Motherboards and Memory

[apollo_jh]

I'm going to be building a gaming system in about a month and I have a few questions:

- I've pretty much decided to go with the Athlon 64 3400+ processor and now it's time to decide what motherboard. It's been suggested I go with the Asus K8V Deluxe however the Gigabyte K8VT800M comes about $60 cheaper. Is the difference worth $60? Or is there perhaps a better motherboard than both of them?

- Do the name brand memory sticks (Corsair, Kingston, etc) really have that much of an advantage over some of the lesser known manufacturers to validate a large price difference? I don't want to cut corners with my computer but I also don't want to take the scenic route, ya know?

- I see a lot of custom setups other people build include some accessories I wouldn't think to buy. Are there any particular cooling systems, fans, power or other upgrades that are must-haves for gaming systems? Case mods need not apply as that realm is covered more than thoroughly by www.xoxide.com (check that site out if you've never been there, some of the stuf you can buy is out of this world).

[TwoRails]

Hi apollo_jh,

I have not read much on either model mobo, but knowing Asus boards in general, and their quality, I would look hard at theirs first.

Name brand memory is always recommened. Most have a "value line" that is very competitive with no-names.

No, there is nothing special as far as add-ons for a gaming rig, expecially if you're not modding. The A64 is not a "hot" running unit and will do very well with the "stock" HS/fan combo and rear case fans. You'll hear different, but AMD builds do not need 1/2 dozen fans to run!!! Extras depend on your budget, noise tolerance, and modding desires.

HTH

TwoRails