GPL - I need a brand new system....

.....okay, I admit it, I cant decide. Well, I have decided on a few things: definitely a Voodoo 3 3000, definitely a 0.25 dot 17" monitor, and, er, thats about it. So guys, firstly, Celeron 466, K6-2 475 or K6-3 400? Secondly: tailor made system or off the shelf? Should I trust magazine reviews from the likes of Personal Computer World et al? Im upgrading from a K6-2 200, Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 and a 4Mb Voodoo 1, so I guess anything is going to be an improvement. **** Posted from RemarQ - http://www.remarq.com - Discussions Start Here (tm) ****

On Tue, 08 Jun 1999 05:31:41 -0800, Craig Jones Heres a nice solid little system, but assembly is required. I figure just under $1000 inc. shipping W/O a new HD, CD, or Sound card. Around $1500 if you go with a 6X DVD, A SB Live, and a new 16 gig HD.. From http://st4.yahoo.com/upsource/ (Upgrade Source) Enlight 7237 mid tower ATX duel fan case - $48 Teac 1.44 3.5" Floppy Drive - $18 Viewsonic E790 19" monitor - $408 STB V3 2000 AGP (unless you need TV out?) - $106 (add $43.00 for the 3000 w.TV out) From www.vitalinx.com (Vitalink) Abit BM6 PPGA MB - $94 Cel 466 PPGA - $165 128megs PC100 - $88 ===================== And if you need these (on Vitalink): 16.8 Gig IBM HD - $229 Creative Labs 48X CD - $52 Creative Labs 6X DVD w/decoder card - $206 Soundblaster Live! OEM - $52 G. Patricks

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>On Tue, 08 Jun 1999 05:31:41 -0800, Craig Jones >Heres a nice solid little system, but assembly is required. I figure >just under $1000 inc. shipping W/O a new HD, CD, or Sound card. Around >$1500 if you go with a 6X DVD, A SB Live, and a new 16 gig HD.. >From http://st4.yahoo.com/upsource/ (Upgrade Source) >Enlight 7237 mid tower ATX duel fan case - $48 >Teac 1.44 3.5" Floppy Drive - $18 >Viewsonic E790 19" monitor - $408 >STB V3 2000 AGP (unless you need TV out?) - $106 >(add $43.00 for the 3000 w.TV out) >From www.vitalinx.com (Vitalink) >Abit BM6 PPGA MB - $94 >Cel 466 PPGA - $165 >128megs PC100 - $88 >===================== >And if you need these (on Vitalink): >16.8 Gig IBM HD - $229 >Creative Labs 48X CD - $52 >Creative Labs 6X DVD w/decoder card - $206 >Soundblaster Live! OEM - $52 >>:.....okay, I admit it, I cant decide. Well, I have decided on a few >>:things: definitely a Voodoo 3 3000, definitely a 0.25 dot 17" monitor,

and, >>:er, thats about it. >>: >>:So guys, firstly, Celeron 466, K6-2 475 or K6-3 400? Hi i have a Celeron 466 on Abit bx.2.0 and it works great on 525 (6*75) maybe higer with som tweeking.

I'm very happy with my new system that I had custom built by ***Power Inc. http://www.***powerinc.com Total cost with shipping was $964; two weeks for delivery. 3 year full warranty, 30 day return, no restocking fee, lifetime free 1-800 phone support. K6III-400 w/ fan and heatsink AZZA PT-5VMD AT mobo w/ 512K L3 cache VIA chipset/ award BIOS Maxtor 10.8GB hard drive 64MB PC100 SDRAM ATI Rage Fury 32MB w/TV-out Toshiba 6X/32X DVD-ROM Rockwell V.90 PCI F/M/V modem Yamaha Wave 64 sound (put the MX300 from my old system in, though) ATX full tower case w/ 250 watt supply Mitsumi floppy No operating system; just install from the Windows 98 upgrade disc. For a benchmark, Viper Racing ran at 18 fps with my K6-233, Rage Pro Turbo, 64MB RAM; This was with most of the options set to low or none. The new one runs it at 55 fps with all of the "goodies" turned on! -- Remove "spam jammer" to reply Graffiti seen above a urinal in East Grand Forks, MN: "Please don't eat the big white mints!" My Yahoo! pager ID is Galley_SimRacer (tm) ****

I can't recommend these guys WHOLEheartedly...yes, I have gotten 2 PCs from them, but you need to know your way around. They get ***reviews, but I bet a lot of it comes from the fact that the hardware is (for the most part) high-quality, and the price is dirt-cheap. www.zenontech.com I will recommend them, but you need to phone them and ask for someone specific - Kevin, I think. Also, the MOMENT you get the system, open every box, and open the case, and make sure EVERYTHING is EXACTLY right. i.e. monitor is right size! :P (I actually ordered a 17"...first sent a 15", but within a week, the 17" came, their charge....and when the HD failed, they gave me credit - bought a IBM Deskstar at Frys.) You need to be careful, but if you do it right, you can get a great PC for a better price. -- Kirk Lane Tempe, AZ ICQ: 28171652 RMRL #119 >>On Tue, 08 Jun 1999 05:31:41 -0800, Craig Jones >>Heres a nice solid little system, but assembly is required. I figure >>just under $1000 inc. shipping W/O a new HD, CD, or Sound card. Around >>$1500 if you go with a 6X DVD, A SB Live, and a new 16 gig HD.. >>From http://st4.yahoo.com/upsource/ Source) >>Enlight 7237 mid tower ATX duel fan case - $48 >>Teac 1.44 3.5" Floppy Drive - $18 >>Viewsonic E790 19" monitor - $408 >>STB V3 2000 AGP (unless you need TV out?) - $106 >>(add $43.00 for the 3000 w.TV out) >>From www.vitalinx.com (Vitalink) >>Abit BM6 PPGA MB - $94 >>Cel 466 PPGA - $165 >>128megs PC100 - $88 >>===================== >>And if you need these (on Vitalink): >>16.8 Gig IBM HD - $229 >>Creative Labs 48X CD - $52 >>Creative Labs 6X DVD w/decoder card - $206 >>Soundblaster Live! OEM - $52 >>>:.....okay, I admit it, I cant decide. Well, I have decided on a few >>>:things: definitely a Voodoo 3 3000, definitely a 0.25 dot 17" monitor, >and, >>>:er, thats about it. >>>: >>>:So guys, firstly, Celeron 466, K6-2 475 or K6-3 400? >Hi i have a Celeron 466 on Abit bx.2.0 and it works great on 525 (6*75) >maybe higer with som tweeking.

I'm not sure what country you're in but in the UK Quantex (www.quantex.co.uk) are advertising a system for 799 pounds + VAT, specs: PIII-450 16Mb Voodoo III 64Mb SDRAM 17" Monitor 4th Gen DVD etc For 200 pounds more you get the same system but with a PIII-550 I'm ordering one :-) If you are in the UK look for the adverts in the Daily Mail. -- Cheers! Graeme Nash http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk ICQ# 11257824 ________________________________________________________________________________ "There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" (Calvin & Hobbes)

IMO - the most cost-effective option -that also allows for future upgradeability is: BX motherboard - Asus, Abit, whatever Celeron 400 (slot1 version) - not worth the premium for a 466. 64mb ram is probably enough (certainly for GPL) A voodoo2 would be enough for GPL also - but otherwise I'd say a V3 3000 Well worth getting a SBlive value - esp as its quite cheap if included as part of system purchase Thats about it - If GPL is the main game you play, I'd save your money and just get a voodoo2 and put the balance you saved on a V3 3000 -toward a decent wheel. BTW - Definitely a Celeron over an K6-2 or K6-3 for ***. Julian

I just upgraded my motherboard (Abit ZM6 socket 370) and CPU (Celeron 400 Mhz). I already had A Diamond Banshee. Paid $108 for the MB and $76 for CPU which came with a Heat sink and fan. I can now run GPL with everthing turned on at 1024 by 768 and it runs smooth as silk. I bought everthing at http://www.gcomp.com/index.htm their online prices were better than their in store prices. I also had to buy a new Case as all my other cases are AT type. I got a Enlight Mid Tower ATX for $65 very nice case it has a extra fan located at the bottom. I have Falcon 4.0 and this setup runs Falcon very well. I could probably use another 64Meg ram and see even more improvement. I can now run Nascar 2 in windows were I used to have to exit to DOS to get it to work right.

Avoid the K6s. I do not believe that GPL is optimized to use the special AMD instructions, and besides its not really the graphics engine that needs the help, its the floating point physics which really require the better floating unit of the Intel line. I'd avoid off the shelf, period. Bang for your buck isn't good. And yes, PCW, PCMag, etc, etc can be trusted. Just read a variety of reviews and compare and contrast them and see why they voted systems the way they did. Unless you are building a custom system, you probably really can't go wrong with say a Dell, Micron, Gateway, etc. (tm) ****

With all the great info & what to put in your system via ras. I have a question.. Do you have a local shop that will build you a full system with all the suggested hardware via ras? I have a local shop that'll match or beat any priced system on the net as long as you match item per item. I have a 2yr warranty with all parts & labor free. Plus I've never had a problem. When I do have any problems you I go there & they fix/replace the problem or bad piece/pieces...a.s.a.p. while I wait.. Just a thought.. Good luck in whatever you chose! Cheers Thom_j. "O" P.S. No bench-time costs either like many of these online outlets for repair even when you are still under a warranty!

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> Avoid the K6s. I do not believe that GPL is optimized to use the special > AMD instructions, and besides its not really the graphics engine that needs > the help, its the floating point physics which really require the better > floating unit of the Intel line. > I'd avoid off the shelf, period. Bang for your buck isn't good. And yes, > PCW, PCMag, etc, etc can be trusted. Just read a variety of reviews and > compare and contrast them and see why they voted systems the way they did. > Unless you are building a custom system, you probably really can't go wrong > with say a Dell, Micron, Gateway, etc.

One problem with Dell systems at least is upgradability - since they have proprietary motherboards, it's not possible to upgrade them later unless Dell decides to let you, and they are also limited in terms of CPU upgrades. I'm using a Dell Dimension with a P233, and now that I've added Voodoo Banshee, SB Live and PDPI card, I can't get any more performance out of it. I'm told that by having a PC built out of standard components, it should be possible to replace the motherboard and processor later on pretty easily (and cheaply!).

Nah...I think I'm going strictly home-built from now on after these 2 PCs. I guess you start to feel a little more confident when you manage to get a PII350 to 466 :) -- Kirk Lane Tempe, AZ ICQ: 28171652 RMRL #119 >With all the great info & what to put in your system via ras. >I have a question.. Do you have a local shop that will build >you a full system with all the suggested hardware via ras? >I have a local shop that'll match or beat any priced system >on the net as long as you match item per item. I have a 2yr >warranty with all parts & labor free. Plus I've never had a >problem. When I do have any problems you I go there & >they fix/replace the problem or bad piece/pieces...a.s.a.p. >while I wait.. Just a thought.. Good luck in whatever you >chose! Cheers Thom_j. >"O" P.S. No bench-time costs either like many of these >online outlets for repair even when you are still under a >warranty! >> >>>:.....okay, I admit it, I can't decide. Well, I have decided on a few >> >>>:things: definitely a Voodoo 3 3000, definitely a 0.25 dot 17" monitor, >> >and, >> >>>:er, that's about it. >> >>>: >> >>>:So guys, firstly, Celeron 466, K6-2 475 or K6-3 400? >> >Hi i have a Celeron 466 on Abit bx.2.0 and it works great on 525 (6*75) >> >maybe higer with som tweeking.

I'm not a fan of over-clocking CPUs unless you really know what you're doing. Hope you do?? I buy good Intel p2-450mhz CPUs at a great price with a really great warranty. I'd rather not toast a CPU & then have to buy another.. Almost all Mfg's won't honor these overclocked CPUs anymore. Of course it is your decision! Good luck.... Thom_j.

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> Nah...I think I'm going strictly home-built from now on after these 2 PCs. > I guess you start to feel a little more confident when you manage to get a > PII350 to 466 :) > -- > Kirk Lane > Tempe, AZ > ICQ: 28171652 > RMRL #119 > >With all the great info & what to put in your system via ras. > >I have a question.. Do you have a local shop that will build > >you a full system with all the suggested hardware via ras? > >I have a local shop that'll match or beat any priced system > >on the net as long as you match item per item. I have a 2yr > >warranty with all parts & labor free. Plus I've never had a > >problem. When I do have any problems you I go there & > >they fix/replace the problem or bad piece/pieces...a.s.a.p. > >while I wait.. Just a thought.. Good luck in whatever you > >chose! Cheers Thom_j. > >"O" P.S. No bench-time costs either like many of these > >online outlets for repair even when you are still under a > >warranty! > >> >>>:.....okay, I admit it, I can't decide. Well, I have decided on a

few

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> >> >>>:things: definitely a Voodoo 3 3000, definitely a 0.25 dot 17" > monitor, > >> >and, > >> >>>:er, that's about it. > >> >>>: > >> >>>:So guys, firstly, Celeron 466, K6-2 475 or K6-3 400? > >> >Hi i have a Celeron 466 on Abit bx.2.0 and it works great on 525

(6*75) > >> >maybe higer with som tweeking.