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CrashGordon
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Joined: Jun 20, 2005
Posts: 4709
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 Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 2:35 pm Post subject: Best way to upgrade? |
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Logic tells me the best way to go is to wait for Vista, and then get a machine with the specs to run FSX properly. However, I have also been considering spending $150 and doubling ther RAM in this computer, along with a cheap 256MB graphics card to replace the onboard Intel chip. That would run an additional $80.
The other alternative is to build one from components, but I'd need to get some pricing data.
I've looked at stuff like Alienware, but they strike me as being overpriced.
All ideas are welcome.
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CrashGordon
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Greekman72
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Joined: Jun 15, 2005
Posts: 7128
Location: Hellas
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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Build a system ready for Vista.Get a cheap GFX until DX10 ones comes to market.Then replace only your GFX.My opinion. 
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CrashGordon
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Greekman72 wrote: |
Build a system ready for Vista.Get a cheap GFX until DX10 ones comes to market.Then replace only your GFX.My opinion.
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That means paying for not only, an extra GFX card, but an upgrade to Vista. as well.
I might consider getting the peripheral components, such as case, power supply,drives, etc, but wait until Vista comes out to get the motherboard (with OEM Vista) graphics card and RAM. That way I don't get the whole bill at once. 
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Greekman72
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Location: Hellas
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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If your problem is to not get the bill at once i agree.
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CrashGordon
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Posts: 4709
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Greekman72 wrote: |
If your problem is to not get the bill at once i agree.
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I want to reduce the psychological impact,  If I build one, it will have the 2nd fastest AMD dual core 64 bit processor (the fastest one always costs too much in relation to the % increase it gives), 4 GB RAM, 1TB RAID SATA array and a 512 MB GFX card.
That will probably give me specs that will be good for a bunch of years.
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Greekman72
Chief Captain
Joined: Jun 15, 2005
Posts: 7128
Location: Hellas
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:49 pm Post subject: |
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| CrashGordon wrote: |
| Greekman72 wrote: |
If your problem is to not get the bill at once i agree.
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I want to reduce the psychological impact, If I build one, it will have the 2nd fastest AMD dual core 64 bit processor (the fastest one always costs too much in relation to the % increase it gives), 4 GB RAM, 1TB RAID SATA array and a 512 MB GFX card.
That will probably give me specs that will be good for a bunch of years. |
Its all depending on your budget 
But.... Its hard to wait... 
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PIC1stOfficer
First Officer
Joined: Sep 25, 2006
Posts: 208
Location: KSEA/Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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You can never get too much computer is my thinking. Go for it as your pocket allows.
One thing for me is I hate to waste a program by putting it on a PC that is under powered. I would not buy a flight sim and then turn down all the programs goodies and sliders because my machine is pressured.
I want what I pay for.
I've got a lot of PC, but I've never been sorry for that, it makes me happy.  |
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RadarMan
Chief Captain
Joined: Aug 25, 2003
Posts: 15454
Location: U.S.A
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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Crash I was going to build one but I think my next is coming from this company.
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/
You could drive over to them.
In fact if you do check them out let me know what you think.
I want to know if they out-source their tech support or is it local.
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CrashGordon
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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Their prices aren't bad, but I wonder how much of the price goes to those idiotic...oops...I'm supposed to say stylish, cases.
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CrashGordon
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CrashGordon
Chief Captain
Joined: Jun 20, 2005
Posts: 4709
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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I've been tinkering around on their web site. How does this look?
$1680.00
(before all applicable rebates)
CASE: CoolerMaster Praetorian 730 RC-730 Aluminum Tower 420W Case (Black Color)
CPU: (Socket AM2) AMD Athlon™64 X2 4200+ Dual-Core CPU w/ HyperTransport Technology
MOTHERBOARD: (Socket AM2)ABIT KN9 SLI nForce 570 SLI MCP Chipset DDR2/800 SATA-II RAID 16x PCI-Express MBoard w/GbLAN, USB2.0, &7.1Audio
MEMORY: (Req.DDR2 MainBoard)2GB (2x1GB) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory (Corsair Value Select or Major Brand)
VIDEO CARD: NEW !!! NVIDIA Geforce 7600 GS 512MB PCI Express x16 Video Card
VIDEO CARD 2: NONE
LCD Monitor: ViewSonic VX2025WM 20.1" Wide Screen Color TFT Active Matrix LCD Display Monitor
HARD DRIVE: Single Hard Drive (300GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD)
Data Hard Drive: NONE
Optical Drive: (Special Price) 16X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW DRIVE DUAL LAYER (BLACK COLOR)
Optical Drive 2: 16X DVD ROM (BLACK COLOR)
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
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Greekman72
Chief Captain
Joined: Jun 15, 2005
Posts: 7128
Location: Hellas
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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Not one HD...Two Disks (prefer 10000RPM) in RAID 0-Array Configuration.More speed.
Power Supply?
I wont go for a Sound Card.Most New Motherboards offers more than great On Board Sound features.Spend this money for 1more GB of RAM.
I agree with the rest choices. 
Your monitor rules. 
GFX = 
My opinion
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RadarMan
Chief Captain
Joined: Aug 25, 2003
Posts: 15454
Location: U.S.A
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with GM on the h/d I would go 2 300's SataII and 850-1000w p/s.
I want a sound card thats not intergrated.
Check out this post.
http://flyawaysimulation.com/postt21274.html
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CrashGordon
Chief Captain
Joined: Jun 20, 2005
Posts: 4709
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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Does this float your boat better. Since FS is not disk intensive, the 10K RPM drives are unnecessary. I agree that a second HD is needed. I also upgraded the OS from Media Center to XP Pro SP2. It also bumps the power supply up to 500W.
The question now is, will this be enough to make me not give a damn about Vista and DX10?
$1862.00
(before all applicable rebates)
CASE: CoolerMaster Praetorian 730 RC-730 Aluminum Tower 420W Case (Black Color)
CPU: (Socket AM2) AMD Athlon™64 X2 4200+ Dual-Core CPU w/ HyperTransport Technology
MOTHERBOARD: (Socket AM2)ABIT KN9 SLI nForce 570 SLI MCP Chipset DDR2/800 SATA-II RAID 16x PCI-Express MBoard w/GbLAN, USB2.0, &7.1Audio
MEMORY: (Req.DDR2 MainBoard)2GB (2x1GB) PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory (Corsair Value Select or Major Brand)
VIDEO CARD: NEW !!! NVIDIA Geforce 7600 GS 512MB PCI Express x16 Video Card
VIDEO CARD 2: NONE
LCD Monitor: ViewSonic VX2025WM 20.1" Wide Screen Color TFT Active Matrix LCD Display Monitor
HARD DRIVE: Single Hard Drive (300GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD)
Data Hard Drive: 300GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM Hard Drive
Optical Drive: (Special Price) 16X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW DRIVE DUAL LAYER (BLACK COLOR)
Optical Drive 2: 16X DVD ROM (BLACK COLOR)
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
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Greekman72
Chief Captain
Joined: Jun 15, 2005
Posts: 7128
Location: Hellas
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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Notice:
Not a second hard drive as a slave.
The 2 SATA drives in Array configuration are going to be your C drive.If you need a slave one you have to get a third drive
Example:
If you want 300GB of space get 2 x 150GB SATAII in RAID 0-Array as C (Boot-Master Drive)
Your system will show them as one with 300GB of space.
Any choice(Even an IDE one)as a Slave ''D''.
Last week i purchase this HD (x 2) 
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=190
I spend 530euros for both (price in Greece)and I had obvious results in Boot,Running, etc.FS starts in half time than with the previous IDE drive.
I also have a 200GB IDE as Slave in my BOX and an external 200GB USB-Firewire one.(i use the Firewire configuration).
Never a faster device(10000RPM)is unnecessary.
Except if you not running other applications in your system except FSX.
Anyway you can get an 7500RPM if you think that its useless ,but you must not get only one SATA drive.
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CrashGordon
Chief Captain
Joined: Jun 20, 2005
Posts: 4709
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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I am not getting the logic here. Assuming that I don't need the instant gratification of having FS start faster, and I am not running something mission-critical that is intolerant of drive failure, why would I need a 10K RPM drive or a RAID array? Once FS is running, acquiring additional data from the hard drive has never been a problem. So why all the attention to hard drives.? 
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CrashGordon
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