(Another) Compatibility Question

[F1r3Fly]

Hello, this is my first post here at PCMech. Three years ago I put together my first build. I couldn’t have been happier with the results and now that it’s time to upgrade, I am hopeful that I can reuse many components and save some money. I am worried about compatibility issues, but have only found limited answers to my questions on the web so hopefully some of the experts here can help me out.


My current system:
Antec SLK3700AMB Case (with Antec 350W SmartPower ATX12V power supply):
http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=93700

EPoX NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 AGPset, Socket-462 w/400MHz FSB, 3DIMM w/DDR-400, 1AGP-8X, 5PCI, USB2.0, ATA-133, Dual 100MbE LAN, IEEE-1394, S-ATA, ATX
(sorry, I could not find a link to the exact motherboard, maybe discontinued?)

AMD AthlonXP 2500+ Barton Processor
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1490

Samsung SyncMaster 941BW Monitor:
http://www.samsung.com/ca/products/monitor/archivedmonitor/ls19hawkb2xaa.asp

Corsair VS512MB400 (two sticks – 1GB total memory)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80098-6



I am planning on upgrading to the following:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103773

One of the following video cards (same chipset, different manufacturers):
EVGA 256-P2-N615-TX GeForce 7600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130062

XFX PVT73GUGF3 GeForce 7600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150185



Questions:
Motherboard compatibility:
I was actually surprised to learn that my motherboard has five PCI sockets, so I think it can handle the video card. Unfortunately, I don’t think my motherboard will support a Socket AM2 processor, but I have not been able to verify this anywhere on the web or in my documentation. I am probably the least knowledgeable about motherboards, so if I do have to upgrade, does anyone have any suggestions for a board that will be compatible with the rest of my build (and maybe allow for future upgrades without having to buy another board)?

Power Supply compatibility:
The recommended minimum power supply with the above video card is 350W (which I currently have) and I’m planning on trying that and seeing if everything works smoothly. If anyone can confirm that this will work okay or tell me right now that I’ll need to upgrade my power supply I’d appreciate knowing beforehand.

Video Card:
My monitor has a DVI port and an RGB port, but I don’t currently have a DVI-D cable to connect my DVI-D monitor port to the DVI-I video card port. Is it worth it to spend around $10 for the better connection? (I’m thinking yes)


Sorry for the long post. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. :) Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving!


edit: I use this computer for web development, some image and video editing (nothing too complex or intensive), and playing World of Warcraft in case it is important for any recommendations. Obviously I'd like to keep the price down, but I also don't want to have to upgrade again in six months, which is always a tough balancing act :p Thanks again :)

[Freakitchen]

Welcome to the forums!

Unfortunately, things have moved on a bit since you did your previous build - you have a 'Socket A' board which isn't compatible with the newer AM2 processors. Your RAM is also incompatible - it's DDR, all platforms now use DDR2. Equally, the power supply that comes with your case is ATX1 standard - new systems require ATX2.

Basically, that means your 'upgrade' would need to be a new build. The only components you'll be able to reuse are the hard drives and optical drives, and if your drives are PATA (IDE), rather than SATA, that would rule out the majority of Intel setups, which are phasing out IDE support.

With all that in mind, do you have a budget for this new system?

[F1r3Fly]

:eek:

Thanks for the quick reply Freakitchen, and sorry to make you be the bearer of the bad news :) . I still can't believe things have changed so much! I've had my heart set on upgrading, so I guess I'll have to increase my budget a bit to accomplish it. I was able to hold my last build to around $650 (excluding hard drives), so I'm hoping that's a reachable goal this time as well.

Since the only reusable parts from my old system would be the case and hard drives, I'm now considering replacing those as well and donating my old build to my parents, who could definitely use the upgrade :p .

I've just looked quickly on newegg to see what I could find (and I'll probably be spending most of the day browsing newegg as well :p ) and I've found the following (again trying to balance performance and cost).


Memory:
I've had good experiences with Corsair, so I plan on sticking with them for my next purchase as well. Corsair has an XMS series category on newegg in addition to their regular memory, and I'm not sure of the difference. For example, this one is part of the XMS series and is 2GB of ram for only $49.99, which almost seems too good to be true. Am I missing something?

CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 675 (PC2 5400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145015


Case & Power Supply:
I've always heard you should buy either an Antec or Enermax power supply due to their superior quality. Since my last case came with the power supply, I checked Antec cases and surprisingly the best rated case was also one of the cheapest. I'm not sure I like the way it looks and I certainly don't need the fancy LED fans, but the ratings seem impressive.

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021


Motherboard:
This is where I'm really lost. Most of the ones on newegg only have been rated an average of 4 stars, which isn't terrible, but makes me worry a bit. I know that I don't need an SLI board (to plug in two video cards side by side, something I'm not going to do). I've heard good things about ASUS, but my knowledge pretty much ends there. My last motherboard had a sound card included and I'd like the same this time (I think most come with that though). I'm also unsure if I should try to get one that supports AM2+ processors, because the next time I upgrade (3 years passed since I last upgraded) I may have to upgrade my motherboard again anyways.


Any suggestions or comments to help me out would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for all your help. I am so grateful that I posted here before purchasing anything, because I would have been in for a very bad surprise :p

[Freakitchen]

Your posts were getting caught in our spam filter - we have to manually approve those, so that's why they weren't appearing straight away! Just wanted to inform you of that straight away, I'll get back to you with my thoughts when I've read your post!

Okay - my thoughts! Good idea on keeping that system as it is and donating it, no doubt your parents will thank you, AND building with everything from scratch allows you to choose from the best possible parts.

With that in mind, I'd recommend you switch to an Intel system this time round - their dual/quad core processors are quite simply outdoing what AMD has to offer at the moment. Try pricing up a system based around the following core components:

Asus P5K Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
2GB Corsair XMS DDR2-800 - yes, it really is THAT cheap at the moment!
Antec Sonata III - this should give you the more classic looks you seem to prefer, and includes a quality 500w power supply
Seagate 7200.10 320GB HD - or the 500GB if you want extra space, both should represent great value
Lite-on Retail DVD Burner
eVGA Nvidia 8600GT video card
Operating System of your choice

That lot may not automatically be what you want to spend, but once you've chosen some core bits and pieces, we can do some price-tweaking!

[F1r3Fly]

Lol, thank you very much for fixing that, I was so confused and kept trying to fix it but wasn't getting anywhere. I guess I should have been more patient :o


Thanks again for the reply, Freakitchen. Your recommendations look great and helped me plot out the following build. I’m actually very happy with the price so far as it seems to be cheaper than my last build.

Case and Power Supply: $99.95
Antec Sonata III Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129024&Tpk=Antec%2bSonata%2bIII

Your choice definitely looks better than the one I had linked to above. I also didn’t realize a power supply was not included in the previous one. This one looks great.


RAM: $49.99
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 675 (PC2 5400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145015

Same as my previous post, love the price! :)


Video Card: $79.99
EVGA 256-P2-N753-TR GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130297

I think the $5 upgrade from the eVGA Nvidia 7600GT to the eVGA Nvidia 8600GT is worth it for DirectX 10. I think all the other specs are identical to the eVGA Nvidia 7600GT (correct me if I’m wrong though). Also, is there a reason you recommend eVGA over other manufacturers or just personal preference?


Hard Drive: $84.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS (Perpendicular Recording Technology) 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148140

I was looking at the same hard drive when I saw your post. I definitely want to try out Seagate this time as I’ve had some bad experiences with Western Digital in the past. I think 320GB will be enough for me. I have an external drive that I can use for extra space if needed.


Dvd Player – Free!
My current build has two of them, so I’ll probably just take one out and use it for my new system as well.

Total Cost before Motherboard and Processor: $314.92
I’m pretty satisfied with the above components. Lots of performance for a what seems like a very efficient price.


Motherboard and Processor: Intel vs. AMD
This has always been a tough decision for me. My last build used an Athlon processor and I was so happy with it that I was going to stick with them for this next build. I’ve heard other people echo your sentiments about the new Intel Core Duo’s running better than what AMD has to offer, but I’m wondering if AMD’s processors are more cost-efficient.

The AMD processor I was considering is $159.99 and has a 3.0GHz operating frequency:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103773

The Intel alternative is $169.99 but has a 2.33GHz operating frequency:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 Conroe 2.33GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115030

Is there something else about the Intel that makes it better or closer to the Athlon performance-wise or is the Athlon a better buy to get the most bang for my buck?

[Freakitchen]

With regard to the Intel - AMD issue, certainly, AMD have been on the back foot recently. BUT, having said that, they're attempting to come back strongly without condemning the AM2 platform. That X2 6000+ processor is no exception - I compared it to the Intel E6550 processor using the benchmarks over at Tom's hardware, and the two are so similar it's impossible to separate them:

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=874&model2=921&chart=437

For that reason, logic says you should flip a coin. BUT, since you mentioned bang-for-buck, I'll throw the E6750 into the hat as another option. Yes, it's more expensive, BUT, it's one of the highest performing processors out there at the minute (see the benchmarks again). I think it's the best value for money, if you can afford it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115029

Whichever platform you decide upon, I suggest this RAM - it's faster than what you chose and actually CHEAPER (if you think that's possible) after rebate!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145034

Everything else looks just about fine to me. If you go Intel, I'd suggest the standard Asus P5K motherboard. If you go AMD, the M2N-E. Regarding the video card, I suggest eVGA for quality reasons, they make consistently good video cards (and I believe are nVidia's 'reference' manufacturer). A final note about the DVD burner, if you go Intel, note that the IDE controller on the current boards is third party, and doesn't play nice with every DVD burner out there by any means. So if you go this route, I'd invest in a SATA drive, they're only about £30.

Well, I think that was everything! :)

[F1r3Fly]

Thanks again for your reply Freakitchen :)

You brought a great alternative with the Intel E6750. I've been reading about it for the past couple hours and it definitely seems like it is faster (and runs cooler) than the Athlon 6000+. Reading more about the Intel Duo Core architecture and I see your point (from a couple posts above) about Intel outperforming AMD at the moment. That being said, the Intel is a bit more expensive and I might have to spend a few more dollars on a new DVD drive. It's really making it a tough decision for me, though I'm leaning toward Intel.

Thanks for the eVGA tip, I'll go with them. Thanks also for the link to the cheaper, faster RAM. It's always great when you find those deals :D

Regarding the motherboards, is this the one you recommended for the Intel setup?
ASUS P5K-E/WIFI-AP LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131196

Also, a more generic, slightly unrelated question about motherboards: how much do they impact performance of the computer? Do I need the latest chipset to get great performance or should I only worry about compatibility with the rest of my components?

Thank you once again for your recommendations. It looks like I'm almost there and getting closer to ordering this new build :D

[catacon]

Unless you need the WiFi capabilities of the motherboard you listed, I would go with this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131180) board. It's a bit cheaper and still has the same chipset, so it will work just as well.

Motherboards can affect the performance of a system, but if you get a good chipset, you shouldn't have issues. If you use the P5K board with the Intel E6750 you should have no issues.

[Freakitchen]

Yeah, the motherboard choice is more about stability and reliability than sheer performance - but in order to get the latter, you need the former! The standard P5K that Catacon linked to would also be my choice. Good luck with the build.

[F1r3Fly]

Thank you for the recommendation catacon and Freakitchen. I definitely don't need the Wi-Fi but didn't see the board without it. At least I'll be able to save a little money there :)

Thanks also for answering my question on mobos in general; I'll definitely keep that in mind for any future builds. I guess I'm learning more about motherboards slowly but surely :p

It looks like I'm finally ready to place my order! It's really been a huge help being able to ask questions here. Thanks for all your help with the build and your recommendations! :D