Mobo ? woes and newbuild advice....!

Computer Hardware
#1

Hi…ok I’ll admit that I’m overky confused at this point. I have not the experience of building my own puter,though I would love the challege of it all, it’s getting conponments that will work together.

So many opinions on different Motherboards. Works for some, and not for others. Some like to overclock, I don’t. I am trying to find a Board with what I want.
I am not a gamer,so does that mean I do not want SLi? if I do graphics like hungry memory programs do I load up the DDR2 memory slots and get a ATI crossfire? What about the chipset…Intel P-35,or Nvidia nForce 650i (SLi) ? See what I mean?

I may want onboard Audio for now,but def finely a PCi-e card like a Geforce 8500GT 512 DDR 2 or Diamond HD 2600 - pro or XT…There’s that HD again…do I need it? I am not intending to plug my PC into a HDTV anytime soon. I certainly don’t need WiFi either. These new boards come with this whether I want it or not?

Am I paying for these things I will (probably) never use?

A few years ago I bought a barebones from an online retailer,but after two years,the ECS Eliteboard Mobo crashed. I was going to reuse my old ATX case,but I’m going from a 300w PSU to a 500w or 550w because I will be getting a E6600 or E6850 or stay ahead of the curve and just get the Q6600. I just want to eventually do video camcorder tapes to DVD,play my music and do Photoshop, Illustrator,etc., without it hanging up.

I’d stay with WinXP,but the downside is I heard it only recognizes the memory up to 3.5GB’s. Vista is 8GB.

So whatever the Power supply,can I ever have too much power? I’d hate to fry another board.

The PSU will no doubt be heavier and I will somehow have to apply another support brace to hold it up…or do I? Maybe just buy a new case…but which one?

Asus,Gigabyte,EVGA??? personal preference indeed vary alot.

I’m just afraid that I don’t know how to put this all together correctly…Mobo/CPU Combos…Is it hard to connect? Static warnings? Do I trash my old CDRW and DVDRW to get SATA connection drives? Hooking up all the peripherals correctly.

I know what your 'e thinking…this poor sap should go to best buy and just buy an HP and call it a day.

Thanks a lot for taking your time to read this.

#2

Since you’re leaning towards Core 2 Duo I’d say that you should go for Intel chipsets without a doubt. The only reason you should consider nCrap on the S775 platofcrm is if you have to pledged loyalty towards nVidia and dont care about buggy chipsets/drivers.

Motherboards with integrated graphics doesnt usually overclock well (or at all) so there’s no need to buy overly beefed up RAM etc. As for motherboard I have a few advices. Realtek HD Audio, its a bit better than the AD19**-chips but you have much better driver support in both Windows and Linux/BSD. This usually means that you can count out a number of Asus boards since they’re pretty much only ones who uses AD19*-chips for sound. As for LAN you should aim for Intel, its well worth in the long run. Realtek is decent but way worse than Intel when it comes to performance. Intel has very good driver support in Linux/*BSD while Realtek works somewhat in most cases. Dont go with “odd” brands such as Attansic, you’ll get in trouble if you want to run use it in Linux/*BSD and they seem to update drivers rarely. I would highly recommend you to get a board that has DIV or perfarably HDMI since it provides much better picture to both your monitor and TV (flat panel).

For now I’d say that Gigabyte GA-G33M-S2H is thebest board around, the only drawback is that the 16x PCI-slot is only 4x if you decide to get a video card later on. You should also have a look for the new G35-based motherboards since they have much better video performance. At the moment only Asus has one with HDMI but I’d wait for Gigabyte and MSI since Asus’s has a Attansic (Atheros) LAN and a rather “low-end” Realtek HD Audio-chip (883 instead 889 that Gigabyte uses). You wont find SLI (which is worthless btw) on mATX boards.
//Danne

#3

Danne,

Thanks for all your input, I will post this as this is the current combo deals at the electronic store this week…I will look at the GigabyteGAG3M to mentioned before…Thanks! Jim :bow:

[B]$370.00 for ABIT IP35Pro with an Intel E6850CPU Combo[/B]

Does anyone have any PROS and CONS on this combo CPU/Mobo?

I was also thinking of the above combo, with these below…

Radeon 2600XT VIPER ATI 512 PCi-E, or A Radeon 3850,(200.00,pricey,I know) or similar.

600w,700w PSU ???
(I guess the PSU depends on the GPU,CPU,Hard drives,Fans…)(Thermaltake)

Windows XP will use only up to 3.5GB memory usage

2GB, maybe 3GB DDR Corsair 800Mhz speed (Will I need more speed?)

Two internal hard drives -

  1. 160GB for O.S. & Applications and

  2. 320GB for Storage for Mp3’s,Photoshop Psd’s,and jpgs, and video storage (or maybe

  3. get a 500GB internal just for video,since this takes up alot of space) will be converting old analog camcorder video tapes to DVD, hopefully.

Ok, I’ve been told that the e6850 is faster than the q6600 Quad core, I would like to stay ahead of the curve,if there is one regarding using Duo2 Core instead of Quad and using 800mhz speed DDR instead of using the 1066Mhz. My price range is about $1,000. (I already bought the 2gb ddr on sale)This includes a new ATX case. I do have an old case,but not strong enough to support more Power box without re-tooling the metal for supports. Plus, I need more fans.

The need for this new computer? I will use WinXP.
I am not a gamer.
I will not need dual SLi or crossfire GPU’S.
I have a viewsonic 22" widescreen monitor.

I want to get a capture deice for my camcorder to trandsfer,edit,and save to a DVD or something better media,if there is one.

I think two PCI slots will be fine. Onboard 7.1-8 channel Audio will be fine for now. Planning on getting a GPU,so Onboard Video.not neccessary.

I do use Photoshop,Illustrator,freehand,and Flash,which all require lots of memory and processing power,and storage.

I’ve heard that External drives can be unstable, as opposed to internal ones.

Everyone has their opinions, I know,I’m trying to narrow this down according to Mobo stability of past users.

I had a ECS Eliteboard that only lasted a year,then crashed. never again!

People ask me …“What about the Gigabyte GAP35 or DS3P Mobo…?”

I know there are a lot of variables in looking for the right board and peripherals. I would welcome any feedback at all.

Thank you and happy holidays! :clap:

#4

It’s a good deal overall, 430$ over at newegg.
My only gripe regarding the motherboard is that is uses PCI and not PCI-E(xpress) NICs but unless you have gigabit network at home you should be fine. The discount you get doesnt make it worth going for the DS3P or DS4.

As for video, I’d appreciate if you could have a look at your motherboard if it does have a DVI connector or not. In general I’d say that it’s worth going to for the 3***-series by AMD/ATI.

With that setup you’ll be fine with a 430W Seasonic S12-II PSU or a Corsair HX 520W PSU and have a room for expansion later on.

Since Abit for some reason doesnt seem to have a “tested memory”-list I’d recommend you to go for plain PC6400 memory from Crucial or Mushkin. With plain I mean 1.8V not 1.9-2.2V since they’re out of spec. 1.9V etc should work but you may run into some compatibility issues. Go for 2Gb, if you feel like you need more RAM add an additional 2Gb using the same brand/model as you already have.

Get two 500Gb drives, there’s no point in going for less.
Use one as system drive by making a partition of like 40Gb or whatever you feel is enough. Hitachi T7K500 500Gb or P7K500 500Gb is what I would recommend as chioce for drives.

External drives works fine, you might want to consider ESATA ones since they’re much faster than USB but keep in mind that very few computers carries ESATA for now.

//Danne

#5

That Abit board seems to be a really good choice (based on the reviews i read).

However i wouldn’t go with the E6850 CPU. You can get the E6750 for a significantly lower price, while you should be able to overclock it without problems to level of the E6850, if needed.

Theretically the Q6600 should be faster than the E6850, however since most current applications lack multi/quad core support, the real life results may be different. Also keep in mind that the Q6600 produces quite a lot of heat, so you will need cabable CPU cooler too. (Scythe Ninja is the minimum).

#6

Bozo, since you don’t want to oc, and you do want a fast setup “to stay above the curve” then definitly get the Q6600.

Get it from clubit.com, they have the lastest revision:
Q6600 G0 revision
Once again since you don’t want to overclock, a great MB to get is the Gigabyte DS3L with the p35 chipset. No SLI or crossfire crap, no onboard video either. Clubit once again has the latest revision:
Gigabyte DS3l
Seasonic makes some of the best power supplies, and there a good deal on the 500w version at newegg, 75 bucks shipped:
500W Seasonic PSU

Since your not going to OC the system the stock cooler that comes with the Q6600 is perfectly fine.

Get the Saphire 3850 video card, its 170 buck at both newegg and clubit.

#7

Actually I disagree by quite a bit here, you are better off with a faster dual core than quad core in most cases unless you do use it as a server. I have no idea why you’re pushing a motherboard that doesnt even carry firewire since he wants to use it for video editing. Not to mention that the ICH9R southbridge is to prefer over the ICH9 (DS3L uses ICH9). Why are you recommending a 80mm fan PSU? It’s louder and cools worse…
//Danne

#8

I’ll vouch for the IP35 Pro as a rock solid board and a capable overclocker. You might want to look at the IP35 non-Pro instead if eSATA isn’t a big concern to you ($120-130). It has a single Marvell Yukon LAN controller on the PCI-E bus instead of dual Realteks on the PCI bus.

RE: the HD 2600XT… it’s fine for video, desktop apps and driving a 1080p display, but it’s only an entry-level gaming card. I have one and love it.

Duo Vs. Quad: I dunno. I suspect the Duo delivers more performance in everyday consumer applications, but I bought a Quad anyway and overclocked it. :slight_smile: Yes, you need good cooling to run a Quad anywhere above stock.

You should be good to go with DDR2-800 memory… the Core2/P35 combo seems optimized for it. Like Danne said, you’re not going to miss out on anything by getting 1.8V Cas5 sticks unless you’re a benchmark freak.

As PSU’s go, there are a few brands that turn out decent consumer-level units. SeaSonic, Enermax, Fortron Source, Silverstone, Mushkin, Corsair, etc., are a few to look at. I have a Corsair HX620 (SeaSonic rebrand) that powers my current rig with no hiccups: 7 internal HDDs, an HD 2600XT, two optical drives, and 6 fans. Be sure to get something that’s beefy on the 12V rail(s).

Sorry for the long-winded post. Have fun with your new build.

#9

I too disagree hehe :slight_smile:

RAID, he doesn’t need raid, the average person isn’t running a server, so no need for ICH9R.

Quad core, video editing is very core dependent, it will double his transcoding speeds. Even if the latest duo cores are faster, its only like what, 5 percent? There will be no difference percieved, it will be blazing fast.

Firewire, I agree, firewire is good to have. BUT, look at all the video capture cards, they’re PCI cards. Look at the external capture devices, they’re USB. The only reason to get firewire is for a camcorder that ONLY has firewire.

So another good board to pick that has firewire and e-sata, and is only 128 bucks, is the Asus P5
K . There is no need to buy an enthusists board for 180+, he’s not going to overclock.

#10

Now guys, :cop: I don’t want to be the cause of any major boxing matches here, and I do welcome the different ideas y’all are throwing my way.:iagree:

Danne did you say that the board I hyperlinked [B][I]Abit Ip35Pro [/I][/B]only had PCI? The specs on that and the Lan are below. For the GPU, don’t I only use the PCI-E x16 ? For the lan, I am currently using a Airlink PCI 10/100Mps Ehternet adapter for DSL.

As for the Corsair DDR2 2x2048-6400/800mhz 1.90v vers. 5.2 matched memory…r u telling me to return it for the 1.8v basic? Probaly for this particular board, right? How would I know what V I would need on the Mobo?

Expansion Slots
PCI Express x16 1 x PCI-E X16, 1 x PCI-E X16 (x4 bandwidth)
PCI Express x1 1
PCI Slots 3

Onboard LAN
Max LAN Speed Dual 10/100/1000Mbps

That combo deal $368.00 ends today @ Fry’s electronics, and I just had surgery for tumor removal, because of that,I know I can’t drive down there
today anyway,so I could take alittle more time and try to get the beat board that suits my needs…

PCI-Express…( There is something about Mobo Onboard PCI-Express 16 (x4 bandwidth) does not support some GPU’s? )

Onboard Lan,Onboard Video,not neccessary if I want a better GPU for my Grafix work,No overclocking, and no dual Sli/crossfire GPU’s,just a reliable,stable,fast,upgradable system board.

Thanks an aweful lot…You guys rule! :bow:

#11

@ eric93se

Read up on the specs, it’s not just RAID.
AHCI (depends on hardware), 6 SATA (compared to 4) and ViiV driver platform is also R only.
http://download.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/31697202.pdf - Page 54
A lot of capure boxes use FW and if he wants to go for an external drive he most likely want either firewire and/or ESATA. DS3L doesnt have any of that and remember its a bundle, you get about 40$ off compared to newegg.com
P5K does have firewire but bad/odd LAN :-/
Quad core is as some mentioned a lot hotter and most editing software is more or less optimised for dual core/CPU.

@ bozoagain

I said it only has PCI NICs, meaning that they run off the PCI buss (max 133mbyte/s). If you use 100mbit you wont notice a difference but it’ll be a bit of a bottleneck if you run at gigabit speeds. I think the Corsair RAM should work fine, at least using relaxed timings so you can get into BIOS and set “correct” settings. It’s a good deal :slight_smile:
Sorry to hear 'bout your tumor, good it was removable though.

//Danne

#12

Bozo, you make a good point there. that Abit board has two PCI x16 slots, only one slot runs at 16x the second slot runs at 4x, For all general purposes that second slot will be useless to you /and to many gamers out there/. So that slot is technically [I]taking away one slot from your MB[/I].

Danne, Intel VIIV, I just looked it up, its essentially Digital Rights Managment GARBAGE. Who in there right mind WANTS Viiv?

Also AHCI has issues, look at the Wiki page. Also the feature, Native Command Queing only gives a performance boost for servers. For the average person its a performance [U]loss[/U].

#13

AHCI is better and faster than compatibility mode not to mention that all SATA connectors arent available if you dont enable it. If enabled before installation of Windows you’ll have no issues at all. You’ll only run into issues for obvious reasons if you enable/disable it later on.

No matter how you look at it ICH9R is better than ICH9.

//Danne

#14

One question about the e6850 and it’s heatsink.

From the reviews at Newegg from people who bought this CPU, complained that the stock heatsink fan was terribly hard to seat, and it appered NOT to have a lot of cooling power…
…
would you recommmend getting a OEM CPU w?heatsink and get a Masscool or Thermaltake Silent 775D for about 30.00? OR hope that stock intel fan does the trick?

Missed that combo deal…now it’s $470 for both peices instead of $369.00…oh well.

yes, tumor was an neuroendocrine carcinoid recurring cancer tumor,and the second in 14 months!! yep, wish me luck! :rolleyes:

Thanks again.

So the system listed Abit IP35/E6850/600-650W (12V rail) would be OK, without Overclocking or getting Q6600 CPU?

#15

I just picked up a Zerotherm Nirvana cpu cooler . Havent installed it yet, its pretty big, but it will fit with no problem. Its got a rebate and free shipping right now. There aren’t many professional reviews out yet, but the few that there are have it right up there with the best coolers. One review had it beat the Tuniq tower 120 by about 1C. Read the reviews on newegg, people love it.

Frys always has good cpu/MB deals, so if your not in a rush I’m sure another one will come along.

#16

Here is my build. I am also not gamer but selected below parts.

Antec 900 – Sale at NeXeXg - case
Antec TRio 550 W PS.
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS4 --MB
Core 2 DUO 6400 — CPU
Crucial Ballistix 2 GB (2x1GB) – Memory
8600 GT – Video card
ST3500GB – Seagate drive
SH-S203B – DVD+/_ burner DL

I just completed this build last month and running great…

#17

[quote=bozoagain;1956938]One question about the e6850 and it’s heatsink.

From the reviews at Newegg from people who bought this CPU, complained that the stock heatsink fan was terribly hard to seat, and it appered NOT to have a lot of cooling power…
…
would you recommmend getting a OEM CPU w?heatsink and get a Masscool or Thermaltake Silent 775D for about 30.00? OR hope that stock intel fan does the trick?

Missed that combo deal…now it’s $470 for both peices instead of $369.00…oh well.

yes, tumor was an neuroendocrine carcinoid recurring cancer tumor,and the second in 14 months!! yep, wish me luck! :rolleyes:

Thanks again.

So the system listed Abit IP35/E6850/600-650W (12V rail) would be OK, without Overclocking or getting Q6600 CPU?[/quote]
Get the best most efficent Cpu cooler you can afford. The stock cooler cools ok at idle speeds but quickly loses the ability to disipate the heat from a cpu that’s under load. If you want I have four or five new Intel stock coolers you can have. Also a E6850 but that will cost you.:wink: I see you don’t want to overclock but I should let you know that the new q6600’s wont even break a sweat when clocked to 3000, you won’t have to go over the recommended voltages or have any heat issues at that low clock. Most are hot when pushed up to 3400-3800 mhz. Basically all you do is set you fsb to 333 and your set. I read somewhere that video editing is a lot faster with the quad but I could be wrong as I have never tried it myself. You can also use the speed step to keep it cool when not under load (works pretty well). Good luck with the tumor.

#18

You also forgot to mention that quad dispatches 105W (at stock speed) which is very hot.
I have an Opteron 185 which means 110W and and even with a XP-90C heatsink it gets really hot. Also, how can you guarantee that overclocking will be successful, if not who should he collect his money from?
http://xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/print/core2quad-q6600.html
As you can see quad doesnt need to be faster just because it has more cores. And yes, it’s noticably faster at 3D rendering but that’s not the same thing av A/V editing and processing.
At least understand that some people value stability and reliability over some l33t overclocking. Have it ever crossed your mind why you never find workstations overclocked? :slight_smile:
//Danne

#19

[quote=DiiZzY;1957577]You also forgot to mention that quad dispatches 105W (at stock speed) which is very hot.
I have an Opteron 185 which means 110W and and even with a XP-90C heatsink it gets really hot. Also, how can you guarantee that overclocking will be successful, if not who should he collect his money from?
http://xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/print/core2quad-q6600.html
As you can see quad doesnt need to be faster just because it has more cores. And yes, it’s noticably faster at 3D rendering but that’s not the same thing av A/V editing and processing.
//Danne[/quote]
Did you read this in your link.

 
* - this value is for G0 stepping only. CPUs based on previous core stepping feature higher TDP of 105W.

Believe I said new Q6600 which is G0 stepping. If you care to visit http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/ you will find no one that hasn’t been able to clock this CPU to 3000 Mhz with a P35 board. Some Links for your veiwing pleasure.:slight_smile:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=157690

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=152603

#20

If you get G0 stepping that is, even so you dont belive its going to go above 95W with overclocking? I see that you dont get the point in stability/reliability but it’s up to Bozo.
As for forums, you are telling me that a few managed to overclock their CPU X (whatever it might be) and that applies to all? Even so, what does that say about stability? Prime runs for 24 without an error and now everything’s great? Dont expect to find people reporting of corruption etc because its always something else because it worked for some other guy.
//Danne