AMD Dual-Core Processor 3800+

[grouse_3]

G'day, i was wondering if this pc is worth $1495 aussie dollars, if not how much?

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 3800+ 2.0GHz (up to 2000MHz, with HyperTransport Technology) - 2 GB DDR Ram - 200 GB HDD - 256MB Video Card - Lightscribe DVD Dual Layer Burner - 56k Modem - 10/100 Network and Wireless Networking - Windows XP HOME & Software Package

[MONKEYMAN]

Depends on the Brand of the RAM and the type of graphics card really.

[grouse_3]

This is what it has in it

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 3800+ 2.0GHz (up to 2000MHz, with HyperTransport Technology)
Memory: 2 GB DDR Ram
Hard Drive: 200GB SATA Hard Drive
Graphics: 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 6600 3D PCI-Express Graphics
Optical Drive: Lightscribe DVDRW +/- Dual Layer Burner
Modem/Fax: V.90 56 Kbps Fax / Data Modem
Network: 10/100 Network Card Standard, Wireless 802.11 a/b/g LAN
Sound: Integrated Realtek ALC658 Digital Audio - Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound
Ready
Ports: USB & Firewire Ports
Card Reader: 9-1 Digital Card Reader
Keyboard/Mouse: One-touch Enhanced Keyboard, PS/2 Optical scrolling mouse
Speakers: 2 speaker system
Operating System: Windows XP Home Software

[GrahamGarside]

A quick guess I could put that together for probably under £600 if there is no display in with it which is only about $1200AUS, not sure what component prices are like in Aus though

[MONKEYMAN]

I agree, I wouldnt say it was quite worth $1495 AUS dollars, however its almost worth that much with the OS included I reckon.

[captinhector]

Mmmm I don't know that I would go for it with a 6800, its starting to show its age. With the full 8000 line coming out so soon, I would wait and get something w/at least a 7900gt or 8000 series. I mean potentially the 8600 gt is going to be the new bad a$$ mid range card...

[aghastpumpkin]

Captin, it isn't a 6800 it is a 6600 and I think in this case there is a budget we are talking about. In which case, 7900/8800 series cards are far too expensive. They would add a hell of a lot of money to the price, even the "mid" range versions. And it isn't always neccessary to have a high end video card.

[MONKEYMAN]

7900 cards always too expensive? mine is less than £100

[captinhector]

Expensive?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...726&CatId=1560

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...745&CatId=1560

New egg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130062

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130056



Nvidia to show off a new mid-range to its GeForce 8 series

I say 8k series because of the bottom end is going to be like $130-$150 and that will get you 16 or 24 shaders, it will just need to be oc'd a little to be the next step up.

I have just been swapping components out over the last 2 years to get to where I'm at now.

I say what I say because I built my pc on a budget <$400, and have gone from there, I bought a $16 gfx card and then saved enough to buy my current 7600gs(which just came back in today from rma) along with things like that.

[aghastpumpkin]

Jeez. Your interpretation of expensive and somebody elses can be entirely different. Same as your needs and somebody elses. Jumping to the conclusion that a 7900/8000 series card is needed is silly.

$150 is a lot of money for a graphics card for some people - especially if it is not required. The fact they mention a 6600 suggests to me that gaming is not a priority. Therefore spending $150 and getting a 7900GS doesn't make sense - when for normal desktop use a $40 card would do the same job just as well. That means they save themselves $100 odd which they could then spend on something else if need be - a TV card for example - or whatever item more matches their needs.
If gaming is what they want to do, then sure by all means. But my point is you can't just jump to these quick conclusions that everybody wants to play games and needs to spend $150 on the thing that shows their screen....

[captinhector]

I just say atleast a 7k series because of vista. Gamer or not, because of the fact that it is a new computer that isn't going to have just a year or two left in life, for vista, you need atleast a nv7k or a ati1k. I have tried to get aero to work on a 6800, and it just won't do it, shader model 2 will not cut it. Personally I don't build a computer that cant run aero, even for $450 you can get a machine that will almost run aero(minus the ram).

Really grouse_3 needs to just tell what he/she will be doing with this machine before we start talking cheep/expensive gfx's....

[skool h8r]

Originally Posted by captinhector

I have tried to get aero to work on a 6800, and it just won't do it, shader model 2 will not cut it.

The 6800 is SM3. If it has FP16 HDR support, then it's SM3.

Personally, if you're not a gamer, the system seems worth it. But if you wanna game, go for a better graphics card. Why spend more than you need to?

Also, it depends whether you are buying the PC, or trying to work out a price for it (e.g. need money for something else). Also, if you're buying, then what do you plan to use the system for?

I bult my current system for about £600, but i bought a lot of the stuff last january when prices were high. Plus there's the whole tax thing here in the UK. I started with a £30 graphics card that did it's job at the time, and then i upgraded components in the order i thought was best (RAM first, from 512Mb to 1Gb), then i added a new graphics card a few months later when i could afford to (from 6200TC to 7600GT). Then just this January, i upgraded my CPU (From 3200+ to X2 4600+). Then last month, i upgraded my RAM again (From 1Gb to 2Gb). In order to upgrade the RAM, i had to sell the 1Gb and buy the 2Gb. It was a matter of getting perfect timing (selling old kit and buying new kit).

So as you can see, most of us started with low-end rigs, and a lot of us have, over time, built that "beige box office PC" into "Power hungry Monster Gaming Rigs". Even i could do it, even though after February last year i was only on £100 a month for my job. I quit in January this year and even now, i'm still reaping the benefits of the money they owed me (by selling that RAM, and saving bit by bit).

So as you can see, even going for a low end PC pays out in the end.

[Pitch]

I go through hardware like Guitar Strings.

And they normally end up like the strings too. Snapped and twisted.

[captinhector]

Originally Posted by skool h8r

The 6800 is SM3. If it has FP16 HDR support, then it's SM3.

I just flopped a xfx 7300 I had in there and it just worked..... Just personal experience there.

Did you get it to work with aero? All I was saying was that I couldn't get it to work w/Vista aero.

[grouse_3]

Hey thanx every1 i think i might get it i just didn't want 2 get ripped off because the pc is a factory rebuild, and i wont b using it for much gaming just for party poker for example. I will b mainly using it for downloading and burning.

[aghastpumpkin]

Then I would think a 6600GT is sufficient. Though you might experience low FPS during particularly intensive games of Poker.

[captinhector]

Originally Posted by grouse_3

Hey thanx every1 i think i might get it i just didn't want 2 get ripped off because the pc is a factory rebuild, and i wont b using it for much gaming just for party poker for example. I will b mainly using it for downloading and burning.

Just make sure it's got a good warranty, the re-builds are meant to last around 1 year..... or at least the few that I have seen have.

[Azriel]

no, it's in no way even close to worth that price.

[Favu]

Originally Posted by aghastpumpkin

Then I would think a 6600GT is sufficient. Though you might experience low FPS during particularly intensive games of Poker.

Meh CS:Source runs at 1600x1200 with mine... all settings low except for 2x AA and 4x AF