starting fresh with first build

[whitedragon]

hi all i am starting fresh with this and i am going AMD now i do have a reason for this. Now here is my case
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e378/mantis2/DSCF4061.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e378/mantis2/DSCF4057.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e378/mantis2/DSCF4055.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e378/mantis2/DSCF4059.jpg
my the mobo is GIGABYTE S SERIES AM2 GA-M57 SLI-S4
this is the tft 20 inch
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e378/mantis2/mon.jpg
now wye AMD you ask well the local shop i use is haven a deal coming next week so i can save a bit of cash .So i need a graphics card ram and psu but i dont know what power psu i will need and i dont want to spend to much on graph cards as i want to get an 8800 by xmas so sorry to bug you all again for some advice thanks

[noneoftheabove]

good ram would be corsair dominators, or crucail ballistix if you are looking for some excellent memory. But if you are looking to conserve money then look for those brands other models or patriot memory. Get at least a 500 watt psu for that 8800gts and an ati x1300 or x1600 to hold you off before xmas.

[whubbard]

Ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145098 ($68)
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139002 ($149)
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102681 ($126)

Total: $343

When you get the 8800 all you will need to do is swap the GPU...no other upgrades needed.


by the way, you would be surprised how cheap the C2D is on newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115015 ($165)...very much worth it
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115013 ($117)

If you do decide on intel, here is a great board:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131030 ($116)

Also if you need an optical drive, here is a nice one: (lightscribe, re-writable DVD and CD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106057 ($37)

Should you go intel, and get that optical you total would be: $661, which isn't all too bad, as this system will be very nice.
or if you get the cheaper CPU it would only be $613.

EDIT:
by the way...what exactly is the 'Deal' you being offered at the store?

[whitedragon]

hi should have said before i cant use newegg as i am in the uk but thank you for looking

[whubbard]

Oh, Ouch :p

Well atleast you know what RAM, PSU, and GPU to get.

[whitedragon]

yeah i was looking at Corsair 2GB DDR2 XMS2-5400C4 TwinX (2x1GB)£58.74 as for the gpu they dont have that one on the site i use so i looked at this
Asus ATI Radeon X1650 Silent 512MB DDR2 TV-Out/DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail £64.61

[whubbard]

yes, that RAM, and GPU are fine.

Did they have the corsair PSU?

[whitedragon]

yeah this one looks nice Corsair HX 520W ATX2.2 (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-005-CS&groupid=701&catid=123&subcat=823)

[whubbard]

yes, that is basically the same PSU with lower watts

however it should work just fine with your build. the 620 just adds a bit more headroom.
here is the link to the other one in case you didn't see it: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-004-CS&groupid=701&catid=123&subcat=823

Basically the 620 allows for the option of SLI...even though i don't really think its worth it, people do it anyways

the 520...doesn't

[whitedragon]

yeah i see the 620 but the the 520 says its
Corsair HX 520W ATX2.2 Modular SLI Compliant PSU (CMPSU-520HXUK)

[Alaron]

whitedragon, did you decide on a switch to Intel or stay with AMD because of your motherboard?

If you are staying with AMD, you'll need DDR2-800 RAM.

[whitedragon]

yeah for this build it will be AMD DDR2-800RAM you say ok thanks ill take a look

[whitedragon]

yep they have them £91.64
ram (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-108-CS)

[whubbard]

that ram will be perfect.

sorry i forgot about the whole AMD 800RAM thing...

[Mr.Ferrari]

Stick to these, Corsair 5-5-5 (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-092-CS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=813), same chips as the cas4 kit and higher chance of compatibility.

Be sure to post a final list of your component choices.

[whitedragon]

yeah i will do im getting the mobo monday

[whitedragon]

mobo specs
Model: GA-M55S-S3
Processor Support:

Socket AM2 for AMD Athlon™ 64 FX / Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual-Core / Athlon™ 64 / Sempron™ processor
Chipset: Northbridge: nVIDIA® nForce 570-SLI
Super I/O: ITE IT8716 chip.
Integrated Peripherals:

* T.I. IEEE1394 controller.
* Marvell 88E1116 Gigabit Ethernet controller.
* Realtek ALC883 Audio Codec.

Memory: 4 DDR2 DIMM memory slots (supports up to 16GB memory).
Supports dual channel DDR2 800/667/533/400 DIMMs.
Supports 1.8V DDR2 DIMMs.
Internal I/O Connectors:

1 x 24-pin ATX power connector
1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector
1 x floppy connector
1 x IDE connectors
6 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors
1 x CPU fan connector
1 x system fan connector
1 x power fan connector
1 x front panel connector
1 x front audio connector
1 x CD In connector
3 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors for additional 4 USB 2.0/1.1 ports by cables
2 x IEEE1394a connectors for additional 2 port by cable
1 x SPDIF In/Out connector
1 x Power LED connector
Expansion Slots: 2 x PCI Express x 16 slot
3 x PCI Express x 1 slot
2 x PCI slots
Rear Panel I/O: 1 x PS/2 keyboard port
1 x PS/2 mouse port
1 x parallel port
1 x SPDIF out port (coaxial)
1 x SPDIF out port (optical)
1 x serial port (COMA)
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
1 x IEEE1394a port
1 x RJ-45 port
6 x audio jacks (Line In / Line Out / MIC In/Surround Speaker Out)
Power: ATX power connector and ATX 12V connector
Form Factor: ATX form factor; 30.5cm x 23.4cm
Hardware Monitoing: System voltage detection.
CPU / System temperature detection.
CPU / System fan speed detection.
CPU warning temperature.
CPU / System fan failure warning.
Supports CPU / System Smart Fan function.
BIOS: 4Mbit flash ROM
Use of licensed AWARD BIOS
Other Features: Supports @BIOS
Supports Download Center
Supports Q-Flash
Supports EasyTune (only supports Hardware Monitor
function)
Supports Xpress Install
Supports Xpress Recovery2
Supports Xpress BIOS Rescue
* Drivers & Utilities CD
* Installation Guide
* User's Manual
* IDE133 Cable
* Floppy Cable
* 4 x SATA Cables
* Motherboard Backplate
GIGABYTE Technology latest S-series motherboards for AMD socket AM2 platform, featuring with four innovative features- Safe, Smart, Speed, and SLI Technologies. The new S-series motherboards GA-M57SLI-S4 (Rev 1.0); supporting AMD new generation AM2 processor with dual channel DDR2 800MHz high frequency memories, providing reliable and user friendly computing and reaching the maximum system performance easily via personalized software settings. In addition, the outstanding graphics performance through NVidia SLI™ multi-GPU function provides the S-series motherboards excellent scalability for extreme gaming and 3D graphics. GIGABYTE S-series motherboards, the champion's choice for AMD Socket AM2 platform!

* AMD Athlon™64 X2/ Athlon™64 socket AM2 platform
* Supports Dual Channel DDR2 800 memory architecture
* NVIDIA SLI Multi-GPU function for extreme graphics performance
* Supports NVIDIA SATA 3Gb/s and RAID 0,1,0+1,5 function
* Integrated Gigabit Ethernet solution with NVIDIA TCP/IP Acceleration technology
* Integrated IEEE1394 FireWire interface
* Features 8 channel High Definition Audio
* RoHS compliant motherboard for green computing

[Mr.Ferrari]

The motherboard looks fine..good chipset.

[whitedragon]

good i am glad its ok looks a nice board i whent and had a look at one in my local shop

[whitedragon]

how dose this psu look its goto work with my mobo
Aspire 550W Chameleon Aluminium Silent PSU 12cm Fan
Description

Aspire\\\'s Chameleon power supplies features 550W of power housed in 2.0mm of lightweight aluminum chassis, combining best cooling material, super quiet and outstanding performance in a stylish design. Supports Pentium 4 and AMD CPUs. This power supply has a built-in 120mm LED double ball-bearing fan for best cooling and a fan speed adjustor to control the fan speed and reduce the noise level while maximizing your cooling capacity. Just like chameleon, it changes colors. The 120mm fan has a switch to select different LED colors to be blue, green or red. You can set to any color light you want at any time to match your case color theme or your mood. Advanced wire management enhances better airflow and neatness. For those who own a case with side window, the green UV reactive wire sleeves, connectors and on/off switch give a significant effect under UV lights. Punched out side panels allow air to freely flow throughout the power supply. The Chameleon power supply comes with a free bonus \\\"Silent Combo Kit\\\" in retail package. You get an extra PCI fan speed controller (controls up to 5 case fans) and a 120mm UV blue LED fan for your system cooling. Two SATA connectors connect your system to the faster SATA interface for better performance. Short Circuit/ Under Voltage/ Over Voltage/ Over Current/ Over Power/ Electric-Shock Free Protection functions ensure and stabilize your system. Made of the highest quality components and materials, Aspire Chameleon has undergone the most rigorous testing in the industry to offer the best cooling, stability, reliability and durability.

Key Features



Aluminum casting for best cooling
LED color switch changes the fan colors
High quality colorful components and materials ensure superior performance and appearance
Excellent ventilation:1 x 120mm uv blue LED fan and punched out side panels for excellent cooling
Super silent:1 x fan speed controller optimizing cooling while reducing noise
Wire management:fully sleeved cables to avoid clutter and improve airflow
Supports ATX Intel 12V V1.2 and AMD systems
All connectors, switch and wire sleeves are uv green reactive
Protection:Short circuit/ Under voltage/ Over voltage/ Over current/ Over power/ Electric-shock free protection
Safety approval:UL, CSA, FCC, CE, CB, TUV
High efficiency and reliability
Low noise and ripple
100% Burn-in test/ Hi-pot test/ Viibration test/ Leak Current test

Specifications

Model No. : ATX-AS550W-BK
Max. Power : 550W
Material : Aluminum
Colour : Black
Switches : ATX Logic on-off
Additional power rocker switch 115/230 Volt selector switch
Input : Voltage ranges: 103-132VAC or 206-264VAC RMS switch selectable
Input freguency: 50-60Hz
Input current: 10A for 115VAC, 5A for 230VAC
Inrush current: < 40A @ 115VAC, < 80A @ 230VAC

Output : See Table Below
Connectors : 1 x Main Power (20+4pin)
1 x 12V (P4)
2 x SATA
1 x PCI-E
8 x Peripheral
2 x Floppy

Electrical : Efficiency: > 70% under max range load
Rise time: < 20ms
Hold up time: > 10ms at full load
Overshoot: > 10%
Leakage current: < 3.5mA @ 240VAC
P.G. Signal:100-500ms

Protection : Short-circuit/ Over current/ Over voltage/ Over power/ Under voltage/ Electric shock free
Environment : Operation temperature:0°C to 40°C
Operation humidity:20% to 90% RH
Operation altitude:up to 10,000 ft

EMI/RFI : FCC class B, CISPR22 class, BSMI
Safety : CB IEC 950/ TUV EN 60950/ UL 1950/ CSA 950
Cooling : Forced air ventilation by 1 x 120mm UV blue fan
Fan speed controller : Yes
MTBF : 100,000 hours at full load/25°C
Dimension : 150mm x 145mm x 86mm (5.9\\\" x 5.7\\\" x 3.4\\\") - W x L x H
Weight : 2.27 Kg


Output

AC INPUT 115V/230V - 60/50Hz
DC OUTPUT +3.3V +5V +12V1 +12V2 -12V -5V +5VSB
550W Torrance ±5% +5%-1% ±5% ±5% ±10% ±10% ±5%
Max curr 32A 34A 17A 19A 0.8A 0.3A 2.0A
Normal current 21A 25A 13A 13A 0.5A 0.5A 2.0A
Min curr 0.5A 0.3A 1A 1A 0A 0A 0A
Ripple & noise 62mV 102mV 120mV 120mV 120mV 160mV 80mV
Line regulation ±1% ±1% ±1% ±1% ±1% ±1% ±1%
Load regulation ±5% ±5% ±5% ±5% ±10% ±10% ±5%
+5V & 3.3V Combine 200W Max
+12V, +5V & +3.3V Combine 530W Max
Total Output Power 550W Max

[Jimmy0]

I would not get an Aspire PSU, they are known for their bad quality.

Check this thread for a list of good PSU's.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=131195

[whitedragon]

lol ok after some head bending research and advice from you peeps and others. And the fact that AMD are puting the new chips back to august i am going C2DUO but i need some more advice
1 to SLI or not to SLI if so what board would be good
2 i found this board not SLI but got good reviews gigbyte (http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=14498)
what do you think as now my brain is starting to hurt thanks

[Jimmy0]

SLI is more of a marketing gimmick, it is for the rich who can afford two very high end cards to run in SLI, because otherwise it is pointless.

It is far better to run 1 high end current gen card than 2 last gen cards in SLI, I would say it is better to purchase 1 card, and then save up and you can upgrade the GPU when you see fit. (A few years time).

I would recommend an Asus P5K motherboard to run a C2D chip in.

[Germz]

If you at least want to have the option to run SLI in the future check out evga & gigabyte 680i boards, the latter looking particularly appealing, but its pricey. in terms of PSU stick to quality and reliable brands like Corsair, PC P&C, Enermax, Silverstone and so on, would also suggest getting one with some headroom.

[whitedragon]

so you are saying this is a good board?
Gigabyte (http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(17595)Gigabyte-motherboard-GAN650SLIDS4-nForce.aspx)

ZOMG:eek: have you seen the size of the northbridge heatsink its a woppa :eek:
http://i11.tinypic.com/6ezzgbn.jpg

[whitedragon]

ok semifinal list C2DUO

gpu
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=16628

mobo

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=17595

ram
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-092-CS

psu
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-005-CS

cpu cooler
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-001-OC

ill wait for the 22nd of july price cuts for the cpu see what the E6600 go's down to
but how dose this list look as now i am going to start ordering parts YAY:D

[Jimmy0]

What kind of budget do you have, and also do you plan to overclock this build or not.

[whitedragon]

well this is my first build so i may want to do some OC'ing budget around £600

[LeftyAce]

I would get an ASUS motherboard if you can. For a C2D cpu, get one of the P5B or P5K motherboards. Asus is extremely reliable.

[Germz]

so you are saying this is a good board?
Gigabyte (http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(17595)Gigabyte-motherboard-GAN650SLIDS4-nForce.aspx)

ZOMG:eek: have you seen the size of the northbridge heatsink its a woppa :eek:
http://i11.tinypic.com/6ezzgbn.jpg

I was actually talking about this gigabyte board:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128037

I haven't seen it in that UK store you are shopping at, do they even have it around your parts? If they do i'd get that one instead of the 650i chipsert. Asus P5B is also a good board, but keep in mind that their tech supports is horrible. Gigabyte on the other hand were very helpful when i called to get some questions answeed.

One other thing i'd like to suggest is that you read some reviews of the board of your choice as well as customer reviews. Also, some board makers, Asus for example, have support forums for their boards, i'd visit those too if i were you just to see what kind of issues folks are having with a particular mobo. Doing all of these things will give you an idea of whatr to expect from the board of your choice.

[whitedragon]

yes they do have this board in stock and there are 2 issues with this mobo. 1 is with vista drivers and 2 that heatsink being so big but with a little fiderling you can work around this. trust me i have spent weeks looking at reviews and coments about this mobo. this store says they have 6 in stock
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=17595

that board you put up has some bad reviews it is on here
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigabyte-GA-N680SLI-DQ6-Motherboard-Ethernet-8-channel/dp/B000NSGQ66

[Germz]

I'm glad your doing your homework and doing research, you probably know more about this board than most of us here since you been doing all the reading. However, i still suggest you go with 680i chipset board, there are other boards with this chipset out there like evga, MSI, Asus, Foxconn. Look at this roundup of 680i mobos done by tomshardware, it should give you an idea:
Part1
http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/12/21/680i-motherboard-comparison/

Part2
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/02/22/680i_motherboard_comparison_part_2/

And this is the roundup of 7 650i boards by toms:

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/05/24/seven_650i_sli_motherboards_compared/

And here;'s the review of the 650i chipset itself:

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/03/19/is_nforce_650_the_mainstream_master/

[whitedragon]

your 3rd link is not working . The problem i have found is there are so many boards out there it can drive you nuts trying to find one . Pluss every one has there own idea of what is good and not good trying to take all this on board and find a price thats right. is mined bending
p.s thank you for the links

[Germz]

I can certainly understand your frustration, i have just done my first build about a month and a half ago and it took me a while to figure everything out. I think the first thing you neec to do is figure out is what will you be using the system for: gaming, overclocking, video editing and so on and pick a board depending on your needs. If not going to overclock and just looking to game then the board of your choice shouldn't neccesary have great ocing potential, but you should pick among the most stable board avai;able. Core 2 Duo currently supports so many chipsets and mobos that it is easy to get lost in all of them, it was a bit easier for my AM2 build as there are only ati/amd and nvidia boards too choose from. So decide what you want to do, whether you want to go SLI, overclock and so. In the end go with whatever you feel comfartable with and what suits your needs, and don't rush and select your components carefully. Thats thr best advice i can give you.

As far as the link, i checked all of them and they all work, i don't know why you can't access it . If you still can't get to it, just click on the link that works, then click on reviews, select motherboards and scroll down to select the article.

[whitedragon]

well i will be playing games and useing photoshop CS2 plus its my tv dvd player and so on

[Germz]

I think you may want to look into getting a Core 2 Quad, with pricecuts expected after july 22nd they will come down in price drastically, i think that a quad will be more futureproof since more applications will take advantage of 4 cores in the future, just something to think about.

What about overclocking, is this something you want to do?

[whitedragon]

it may be i am thinking of overclocking and as for the Core 2 Quad thats one of the reasons im getting the mobo in my post it takes them as well as the others

[Germz]

Ok, so you want Quad and may want to overclock, if i were to pick out the boards i would select from these:

For non-SLI:

GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128012

Awesome board, a couple of my friends have it and they are aint complaining, 3 regular PCI slots.

Asus P5B:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131030

This board is recomended in this forum, but i think that Asus support really sucks.

For SLI:

An eVGA or XFX 680i mobo, these are nvidia reference boards, i'd personally pick one of evga's since their memory support goes up to DDR2-1200

I know you chose the gigabyte with 650i chipset, but i think you should consider this MSI board which seems to have good reviews:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130081

[whitedragon]

eVGA or XFX 680i mobo, has a over heating prob
but ill have a look at the other 2 thanks for the links

[Germz]

Haven't heard about the overheating issue with evga and xfx 680i boards, but if you don't feel comfortable with them then don't get em. Check out the other boards, good luck!

[Mr.Ferrari]

I also suggest you keep away from SLI at this point. You're better off spending the same money as you would on two cards, rather on one card instead.

The Asus P5K and P5B would be my suggestions.

[chuck4456]

Ditto. Listen to what he is saying. P5B is about the most user/builder friendly out there, and it has a well-proven track record. H**l with ASUS support. If you need help, this place is all the support that you need. Good luck.

[LeftyAce]

Bad asus support? The one time I had to call them ('cause I couldn't figure out how to get eSATA working; the board was fine) The US based support tech very patiently walked me through the steps and got it all sorted out. The only downside was no toll free number...

IMO you're so unlikely to need asus tech support in the first place, the boards are so reliable, that it's a 'risk' I'd certainly take again.

[whitedragon]

welll i am looking at the boards you have posted asus ones i was loking at this one
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(16930)Asus-P5B-Plus-Vista-motherboard-LGA775-Intel.aspx
i am haveing probs finding any reviews still looking

[Jimmy0]

Just whacking "asus p5b review" into Google brings up loads of results.

You could get the Asus P5K (http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(17692)Asus-Motherboard-P5K-Intel-P35-LGA775-Core2.aspx) instead of the P5B, it is a newer board but I haven't really heard of any problems from people when using it.

[whitedragon]

THE FINAL LIST

ok here it is the last list before i order parts

mobo
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(17596)Gigabyte-motherboard-GAP35CDS3R-Intel-P35.aspx

cpu cooler
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-001-SB

psu
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-005-CS

ram
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-092-CS

temp gpu
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(16628)Gigabyte-GF-7600GS-SLI-512MB-DDR2-PCIE-Dual.aspx

Arctic Silver 5
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=AC-000-AC

ok so what do you think

[Cricket]

Why are you getting a Gigabyte motherboard? That's a step down from an ASUS motherboard in terms of quality.

The other parts look fine.

:) Cricket

[whitedragon]

price asus seems to be a bit pricey in the uk and i put the rong mobo down its this one
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(17596)Gigabyte-motherboard-GAP35CDS3R-Intel-P35.aspx

[Jimmy0]

The P5K is only around £10-20 more than that Gigabyte motherboard you linked too, personally I would prefer the Asus over a Gigabyte MB.

[Mr.Ferrari]

The P5K via Ebuyer is actually cheaper. http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/129125

Im assuming you plan to overclock? Even then I would personally use the stock cooler until you feel it necessary to upgrade.

[Cricket]

Well, Gigabyte motherboards aren't that bad...they can be a little quirky at times and their reliability isn't as good as ASUS, but if you feel good about your choice it should be fine. Just be sure to read the motherboard manual from front to back a few times before you begin assembly.

ASUS motherboards cost more but they are top notch as far as quality goes...that's why most experienced builders will use them for their own computers. Higher quality means less problems and better stability in the long run. My own computers have ASUS motherboards in them.

:) Cricket

[whitedragon]

witch model do you mean and ill have a look

[Jimmy0]

Take a look at Mr. Ferrari's link, it is also cheaper than the Gigabyte. :)

[whitedragon]

yeah i just found this one
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(17692)Asus-Motherboard-P5K-Intel-P35-LGA775-Core2.aspx

[Cricket]

yeah i just found this one
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(17692)Asus-Motherboard-P5K-Intel-P35-LGA775-Core2.aspxNice find!

:) Cricket

[whitedragon]

yeah but it says its the rong pic so what will i get hmmm

[Jimmy0]

You will get the plain P5K such as in the pic of the link from Mr. Ferrari. The pic in the link you posted is to the Deluxe version of the board.

[whitedragon]

ok heres the thing is there an asus mobo that has the same spec as as the DS3R in post #48 at the same price if so then ill get asus .thanks to every one for there help

[Cricket]

What specific features of the Gigabyte are you looking for in a ASUS motherboard?

You won't find a ASUS motherboard with the same exact spec as a Gigabyte motherboard for the same price...the ASUS will cost more because it's a top tier motherboard while the Gigabyte is a middle tier motherboard.

:) Cricket

[whitedragon]

well
1 must have good sound for my dvd's and games 7.1 hd
2 must have good number of satta
3 must be C2DUO and Quad
4 must have some room for pci add ons
that about all i can think of im no expert so what ever is good

[Cricket]

Well, if you want good sound for games it's better to go with a good sound card than to rely on the on-board sound. SoundBlaster, Turtle Beach or M-Audio are good brands.

:) Cricket

[whitedragon]

yeah but for now the onborad should be ok ???? i just need to find a good mobo before i go nuts lolol

[Jimmy0]

Onboard for some is OK, its down to the person, I would try running with onboard sound and if it doesn't quite meet up to your standards then buy a soundcard.

I would personally go with the P5K over the Gigabyte board you listed.

[whitedragon]

ok heres the new list
mobo
http://www.awd-it.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1310

ram ( if i can get it)
http://www.crucial.com/uk/ballistix/store/PartSpecs.asp?imodule=BL2KIT12864AL804&cat=

psu
http://www.awd-it.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1453

cpu cooler
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-001-SB

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound (3.5g)

gpu ( stand in until i can get the 8800GTX
http://www.awd-it.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=856

cpu whaiting on price cuts before i pick one

[Freakitchen]

Unless you're overclocking, you'll be fine with this RAM:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-097-CS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=144

If you do plan on an overclock, then get this:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-092-CS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=813

No need to pay £100 for that Crucial memory.

I'd consider, also, getting all of your parts from one store (my recommendation is Overclockers). Sure, some odd parts may be cheaper elsewhere, but by the time you've paid for a few lots of shipping, you've lost that discount.

[whitedragon]

only two parts are comeing from ocuk cpu cooler and Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound (3.5g)
all the rest is from one place . thanks for the heads up on the ram ill get the Corsair

is the mobo better than the gigabyte??

[LeftyAce]

Yes, ASUS is better quality.

[Freakitchen]

Before ordering those two parts from OCUK, then, check the postage costs. I haven't ordered from them in a while, but their minimum price used to be £8 - you might have better luck with www.ebuyer.co.uk

I'd rather have an ASUS motherboard than virtually any other manufacturer, because of their consistent high quality.

[whitedragon]

yeah its £8 for next day at ocuk but i have read good things about that gigabyte no one i know of has had any problems with it pluss it has the p35 chipset ddr2 and ddr3 hmmm i dont know

[Freakitchen]

Why not go for the P5K then? It's already been suggested in this thread

http://www.awd-it.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1684&product=Asus+P5K+Intel+P35+DDR2+Motherboard+%2D+Socket+LGA775

It's not that Gigabyte make bad motherboards, heck, I use one in my main system. They're even owned by ASUS these days. The only reason we suggest ASUS is that there's no reason not to! They're the manufacturer that has shown consistent quality over the years when most of the other brands haven't - this includes other big names like Gigabyte and MSI. Brand choice is a very subjective thing, and it's very experience-driven.

[whitedragon]

thanks for the advice one of the reasons i piked the DS3R is the PCI layout . when i put an 8800 in this on the asus mobo it will cover up 1 PCI slot and i may need to put a sound card in a tv card. and i am thinking of a Asus PhysX P1 Card . the spaceing on the DS3R of the PCIE AND PCI slots sets it up nice