RLGaming.com

I used to be off my head enough to buy systems at the top end of the scale. But I soon realised the best thing to do was sit just behind the curve, maximum gain for minimum outlay, unless I found that wasn't cutting it for whatever I was doing. Then I was happy to pay out a little more to get what I needed, like my latest graphics card - what I had just wasn't up to the task, so I bought something better. But 3K on a new machine? Does it do the friggin washing-up?! :shock:

There was a time not so long ago when a rig costed you 3k and that was normal, matter of fact the rig that I started out with in WOF cost about a little over 2k and it was a 1gig processor with 128 mb of memory. I've since rebuilt over time and only spent what 500 bucks to get what I have now (there is nothing original from this machine but out of necessity everything was replace ala cart, hell my next one will be built from the ground up by me instead of buying whole). I've gone from 1gig processor to a 2.3, 128mb to 1gig memory, from a 40 gig hdd to one 80 and 160gig hdd, from onboard graphics to a Radeon 9500 I am sticking with onboard sound I just don't see the point, a new mother board (not top of the line or hell current but it does the job I need it to do), shit I'd rather build it myself next time for less money.

DA

I remember my dad buying a 386-25DX back in 1991 for $2400. It was discounted, at Costco. It had 2MB RAM I believe, and a 2400 baud modem along with a 130MB HD. No sound, had to buy a Soundblaster for that. Original 8-bit mono full-length ISA!

Anyway, the 386-33 was also there, and was $500 more.

Somewhere around the base we have an ad for a Tandy of some type back around 1990 for $8000!

PC's are definitely cheaper now than they were then. Compare the prices of housing, cars, gas, food, etc, and you'll see that PCs are a bargain now. For $1500 I could build a great system from scratch.

Yeah, we can only wish cars did the same thing! LOL :lol:

Area 51m 7700 laptop. 3.6 GHz desktop P4, 1 GB RAM, 16x PCI 256 MB GeForce 6800 Go, Dual 60GB disks striped for 120GB HDD space, Dual Layer DVD+-RW / CD-RW, 1680x1050 Display, lots of other features to drool over... $3,200.

I payed top dollar so I can drag playability around the world with me. But as soon as I'm out of the Marine Corps, ya I'll be cheaping out on desktops just good enough to play once I'm out.

Talking of which, my wife has been toying with the idea of a new mobo & CPU for me again. Really, it's more of an interim upgrade. I currently have a XP2500 @ 3200 on a ASUS A7N8Xv2.0 Deluxe (Skt A). And more importantly my graphics card is an AGP card - Gainward GeForce 6800 Ultra. So reluctant to go out and buy another card so soon. And going to upgrade to a Athlon 64 4000 (939), so will also need a new mobo. This will allow me to upgrade the CPU again if necessary to an FX version, and stretch the usability a little further before finally going SLI/PCI-E.
Don't suppose anyone has any opinions on mobos?

depends upon how much you want to spend. the cream of the crop is a Tyan 2865. It is PCI-Express but does not do SLI though...

I would personally wait until you can afford all three, unless you can pick up a socket 939/agp board cheap somewhere - if it is only for a short period of time it does not matter much really.

You can sell your 6800 Ultra and use that cash for a decent PCI Express card - 6600GT or 6800 maybe. I can highly recommend the BFG cards.

You may feel you will lose come on the 6800, but you will end up with a better all around system.

Well, the ulterior motive is that my boy's comp has USB port issues. It doesn't seem too happy with ANYTHING plugged into the USB, even though his Logitech IR MX700 Mouse & keyboard have one USB connection also. I may remove the system from the case and lay it out on the desk, and see what happens - maybe something is shorting to chassis (not altogether impossible) and it's easily fixed. So he would get my mobo & CPU, and I would buy a new one.
Maybe I'll give eBay a look and try to minimise costs too.
Tyan 2865? Who makes that mate? IS Tyan the manufacturer? And what is the main aim of the board, is it aimed at users like myself, or more server stuff?

ummm...Tyan makes Tyan stuff. ;)

it is a high end mainboard, can be used for workstations or other high end rigs. it uses the professional version of the NVidia NForce 4 chipset.

ummm...Tyan makes Tyan stuff.

LOL! :roll: :lol: Shoulda known better than to ask really. I'll go take a look at their site in a mo, see what they have then.