Worth spending $700 to get components for a Pent. D 820?

[CMAN]

I have just got my refund check and I have $700 to spend. I'm thinking of updating/finsihing a incomplete computer I got recently. Currently I have...

Antec Sonata II case
Antec True 380W Power Supply
Intel Pentium D 820 (2.8 GHz)
Intel D945PSN Motherboard

I had researched on New Egg and could get the following and stay in budget:

2x1GB Corsair RAM (667 MHz Eff.)
320GB Seagate SATA HD
IDE Cable
SATA Cable
580W Raidmax Power Supply
Some $350ish Graphics Card

I'll be using an existing 22 or 23 inch Mitsubishi monitor I'm happy with as well as speakers, mouse, keyboard and DVD drive from the computer I'm using now.

Is it worth purchasing these with the Pentium D processor or do you guys think I'll be unhappy with the performance? I worry mostly about the graphics card and if it will be too much for the rest of the system. I'm looking at either a 8800 GTS (hopefully with 640 MB) or a lower end X2900(XT?). I usually game at 1600x1200, so I assume I can just turn the AA and AF sky high to take advantage of the snazzy graphics card. I am also going to have trouble waiting for AMD/ATI to release their card, but I'm assuming it will be a better value than the 8800 GTS.

I guess for some more background. I currenty am using a P4 3.0 GHz Northwood with 1 GB RAM and an X700 (my 6800GT was killed in the move last summer ).

Do you guys think it's worth it or should I just buy a bicycle to exercise and have fun and spend the rest on housecrap or maybe Wii games?

 

[AlNom]

Well, I think the main thing is to get a motherboard that leaves you open to upgrade to a Core 2 in the future. The D820 is nothing to really be awed about and it'll definitely be a limit for an 8800GTS.

 

[CMAN]

Does anyone know if I can use 800 Mhz DDR2 on this motherboard so I do not have to buy new memory in the future?

I figured I'd get a graphics card that would be able to "grow" with a Core2 processor and Mobo in the future when they decrease in price.

Or should I just get a less expensive card like a X1900 XT and upgrade everything down the road? (I'd also get a less expensive power supply and maybe only 1 GB or RAM then).

 

[Skrying]

I would go for it. The system will grow along with you. As you mentioned yourself, you can later on grab a motherboard and Core 2 Duo and get a good upgrade without much cost once prices come down just a wee bit more (The E4300 is actually really cheap right now, don't know how much cheaper they'll go for to long).

I would highly suggest you not go with a Raidmax power supply, btw. Suggest getting something of much more substance such as a Antec, Seasonic, Corsair, OCZ, etc.

I would also imagine the motherboard would simply downclock the memory, just make sure it can supply needed voltage or at least you have BIOS access to change it if needed.

 

[Blazkowicz]

I'd say, yay get a bicycle. you might as well spend the ($700 - bicyle_price) on your PC, but with a cheap graphics card (maybe X1650XT as a nice stop gap). then you can sell the old parts (there are still people liking the northwood and paying well on ebay,I don't understand it much but if they like it..)

yes the pentium D 820 is a bit crap, but mainly because of the heat imo. you can replace it later with a C2D or C2Q, after the price cuts and new models. shouldn't that mobo be compatible? or I'm confused about the dozens intel chipset.
The second core still means it may be useful sometimes (even in some new games)


(BTW if the mobo has to be changed, well by then you'll be able to choose between Intel C2D and AMD K8L)

 

[CMAN]

The motherboard does not support C2D chips even though the chipset supports them.

I was also looking at a 550W Sunbeam power supply. Is it any better than the Raidmax? I think for a tiny pit more money there was a 500W Antec power supply, but I didn't know if 500W would be enough. Granted, I wouldn't be having a multi-GPU system.

I was watching the Crysis/Crytek2 videos last night, and that is why I think I will go for a new computer. I'll need to afford the bike some other way.

Thanks for all the help so far!

 

[Skrying]

Depends on the model Sunbeam. The NUUO series is a great PSU, I personally have the 550W model. However I would highly recommend you stay away from the others, as they are from a different OEM and of much lower quality. Last I looked Sunbeam no longer carried the NUUO model.

It is certainly worth spending the extra bit on a quality PSU.

 

[CMAN]

I was actually looking at the 550W NUUO model, but it has disappeared off of New Egg since I looked at it. I'm wishing I had pulled the trigger on that when I saw it, but I didn't think it would disappear.

Oh well....

Should I wait for ATI's cards to come out or just get an 8800 GTS....? If the 8800 GTS wasn't so much slower than the GTX it wouldn't be such a hard decision.

 

[Skrying]

Wait. I know, I know, waiting sucks big time. But in this case I honestly believe it will be worth your time. You really do not want to lay down the cash and then a month later have AMD release a card that is more powerful. Or a month later prices drop by a large amount, etc. Sure, people say waiting in computers is pointless, there's always something better, etc. That's BS, there is a right time to buy and so close to the AMD launch I personally don't think now is the right time.

 

[CMAN]

I agree with you Skyring. I'm just venting and complaining. That's all.

 

[swaaye]

Wait. I know, I know, waiting sucks big time. But in this case I honestly believe it will be worth your time. You really do not want to lay down the cash and then a month later have AMD release a card that is more powerful. Or a month later prices drop by a large amount, etc. Sure, people say waiting in computers is pointless, there's always something better, etc. That's BS, there is a right time to buy and so close to the AMD launch I personally don't think now is the right time.

Well, it is a couple months away yet. And, there's no guarantee availability will be good or even the performance. AND, you can always sell and upgrade for only a few $$ lost. Those lower 8800s are becoming nicely priced, and they are known quantities with excellent performance and image quality.

I'd just go for it. Life is short. And yes, waiting in the PC world is usually a waste of time.

Stay away from Vista too, IMO.

 

[CMAN]

Well, it is a couple months away yet. And, there's no guarantee availability will be good or even the performance. AND, you can always sell and upgrade for only a few $$ lost. Those lower 8800s are becoming nicely priced, and they are known quantities with excellent performance and image quality.

I'd just go for it. Life is short. And yes, waiting in the PC world is usually a waste of time.

Stay away from Vista too, IMO.

Unfortunately, Vista is the only OS I have available to load on the machine. As I won't be retiring my current PC, I can't use XP off of it. That is another reason I'm not in too much of a hellfire hurry to purchase everything. Plus I'm hoping time will let prices decrease some. I think I 'll purchase in May, but we'll see.

 

[Skrying]

Well, it is a couple months away yet. And, there's no guarantee availability will be good or even the performance. AND, you can always sell and upgrade for only a few $$ lost. Those lower 8800s are becoming nicely priced, and they are known quantities with excellent performance and image quality.

I'd just go for it. Life is short. And yes, waiting in the PC world is usually a waste of time.

Stay away from Vista too, IMO.

By lower 8800s are you referring to the 320MB? I'm staying away from such cards, recent games such as STALKER and others are showing that the power available to the card gets hampred by its lack of memory. Not something I want to invest in at all.

Waiting in the PC world is not a waste of money. If you have some clue as to when a card will be launching then why go out the next day and purchase another that in one or two months only will be surpassed or cause the current cards price to drop a bit? You shouldn't. There are cycles in the PC market, we all know this, work your way around them.

Vista is great, IMO. Besides some issues my general performance has never been better and I've yet to experience a smoother operating experience in any OS, be it XP or a wide range of Linux distros I've experimented with. Unless you have an older component that you know doesn't have the needed drivers then I'd personally go for it.

 

[swaaye]

By lower 8800s are you referring to the 320MB? I'm staying away from such cards, recent games such as STALKER and others are showing that the power available to the card gets hampred by its lack of memory. Not something I want to invest in at all.

Yeah I wouldn't buy one of those either. An option for now could be a GTS and go with a trade up ebay sale in a few months. Might as well have fun as soon as possible.

Waiting in the PC world is not a waste of money. If you have some clue as to when a card will be launching then why go out the next day and purchase another that in one or two months only will be surpassed or cause the current cards price to drop a bit? You shouldn't. There are cycles in the PC market, we all know this, work your way around them.

Cuz there is always something a few months away. Always. And you never know if it will be the next NV30 or not be in stock for 2 more months after that.

Vista is great, IMO. Besides some issues my general performance has never been better and I've yet to experience a smoother operating experience in any OS, be it XP or a wide range of Linux distros I've experimented with. Unless you have an older component that you know doesn't have the needed drivers then I'd personally go for it.

I've yet to comes up with a really good reason to use the OS. I run Vista 64-bit Business at work and it has basically turned a C2D 6300 on GMA950 w/ 1gig into a hard drive grinding disaster. Either its swapping out crap it has loaded RAM up with or its indexing stuff. It rarely stops. With a Raptor, all that noise is kinda nauseating lol. That machine was way way faster on XP and, well, there's nothing amazingly wonderful about Vista's gadgets IMO. UAC is going to make me pull my hair and and run screaming onto the highway eventually. (and no, forcing it off isn't a real option).

The only really productivity-boosting offering I can think of is the new photo manipulation stuff in the photo viewer. That is great as we work with hundreds of photos per day at work and it cuts down the steps dramatically over 3rd party software.

I see myself running XP for games and home stuff probably for many months to come. At least until Audigy 2 can do audio as good as in XP and NVIDIA makes superior drivers. I don't see crippling my gaming capabilities as an exciting proposition.

 

[Blazkowicz]

I play the waiting game as it's a good excuse for not spending money on the computer. it has bited me on hard drives though, I've been waiting for perpendicular hitachi for so long, my 120GB died out of warranty before I had a replacement. and a 250GB at 70 euros, even faster than my former 180GXP, is not such as bad deal.

 

[CMAN]

Has anyone tried the EVGA Step Up program? I'm halfway tempted to get one of their cards, and just upgrade if something comes out much better from Nvidia in the next 90 days (like a 8900 GTS with more shaders and a higher bandwidth bus). I keep thinking the 8800 GTS isn't as quick as it should be for it's price (compared to the GTX), but I keep seeing prices drop at New Egg and there are some inticing rebates at the moment.

In addition, I'm looking at the Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-500. It has 36A across two 12V rails. Since the GTS asks for 450W with 30A across all 12V rails, I'm assuming this power supply is enough. I've always had good luck with Antec power supplies. Is there SmartPower 2.0 line still good? Thanks!