GSBUG Hardware Info SIG December 11, 2003. 2 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Agenda – November 13, 2003...

GSBUG Hardware Info SIG

December 11, 2003

December 11, 2003 2


Agenda – November 13, 20037:00 – 7:05 Administration7:05 – 8:15 Featured Topic – Your New System

(2003 Update): Planning Phase 8:15 – 8:30 Hardware News8:30 – 8:55 Random Access (Q&A)8:55 – 9:00 Recap, Preview, and Close

December 11, 2003 3


AdministrationWelcome! Please Sign In.What the SIG is…and is not.

Is - a resource for computer users and potential computer users

Is NOT – a cheap way to get your computer built or repaired (contact the GSBUG Daytime Hardware SIG)

Logs – Random Access/Q&A (First Come…)

December 11, 2003 4


Administration (continued):Presentation materials will be posted at:http://gsbug.apcug.org/hwinfosig.htm

Prior presentation materials also posted.

December 11, 2003 5


Your New System (‘03): Planning Phase What follows is intended to assist you in planning for

your new system. The objective is to develop your new system specification (spec).

We will address only “mainstream” solutions – no overclocking or “exotics”.

December 11, 2003 6


Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.)The Process

Answer “four” basic questions.Develop short lists for key components – CPU, RAM type,

chipset, graphics solution, monitor type.Review key component specs (technologies).Review 3rd-party assessments.-party assessments. Develop the balance of the component setDevelop the balance of the component set ““Finalize” the spec (develop a set of minimums) – the Finalize” the spec (develop a set of minimums) – the

prelude to sourcing your components (next month).prelude to sourcing your components (next month).

December 11, 2003 7


Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.)Answer “four” basic questions:

1. What are the PRIMARY intended uses of the system, i.e., what will the system be used for 80-90% of the time?

2. How long does the system need to last?3. What’s your budget?4. Other than budget, are there KEY constraints in re:

Anything that “needs” to be carried over? Anything that will dictate any significant part of the solution

(software and/or carry-over hardware compatibility, physical constraints, etc.)?

December 11, 2003 8


Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.)Answer “four” basic questions (continued)

1. What are the PRIMARY intended uses of the system? General business apps (word processor, spreadsheet, database,

presentation) Personal finance Multimedia processing (video, music) Photo editing Internet browsing Entertainment (“games”)

Attempt to quantify – importance x frequency

December 11, 2003 9



2. How long does the system need to last? If 2 years or less, tend to the upper mainstream for your spec If over 2 years, tend to the performance end for your spec.

3. What’s your budget? If under $1000, max RAM (up to 512MB) and storage If over $1000 but less than $2000, max RAM (up to 1GB),

storage, CPU, and graphics solution (card) If $2000 or over, enjoy yourself!

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4. Other than budget, are there KEY constraints in re: Anything that “needs” to be carried over?

Consider how your new system will be impacted. Establish “hard” requirements.

Anything that will dictate any significant part of the solution (software and/or carry-over hardware compatibility, physical constraints, etc.)?

Compatibility – operating system, expensive or “critical” apps Physical – space, noise



Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.)Develop short lists for key components

CPU Value – “new” AMD Duron (1.4GHz+), lower speed AMD Athlon

XP, “new” Intel Celeron (478-pin); less that $125 (possibly stretch to an Intel P4 w/ 800MHz FSB)

Mainstream – AMD Athlon XP (up to top 2 SKUs), Intel P4 (up to top 3 SKUs); less than $250

Performance – up to and including the fastest AMD Athlon 64 (or Athlon 64 FX) or Intel P4 you can find



Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.)Develop short lists for key components (continued)

RAM type Value – DDR266 (PC2100), DDR333 (PC2700) Mainstream – DDR333 (PC2700), DDR400 (PC3200) Performance – DDR400 (PC3200), PC1200 RDRAM




Chipset Value – Intel 865G, SiS 661FX (Intel)/741 (AMD), VIA KM400

(AMD) (all have integrated graphics; all support a discrete AGP port; all Intel support 800MHz FSB & HyperThreading)

Mainstream – ATI 9100 (Intel, integrated graphics), Intel 865PE; NVIDIA nForce 2 (AMD), SiS 648FX or 655FX (Intel)/748 (AMD); VIA KT400A or KT600 (AMD)/PT800 (Intel)

Performance – Intel 875P, NVIDIA nForce 3 (AMD), SiS 755 (AMD)/R659 (Intel), VIA K8T880 (AMD)/PT880 (Intel)




Chipset (continued) Coming in the Spring (www.endian.net)

Mainstream AMD(PCIe) – ATI RX380, SiS756/965, VIA K8T890/8239 (4 x SATA)

Mainstream Intel (PCIe, DDR2) – ATI RS400, Intel Grantsdale, SiS656/965, VIA PT890/8239

Performance AMD – NVIDIA Performance Intel – Intel Alderwood




Graphics solution Value – integrated graphics (integrated into the chipset);

preferably will include an AGP port Mainstream – mid to upper-mid perf GPU, 64-128MB RAM

ATI RADEON 9200/9600 series; Matrox P650; NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200/5700 series; XGI V5/V8

Performance – up to and including max performance GPU, 256MB RAM+ (PCIe x16 in the Spring)

ATI RADEON 9800 series; Matrox Parhelia, NVIDIA 5900 series, XGI Duos




Monitor type Value – 17” CRT Mainstream – good quality 19” CRT, 17” LCD Performance – up to and including 19” or larger LCD and the

best 21” CRT (games); dual monitors



Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.)Review key component specs (technologies)

CPUs AMD – www.amd.com Intel – www.intel.com

RAM types Micron – www.micron.com RAMBUS – www.rambus.com Samsung – www.samsungusa.com



Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.)Review key component specs (technologies)(cont.)

Chipsets ATI – http://mirror.ati.com/products/integrated.html Intel –

http://www.intel.com/products/browse/chipsets.htm?iid=ipp_home+browse_chipsts&

NVIDIA – http://www.nvidia.com/page/products.html SiS – http://www.sis.com/products/index.htm VIA – http://www.via.com.tw/en/chipsets/chipsets.jsp


GSBUG Hardware Info SIGYour New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.)Review key component specs (technologies)(cont.)

Graphics solutions ATI – http://mirror.ati.com/products/home-office.html Intel –

http://www.intel.com/products/browse/chipsets.htm?iid=ipp_home+browse_chipsts&

Matrox – http://www.matrox.com/mga/products/home.cfm NVIDIA – http://www.nvidia.com/page/products.html S3 – http://www.s3graphics.com/prod_home.htm SiS – http://www.sis.com/products/index.htm VIA – http://www.via.com.tw/en/chipsets/chipsets.jsp XGI – http://www.xgitech.com/



Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.)Review key component specs (technologies)(cont.)

Monitor types VERY subjective – see August SIG presentation materials

http://www.edscustomcomputers.com/PowerPoint/OCIPUG%20Hardware%20SIG%208%2012%202003.ppt



Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.)Review 3rd-party assessments-party assessments

www.aceshardware.com www.amdzone.comwww.anandtech.comwww.extremetech.comwww.pcmag.com www.pcworld.comwww.sharkyextreme.comwww.tomshardware.com



Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.) Develop the balance of the component setDevelop the balance of the component set

See prior SIG presentations re: Hard drives and “floppies” CD, DVD, and other non-“floppy", removable-media drives Sound processors, sound cards, and speakers Modems, NICs, chassis, power supplies, HFAs, fans, keyboards,

and mice



Your New System (’03): Planning Phase (cont.) ““Finalize” the specFinalize” the spec

Develop a set of minimums Develop a set of minimums Acceptable key components Acceptable other components

This is the prelude to sourcing your components (next This is the prelude to sourcing your components (next month).month).


GSBUG Hardware Info SIGHardware NewsProcessors

AMD released (when?) Duron processors at 1.4, 1.6, and 1.8GHz, all with 266MHz FSB (first at this FSB speed)

AMD released the Opteron 128, 248, and 848 processors – 2.2GHz; now support PC3200 (DDR400) SDRAM; $733, $913, $3199 (1K), respectively. Simple line extension.

Core Logic (chipsets)SiS released the SiS755FX Northbridge for AMD Athlon 64 FX

processors.System RAM – nothing new


GSBUG Hardware Info SIGHardware News (continued)Motherboards – nothing newGraphics processors & cards

Creative Labs released (when?) the Graphics Blaster Picture Perfect video card – 3Dlabs P9 GPU, 64MB, AGP 4X.

NVIDIA released the Quadro FX 1100 mid-range workstation GPU.

PNY released NVIDIA Quadro FX 1100 workstation video card – 128MB RAM, AGP 8X.

Hard Drives – nothing new


GSBUG Hardware Info SIGHardware News (continued)Hard Drive Controllers – nothing newOther Drives

Iomega announced the “Super DVD Quik Touch” dual format (+/-) DVD writer – 4x/2.4x/12x, incl DVD-RAM support, USB 2.0 interface, integrate video capture card, $399 list. No spec available.

Pioneer announced the DVR-A07 dual format (+/-) DVD writer – 8x/4x/TBD. No spec available.

TDK announced an external version of its 8x/4x/12x dual mode (+/-) DVD writer (DED+840), USB 2.0 & IEEE-1394 interfaces, $299 list. No spec available.



Hardware News (continued)Sound processors & cards – nothing newModems & NICs – nothing newChassis & power supplies – nothing new



Recap, Preview, and CloseRecapPreview

Featured Topic for January 8, 2004 – Your New System (2003 Update): Sourcing Your Components

Close (please police up the area)

GSBUG Hardware Info SIG December 11, 2003. 2 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Agenda – November 13, 2003...

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