New computer time! (on a budget)

[Buggyman]

Having followed this thread for a while I decided to relegate my PC to second line duties and get a new one. After all, with the financial situation as it is my savings could be history tomorrow, live for today....

So I tried PC Specialists and within 3 days of ordering my new PC it was sitting in my study waiting for me to open it up.

With a Rampage Extreme MoBo, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, NVIDIA 9600GT with 1GB, running 64bit and a 750GB HD for flight sim only I am hopefull that I am now into a period of peace and calm where my PC will tackle anything that FS9 or FSX or even (maybe) FSXI throws at it. It does go like the proverbial and takes FSX in its stride so I am a happy bunny.

Thank you one and all for bringing PC Specialists to my notice, brilliant service, well built product and deserving of the the accolades published.

Now all I have to do is load up all those aircraft in FS9 but with 578 to go I may have to have a cull at the same time????


ATB


Allan

[sketchy74]

8GB of DDR3 RAM,

You do sounds like a Happy Bunny! Nice one!

I have been following this thread too as I have been on the "Update or Replace" fence for a few months.

On the quote above and I am in no way questioning your decision for this as I am curious to learn the correct answer, is 8GB worth it? I thought that most operating systems could not handle that much, does that mean anything else over their maximum becomes redundant?

Hope someone can help! I need to upgrade soon, Skippy Bing is throwing texture maps at me left / right and centre and I need to get them painted and tested on a faster machine!

[hinch]

With my birthday fast approaching I have specced up my PC, will this be OK? I don't think it will blow up but a second opinion would be useful!

Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™2 Quad Q8200 (4 X 2.33GHz) 1333MHz FSB/4MB Cache
Memory (RAM)
4GB CORSAIR XMS2 800MHz - LIFETIME WARRANTY! (2x2GB)
Motherboard
ASUS® P5Q: DDR2, SATAII, PCI-e x16, 3 PCI, 2 x PCI-e x1
Operating System
Genuine Windows Vista™ Home Premium 64-bit Edition + SP1, CD (£69)
USB Options
8 x USB 2.0 PORTS (6 REAR + 2 FRONT) AS STANDARD
Memory - 1st Hard Disk
160GB SERIAL ATA II HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (7,200rpm)
2nd Hard Disk
160GB SERIAL ATA II HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (7,200rpm)
1st CD/DVD Drive
20x Dual Layer LightScribe DVD Writer ±R/±RW/RAM
Graphics Card
512MB GEFORCE 9600GT PCI Express + DVI + TV-OUT
Sound Card
ONBOARD 8 CHANNEL (7.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Facilities
ONBOARD 10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Memory Card Reader
INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (READS XD, MS, CF, SD, etc)
Case
Stylish Black Aluminium Trigon Case + 2 Front/Side USB
Power Supply & Case Cooling
600W Quiet Quad Rail PSU + 120mm Case Fan (£59)
Processor Cooling
SUPER QUIET 22dBA TRIPLE COPPER HEATPIPE CPU COOLER (£15)
Firewire & Video Editing
3 Port IEEE 1394a Firewire PCI Card (£9)

[Chris Sykes]

any 32-bit OS, be it vista or XP cannot access any more RAM than about 3.5gig. Any 64-bit, XP or Vista can access over that limit, Vista Basic can use upto 8gb, Vista Home premium can use 16gb, the rest of the Vista versions can use 128gb!

[Chris Sykes]

Hi Hinch, Looks good specs, if you can aford it go for the next step up on RAM speed as all P5Q boards will run 1066hz RAm unless your OC'n... Also save yourself £15 and dont buy this;

Processor Cooling
SUPER QUIET 22dBA TRIPLE COPPER HEATPIPE CPU COOLER (£15)

Stock intel fans are more than adiquate even at OC'd speeds!

[hinch]

Thanks for tip, my current computer has always been a bugger for overheating and currently has a big fan to compensate.

The case seems to be much better designed than my current PC and I chose the Q8200 because I read it runs cooler but also because there is a huge difference in power consumption... be green and that.

The 1066 RAM boosts the price by £50 which puts me over budget and I don't wish to compromise elsewhere. The main issue for me is whether to go for the 1GB 9600GT or the 512MB 9800GT GPU, is it really worth going for a 1GB card or would I be better going with a 512MB 9600GT (saves £18) and then maybe pushing for the faster RAM?

[Buggyman]

Hi Sketchy74

Sorry for the delay in replying. When I updated my previous 32bit machine to 4GB of RAM I could only use 3.5GB which made a nonsense of upgrading in the first place. So, for my latest machine I had a good look around MicroSoft's Q&A site before taking the plunge. Vista Ultimate in 64bit will go to 128GB+ so 8GB is small beer and, according to my performance information, it is being used. I must admit that my other hobby, photography, has a look in here as the more RAM the better when scanning and editing. I am also hoping that I can get by in a couple of years time with simply overclocking the motherboard and the Quad Q9650 running at 3GHz and up-able to around 3.7GHz should keep me going. But the best laid plans.........................

Meanwhile the long slow job of reloading FS9 and FSX continues...........

Good luck in your hunt for a new/upgrade.



Allan

[sketchy74]

Allan,

Thanks for the reply mate, interesting to hear that your other hobby is photography too. My Canon 40d and 300d have been snapping away frantically these past few years and filing up my hard drives which along with a Calendar frame counting FSX performance has me looking to upgrade!

Good to hear that Vista can handle over 3.5gb, I never knew it went to 128!!!! Wow I guess that justifies your 8gb hands down!

I am toying with the Idea of building a whole new PC now and using my current one as a media pc connected to the TV....right ....I just have to convince the Long Haired General of that plan!

....I always get the final word in however...."Yes Dear.." lol.

Cheers again,

Fras.

[Chris Sykes]

128GB is only accessable on the 64bit versions of O/S! My 4 gig system is built round 1066 RAM and also alocates just over a gigs worth to shared graphics with my graphics card. But definatly building a whole new system from the ground upwards is definatly satisfying, just make sure you install things correctly!