New build advice - E4300 setup

C

Chelica

2[H]4U
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Aug 8, 2003
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Hey guys,

Given the price drop that I have been waiting for I am now ready to build a new rig. My current system (Intel P4 2.4C) is treating me just fine but I am going to use that as my backup setup.

I am dead set on the intro level Core2Duo chip (E4300). I am thinking that this will perform smoother when compared to the 2.4C and combining that with a PCI-E card and DDR2 sticks, it should work just fine for what I need the system to do.

So far this is what I have:
CPU - Intel E4300 (I won't be overclocking right off the bat but I do want to have the ability to do so in the near future so I will be using the retail HSF for now)

PSU - XClio 500W PSU

Now, I am not sure which motherboard to get with this. In terms of memory what should I be looking for? I do have time to scout for [H]ot deals and etc. since my current system is still running just fine. In terms of video cards, what is the best bang for you buck nowadays?

This is going to be a budget system so taking that in consideration is highly appreciated.

Thank you!

Edit:
Early in the morning over here and forgot to list what I need.
I need Hard Drives (Thinking of going dual Sata 300 for a Raid config), Memory, Video Card.
Budget is around $600ish? The lower it is the better it is =)
 
Whats your budget? and whats included in that budget (monitor/OS/KB/Mouse/etc)? Great choice on the parts so far. I'm assuming you'll be overclocking?

For the motherboard, I'd suggest the P965 Express chipset. Go with either the Biostar TForce965, Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 (or S3, which is similar to the Tforce), or Asus P5B-E. If you want an NVIDIA chipset, check out the MSI P6N SLI FI/Platinum or Asus P5N-E SLI. If you want MicroATX, check out the G965 Express chipset based boards.

For the RAM, all you'll really need is DDR2-667, but go with the cheapest kit you can find amongst the three speeds. Sometimes, 2 bux more for DDR2-800 isnt a bad idea. The avg speed people have been reaching on Allendale core Core2Duos is around 3Ghz ± 200Mhz. So, in order for your setup to reach 3Ghz, you'll need a 333Mhz FSB - which most decent boards can reach. To reach 3.2Ghz, you'll need 356Mhz. An FSB of 333Mhz means DDR2-667, and if you want to try a bit more, the ram will most likely be a bit overclockable to reach 356Mhz.

9 * 200 = 1.8Ghz (stock)
9 * 266 = 2.4Ghz (same speed as E6600, minus 2MB of L2 Cache)
9 * 333 = 3.0Ghz (avg OC for this CPU)
9 * 356 = 3.2Ghz (avg limit, though some have reached 3.4Ghz)
 
Great advice.

So I will scout for any memory = or > DDR667.

In regards to the motherboard it is about a $10 dollars price difference between the DS3 and S3, what exactly is the different between the 2? That was the motherboard that I was actually considering.

Any video card advice?
 
The only known difference is that the DS3 has better quality caps and better overclocking ability I believe.
 
I see. What do you guys think about purchasing a refurb motherboard? I mean, $75 for a refurb DS3?
 
Getting it from MWave. I dunno, $75 for a $110 board is pretty nice.

I am probably going to give MWave a try this time around given that the e4300 is listed for $115 over there.

So far this is what I am looking at:

e4300
Gigabyte 965 DS3 or S3. DS3 if refurb, S3 if not.
1gb DDR2 667 (Will get another 1gb in the near future)
Xclio 500w PSU
160gb Sata 2 Seagate HD

With the video card, I am thinking of getting a 7900 GS. Is the EVGA one nice? How is that compared to the PNY and XFX? PNY is the cheapest, EVGA is 5 bucks more and XFX is at $167.
Any advice on a cheap but reliable DVD-RW?
 
Nice. I can order the video card and the power supply from the Egg and grab the rest of the stuff over at MWave.

For a basic DDR2 667 Memory, should I get Crucial, Corsair, or Kingston?
 
eVGA has one of the best customer service of all the companies, and they warrant the card even if you replace the cooler (you just have to put the stock one back on if you need to RMA it). XFX is great, too, but they don't allow you to change the cooler. PNY's warranty isn't lifetime (I don't think), and I've never dealt with their customer service (I've personally dealt with eVGA and XFX). XFX has double lifetime warranty on most of their high end cards, and eVGA also has a lifetime warranty on most of their cards (but not double).

The S3 also has other subtle differences, such as less fan headers, etc. The S3 could theoretically reach the same speed as the DS3, but I don't believe there is a BIOS thats stable at speeds higher than 450+. Then again, you don't need to go that high with the CPU you chose, as seen in my previous post.

MWave is cool, I like them because they do will-call, lol. Newegg should do that, too. :mad: As far as refurb goes, the only thing you lose out on is the warranty. Also, make sure you get the IO plate and other accessories with the refurb. The peace of mind having a full retail board is worth the extra money to me, but then again, if I was still in college, I'd go for the cheapest thing I could find, lol.

Any of those memory brands are good. Go for the cheapest one.
 
CORSAIR TWIN2X2048-5400C4 2GB KIT

I am seeing this for 107. Looks like a good deal to me, what do you think?
675mhz with 4-4-4-12
 
Enginurd, what do you think? 7900GS or X1950Pro? I can decide on the brand, but in terms of bang/buck, what is your opinion?
 
Like Danny said, the X1950Pro is a bit faster than the 79GS, and they are similarly priced, before and after rebate. I'd go for the X1950Pro, but if you want a DX10 card soon, you might want to take advantage of eVGA's Step Up program. Check their site for more info.
 
Alright, can someone double check this before I purchase to make sure everything will be compatible?

CPU:Intel Core2Duo e4300 Retail
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA 965PDS3
Memory: KINGSTON VALUE RAM KVR667D2N5K2/2G 2GB KIT (1GB x 2) MATCH PAIR PC25300 667MHZ CL5 240-PIN DDR2 DIMM
Video Card: SAPPHIRE 100176L Radeon X1950PRO 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16
PSU: XClio 450BL ATX 450W Power Supply - Retail
Hard Drive: 160GB Sata 2 Maxtor Drive
 
No prob. Dont forget to post some pix and let us know how the OC goes. :D
 
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