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JediNinjaWizards · Mon Sep 20, 2004 9:05 am

I recently put together the following system for resale online:

DFI K8M800 board
Sempron 3100+ socket 754 (1.8Ghz - 256K cache - no 64-bitness)
GeForce FX 5800 Non-Ultra
512 MB PC3200 Corsair Value Ram
Soyo dragon case ($30 at MicroCenter, included KB/Mouse/300W MaxPowr/180W speakers!)
80GB 7200 rpm 8MB Cache Maxtor ($40 at MicroCenter)

The K8M800 is a half decent mobo (supposedly) and I know the Sempron is to compete with the Celeron, but after putting this together, and setting it up with XP, I was surprised that is actually a VERY snappy system (it cost me around $330 at the register to build it, and after rebates, it will be less than $200.) I think maybe the fact that socket 754 chips have the memory controller built in, and the resulting reduction in latency makes up for the meager 256K of cache in the Sempron. Also, I was drop dead surprised that the built in video ran DOOM3 and UT2004 without issue (other than the fact they were unplayable even at 640x480), only to find that it has something called UniChrome graphics from S3, which is apparently a DX9 built in video based on the DeltaChrome. Too bad its useless. After throwing the 5800 in the AGP8X slot, DOOM3 ran like a DREAM on this $200 system. I would highly recommend the Sempron and Soyo cases, and the other parts I used to someone looking for a good, cheap system. I figure I can probably get around $600-$700 for this online, a $400 or $500 profit....not bad!

Anyone know if MAxPowr is OK as a Power Supply? Thats the only sketchy thing about the system, and I wouldnt mind putting a better one in if I thought it might save someone some trouble down the road...

Mon Sep 20, 2004 9:09 am

Not bad, though I wonder about the PSU in that cheap case. I've used a 300w Maxpower on Durons, but that's about it.

You're going to make a tidy profit from that. Hopefully you can go back and build up another.

JediNinjaWizards · Mon Sep 20, 2004 11:11 am

Yeah, I can probably hook up some more stuff like that...whenever I feel I can make a good PC, for a decent price, I will build it and sell it. Like I said, I am surprised at the speed of the Sempron, and can only bemoan its lack of 64 bitness, though I guess its not a big deal. I am still leery of the MAxPower PSU, but cant find any bitches about it online, so who knows. It seems to handle OK. Oh, and also, the temps on the Sempron are lower than...well, theyre pretty damn low, like 30 something even under load.

atidriverssuck · Mon Sep 20, 2004 11:27 am

JediNinjaWizards wrote:
Like I said, I am surprised at the speed of the Sempron, and can only bemoan its lack of 64 bitness, though I guess its not a big deal.

Agreed. Semprons are fantastic value. Of course they don't get the attention they deserve in enthusiast circles.

JediNinjaWizards · Mon Sep 20, 2004 11:41 am

Also, I am officially not calling the Sempron by its real name. From now on, it will be referred to as the AMD AlwaysPorn TM.

JediNinjaWizards · Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:10 pm

I need to correct an earlier mistake...the Unichrome is NOT based on the much more powerful (vaporware) Deltachrome. It is a 2 pixel pipeline, and it blows. And NO DX9!!! lol. Also, just for **** and giggles, I ran this without the cpu fan plugged in, and it only went up to around 41 degrees after an hour of use or so. So these run pretty damn cool. Overclocking, methinx?

flybywire · Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:35 pm

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Sempron. I'll have to look into that chip the next time I want to build a value system.

UberGerbil · Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:45 pm

JediNinjaWizards wrote:
Also, I am officially not calling the Sempron by its real name. From now on, it will be referred to as the AMD AlwaysPorn TM.

I'd been calling it the "EternaPorn" but I was in a mom&pop computer shop the other day and overheard them selling a system to a customer; the customer (unintentionally) called the processor a "Semiporn"

I'm never going to be able to call it anything else. First high tech gave us semiconductors, and now...

JediNinjaWizards · Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:46 pm

Yeah, I'm glad I looked into it. I still want to explore its overclockability, and I am still wondering if the MaxPower 300W PSU is quality or not. Any stories? complaints?

Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:48 pm

BTW, just wanted to confirm something: Although S754 Semprons are based on an A64 core, the 64-bit capability is disabled, correct?

flybywire · Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:52 pm

just brew it! wrote:
BTW, just wanted to confirm something: Although S754 Semprons are based on an A64 core, the 64-bit capability is disabled, correct?

Yes, that is correct.

JediNinjaWizards · Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:58 pm

Yep, I verified this. It has no 64 bit extensions. Whatever. It rapes the Celeron, and only costs like $115 retail.

flybywire · Tue Sep 21, 2004 2:02 pm

Anandtech has a nice article on the Sempron here.

JediNinjaWizards · Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:52 am

OK guys I need some help here. The 80 GB maxtor in this system has been put to other uses, and a 40 GB 5400 rpm Caviar has been put in its place. This drive won't be detected by the motherboard in this system, a DFI K8M800. I tried the drive in 4 other systems, they detected it fine, and even booted into Linux. I formatted the drive, just to make sure it wasnt the Linux partitions, and reconnected it to the DFI. I tried it as MAster, slave, neither, on different cables, with and without other drives. No dice. Why does this mobo hate me? It isnt the drive. And it isnt the motherboard I guess because it detects other drives OK. What gives? I cleared the CMOS a few times, I tried doing it with and without built in graphics, with and without the 5800, different ram, I even tried disabling the SATA that was on the board (in case you ask, yes the Maxtor that DID work was a pATA drive). Any ideas? I want to finish this so I can SELL it!!!!

flybywire · Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:08 pm

How about Cable Select (CS)?

Illissius · Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:08 pm

If your motherboard has seperate IDE controllers (ie, southbridge + seperate silicon image/promise/whatever chip), try both of them (dunno if this is what you meant by 'seperate cables'), otherwise no idea.

JediNinjaWizards · Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:17 pm

flybywire wrote:
How about Cable Select (CS)?

Tried that...no dice.

JediNinjaWizards · Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:18 pm

Illissius wrote:
If your motherboard has seperate IDE controllers (ie, southbridge + seperate silicon image/promise/whatever chip), try both of them (dunno if this is what you meant by 'seperate cables'), otherwise no idea.

Yeah it doesnt have a separate chip, the Southbridge does it all. D'oh.

JediNinjaWizards · Mon Sep 27, 2004 11:20 am

OK, well I got ANOTHER drive, a 40GB 7200rpm Seagate from MicroCenter, and I will try this again this week. I hope it works, or I guess the next step is to return the board. D'oh.....I want this system up and running. Since it is a value system, I am debating whether or not to leave the 5800 in there. I can probably just keep it, and use the built in graphics, which should be enough for basic use.

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