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Razorlike
Ok, we're planning to buy a new computer.

The Specs
Processor: AMD Phenom x4 9650
Memory: 4 GB (installed 2x 2048 Mb) / 8 Gb (max) - DDR2 800 SDRAM
Hard disk: 750 gB - stock - serial ATA-300
Optic Drive: DVD-RW (+r Dubbellayer) 22x
DVD player 16x
Card reader; 12 in 1
Videocard: ATI Radeon 3650 512mb

The price for this would be around 550 euro's (without VISTA, since we have an installation of Windows XP).

1. Are the components good? (eg. good critics, performance)
2. Would this be enough for future games (GW2, Gears of War, etc)


Read latest post please.

~Razorlike
redmonke
I think it looks great.

But in the future you may want to upgrade the graphics card so you can play games on max settings (I think you'll be able to play current games at mid-high settings).

Do you plan on over clocking?
Skan
Get a ATI HD4830 or 4850 at least if you're looking at future games.
Fencefry
Looks fine except I would reccomend a better grpahics card. Also, is this the one your buying?
Razorlike
Since the computer will be on 24/7 I doubt we are going to overclock it.
If the only thing to worry about is the graphics card then that's ok since I could persuade my father over time to pay half to get a better one.
@Fencefry: That link leads to a graphics card. The system we're buying is actually part of a package delivered with monitor, keyboard, vista, etc but the company we are buying from (www.databyte.nl) said they could deliver it without those things (since we already have those).

This is the link (Note; It's in dutch) here only the price doesn't match.

~Razorlike
Fencefry
Ooh, I thought this was a custom build. Mea culpa. Anyway, as I said, Looks fine except you might want a better gfx card. If you just like the gameplay and don't mind running the games on low or med or whatever, then you should be fine.

EDIT: Monitor info? Size, LCD/CRT, resolution?
Mikey
Looks fine, just if you're planning on doing gaming in the next few years, you'll want at least an ATI 4800 series card. I recommend the 4850.

This would be your best option for a 4850.
Jump
I thought xp could only recognize a max of 2 gigs of ram but correct me if i'm wrong.
Acid
Deneb is coming soon which means a lot faster processors. You might not be able to overclock the computer if its a pre-built. Also that video card would need to be replaced if your considering gaming.
Bob-sama
QUOTE (Jump @ Dec 21 2008, 09:41 PM) *
I thought xp could only recognize a max of 2 gigs of ram but correct me if i'm wrong.

XP can address up to 4GB memory--which typically ends up being 3-3.5GB RAM if you install 4GB total. What you're thinking of is that 32-bit programs are only able to use 2GB RAM on their own, even if you have 3+GB available. That's a limitation of 32-bit programs overall. If they want to use >2GB, they are required to use your local Page File, which is one reason that 32-bit versions of photo editing software are typically slow (on mid-range and high-end rigs) when editing very large images. It's not so much that you don't have processing power as a good portion of the information is locked on a (relatively) slow hard drive. It's also the same reason why a fast solid-state drive will make a good system run (much) faster on synthetics--the data that previously had to be cached to the Page File is available without the typical seek time--instead of 10ms, it can be 0.1ms. Not to mention that they are typically faster reading and writing than their disc-based ancestors.
Edward I -Longshanks-
I'd have advised an Intel processor, and an NVidia Graphics card, but if its prebuilt then thats okay.

Get a better graphics card in the future.
Razorlike
Ok now it's all about the graphics biggrin.gif thanks for the help so far.

First, is This the 4850 you're talking about?
Second: How is This one in comparison?

~Razorlike
Bob-sama
The 4850 is the better choice. The 4670 is like a 3870. For 40eur more, I'd say definitely HD4850. You'll get significantly better performance that way.
vLaDi
It actually looks great biggrin.gif
Razorlike
Ok tongue.gif we're almost done.

How is the 4830 compared to the 4850, is it wortht he extra 37 euro's?
Second, what determines the speed of the graphics card. Me being a complete nubcake on computers would look at the clock speed. Meaning the 900 mHz of the 4670 would be faster then the 750 mHz of the 4850.

~Razorlike
Skan
Here's a good article that should help you make sense of graphics card specs. It's quite outdated so some of the information might not apply anymore but you will still be able to get the gist of it.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/graphi...ers-3,1297.html
Bob-sama
QUOTE (Razorlike @ Dec 23 2008, 06:46 AM) *
Ok tongue.gif we're almost done.

How is the 4830 compared to the 4850, is it wortht he extra 37 euro's?
Second, what determines the speed of the graphics card. Me being a complete nubcake on computers would look at the clock speed. Meaning the 900 mHz of the 4670 would be faster then the 750 mHz of the 4850.

~Razorlike

HD4650 (RV730 Pro, 320sp) < HD4670 (RV730 XT, 320sp) < HD4830 (RV770 LE, 640sp) < HD4850 (RV770 Pro, 800sp) < HD4870 (RV770 XT, 800sp) < HD4850X2 (R700 Pro, 2x800sp) < HD4870X2 (R700 XT, 2x800sp)

**Do note that _sp is a measure of the enabled stream processors. In short (that is ordered by performance), the more, the better. Even though the HD4670 has just 320 stream processors enabled, it is going to be slower than a HD4830 by a good amount. The higher clocks only help when you compared the same core. They're different.

Basically, the HD4830 is a partially-disabled HD4850. Reading what you're saying literally, you're asking if the HD4830 is better then the HD4850? It's not in the least--the HD4850 is the better choice. Now if you mean if a HD4850 is worth 37Eur over the HD4670, I'd say yes, by a good amount.
Razorlike
Ok thanks biggrin.gif. My question was meant to compare the difference between the 37 euro.
I hope that I cna convince my father to get the 4850 smile.gif thanks all!

EDIT:

Ok, we went to the shop and they put up a system for us:

Processor: Intel Core2Quad Q6600 2400mHz 775 8mb
Motherboard: GA-EP45-DS3L/ATX LGA775 1600DDRII
Harddisk Inter / Extern: SPINPOINT F1 640GB 16MB
Internal memory:2x 2GB 800MHZ DDR2 NON-ECC 2
Graphics card: Radeon HD8550 GDDR3 625MH(yay)
Feed (or something like that xD): Sharkoon SHA550-12A
Cooling: 120x120x25mm fan, doube ball bearing, 2 pin mainb
Case: Nine Hundred/Ultimate Gamer Case no PSU

This, including keyboard, assembly, dvd player and a wireless adapter totals at 744 euro's.
Is this a good deal, and perhaps anything should be changed?

~Razorlike
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