New Build opinions on two setups

[38ruk]

I will be Reusing my 680W PSu , 36g Raptor ,200g WD storage, XFI and 8800GTS for right now .  I'm going CHEAP  and keeping XP , I know about the ram limitation but I will go Win7 sometime in the future ....so what do you guys think? Thanks.

Setup 1) $295
Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 Wolfdale 2.8GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3L LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)

Setup 2) $323 total
AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor
ASUS M4A79XTD EVO AM3 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)

[TequilaChaser]

I haven't went and looked, but does that ASUS board have onboard video on it?



just looking at the 2 setups....... and I am not up to par on thesenew Callsisto 550  AM3 specs......

I would say got with the AMD setup.. you got the DDR3 ram    and heck it is only $8 bucks more........ over the Intel

[1701E]

If you decide to go AMD I would suggest the *Phenom II X3 730 BE.  Only about 10$ more, but from what I can see well worth the few extra dollars.  If you go Intel the E7400 will due very well.  When combined with a GeForce 9800GTX+ (only set-up I have used the 7400 in) it can run AH on max (2-4K shadows) at 60FR easily.

Really it's a personal choice.  AMD AM3 will hopefully last a while (since it's their newest) and LGA 775 is showing age, but still does very very well.

One thing though:  RAM.  You have 4GB (2x 2GB sticks) for DDR3, you want to run it in Triples (hence DDR'3'), so set-ups like 3GB/6GB/9GB (3x 1GB/3x 2GB/3x3GB...do they even make 3GB sticks?).  Also, DDR3 isn't really needed for the price.  The Phenom II's run perfectly on DDR2.

Just some ideas thrown out there, good luck.

[38ruk]

I haven't went and looked, but does that ASUS board have onboard video on it?



just looking at the 2 setups....... and I am not up to par on thesenew Callsisto 550  AM3 specs......

I would say got with the AMD setup.. you got the DDR3 ram    and heck it is only $8 bucks more........ over the Intel


Yep the Asus has onboard ..... I can't believe i missed that . Thanks for the heads up ...I will be changing that right away . 

[TequilaChaser]

I read in a few different reviews....( will go find them and link them if I have too )

that the X3 ( triple core ) AMD's are just Quad Core CPU's that did not make the cut...meaning one of the core's had a flaw so is considered disabled.. so they market them as Triple Core  to sell them........

also, have I missed something?

I thought the newer Intel setups used DDR3 in triple..      did not realize that also applied to AMD?  

I would stick to either a true dual core CPU or to a Quadcore... I weary of that X3 core stuff.......

[38ruk]

Reading the reviews on the AMD 550 X2 alot of people are able to unlock 2 extra cores with the right chipset .  I was thinking the same thou .... I was really only looking for dual cores ... I see no need for a quad for what i'm gunna use it for .

[1701E]

"I thought the newer Intel setups used DDR3 in triple..      did not realize that also applied to AMD?  "

Well heck I don't know, I just assumed it did.  I only ever see DDR3 in Intel, so I figured it would work the same in AMD.


As for the X3 thing, I've heard the same thing, but I've never heard anything bad about em, just that one core had to be shut-down.  Guess it's all a luck of the draw?
Also..."unlock 2 extra cores with the right chipset"  that requires 790 Chipsets with ACC (think that's the name).


Unno, you people know more.

[38ruk]

If you decide to go AMD I would suggest the *Phenom II X3 730 BE.  Only about 10$ more, but from what I can see well worth the few extra dollars.  If you go Intel the E7400 will due very well.  When combined with a GeForce 9800GTX+ (only set-up I have used the 7400 in) it can run AH on max (2-4K shadows) at 60FR easily.

Really it's a personal choice.  AMD AM3 will hopefully last a while (since it's their newest) and LGA 775 is showing age, but still does very very well.

One thing though:  RAM.  You have 4GB (2x 2GB sticks) for DDR3, you want to run it in Triples (hence DDR'3'), so set-ups like 3GB/6GB/9GB (3x 1GB/3x 2GB/3x3GB...do they even make 3GB sticks?).  Also, DDR3 isn't really needed for the price.  The Phenom II's run perfectly on DDR2.

Just some ideas thrown out there, good luck.

Thanks for the heads up . I didn't realize that about DDr3 . I was wondering why the board only had 3 ram slot's .  I'm planning on overclocking either setup so thats why i went with the better ram , but if i don't need it ...I wont bother.    Thanks again guys .... very helpful ! <S>

[38ruk]

"I thought the newer Intel setups used DDR3 in triple..      did not realize that also applied to AMD?  "

Well heck I don't know, I just assumed it did.  I only ever see DDR3 in Intel, so I figured it would work the same in AMD.


As for the X3 thing, I've heard the same thing, but I've never heard anything bad about em, just that one core had to be shut-down.  Guess it's all a luck of the draw?
Also..."unlock 2 extra cores with the right chipset"  that requires 790 Chipsets with ACC (think that's the name).


Unno, you people know more.

I have read people have had luck with the 785 chipset as well , but i changed it to a 790 anyways because i didn't realize the original asus i had up had onboard video lol.

[TequilaChaser]

I have read people have had luck with the 785 chipset as well , but i changed it to a 790 anyways because i didn't realize the original asus i had up had onboard video lol.

790 NB  & 750 SB  is ideal .. will give you multitudes of overclocking features in the BIOS with these chipsets....

but the 710 SB  ( south bridge  chipset ) is no slouch........

ACC is on the  SB 750 chipset IIRC  and this helps with better onboard RAID controlling / and other stuff.... I posted about somewhere back awile ago...  will dig it up if you want it...  Rukee......

niters all

hope I was of some help   ~S~

[38ruk]

You were a ton of help ....thank you .   No need to dig it up ,  I think i 've got enough info from you guys to decide .  Thanks again <S>

[BaldEagl]

If you go with Intel I'd get an 8xxx series CPU for the bigger cache and faster FSB.  You won't be dissapointed.  I didn't look at the motherboards you chose so you might be able to downscale there slightly.

You also don't need 1066 RAM.  DDR2 800 will allow up to a 25% overclock on the CPU without bottlenecking and will likey be faster due to lower latencies.  You might even save a few dollars there for the better CPU.

[gyrene81]

One thing though:  RAM.  You have 4GB (2x 2GB sticks) for DDR3, you want to run it in Triples (hence DDR'3')

Not sure where you were going with this but...DDR3 does not = must run 3 chips together...if that's where you were going with it...you can use from 1 to whatever number your motherboard supports. It will run in "triple channel" mode if your mobo supports it, otherwise it will run single and double channel as well.

[1701E]

Not sure where you were going with this but...DDR3 does not = must run 3 chips together...if that's where you were going with it...you can use from 1 to whatever number your motherboard supports. It will run in "triple channel" mode if your mobo supports it, otherwise it will run single and double channel as well.

Didn't mean to say it "can't" run in 1/2/3/4 or whatever mode, but I thought the 'best' way, as with DDR2 Dual, was best to run in 3s.  Again, I don't know well.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Didn't mean to say it "can't" run in 1/2/3/4 or whatever mode, but I thought the 'best' way, as with DDR2 Dual, was best to run in 3s.  Again, I don't know well.

DDRx means data rate. Dual/triple channel means parallel memory channels that improve bandwith. DDRx itself does not require more than 1 stick, dual/triple channel operation requires two/three sticks.