| Author |
Message |
bougie
Board Buddha
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Posts: 13323
Location: Wuhan Hubei China
|
 Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 01:36 PM |
 
|
| Post subject: Computer Upgrade .. step by step |
Let's say I'd like to upgrade my computer, step by step. I don't mind using good local parts, here i'm talking abouit the main unit (already have a decent microlab sound system and a dell 22" lcd monitor on the way.
What are the key / main specifications I should be looking at the build this puppy ? including the HDTV dvd, speed, memory, cooling, video + sound cards, the works. Looking for an above average system here ...
Thanks
P.s. I am not a computer gury, so try to keep it on lamens terms as much as possible |
|
|
|
|
8lrr8
StreetBeater
Joined: Oct 14, 2004
Posts: 2344
Location: here!
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 02:19 PM |
|
|
what will u be using the rig for? |
|
|
|
|
|
fortune_nookie
Reacher
Joined: Apr 07, 2003
Posts: 295
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 02:23 PM |
|
|
If you don't know how to put it all together then go to XJH and spec out a system and have them put it together for you. I build my own but have been doing it since the DOS days.
I suggest not trying to recycle parts fomr the older system, get a new case, power supply etc... Anything more than 2 years old should be tossed out; MAYBE keep the monitor if it is good. You can also keep the monitor and 'expand' your desktop onto it and get a new flat panel wide display. You will have to buy a video card (rather than use the built in display chip if there is one) that supports dual output, almost all do now-a-days. You will never go back to a single monitor of you do this.
If you want a good non specific system get something like the following....
Dual core intel  and a MB that supports it.
Gigabyte or MSI mother board with Intel chips no video if you get your own card
1 GIG DDR memory (at least) maybe 2 1 gig modules running in dual channel
HD-DVD (R/W) Philips or Plextor NOT Sony!
2 SATA 320 Gig drives
Sound blaster X-FI if you want decent sound that you have full control over otherwise use the built in sound (make sure it support 5.1 at least 7.1 is better)
Get a GOOD pair of speakers, good speakers with even a modest sound card is far betther than a great sound card and bad speakers. Look at the Creative THX speakers or some other 5.1 set.
Windows XP, stay away from Vista for now. |
|
|
|
|
8lrr8
StreetBeater
Joined: Oct 14, 2004
Posts: 2344
Location: here!
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 02:27 PM |
|
|
i presume u'll want to game on it. if so, the most important parts would be vcard, cpu, ram, and monitor. if u're gonna game at high resolutions (i.e. 1600x1200 on up), then the vcard is more important than the cpu.
of course this means getting a monitor that can display 1600x1200(+). |
|
|
|
|
|
8lrr8
StreetBeater
Joined: Oct 14, 2004
Posts: 2344
Location: here!
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 02:33 PM |
|
|
| fortune_nookie wrote: |
| I suggest not trying to recycle parts fomr the older system, get a new case, power supply etc... Anything more than 2 years old should be tossed out; MAYBE keep the monitor if it is good. |
2-yrs? this is extreme.
people "re-use" their case, keyboard, mouse, PSU, optical drive, sound card, and monitor, all the time. even if these parts are more than 2 yrs old. |
|
|
|
|
|
DesertSpider
Post Roaster
Joined: Jan 19, 2007
Posts: 4417
Location: SHANGHAI, CHINA
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 03:10 PM |
|
|
Processor(s) |
_________________
| wrote: |
| I'm looking good, got a luscious v of hair going through my chest pubes down to my ball fro. |
|
|
|
|
|
DesertSpider
Post Roaster
Joined: Jan 19, 2007
Posts: 4417
Location: SHANGHAI, CHINA
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 03:10 PM |
|
|
You need 64 bit |
_________________
| wrote: |
| I'm looking good, got a luscious v of hair going through my chest pubes down to my ball fro. |
|
|
|
|
|
willing_light
Seeker
Joined: Apr 12, 2006
Posts: 70
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 05:04 PM |
|
|
I guess the next logical question would be to ask; how much does this system cost?
| Quote: |
Dual core intel and a MB that supports it.
Gigabyte or MSI mother board with Intel chips no video if you get your own card
1 GIG DDR memory (at least) maybe 2 1 gig modules running in dual channel
HD-DVD (R/W) Philips or Plextor NOT Sony!
2 SATA 320 Gig drives
Sound blaster X-FI if you want decent sound that you have full control over otherwise use the built in sound (make sure it support 5.1 at least 7.1 is better)
Get a GOOD pair of speakers, good speakers with even a modest sound card is far betther than a great sound card and bad speakers. Look at the Creative THX speakers or some other 5.1 set.
Windows XP |
|
_________________
www.flickr.com/photos/willing_light/ Oz is ever floating... |
|
|
|
|
DesertSpider
Post Roaster
Joined: Jan 19, 2007
Posts: 4417
Location: SHANGHAI, CHINA
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 05:42 PM |
|
|
You need 64 bit |
_________________
| wrote: |
| I'm looking good, got a luscious v of hair going through my chest pubes down to my ball fro. |
|
|
|
|
|
cantcheckemailnopw
LoopKicker
Joined: Dec 27, 2006
Posts: 830
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 05:45 PM |
|
|
upgrading is generally not worth it because of the motherboard. they
(intel/amd) create new types of processors every year, so the latest
processors will not fit in old motherboard. same with ram and video cards. |
|
|
|
|
|
bougie
Board Buddha
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Posts: 13323
Location: Wuhan Hubei China
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 06:08 PM |
|
|
Thanks. I will not upgrade, I will continue to use my 3 yr old chinese system and start with a new case / project. The idea is to come up with the main specs for the key components as well as mfg / brands. Then I will likely get someone to give me a hand putting it all together and double checking if my choice of gear is correct. I see good information starting to come up here .. thanks I will make a list and but up for discussion about it.
I plan to use it for some gaming, HD dvd, music, some 3d viewings and manipulations (3D cad data), etc.
Not necessarily looking for the meanest baddest system, but typically like to go balls out on things like this. |
|
|
|
|
|
bougie
Board Buddha
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Posts: 13323
Location: Wuhan Hubei China
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 06:09 PM |
|
|
Btw as I mention I have a new 22" dell arriving in 2 - 3 days and a decent microlab sound system .. although not 5.1, just 2 2-ways and a bass box |
|
|
|
|
|
8lrr8
StreetBeater
Joined: Oct 14, 2004
Posts: 2344
Location: here!
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 06:30 PM |
|
|
in that case, get a quadcore, the low-end model is relatively affordable, and your rig wont be so quick to be outdated as the paradigm swift to quadcores is still in its infancy.
looks like your monitor is already in place (else i would've suggested the 305T), so what's left is mostly how much u wanna spend on a vcard. those things get obsolete faster than cpu's!  |
|
|
|
|
|
CoffeeHawk_0
Board Buddha
Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 14444
|
| Posted:
Oct 07, 2007 - 06:37 PM |
|
|
one of the most important things, and I can't describe the details well, is having the main parts match in terms of...uh...speed/bandwith/bus size. This is also the best way to spend more than is really necessary!
The motherboard's main processor(s), the MB's cache (for the HDD I think), the memory bus and speed, maybe the bus size to the video card, the video card's memory and processor(s), and the HDD 'speed' (RPM and uhhhh something), should all be matched  to have an optimum system.
If the main purpose is watching HD movies, everything does not need to be the best and fastest. If you're running Ansys and Catia simoultaneously while watching an HD movie then maybe everyhting needs to be the latest and greatest.
To figure all this out yourself will take some semi-serious research, but you'll learn what a rip-off a lot of name brand PC's are (poorly matched components with just a fast processor speed). I started by digging into the spec's for high end PC's, and then looking up the detailed specs on, for example, the Intel website. |
|
|
 |
|
bougie
Board Buddha
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Posts: 13323
Location: Wuhan Hubei China
|
| Posted:
Oct 08, 2007 - 06:48 AM |
|
|
Thanks CH, will certainly consider above and do my own "semi-serious" research ...
Somewhere in the middle would be fine, I won't be running all aggressive applications at the same time. |
|
|
|
|
|
wonderer
Raver
Joined: Sep 25, 2006
Posts: 429
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Oct 08, 2007 - 07:36 AM |
|
|
Duh, buy a new one. Forget the software, changing all the time, go for the best hardware, oh also changing all the time... |
|
|
|
|
|
bougie
Board Buddha
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Posts: 13323
Location: Wuhan Hubei China
|
| Posted:
Oct 08, 2007 - 12:46 PM |
|
|
Software, internet connections, firewalls, anti virus, security in general, all software applications ... that is a whole new thread.
At the moment i'm just compiling the hardware list .. which does change all the time. But mine is a 3 yrs old system pcs of crap infested ... well not really a pcs of crap I guess. |
|
|
|
|
|
Mister_happy
Reacher
Joined: Oct 28, 2004
Posts: 349
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Oct 08, 2007 - 02:13 PM |
|
|
It just a cheap to sell your old PC and buy a new one of the shelf. Unless you know what you are doing its the best option. I am running P4 3.0Ghz single core machines,1GB DDR400,160-500GB HD,128 MB Graphics card, onboard sound, network card at home and will not upgrade these untill they die. I built these myself from cheap bits bought out of the bargin bins, but I know what I am looking at and what condition it is in. I have two of them instead of one PC running a Duo .
At the moment you can pick up the older version of the Core Duo E6400 for around 800rmb, 2GB of DDR2 667 for 1100rmb and Asrock motherboard for around 450rmb. Graphics Card 512MB say 700rmb, a good PSU 350rmb, 160-320GB HD around 700rmb. DVD R/W 300rmb.
But thats still around 4500rmb
If your Hard disk, DVD ROM and Power Supply are up to the job you need not replace them. But still thats not much of a saving.
You can pick up a brand you PC with LCD monitor with close to the same spec for 5500rmb. Check out HP and DELL for their prices. Plus you get 1 year onsite warranty and 2 year return to shop warranty!
Unless you are like me and enjoy building your own PC, why bother with the hassel of trying to get the heat sink to fit on properly to stop the whole thing over heating when you want to over clock the hell out of the . |
|
|
|
|
|
EnnesX
Reacher
Joined: Aug 03, 2007
Posts: 206
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Oct 12, 2007 - 03:22 PM |
|
|
Buy a prebuilt system from one of the large system builders. If you cannot spec out a system for yourself, what will you do when something goes wrong? I'm not trying to put you down at all, but the advantages of a system builder (assembly, unified warranty, support) may outweigh the slight premium over the bare cost of components in your case. I hope youll agree, but if you don't systems are much less complicated to build today than before.
Here are some tips in addition to the others above:
buy a premium motherboard - buying a good motherboard is not as big of a drain on the budget as it may seem, since a lot of usable features can be integrated right on the board
Intel Core 2 Duo - these are by far the s of choice on the market today. you can only go wrong by not purchasing one of these.
vista is OK - the support for Vista is now mature enough for you to build your new system around it now. Vista is a bit more convenient to use interface wise, and there are some features that are quite useful such as indexing and superfetch. since you will be using new hardware, it will be well supported by vista and certainly be able to handle its slightly higher demands.
video card - this is one piece of your budget that we cannot really give a good suggestion for without knowing what you will do with your computer. if you do not play games on your computer, you can save a lot of money here. likewise, this piece can also drain your budget severely.
I'm sure a lot of people can spec out a system here for you, and it would be interesting to see what different people come up with.
How about you give us the top 5 things you will do with your computer, and a strict budget limit, as well as the pieces you have already (such as your monitor). |
|
|
|
|
|
computersolutions
FooJay
Joined: July 02, 2006
Posts: 1785
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Oct 12, 2007 - 03:47 PM |
|
|
Don't touch Vista.
Driver problems, software incompatibilities, slower than XP, networking access is substantially slower copying files then XP or other OS's are, etc.
That said, Vista is good for business. We get 2 or 3 laptops a week that we downgrade to XP for clients. |
_________________
IT Support - http://www.computersolutions.cn | Web Design - http://design.computersolutions.cn |
|
|
|
|
EnnesX
Reacher
Joined: Aug 03, 2007
Posts: 206
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Oct 12, 2007 - 04:39 PM |
|
|
I've used Vista since RTM and now use a vista based laptop and I have never had any problems on my AMD/ATI desktop or my Core2/NVidia laptop. On the desktop which has had both XP and Vista, the Vista system boots faster. The framerate on games went down slightly, but are not noticeable as far as the experience goes. Startup on certain programs such as Office programs and my opera browser are also faster on Vista.
I have not encountered any software incompatitbilities on either system. I had to make sure a couple of programs were updated with newer versions when installing them on the new system but otherwise everything was fine.
I know of no one with recurring, unsolvable Vista problems today that would warrant going back to XP, which is why I made my reccomendation, espcially since our turnover on components is shorter than average.
My opinion is the opposite actually, I would reccomend a strictly business machine to run a barebones XP install and the home/personal/multimedia machine use Vista.
I have heard of the network copying speed issue, but I host shared folders at work and still, that has never been an issue.
It just seems to me that a brand new system without Vista today is somewhat shortsighted. I know of some people that never moved to XP until SP2 when they deemed it 'worthy' but I had been using it for years before that with much satisfaction.
I know its inevitable that Im gonna get the "but I'm an IT Guy" card thrown at me, but I have been an enthusiast since my first 8088 with MS-DOS 3.33 and all I can say is that from personal experience Vista has worked great for me and some of my friends who are computer enthusaists as well, and between us all we represent quite a range of hardware, peripherals, and software being used successfully with the new OS. |
|
|
|
|
|
computersolutions
FooJay
Joined: July 02, 2006
Posts: 1785
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Oct 12, 2007 - 05:26 PM |
|
|
To tell you the truth - I upgraded from XP - I got a Mac.
My own recommendation to people is to skip Vista totally and buy an Apple.
There is enough disatisfaction in the market place with Vista that Apple and (XP downgrades) are doing well. |
_________________
IT Support - http://www.computersolutions.cn | Web Design - http://design.computersolutions.cn |
|
|
|
|
bougie
Board Buddha
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Posts: 13323
Location: Wuhan Hubei China
|
| Posted:
Oct 14, 2007 - 02:49 AM |
|
|
|
|
|
|
bougie
Board Buddha
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Posts: 13323
Location: Wuhan Hubei China
|
| Posted:
Nov 04, 2007 - 10:17 AM |
|
|
Finally got around to getting some quotes for the following :
Intel core z z2160.
Gigabyte 945 PL (not sure about video card .. need to check)
Memory 1GB DDRII 667
DVD (R/W) Philips 20X
2 SATA 320 Gig drives
7300GT 128M/128 bit DDRIII
Cooling 38C
4000 rmb .. (includes logitec mouse and keyboard)
The guy was recommended by a friend .. she is not much a computer expert but the guy has been very helpful after the sales as well. He seems very good, 1st impression. He says the sound card is included .. 5.1 .. need to check. Also need to check for the video card.
Any comments ? |
|
|
|
|
|
leidelaohu
Wonder Wit
Joined: June 11, 2007
Posts: 3781
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Nov 04, 2007 - 01:20 PM |
|
|
| bougie wrote: |
| Any comments ? |
Bogster - gonna run any modelling software ? Get a better video card. Quadro, maybe. Altho the ATi cards are better hardware and don't fail so often, plus now that AMD bought them the driver situation should improve. Maybe two gigs of memory would be better. PhotoShop especially is a huge memory hog. I'm sure you wouldn't have PShopCS3, Pirate Edition, but perhaps it just crept inside on a rainy night Pro and UG and Catia all like lots of memory also. Anything over two cores is a waste - there are no apps that use them. Programs written for Windows are incredibly primitive. Microsoft's scheduler sucks dead donkey dicks and you'll actually lose performance. You're not running a swerver. Put the money where it will do some good. Do you like good sound ? Get an M-Audio Revolution, far better than anything from Creative. The on-board is good for dings and bongs and "do you really want to do that ?" warnings but not much else. Buy some good speakers, not the usual "multimedia" crap. HiVi M200's would be good, only 900 rmb here. These days with all the fans inside you want to pay more attention to the case and power supply than before. A good power supply will help avoid failures caused by flaky power. And I hate noisy boxes, you might like quiet at home also (tho in China ...) Hard to find something that doesn't look like a teenager's wet dream nowadays but worth looking. Especially difficult in China, where people's taste is in their mouth. Try. Maybe you can find some of that resonance-damping stuff the fanatics glue inside. Sometimes fanatacism is good
For an OS, screw Vista and the Microsoft fanboys that rode in on it. If you have to use M$, maybe Server 2003. It's XP without the sheet. If you're a Pro/E user, you could run Solaris for x86. Gaming is for children, you don't need to waste your life on that nonsense. If you didn't need to run any cad/cam stuff Lawrence's idea to get a Mac would be okay.
Or you could do a real upgrade and buy an HP J6750 
P.S. And if you install Autocrap on this after all that work I will personally fly to Wuhan and slap some sense into you !! bleugh !!!! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Forum FAQ
Search
Preferences
Watched Topics
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
