jwcolby
jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com
Mon Oct 31 10:38:58 CDT 2011
LOL. I have to say I have built a couple of low end systems but what I do is go shop the low end of the latest (or one step back) motherboards / processors. Today that means an AM3 motherboard and processor. Or better AM3+ motherboard and an AM3 processor. What is happening right now is that the DDR3 has crossed the "lowest average cost" threshold and replaced DDR2. I just finished replacing my VM server. I am using my old quad core but in a new AM3+ with new DDR3 ram. I spent about $180 for my motherboard and $80 for 16 gigs of ram. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131736 But I already had a low end graphics card and I already had my processor. I thought that $260 was a darned good price for a state of the art motherboard and memory. I am still hanging out waiting for the new FX series processors to solidify. I figure that the prices will start to drop as AMD admits that they don't compete against Intel at their current price point. Probably early next year AMD will release the first major update to the chip itself making it a better bargain as well. I can wait. The whole integrated graphics thing is a huge draw, believe me I know. When I built my HTPCs I used hand me downs from my old servers which had the integrated video. For that purpose it worked swimmingly. John W. Colby Colby Consulting Reality is what refuses to go away when you do not believe in it On 10/31/2011 8:12 AM, Mark Simms wrote: > John - > I've now become the tech "poster child" for the penalties caused by > "scrimpting" on technology. > Bottomline: > Ya can't properly mix brand new stuff (SSD, Big LCD's) and old stuff (AM2, > 2009 motherboards, old chipsets, etc). > > Now I've got a "Frankenbuild" - HAH ! > > >