Critique my FragBox II configuration

BLUEFRAG · Jul 13, 2006

I originally posted this on another site but I want your opinions too..

I am buying a FragBox II from Falcon Northwest. I've been thinking about it for a while and have been on the phone with Falcon, and the config for the system I plan on getting is:

FragBox II / FragBox Logo
Windowed Side Panels for Fragbox Chassis
Silverstone600Watt P/S W/short cable kit
EVGA Nforce Micro-ATX SLI Motherboard
AMD Athlon64 3800+ Dual Core
Zalman CNPS7000LED ALCU (AMD)
PC3200DDR 2048MB (2PCS 1024)
(Single) nVidia GeForce 7950 GX2 1024MB
FA404 Int. USB2.0 Flash Media/Floppy
No Raid
Western Digital 250GB 16MB Cache SATAII
Lite-On 16X Dual Layer DVD+-/RW
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Integrated On-Board Audio
3-Year Parts and Labor

I know my CPU is probably my weakest link, but I plan on upgrading that to a 4400+ or so a while after the price drops. Any comments on my system? Keep in mind that I can't spend much more money...

BLUEFRAG · Jul 13, 2006

"EVGA Nforce Micro-ATX SLI Motherboard" <- This is my only Mobo choice becuase of the SFF of the case, so that limits some of my choices, such as no Intel CPUs

BLUEFRAG · Jul 14, 2006

eh?

And is the 939 socket just completly dead? I don't know a whole lot about AM2

-Thanks

infinitevalence · Jul 14, 2006

if you cant spent much money why are you getting a computer that uses off teh shelf components from a manufacter? everythign they list you can get better and cheaper somewhere else.

BLUEFRAG · Jul 14, 2006

I said I cant spend much more money. And what about the socket 939?

infinitevalence · Jul 14, 2006

how much are you spending? Because im sure we can come up with a better computer for a lot less or spend the same amount and get a better one.

As for 939 its a fine socket but i dont see any reason not to get an AM2 board.

BLUEFRAG · Jul 14, 2006

Do you know of any SLI MATX mobos that support AM2? Because the reason I don't have AM2 is becuase the EVGA Nforce Micro-ATX SLI Motherboard is 939... hmm

Yuriman · Jul 14, 2006

Do you need SLI? What monitor do you have? If you won't be running above 1600x1200, you can find a single card that will easily max out any game and won't have to waste colossal amounts of money on SLI. The PC in my signature can max out any game I own at 1600x1200 (not all with AA, but there are better video cards) and the total price is around $850 without the processor. (there is going to be a huge price drop soon, so I didn't add that)

EDIT: I just configured a similar PC on their site, and they estimate $2900, without monitor/mouse/keyboard/speakers

Yuriman · Jul 14, 2006

You might want to look at building a PC based on this barebones, if you want to go SFF.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16856101004

You would need a video card with a 1 slot cooler if you wanted to put a nice sound card in, meaning a 7900GT would probably be the fastest you could put in it right now, but you'll find it PLENTY fast as long as you aren't running rediculous resolutions. It has 4 DDR2 slots, which is very uncommon in a PC this small (probably 1/4 the size of the Fragbox II) and room for plenty of hard drives.

BLUEFRAG · Jul 14, 2006

I don't care much for the shuttles, I would really like to have something with a standard MATX mobo and a standard size PSU, and the FragBox isnt really that much bigger, 10.75" Wide, 8" High, 14.75" Deep, mainly it's just deeper.

BLUEFRAG · Jul 14, 2006

Oh,Yuriman, how do you like your CPU? Is yours AM2 or 939?

EDIT: Nvm i just googled that mobo and obviously its 939.

redrumy3 · Jul 14, 2006

BLUEFRAG said:
Oh,Yuriman, how do you like your CPU? Is yours AM2 or 939?

his is 939

Yuriman · Jul 14, 2006

Its 939, but I find it plenty fast for everything. Even at stock, its capable of pushing the frames in any game. I'm really only video-card limited, because I like to run really high resolutions. The higher clocks help with encoding speed though.

BLUEFRAG · Jul 14, 2006

So do you think it would be a waste of money to buy a 939 board at this point? Is AM2 going to take over that fast?

Yuriman · Jul 14, 2006

They will not ever make anything new for socket 939. What is out right now is more mature than AM2, and performs the same, but its dead-end as far as upgrading goes. You are better off going with a pre-built AM2 mid-tower than anything else.

BLUEFRAG · Jul 14, 2006

Okay, thast pretty much what I figured, thanks. So as for my graphics card, nVidia GeForce 7950 GX2 1024MB, sound good or would you suggest some thing different? 7900GTX?

Yuriman · Jul 14, 2006

The 7950 is 2 low-power (laptop) 7900's in SLI on a single card. I think its pretty well the fastest single card there is, but you'd get better performance with X1900 crossfire (probably), or possibly with regular 7900GTX SLI. I don't know if the GX2 is clocked lower. I'd rather stick with a single card in any case.

redrumy3 · Jul 14, 2006

id say a 7900gt, x1800xt, or x1900xt should be fine, untill dx10 is out

BLUEFRAG · Jul 14, 2006

So, whether you like the idea of buying a boutique system or not, does that setup look solid to you? And will it be solid for a while to come?

-Thanks

redrumy3 · Jul 14, 2006

BLUEFRAG said:
So, whether you like the idea of buying a boutique system or not, does that setup look solid to you? And will it be solid for a while to come?

-Thanks

should hold you over untill directx10 which is what 2007 i think

Critique my FragBox II configuration

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