Decided On Amd

[tesco]

Originally posted by Sasage@6 July 2004 - 21:56
If I choose to OC the CPU down the road, would I need a new cooling fan to replace the stock one?

Stock fan works greate for most people.

[kaiweiler]

Originally posted by Sasage@6 July 2004 - 22:56
If I choose to OC the CPU down the road, would I need a new cooling fan to replace the stock one?

The stock fan will work for a marginal increase in speed.
If you start upping the voltages or anything like that your going to want to upgrade the heatsink and fan to something a little more powerful.

[Sasage]

The 9800Pro does sound good, does it matter if its the SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 9800 PRO Video Card or the ATI RADEON 9800PRO Video Card? The difference is $26. Also will this higher end video card require more cooling?

[tesco]

Originally posted by Sasage@6 July 2004 - 23:12
The 9800Pro does sound good, does it matter if its the SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 9800 PRO Video Card or the ATI RADEON 9800PRO Video Card? The difference is $26. Also will this higher end video card require more cooling?

The stock cooling on teh video card should be ifne. If not, return the card, cuase they didn't build it right lol.
If you want to OC the card, however, you may need better cooling for it...but that can be done later on.

[Sasage]

Does the brand matter Sapphire compared to ATI?

[tesco]

Originally posted by Sasage@6 July 2004 - 23:20
Does the brand matter Sapphire compared to ATI?

Not really. Each may have different extras like uncluded games, svideo cables, etc.
Also the non-ati made ones usually look better and have better cooling, but i guess it depends on the brand too.

do you have a link to the cards you are looking at?

[clocker]

Originally posted by Sasage@6 July 2004 - 21:12
Also will this higher end video card require more cooling?

Yes, it will.

While the cooling on the card itself may be fine, the heat the card produces ( and it's heatsink is busy shedding) has to go somewhere.
The placement of the card below your northbridge and CPU could hardly be worse from a cooling standpoint...you will definitely have to make an effort to exhaust the extra calories from your case.

[Sasage]

Sapphire Card

or

ATI Card

As for cooling, is the general rule "in the bottom front, out the top of the back"?

[clocker]

Originally posted by Sasage@7 July 2004 - 05:38


As for cooling, is the general rule "in the bottom front, out the top of the back"?

Yes, but that rule is so general as to be useless.

Some tinkering and experimenting will reveal the best arrangement for your particular arrangement.