I'm having second thoughts on which mobo to get ??? I'm looking to build a fast gaming machine and need to build this thing from the mobo up? I have the A64 3700+ processor is this a good chip for gaming? Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Originally posted by: Effect
You should prolly include some more details, ie. whether you intend to overclock, do you need SLI?
If money is no issue, check out DFI. I've heard good things about the Epox 9NPA+Ultra, cheap, stable and good for overclocking. Also, the 3700+ is about as good for gaming as any other A64 CPU, (though it uses the San Diego core, same core as the FX series, and is generally a good overclocker).
For Mobo's, your best bet is to check out here, a very good guide on Mobo's.
It's better to spend the extra $70 (check hot deals) on video card and just get a cheaper motherboard. The overclock difference between an $80 Chaintech or Epox and a $150 DFI would not even make up for the difference between a $200 6800GS and $270 7800GT for the same $70 difference. Not even close! Also, the "better" overclockable motherboards tend to hit higher HTT speeds, but you are already starting with a high multiplier so there's less reliance on high HTT.Originally posted by: EPZ Soldier
I would want a good overclocker and i really dont need SLI .. what vid card would you reccomend 6800gs? please dont say the 7800 series
Originally posted by: Zap
Don't know who exactly you are asking this of, but yes I agree. Spending $50-100 extra on a "better" motherboard hoping for better performance is just $50-100 down the drain - at same CPU speeds. Now, there is a case for the "better" board to overclock higher, but it better overclock a LOT higher to be worth that much money difference or you'd be better off just spending that much more money on a faster CPU to begin with.
Memory is the second thing that you should NOT spend money on. Let me clarify - you do need RAM and it shouldn't be some ultra-generico-crap, but it does not need to have shiney heatspreaders or LEDs on it and it does not "need" ultra low latency. Sure, looks are important and low latency does add performance, but is it worth the cost difference?
Let's combine the above two scenarios. It is possible to get an $80 motherboard (heck, even the Abit KN8 is available for around that much) and it is possible to get a $180 motherboard. It is possible to get $150 2GB dual channel kit (G.Skill, among others) and it is possible to get $250 pimped out RAM. What will that extra $200 get you? Well, that's the difference between a 7800GT and a 7800GTX. What will give you higher framerates, the expensive RAM/mobo or the faster video card? That's MORE THAN the difference between an Athlon 64 3200+ and 4000+. What will give you better encoding performance, the expensive RAM/mobo or the faster CPU? BTW that 4000+ CPU is a San Diego core with 1MB cache so even if the cheaper CPU can overclock as high as the faster CPU can overclock, the 4000+ will remain faster at same GHz.
Now, if you have money growing on your tree in your backyard or Bill Gates is your uncle twice removed, then cost may not matter much to you, but if you are like the rest of us mere mortals then you cannot afford the "best" of everything, so you have to make your money count.
It comes down to your budget and what you use your system for.
If you are a gamer then #1 concern is video card followed by CPU, then amount (not speed) of RAM, and last is motherboard.
If you do more production work such as encoding but also game, then #1 concern is CPU speed followed by video card, then RAM and finally motherboard.
If you absolutely do not play 3D games, then video card drops from top two on list down to a tie for last place with motherboard.
Originally posted by: EPZ Soldier
my budget allows me 150 for a case with a P/S i'm leaning to the Antec series??