Before I hit CONFIRM...

[Rafael]

Getting ready to order the following parts to upgrade my current AMD FX60 system (see sig). This will be my first Intel build. Primary use is for games...currently Age Of Conan being the game of choice.
Any last words of advice?

1 GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Dynamic Energy Saver Ultra Durable II Intel Motherboard


Model #:GA-EP35-DS3R
Item #:N82E16813128086

$119.99 $119.99

1 G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ

Model #:F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ
Item #:N82E16820231145

$129.99 -$45.00 Instant $84.99

1 XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler

Item #:N82E16835233003

$36.99 $36.99

1 ARCTIC COOLING MX-2 Thermal Compound

Item #:N82E16835186020

$6.99 $6.99

1 Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model BX80562Q6600

Model #:BX80562Q6600
Item #:N82E16819115017

$213.99 $213.99

Subtotal: $462.95

​

 

[The-One]

Order

 

[prodigee]

I say wait TWO WEEKS and get p45 and get better perfomance.
DONT ORDER!

 

[Albanu1800]

I say wait a few weeks to order that MB. I'm just coming off of Amd and just received my Q6600 but I have no motherboard just yet. I've been reading on the P45 and decided I want a mb for my Q6600 so I can wait until benchmarks come out.

Check out this thread before you hit confirm:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1309712

 

[Menelmarar]

Your not going to get a P45 for that price, and the performance difference is meh.

 

[dnottis]

Gigabyte DS3R has so much vdroop. Asus P5K-E, there is load line calibration feature and pencil mod if you still have issue. I have a DS3R got moved to my backup, vdroop with a quad was like .7 volts. Way too much to even get stable without mad volts.

 

[nightwalker]

spend the extra 10 bux and get the DFI P35 DK board... its much better than that gigabyte one.

if you dont need crossfire or extra bells and whistles dont bother waiting for P45. and theres always gonna be something new round the corner every few weeks so if you keep waiting you'll never get anything built.

 

[Albanu1800]

Well coming from Amd it will be a big step up as opposed to already running a p35 setup. The advantage with this chipset is you can run ddr2 or 3 + the MB's will run cooler which some of the early numbers already show they can overclock much better as close to x48 mb's.

Yeah with Nehalem around the corner p45 will be the last and might be the best chipset for non crossfire mb's and a great upgrade for current amd owners.

 

[Albanu1800]

If ur deadset on P35 then check out the abit p35pro.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127030

 

[dnottis]

Gentlemen, this is how you buy motherboards -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131275R

open box from newegg, you can always get the latest lest gen for about $100. I upgrade mine often from the open box selection and have never paid more than ~$110 for a board. Previously running a pencil modded P5B-Deluxe. Now have a pencil modded P5K-E - both were open box but came with all accessories in the box.

Like a vehicle, you never buy a new motherboard - and you never spend more than $150 Upgrade frequently and you wont have a problem.

 

[Rafael]

spend the extra 10 bux and get the DFI P35 DK board... its much better than that gigabyte one.

if you dont need crossfire or extra bells and whistles dont bother waiting for P45. and theres always gonna be something new round the corner every few weeks so if you keep waiting you'll never get anything built.

Have DFI boards gotten more "user friendly"? Last time I tried using a DFI board, it was extremely hard for me to get things setup correctly in the Bios. It was a tweakers dream but too finicky for my tastes. I really want something that works out of the box with very little bios tweaking. The reviews ive seen about the Gigabyte boards seem positive in that regard.

I really have no plans at the moment to do any overclocking.

Appreciate the info about P45...I did some reading and for my needs it does not seem like a good choice and its going to cost way more than the 35 boards I am considering now.

I am going for simple this time around in terms of MB...No need for too many bells and whistles.


Also, I have a single 8800GTX...currently no plan to SLI... And I doubt I will ever go back to ATI (famous last words I know cause I was saying the same thing a few years back about NVidia).

 

[Forceman]

You don't really need DDR2-1000 for a Q6600 - at that price it's still a nice buy, but DDR2-800 will get you to 3.6 and save you a few bucks, if you care.

 

[Rafael]

Gentlemen, this is how you buy motherboards -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131275R

open box from newegg, you can always get the latest lest gen for about $100. I upgrade mine often from the open box selection and have never paid more than ~$110 for a board. Previously running a pencil modded P5B-Deluxe. Now have a pencil modded P5K-E - both were open box but came with all accessories in the box.

Like a vehicle, you never buy a new motherboard - and you never spend more than $150 Upgrade frequently and you wont have a problem.

I looked at that ASUS...That is a really really bad spot for the 24pin connector?

 

[Rafael]

You don't really need DDR2-1000 for a Q6600 - at that price it's still a nice buy, but DDR2-800 will get you to 3.6 and save you a few bucks, if you care.

Currently the price for the G-Skill 1000 and 800 are the same at Newegg...Did not make sense to me.

 

[dnottis]

I looked at that ASUS...That is a really really bad spot for the 24pin connector?

not in a lian li pc2000

here any p35 you could want, $100

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&Description=p35&page=4&bop=And

 

[chrisf6969]

I say wait TWO WEEKS and get p45 and get better perfomance.
DONT ORDER!

P45 overpriced and nothing really worth getting it over the P35s.
P35's are PERFECTLY mature and stable.

To OP, Egggssscellent choices! Go ahead & order.

ddr2 1000 MIGHT be overkill but for around the same price its nice to have the extra overhead in case you upgrade later to some 45nm quad that might need a higher FSB to get maxed out.

 

[Albanu1800]

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductList3.jsp

 

[aethelwulf]

Looks like good choices to me.
If the RAM is the same price, no reason not to do DDR1000, and the P35 board has everything you need, no reason to pay more for P45. The DS3R is an often recommended motherboard and I wouldn't pick that DFI one over it. I've also been very happy with my P5K-E wifi/AP board, if you want a couple more features.

 

[atobe]

well i have the almost the same motherboard GA-p35-ds3l with the q9300 and same gskill ram but in 2gb(2x1gb) .. and it's been running great for me... no problems....

 

[fluke420]

You can alway take advantage of the DDR1000 on a P35 board by using the 1:1.2 memory divider.

 

[Valnar]

I'd have to give the nod to ABIT or DFI myself. Forget what the P45 people are saying. I have an X38 and don't care that I didn't get an X48. It gives me nothing.

Oh, and make sure you order THIS too.

 

[techpriest]

pro-tip: xigmatek is running a limited offer to receive a free retention bracket if u bought that s1283. you gotta email them to receive the form

 

[Valnar]

pro-tip: xigmatek is running a limited offer to receive a free retention bracket if u bought that s1283. you gotta email them to receive the form

True. I did almost 2 weeks ago. I still don't have it.

I bought the Thermalright. I'll save the other one. 'Can't hold up a build waiting for them!

 

[engiNURD]

pro-tip: xigmatek is running a limited offer to receive a free retention bracket if u bought that s1283. you gotta email them to receive the form

The form says you must have bought the cooler back in Feb.