please help/comment on this quote for new system

[Peter Z KCLE_EDDN]

Hi there,I'm trying to find a low cost system that may not be top notch, yet run FS2002 better than my current (rather ancient) system. I know for the price I'm targeting I won't get the system most power users have(700 - 800 USD, pre-build, I'm not good putting PC's together) and I was wondering what the hardware guru's think of this quote I just received:AMD XP 2000 w/fan Microstar 745ULTSIS

[wsieffert]

1. I have trouble with the MOBO for the following reasons:a. You probably will never use a CNR card, limited cards for modems, etc. Therefore this CNR plug is wasting space when you could have another PCI slot.b. The AC'97 on-board audio is not very good. You will want to get an addon card immediately. Other MOBOs have on-board audio that is much better, such as, SOYO Dragon+. However, I don't recommend getting on-board peripherals because they seem to all use the same IRQ, which is detrimental when using heavy graphical programs like fs2002.2. Don't get any graphics card with MX in it. Get 4200, 4400, 4600.3. Case - get a 350Watt powersupply minimum. Make sure the case is approved by www.amd.com per their cooling requirements. Check their site.

[Guest]

I've recently done some "homework" on computers and I agree with the above statement. GF4 MX series cards cannot display reflections and many other features that make FS2002 special. If you're looking for a solid card that will cost you $70-80 more, purchase a GF4 Ti4200 w/ 64 MB DDR memory or for $50-60 more, a GF3 Ti200 w/ 64 MB DDR memory. Unless you're crazy about sound, a Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 from Creative Labs can be found for $40.00 or so at most online stores and should cover your sound needs. I would also make sure to purchase a different CPU fan from a reputable manufacturer such as Coolermaster or Thermaltake's Volcano 6 or 7. Fans that come boxed with the CPU usually aren't very good and with the money you save by purchasing the processor only version, you can buy yourself a good cooling fan (somewhere in the $15-25 range). Make sure to upgrade the video card at a minimum though. Even if that means decreasing the processor horsepower a bit (XP 1900+ or 1800+). Even stepping down just a little could give you $50 in savings without much of a noticeable decrease in performance. Plus, if your system isn't too ancient (i.e. not more than 3 years old and uses the ATX form factor) you should be able to salvage some external parts such as a keyboard, mouse, case, etc. and save yourself a little money there as well unless of course you strongly dislike any of those parts or there is something wrong with them. Personally, I use a system for 2-3 years, then just buy a motherboard/CPU/memory bundle and a new video card to upgrade. That'll keep me going for maybe 2 more years, then I'll go all out and get a brand new PC. Anyway, good luck with your new purchase.

[Peter Z KCLE_EDDN]

Thanks guys, exactly the kind of advice I was asking for (seriously)! That helped alot. I think I'm going to swap the MB for a Abit KX7-333 and go with a GF3 TI200 DDR. That config, including changes, will be around $900, and that's pretty much all I have right now ;-)BTW, I will get WinXP with this system (first time), do you guys think that's a good Idea or should I stick with Win98SE (which I already have)?Thanks again,Petehttp://home.neo.rr.com/zaehringer/pipersignature.jpgPIII600,512MB,Win98SE,DirectX8.1,Geforce32DDR(Det.22.80),SBlive(4.06.703)

[Guest]

My answer would be YES! I've personally experienced XP on a friend's machine and it's the best yet in my opinion. Just a quick note - since purchasing XP, my friend's told me that he's had none of those dreaded blue screens of death that were so common in ME and 98SE and he bought it over 3 months ago!

[Peter Z KCLE_EDDN]

Yes, I hear you. I haven't had to many problems but still those blue screens of death happend every now and then. Lately, the more add-ons (PSS Airbus, Flightmax, RealityXP etc.) I use and the system gets pushed to the limit I've seen them appear more frequently.I can't wait to fly the Airbus without a crash for the first time and hopefully many more hours. I do a lot of system mainenance but never was able to fix that GDI.exe error.Anyways, thanks again, I'm expecting to pick up my new system this Friday, now I need to find an excuse for not spending time with my wife ;-)Cheers,Petehttp://home.neo.rr.com/zaehringer/pipersignature.jpgPIII600,512MB,Win98SE,DirectX8.1,Geforce32DDR(Det.22.80),SBlive(4.06.703)