You really don't know too much about computers, do you? DFI LANParty Ultra-D/SLI-DR - nVidia nForce4 Ultra/SLI chipset ASUS A8R-MVP - ATI RD480 chipset The ASUS board supports Crossfire, which is why I got it. Pound for pound, it is the best Crossfire board on the market. The only better board is the A8R32-MVP, which wasn't out when I got mine. On top of that, it's nearly twice as expensive. Athlon 64 X2 4600+ = 2.6GHz, 512KB L2 Opteron 170 = 2.0GHz 1MB L2 The 4600+, along with all X2 processors, has nothing on an Opteron when it comes to overclocking. The 4600+ might get to 2.8GHz, but it will be extremely hot and the L2 cache will still hold you back, compared to an Opteron. My Opteron reached 2.8GHz with a 0.1V increae in voltage, and it runs completely stable, and is not nearly as hot as an X2. Also, it has twice as much L2 cache, which is most applications counts as an extra 200MHz of speed. Also, good luck finding a 7900GTX in stock. Judging by your knowledge of computers, I would not advise that you get a DFI motherboard...you'll be hopelessly lost with all the BIOS settings. Not trying to start anything, just telling you the truth.
Actually, bonafide wins build wize, cuz the opereton is better than the x2's...OC wize at least. And gfx card wize, i'm not too sure...spec wize x1800xt will win definetly, but it only has 16 pipelines... Of course its a CF compatible card so i believe it might be better cuz he can get another card eventually and run two plus, that other mobo was overpriced I just noticed. EDIT: Looks like Bona Fide types much faster than me...
prebuilt computers period perfomance wise will not beat a custom. If you are truly stuck on the mac OS (which is the only difference between a mac and a windows computer, outside macs are a tad harder to upgrade) then simply install the mac os. Yeah, the cases are cool, the monitors are cool, etc. but you can get a computer with better internal modifications than a stock mac for the same amount and simply install mac. The only reason I would buy a prebuilt computer is if i didnt have the software to install on a computer, but, thats what we have warez for... well that and multiple computers Also, very nice setup you have there Bona Fide. Its expandable, currently top of the line still, very nice *thumbs up* also, what game is that? Oblivion? (i dont recognize many of the modern games since i dont often have the time to play them to their full extent).
actually bona fida i probably know a lot more about computers than u do... at least hardware wise... yes the opteron is a better overclocker but the X2 eacheives higher clocks and is a much better overclocking board chip its easier... ask anyone who has one... but then again ur right their both good boards... but listen man u dont tell a beginner to do something that they wont understand..... im just saying... ur build is very nice but u shouldnt brag because their are many systems better than it. my friend for instance.... he had a 2500 dollor budget and i built him a comp with two 6800 GS, (at the time it was the best).... but now its practically outdated with double the pixel pipelines and almost dounble the clocks..... computers are very annoying things as they get outdated with better equipment in sometimes a matter of days. u could post the best computer now and it will be mediocore in three weeks.
I went for it, heres my go (i included 2 DVD-RW drives simply because its easier to copy CDs from one another rather than copying to the computer, then putting it on a CD like i do alot) DVD-RW x2: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16827151118 Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16811129154 Floppy: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16821103203 250GB HD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16822144701 MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16813131584 x1800xt video, crossfire enabled (use two if you want): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16814102698 PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16817194003 Memory (2GB, should be all you need, max supported is 2.5GB anyways): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16820145575 Processor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16819103586 Sub-Total: $1402.94 You could drop a DVD-RW and drop your processor to the 165 and throw in a 2nd video card (same type) for about $1500 if you want. Only difference on processor is .2GHz, which would go to maybe 2.5-2.6GHz OC'd compared to 2.8GHz, yet youd have 512MB video, 32 pipelines, etc. Another choice you could do is throw in a water cooling system and a fan for the processor (forgot the name for it, its escaping me right now) and that would keep your computer SUPER cool and quiet, virtually no worries at mid/max load.
Haha Dementia, not only do you copy my entire system, but you replace the G.Skill RAM with some craptastic Corsair set. To the thread starter: Stick with my set...G.Skill is better than Corsair. To stpl91: I never said it was the best EVER. I just said that right now (April 4, 2006) it is probably one of the best machines out of any GR user.
damn, i just noticed yours was a dual video capable lmao. I just build the rest around capability to use dual video cards and came up with your build lol i didnt even bother looking at what you had. either way you can look at this thread instead: http://www.gamerenders.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=206486 its a computer i just recently built. Nothing in it but the processor should be bona fide's. It should be about 1450 sub-total. Uses the DFI-Lanparty board, so no crossfire, but it should take care of anything you need to do.
Thanks everyone who posted, even if it was ego driven ;P. Thanks especially to Bona Fide, seeing as everyone loves the set-up, and it meets my budget, I'm going to get everything in your list.
lol dude dont man u can get better... the X1800 isnt the best u can get... get the 7900GT its better.... thats about it, the rest get what he got and maybe some liquid coooling with the extra money u have over from the vid cards.
UMM NO TO BOTH. there is half as much cache on the 4600 as on the 4400+ both OC within 5% of each other or less.
No point, downgrade to a a DFI LanParty Ultra-D, do the pencil mod (connect the dots) and it becomes SLI. Drop it down to a 4400+, with the double cache, or grab a Opteron 170/175 DFI boards dont like corsair. Grab this set of G.Skill. EDIT: wrong link - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16820231021 Seagates are quieter. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16822148065 Good choice, it will beat a x1800 any day. true Grab an Antec tx1050 Case which comes with an Antec Smart Power II 500W PSU aswell. Tank of a case, silent and very good quality. Trust me you dont want lights, they get annoying. Get that if you want silence, get this if you want to overclock - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16835106061
