[muckshifter]

The main reason we choose AMD over Intel … is price … another is versatility. You get more “bang-for-bucks” with an AMD

With an AMD MB you can start with a Duron (cut-down CPU as is Intel’s Celeron) and plonk in an Athlon later. Intel keep moving the goal posts then you need to buy a new MB.

Your AMD system will take the next generation CPU from AMD.

The Intel will need a new MB/memory/CPU.

[muckshifter]

Here's one last thing to think about...AMD/Intel will produce a batch of, say 1000 processors and test them to see how many blow up at what speed...say 20 explode at 2.0Mhz, but they all coped fine at 1.8Mhz...so they call them 1.8MHz chips. Then, they make another batch of chips in exactly the same way, but this time, they all seem to run fine at 2MHz..so they decide that these are the 2.0MHz chips and therefore charge you more for them. In fact, one person's 1.8MHz CPU is probably exactly the same as someone else's 2.0MHz CPU...it's just that one came from a batch that survived longer! The real kicker is that the guy who has the 1.8 chip can probably get away with overclocking it far more than the guy who paid extra for the 2MHz chip!!

A little of "an old wives tale" that one 1nteger. There's a little more to it than that.

[1nteger]

LOL...I'd never get a job in the IT industry m8!! I've always assumed that there's more to the process than the way i described it, or the chip makers would have gone out of business long ago. But like all old wive's tales, there's a core of truth in there somewhere...or is it that they hold a batch of chips at the top of a flight of stairs and chuck 'em down...the ones that land farthest down are rated 1.8's and the ones higher up as 2.0's?

Any light you can shed would be most welcome mucks!

[Milan]

This has been really helpful.

I think I'm going to go down the road of building my own AMD base PC. I hope its as easy as you make it out to be.

Where would you suggest getting all the bits from? Just CCL or other places too?

Is there anything that I have forgotten from the spec above?

Also wht are your comments on the spec below0 I do also want to edit digital video from my miniDV camera.

ELITE 8x System PC
Motherboard:ASUS A7V8X
Processor:AMD Athlon 2400 XP
Memory:512MB PC2700 DDR DIMMS
Hard Drive:120GB UDMA 100 7200RPM HD
CD/DVD-ROM Drive:52x24x52 CD-ReWriter Buffer Under-run Proof
Backup Drive:No CD-ReWriter
Graphics Card:ATI Radeon 9500 PRO 8x, 128MB DDR, TV OUT, DVI
Sound Card:6 Channel Sound Card O/B
Modem:10/100 Ethernet Card and 56K V.92 Modem
Floppy Drive:3.5" 1.44MB floppy drive
Case:ATX Super Midi tower case
Monitor:No Monitor
Keyboard:Microsoft Internet Keyboard
Mouse:Microsoft Intelli Mouse
Speakers:No Speakers
Printer:none
Scanner:none
TV Cards:none
Operating System:Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Software:none
Warranty:12 Months RTB Hardware Warranty, Parts and Labour

This one came to about £853.

[muckshifter]

There is only one problem with that system … Windows 2000. I really do advise you stick with Windows XP Pro.

If you can get all you need from one vendor then if, I say IF anything goes wrong it’ll be easier for you to swap-out.

The ATI Radeon 9500 PRO should have no problem with your camera.

[1nteger]

I'd definitely go for an Asus mobo, but the A7N8X (which has the nVidia chipset) rather than the A7V8X (Which uses the VIA chipset)...the A7N tends to come out a little better in the reviews I've seen and it would be my mobo of choice if I were upgrading now...(but that's because i use an nVidia graphics card so the compatibility should be better)

CD/DVD combo drive? Personally I like to buy seperates so that I always have a backup for troubleshooting...(I also just like having lots of drives poking out the front of my case!). For the price, is it worth just having the single drive...especially if you're having a tower case rather than a desktop?

Win2K...I use that and have no prblems with it at all. It's tried and tested and now on Service pack 3, which means it has loads of bugs sorted out. However, I'm not familiar with XP Pro and i have been considering switching to that on my next machine...(I think you've convinced me, Muckshifter!)

[Milan]

Have either of you used this site;

http://www.romulus2.com/feedback/chart.php?1

It rates retailers. Is it credible. CCL are No. 8 in their ratings. What do you think of No.1

[1nteger]

Never seen the site before.
'Leapfrog' come out at number 1, but i've never heard of them, even though I live only a few miles away from Bolton, where they are based!

The thing to notice is that the rankings are based on average scores. Therefore, a supplier could be rated as Number 1, just by having one person rate them with a 10.

Therefore, the best way of judging a good overall score is by looking at those suppliers that maintain a high position even when a large number of votes have been cast.

On that basis, 'Komplett.co.uk' looks good, and so does 'Dabs'.

At the end of the day, you could buy from the best rated supplier and just happen to be the one customer they get it all wrong for. On the other hand, you could go to any one of them and just happen to get them when everything's going right.

From personal experience, i would avoid eBuyer because of their delivery policy. they are cheap but unreliable on delivery dates.

The best place I've used recently is 'Overclock.co.uk'. Note: These are not the same as 'Overclockers.co.uk' (who are also good). I've also never had a problem with Scan (and their 'Today Only' offers are sometimes good), and dabs (but they are one of the most expensive).