Boil it down for me: Computers in 2007

Torso Boy

It's been a long time since I was in the market for a computer, so I haven't followed things very closely lately. I keep hearing people pump up the Core 2 Duo, and I'm wondering how it performs in comparison to the A64s (back when I was in, it was almost unanimously AMD > Intel).

Also, how are the Geforce 7000's, especially in the midrange? Is Crossfire worth it yet? How are the drivers doing? etc.

And I guess while I'm here, are ASUS and Abit still generally solid choices for a motherboard? I'm not looking for frills, I just want something that will last me (and I guess hold a stable o/c). I'm running an ASUS P4S800 and it's the weakest link in an otherwise stable and lovely system.

lowlylowlycook

Take a look at this thread.

Rohan

The Core 2 Duo is the best processor to get. AMD's new product line may be a better choice, but we don't know that and, more importantly, they're not here yet. Go with a Core 2 Duo. My laptop has one (1.6GHz), and it performs significantly better than my desktop's Athlon64 3000+.

The mid-range of the GeForce7 range is alright for gaming, but it won't wow you. With nVidia's 8xxx line out now and ATi's (or, AMD's) new graphics chipset due to show, mebbe you could find yourself a cheap X1900 variant. That, or go for a GeForce 7900GT.

Edit - Both Asus and Abit are indeed, safe choices when it comes to the motherboard. Just don't skimp and get a budget version.

crash5s

Torso Boy wrote:

It's been a long time since I was in the market for a computer, so I haven't followed things very closely lately. I keep hearing people pump up the Core 2 Duo, and I'm wondering how it performs in comparison to the A64s (back when I was in, it was almost unanimously AMD > Intel).

Also, how are the Geforce 7000's, especially in the midrange? Is Crossfire worth it yet? How are the drivers doing? etc.

And I guess while I'm here, are ASUS and Abit still generally solid choices for a motherboard? I'm not looking for frills, I just want something that will last me (and I guess hold a stable o/c). I'm running an ASUS P4S800 and it's the weakest link in an otherwise stable and lovely system.

Intel core2 is better then amd x2.

Geforce 7000's are rock solid mid range, but currently you want geforce 8000 because of DX10, they should get cheap in march.

Asus and Abit are still quality OC boards. Gigabyte and MSI are also decent. DFI is the current top end but finiky, and recently graphics card giant evga (nvidia partner) has been cranking out good nvidia boards.

Memory is still the same players.

Darmak

Glad to hear Gigabyte is a good mobo, since that's what I happen to have. Of course, I've been wanting to build a new computer so I've been following threads such as this to find out what's good, what's not, etc.

maximumzero

Boil it down for me: Computers in 2007

Buy a Mac.

Darmak

maximumzero wrote:

Boil it down for me: Computers in 2007

Buy a Mac.

Ahahahahahahaha.

RiemannLives

Darmak wrote:

maximumzero wrote:

Boil it down for me: Computers in 2007

Buy a Mac.

Ahahahahahahaha.

If your hat is made of money an intel mac is not a bad choice. Course for a fraction of the price you can put together something far more powerful on your own.

archonwarp

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=429854

Check that out, about $500 US for a good Core 2 Duo system. Of course, if you can wait a few months, there's a new Core 2 Duo chip with a 10x multiplier, which will be cheaper than the E6300 and stock-cooling overclockable to past the most expensive Core 2 Duo out there.

JihadJesus

archonwarp wrote:

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=429854

Check that out, about $500 US for a good Core 2 Duo system. Of course, if you can wait a few months, there's a new Core 2 Duo chip with a 10x multiplier, which will be cheaper than the E6300 and stock-cooling overclockable to past the most expensive Core 2 Duo out there.

Story of the personal computer market - if you can wait six months, you'll be able to make a vastly better machine for about the same cost. Only downside is, the same thing remains true six months down the line.

archonwarp

JihadJesus wrote:

archonwarp wrote:

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=429854

Check that out, about $500 US for a good Core 2 Duo system. Of course, if you can wait a few months, there's a new Core 2 Duo chip with a 10x multiplier, which will be cheaper than the E6300 and stock-cooling overclockable to past the most expensive Core 2 Duo out there.

Story of the personal computer market - if you can wait six months, you'll be able to make a vastly better machine for about the same cost. Only downside is, the same thing remains true six months down the line.

Actually, the thread i linked doesn't even list the newest budget chip, which is the superior alternative at a much lower price due to its overclocking capabilities. Grab the newer lower-clockspeed-higher-multiplier core 2 duos as they'll let you overclock crazily.

Torso Boy

archonwarp wrote:

JihadJesus wrote:

archonwarp wrote:

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=429854

Check that out, about $500 US for a good Core 2 Duo system. Of course, if you can wait a few months, there's a new Core 2 Duo chip with a 10x multiplier, which will be cheaper than the E6300 and stock-cooling overclockable to past the most expensive Core 2 Duo out there.

Story of the personal computer market - if you can wait six months, you'll be able to make a vastly better machine for about the same cost. Only downside is, the same thing remains true six months down the line.

Actually, the thread i linked doesn't even list the newest budget chip, which is the superior alternative at a much lower price due to its overclocking capabilities. Grab the newer lower-clockspeed-higher-multiplier core 2 duos as they'll let you overclock crazily.

And I'm guessing an upper-middle-of-the-road ASUS should have good overclocking tools, am I right?

archonwarp

Torso Boy wrote:

archonwarp wrote:

JihadJesus wrote:

archonwarp wrote:

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=429854

Check that out, about $500 US for a good Core 2 Duo system. Of course, if you can wait a few months, there's a new Core 2 Duo chip with a 10x multiplier, which will be cheaper than the E6300 and stock-cooling overclockable to past the most expensive Core 2 Duo out there.

Story of the personal computer market - if you can wait six months, you'll be able to make a vastly better machine for about the same cost. Only downside is, the same thing remains true six months down the line.

Actually, the thread i linked doesn't even list the newest budget chip, which is the superior alternative at a much lower price due to its overclocking capabilities. Grab the newer lower-clockspeed-higher-multiplier core 2 duos as they'll let you overclock crazily.

And I'm guessing an upper-middle-of-the-road ASUS should have good overclocking tools, am I right?

Yep. I know the board he linked is supposed to be good for overclocking too.

bombboy

What's the consensus on the AMD Turion 64 on a laptop versus a Core Duo setup? Been shopping around and seems high end laptops prefer the Turion, but why?

crash5s

bombboy wrote:

What's the consensus on the AMD Turion 64 on a laptop versus a Core Duo setup? Been shopping around and seems high end laptops prefer the Turion, but why?

the core 2 is better then the turion as a chip. However the AMD laptop platform (namely due to graphics support) can edge out the intel one in some cases.

It's also true that only AMD has sli in the laptop sector.

Jragghen

archonwarp wrote:

JihadJesus wrote:

archonwarp wrote:

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=429854

Check that out, about $500 US for a good Core 2 Duo system. Of course, if you can wait a few months, there's a new Core 2 Duo chip with a 10x multiplier, which will be cheaper than the E6300 and stock-cooling overclockable to past the most expensive Core 2 Duo out there.

Story of the personal computer market - if you can wait six months, you'll be able to make a vastly better machine for about the same cost. Only downside is, the same thing remains true six months down the line.

Actually, the thread i linked doesn't even list the newest budget chip, which is the superior alternative at a much lower price due to its overclocking capabilities. Grab the newer lower-clockspeed-higher-multiplier core 2 duos as they'll let you overclock crazily.

The chip he's referring to is the E4300 (or it may be the 4200. Regardless it's a 4xxx model), which has a lower multiplier. However, by the same token, if you have a faster FSB with one of the better procs, you get a larger improvement clock for clock. So the E4300 is easier to OC, but if you're going to OC, you can end up with better results with another chip.

Or something like that. I don't OC, so I don't get all the details.

bombboy

So in getting an AMD based laptop that is SLI capable, might as well fill in the two vid slots or otherwise it would be better to get a comparable Core Duo setup with one nice GeForce Go solution?

crash5s

bombboy wrote:

So in getting an AMD based laptop that is SLI capable, might as well have fill in the two vid slots or otherwise it would be better to get a comparable Core Duo setup with one nice GeForce Go solution?

For the most part yes.

But if you are going with integrated GFX amd will usually offer the best platform, or if you want SLI.

Bionic Monkey

I'm looking at building a computer within the next six months. Ideally, I'd like to play Crysis at 1680x1050. I don't need specifics yet, but any idea on what price range I'd be looking at? I'd be building it myself, and I already have a monitor, so those won't factor into the price.

Hardtarget

Bionic Monkey wrote:

I'm looking at building a computer within the next six months. Ideally, I'd like to play Crysis at 1680x1050. I don't need specifics yet, but any idea on what price range I'd be looking at? I'd be building it myself, and I already have a monitor, so those won't factor into the price.

maybe $1300 or so

Bionic Monkey

Hardtarget wrote:

Bionic Monkey wrote:

I'm looking at building a computer within the next six months. Ideally, I'd like to play Crysis at 1680x1050. I don't need specifics yet, but any idea on what price range I'd be looking at? I'd be building it myself, and I already have a monitor, so those won't factor into the price.

maybe $1300 or so

I was thinking about $1500, so that's good to know it'll be right in my price-range. Thanks.