Quixotic Evil

Choosing the System (Not the Same System)

2007-09-14

This time it's about computers. I'm considering buying a new one.

My desktop has a poor graphics card and no PCIe slots. It has plenty of RAM (for Windows XP, at least) but a P4 at just over 3GHz is very much yesterday's processor. I was hesitant to upgrade, but now my Better Half might be after a desktop (and my current one is more than adequate for her requirements) so I might have an excuse to replace it.

Although I don't plan to buy for a few months (until I've seen the specs for Age of Conan, I expect), I've been looking at components and doing some maths. When next I come to look at it I'll probably be after equivalent items, rather than getting better prices on the same components.

Anyway, speaking in today's terms, what does anyone think of this:

Intel Core 2 Quad (Q6600) processor: 2.4GHz clock, 1066MHz bus.
4 GB (2x2GB) RAM at 800MHz. Or maybe 2GB but faster, and I'll get more later if need be.
A GeForce 8800GTS graphics card, with 512MB or 640MB RAM.
Some motherboard: not too bothered which provided it supports the processor and the RAM.
A DVD writer, a generic 650W PSU (or thereabouts), a relatively quiet case (like I care which), a couple of smallish HDDs (only 160GB or so: HDDs are stupidly big now) which I'd be tempted to stripe, etc.
MS Windows Vista Ultimate. Choosing between playing with the Business gubbins (and getting experience of them years before my employer gets any Vista machines) and having the media centre stuff is just too hard. I think I've decided I don't need a full box license, so I'll arrange an OEM copy.

Comments

Dragon wrote:

Don't skimp on the motherboard!

One thing you probably want to make sure you add to that list is a case cooler. I'll mail you some specs from that magazine I was recommending.

2007-09-14 13:50:20

QE wrote:

Thanks, Dragon.

Case cooling? I just threw a couple of extra case fans in the current one: I suppose I could use a better CPU cooler, maybe even put better heat sinks on the bridges, but I don't want to become some sort of water-cooled anorak. Between the water supply, the central heating and the washing machine I have plenty of untrustworthy-looking sources of potential leaks in my house as it is, thanks.

I wasn't planning to skimp on the motherboard, but I'm not an overclocker so my main concern is getting something with verified support for all my other components, plenty of room for future expansion, and either having many customer testimonies proclaiming decent stability and reliability or a manufacturer name that gives me that impression.

I suppose those things between them are significant requirements. Certainly I wasn't going for a cheap MoBo for the sake of taking Ł50 off an Ł800+ machine.

2007-09-14 14:08:21

Pete wrote:

"a couple of smallish HDDs (only 160GB or so..."

This makes me feel really old. I'm still one of those people who defines "smallish" as 20GB.

2007-09-14 14:32:10

QE wrote:

You feel old? It only seems like a year or two ago that a 20GB HDD would have been small: certainly I remember when 1.5GB was big (and if anything is going to make people feel old, it's the fact that I don't really remember them any smaller than that).

If I look around a bit too hard I can probably find a couple of machines in the office with sub-GB hard drives.

When I first started talking about this to some folks on a forum, the '160GB is small' comment was accompanied by a shocked emoticon. Unfortunately I don't have one here.

2007-09-14 15:13:20

Matt wrote:

Get a Mac. Pro. Cool.

2007-09-17 19:42:16

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Choosing the System (Not the Same System)

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Dragon wrote:

QE wrote:

Pete wrote:

QE wrote:

Matt wrote:

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