Some suggestions on a new computer?

Hi, I know stuff like this has probably been posted a million times before, but technology changes so fast! I'am probably going to buy a new computer sometime in the next couple of weeks. I'am probably going to write down my ideal system on a piece of paper and get price lists at different places. I'am in computer science and will be doing a lot of programming this year (3rd year!), so I would like a fairly fast system. Another motive is that it also should be a good computer for racing sims! :) Here's some goals I've set: PII 400 (I probably could live with a PII300 or above however). at least 64 MB RAM 6 GIG HD 32X CD-ROM (although there is a lot higher now isn't there?) a 3dfx Voodoo II card (always wanted one of those!) any recommendations on a good graphics card? 56K modem (pretty much standard anyway). I live here in Halifax, NS, Canada so we only have a few good computer places where I can go looking. (I'am not going to future shop!). I've heard it's cheaper to specify each piece for your computer instead of just buying a complete system, I guess a lot of it depends on the store etc. Anything anyone wants to add to my list or any other suggestions would greatly appreciated! Later, John

I highly recommend looking at gateway or dells website, you can customize a computer to your needs right there, and order it, they will give you a quote online. you might find a package deal in the stores that is better, but if you go for a brand like hewlett packard, packard bell, or another cheap brand of computer you will get what you pay for, namely in bad customer support and hardware problems in the long run. I have had two gateways and I can say I am 100% satisfied with them, and you won't find a friendlier staff to talk to. I just bought a p2-400 with a dvdrom and 64 meg of ram, for under $2000, not bad for state of the art.

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>Hi, > I know stuff like this has probably been posted a million times >before, but technology changes so fast! I'am probably going to buy a new >computer sometime in the next couple of weeks. I'am probably going to >write down my ideal system on a piece of paper and get price lists at >different places. I'am in computer science and will be doing a lot of >programming this year (3rd year!), so I would like a fairly fast system. >Another motive is that it also should be a good computer for racing sims! >:) Here's some goals I've set: >PII 400 (I probably could live with a PII300 or above however). >at least 64 MB RAM >6 GIG HD >32X CD-ROM (although there is a lot higher now isn't there?) >a 3dfx Voodoo II card (always wanted one of those!) >any recommendations on a good graphics card? >56K modem (pretty much standard anyway). > I live here in Halifax, NS, Canada so we only have a few good computer >places where I can go looking. (I'am not going to future shop!). I've >heard it's cheaper to specify each piece for your computer instead of >just buying a complete system, I guess a lot of it depends on the store >etc. Anything anyone wants to add to my list or any other >suggestions would greatly appreciated! >Later, >John

You can live with a PII 300 now, but by next year will it be enough? I wouldnt want to chance it with Nascar 3 coming. Make sure you get PC100 SDRAM for the PII 400s 100 bus speed. Get a Seagate Medalist Pro 6.5Gb Hard Drive, these drives are 15% faster then any other UDMA drives cuz they run at 7200rpm. Get a good motherboard: Asus or Abit with a Intel BX Chipset! If you want the fastest 2d performace get a Matrox Millenium G200, but if your looking for the best 2d/3d card for Nascar 2 get a Thriller 3D which uses the Rendition V2200. And probably the US Robotics V.90/x2 is the better way to go then a 56k Flex modem. Voodoo2 is a must. The best sound card now is the Creative Labs Live card, awesome. And get a really nice full tower like an Inwin Q500 ATX case. If your willing to spend some $$$, go with a SCSI hard drive and cdrom. Arthur s t e a l t h r a c i n g http://www.***sys.com/stealthracing.html

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>Hi, > I know stuff like this has probably been posted a million times >before, but technology changes so fast! I'am probably going to buy a new >computer sometime in the next couple of weeks. I'am probably going to >write down my ideal system on a piece of paper and get price lists at >different places. I'am in computer science and will be doing a lot of >programming this year (3rd year!), so I would like a fairly fast system. >Another motive is that it also should be a good computer for racing sims! >:) Here's some goals I've set: >PII 400 (I probably could live with a PII300 or above however). >at least 64 MB RAM >6 GIG HD >32X CD-ROM (although there is a lot higher now isn't there?) >a 3dfx Voodoo II card (always wanted one of those!) >any recommendations on a good graphics card? >56K modem (pretty much standard anyway). > I live here in Halifax, NS, Canada so we only have a few good computer >places where I can go looking. (I'am not going to future shop!). I've >heard it's cheaper to specify each piece for your computer instead of >just buying a complete system, I guess a lot of it depends on the store >etc. Anything anyone wants to add to my list or any other >suggestions would greatly appreciated! >Later, >John

I would pick the Monster Sound MX200 because of the digital joystick port and the A3D sound support. The digital joystick will speed up your racing sims compared to an analog joystick port and more and more games support the A3D 3D sound. Else you could buy a digital joystick game card. I only know one such card and it cost little less than 100 USD. /Christer -- [link lost in import: /~w-41236/] (Read all about the "Global online racing"-proposal under "For developers". Read it a couple of times, cause noone has understood it the first time they've read it yet :o) ) > You can live with a PII 300 now, but by next year will it be enough? I > wouldnt want to chance it with Nascar 3 coming. > Make sure you get PC100 SDRAM for the PII 400s 100 bus speed. > Get a Seagate Medalist Pro 6.5Gb Hard Drive, these drives are 15% faster > then any other UDMA drives cuz they run at 7200rpm. > Get a good motherboard: Asus or Abit with a Intel BX Chipset! > If you want the fastest 2d performace get a Matrox Millenium G200, but if > your looking for the best 2d/3d card for Nascar 2 get a Thriller 3D which > uses the Rendition V2200. > And probably the US Robotics V.90/x2 is the better way to go then a 56k Flex > modem. > Voodoo2 is a must. > The best sound card now is the Creative Labs Live card, awesome. > And get a really nice full tower like an Inwin Q500 ATX case. > If your willing to spend some $$$, go with a SCSI hard drive and cdrom. > Arthur > s t e a l t h > r a c i n g > http://www.***sys.com/stealthracing.html > >Hi, > > I know stuff like this has probably been posted a million times > >before, but technology changes so fast! I'am probably going to buy a new > >computer sometime in the next couple of weeks. I'am probably going to > >write down my ideal system on a piece of paper and get price lists at > >different places. I'am in computer science and will be doing a lot of > >programming this year (3rd year!), so I would like a fairly fast system. > >Another motive is that it also should be a good computer for racing sims! > >:) Here's some goals I've set: > >PII 400 (I probably could live with a PII300 or above however). > >at least 64 MB RAM > >6 GIG HD > >32X CD-ROM (although there is a lot higher now isn't there?) > >a 3dfx Voodoo II card (always wanted one of those!) > >any recommendations on a good graphics card? > >56K modem (pretty much standard anyway). > > I live here in Halifax, NS, Canada so we only have a few good computer > >places where I can go looking. (I'am not going to future shop!). I've > >heard it's cheaper to specify each piece for your computer instead of > >just buying a complete system, I guess a lot of it depends on the store > >etc. Anything anyone wants to add to my list or any other > >suggestions would greatly appreciated! > >Later, > >John

The reason I perfer the CL Live to the MX200 is that the gameport on the MX200 doesnt work in dos, so forget ICR2 and Nascar2 working with a wheel. I have a MX200 though, but also a CL AWE64 Gold which I just use for its gameport and sound in dos. BTW dont get a MX200, Diamond just announced they are releasing the Monster Sound MX300 using the new Vortex 2 chip that will crush the Creative Live card all for $99! It will work in dos and be 1/2 the price of the CL Live. Arthur s t e a l t h r a c i n g http://www.***sys.com/stealthracing.html >I would pick the Monster Sound MX200 because of the digital joystick port and >the A3D sound support. The digital joystick will speed up your racing sims >compared to an analog joystick port and more and more games support the A3D 3D >sound. Else you could buy a digital joystick game card. I only know one such >card and it cost little less than 100 USD. >/Christer >-- >[link lost in import: /~w-41236/] (Read all about the "Global online >racing"-proposal under "For developers". Read it a couple of times, cause noone

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>has understood it the first time they've read it yet :o) ) >> You can live with a PII 300 now, but by next year will it be enough? I >> wouldnt want to chance it with Nascar 3 coming. >> Make sure you get PC100 SDRAM for the PII 400s 100 bus speed. >> Get a Seagate Medalist Pro 6.5Gb Hard Drive, these drives are 15% faster >> then any other UDMA drives cuz they run at 7200rpm. >> Get a good motherboard: Asus or Abit with a Intel BX Chipset! >> If you want the fastest 2d performace get a Matrox Millenium G200, but if >> your looking for the best 2d/3d card for Nascar 2 get a Thriller 3D which >> uses the Rendition V2200. >> And probably the US Robotics V.90/x2 is the better way to go then a 56k

Flex

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>> modem. >> Voodoo2 is a must. >> The best sound card now is the Creative Labs Live card, awesome. >> And get a really nice full tower like an Inwin Q500 ATX case. >> If your willing to spend some $$$, go with a SCSI hard drive and cdrom. >> Arthur >> s t e a l t h >> r a c i n g >> http://www.***sys.com/stealthracing.html >> >Hi, >> > I know stuff like this has probably been posted a million times >> >before, but technology changes so fast! I'am probably going to buy a

new >> >computer sometime in the next couple of weeks. I'am probably going to >> >write down my ideal system on a piece of paper and get price lists at >> >different places. I'am in computer science and will be doing a lot of >> >programming this year (3rd year!), so I would like a fairly fast system. >> >Another motive is that it also should be a good computer for racing sims!

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>> >:) Here's some goals I've set: >> >PII 400 (I probably could live with a PII300 or above however). >> >at least 64 MB RAM >> >6 GIG HD >> >32X CD-ROM (although there is a lot higher now isn't there?) >> >a 3dfx Voodoo II card (always wanted one of those!) >> >any recommendations on a good graphics card? >> >56K modem (pretty much standard anyway). >> > I live here in Halifax, NS, Canada so we only have a few good

computer

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>> >places where I can go looking. (I'am not going to future shop!). I've >> >heard it's cheaper to specify each piece for your computer instead of >> >just buying a complete system, I guess a lot of it depends on the store >> >etc. Anything anyone wants to add to my list or any other >> >suggestions would greatly appreciated! >> >Later, >> >John

Great news, Arthur, the MX300. It's a must have :o). /Christer

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> The reason I perfer the CL Live to the MX200 is that the gameport on the > MX200 doesnt work in dos, so forget ICR2 and Nascar2 working with a wheel. I > have a MX200 though, but also a CL AWE64 Gold which I just use for its > gameport and sound in dos. BTW dont get a MX200, Diamond just announced they > are releasing the Monster Sound MX300 using the new Vortex 2 chip that will > crush the Creative Live card all for $99! It will work in dos and be 1/2 the > price of the CL Live. > Arthur > s t e a l t h > r a c i n g > http://www.***sys.com/stealthracing.html > >I would pick the Monster Sound MX200 because of the digital joystick port > and > >the A3D sound support. The digital joystick will speed up your racing sims > >compared to an analog joystick port and more and more games support the A3D > 3D > >sound. Else you could buy a digital joystick game card. I only know one > such > >card and it cost little less than 100 USD. > >/Christer > >-- > >[link lost in import: /~w-41236/] (Read all about the "Global online > >racing"-proposal under "For developers". Read it a couple of times, cause > noone > >has understood it the first time they've read it yet :o) ) > >> You can live with a PII 300 now, but by next year will it be enough? I > >> wouldnt want to chance it with Nascar 3 coming. > >> Make sure you get PC100 SDRAM for the PII 400s 100 bus speed. > >> Get a Seagate Medalist Pro 6.5Gb Hard Drive, these drives are 15% faster > >> then any other UDMA drives cuz they run at 7200rpm. > >> Get a good motherboard: Asus or Abit with a Intel BX Chipset! > >> If you want the fastest 2d performace get a Matrox Millenium G200, but if > >> your looking for the best 2d/3d card for Nascar 2 get a Thriller 3D which > >> uses the Rendition V2200. > >> And probably the US Robotics V.90/x2 is the better way to go then a 56k > Flex > >> modem. > >> Voodoo2 is a must. > >> The best sound card now is the Creative Labs Live card, awesome. > >> And get a really nice full tower like an Inwin Q500 ATX case. > >> If your willing to spend some $$$, go with a SCSI hard drive and cdrom. > >> Arthur > >> s t e a l t h > >> r a c i n g > >> http://www.***sys.com/stealthracing.html > >> >Hi, > >> > I know stuff like this has probably been posted a million times > >> >before, but technology changes so fast! I'am probably going to buy a > new > >> >computer sometime in the next couple of weeks. I'am probably going to > >> >write down my ideal system on a piece of paper and get price lists at > >> >different places. I'am in computer science and will be doing a lot of > >> >programming this year (3rd year!), so I would like a fairly fast system. > >> >Another motive is that it also should be a good computer for racing > sims! > >> >:) Here's some goals I've set: > >> >PII 400 (I probably could live with a PII300 or above however). > >> >at least 64 MB RAM > >> >6 GIG HD > >> >32X CD-ROM (although there is a lot higher now isn't there?) > >> >a 3dfx Voodoo II card (always wanted one of those!) > >> >any recommendations on a good graphics card? > >> >56K modem (pretty much standard anyway). > >> > I live here in Halifax, NS, Canada so we only have a few good > computer > >> >places where I can go looking. (I'am not going to future shop!). I've > >> >heard it's cheaper to specify each piece for your computer instead of > >> >just buying a complete system, I guess a lot of it depends on the store > >> >etc. Anything anyone wants to add to my list or any other > >> >suggestions would greatly appreciated! > >> >Later, > >> >John

-- [link lost in import: /~w-41236/] (Read all about the "Global online racing"-proposal under "For developers". Read it a couple of times, cause noone has understood it the first time they've read it yet :o) )