dragoon38900
New Member
Awhile back, I decided to build a computer (AMD of course). However, now theres the new Core 2 Duo. I was originally planning on getting a Athlon X2 4400+, but now they say the "Conroe" is better. Before I begin with the questions, I decided to create 2 builds, one for Intel, one for AMD:
AMD
CPU - AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Dual Core Processor
(2.2GHz, 2MB, 1GHz Bus, Socket AM2) - $234.99
http://www.acnt.com/product.asp?pf_id=CPA8AM24400
MOBO - ABIT KN9S AM2 S940 NVIDIA MCP55S DUAL DDR2 AUDIO GBLAN SATA RAID - $99.95
http://www.atacom.com/program/print...5013122_65_123_7_81&Item_code=MBAM_ABIT_AM_00
OR
ABIT KN9 SLI Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $115.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127236
OR
ASUS M2N-E Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 Ultra MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $96.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131022
INTEL
INTEL BUILD
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Dual Core Processor (2.13GHz 1066FSB 2MB LGA775) - $245.99
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merc...Product_Code=120383&Category_Code=intel-core2
MOBO - Intel BOXDP965LTCK Socket T (LGA 775) Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - 119.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813121035
RAM - pqi TURBO 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model PQI26400-2GDB - Retail - $184.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820141064
OR
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model F2-6400PHU2-2GBNR - Retail - $161.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231084
The Ram, Video Card, and Hardrive in both builds will be the same:
RAM - pqi TURBO 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model PQI26400-2GDB - Retail - $184.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820141064
OR
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model F2-6400PHU2-2GBNR - Retail - $161.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231084
Hardrive- Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144701
Videocard - Leadtek PX7900GT Geforce 7900GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail - $269.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814122244
OR
XFX PV-T71G-UDE7 GeForce 7900 GT EXTREME (520MHz) 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail - $284.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150139
OK, now on to the questions:
1. Which build is better?
2. They say core 2 duo is better, but how? The Athlon X2 4400 has 2.2GHz, 2000Mhz bus speed, and 2 x 1Mb L2 cache while the Core 2 Duo E6400 has only 2.13GHz, 1066Mhz bus speed, and 2Mb L2 cache. Exactly why is the conroe better? Is it actually better?
3. After the first 2 questions are answered, I will choose the better build. However, Im not too sure which motherboard to get. I asked my friend who has a friend that teaches computers and he says to go for ABIT. Is that necessary? What boards would you guys recommend?
4. I placed 2 sets of Ram (pqi and G.Skill). Which is worth getting? I heard Corsair is good...
5. Hardrive - Can anyone find a better deal?
6. Videocard - I placed 2 kinds of 7900gt. Which is the better pick? The XFX has higher numbers, but look at the ratings and reviews... Is there a better choice out there?
7. About the PSU:
XCLIO GOODPOWER 500W ATX 500W Power Supply 115/230 V UL, CUL, TUV, CB, VDE, FIMKO, DEMKO, NEMKO, SEMKO - Retail - $48.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817189005
OR
COOLMAX CP-500T EPS12V 500W Active PFC Power Supply 100 - 240V - Retail - $49.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817159040
OR
HIPRO HP-P500W/TOP-500P5 ATX V2.01 500W Power Supply 115/230 V - OEM - $36.50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817174023
Again, I have trouble choosing... the first one has SLI support (but I dont think I need SLI...), the second one has Active PFC, and the 3rd one is cheap.
8. Lastly, does anyone know any good cases? One that would fit my system nicely. Also, any good case with PSU deals? I dont plan to spend more than $100 on the Case and PSU.
With all of these, the price is around $950. Adding a 17/19 inch CRT, Mouse/keyboard and a DVD RW drive... I think this will be a $1100 computer.
(BTW, are any of them not compatible with each other?)
Thanks to anyone that replies.
AMD
CPU - AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Dual Core Processor
(2.2GHz, 2MB, 1GHz Bus, Socket AM2) - $234.99
http://www.acnt.com/product.asp?pf_id=CPA8AM24400
MOBO - ABIT KN9S AM2 S940 NVIDIA MCP55S DUAL DDR2 AUDIO GBLAN SATA RAID - $99.95
http://www.atacom.com/program/print...5013122_65_123_7_81&Item_code=MBAM_ABIT_AM_00
OR
ABIT KN9 SLI Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $115.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127236
OR
ASUS M2N-E Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 Ultra MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail - $96.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131022
INTEL
INTEL BUILD
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Dual Core Processor (2.13GHz 1066FSB 2MB LGA775) - $245.99
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merc...Product_Code=120383&Category_Code=intel-core2
MOBO - Intel BOXDP965LTCK Socket T (LGA 775) Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail - 119.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813121035
RAM - pqi TURBO 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model PQI26400-2GDB - Retail - $184.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820141064
OR
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model F2-6400PHU2-2GBNR - Retail - $161.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231084
The Ram, Video Card, and Hardrive in both builds will be the same:
RAM - pqi TURBO 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model PQI26400-2GDB - Retail - $184.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820141064
OR
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model F2-6400PHU2-2GBNR - Retail - $161.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231084
Hardrive- Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM - $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144701
Videocard - Leadtek PX7900GT Geforce 7900GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail - $269.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814122244
OR
XFX PV-T71G-UDE7 GeForce 7900 GT EXTREME (520MHz) 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail - $284.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150139
OK, now on to the questions:
1. Which build is better?
2. They say core 2 duo is better, but how? The Athlon X2 4400 has 2.2GHz, 2000Mhz bus speed, and 2 x 1Mb L2 cache while the Core 2 Duo E6400 has only 2.13GHz, 1066Mhz bus speed, and 2Mb L2 cache. Exactly why is the conroe better? Is it actually better?
3. After the first 2 questions are answered, I will choose the better build. However, Im not too sure which motherboard to get. I asked my friend who has a friend that teaches computers and he says to go for ABIT. Is that necessary? What boards would you guys recommend?
4. I placed 2 sets of Ram (pqi and G.Skill). Which is worth getting? I heard Corsair is good...
5. Hardrive - Can anyone find a better deal?
6. Videocard - I placed 2 kinds of 7900gt. Which is the better pick? The XFX has higher numbers, but look at the ratings and reviews... Is there a better choice out there?
7. About the PSU:
XCLIO GOODPOWER 500W ATX 500W Power Supply 115/230 V UL, CUL, TUV, CB, VDE, FIMKO, DEMKO, NEMKO, SEMKO - Retail - $48.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817189005
OR
COOLMAX CP-500T EPS12V 500W Active PFC Power Supply 100 - 240V - Retail - $49.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817159040
OR
HIPRO HP-P500W/TOP-500P5 ATX V2.01 500W Power Supply 115/230 V - OEM - $36.50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817174023
Again, I have trouble choosing... the first one has SLI support (but I dont think I need SLI...), the second one has Active PFC, and the 3rd one is cheap.
8. Lastly, does anyone know any good cases? One that would fit my system nicely. Also, any good case with PSU deals? I dont plan to spend more than $100 on the Case and PSU.
With all of these, the price is around $950. Adding a 17/19 inch CRT, Mouse/keyboard and a DVD RW drive... I think this will be a $1100 computer.
(BTW, are any of them not compatible with each other?)
Thanks to anyone that replies.