DIY PC Spec
-
look at those brochures from dell or acer or other brands n see their most ex pc's specs can liao...
-
Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
hmm mi still lost hahaa.. anyway.. did some reading..... so core 2 duo also 64bit now right? but not core or core duo right?? like i said.. long long never play with pc already.. last time i remember only AMD using 64bit design... so now intel also using lah.. and all future one right? ..... ok.. so if i am using core 2 duo.. that my xp also dun need to be xp64bit u were trying to say right? 32bit also ok ok... tio bo??what other part u suggest?? anyway... 22" lcd monitor... can use for wii or ps3?? what should i look out for if i wan to do that? .. my tv down for few mths already.. dun plan to buy yet... but thinking to pay wii or ps3 in future maybe
The name of the processor is actually also Core...the "duo" is just a subtag to indicate how many core. Core 2 is the sucessor to Core.
Yup, Core 2 is now true 64bit.
No.no.no. You do not need to have 64bit OS for 64bit processor. The 64 bit processors can run in 32bits too.It's just that in 64bit environment the dual core processor will run a little better.
22" monitor - to connect it to the Wii or the Xbox 360, im not sure if Wii does have a VGA cable available but Xbox 360 does have a VGA HD Cable for you to connect to the monitor with comparable quality(some even compare it to the stock Component HD cable)
However, should u get the Xbox 360 Elite with HDMI output,u can look for certain monitors with HDMI input, an example which i know is the Acer P243W.it's a little pricey at $600+ so if u dont want to spend that amount, i recommend u stick with the VGA HD cable for Xbox 360.
A 3rd but rare option if for you to get a monitor with composite/component output as with LCD TV.I think this kind of monitor is very rare and most likely is those lousy ulu brand one.
Please note that if u buy a LCD TV, the pixel density is much lesser so u have to mantain a nominal viewing distance(abt 5-10feet depending on size).If u see too closely u end up having the screen door effect which can be irratating
-
Originally posted by ceecookie:
The name of the processor is actually also Core...the "duo" is just a subtag to indicate how many core. Core 2 is the sucessor to Core.
Yup, Core 2 is now true 64bit.
No.no.no. You do not need to have 64bit OS for 64bit processor. The 64 bit processors can run in 32bits too.It's just that in 64bit environment the dual core processor will run a little better.
22" monitor - to connect it to the Wii or the Xbox 360, im not sure if Wii does have a VGA cable available but Xbox 360 does have a VGA HD Cable for you to connect to the monitor with comparable quality(some even compare it to the stock Component HD cable)
However, should u get the Xbox 360 Elite with HDMI output,u can look for certain monitors with HDMI input, an example which i know is the Acer P243W.it's a little pricey at $600+ so if u dont want to spend that amount, i recommend u stick with the VGA HD cable for Xbox 360.
A 3rd but rare option if for you to get a monitor with composite/component output as with LCD TV.I think this kind of monitor is very rare and most likely is those lousy ulu brand one.
Please note that if u buy a LCD TV, the pixel density is much lesser so u have to mantain a nominal viewing distance(abt 5-10feet depending on size).If u see too closely u end up having the screen door effect which can be irratating
ok got the core 2 duo thing... also got the xp64bit thing.. that mean dun need it lah as the different is only abit compare to xp32bit..
ok then for monitor.. try to get one with HDMI the best right?? what about other spec?? need to care?
and mi looking for a lcd monitor lah.. not lcd tv so should be ok to close close look at it right???
ok.. what about other part?? ram? mobo? psu? any good one to intro? thanks .... actually each core 2duo is good?? as in value for money.. not super new.. but not outdated too..
-
why do want to use a 64bit os? alot of things cannot support leh... anyway now xpsp3 can read up to 4gb ram...
-
Originally posted by Hanagata:
why do want to use a 64bit os? alot of things cannot support leh... anyway now xpsp3 can read up to 4gb ram...
hai meh?? really?? i go research... -
Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
ok got the core 2 duo thing... also got the xp64bit thing.. that mean dun need it lah as the different is only abit compare to xp32bit..
ok then for monitor.. try to get one with HDMI the best right?? what about other spec?? need to care?
and mi looking for a lcd monitor lah.. not lcd tv so should be ok to close close look at it right???
ok.. what about other part?? ram? mobo? psu? any good one to intro? thanks .... actually each core 2duo is good?? as in value for money.. not super new.. but not outdated too..
In addition to the HDMI ports, be careful to check the contrast ratio,response time and resolution.The latter two is the most important ones - response time measure how fast the pixels can react to the image(something like that).
A slow response time means that fast action scene(i.e soccer match) there will be ghosting and trailing because the pixels cannot catch up with the speed of the video speed.Thats why this is also very impt for LCD TV,though Plasma take the lead here due to it's technoloy.
Anyway, if you are a extreme gamer, pick a monitor with 2ms response time - its can do you well during extreme gaming scenes,while if you just want average/good everyday performance,a 5ms is acceptable.Be careful not to buy from 3rd Tier brands(ulu,unheard and lousy quality) because they are not as good as the 1st Tier(Acer,Samsung etc) brands.
In fact i heard certain 3rd tier brands even got their lcd screens(just the screen) from the 1st tier brands when the particular batch of lcd is defective or does not pass the stringent quality control. The warranty terms is also not as good.
For Resolution,try to take full HD resolution of 1920x1200.Yes that is not "exactly" full HD because there's an extra 120pixels but they will be divided into two black bar top and bottom should u view HD contents.If this is not possible, the 2nd best quality is 1680x1050. Gone are the day of XGA and WXGA resolution because that is only for LCD TV now
4GB RAM should be suitable for now due to limitation of 32bits XP unless you want to use Vista.2x2GB sticks recommended for dual channel,something that theoretically improve performance.
I suggest you approach someone else for help(particulary HWZ's Hardware section) because i do not know much about motherboards.But with all the high-end parts,a 500W PSU is recommend.Scrimp on this essential part and risk a fire anyday during high workload
There's many variant of Core 2, each targeting each segment of the market. Low end variants include the Allendale E4 series and E6 lower end series while main stream are the Wolfdale E7/8 series(as said in the previous post) and highend one is the Quad Core Q series.
Yes,virtually each of them is better,and newer one is getting better by the years.
-
Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
hai meh?? really?? i go research...Other than reading the actual RAM used,it has no effect whatsoever.
-
64 bit some software and games cannot support wor~
-
Originally posted by hiphop2009:
64 bit some software and games cannot support wor~
And thats why i recommend doing homework, a.k.a reading up before buying 64bit.
And anyway, >4GB RAM is not really necessary for home usage unless ur running a server there
-
top up ur budget, get a 9800gx2
4gb ram is abit overkill, but im on 4gb
useful cos i open alot of ram intensive programs
and running vista, 4gb ram provides alot of elbow space
-
Ok ok.. after more research with all u guys advice.....below is my draft spec... pls advice, comment and anything lah..... how much u think this will cost mi?? haha
Intel core 2 duo E8400 .... or should i get E8300 or E8200? ... Quad not worth it yet right?
XFX 8800GT 512MB .....or should i get 1GB? alpha dog or zalman any different? or any other brand? MSI? Leadtek?
320GB SATA .... or is it SATA II nowadays? any brand to intro?
22" monitor... should need HDMI if I wan to watch HD tv in future right? and any brand? .. actually 22" can be Full HD? or need 24" and above?
Sound card just a built in one will do, should get a subwoofer right? any to intro?
XP32bit ..... home? pro? or business? which one better?
2GB DDR2-800 ....XP SP3 can support more than 2GB ram? u guys saying cant have 4gb if using xp 32bit right? this one.. no special brand right? all about the same right?
PSU 500W enough?? or need more? any brand?
DVD/CD .. just a cheap one will do...
Casing ... coolermaster?
so left with a mobo... any intro? .. GigaLan got use??
planning to use it for game, watch future HD tv programme, multi task... especially watching alot of different AV at the same time...
-
Unable to support 4GB does not means it cannot accomodate the RAM.The limit is around 3.25GB and it is up to you if you need the extra 1.25GB of RAM.
Get a mainstream sound card(integrated is fine but at least Intel HD) but for the actual speakers, there are many variety of 2.1ch speakers that depend on your budget.For a good one allocate about $100+ for it,while if u want a budget one u can get the Altec Lansing ATP3 for $60-$70 but provide good bass and sound.
-
Originally posted by ceecookie:
Unable to support 4GB does not means it cannot accomodate the RAM.The limit is around 3.25GB and it is up to you if you need the extra 1.25GB of RAM.
Get a mainstream sound card(integrated is fine but at least Intel HD) but for the actual speakers, there are many variety of 2.1ch speakers that depend on your budget.For a good one allocate about $100+ for it,while if u want a budget one u can get the Altec Lansing ATP3 for $60-$70 but provide good bass and sound.
what about all the other part??? ok bo? -
oh ya... with the new release of 9800GTX+ how long do u think i have to wait b4 the price will drop for 8800GT?? u think can wait? or wait long long also dun have?
-
Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):
what about all the other part??? ok bo?Sorry for the short reply,was busy so didnt have time.
For the Optical Disc Drive,as DVD Drive is very widespread and common on Personal Computer, it would be of good logic and sense to go for a DVD-RW Optical Disc Drive.Be sure to look out for the "-RW" indicator on the DVD Drive as this would means that it is a geunine DVD Re-writer and not a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive which is now obsolote and if u are not careful can be cheated by Sim Lim shops.
It is ok to go for a Quad-Core Processor but do ask yourself if you need the extra processing power over the Dual Core variant.Quad Core is best for extreme multimedia and extreme gaming so if you're not to that, a Wolfdale is fine(unless of course,u have money to get rid of)
Consider only the Yorkfield Q9 series and not the older Kentsfield Q6 series as that is the older 65nm model and cannot compete with the 45nm Wolfdale.
The only difference(at least to me) for the different Wolfdale varients is that of the different clock speed and the tied multiplier.Do not consider the E8190 and the E8500 as that is the "budget" version without Virtualization Technology while the latter,though top of the line is not worth the costly price difference for a mere clock speed difference of 133Mhz.
Since you are DIY-ing the PC,the Wolfdale processor would be then multiplier unlocked so what i advice is to buy a E8300 and overclock to the clock speed that of the E8400's.It seem the price of the 82 and 83 is the same so i assume they phased out the E82- model?
Another thing, there seems to be rumours of heat issue in the Wolfdale processor so do monitor your Wolfdale's temp and invest in a good cooling system(or a HSF,whichever up to you) to prevent overheating.
XP Professional is the way to go, Home is hardly enough for the IT savvy.For some reason, i noticed that XP contains less Video Codecs and decoder(maybe not) than Windows Vista which make DVD-playback in the PC more troublesome.
Yes,you will need HDMI to watch HD content(take note of the resolution too) since there's no Component for monitors.Im not sure which brand does have HDMI output for 22" and should u want to watch HD content in future,u need a Set-Top-Box with HDMI output(pretty common) to recieve the channel.
Also common in mainstream and high end PC is large HDD sizes amounting to 500GB-1TB so i advice u get a HDD capacity of that range.Buy too small a HDD and u may regret in future when ur HDD get maxed by the number of HD clips,movies,dramas etc etc inside.
Im afraid you have to approach someone else for the graphic card as i do not have much knowledge on it.
And obviously with all the juicy and powerful parts in your PC, a 500W or more PSU will definally be required.In fact,just having a Nvidia 8800GT on a normal PC requires that wattage for safety reason according to a expert who came to my poly for a speech. -
ok got it on the DVD part...i will try to get one.. but will not go for those super drive or whatever..just a cheap normal one.. dun plan to write or burn alot of things.. just wan to read...
got it on the Quad thing too.. and nope no money to burn.. so that mean willl stick to core 2 duo....
and ya E83 and E82.. same speed.. ..so maybe like u say.. will get E83 then overclock when needed...
As for heat.... will using coolermaster casting help? or need to use other cooler??...
ok will get XP Pro.... as long as it's not vista...
ya so have to find one with HDMI lor..maybe more ex.... my side no HD programme yet so i still can wait b4 i got a HD tuner box..
as for HDD.. i plan to get extra when i need in future lor.. HDD is getting cheaper everyday.. and everything in 1 HDD.. i got too many sad experience with HDD dying on me.. so dun trust big disk anymore..
as for PSU.. so how much u think it better? 650W? or what?
GPU u dunno ar?.. then my question on price drop after 9800GTX+ u also cant answer right? sighz.. anyone know? should i wait??
-
PSU the more wattage the better,but do note the necessity of having a too large a wattage PSU and the increasing power consumption!
Casing does not influence much on the heat dissapation, what matters most is a effiecent fan and a good HSF.
GPU - suggest you ask the IT geeks at HWZ's Hardware Zone, they do know a good deal about the beforementioned products.
-
anyone else with comments? GPU can? whole spec ok? mobo?
-
hmm
if u are getting for gaming, for now it is good for core 2 duo, but heard that newer games are optimized for quadcore
crysis is already optimized for quadcore, gace driver grid's minimal requirement is core 2duo
GPU u can get 9800gtx or gx2.
-
Hey guys I was googling and found this helpful post!
I have a question for anyone who can give a bit of advice here.
I want to get the intel core 2 quad but the game I play UT99 goty cheat protection rejects 64bit systems and kicks/bans. So I need to use 32bit xp or vista32bit if there is one. Does anyone know how a 32bit xp windows software runs on a 64bit core 2 quad system?And also would this affect the performance of the machine?Any advice appreciated. Thanks!
-
hmm
since this is the pc spec thread
hokays, i'll ask a question of my own
im planning to insert a ASUS EAH3870 into my HP m7390d PC.
i have a few questions regarding this:
will my motherboard be able to support such a powerful graphic card? my pc's 2 years old as of june 08, the mobo's a ASUS P5LP-LE aka LITHIUM
how big a power supply will i need if i am coupling this upgrade tgt with an extra 2gb's of ddr2 ram (533, abit slow i know..)
-
OEM motherboard is not designed for aftermarket modification so there's no guarantee of sucess.
And please,stick to original TS's post.Other questions - other threads
-
ok new question.. hehe.... so what is the diff between dual DVI and HDMI... always read it for GPU and Monitor.... if it dun come with HDMI... only with DVI.. then got anyway to convert it to HDMI too...and lost in quality?
-
If u are talking about graphic card, i tink when they put dual DVI, HDMI, it mean 2 dvi outputs, 1 HDMI output. in the box, there would be converters from dvi to vga, or dvi to hdmi.
They are called dongles
my ATI radeon HD3870x2 comes with 3 dvi, 1 HDMI, 1 S-video output on board, and on the box they say:"triple DVI, HDMI"
And HDMI comes with cable, if u ar talking about the nvidia graphics card, i heard that the HDMI dongle does not support audio, and the ati HD series ones support audio out of the HDMI, 1080p
-
TS might wanna look at the E7200 or the E8400 Processor, coupled with a ATi4850
which cost so freaking cheap like 279$ same price as a new 9600gt. Cheap than a
8800Gt.
Board,i no idea. depends on your needs,Rams i prefer Corsair XM2. Crucial Tracers.
Some add ons/info on 4850,some brands come packed with DVI to HMDI adapter.
4850 DDR3 Core is lower than 4870 DDR3. The rest like transistors and memory is the same.
So,what the hell is TS waiting for? =D