You should be able to run dual channel with 4 sticks later, as long as the new sticks have similar timings and are the same speed.

Keep the 7800GT, it will be well worth it

 

[prohaska41]

Another thing I thought of was possible buying some things that will go into my new system as I go so I can enjoy them before I have enough for new VC, CPU, and Mobo in my new system. My current system is this:

AMD XP 2500
512MB RAM
FX5200 256MB
Gigabyte Nforce2 Pro Mobo
80GB & 120GB HD
Lite-On DVD-RW Burner

What I was thinking since I settled on my parts for my new system is buy some of the things in an order so I could enjoy them now in this system before I move all my data to the new one later on when I have the money. I was thinking of buying the RAM first so I can put it to good use while im saving. Next I would like to update the VideoCard in this system because then I can hold myself over even longer and possibly save for even better parts. I chose an X800GTO AGP for this computer. Next would come the WD 400GB HD. The AGP card is out of my way for my new system but I can't stand the FPS in BF2 anymore. 22fps is BS and needs to be fixed lol. So after buying some parts in order my old system would have some new parts that will later transfer to my new PC and the old parts back in. It would temporarily become this:

AMD XP 2500
2.5GB RAM (probably scrap the 512 for right now and just put in the new 2GB) ($240)
X800GTO 256MB ($193)
80GB, 120GB, and 400GB for video storage ($200)
Gigabyte Nforce2 Pro Mobo

Total of 440 of my new system already bought at an excess of 193 bucks for the new videocard just for my own liking. I have 275 right now so I think ill go with the RAM first.

I think this is worth doing instead of saving and buying all at once because I can enjoy some of my stuff before I get the final machine together. Who knows I might not upgrade at all. My only push to upgrade would be the better CPU. Maybe I wont build a new system at all if I like this the way it is after the new ram and VC.

-Kyle