My desktop pc is more than five years old and the thing needs to be replaced asap as it's getting slower by the day. The problem is that I've been out of the IT/multimedia sector for a few years now, so I've become a tad clueless when it comes to new systems. Maybe you guys can give me some advice.

First of all, what do I want to do with my new pc?

• basic shit like Office applications and surfing
• photo editing
• video editing (not really the fancy die hard pro stuff, just basic things)
• a decent soundcard is important (just for music)
• I'm not a gamer

Here's already a config that I thought was pretty nice:

Maxtor 80Gb 8mb 7200rpm
Midi Tower ATX C2628 Black 400W (AMD/Intel)
Floppy Drive 1.44 Black
AMD Sempron64 3100+ Boxed Sckt754
Asus K8V-X AMD64/Sempron
Sparkle Geforce FX5500 256Mb Tv/DVI
Elixir DDR 512MB PC 3200
LG DVD R/RW DL GSA-4167RBBB Black Oem Cost: 435 euro

Re: New pc, but what to chose?

jan thats not a bad set up but if i were you i would spend that little extra and buy a dual core AMD...the best one for value @ the moment is the 3800+ dual core, i guess thats the entry level one...i,ve just recently built myself a new pc and although this is a 4000+ AMD 64 ( socket 939 ) bit chip i,m regretting not getting a dual core but the advantage of this is that dual core AMD are all currently socket 939, if i were you and this is my honest opinion i would keep the one u have @ the moment for another 6-8 months as AMD are getting rid of the 939 socket and replacing it with a new socket which is supposed to out perform anything so prices will drop for the 939 when that is released...one thing you have to watch is the fact that if your going to be adding various cards to the sytem and you dont upgrade your power supply to accomidate this then you might find that the components already in the pc might be lacking the correct power supply needed for them to operate at optimal performance..this is something you seriously have to watch if u intend to add other things in your pc...if your a little short of cash and you want a half decent sound card then i would seriously sudjest investing in a M-Audio Delta audiophile 2496 as you wont get a better sound for your money but you also will need an amp to hear the sound as it doesnt have an earphone socket or anything like that, its just a stereo phono in and out, midi and also SPDIF ( sony and philips digital interface )....the dearest part of your pc is the video card...they are becoming might expensive these days.

like everything these days jan its all about what your willing to spend...you get what you pay for...first thing to check is the motherboard...that one is a socket 754 so its the older type of motherboard so therefore its the older type of chip also so expect a little bit of latency compared with todays systems...just a hint

honestly...my advice? wait till the end of the year untill AMD bring out the new socket...void pentium 4'r @ the mo as they have had trouble with the chip structure and also heat problems, apparently they will be using AMd's structure for the P5

Re: New pc, but what to chose?

Thanks for the advice Dom. You've just saved me from making the same mistake when I bought my first PC. "Yes, this is the most state of the art machine there is right now! Don't worry, it will remain so for a long time." 6 months after I got fucked over with a 486, the Pentium hits the market and I stood there with my pants down...

Well, I do plan on jamming some extra shit into the new PC like my old hard disks for instance and a wifi card, so thx for pointing me at the power supply issue.

As for the sound card, I currently have an external one (Hercules Game Theater XP) and I think I'm gonna stick to that one. It has all possible connections apart from XLR and I'm quite happy with the quality it delivers. Never change a winning team, right? ;)

I already switched from Intel to AMD when I tossed my PII out of the window and I'm not going back ever!

Ok, I'll wait a bit for the new AMD socket. I need some time to clean up the mess I've made throughout the years anyway. Shitty job, pffffff

Re: New pc, but what to chose?

i hope it helps you jan...there is nothing worse than paying good money for something that you grudge paying the money for

Re: New pc, but what to chose?

ha ha.

Re: New pc, but what to chose?

dual core. worth the few extra bucks.

Re: New pc, but what to chose?

PS....AMD motherboard. Socket 939 if you don't want to wait long.

Re: New pc, but what to chose?

Five more days for the worldwide release of the products for AM2. ;)

Re: New pc, but what to chose?

I would never wait too long to make a computer purchase. There will always be something better in the near future. You just gotta jump in and do the most with the money you have available. The dual core is the better choice and is great with multitasking. Of course the cost can jump up a good amount. The hard drive may be a bit small (unless it is your main and your have a second for downloads, etc). There was no OS listed so make sure you can use your current one in the new computer.

Re: New pc, but what to chose?

Here is a nice suggestion:

[URL="http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Gateway-Desktop-PC-GT5056-/sem/rpsm/oid/147190/catOid/-12962/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do"]http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Gateway-Desktop-PC-GT5056-/sem/rpsm/oid/147190/catOid/-12962/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do[/URL]

[B]Gateway Desktop PC (GT5056) [/B]

[B]Desktop performance:[/B] This advanced desktop features the AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 3800+, 1024MB of DDR memory as well as a 250GB 7200RPM hard drive. This powerful PC also offers 2.0GHz processing speed, a 2 x 512KB L2 cache and a 2000MHz system bus. [B]Dual-core processing:[/B] The Athlon 64 X2 features two execution cores in one processor, allowing the platform to do more in less time while enjoying smooth interaction with your PC. [B]Double-layer DVD drive:[/B] Create pro-quality discs with the double-layer DVD±RW drive. Use special double-layer media to burn up to 8.5GB of movies, music or data onto a single disc. [B]Powerful graphics:[/B] The nVIDIA® GeForce 6100 delivers exceptional graphics performance that will enhance your enjoyment of the latest games and your favorite movies. When you’re ready, use the available PCI-Express x16 slot to add an even more powerful graphics card. [B]Excellent audio:[/B] Two external amplified speakers provide compelling audio right out of the box. Support for 6-channel high-definition audio will let you upgrade to a serious surround-sound system. [B]9-in-1 digital media manager:[/B] Seamlessly transfer digital images from your digital camera and camcorder. This versatile reader accepts USB drives as well as Smart Media, xD™, MultiMedia Card, SD™, Compact Flash, MicroDrive, Memory Stick® and Memory Stick PRO™ memory cards. [B]BTX technology:[/B] Built with advanced BTX technology, this desktop offers superior reliability, ultra quiet operation and support for the demands of high-performance systems. [B]Tons of ports:[/B] With seven USB 2.0, three FireWire, five audio and two PS/2 ports, you’ll be able to add all of your favorite peripherals. [B]Note: Monitor sold separately[/B] [B]Software bundle:[/B] Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005 with Update Rollup 2, Works 8.5, Money 2006, Windows Media Player 10, Encarta Online, Office 2003 Student Teacher Edition (60-day trial), Digital Image Starter Edition 2006 (includes 60-day trial of Digital Image Standard) CyberLink® PowerDVD™ and CyberLink® Power2Go™ McAfee® Internet Security Suite™ (90-day trial) Adobe® Reader® 7 RealNetworks RealPlayer® Napster 3.0 (30-day trial) Quicktime Google Toolbar Gateway BigFix®

Re: New pc, but what to chose?

Gateway...ewwww...branded PCs are typically awful these days either due to cheaper components (namely mobo's), or little room for expansions.

However, the specs on it are just fine and could be used as a nice guideline :)