Questions about the new PC I'm going to build mobo/video/ram- Advice? Suggestions?

[ridergroov]

Hi folks. Here goes:

1. I'm getting ready to build my new system with an E6600 Core 2 duo
in it. I know before with the P4s I knew that an 800mhz FSB CPU used
400Mhz but I don't know the matches for the core 2s and the new PC2
ram. If someone could help me out with that, that would be great.

2. What is the best chipset and board to get for the core 2s? I am
planning on buying an Asus mobo with an Intel Chipset..

3. Any suggestions on Video cads? Thinking about the Nvidia GTS
8800.

Thanks!

 

[Paul]

Hi folks. Here goes:

1. I'm getting ready to build my new system with an E6600 Core 2 duo
in it. I know before with the P4s I knew that an 800mhz FSB CPU used
400Mhz but I don't know the matches for the core 2s and the new PC2
ram. If someone could help me out with that, that would be great.

2. What is the best chipset and board to get for the core 2s? I am
planning on buying an Asus mobo with an Intel Chipset..

3. Any suggestions on Video cads? Thinking about the Nvidia GTS
8800.

Thanks!

Things haven't changed. The bus is still 64 bits wide on the processor,
or 8 bytes. Mainstream Core2 is FSB1066 or 8*1066 = 8.528GB/sec.
DDR2 DIMMs are 64 bits wide each, and ideally you have a matched
pair running dual channel. DDR2-533 * 8 bytes * 2 channels = 8.528GB/sec.
The memory bus is not 100% efficient, and there are gaps or cycles where
no data us being transferred. Thus, faster memory bus speeds can fill in
the gaps a bit better. A lot of enthusiasts buy DDR2-800 and get a few
percentage points more performance from it. There is a table with a
few numbers here.

http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2732&p=4

There are some Core2 processors, where the FSB will be higher. So that
is the next incremental improvement. This improvement should help
toss the VIA chipset boards out of the running. Take the overclocks
seen with this processor with a grain of salt, as once they go into
volume production, the "cherry" overclocking chips will be gone.

June 25th, 2007
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Preview: The Desktop Gets a 1333MHz FSB
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=3012

For board selection, try the reviews on Newegg, or use
vip.asus.com . This one is a very recent P35 board.

http://vip.asus.com/forum/topic.aspx?board_id=1&model=P5K+Deluxe&SLanguage=en-us

Master board list for Asus is here:

http://www.asus.com.tw/products2.aspx?l1=3&l2=-1

As for a video card, if it looks like you won't be using SLI, then
you can get a fast single card. It would be nice if the most
recent ATI cards were here, but give it time.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=706&model2=707&chart=278

Paul

 

[ridergroov]

Okay that is great stuff. I still don't understand which RAM to buy
for this processor. And for the boards...how do I know which chipset
to get? Pretty lost on those important points still. Thanks.

 

[ridergroov]

You know, I think i'm going to be waiting for the new Intel's on July
22. Just read up about that. Probably go with the e6750 processor
and stick with the ddr2 for now until they make some good/worthy ddr3
ram. Good to have teh option though. I'll have to see what mobos are
available for the e6750 when they come out. Is 800Mhz the fastest
that the pc2 ram goes? Is pc2-6400 the same as pc2-800? Weird.

 

[Paul]

Okay that is great stuff. I still don't understand which RAM to buy
for this processor. And for the boards...how do I know which chipset
to get? Pretty lost on those important points still. Thanks.

P35 support FSB1333. Probably other chipsets can manage that as well,
like some of the Nvidia ones. What will be left out in the cold, are
all the chipsets that were already overclocked - they won't be going
to FSB1333, as they had enough trouble at FSB1066.

As for the RAM, it really depends on whether you have money to throw
around, as to what you buy. Higher speed memory might come in handy for
overclocking. I don't really keep up on what is the most uber product
for sale on that front.

DDR3 memory will be supported on a P35 board soon. DDR3 runs at a lower
operating voltage, and is intended to help the memory companies bottom
line. Without the promise of DDR3 to look forward to, they would have
a pretty bleak outlook financially. Will you get a performance improvement
from using DDR3 ? Probably. But really, it is all a question of
economics, as to whether it makes sense to spend hundreds on something
that provides small percentage improvements.

One way to narrow down stuff to buy, is list say, all the motherboards
for LGA775 on Newegg. Then pick the products with the most reviews
(implying popularity), and find out why they are popular. That might
help identify important characteristics.

Most of the extra effort in the selection process, is going into stuff
that allows overclocking. There are plenty of Intel chipset boards,
like relatively cheap P965 boards, that will give you a good platform.

Note that with the P35, comes another opportunity for motherboard
makers to eliminate interfaces on the motherboard. Watch out for the
stuff that is missing. I think one genius design, removed either
PS/2 mouse or PS/2 keyboard from the back (but not both).

Paul

 

[Forrest]

Hi folks. Here goes:

1. I'm getting ready to build my new system with an E6600 Core 2 duo
in it. I know before with the P4s I knew that an 800mhz FSB CPU used
400Mhz but I don't know the matches for the core 2s and the new PC2
ram. If someone could help me out with that, that would be great.

2. What is the best chipset and board to get for the core 2s? I am
planning on buying an Asus mobo with an Intel Chipset..

3. Any suggestions on Video cads? Thinking about the Nvidia GTS
8800.

Thanks!

I have the E-6600, EVGA SLI board,Nvidia 7900 GS and two one gig sticks of
Corsair PC2 6400. I didn't really need that expensive of a board. I have it
overclocked to 3.0 gig from the stock 2.4 ... FSB at 333 and the stock
multiplier of 9. It easily goes higher but then the heat does too. At this
setting it idles in the mid to upper 30s and never reaches 60 under the
heaviest load. The ram is 800 MHz rated but is cruising along at only 667 at
1:1. NewEgg has this Corsair ram on sale. After MIR and $10 promo code
(EMC622DCORS2) it's only $73 for two, one Gig sticks. Oh yeah, FREE shipping
too. I paid about double that a few months ago when I built this machine.I
did, at least, wait for the CPU to drop in price.

 

[Forrest]

I have the E-6600, EVGA SLI board,Nvidia 7900 GS and two one gig sticks of
Corsair PC2 6400. I didn't really need that expensive of a board. I have
it overclocked to 3.0 gig from the stock 2.4 ... FSB at 333 and the stock
multiplier of 9. It easily goes higher but then the heat does too. At this
setting it idles in the mid to upper 30s and never reaches 60 under the
heaviest load. The ram is 800 MHz rated but is cruising along at only 667
at 1:1. NewEgg has this Corsair ram on sale. After MIR and $10 promo code
(EMC622DCORS2) it's only $73 for two, one Gig sticks. Oh yeah, FREE
shipping too. I paid about double that a few months ago when I built this
machine.I did, at least, wait for the CPU to drop in price.
Forgot to paste in the link for the RAM .....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145590