Any Problems with this Combo?

phive0

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 23, 2004
Messages
207
I have been asked by a relative to build a new computer. The system will not be overclocked. I have selected the components below. I am an experienced computer builder, but I haven't built any Core 2 Duo systems as of yet. Are there any compatability issues I should be aware of with the following components?

Any recommended changes or suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Motherboard:
ABIT AB9 Socket T (LGA 775)


ABIT Guru Panel (GP-02) Controller Panel

Video Card:
HIS Hightech H165PRQT256GDDN-R Radeon X1650PRO 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 CrossFire Support IceQ


Power Supply:
ENERMAX Liberty ELT400AWT ATX12V 400W


Processor:
Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6400 - Retail


Memory:
CORSAIR XMS2 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X1024A-6400


Floppy Drive:
SONY Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive - OEM


Hard Drive:
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3250824AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM


Keyboard:
Microsoft Natural 4000 B2M-00012 Black USB Wired Ergonomics Keyboard - Retail


Monitor:
Acer AL2216Wbd Black 22" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail


Mouse:
Logitech 904360-0403 Gray 4 Buttons 1x Wheel USB + PS/2 TrackBall Marble Mouse - Retail


DVD-RW:
LITE-ON 16X DVD±R DVD Burner W/LightScribe and 5X DVD-RAM Write Black ATAPI/E-IDE Model SHM-165H6S - Retail


OS:
Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2B 1 Pack - OEM


Speakers:
Logitech X-230 32 Watts 2.1 Black Speakers


UPS:
BELKIN Enterprise F6C1100-UNV 1100VA 660W UPS
 
After the HardOCP review of the AB9 I might reconsider getting that board.
It seemed to have quite a few problems.

I think an Asus P5B Deluxe, Gigabyte DS3, or Asus P5B-E would all probably be better boards.
 
There also no point in getting the XMS2 800 for a chip that wont be overclocked. You're going to end up running it at 533 anyway right ?
 
neeyo said:
Also there's no point in having a dual-core cpu with XP Home.
That's a pretty bold blanket statement. Care to back it up with some reasoning? I have a dual-core proc running with XP Home and I love it (The dual-core proc, not XP Home :D ).

In the spirit of not derailing this thread, what's the PC going to be used for? If it's for gaming, you may want to consider a different video card. The 1650 Pro is roughly comperable to the 7600 GS and that's really not enough muscle to run decent frames and settings on a 22" widescreen.

If it's for gaming, I'd use at least a 7900 GT or something comperable. In addition to that, I'd go for 2 gigs of RAM.
 
neeyo said:
Also there's no point in having a dual-core cpu with XP Home.
XP Home works fine with dual core CPUs. However, it won't see both CPUs on a motherboard with dual sockets.
 
The computer is actually a general purpose unit. She says that she will use if for gaming; but gaming to her is running Hoyle card games. I also have a budget limit of $1500. That should explain some of my hardware choices. (1GB of RAM vs. 2GB, No 7900GT card, No XP Pro, no $200+ mainboards. etc.)

BTW, everything I have researched indicates that a dual core processor should work fine under Windows XP Home...

DDR533 seems to be slightly cheaper than DDR800, so I will look into that. Maybe I can take that cost savings and roll it into a better video card.

The negative review on the AB9 does have me abit concerned, though.

Maybe a Gigabyte DS3 would be a better choice.
 
neeyo said:
Also there's no point in having a dual-core cpu with XP Home.

YOU'RE AN IDIOT!

Microsoft counts processors as packages (sockets). NOT CORES!!


So you can run a (single socket) quad core processor with Win XP Home.

But you'd need XP Pro for a dual socket system, even if it only had one core per socket.

PLEASE don't go spread untrue rumors if you have NO IDEA what you're talking about. Thats the type of BS that makes forums worthless for information, when people go state things as a fact, when they're WRONG. In the future, if you're not 100% sure of something, you should state it as.... "I think ..... (insert your uneducated guess here) "
 
Yeah, DDR2-533 is MORE than enough if you're gonna be at stock speeds!

Considered the P5B vanilla? Or the P5B-E?
 
chrisf6969 said:
to OP:

That corsair is $132...
I'd spend an extra $70 now, and you'll have 2 x 1Gb. You'll be able to keep that ram for your next few upgrades probably, and you might even one day want to go to 4 x 1Gb, and this ram won't keep you from doing that, like the 2x512Mb would:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231098
As I stated before, I am on a $1500 budget and the computer is not for me. That $1500 includes everything (22" LCD, printer/scanner, UPS, etc.). The system I am building will most likely never get upgraded. 1GB of system RAM in this case is more than sufficient. An extra $70 for more RAM is $70 less I have to spend on other components (video card, for example).

If I were building it for myself, I would agree with you 100%...
 
phive0 said:
As I stated before, I am on a $1500 budget and the computer is not for me. That $1500 includes everything (22" LCD, printer/scanner, UPS, etc.). The system I am building will most likely never get upgraded. 1GB of system RAM in this case is more than sufficient. An extra $70 for more RAM is $70 less I have to spend on other components (video card, for example).

If I were building it for myself, I would agree with you 100%...

Well, if the most gaming she will be doing is 2D card games and the like (in which 3D acceleration won't even be used) I wouldn't bother sticking the extra money into a higher end video card (I am assuming she isn't doing any type of rendering or anything).

You can pick up an X1300 for $65, which would suit her needs fine, and by going with cheaper memory, could get the 2 gigs, which would pay off over time for multitasking, and if she ever decides to install Vista in the future.
 
NulloModo said:
get the 2 gigs, which would pay off over time for multitasking, and if she ever decides to install Vista in the future.

Thats what I was thinking.... 2Gb will be required for probably any 3D games in Vista since the operation system alone hogs close to 1Gb.
 
Regarding the memory suggestions, I agree...however, if she is going to want VISTA later on she'll see the sense in the 2gb and be upset if she does want vista once she gets it if she only has 1gb....although I guess she could upgrade later (There could be issues with all 4 slots filled though, at least possible issues but I haven't researched this for that board).

I second the motion for the ASUS board, howe about a p5b vanilla? ASUS owns ABIT.
 
Oh, also, that PS is nice, very quiet; but it does put out alot of heat. THat's wy I"M glad I got a p180 to keep the PS sectioned off from the rest of the system.
 
The Ab9 board isn't too bad. The uGuru panel is one of the best I've seen because it gets it's temps right off the mobo sensors. I wish that more mobo manufacturers would make panels like that for their boards.
 
Thanks for the feedback!

I finally got the system put together a couple of days ago. I had read of many problems with this board, but I did not have any at all. No BSODs or driver issues. The board came with BIOS 15 already installed. I have been running dual F@H clients as a stability test for the last two days. No problems to report.

My trusty Kill-A-Watt has this system (computer only) pegged at 128W with both cores running F@H clients. Idle power is around 20W lower...

Running 3DMark2006, the peak wattage hit 161W (computer only).

The Belkin 1100VA UPS burns around 32W all by itself and the 22" LCD consumes around 40W.

My main deviation was the purchase of a HIS X1650XT which just came available at the time of my order. Runs very quiet and is an improvement over the X1650 PRO I was looking at...

I downgraded the RAM to 1GB of Corsair Value PC2 5300, since I am not overclocking. 2GB of RAM is just too expensive at the moment and Vista is in no threat of being loaded on this computer any time soon.

I came in right at my quoted budget.
 
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