Bob, my own personal opinion is that it is a bad time to build a new computer, since Windows 7 has not yet been released. I,
personally, would wait until it is released for purchase. XP is dated and dead, and Vista is a turkey! (Please, folks, do not
write in and say that XP is not dated and dead. If it is not dead now, it will be when 7 comes out. My wife uses XP and it works
well for her. We "upgraded" her XP to Vista and then went back to XP so she could play "Witcher." It has been working fine ever
since.) ( I doubt that anyone will write in and say that Vista is not a turkey. LOL )
That said,
1) I have been using a quad core, QX9650 extreme, and I am not sure that it is worth it. It has been nothing but trouble using two
different motherboards that don't seem to to work well with it. Unless you have applications that can effectively use quad-core, I
would stick with the dual core processors and save some money. Certainly, I would stick to the 45nm technology, no matter what the
processor.
2) 400 watts seems a bit on the low side for today's power supplies. First of all, if you are not going to bequeath your old
computer to your nephew, then you might stick with it until it proves incapable, although that might be problematical in diagnosing
what the actual problem is. However, six or seven hundred watt power supplies are more the norm for today's computers. If you buy
too big of a power supply it will still only provide the amount of power that your pc needs, so it is not like wasting power on a
light bulb that is over-sized for the need. [We at freepctech like PC Power & Cooling power supplies, which are high quality but
quite expensive. My last power supply from PCP&C lasted over seven years and went through several upgrades. At my last upgrade, I
went to a 1200 watt one, which has plugs for both kinds of video cards, but it cost $500, so it is probably overkill for most
people!! I expect it to last through many upgrades, though.]
3) There are many very good mid-range video cards available. Check out Tom's Hardware Guide, AnandTech, or ExtremeTech for reviews.
4) If you have a 32 bit operating system, just get 2GB or ram. It cannot use more than three. A 64 bit operating system can use
more if the mb supports it.
5) If you get a new operating system, particularly a 64 bit one, the drivers for your accessories may not work. When I "upgraded"
to Vista (32 bit), my HP color printer would no longer work.
6) I used to swear by ASUS, but my last three motherboards from them have been problem-laden. I tossed one and replaced it with an
EVGA which was not much better. The trouble is, I can't make a recommendation. My last MSI motherboard had some problems, too.
Check Tom's HWG before making a decision.
I suggest that you take your time and do your research by poring over the reviews. You may decide that you want to wait for Windows
7 or you may decide that what you want is available now. You've had your old computer for four years, so there is no reason to
rush. A 2.8GHz processor is no slouch.
Well, there's my two cents worth. :)
Dean Kukral
----- Original Message -----
From: bob warasila
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 9:13 AM
Subject: [PCBUILD] New build
I'm thinking about a new build as my current platform is a P4-2.8GHz dating back about 4+ years. Any thoughts on i7 vs. Quad core
Intel? I prefer to stick with Intel. Also my current PS is 400W, should that be upgraded? If so to what power?
I'll probably go with an ASUS MB again. I'm not a gamer but do use graphics and EXCEL so I'll go with a low to mid range end video
card and probably 4 GB RAM.
Thanks for any thoughts,
Bob Warasila
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
PCBUILD's List Owners:
Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
Mark Rode<[log in to unmask]>
|
