[NTLUG:Discuss] Re: Video card recommendations -- sample of system component prices

[Bryan J. Smith]

Someone just demonized my comments off-list.
So let me put the facts out ...

Mainboards ...
- Socket-754 nForce3:  $50+
- Socket-939 nForce4/Ultra/SLI:  $70+/$95+/$120+
- Socket-939/940 nForce Pro 2200+2050:  $225+
- 2xCPU Socket-940 nForce Pro 2200+2050+AMD8131:  $430+

CPUs ...
- Socket-754 Sempron 64:  $75+
- Socket-939 Athlon 64:  $150+
- Socket-939 Athlon 64 x2:  $380+
- Socket-939 Opteron 1x5 (1xCPU,2xCore):  TBD (due shortly)
- Socket-940 Opteron 1xx (1xCPU):  $150+
- Socket-940 Opteron 2xx (2xCPU):  $175+/ea.
- Socket-940 Opteron 2x5 (2xCPU,2xCore):  $850+/ea.

[ Remember:  Athlon 64 and Pentium 4 are _not_ available in
dual-processor models, only dual-core.  You have to go
Opteron and Xeon to get dual-processor, respectively. ]

Video Cards ...
- PCIe x16 GeForce 6200TC 256MB(64MB):  $50+
- PCIe x16 GeForce 6600GT 128MB:  $150+
- PCIe x16 GeForce 7800GT 256MB:  $375+
- PCIe x16 GeForce 7800GTX 256MB:  $450+

LCDs ...
- 15" (~16" CRT) LCD no DVI:  $125+ (sometimes sub-$100)
- 17" (~18" CRT) LCD no DVI:  $175+
- 17" (~18" CRT) LCD w/DVI:  $200+
- 19" (~20" CRT) LCD w/DVI:  $250+  
- 20" (~21" CRT) LCD w/DVI:  $400+
- 24" (~25" CRT) LCD w/DVI:  $800+

17" LCDs (equivalent to 18" CRTs because LCDs are _true_
display size) are under $200, sometimes with DVI for under
$200.  Sometimes this is not the rebate price if you can
catch a deal.  NewEgg.COM has several just over $200 before
rebate, under after, including a 12ms DVI one.

At this point, with DVI coming standard and 12ms DVI becoming
more commonplace, I can't see spending $150 on 19" being
worth it.  And if you are looking at new 21" CRTs, they are
over $300, typically $400, for 20" or less viewable.  That's
a 20.1" LCD which can be had for under $500 now.


-- 
Bryan J. Smith                | Sent from Yahoo Mail
mailto:b.j.smith at ieee.org     |  (please excuse any
http://thebs413.blogspot.com/ |   missing headers)