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PC Upgrade - A few questions

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Lashiec:
And I try to go for extended warranties for RAM whenever possible, coz it not something that can be 'fixed'.
-nosh (August 25, 2008, 04:35 AM)
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Yeah, no problem there, I think most reputable vendors have lifetime guarantees on RAM sticks.

Lashiec, wouldn't it make sense to try and go for a stick running faster than  800 MHz, guess what I'm asking is, what's the usual bottleneck on most newer systems. I know that's too loose a question but since most of you are running multi-core systems, where would you say your system bottlenecks, if that's a word.

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Not really, there is a bottleneck, that's for sure, but at that hardware level is not reflected in actual performance. Then again, considering the price of DDR2 1066 vs. DDR2 800, a few more MHz can't hurt :D. Also, take advantage of the ailing economics of RAM manufacturers, and snag a 4 GB kit, it's cheap, cheap (/me thinks about getting one...)

Assuming a limited budget, which scenario would you go for?

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If money is not a concern, I'd go for #3 right away. If that's not the case, I'll go for the next best thing considering your current setup: buy two normal hard drives, a small one for C: (reserved for apps and the operating system), and a big one for D: (data and whatever you want). #2 might be acceptable, if you're not concerned about its 300GB capacity limit. I'm not too keen on #4, never liked partitions, and that dislike can also be applied to #2. But that's a personal opinion.

Unless you absolutely need to buy a new PC quickly, I will advise you to wait.

A Core2Quad CPU + a mobo with DDR3 is going to be the main trend in no time.
Especially on the memory consideration, due to their socket design, a mobo can only support one of them, either DDR2 or DDR3 (not both). My main concern is all major mobo manufacturers are pushing out new ver of mobo on DDR3. Take a look at my dream mobo: Asus P5E3 WS Pro this guy is all there for I/O performance.
-tslim (August 26, 2008, 03:15 AM)
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Well, I'm not too sure on that one. DDR3 is far cheaper than months ago, but the thing is there is not much difference between DDR2 and DDR3 performance. DDR3 would be useful in the future, thanks to its higher bandwidth, but only for newer processors, I think. The problem buying a Core 2 Quad now (which is also recommendable for future proofing, even if not many software use 4 threads now) and DDR3 is that you have a dead-end path, as Core i7 (Nehalem, Core 2 successor) is a very different processor due to the integrated memory controller, and the new socket, so you can't upgrade to a Core i7 in the future using the same motherboard. DDR3 makes more sense with a Core i7 as more cores mean more need for bandwidth, but with a Core 2 you might just save a nice sum of money to invest it in better things.

And well, you can also wait for Core i7, but there's nothing affordable until 2009. It's the usual thing with computing, wait to get better components which yield better performance for more money, the customer have to decide if the extra performance it's worth the waiting time and the higher costs.

tslim:
I am now using a Core2Duo with DDR2.

About 2 weeks ago, I just sold my DELL XPS420 which is a Core2Quad with intel X38 chipset, well also with DDR2. (I was frustrated with its mobo design - only can fit in a PC case which open on the right)

Just a different in CPU of the above, I can feel (no need for a benchmark tool) the boost of perfomace... a real diffenrence.

The reason I urge you to wait is not for big diff in DDR3 compare to DDR2... it is the CPU. But if one is getting a Core2Quad, with those Core2Quad mobo already supports DDR3, I see no reason in using DDR2. The problem is, even though you claim DDR3 has drop price, but I think its price is still too much. (I am talking about DDR3-1600 or above)

I remember reading an article, kind of benchmark lab testing, a DDR3-1600 or above does make a big different compare to even a very fast DDR2... though I have not personally experience it.

To be frank, I am waiting.

nosh:
Yep, the waiting game can be played infinitely, can't it?

Darwin, Vista!? Soap, water, rinse! ;D

tslim, there are boards that support both DDR2 & DDR3 but I assume you meant they can't be run concurrently. If I were to consider DDR3 I would have to stretch my budget even more than it already is and I've got to draw the line somewhere. I'm going for a dual core CPU coz they have the highest GHz per core and I've read time and again right here on DC that most current apps just aren't designed to make use of multiple processors - the price differential between duo and quad is not that much, CPU power is the _last thing_ I'd compromise on esp. since it's been the biggest bottleneck on my system for years. As for HDD makes, I'm making my choices with performance foremost in mind, the drives come with a 5 year warranty and I mirror everything of importance daily and also intend to start storing stuff on an external HDD, so I'm not that concerned about crashes. BTW, I've never ever had a hard drive completely crash on me  :D - a few bad sectors in an old 80GB Seagate but it's still running as a secondary in an older PC.  :)

You RAID suggestion is really good - I've looked into RAID a little and understand the concept(s) but I'm not too sure how it's put into practice and what side effects (if any) it will have to my system's functioning. I read that software ("fake", IIRC) RAID tends to use system resources for parity checks and have used that as an excuse (justified or not!) to cop out for now, I know all the big boys are doing it and maybe I'll get to it someday.  

I'm most probably getting the machine tomorrow, here's what it looks like now:
Core 2 Duo E8500 (E8600 still isn't available, I'll give it one final try tomorrow)
Gigabyte GA-EX38-DS4
Corsair 2 x 1 GB @ 1066 MHz (I wanted a single 2GB stick but was told that wouldn't work, they have to be installed in pairs, 2x1GB or 2x2GB)
Velociraptor 300GB - system, program files & game dumps.
2 x 1 TB Seagate 7200.11 - main data and mirror drives. (The Spinpoint Lashiec recommended is the fastest of the 1TBs, but it isn't available - the 7200.11 is not as fast but comes closer to it than most others)

Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 1 TB external (I'm sticking with USB to keep it as portable as possible. Love the way it looks, BTW.)

Generic cabinet (I'll make sure it has enough air flow :-[, though I shouldn't need it as much with the Prescott gone) & a Coolermaster PSU

The video card I still haven't looked into, probably one of the 8800 series, but that's for tomorrow - my little brain deserves all the zzzs it can get today.

Thanks once again to everyone who replied!

cranioscopical:
I hope you have lots of fun with your new system!  :Thmbsup:

Let us know how you get on!

mouser:
remember those square little stickers on pcs that used to be all the rage.. we need some high quality cody stickers like that, saying something like "Cody Inside" :)

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