1st time builder looking for suggestions....

[bashear]

I've been lurking on the Anandtech boards for quite a while now, trying to soak up as much information as possible before attempting my first PC build. I must say that I have enjoyed this forum, from its insightful senior members to those members who have posted about their growing pains while building their first PC (and everbody in between).

At this point I have or have ordered the following components:

Case-- Antec sx840 (and a couple of L1A Panaflos for the front)
Heatsink-- Taisol CGK760092 (stock fan, Arctic Silver II)
Video Card-- Elsa Gladiac 920 GF3
Sound Card-- Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
CDR-W-- Plextor PX-W1610A
Monitor-- 19" Samsung 955DF
Mouse-- Logitech Trackman
Speakers-- Altec Lansing ATP3
Keyboard-- Be picking up locally

Components to be ordered include:

CPU-- 1.33 or 1.4 266 FSB TBird
RAM-- 2 x 256 MB DDR Crucial (motherboard dependent-planning on 2100)
HD-- IBM 60GXP 7200--either 40, 60 or 2x40 (non-RAID) GB
DVD-- Toshiba 16x DVD
Floppy-- Teac or some generic
Modem-- Creative Modem Blaster v.90
NIC-- 3COM 905CX-TXNM PCI 10/100

Plans for computer: An all-in-one machine--good for gaming (RTS over the net, FPS and others at home) as well as surfing the net, etc. I use DSL--through an Alcatel Speed Touch USB modem--and plan on running Win98SE.

Hopes for computer: Stability and ability to upgrade (If I overclock, it will be later, rather than sooner).

As you may have noticed, I am still undecided on the motherboard. As a computer-building newbie, it's been quite the challenge to read through all the motherboard posts (on this and other forums) and not rule out 100% of the DDR motherboards out there. I realize that the number of problems and complaints about a given motherboard is proportional to the number of said motherboards used by forum members, so a popular, say Epox 8K7A, motherboard will have more problem-oriented threads than some obscure motherboard.

I believe I have read all the pertinent threads about motherboards, so I guess I am looking for some feedback from forummers who have system components similar to mine and have found a motherboard with which they are pleased. Of course, any comments on the yet-to-be-ordered components will be appreciated.

Thanks to all for making this such a great forum.

 

[Instigator]

For motherboards I would look at the Asus A7V266 or Epox EP-8KHA. I think both are excellent performers and I like that you can change the CPU multiplier, FSB, CPU voltage and memory voltage in the bios. This makes overclocking much easier in my opinion. The Asus A7V266 should be out in the next two weeks. Hope this helps.

 

[chainbolt]

7DXR (AMD 760) or 7VTX (KT266) from Gigabyte

 

[bashear]

Thanks guys...

Instigator--I guess I've been looking mainly at the AMD chipset motherboard, but the reviews on the two boards you mention are encouraging...I've already read much about the A7V,but, of course, obtaining it might be a little difficult if it becomes as popular as the A7M was when it first came out.

Chainbolt--Your words (on amdmb and elsewhere) about the 7DXR are required reading here at the Newbie School of Gigabyte Motherboards. Truth is, I would have already ordered a 7DXR if it were readily available here in the US. The revision 1.0 deal was a bit of a put-off, but perhaps I should go back and re-read the threads on the revision, as problems with it might be limited to certain configurations or, perhaps, just some faulty boards. Of course, it still is difficult finding the board here.