Have I chosen the right pc?

[Luis]

I'm considering the AMD 64 bit system below for use at home. My needs
are:
- Web surfing, email, newsgroups
- Graphics: Adobe Photoshop CS and my digital camera
- Programming (ASP, VB, SQL Server, Oracle, .Net, PHP)
- Audio work in Adobe Audition (vinyl to cd projects)
- Transferring some home videos to dvd
- Windows XP (I'd like to add a Linux partition at some stage)

I'm not really into games.

Considering these needs, what are the weakneses of the following
system:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 1024K 1600MT/s S754 2000MHz

Motherboard: EP8KDA3I Epox Nvidia Nforce3 250 Chipset, P-ATA, S-ATA
RAID, 6 Channel Audio, 10/100 LAN, AGP 8X, 6 PCI, 4(2) USB 2.0, 3
DDR-266/333/400 DIMM, Socket 754 1600MT/s, ATX Format

Memory: Vdata 512MB DDR-400 PC3200 DIMM Module

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 120GB 7200RPM 8MB Cache P-ATA

Graphics Card: nVidia FX5900XT AGP8X 128MB DDR RAM W/DVI, TV-OUT

DVD Writer: LG 12X DVD+R 8X DVD-R 4X DVD±RW 5X DVD-RAM Multi Writer

Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS - 24-bit 192kHz/108dB
SNR (8-Channel), 7.1 Digital Surround

Speaker System: 5.1 Channel Amplified Speaker System (12W + 2W x 5)

Case: ATX 300W front USB White/Grey Handle

Other: 1.44 Stiffy, Keyboard & Basic mouse

Thanks

 

[Dave C.]

I'm considering the AMD 64 bit system below for use at home. My needs
are:
- Web surfing, email, newsgroups
- Graphics: Adobe Photoshop CS and my digital camera
- Programming (ASP, VB, SQL Server, Oracle, .Net, PHP)
- Audio work in Adobe Audition (vinyl to cd projects)
- Transferring some home videos to dvd
- Windows XP (I'd like to add a Linux partition at some stage)

I'm not really into games.

Considering these needs, what are the weakneses of the following
system:

A) Generic power supply
B) Power Supply WAY too weak, even if it was a decent name brand
C) Goldstar DVD burner
D) Inadequate power supply
E) Not enough power (did I mention your power supply is too small and
generic?)

 

[Luis]

C) Goldstar DVD burner

Goldstar is now LG, correct?

Is it not a good burner?

 

[Ruel Smith]

I'm considering the AMD 64 bit system below for use at home. My needs
are:
- Web surfing, email, newsgroups
- Graphics: Adobe Photoshop CS and my digital camera
- Programming (ASP, VB, SQL Server, Oracle, .Net, PHP)
- Audio work in Adobe Audition (vinyl to cd projects)
- Transferring some home videos to dvd
- Windows XP (I'd like to add a Linux partition at some stage)

Athlon 64 system should work well for this.

I'm not really into games.

You don't know what you're missing... )

Considering these needs, what are the weakneses of the following
system:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 1024K 1600MT/s S754 2000MHz

Nice price/performance ratio. Good buy.

Motherboard: EP8KDA3I Epox Nvidia Nforce3 250 Chipset, P-ATA, S-ATA
RAID, 6 Channel Audio, 10/100 LAN, AGP 8X, 6 PCI, 4(2) USB 2.0, 3
DDR-266/333/400 DIMM, Socket 754 1600MT/s, ATX Format

Not really an Epox guy. I like Asus, personally.

Memory: Vdata 512MB DDR-400 PC3200 DIMM Module

Never heard of Vdata. Consider using Mushkin, Crucial, or Corsair, instead.

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 120GB 7200RPM 8MB Cache P-ATA

There's definitely nothing wrong with any Seagate Barracuda, but if
performance is your goal, consider getting the Seagate Barracuda 7200.2
SATA drive with native command queuing.

Graphics Card: nVidia FX5900XT AGP8X 128MB DDR RAM W/DVI, TV-OUT

If you're not into using any 3D, like gaming or some application like
LightWave 3D, then this is more graphics than you need. Consider something
less, like an ATI Radeon 9600 Pro card or an nVidia FX5700 card or
something. Just about any graphics card produces equal 2D graphics, these
days, and the more expensive cards just excel in 3D performance, sometimes
at the cost of the 2D performance. Actually, a Matrox Millenium card would
do just fine for 2D stuff.

DVD Writer: LG 12X DVD+R 8X DVD-R 4X DVD±RW 5X DVD-RAM Multi Writer

Why limit yourself? 16X DVD +-R drives with 4X DL and 48X CD-R/RW are widely
available and about the same money.

Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS - 24-bit 192kHz/108dB
SNR (8-Channel), 7.1 Digital Surround

Nice card. Just don't load your system up with all of the unnecessary
Creative software. Only install what you need. Creative's little gadgets
have caused many problems for my in the past.

Speaker System: 5.1 Channel Amplified Speaker System (12W + 2W x 5)

I guess sound quality isn't an issue? That speaker system seems a little
weak. I like the Logitech Z-5500.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/productlist/US/EN,crid=2172

Case: ATX 300W front USB White/Grey Handle

Consider 350W or more, and make sure it's an Antec. Don't skimp on the PSU,
even if it means buying a case without the PSU, and adding a quality Antec
PSU. Personally, I buy Antec cases to get a good case with a class leading
PSU for a great price.

 

[Ruel Smith]

Goldstar is now LG, correct?

Is it not a good burner?

There's nothing wrong with LG, but that drive is dated. 16X is the current
standard, and you can get them with the capability to burn CD's at 48X,
now. I have a quality Plextor that does all of this, and got it for less
than $100US.

Back to the LG thing... Goldstar is now LG and they make good products.

 

[Ron Joiner]

Luis wrote:




Athlon 64 system should work well for this.




You don't know what you're missing... )




Nice price/performance ratio. Good buy.




Not really an Epox guy. I like Asus, personally.




Never heard of Vdata. Consider using Mushkin, Crucial, or Corsair, instead.




There's definitely nothing wrong with any Seagate Barracuda, but if
performance is your goal, consider getting the Seagate Barracuda 7200.2
SATA drive with native command queuing.




If you're not into using any 3D, like gaming or some application like
LightWave 3D, then this is more graphics than you need. Consider something
less, like an ATI Radeon 9600 Pro card or an nVidia FX5700 card or
something. Just about any graphics card produces equal 2D graphics, these
days, and the more expensive cards just excel in 3D performance, sometimes
at the cost of the 2D performance. Actually, a Matrox Millenium card would
do just fine for 2D stuff.




Why limit yourself? 16X DVD +-R drives with 4X DL and 48X CD-R/RW are widely
available and about the same money.




Nice card. Just don't load your system up with all of the unnecessary
Creative software. Only install what you need. Creative's little gadgets
have caused many problems for my in the past.




I guess sound quality isn't an issue? That speaker system seems a little
weak. I like the Logitech Z-5500.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/productlist/US/EN,crid=2172




Consider 350W or more, and make sure it's an Antec. Don't skimp on the PSU,
even if it means buying a case without the PSU, and adding a quality Antec
PSU. Personally, I buy Antec cases to get a good case with a class leading
PSU for a great price.

NCQ is only good if the MB supports it!

Ron

 

[Mac Cool]

Luis:

Memory: Vdata 512MB DDR-400 PC3200 DIMM Module

I'm not familiar with Vdata but you don't need the aggravation of generic
memory:

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.asp?Mfr+Productline=EPoX%
2B&mfr=EPoX&cat=RAM&model=EP-8KDA3I&submit=Go

Graphics Card: nVidia FX5900XT AGP8X 128MB DDR RAM W/DVI, TV-OUT

Overkill if you're not gaming.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=322680

DVD Writer: LG 12X DVD+R 8X DVD-R 4X DVD±RW 5X DVD-RAM Multi Writer
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?DEPA=0&description=27-152-
032

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?DEPA=0&description=27-129-
157

Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS - 24-bit 192kHz/108dB
SNR (8-Channel), 7.1 Digital Surround

The Audigy is a good card but take a look at the Revolution.

Case: ATX 300W front USB White/Grey Handle

Do yourself a favor:
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=140034
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=140025
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=140033

If you want something a little spiffier:
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=371207
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=270007