Recommendation for an inexpensive Processor/MotherBoard/Memory

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joao Barros
  • Start date Start date
J

Joao Barros

I would like to know some opinions about a good and cheap combination
for processor/motherboard/memory. I do not play games but I may need
to use a heavy IDE like Microsoft Visual Studio .NET so I am thinking
in 1024RAM. I also need a firerwire port.

Also, I have a Matrox Millenium G450 video card (3 years old I guess).
I really like its 2D image quality. But, should I replace it?

Thanks a lot for your attention and any possible help

Joao
 
I would like to know some opinions about a good and cheap combination
for processor/motherboard/memory. I do not play games but I may need
to use a heavy IDE like Microsoft Visual Studio .NET so I am thinking
in 1024RAM. I also need a firerwire port.
Click to expand...

Well, for compiling AMD processors are pretty much universally offer
much better bang for your buck than Intel chips (the P4 design core
just isn't that well suited to compiling), it's just a question then
of how much of a budget you're really on.

If you're looking at the real low-cost side of things, AMD's AthlonXP
or Sempron chips are probably going to be your best bet. For the
super-cheap you could pick up something like a Sempron 2400+ ($63) and
a Chaintech 7NJL6 ($48.50) for just over a hundred bucks (all prices
care of www.newegg.com, availability and pricing may differ in your
neck of the woods of course). This is the exact setup I've got
running on my system, and while the performance isn't quite up there
with the latest and greatest, the price is really tough to beat. This
setup would use dual-channel memory, so you would want 2 x 512MB. You
would need to add in a firewire card, but those can be found for $10.

If you're looking for a somewhat higher-end setup but still for a good
price, I'd suggest jumping up to an Athlon64. While you could grab a
slightly faster Sempron or AthlonXP chip for not much more money, the
performance gains are going to be relatively small. An entry level
Athlon64 system might consist of something like a socket 754 Athlon64
3000+ ($147.50) and an MSI K8N Neo Platinum ($99.50). This board has
firewire built in and takes single-channel memory.

Note that AMD's gradually moving away from the socket 754 Athlon64
chips, and while the Socket 939 chips seem to benefit games and
especially graphical workstation apps a lot, they won't get you much
in Visual Studio, so you can get some pretty good deals on the older
Socket 754 chips.
Also, I have a Matrox Millenium G450 video card (3 years old I guess).
I really like its 2D image quality. But, should I replace it?
Click to expand...

No good reason to replace that card, for what you're looking to do
there is not really anything better out there now.
 
...snip...
Note that AMD's gradually moving away from the socket 754 Athlon64
chips, and while the Socket 939 chips seem to benefit games and
especially graphical workstation apps a lot, they won't get you much
in Visual Studio, so you can get some pretty good deals on the older
Socket 754 chips.
Click to expand...
Except for one thing - upgradeability. While 754 will be in the
nearest future limited to Semprons - 32 bit only, with 939 you have a
hope to plug in the next generation dual core A64. If you are the
type of upgrader, get 939. If you prefer getting a whole new system
every while, you are better off with 754.
 
I would like to know some opinions about a good and cheap combination
for processor/motherboard/memory. I do not play games but I may need
to use a heavy IDE like Microsoft Visual Studio .NET so I am thinking
in 1024RAM. I also need a firerwire port.
Click to expand...

Do you already have a power supply and case suitable for a current
mbrd/CPU? That would be a case with preferably a rear exhaust fan and a
ATX12V power supply with a square 4-pin 12V connector.

I can't add much to what Tony has said but if you can stretch it I'd go for
an Athlon64. MSI has some nice mbrds at decent prices.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??
 
Thanks a lot to all who responded!
All answers (especially the one from Tony Hill) were really useful to
me. I decided that I will buy the Athlon64 3200+ and the MSI K8N Neo
Platinum motherboard.

Joao
 
Except for one thing - upgradeability. While 754 will be in the
nearest future limited to Semprons - 32 bit only, with 939 you have a
hope to plug in the next generation dual core A64. If you are the
type of upgrader, get 939. If you prefer getting a whole new system
every while, you are better off with 754.
Click to expand...

I *KNEW* someone was going to say that :>

I actually almost wrote in the original message "Just ignore all the
people telling you not to buy socket 754 due to lack of upgradability,
because it's a dumb argument".

Honestly, I can pretty much assure you that more than ~1 year down the
road there will not be ANY new processors that will work in today's
Socket 939 boards. Even if they still use Socket 939, your current
board almost certainly won't handle them. Just look at what we had
with Socket A. I bought a board at the start of 2002, and by early to
mind 2003 AMD had stopped producing new chips that would work on a
266MT/s bus speed. Sure, their new AthlonXP chips were still socket
A, but they wouldn't work in my board.

Beyond bus speed there are also many other factors such as the voltage
regulator and memory interface that may affect upgradability. The
simple fact of the matter is that unless you upgrade your CPU every 6
months or so, you will end up being disappointed in terms of
upgradability in PCs.

Buy for today and put the money you save in the bank, you'll come out
ahead in the long run.
 
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