Need advice on processor and vid card

**Monstermile** · November 8th, 2004, 09:55 PM

For the time being I have given up on the system I built due to problems I can't seem to fix. But I am tired of using my old AMD 600mhz system. So I am buying a pre-built system and need advice on a processor and vid card.

The system will have:
Asus A7N8X-X mobo
512 MB PC3200
Dual WD 80GB hard drives
DVD drive and CD burner

Would I be better off going with an XP, Barton, or Athlon 64. These are all within my budget:

Athlon XP 2800+ [512K L2 Cache]
Athlon XP 2700+
Athlon XP 2500+ [512K L2 Cache]
Athlon-64 2800+
Athlon-64 3000+

As far as a vid card these are the three in the budget:
Geforce-FX 5200
Geforce-4 MX4000
ATI Radeon 9200-SE

The system will be used mostly for light to medium gaming, digital photo editing, net, word processing, and MP3 ripping. And I will be running XP on this one.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

**mazdarx7-64** · November 8th, 2004, 09:58 PM

athlon 64 is lots better for gaming, just make sure that the mother board will support it.

**Hungrycookpot** · November 8th, 2004, 09:58 PM

Well im pretty sure your mobo wont handle a 64 chip, or i would say that. Id go with an XP 3200, i like the barton cores, if they still make them.

And as for the video card, the best of those, id say, is the 5200. Thats what ive got, and it definately outperforms the 9200SE, which is what my cousin has in a system otherwise identical to mine.

**Monstermile** · November 8th, 2004, 10:03 PM

Sorry about that. The mobo I listed would not be for the Athlon 64. If I go with that it will be either the Abit KV8 Pro, or Foxconn 755A01-6EKRS.

With that being said which processor should I go with.

**Hungrycookpot** · November 8th, 2004, 10:04 PM

oh well then in that case id go with the 64.

**noony** · November 8th, 2004, 10:09 PM

yeah the athlon 64 are waaaay better than athlon xp's because the athlon 64 has the on-die memory controller, a HUGE advantage. that Abit kv8 is really nice too. unfortunately, all your video card choices suck. sure you can't go with something like a 9600pro?

**Monstermile** · November 8th, 2004, 10:14 PM

No I have put myself on a strict budget and those cards are the only ones that fit. I don't need a super card. Just something that will run average games. Nothing like Doom 3 or HL2. I'm more of a console gamer.

As far as the processors I take it that the 64 is way better than the XP's. But with the XP's are the Bartons that much better than the non Bartons?? I'm just trying to weigh my options here.

**noony** · November 8th, 2004, 10:32 PM

the barton's are better than the thoroughbreds in that they have a larger L2 cache-- 512 as opposed to 256 and operate on a higher external clock-- 333-400 (DDR) as opposed to 266ddr. these things are what give barton's a higher performance rating. but no, they're not that much better, only as much better as their performance rating would suggest. for example 3000+ vs. 2400+.

but an athlon 64 3000+ would considerably outperform an athlon xp3000+ (why they are given the same performance rating i do not understand)