New computer?

[Kinag]

Hi, I just got my loan application accepted and I'm starting at a computer school in a month and I'm going to need a new computer for those two years as I picked the 3D Design & Animation course together with 3D Game Design for the last year.

I want a computer that can last about 4 years (like the one I have had for 4 years now) and a computer which can run about any game at fairly high details ^^

It needs to be able to run programs like 3D Studio Max and other 3D programs.

Do you think this computer might be a good choice?


Processor: Athlon 64 X2 4200+ dual core
Memory: 2gb RAM
Harddrive: 250 gb + 160gb media drive
GFX: Nvidia 6800 256mb
Drivers: Dvd rw 16x double layer + dvd-rom
LightScribe
Lan, Firewire, 9-1 card reader,
Wlan b-g, 8x usb 2.0
TV tuner w/ remote control
Creative Audigy 2 ZS 7.1
Windows XP home
Works 8.0

 

[ceixava]

cpu: no, the new intel core2duo whips amd's ass in every single test, get it (the e6600 one is the best bang for the buck)
gfx: hell no, that series card is already old, aim for a 7xxx series geforce

 

[confused]

If you're doing 3d animation, then you need to know what programs you're running as you might require a quatro gpu

 

[Kinag]

I'm going to use 3D studio Max.

And that is a prebuilt computer, I don't want to build my own again.

And that one ain't as high up there cash-wise so I'm not going to spend £2000 on a new computer.

 

[Joor]

CPU: Intel Core 2 E6600 **4MB L2 Cache**( £214.95 or so) help alot in 3d animation as you can see

Motherboard, maybe the Gigabyte GA_965P_DS3 (£94.95) here

RAM : G.Skill 2GB DDR2 LA PC2-5400 (£99.95) Great OC'er so you can easy run them at pc6000 speed.

GFX: Depends on how much u want to spent rly, but a GeForce 7600 GT. Core running at 560MHz, 256MB GDDR3 Extreme Memory running at 1400MHz.
Great card for £100.
For 50-60£ more u can get a GeForce 7900 GT.
Maybe get 2 cards and run them in SLI?

You also need a good PSU.
I recommend the OCZ GameXStream 600w with quad 12 volt rails for £74.95 here

Any question just pm me

 

[cHodAX]

Kills me to say it but you defo want a core 2 duo 6600 as your cpu.

 

[Kinag]

That means I'll have to build it all over again >_<

 

[Kinag]

1x Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Socket LGA775, 4MB, BOXED m/vifte
1x MSI P965 Platinum, P965, Socket-775 Firewire,SATAII,ATX,GbLAN,DDR2,PCI-Ex16
2x Corsair Value S. PC4200 DDR2 1024MB Kit w/two matched Value Select 512MB
1x Gainward GeForce 7950GX2 1GB,1.4ns GDDR3 ,PCI-Express,"BP7950GX2-1000-TV-DD",HDCP
1x Cooler Master Cavalier 3, Sort Kabinett, Aluminium Front (Without PSU)
1x Fortron Source Epsilon 600W, Blue Fan, Active PFC, ATX/EPS, SLI, 20/24pin

That would cost me about £1400

 

[Joor]

I like your gfx Gainward GeForce 7950GX2
But read this GFX guide http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1070014

 

[Kinag]

To much to read

I know a person who runs the first computer in the thread (the one I was thinking about) and she has no trouble playing games or any sort of things at all.

I don't want to spend too much as it's a study loan which has to pay for the school itself together with books/software.

 

[Joor]

A Nvidia 6800 card can run games at 1024x768 with no AF or AA sure.
But as soon as you go up to 1280x 1024 with just a bit AF and AA you need one of the nv7 series card/ or radeon x1800xt , x1900xt.
Just look at this

Have fun playing new games with a gf 6800 card

 

[Joor]

ahh forgot pic lol

 

[cHodAX]

1x Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Socket LGA775, 4MB, BOXED m/vifte
1x MSI P965 Platinum, P965, Socket-775 Firewire,SATAII,ATX,GbLAN,DDR2,PCI-Ex16
2x Corsair Value S. PC4200 DDR2 1024MB Kit w/two matched Value Select 512MB
1x Gainward GeForce 7950GX2 1GB,1.4ns GDDR3 ,PCI-Express,"BP7950GX2-1000-TV-DD",HDCP
1x Cooler Master Cavalier 3, Sort Kabinett, Aluminium Front (Without PSU)
1x Fortron Source Epsilon 600W, Blue Fan, Active PFC, ATX/EPS, SLI, 20/24pin

That would cost me about £1400

£1400 for a horrendusly fast machine though and if you ditched SLI graphics you could easily knock £300 plus off that total and be losing very very little when it comes to 3D Studio Max to be honest. At the end of the day the graphics card is only used for the preview modes anyway and a single 7900GT will still give great performance.

 

[Joor]

As u can see the 6800 is not good enough if you want to play new games.

 

[Kinag]

I'll see if I can mod the graphic card, get it swapped out before I get it.

I don't want to build my own computer again.

I've built around 30+ when I had my computer year 4 years ago at school.

I can run FEAR at max quality with no lag what so ever on this computer btw.

AMD XP2500+, 1gb RAM, GF6600GT ^^

 

[Joor]

I can run FEAR at max quality with no lag what so ever on this computer btw.

AMD XP2500+, 1gb RAM, GF6600GT ^^

Ok 1024x768 no AF or AA i guess ?

 

[Kinag]

1280x1024 with Max quality like I said.

But how is this, the price would be 1705.31 EUR and I'd have to build it myself.

1x Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Socket LGA775, 4MB, BOXED m/vifte
1x MSI P965 Platinum, P965, Socket-775 Firewire,SATAII,ATX,GbLAN,DDR2,PCI-Ex16
2x Corsair Value S. PC4200 DDR2 1024MB Kit w/two matched Value Select 512MB
1x XFX GeForce 7900GTX 512MB GDDR3 eXtreme, PCI-Express, 2xDVI/HDTV, 675/1700Mhz
1x Cooler Master Cavalier 3, Silver Kabinett, Aluminium Front (Without PSU)
1x Fortron Source Epsilon 600W, Blå Vifte, Active PFC, ATX/EPS, SLI, 20/24pin
1x Sony DVD-brenner DWQ120AB2 IDE OEM Black DVD+R/+RW and DVD-R/-RW (Dual Layer)
1x Samsung SpinPoint T133 400GB IDE ATA/133 8MB 7200RPM

I think I got everything needed for a new computer, hope I didn't leave something out

 

[Joor]

The XFX GeForce 7900GTX is OC'ed ? is so..why not get a cheaper version and save some money

 

[Kinag]

OC? Overclocked?

I've never overclocked anything

Why don't you just use komplett.co.uk and build a computer for me and I can see if I Can afford it?

I don't want any lag while playing online or offline games and I want to be able to play games at max graphics

 

[Joor]

Keep that setup, looks great

 

[Kinag]

But you said the gfx card wasn't fitting in?

 

[Joor]

The XFX GeForce 7900GTX 512MB GDDR3, 675/1700Mhz is a great card.
http://www.xfxforce.com/web/product...6hWOzhSQk4WY?seriesId=185563&productId=185608

My mistake all GTX are 650 mhz sorry

 

[Ingafgrinn Macabre]

I'm sorry joor, but you're giving quite poor advice.

3dsmax isn't superheavy on the gfx card, And all the new games can be played with a 6800GS.
it is NOT crucial to get a 7800GTX or whatever, and you could save a whole fuckload of money going for a lower grade graphics card.

 

[Joor]

I never said you need a top gfx card for 3Dmax, but a conroe with 4mb cache help alot.
And btw,I get 35 fps on average in Oblivion(1280x1024+bloom effect) on my 2nd pc; which has a venice cpu@ 2500 mhz and the 6800 GS.
When I play on my main X2 3800@2600 mhz and a 7900gt its 80 fps average.
Dont tell me any game at 35-40 fps is enjoyable.

 

[Ingafgrinn Macabre]

I never said you need a top gfx card for 3Dmax, but a conroe with 4mb cache help alot.
And btw,I get 35 fps on average in Oblivion(1280x1024+bloom effect) on my 2nd pc; which has a venice cpu@ 2500 mhz and the 6800 GS.
When I play on my main X2 3800@2600 mhz and a 7900gt its 80 fps average.
Dont tell me any game at 35-40 fps is enjoyable.

you do know that movies are 24 frames per second aye?

Ohw, and my PC (AMD Athlon64 3200+, 1GB PC3200, GeForce FX 5700 /TD) runs daoc at 1600x1200 full effects turned on... no problems. The only graphics lag I get is just the few seconds after porting when it's loading textures (or, when my virusscanner decides to do a full scan all of the sudden)
It also has no problems with other games like America's Army or thesuch

 

[Kinag]

So basically the first computer I posted in the thread would do then?

 

[Cemeterygates]

So basically the first computer I posted in the thread would do then?

i'd say so but with an XFX 7800GT (256)...should be more than enough imo

 

[Ingafgrinn Macabre]

So basically the first computer I posted in the thread would do then?

I would say so aye...
though indeed the Intel Core2Duo would do the rendering part of your PC faster with 3Dstudio Max (factor 2 orso), you could also just leave it on over night at bigger projects so it's done in the morning...

 

[Kinag]

Going to ask Computercity if it's possible to swap the card with a newer one then and rather pay 1000 Norwegian Kroner more then

 

[Kinag]

The first computer I posted in the thread costs this much: 1264 Euro

The last one I posted costs: 1705.31 EUR

Not sure if the gfx card and the CPU is worth 450 euro.