T
The Sweeper
Guest
Hi,
I'm a frequent reader, but rare poster on HL2.net and a definite Newbie. After playing games at friends' homes, I'm finally ready to step up to a real computer and start doing it myself. It will be a huge leap from my 1999 Compaq Presario with 156 mg of RAM and 400 mgz cpu (yeah, I know...Stone Age).
I expect I'll be gaming on my new computer about 30 to 40 percent of the time. (OK, it could be more.) It's my intention not to update any of my new hardware until 2011.
I've already purchased:
1 Ultra X-connect 500 watt (not the SLI model) PS
1 ASUS DVD drive
1 ASUS DVD dual layer burner
1 300 GB WD HD (IDE)
1 Audigy 2 ZS Platinum audio card
1 Coolermaster Musketeer (for kicks)
(Oh I also plan to also install the WD 40 GB HD that's in my old Compaq and then use the tower as a doorstop.)
Within the next three weeks, I plan to order:
1 Lian Li PC-V 1200 plus case
1 GB (2x512MB) of Corsair XMS DDR 400 184-pin RAM 3200XLPRO
1 Windows XP PRO OEM
1 AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego Socket 939
1 WD 74GB Raptor HD
The two major items I'm getting conflicting advice about are my motherboard and video card. A friend, whose opinion I respect, is telling me that since I don't plan to upgrade for five years, I should spend the extra dough and go with an ASUS A8N SLI Premium or A8N Deluxe SLI board (which would you recommend, not much difference in price at Newegg) and buy one BFG 7800 GTX video card now and another next year.
The computer shop guy (who will help me assemble this) is recommending that there's still a few bugs that need to be worked out with SLI and that I should go with an ABIT AX8 board and a high-end ATI Radeon card and wait for refinements and or improvements to be made on the SLI system since I plan to do an upgrade anyway in five years.
Hmmmm. Any advice anyone has out there would be appreciated.
Oh, and I expect that if I go with the SLI board I will need a 20-pin-to-24-pin cord that Ultra sells, right? And I will be able to play HL2 Lost Coast with either of these systems, right?
Thanks again
I'm a frequent reader, but rare poster on HL2.net and a definite Newbie. After playing games at friends' homes, I'm finally ready to step up to a real computer and start doing it myself. It will be a huge leap from my 1999 Compaq Presario with 156 mg of RAM and 400 mgz cpu (yeah, I know...Stone Age).
I expect I'll be gaming on my new computer about 30 to 40 percent of the time. (OK, it could be more.) It's my intention not to update any of my new hardware until 2011.
I've already purchased:
1 Ultra X-connect 500 watt (not the SLI model) PS
1 ASUS DVD drive
1 ASUS DVD dual layer burner
1 300 GB WD HD (IDE)
1 Audigy 2 ZS Platinum audio card
1 Coolermaster Musketeer (for kicks)
(Oh I also plan to also install the WD 40 GB HD that's in my old Compaq and then use the tower as a doorstop.)
Within the next three weeks, I plan to order:
1 Lian Li PC-V 1200 plus case
1 GB (2x512MB) of Corsair XMS DDR 400 184-pin RAM 3200XLPRO
1 Windows XP PRO OEM
1 AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego Socket 939
1 WD 74GB Raptor HD
The two major items I'm getting conflicting advice about are my motherboard and video card. A friend, whose opinion I respect, is telling me that since I don't plan to upgrade for five years, I should spend the extra dough and go with an ASUS A8N SLI Premium or A8N Deluxe SLI board (which would you recommend, not much difference in price at Newegg) and buy one BFG 7800 GTX video card now and another next year.
The computer shop guy (who will help me assemble this) is recommending that there's still a few bugs that need to be worked out with SLI and that I should go with an ABIT AX8 board and a high-end ATI Radeon card and wait for refinements and or improvements to be made on the SLI system since I plan to do an upgrade anyway in five years.
Hmmmm. Any advice anyone has out there would be appreciated.
Oh, and I expect that if I go with the SLI board I will need a 20-pin-to-24-pin cord that Ultra sells, right? And I will be able to play HL2 Lost Coast with either of these systems, right?
Thanks again