Video Cards

[AGI1122]

It should be sufficient. Although if you ever plan to go SLI you may wish to get that first one you listed since it's already ready for it. Plus your motherboard is prepared for it, so all it takes is picking up a second one of the same video card you get... well as long as it's one of the video cards that supports SLI.

[srg_13]

I doubt that I will use SLI, although it may be a possibility in a year or so..

I was also thinking of upgrading one of my old computers with these new components:

• ASUS P4S800-MX Pentium 4 SIS661FX LanMotherboard
• 256M PC3200 DDR RAM
• Intel S478 Celeron 2.53GHZ 533FSB CPU PGA478 Prescott 256K

I will be keeping the HDD, CD-Rom drive, Case, etc. This machine was origanally a Celeron 400MHZ. I think it has a 250 watt PSU, so do you think that I should use the 400 watt from the new one and put it in this? I'm not sure if they would have the same connecter though.

-Stephen

[Kemp]

As long as they're both ATX (they should be) then the connectors are relatively standard. The old one may not have connectors for SATA hard drives and suchlike but that shouldn't be a problem to you.

[Eero Ränik]

As for the motherboard, the reason I went premium is because the basic and delux are known to have problems with the fan dieing and causing heat problems.

And trust me (or my experience, for that matter), if this should happen, there's a chance you'll lose more than a motherboard. Better spend more now instead of being sorry later.

[Joey]

I am using an EVGA 7800GT. I got it around $380 on www.newegg.com and it came with a free motherboard, which I am using and is actually quite decent for being a free motherboard. The graphics card is awesome too. I can play half life 2 with settings maxed out, FEAR with settings on High, Quake 4 with settings on high (I haven't tried ultra high yet because you need a 512mb card but you can force it if you have less than 512). Everything runs very smooth, I love my new pc

[srg_13]

Do you think something like this Northbridge cooler from Zalman would do:



Its the ZM-NB47J (couldn't find a link)

-Stephen

[AGI1122]

The major difference is that the heatsink on the premium board actually moves the heat along the heat pipe towards the back vent/fan. Where as that Zalman keeps the heat in that same area.

[srg_13]

Check it out! I checked the shopping cart after adding 3 items (the motherboard, processor and video card), and look what the total is... It must be a sign

-Stephen

P.S. Click on the attachment link to see it clearer.

[AGI1122]

Now how much is that in US dollars? I spent about $1700 on my system since it was on sale. But the actual value for the system on the same website I purchased it from right now is $2000.

[Solar]

Current exchange rate USD - AUD is roughly 1 : 1.32.

[srg_13]

Final price: $2,637.00 AUD = $1,983.38 USD

But computer components are cheaper in the USA :'( ....

-Stephen

[srg_13]

As for the motherboard, the reason I went premium is because the basic and delux are known to have problems with the fan dieing and causing heat problems.

Is this the fan on the Northbridge chipset that we are talking about? I think a heatsink like the Zalman mentioned above would be suficient here, as one of the side fans on my case would be blowing directly on this part, and the airflow in the case is very good, having four fans.

-Stephen