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BGonline.org Forums
computer system #3
Posted By: Chuck Bower In Response To: computer system #1 (Chuck Bower)
Date: Tuesday, 30 September 2008, at 4:48 p.m.
It doesn't look like you can build-your-own Gateway computer. They have an 'FX' line for gamers with three CPU options (all Intel): Q6600, Q9300, and QX6850. Of these three I think the Q9300 makes the most sense for backgammon. Here is their FX4710-UB802A ("available from Costco") model details:
Q9300 (2.5 GHz) quad core, 6MB cache, 1333 MHz front side bus (recall this is 5/6 as fast as the Q9650 and has half the cache -- latter probably irrelevent for BG programs but I'm not sure about that).
Vista 64 home premium. (Recall this option for system #2 was available at a savings of $160 off the $1810 final price.)
4 GB 667 MHz (compared to 6GB of 800 MHz on system #2, the extra 2 GB had cost $50 there -- again probably will not affect BG rollouts).
640 GB SATA harddrive (compared to 500 GB in system #2).
18X DVD+/-RW w/labelfish (slightly faster than system #2's 16X).
NVIDEA GeForce 9800GT w/512 MB onboard ram (a better card than system #2's, but again only relevent for war/fantasy/role-playing gamers, not BG rollouts).
NO MONITOR with this system (which was $170 for system #2).
Total price: $1500.
I guess when you do all the plusing and minusing this system is about on par with system #2 costwise. But we were trying for killer speed (within reason) and there's a 12% hit compared to system #2. One advantage if you are a Costco member (or have a friend who is one) is the instant gratification of walking away with the system you want rather than waiting a couple weeks for it to get built and shipped. But there's also the sales tax thing....
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