PC Upgrade Recommendations (£1000 budget)

[Gareth]

what's the point in the two PCI-E slots then? With my budget, based on that system, I've got £181.98 left for improvements.

 

[Mike_182]

what's the point in the two PCI-E slots then? With my budget, based on that system, I've got £181.98 left for improvements.

You can use ATI's Crossfire.

I'm fucked if I know their strategy behind this, as ATI are now AMD anyway so they're only helping their competition, but hey!

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-000-EA&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=205

That mobo I used to have wet dreams about, they're ace and even better now I've got one!

And get some memory to match your Processor's FSB, they've got this on offer there at the moment:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-082-OC&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=817

You'll enjoy all of that...

 

[Darren S]

The motherboard isn't SLI compatible AFAIK. I don't think Intel have an SLI-capable chipset as yet? Tbh, if you can push your budget a little more look for an nForce680 based board, I prefer them!

You sure can - they've even had nForce 4 mobos in Intel & SLi combo for quite sometime. More often than not, nVidia make both an AMD and Intel spec of the same chipset - such as the 590 and the 570. Clearly, the 680i is an Intel-only option at the moment though.

Just make sure (because I'm lazy and can't arsed to check!) that the Gigabyte mobo offers true x16 on both PCI-E interfaces - effectively giving you x32 in SLi combo. Some of the older gen SLi mobos only offered one x16 and one x8 PCI-E slot.

As for your SLi question, you never get true double-performance with two cards in. A good 60-75% increase can be achieved normally - perhaps more when the game is optimised for it (like Call of Duty 2).

D.

 

[Gareth]

i think this is the same board (cheaper) :

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=491417

but the memory speeds are 1200 / 800 / 667 / 533 not 1066?

I think I may just go with the single gfx card then, but upgrade to a mobo that can support 1066 memory and get 2gb in 1066 instead. I want a QUICK machine for Windows and one that can play games WELL, but it doesn't need to be EXTREME on the graphics.

 

[thecremeegg]

Change your graphics card. For the money you've got available, definately get a 8800GTX 768Mb, or at the very least an 8800GTS 640Mb....the one you've chosen isnt as futureproof as these two, and of course a fair bit slower. With the rig your building, no point having an unnecessary slow gfx card
​

 

[Darren S]

i think this is the same board (cheaper) :

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=491417

but the memory speeds are 1200 / 800 / 667 / 533 not 1066?

I think I may just go with the single gfx card then, but upgrade to a mobo that can support 1066 memory and get 2gb in 1066 instead.

That's the best way to go, m8.

Buy a great card now and then track it's price over the next 6 months. Then nab another one when it's probably half price!

D.

 

[RSi Dave]

Reading TomsHardware, did some tests on an two SLI card v one card at the same price of the two SLI cards. Tests came up that the SLI was a better for some and worse on others. Hit and miss i suppose.

 

[Darren S]

Reading TomsHardware, did some tests on an two SLI card v one card at the same price of the two SLI cards. Tests came up that the SLI was a better for some and worse on others. Hit and miss i suppose.

I'd definitely agree with that - swings and roundabouts!

SLi is the danglies when used properly though. The other benefit of the 8800 cards (compared to my 7900GTX's) - is the support for DX10 as well.

D.

 

[RSi Dave]

all this talk has made me want a new comp now

 

[The Hoff]

Personally I think SLI and Crossfire are a complete waste of money, by the time they become common place with worthwhile performance benefits the game will have moved onto the next gimmick. Theres no software out there that will push a good rig to unplayable quality.

 

[Darren S]

Personally I think SLI and Crossfire are a complete waste of money, by the time they become common place with worthwhile performance benefits the game will have moved onto the next gimmick. Theres no software out there that will push a good rig to unplayable quality.

Not to 'unplayable' quality as such - but certainly with enough wallop to make you realise that the hardware is working overtime to run it all smoothly.

Oblivion maxed-out, outdoors and in the rain is a big resource hog - as it Supreme Commander, to name but two.

D.

 

[Gareth]

ok chaps, thanks for the advice. I'm currently looking at (for the base system):

which comes out at £722.03

with:

at £1013.29

or with:

at £1093.19

or with:

at £1121.52

so it depends on money at the end of the month.

 

[Mike_182]

The motherboard isn't SLI compatible AFAIK. I don't think Intel have an SLI-capable chipset as yet? Tbh, if you can push your budget a little more look for an nForce680 based board, I prefer them!

You sure can - they've even had nForce 4 mobos in Intel & SLi combo for quite sometime. More often than not, nVidia make both an AMD and Intel spec of the same chipset - such as the 590 and the 570. Clearly, the 680i is an Intel-only option at the moment though.

Just make sure (because I'm lazy and can't arsed to check!) that the Gigabyte mobo offers true x16 on both PCI-E interfaces - effectively giving you x32 in SLi combo. Some of the older gen SLi mobos only offered one x16 and one x8 PCI-E slot.

As for your SLi question, you never get true double-performance with two cards in. A good 60-75% increase can be achieved normally - perhaps more when the game is optimised for it (like Call of Duty 2).

D.

If you read my post I'm talking about Intel chipsets, which is listed on the motherboard he's chosen at the moment (a 965, to be specific). The chipsets you mention are all nVidia.

If you're going to correct, at least be correct:rasp:

 

[Gareth]

you may need to refresh the screen as I've re-used some of the image names on photobucket, the motherboard is now the EVGA one and the memory is 1066.

Its probably not worth going for the EVGA board thinking about it now though, if I'm not going to do SLI, then I may as well get a different board that supports 1066MHz memory, they seem thin on the ground though, the only other one I can find is an Abit, but its costs almost £220.

 

[Mike_182]

you may need to refresh the screen as I've re-used some of the image names on photobucket, the motherboard is now the EVGA one and the memory is 1066.

Its probably not worth going for the EVGA board thinking about it now though, if I'm not going to do SLI, then I may as well get a different board that supports 1066MHz memory, they seem thin on the ground though, the only other one I can find is an Abit, but its costs almost £220.

The EVGA one is top in loads of areas, including dual gigglebit LAN and high USB transfer rates compared to the Intels.

And I'd go for the OCZ memory I recommended - it's significantly cheaper and I hear nothing but good things about it - had a fairly high failure rate with Corsair stuff recently.

 

[Gareth]

ok cheers Mike, I'd like to save a bit of money where I can, its a bit more than I want to spend at the moment.

 

[JamesRT]

ok chaps, thanks for the advice. I'm currently looking at (for the base system):

which comes out at £722.03

with:

at £1013.29

or with:

at £1093.19

or with:

at £1121.52

so it depends on money at the end of the month.

I think you need a 600w PSU at least to run those new 8800 graphics cards.

 

[Gareth]

hmmm, ok, i'll need to check, thanks.

 

[JamesRT]

They are massive aswell so you should make sure they will fit in your case, I had to struggle to make mine fit.

 

[Tim-Grove]

the GTS will be fine with that PSU if your going for the GTX go for the 620corsair. and as the guy above said make sure it fits. my GTS only just fit in my coolermaster case

 

[dick]

£1000 for a pc>?!

madness
get laptops for like £500 from pc world

so probly less for pcs

 

[JamesRT]

^^ Yeah but those PC's probbaly couldn't even run pacman

 

[Gareth]

ok, I've checked the dimensions and the 620W Corsair will fit, so I'll take that.

 

[JamesRT]

ok, I've checked the dimensions and the 620W Corsair will fit, so I'll take that.

I meant make sure the graphics card fits in your case, not the PSU. The graphics cards are about 275mm long.

 

[Gareth]

ah ok, well my case will take 275mm, but thats the absolute max, so I need to try and find the length of the GTX somehow. What do you think of the GTS anyway James? Which do you have? BFG? XFX?

 

[JamesRT]

I have 2 of these...
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-035-BG&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=877

It's a beast, I assume you wanna play pc games with it?, it runs every single game I have perfectly with all the graphics turned up like Rainbow 6, Battlefield 2142 and all the other new ones.

 

[Darren S]

You sure can - they've even had nForce 4 mobos in Intel & SLi combo for quite sometime. More often than not, nVidia make both an AMD and Intel spec of the same chipset - such as the 590 and the 570. Clearly, the 680i is an Intel-only option at the moment though.

Just make sure (because I'm lazy and can't arsed to check!) that the Gigabyte mobo offers true x16 on both PCI-E interfaces - effectively giving you x32 in SLi combo. Some of the older gen SLi mobos only offered one x16 and one x8 PCI-E slot.

As for your SLi question, you never get true double-performance with two cards in. A good 60-75% increase can be achieved normally - perhaps more when the game is optimised for it (like Call of Duty 2).

D.

If you read my post I'm talking about Intel chipsets, which is listed on the motherboard he's chosen at the moment (a 965, to be specific). The chipsets you mention are all nVidia.

If you're going to correct, at least be correct:rasp:

Ah, I see what you mean.

Ok smarty-pants, if you want to nitt-pick, SLi is actually a proprietary nVidia trade-mark - so even if Intel made an 'SLi capable motherboard', they would still have to licence the technology from nVidia. That, or come up with an architecture all of their own. :rasp:

nVidia started to lock-out other manufacturer's chipsets years ago to make sure that only their drivers worked efficiently with their chipsets. Obviously there are hacks out there to get around it, but isn't that the same for most things?

D.

 

[Gareth]

I have 2 of these...
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-035-BG&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=877

It's a beast, I assume you wanna play pc games with it?, it runs every single game I have perfectly with all the graphics turned up like Rainbow 6, Battlefield 2142 and all the other new ones.

f00k me, 2!! mega £££

 

[RSi Dave]

THis seems a better HDD for only £3 more

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=345220

Not sure why but i prefer seagate

 

[Gareth]

thanks Dave, good spot.

 

[RSi Dave]

no worries mate, im gonna be upgrading soon too. This thread just pointed me down the Intel route, was gonna get an AMD but bang for buck the intels are just plain better. and the 2mb cache ones are really overclockable.

Heres what im looking at currently:

Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 1.86ghz Socket 775 FSB800 2MB cache Retail Boxed Processor

Asus P5N-E SLI NF650i SLi, S 775, PCI-E (x16), DDR2 533/667/800, SATA II, SATA RAID, ATX

2GB (2x1GB) CorsairTwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-6400 (800), 240 Pins, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 5-5-5-12

400 Gb Seagate ST3400633AS Barracuda 7200.9, SATA300, 7200 rpm, 16MB Cache, 8.2 ms, NCQ

320MB BFG Technology 8800GTS Overclocked, PCI-E, Mem 1600MHz, GPU 550MHz, 96 Streams, 2x DVI/HDTV

Pioneer DVR-111DSV Silver 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer DVD Writer (Reduced Length) OEM

Comes just under £600. shame i dont have your budget

Also that doesnt include a case and it doesnt include vista.

And the processor i would probs change to the E6300 or E6400, not sure i can afford the E6600 without compromising somewhere else, plus i would need the 680i mobo which is another £50 on top. Would mean a lower spec graphics card. ooo decisions....

 

[experi-mental 182]

It'll all be out of date in 6 months...

 

[Saner]

You might want to wait for the new ATi R600's to come out, they seem to be benching way higher than the nVidia 8800GTX and they still only test versions.

 

[RSi Dave]

It'll all be out of date in 6 months...

If you say that about technology people wouldnt ever upgrade, you dont upgrade to just have the latest stuff as there would be no point. However an upgrade should be future proof so should still be a good spec in a couple of years.

 

[Gumby]

Just a thought - if you sign up on http://www.hexus.net and get 25 posts (without spamming) in a week or two, you can get free delivery

(slap me if comeone's already said that)