How is the Pentium dual-core E5300 chip?

[Quattro Pete]

2MB L2 cache, 2.6 GHz, 800FSB.

Would it be sufficient for a media PC, paired with ATI Radeon HD 4350 video card, running W7?

 

[JohnBrowning]

The CPU is good enough the ATI Radon 4350 card only has 512MB of memory and that is it's problem. That card would rock if they had given it more on board memory. I would try to get a card with not less then 1GB of on board memory. Also use the fastest memory and hard drive that your computer can support with the selected CPU. I have not played with Window 7 so not sure.I should add that the 4000 series is approved for blu ray by ATI. They claim that it is not a problem even with the limited on board memory. So I will assume they know their product.

 

[Familyguy]

If you're not going to play any hardcore 3D games with all the eyecandy turned on, that's more than enough horsepower for a media PC. You can display 1080p with ease and have plenty of cpu and video horsepower to spare. You can also play 3D games, but at lower resolutions and with some of the fancy effects turned down or off.

Best,

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
The CPU is good enough the ATI Radon 4350 card only has 512MB of memory and that is it's problem. That card would rock if they had given it more on board memory. I would try to get a card with not less then 1GB of on board memory. Also use the fastest memory and hard drive that your computer can support with the selected CPU. I have not played with Window 7 so not sure.I should add that the 4000 series is approved for blu ray by ATI. They claim that it is not a problem even with the limited on board memory. So I will assume they know their product.


Why do you need so much memory on the graphic card? It is really the processing speed that matters on the GPU, not the amount of memory.

 

[JustinH]

I have this processor in a dell desktop computer (about a $400 computer).

I stuffed 4gb of ram into it, and a cheap hdmi video card.

Mine plays hulu HD videos, and other online "HD" videos with no problem at all.

I'm pretty happy with this machine. With all the extras, and a 22 inch lcd, I have less than $500 into it.

 

[vxcalais]

Its an excellent processor, with good overclocking potential with no issue of heat or extra voltage requirement. Look it up. I have this processor and its quite cheap, and once the quad drops down, get that. Each one is 2.6, if i can recall each one can be clocked to 3.2 or something like this depending on motherboard.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
The CPU is good enough the ATI Radon 4350 card only has 512MB of memory and that is it's problem. That card would rock if they had given it more on board memory. I would try to get a card with not less then 1GB of on board memory. Also use the fastest memory and hard drive that your computer can support with the selected CPU. I have not played with Window 7 so not sure.I should add that the 4000 series is approved for blu ray by ATI. They claim that it is not a problem even with the limited on board memory. So I will assume they know their product.


John, you are out in left field.

512MB is MORE than adequate for this application.

 

[NJC]

I think a E5300 would run your application quickly enough - make sure it's paired with a scorching fast hard drive. I bought the E5200 (virtually identical to E5300) ~6 months ago and I have it overclocked to 3.15Ghz. These chips seem to have great OC ability - with a motherboard that supports it. Here's a decent price - performance comparison of the E5200.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core2duo-e7300-pdc-e5200_10.html#sect0

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: NJC
make sure it's paired with a scorching fast hard drive.

7200 rpm is what it's going to have. Content will be stored on an external network drive.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: NJC
make sure it's paired with a scorching fast hard drive.

7200 rpm is what it's going to have. Content will be stored on an external network drive.


The bigger the drive, the faster it is for the most part. 1TB Seagate 32MB drives are VERY fast. Of course so are their WD counterparts.

 

[hpichris]

Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
The CPU is good enough the ATI Radon 4350 card only has 512MB of memory and that is it's problem. That card would rock if they had given it more on board memory. I would try to get a card with not less then 1GB of on board memory. Also use the fastest memory and hard drive that your computer can support with the selected CPU. I have not played with Window 7 so not sure.I should add that the 4000 series is approved for blu ray by ATI. They claim that it is not a problem even with the limited on board memory. So I will assume they know their product.



He doesn't need more than the 4350.

 

[greenaccord02]

+1 that 4350 will do fine. You'd have to do the bandwidth math to see if it can even fill and use 512MB. It may even be overkill, not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
+1 that 4350 will do fine. You'd have to do the bandwidth math to see if it can even fill and use 512MB. It may even be overkill, not that there's anything wrong with that.


It is mostly relative to texture size. Unless he is trying to run Crysis or COD with the graphic detail on high(which he won't be able to do with that card anyways) then he would be hard pressed to fill the available video memory.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
The CPU is good enough the ATI Radon 4350 card only has 512MB of memory and that is it's problem. That card would rock if they had given it more on board memory. I would try to get a card with not less then 1GB of on board memory. Also use the fastest memory and hard drive that your computer can support with the selected CPU. I have not played with Window 7 so not sure.I should add that the 4000 series is approved for blu ray by ATI. They claim that it is not a problem even with the limited on board memory. So I will assume they know their product.



memory size on a video card is only for textures etc.

my 8800gt with 512meg plays the same as one with 1GB unless you try to load ultra textures in crysis.

100% FUD from john browning.

for non gaming use even one with 128meg or 256meg would most likely work the same.

 

[Volvohead]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
2MB L2 cache, 2.6 GHz, 800FSB.

Would it be sufficient for a media PC, paired with ATI Radeon HD 4350 video card, running W7?



Completely sufficient.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Thanks all.

Got the PC, installed XBMC on it. Seems to be pretty quick/responsive so far, although I haven't tried playing any 1080p content yet.

Still pondering the idea of upgrading memory on it from 2 GB to 4 GB (W7 64bit).

 

[Familyguy]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Thanks all.

Got the PC, installed XBMC on it. Seems to be pretty quick/responsive so far, although I haven't tried playing any 1080p content yet.

Still pondering the idea of upgrading memory on it from 2 GB to 4 GB (W7 64bit).


Upgrading the RAM is worthwhile on Windows7 and memory is fairly cheap these days.

Best,

 

[tmorris1]

Originally Posted By: Familyguy
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Thanks all.

Got the PC, installed XBMC on it. Seems to be pretty quick/responsive so far, although I haven't tried playing any 1080p content yet.

Still pondering the idea of upgrading memory on it from 2 GB to 4 GB (W7 64bit).


Upgrading the RAM is worthwhile on Windows7 and memory is fairly cheap these days.

Best,


I think memory is high right now. It is about double what it was this spring and early summer.

 

[Quattro Pete]

It's about $42 for two 1GB sticks right now. Obviously not a deal breaker... I'm just wondering if it's really needed. I guess it'll depend on how many different apps I plan to run on it aside from XBMC. Looks like I'll also be running a P2P app, Squeezebox Server, and some proprietary Samsung app so that my TV can find my network resources.

 

[sprintman]

4GB good. Did it to this XPP system.