Andreas Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 HI I have the opportunity to pick one of these up cheaply. Can someone tell me what sort of CMBB performance I can expect from the machine? TIA! HP Pavilion 732.uk • Intel Pentium 4 2.26GHz • 256MB DDR RAM • 60GB Ultra DMA HDD • 16x DVD-rom & CD-RW • 3.5" 1.44MB Diskette drive • PCI 56kbps ITU V.90 modem • Level 2 cache 512KB • nVidia GeForce-4 MX Graphics, 64MB RAM • Integrated SoundBlaster compatible audio AC97 • Polk Audio stereo speakers • HP One Touch Internet Keyboard, PS/2 Scrolling Mouse • Five drive bays, one open for expansion (3.5" internal) • AGP Slot • Three PCI slots (Two open) • Four USB ports, Serial RS-232C port, Parallel port. • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works Alternative would be this one: Presario S3350 - No Monitor • Intel Pentium 4 (2.66GHz) • 256MB DDR RAM • 40GB Ultra DMA HDD • DVD ROM & CD-RW drives • 3.5 1.44MB Diskette drive • 56kbps V.92 modem • Level 2 cache 512KB • NVIDIA GeForce4 MX420 graphics, 64MB RAM, TV-Out port (TV cable not supplied) • Integrated SoundBlaster compatible audio AC97 • Keyboard & Mouse • JBL Platinum Speakers • Five drive bays, one open for expansion (3.5 internal) • Three PCI slots (Two open for expansion) • Six USB ports, Two IEEE 1394 (Firewire) ports, Serial RS-232C port, Parallel port, 10/100 RJ45 Network port. • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Works Would also be interested in LCD screen recommendations for them. 17" preferably 1,280xwhatever the other number is. Does anyone have an opinion on LG or Hercules? [ October 20, 2003, 08:33 AM: Message edited by: Andreas ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzertruppe Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Personally I would go with the Compaq. My last 3 computers were Compaq. I guess I just like the reliability. I currently play CMBO and CMBB on a Compaq P3-866 with wonderful performance and this computer is 3 years old and never had a "hicup"! I still run older games on my Compaq P-233 and the computer still runs as good as it did in 1996! Bill 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmatt Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Either system is good but the video card pretty much sucks in each. A MX card is NOT a good performer no matter how you slice it and that will be the primary bottleneck in performace that you will see with those systems. I would also suggest upgrading to at LEAST 512 megs of memory, assuming the motherboards allow for that. Madmatt [ October 20, 2003, 03:33 PM: Message edited by: Madmatt ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Posted October 20, 2003 Author Share Posted October 20, 2003 Matt, thanks a lot. This is the system I ended up getting, for £481 + shipping. Now for the LCD shopping. Any recommendations? Presario 6540 • AMD Athlon XP 2600+ (2.13GHz) • 512MB DDR RAM • 80GB Ultra DMA HDD • DVD ROM & DVD-Writer +R/+RW • 3.5 1.44MB Diskette drive • 56kbps V.92 modem • Total cache 384KB • ATI Radeon 9000, 64MB RAM • Integrated SoundBlaster compatible audio AC97 • Keyboard & Mouse • JBL Platinum Speakers • Five drive bays, one open for expansion (3.5 internal) • Three PCI Slots (One open for expansion) • Six USB ports, Three IEEE (Firewire) ports, Serial RS-232C port, Parallel port, 10/100 RJ45 Network port. • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Works So forgive me Lord, for I have sinned. After 8 years of Apple I return to the PC world. Bugger. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berlichtingen Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Originally posted by Andreas: So forgive me Lord, for I have sinned. After 8 years of Apple I return to the PC world. Bugger. For that sin, my son, YOU SHALL ROT IN HELL FOR ETERNATY!!!!! Btw, that is almost exactly the same machine I bought. Hang on you your Mac. Other than games, PCs are a major pain in the ass to use. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Posted October 20, 2003 Author Share Posted October 20, 2003 Berli, interesting that it is a similar machine. I was looking at upgrading mine, with an 80GB HDD, a CD-RW, an LCD screen and various stuff. Would have set me back by >£200, but left me with the old processor. A processor upgrade would have been unspeakably expensive. Since I can probably flog the Mac for £300+ on Ebay, if I so choose, the new machine may actually end up being a net gain. Amazing, but so it is. I will keep it for the time being, just to see how much the PC sucks. I work with one in the office though, so I am pretty much used to it by now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berlichtingen Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Originally posted by Andreas: I will keep it for the time being, just to see how much the PC sucks. I work with one in the office though, so I am pretty much used to it by now. A few things... Accent marks (ä, è, etc) are a real pain on a PC. I don't think they could have made that more cumbersome if they tried. Most of my CMAK briefings were written on a Mac. Took me less time even with ASCII translation for the editors. If you do anything with MP3's, download iTunes for PC... everything else on the PC sucks in comparison. Photoshop on the PC is... painful. I find that if I have to do any graphics work at all I do it on the Mac and then transfer it to the PC (or just print it out) Winblows XP is a complete joke when viewed next to OS X, but isn't to bad compared to OS 9 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berlichtingen Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Oh, one more thing. Get yourself an industrial strength cyber condom for your modem! I think I had my PC for a week before I got hit with the w32.assmaster.worm. That caused quite the rant... over 20 years with Apple machines and never a virus... a week with a PC... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWB Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Originally posted by Berlichtingen: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Andreas: I will keep it for the time being, just to see how much the PC sucks. I work with one in the office though, so I am pretty much used to it by now. A few things... Accent marks (ä, è, etc) are a real pain on a PC. I don't think they could have made that more cumbersome if they tried. Most of my CMAK briefings were written on a Mac. Took me less time even with ASCII translation for the editors. If you do anything with MP3's, download iTunes for PC... everything else on the PC sucks in comparison. Photoshop on the PC is... painful. I find that if I have to do any graphics work at all I do it on the Mac and then transfer it to the PC (or just print it out) Winblows XP is a complete joke when viewed next to OS X, but isn't to bad compared to OS 9 </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berlichtingen Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Originally posted by WWB: Have not tried iTunes, but Winamp is pretty damn good.Try iTunes. WinAmp is the best I've found on PC (prior to Apple bringing iTunes out for PC), but its playlists are clunky and it doesn't have iTunes ripping capabilities. Also, Apple's Music Store is very cool 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaylord Focker Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Originally posted by Berlichtingen: Other than games, PCs are a major pain in the ass to use. No their not. Apples and Macs are for the conspiracy theory virus phobes who's computer room is in the family bunker out in the back yard. What next, are you going to claim 8-tracks are far superior than Cd's because the new fangled players have so many gosh darned buttons and scary lights on them? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaylord Focker Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Andreas, i would upgrade the Ati 9000 to a 9600. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaylord Focker Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Upgrade by saving the money you were going to waste on a LCD and get yourself a nice crt, much better for gaming, especially CMBB. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easytarget Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Originally posted by Berlichtingen: Oh, one more thing. Get yourself an industrial strength cyber condom for your modem! I think I had my PC for a week before I got hit with the w32.assmaster.worm. That caused quite the rant... over 20 years with Apple machines and never a virus... a week with a PC... too funny - i've used pc's since 81 and never gotten a virus - me thinks we're talking user error here 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berlichtingen Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Originally posted by easytarget: too funny - i've used pc's since 81 and never gotten a virus - me thinks we're talking user error here Damned straight it was user error... I used the PC to get my e-mail 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wicky Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Andeas, Go for the plug & play solar power conversion kit Link Lackey to the BBC and they obviouly didn't pay you enough for the quote to get a decent new Mac... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Posted October 21, 2003 Author Share Posted October 21, 2003 Woops. Speak to a journalist for 25 minutes and find your name plastered all over the internet. Well, that at least should allay the question of whether I do any work 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWB Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Originally posted by Berlichtingen: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by WWB: Have not tried iTunes, but Winamp is pretty damn good.Try iTunes. WinAmp is the best I've found on PC (prior to Apple bringing iTunes out for PC), but its playlists are clunky and it doesn't have iTunes ripping capabilities. Also, Apple's Music Store is very cool </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berlichtingen Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Originally posted by WWB: No one has yet explained why Phtoshop is better on a mac. I could understand in 96, when PCs did not have the umph to handle graphics. But now it is a pretty level playing field.Comparatively, they still don't have the umph. Understand that I use high end Macs, and I haven't seen the PC that compares in speed when working with large graphics files. Part of that is Windows fault being a major speed bump for PCs. One of the biggest annoyances I have with the PC version is the weird way it blocks the desktop... something it does, if I understand it correctly, because of the way Windows handles seperate document windows. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wicky Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 PC gamma is all dark and PS for mac is coded to work efficiently with G4/G5 altivec processor acceleration. Originally posted by WWB: No one has yet explained why Phtoshop is better on a mac. I could understand in 96, when PCs did not have the umph to handle graphics. But now it is a pretty level playing field. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWB Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Originally posted by Berlichtingen: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by WWB: No one has yet explained why Phtoshop is better on a mac. I could understand in 96, when PCs did not have the umph to handle graphics. But now it is a pretty level playing field.Comparatively, they still don't have the umph. Understand that I use high end Macs, and I haven't seen the PC that compares in speed when working with large graphics files. Part of that is Windows fault being a major speed bump for PCs. One of the biggest annoyances I have with the PC version is the weird way it blocks the desktop... something it does, if I understand it correctly, because of the way Windows handles seperate document windows. </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easytarget Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 Originally posted by Berlichtingen: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by easytarget: too funny - i've used pc's since 81 and never gotten a virus - me thinks we're talking user error here Damned straight it was user error... I used the PC to get my e-mail </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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