.. What's your latest thoughts on system with multi-monitor support update to surf internet, trade stocks, etc. without spending to much?<<
My latest thinking
Intel slot 1, BX motherboard, PC100 RAM, Win98, Matrox video cards, IBM harddrives, CDRW, Diamond Modem, full tower ATX case, Partition Magic . There are better deals but this is where my comfort level is.
Now I will add it up and see what the damages are.
If I were buying today I would start with a core system from ESC so some of the following prices are from their site. They do not have all items.
ASUS P2B ($163).....................163
INTEL SE440BXPA ($200)
Gigabyte 686 BX ($151)
PII 233............................183
Corsair PC100 cas 2 128 MB..........298
or 64 MB ( $159)
IBM Deskstar 6.4 GB..(primary)......248
IBM Deskstar 8.4 GB...(KOT).........292
Floppy...............................30
IDE CDROM............................70
Win98...............................118
Diamond Super Express FAX modem.....129
Adaptec AHA 2940 series SCSI later
CDRW ..... later
In Win Q500 ATX 300 PS..............121
Matrox MII 8 MB.....................219
___
aprox total.......................$1871
+ tax and shiping
Comments
CPU
There have been some reports of instability in the super seven mobos. IMO it is too early to move on this technology. My preference is mainstream INTEL PII series. Buy at the low end and swap as early as October (PII 350 in low $200). I like the 233. Next chip I like is the PII 333. It can not be counterfeited and it runs cooler. Next I like the PII 350. You may save yourself an upgrade if you opt for the PII 350 AND you will start with a fast machine.
Motherboard
Top on my list is BX chipset, AGP slot, 4 PCI slots multiboot options and a well written manual (Gigabyte comes up short hear as I have tried to download their manual several times and always get error messages when I try to open their .doc file) and a replaceable battery, I could not believe the battery on my Compaq mobo was not user replaceable!
RAM
Corsair RAM is the best value at ESC. I am just guessing on the CAS 2 option. I am comfortable without the ECC option. PC100 is essential to maintain the upgrade to the 350+ CPU.
Modem The Diamond express supports 56 kflex and v.90 and Shot gun. I like the universal support. Stay with a FAX modem.
harddrives
Dave makes a good case for Maxtor harddrives. Certainly more bang for the buck. I have had a lot of trouble with harddrives. I have never had an IBM drive go bad on me.
I am sold on two harddrives. I will not call it a backup drive as that gets too many people excited. It is a KOT Drive (Keep On Truck'n). I have never felt so comfortable as I do now with my two harddiscs. It is a very simple procedure with Partition Magic and a second harddrive. There is no fear loading games or questionable software. Unexpected crashes are not a problem. Should the system crash, cold boot, go into bios, change your boot drive and you are up and running in less than five minutes. ( a better procedure would be to restore the first drive so as to maintain two working drives, this procedure would add ten minutes+/-)
Backup strategies is a separate issue
OS
Win 98 supports a lot more hardware and software. NT 5.0 is a long way away. Multimonitors and Win98 are a match. If we are talking a corporate network environment NT is the way to go.
Video
Matrox has the reputation for driver support. No reason to believe otherwise yet. If you are thinking 21 in monitors get 8 MB. Start with a Millenium II PCI, try the virtual display and then add the Matrox G200 AGP (or productiva G100 to save $)
SCSI
Adaptec AHA 2940 SCSI is widely accepted host adapter. Adaptec has good support software and I like the bios. There are a lot of adapters in the 2940 series. SCSI will be around for awhile. If you like hardware its the way to go. Pay the $100 so you can move your card to another machine IMO. I have old cards that can still be used.
CASE
Full tower ATX with a lot of drive bays. Even if you do not use all the bays you benefit from better cooling and access. Make sure it fits under your desk.
CD
Start with an IDE CDROM as you can't beat the price. Mixing SCSI and IDE does not seam like an issue anymore as long as you shop for mobo bios. Shop for SCSI CDRW that also does CDR. Add the CDRW and SCSI harddrives and the AHA 2940 as an upgrade. They are easy to install and configure. Be sure and save a PCI slot.
DELL vs SAG
I do not really know. My hunch is Sag. Dell claims they are non proprietary. If someone can confirm that they use ATX cases I might agree. Dell's prices can be beat. They are too big for my preferences. I get put on hold and transferred around a lot at Dell.
My latest thinking, subject to change
feel free to question
Zeuspaul
ps
I should have more info on KOT drives soon. I plan on installing Win98 on my second pair of drives this weekend.
pps
Sound card..Ensoniq PCI $49 unless the number of PCI slots is an issue. |
