[plug] [OT] pc builting confusion

[Ben Jensz]

Ryan Smith wrote:

>We really cant afford >$400 just for the cpu. Which is why socket 754 is
>looking so nice. 
>
The 3000+ (~$250) and 3200+ (~$325) are available in socket 939 as well.

>What is wrong with VIA chipsets. I know nforce is better and faster, but
>I have a VIA board and the only problem I have is USB2 doesnt work.
>
>  
>
VIA boards really aren't much cheaper than the Nforce boards for 
something equivalently spec'ed, and the VIA boards have significantly 
more issues.  I've come across all sorts of issues with VIA boards in 
the past... conflicts with various cards, serious problems with IDE 
performance and IDE data corruption (!), general reliability and 
stability issues etc.

If your friend wants to get his computer to last anywhere near 10 years 
(very doubtful you'll get near that), he needs to buy decent hardware to 
begin with.  Its as simple as that.  If your friend wants to build a 
computer on the cheap and have it last for a long time, you really need 
to tell him it isn't going to happen.  Cheap and last a long time, very 
rarely appear in the same sentence.


/ Ben