Need new puter -- advice?

[LeafWind]

We're needing to buy a new computer, as the old PI 75 is definately on it's last legs.

We're going to want to be using it for web development, specifically, web graphic design, and I'd really like to put Linux on it so I can get into script development and run MySQL locally, and other things I know nothing about yet as I never could dream of doing them on the old Pentium 75.

There are a few places in town that do custom builds, and here's what's been recommended to us by the sales people:

- AMD K6-2 300+ Mhz (actually, one guy was pushing the celeron but we said "no intel")
- 64 RAM
- ASUS P5A-B mainboard
- Quantum or Maxtor 4.3 GB harddrive
- ATI Expert 98 AGP 8Mb videocard
- monitor OptiQuest or Proview 15"
- Win98 (not Win95)

So, we'd really appreciate advice and/or recommendations from anyone who's had experience with any of the above, especially using it for web development work.

Thanks!

Bekariso and Shaytar


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www.LeafWind.com (http://www.LeafWind.com)
Growing web sites that thrive in the winds of change.

[Justin]

I agree on the no Intel thing, but especially the Celeron - ack!!! That's like buying a Corvette with a 4 banger...

I agree, a K6-2 (I'd get the 400, or even the 450 (I think they have those now) as they don't cost a lot at all).

Might want to make sure the motherboard you choose is on AMD's list of approved MB's, else you might have conflicts - even if the board says it will do AMD. Mine isn't on AMD's list, and the CPU voltage is .1 higher on the core voltage and I don't like that (the chip gets pretty darned hot).

Get 128 megs at least, or else you might as well get a slower chip... not worth the money saved to be short on ram, especially running 98.

I agree to get 98 though, 'specially for graphics work (Much better DirectX support).

Maxtor all the way, but go bigger - they have an 11.9 gig that's like $200 here...

I'd get a 17" monitor for graphics work myself (hehe - like I should talk with my 14" hehe)

Ok, so I just spent like twice your money but I'm picky like that. I'm only running a K6 233 MMX with 64 MB/ram and 4M/video... can't afford a trip to the puter store yet though hehe :)

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Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Support

[Del]

I personally would go with as much RAM as I could possibly afford. 64Mb will work fine, but 128 would work better :)

Win98 and Linux will mostly likely fit into a 4Gb drive just fine. I've got em in a 6.4Gb now, and still have about 4.5 - 5 gigs left (I installed every darn thing that came on the Linux distribution CD, which ended up taking a crapload of space hehehe)

Finally, decide which version of Linux you want to install. My opinion is that RedHat is the easiest one to go with. Whatever you decide on, visit the website of the company and read up on the supported/not-supported hardware. You'll be glad you did that before you tried installing Linux, trust me! :(

Del

[LeafWind]

Well... budget you know.. trying to keep the whole thing under $1500.

The sales guy looked at us real funny like when we said Maxtor - he said they were slow, and so unpopular they weren't even pricing them anymore.

A Maxtor 10.2 is $226 (canadian of course)
a 13.6 is $288

hmm... a 400Mhz would cost us about $40 more... worth it?

How do I find out about AMD cpu - mainboard compatability? is at their website?[nbsp][nbsp]url?

Any opinion on monitor brand?[nbsp][nbsp]yes, 17in on the dream list yet ;)

Thanks Justin!

Shay
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www.LeafWind.com (http://www.LeafWind.com)
Growing web sites that thrive in the winds of change.

[Justin]

I'm forgetting that not everyone likes to make all their CD's into mp3's just to they can use their own software to play them hehe :)[nbsp][nbsp]Yeah, I suppose if you're not an mp3 lover a 4.3 would be more than enough.

I'd get the 400 MHz for sure - definately worth it :)

www.amd.com (http://www.amd.com) - they have a list of approved motherboards. Just select the chip you have/plan to get and they'll show you a list of Super-7 boards.

Maxtor slow????? I don't think so........

Monitor brand - if I had the $$$ I'd get a Sony Trinitron because I've liked Sony forever - but they are a bit expensive... another good one I've seen is Phillips (aka Magnavox) - they just started making monitors not too long ago (at least I just started seeing them at Office Max) and they seem really nice and sharp. CTX are pretty good too...

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Justin
-- growing wallets that die in the winds of upgrades

[Daniel]

The celeron chips with the 128 cache are a great bargin, light years ahead of the first ones, but if its a strickly "no intel" computer the amd's are good as well.[nbsp]

[Tom]

Hey Justin -

The new Celerons are for real.[nbsp][nbsp]They have the same name as those bad ones, but are on an all-new design using the Mendocino core.[nbsp][nbsp]End result is they run within .5% of a PII for a lot less money.[nbsp][nbsp]And they are tested in several places like ZDNet and tomshardware as walking off and leaving the K6-2, especially in the 3D floating point stuff.

See:
http://www4.tomshardware.com/releases/98q3/980824/index.html
...for the why.

I was all set to go K6-2, but switched and am now coming to you live on a 433 Celeron ($165) in an ASUS P2B mobo ($120).

Tom

[Daniel]

Well I bought a oem celeron 300a chip months ago for $65, but the bus speed at 100 with default voltage and it hit 450 rock solid, works like a charm, would probably do 504 with decent cooling too.[nbsp]