System Specification Suggestions?

[brandon184]

Hey Everyone..

I need some suggestions for a home/home office system.. (What hardware components it should consist of..)

The system would be used for:

- Business Apps (Financial Investment Advisement firm.. Mutual funds, that kinda stuff.)
- Moderate Internet Surfing (ADSL)
- Word Processing
- A little desktop publishing
- Kids would be playing games on it often

As you can see, it will have a moderately wide range of uses and it needs speed, thus it should be a fairly powerful system..

Thanks in Advance!

- Brandon

[Stan]

Hard to say... need more info...

What's the budget ?
Do you want SCSI or IDE ?

Stan

[dgardner]

Are you building it of god forbid me for saying this, are you planning on buying a prebuilt system!!

~Dave~

[daveleau]

Build it! Much better peripherals.
Dave

[brandon184]

It'll be built.. NOT prebuilt.

Budget - Not really an issue... But nothing outta this world-ly extravagant.

IDE would be best!

- Brandon

[Ruahrc]

Here's what I ordered a couple days ago, it's pretty good:

KA7-100
Athlon 700
SBLive Value
GeForce MX 32MB
128MB PC133
WDC 20.5GB HDD
(The rest of the system is carryover from my older system)

Using that as a base it should cover all the stuff you want it to do, but if money isn't really an issue then you can modify this design, for example: KT7 (For Duron/Thunderbird) instead of KA7, maybe a little higher clocked processor, possibly some more RAM.

I ordered all my parts from www.ucdweb.com (http://www.ucdweb.com) (right now they have a great deal on GF2-MX cards) and www.hardwarepro.com. (http://www.hardwarepro.com.) Someone else'll have to give you info on a case/floppy/cd-rom/modem since all of that is carryover from my old system.

Hope this helps

Ruahrc

P.S. All the parts I ordered total came out to $790 after shipping.

[brandon184]

I'm looking for something a little more powerful than that.. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

- Brandon

[bkehoe]

I have easily got an Athlon 700 up to 1GHz with normal air cooling and adjusting the cache speed a little in my KA7-100 BIOS. The KA7-100 is RAID, so you could get 2 30Gb drives in raid for better speed.

I am expecting 1.1GHz from the Athlon when my Blizzard cooler from www.overclockershideout.com (http://www.overclockershideout.com) arrives. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Rest of my System:
256MB PC133 SDRAM
Creative Annialathor 2 (Geforce2 GTS)
SB Live Platinum with LD2
30GB Maxtor Diamondmax+ 7200RPM with 2 MB cache
12x DVD
4x6x CDRW
19' ADI monitor
Creative DTT2500
Hollywood+ Hardware DVD
Hauppauge WinTV-pci Nicam.

the 700 Athlons should at least come with an 800 core which mine did (bought in early May),

If you're not comfortable with overclocking get a KT7 and a TBird 800.

Brendan

[Warthog]

I'm looking for something a little more powerful than that..

What kind of "budget" are you on? When I hear that word, I think of $1000 or so system. His is closer to $2000.

Could you give us a price range?

900mhz
256mb PC133
64mb DDR Geforce2
Maxtor 20GB hd
SB Live Value
Plextor CD-RW (best they got - very fast)
Pioneer 16x DVD-ROM
19" FD Trinitron

Is that good enough?? http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif

Warthog

[brandon184]

Warthog... That system is pretty close to what I'm looking for actually.

There isn't really any "budget".. Whatever is necessary will be bought. What has to be paid, really isn't an issue.

I don't really want to overclock the system, or make it vulnerable to unstablility.. As this will be a family system, not some 'techie's' system, which will be tweaked to perfection.

Anything that could be expanded from Warthogs' example would be great.. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

- Brandon

[Warthog]

hahahaha lol http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif I just wrote down a bunch of nice stuff http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif. That's really about what you're looking for? hmmmmm... http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif I wasn't even trying that hard. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif

Anyway, I can't give you much adice as to what mobo to get, etc. because I don't build my own comps as of yet and so have no knowledge of that stuff. Maybe you should upgrade to a 1ghz just for the heck of it.

Some questions about your family:
How many exactly, will be using it?
Any game players (3-4 games installed at a time takes up mucho hd space)?
Avid mp3 collectors?
Digital camera users (many pictures)?

Answers to these will affect hd size. I'm assuming your family will have this awhile. Might even want to upgrade to a 30gb hard drive.

If there are mp3 collectors, you will want to get a half-way decent set of speakers. I'd go with Altec Lansing or Creative Labs. Do you want 2 or 4? Oh yeah, if you plan to watch DVD movies on your computer, you will also want good speakers. I can't remember if the Geforce I listed, has TV out. If not, you should get a DVD decoder card which does. The Hollywood Plus at www.utobia.com (http://www.utobia.com) (I think) should do the trick.

What about a software package? Do you have one already? MS Office 2000 Small Business Edition is pretty good package.

Warthog

[This message has been edited by Warthog (edited 08-08-2000).]

[brandon184]

Number of people using the machine would be 4 or 5 people...

There wouldn't be an extravagant amount of games installed, other than a few games for the sports fans in the house.

A digital camera would probably be a likely add-on.

No avid mp3 users will be using the machine.

As for the computer being kept for a prolonged period of time.. It will be kept UNTIL it becomes obsolete, or unable to run needed applications. At that time it will either be upgraded or replaced.

Office 2000 will be a necessity on the machine, as well...

Thanks for the suggestions..

Any more are welcome!

- Brandon

[chipbgt]

Brandon pick up a copy of the new MaximumPC magazine (september) and take a gander at the new dream machine....dual 1 ghz proc's, 2X256mb of RDRAM....12000 dollars. its niiice. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[chuckiechan]

One thing that I have learned is that where electro-mechanical items are concerned, spend a little more and get much better. I''ve got a
Sony Floppy ($14) Brand X ($10)
Sony CD Rom ($39) Brand X ($29)
IBM 18G, 2Mb Buffer, 7200 RPM, DMA 66 ($199)
Brand X ($179)
HP Printer. ($139) You name it!

It is not worth the headaches to save 10 or 15% and have to try to get a RMA for it in 6 months. The best return policy is "No returns required 'cause it won't break and sully our great name....!!" http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif I have been burned.. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/frown.gif

[brandon184]

Thanks chipbgt.. I'll be sure to do that.

.. and thanks chuckiechan for that suggestion!

- Brandon

[Ruahrc]

I'm not sure you saw it in my previous post but I said that it was a good base system to start from. It will easily handle Ghz CPU's and up to 2GB of RAM. I didn't have the wallet to buy a 1Ghz CPU/256 MB RAM, etc. which apparently you do (and seems like you need). I was just saying that the Athlon platform seems like a great way to go, and that the KA7-100 (Or KT7 series) is a fabulous motherboard to power that Athlon.

Hope this clears it up.

Ruahrc

[CMonster]

Whatever you decide - don't scrimp on the case and especailly the power supply.


It seems that there is an incompatibility bewteen the "new" Athlon (T-bird) and the KA7 motherboard, so if you are tempted to go with the KA7 keep that in mind.

My suggestion (based solely on reviews and available options) would be to start with a core of the Asus A7V and the fastest T-bird you can get your hands on. Overclocking success has been phenominial so I wouldn't necessarily rule that out if doing it by-the-multiplier.

Planing on some photo editing? - at least 256MB physical memory is a must.

the rest pretty much speaks for itself...

[Stan]

Brandon184

What I would buy if it was for me:

- Dual PIII FCPGA 733MHz (faster than a single 900MHz) (MSI 694D Pro)
- Adaptec or Promise RAID5 IDE controller with 3 IBM 75Gxp (http://www.storage.ibm.com/hardsoft/diskdrdl/prod/ds75gxp40gv.htm) (30GB)
- 256 MB SDRAM
- Matrox G400 MAX
- Pioneer DVD 16x
- SBLive Platinum
- 2 Iiyama Vision Master PRO 450 (19")
- Videologic DTS speakers
- Logitech Cordless Solution
- Minimum 300W PSU in a full tower case

Stan

[blubomber]

How about this;

AMD 900MHz Thunderbird
ASUS A7V Mobo
2 IBM 30gig HD. 7200rpm, ATA100
Soundblaster Live Platinum
Cambridge Soundworks DTT 2500
US Robotics 56K modem(if you are still dialing in)
Plextor CD-RW 12x10x32
Pioneer 16x DVD
Full tower
350W PS

As far as video cards go, i am not too sure. I am looking at getting a ViperII because of its good DVD playback, TV out plug, good for games except for the shading and lighting drivers i have read are not too good. But it is the drivers and not the hardware.
And then some 19" monitor would be good, again, i am not sure on the brand.

Good luck on your new system. Let us know what you get.

[brandon184]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'll look into everything a bit and post what I'll finally build..

Thanks!

- Brandon

[Warthog]

hehe...now we are naming some really good systems. Who can name the best? http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif I like the dual 733s myself.
http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif
Warthog

[mike511]

I know you people have been naming some awesome systems for this guy, and its nice to not have a budget for these kinds of things. But if you want to get a system for under 2 grand, the one i just built would be sufficent.

MOBO Abit- BE6-II
Pentium 700E can overclock to 900+ easy
Golden Orb Heat seek fan
Two Case fans
Fung Kai 603 ATX Case
128meg PC-133 Ram
WD 20.5 gig 7200rpm hard drive
SOund Blaster Live Value
ALL IN WONDER RADEON when it comes out this month
Toshiba 12x DVD
WIndows ME
TEAC 1.44 floppy
Microsoft Natural keyboard Pro
Microsoft INtellimouse Explorer
Sony Trinitron E-200 17 in.
Lexmark Z52 printer
Benwin GX-6 Flat panal system
Ezonics EZ dual cam

Grand Total $1952.19

I designed this for my college dorm room so thats why some parts are geared towards that like the 17inch instead of the 19in monitor, and the flat panal speakers.

[Stan]

And for backup (even if you go with RAID5, it's always nice to have a backup drive):
Onstream 30GB (http://www.onstream.com)

Nice piece of kit !!!

Stan

[This message has been edited by Stan (edited 08-09-2000).]

[brandon184]

Stan.. Thanks. That should be more than enough backup storage for me. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Warthog - How come your never on the ActiveList? Its actually actively used.. to a point. Its not too often, at all, where you come on it anymore and no one is online.

- Brandon

[Warthog]

The one and only reason I haven't been on the AL is because I sold my computer 3 1/2 weeks ago. I just ordered my new comp which will come sometime next week. The day after I sold my old one, I left for Connecticut for 2 weeks. By the time I get my comp, I will have been absent from the AL (and Rogue Spear!) for 4 weeks - a month! yikes!

Right now I'm using my dad's computer. I'm not allowed to stay on it that much, and it's right in the hallway, rather than in the comfort of my own room. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

One more week! I miss it very badly. I really liked talking to you guys. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Warthog

[Stan]

No problem...

I am using the DI-30 (internal IDE) to backup my PDC. The average transfert rate is approx 60MB/min.

This drive is very good and the price is very attractive !

Stan