[Pepsione1]

Its time for a new computer (heh I was only going to replace my monitor in the first place but look at what i am doing now).

I've pretty much made up my mind about what I need. I am not a heavy gamer (haven't play vid game on my comp. for 2 years and playstation2 is collecting dust since the time we used it for the first time we bought it). Anyway I think I will pick up a Intel P4 2.4C with 512MB of 800Mhz DDR ram. Motherboard will be something with 865 springdale chipset (which one is good?). I want to get the Sapphire Radeon 9500 Atlantis Pro. All I need is to decide which motherboard and memory to get (brand wise). Any suggestions? Do you see an imbalance in my system?

 

[imported_maverick_12]

asus p4c800 + 2 sticks(important to get 2 to run dual channel) of corsair pc3200 xms(cl 2.0) and a good quality power supply like a antec true power 400watt and you could always be cool and get a wd raptor for a boot drive, 10krpm, makes things faster all around

 

[wallijonn]

why bother?

 

[imported_maverick_12]

You know its funny wallijohn, you made some of the most ignorant computer statements I've ever read, and you're posting in a topic called "Calling in the hardware gurus". Lets examine your post
Quote:

i suggest mobos with SIS chipsets.

Ok where do I begin with this one, lets just take it easy, he stated he is getting a p4 2.4C, this means his cpu is 200mhz fsb, 800mhz quad pumped, simply no SIS chipset based boards offically support 200, and if they did 875P based boards would simply destroy them.
Quote:

forget about overclocking whistles. a nice ECS $50 board will do just fine. put the extra $100 to $150 into a faster proc.

That many be true enough, however, dealing with many motherboards over the years, I've found that a) they lack general speed b)their voltage regulation is usually garbage c) their service is usally garbage as well, I KNOW this is true of ECS.
Quote:

you do know that the 64 bit procs are coming out this Novembre, right?

a) current estimates are around september sometime for Clawhammer Aka Athlon64. However most people forsee problems with the first generation of this chip as it isn't dual channel DDR, etc etc.
b) while 64bit chips have been around for many years (sparcs, alphas,etc etc), a x86-64 chip is already out, it competes with Xeon class cpus. AMD Opteron aka sledgehammer.
Quote:

why go with a Radeon if you are not into gaming? that would seem like a waste of money. any number of good vid cards can be had for $50 or under. oh, you want the 8x agp... hate to burst your bubble, but see what the pro photoshop and CAD/CAM guys are using.

a) thats true, however having a dx9 card for the future can be quite handy, from what I understand of dx9 is it was quite a major upgrade.
Quote:

no matter what mobo you buy, make sure that it can run Linux first.

Another Ignorant statement, that may be important to you, but could mean nothing to him, and any motherboard/cpu combo out there can run linux, I don't know where you got the idea it couldn't.

 

[JuveDuke]

If you are getting a springdale (which I would suggest if you aren't OCing) get the Asus P4P800 or Abit IS7, as they both perform on par with the canterwood chipset at stock speeds. Look into the different variations of each board to get the features you want. I'd say any pc3200 memory from kingston, crucial, corsair or mushkin would suit you well.

 

[blip]

Gotta defend it...

While ECS has done some truly lousy boards their second revision K7S5A for the Ath XP is considered both decently stable and fast. (Assuming you aren't overclocking it. It still is decently stable but the bios doesn't allow you to play with the FSB without using a cracked bios or a software FSB editor) A lot of people I know have them and swear by them.

Anyway, I second the recommendation for Corsair memory and a good PSU. Myself I use an Enermax but Antecs are great (many say better). If you really want to go all out get a PC Power & Cooling unit.

 

[imported_maverick_12]

lol, if you could only see all the ECS horror stories I've seen in hardware channels on IRC, you would never ever buy an ECS product ever again. And Power PC and cooling, eh I have one of their power supplies, it uses a loud delta stock fan. its icky. and for the record I do use an enermax power supply, 651-FMA if i remember correctly, however antec is just a tiny bit cleaner.

 

[blip]

Like I say... only one board and only one revision of it. Reliability wise I know several school computer labs (not exactly power user areas, but certainly places where computers get a lot of use) that use only that board and have had no failures. Performance is only a tick or two behind the front runners of its contemporaries.

Believe me, back when I posted a lot on the Hardforums I saw many problems with other ECS boards...

Hey, I think we have the same powersupply... Small world.

Pepsi, what is your storage situation like? Are you going to be picking up a new hard-drive to go with this upgrade or are you sticking with your old one?

 

[imported_maverick_12]

I've seen ECS boards do some crazy stuff, I am the now former owner of a k7s5a, it was in my brothers computer, the one day IDE decided, hey lets corrupt the harddrive + stop working! RMA'ed the board and sold it. some other suckers problem now. hehe. he got one of my old boards, i was foolish to buy that board, but it was all he could afford at the time, and it survived until i could give him a better board. although a 11month life cycle just sucks.

 

[blip]

lol... Yeah I've heard that one before. Bet it was from the first generation... they had all sorts of troubles. Same thing for the K7S6A I've heard, never used one though.

Anyway, I asked the storage question because I'd hate to see the beauty your putting together be hampered by slow harddrives.

 

[Pace]

Maverick, as you are so eager on bashing wallijonn opinion, I shall bash yours.

1) SiS655 is a great chipset. Atleast the mobos manufactured by Asus and MSI have gotten great reviews on the magazines that I've read. Although it doesn't support the 200MHz FSB, it is very fast and reliable; the first mobo that I've seen that has beaten the I850E + RDRAM combo... a task on which even Granite Bay came short. And as said, the mobos with SiS655 are also a lot cheaper than the mobos with Intel chipsets.

2) DirectX 9 isn't such a major update. Some have referred to it as a bug fix with few additional features. But the Radeon 9500 Pro is a great choice for a all around graphics card.

3) There is no 400 watt antec true power powersupply. The available models are 330w, 380w, 430w, 480w and 550w.

Have to agree on the ECS mobos though; they really are crap.

 

[imported_maverick_12]

The SIS chipset can be great all it wants, hell, 440BX is probably the best chipset of all time, but that dosen't mean its suitable for the needs of this particular computer.

It all depends who you listen to, I haven't read the white papers yet, and i doubt you have, so who knows.

and the 400watt thing, eh, antec just likes to be goofy.

I really don't see why you are trying to nitpick over my points. And before trying to do it again, please come up with some valid, non "stupid small stuff" crap.

 

[wallijonn]

why bother?

 

[Pepsione1]

Gee guys, I am asking for advice not a flame war (I'd have went to a hardware forum if I did

). I've never wanted a SIS chipset motherboard in the first place because I've dealt with too many bad ones. I know you have your opinions and I have mine as well. You can't change my mind and its my money so lets move on (wallijonn: i know you are probably thinking this guy is stupid and wasting his money but please keep it to yourself, you are overqualify for this thread anyway lol

). I found something interesting on this site today what do you guys think?

http://www.ncix.com/productdetail.php?tab=1&sku=9800

I know they memory might not be great but do you think it will work (meaning worth it).

 

[wallijonn]

you're right, Pep.

i deleted the notes.

why bother?

Asus P4P800: http://forums.anandtech.com/messagev...readid=1055272