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Pastimes : Dream Machine ( Build your own PC ) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LTBH who wrote (781)	5/23/1998 1:11:00 PM
From: Street Walker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14778

POST #452 --The $800 Upgrade, $1300 Business, $2200 Gen Purpose System and Alternatives by NetWorm. (I will review this again before sending in my final order) Thanks. Configuration Possibilities: $800 Home Upgrade 1) Monitor-------------------------------------------Reuse Old Monitor 2) Super Micro SC750A Case-------------------159 3) A Open AX6L Mobo--------------------------159 4) 96MB ECC SDRAM 3x32MB----------------165 5) PII 300 MHz Processor------------------------209* 6) Global Win PII Fan FHK20--------------------22 7) Modem--------------------------------------------Reuse Old Card 8) 2D Video------------------------------------------Reuse Old Card 9) 3D PRVSG AGP---------------------------------200** a) 3DfxCool Fan for Vid Card---------------------15 b) No RAID c) Hard Drive----------------------------------------Reuse d) CD ROM------------------------------------------Reuse e) Floppy---------------------------------------------Reuse f) Game Theater 64 Sound-------------------------99 g) 16MB Upgrade Snd to 18MB----------------Reuse Old DRAM h) SpeakersReuse Upgrade TOTAL------------------------------------828 NO S&H or Taxes included in price calculation $2200 Gen Purpose System 1) 17" Acer 76C Monitor--------------------------335 2) Super Micro SC750A Case--------------------159 3) A Open AX6L Mobo---------------------------159 4) 128MB ECC SDRAM 4x32MB----------------220 5) PII 300 MHz Processor-------------------------209* 6) Global Win PII Fan FHK20----------------------22 7) Modem----------------------------------------------Reuse Old Card 8) 2D Video--------------------------------------------Reuse Old Card 9) 3D PRVSG AGP-----------------------------------200** a) 3DfxCool Fan for Vid Card-----------------------15 b) Promise Trakker IDE RAID--------------------110 c) TWO 6.5G IBM Deskstar-----------------------470 d) CD ROM--------------------------------------------Reuse e) Floppy-----------------------------------------------Reuse f) Home Studio Pro 64 Sound---------------------189 g) 16MB Upgrade Snd to 20MB------------------Reuse Old DRAM h) Cambridge Soundworks PCWorks Speakers-----------------------------------99 System TOTAL-------------------------------------2165 NO S&H or Taxes included in price calculation $1300 Gen Business System 1) 17" Acer 76C Monitor---------------------------335 2) Super Micro SC750A Case---------------------159 3) A Open AX6L Mobo----------------------------159 4) 128MB ECC SDRAM 4x32MB----------------220 5) PII 300 MHz Processor-------------------------209* 6) Global Win PII Fan FHK20----------------------22 7) Modem----------------------------------------------Reuse Old Card 8) 2D Video--------------------------------------------Reuse Old Card 9) a) b) c) ONE 6.5G IBM Deskstar------------------------235 d) CD ROM--------------------------------------------Reuse e) Floppy-----------------------------------------------Reuse f) g) h) System TOTAL-------------------------------------1339 NO S&H or Taxes included in price calculation * Retail Intel roadmap price for 08/98 ** Anticipated $150 to $200 release date price Alternatives 1) 17" Liyama Vision Master Pro-----------------629 2) Super Micro SC801S ATX Case--------------599 3) Abit LX6 Mobo-----------------------------------123 4) 128MB ECC SDRAM 2x64MB-----------------350 5) 6) 7) 56K Internal Modem D/F/V---------------------138 8) 9) Voodoo2---------------------------------------------200 a) b) c) d) e) f) Game Theater 64 Sound----------------------------99 g) 16MB EDO RAM-----------------------------------30 h) Selection Reasoning System Case Heat is the great killer in electronics. Every active electronic component uses electricity and therefore creates heat. Now the funny thing is that the heat created increases the resistance of almost ALL electronic components, this causes them to draw more current which creates even more heat. In electronics, stay cool or keep cool are not a casual greeting, it is an imperative! The two Super Micro cases listed have good internal design and member placement for air flow. They also have good fan placement with an internal fan mount for mobo/component cooling and additional mounts for device bay cooling. The SC750A is a full tower with five 5 1/4 EXTERNAL bays which allows the normal user to exclude the use of internal bays. Using internal bays provides an airflow/heat trap and becomes a BIG hassle when troubleshooting. ALL external bays have rails for slide out of devices. The SC801A is a full tower with eleven 5 1/4 bays and 12 slots for those who need a server, mutli processor mobos or will have future expansion needs. All bays have rails. Processor The 300MHz was selected over the 330 for several reasons. First the 08/98 roadmap prices are $209 vs $316 respectively. Secondly, due to technical internal design changes of the 330MHz, real applications may run at the same or very slightly slower speeds. At the very best they will run marginally better. Why pay 50% more. Processor Heatsink and Fan The Global Win product line has consistantly tested as one of the best. The PII FHK20 is no exception. See Tweak-it for definitive measurements and comparison. CPU-Central has yet to test this model however their data on other GW fans is indicative. I believe the PII FHK20 uses thermal tape, which can be removed with care & thermal grease substituted, if desired. Offloading Processor Utilization As the different components/subsystems make advances, they also make greater and greater demands on the CPU. Hard Drive data transfers, sound and video processing are eating up all that power of our new PII CPU. We need to have each of these subsystems take responsibility for their own processing. Luckily careful component selection can accomplish this and leave our processor to handle traditional program manipulations. RAID RAID, whether IDE or SCSI, is an excellent way to increase the HD subsytem performance and decrease CPU utilization demands at the same time. If so implemented (mirroring), it also provides data insurance against a failed hard drive. Sound The two Guillemot products listed, offload sound processing to their own very powerful DSP. These are excellent sound cards that also decrease demands on the CPU. Video Most new video cards require about 50% processor utilization to do their magic. The PRVSG, IF final product actually tests to meet press data, will have more functions than any other video card. It also does onboard what other cards, including Voodoo2s, offload to the CPU. If the released card performace/features/price are consistant with press announcements, then this should be the card of choice. Otherwise go with the alternative Voodoo 2s. Of course, an AGP selection in either case allows an extra PCI slot and the speed of the AGP bus. Video Fan Many of the newer vid cards dissipate a lot of heat. Use of a fan in these cases is very desireable. It can be either an internal directed fan (using Super Micro's internal fan mount) or a card fan such as the 3DfxCool. Monitors Because monitors are a long lived, replace upon fail system component and this device is extremely user dependant, YOU MUST actually see each of your candidates in living color, in action. There ain't no other way to guarantee your satisfaction. You are the one who either likes or dislikes a specific model and monitors are a very expensive part of the system! Start your candidates with these specs: 17", 1280x1024@85 minimum. A possible candidate is the Acer 76C at ~$335 and the other end of the price spectrum (not necessarily quality) is the Liyama Vision Master Pro 17 at ~$639. Let your eyes and pocket book be the judge. Conclusion These are suggestions to use as a yardstick to measure your own choices against and are not intended to be the "RIGHT" ones for you. Visit vendor websites, check the data sheets, look at the photos, check independant reviews, talk to some reps and then make your decision. The layout of each configuration might aid readers that wish to swap/discuss component choices amongst themselves. Use it as a message template to insert your choices. BTW, might want to check my math, been at this awhile. Hope this assists some. Later Networm

To: LTBH who wrote (781)	5/23/1998 1:18:00 PM
From: Street Walker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14778

Someone, like yourself, ought to go into the business of assembling computers for us. Who would you recommend assembling computers? Where did you get the price for the SuperMicro Case? Its cheaper than I found on Price Watch. S.W.

To: LTBH who wrote (781)	5/23/1998 1:30:00 PM
From: Zeuspaul	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14778

The 300MHz was selected over the 330 for several reasons. First the 08/98 roadmap prices are $209 vs $316 respectively. Secondly, due to technical internal design changes of the 330MHz, real applications may run at the same or very slightly slower speeds. At the very best they will run marginally better. Why pay 50% more. Is heat a consideration here? Isn't the 333 more efficient and wouldn't this be a benefit of the 333 over the 300? Is the design change in the 333 unique to the 333 or does it extend to the 350 and 400 CPU's? Zeuspaul