Motherboard and CPU choice

Read the first 2 replies. This is reply No.3!
Continued from the previous 2 ones...

To CaddyShack, I mean JimShady23:
You mentioned that AGP pro doesn't work on Abit NF7-S rev.2. Then would ATI Sapphire 7500 AGP work on the Abit board? I am stuck with that video card for now.

Also, "AVI to VCD through Nero?"

Answer: Wait, I guess Nic has just answered my question to JimShady23 about AGP pro.

To Nic:

So, What have you found out?

Don't forget to read the two previous replies. Thanks

the newer P4's IMO are better overclockers than the newer Bartons. these newer Bartons are multiplier locked but they cannot be unlocked (even with a mobo capable of unlocking the multiplier. plus the chip is laminated as well. i am glad i got my Barton 2500+ before AMD started making it even more difficult to overclock. the P4 "c" cpus can go ridiculously high when overclocking. also you can get massive fsb (even with air cooling).

the problem with P4 systems are that they are more expensive than a comparable Athlon XP system. the cost for the cpu, motherboard, and performance ram (PC3500 and higher) needed to overclock pretty far on a P4 would cost more than an AMD system (probably only need performance PC3200 at max for OC).

for the value, Athlon XP's beat out P4's for most people. if you are trying to OC, however, P4's (although more expensive) may be better than the latest batches of Bartons (which have superlocked multipliers). if you get a Barton chip, just hope you do not get the recent batches.

I think BrownPaper has summed things up pretty well. There are a mixture of AMD chips on the marked (some unlocked, some locked, and some super-locked).

If you've got the cash, then the P4 is faster, but you need very fast RAM if you want to OC these as their multipliers are also locked, so you have to raise the fsb, which if you wish to keep the fsb and memory buses synchronous (for best performance), requires very fast memory modules (more so for the lower clocked P4c@2.4GHz, than the higher clocked P4c@2.8GHz, etc.).

If you do go for an Athlon XP, then get the 2600+ Barton model, as you can raise the fsb to 200 (remember to use PC3200 DIMMs) and the multiplier, which is factory set at 11.5x, will give you an easily achievable healthy OC of 2.3GHz (an Athlon XP 3200+ only runs at 2.2GHz). You'll need to raise Vcore to around 1.75v to run stable.

That trick will work even with a super-locked AMD chip, as all you are doing is raising the fsb (as with the P4), which is independent of any locked multipliers. You'll have a fast CPU for a very low price (the 2600+ Barton is only slightly more expensive than the 2500+ Barton).

I have heard that even on "Super Locked" AMD cpu's with a laminated top with NOOOOO access to the L1-L2 bridges I have heard that the Abit NF7-S rev 2.0 still unlocks the multi. However I am not positive just relaying what I have heard from other forums and trends here were the new "super locked" cpu's with the laminated tops were in question. So I think you will be alright just as long as you go with the Abit NF7-S rev 2.0 for sure.

As for the AGP Pro question.......The ATI cards labled "PRO" have a different kind of AGP connection on them from what I have seen from standard 8x card. I will post some links below.....I am again not 100% positive that PRO means you need to have a Pro AGP slot but that would be my best guess. Why else would the interface on the card look differant ? But I never did any research on the subject cause I dont use ATI products......yet !

if there is anyone that can confirm that ATI PRO and XT cards will work with just a standard 8x AGP slot and not a "AGP Pro" slot please let both of us know


As you can see on this 9800 XT the first AGP interface is a lot differant than the standard....this is were I drew my conclution.....
http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage...19-03.JPG/14-125-119-07.JPG/14-125-119-01.JPG

This here on a Geforce FX 5950 Ulta is the standard AGP 8x interface. http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage...08-03.JPG/14-127-108-02.JPG/14-127-108-01.JPG


Both of these are todays elite video cards....

They both work. I have a Pro card on a Pentium 3 motherboard, they all work fine

There are both *locked* and *super-locked* versions with laminated tops. Only the *super-locked* versions cannot be unlocked with NF7-S v2.0 mainboard. The *super-locked* versions apparently have the bridges disconnected internally, so they are completely unlockable. I haven't seen any of these yet, but I do have one of the *locked* chips with laminated tops, and my NF7-S v2.0 does unlock that chip.

To JimShady23: Thank you, and I haven't decided on Hard drives, power supply, CPU fans, and others. I hoped to have someone build my system by the end of 2003, but I think this is going to take a lot longer since I am dragging on my decisions on components. May be I should have you build my new system. Also, I will be using some of my current PC components when I build a new one.

To Agissi: Thank you, and I don't know what conductive Ink and 5th L3 bridge are. Do I need to know these at this point? It never hurts to learn something new, but are they just going to confuse me?

To Red: Talk about stealing the thread!
To Nic: Explain the Law of Diminishing returns.

Lol Investors, I can build you one off of NewEgg as I'm sure Jim can do also. I've already configured two computers.

I have a system configured for my bro that's $750 w/monitor, cpu, mobo, gfx, cd-rom, and case.

Subtract the video card (9600XT) and monitor ($100), you get a $500 computer that can run anything pretty decently.

An interesting reply, I was kind of being silly , but, yeah, this is taking to god damn long.

For one month period, I was able to decide on the following components:
CPU: Barton 2500+
Motherboard: Abit NF7-S Rev.2
and now still in the stage of deciding RAM:
Choice1: Corsair XMS Extreme Memory Speed Series, Low Latency 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200-Retail ($131.00)
Choice2: Corsair XMS Extreme Memory Speed Series 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200-OEM ($112.00)
Choice3: Corsair XMS Extreme Memory Speed Series 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200C2PT-OEM ($108.50)

Still reading about those suckers! Seems like this will be forever!

and the ram choice list, at first, was like 11. I have narrowed down to the final 3, just like "Joe Millionarie" and "the next Joe Millionaire." I thought I edited my location: IL. Guess I will add that.

Well dude

**** I will come to your house and do this....IM me on yahoo messanger so we can talk about memory a lil more directly without the wait

my id is jimshady23_z DO IT NOW !!! LOL

WOW, you guys are serious. Okay. I will contact you, but first, I'd like finish reading about Low Latency Corsair RAM. I approach everything with .... too much wait! can be good and bad.

Sorry bout the language, it slipped

Just contact me, I have a bunch of good sites I can show ya about memory choices.

The "5th L3 Bridge" is a 'bridge' on the CPU's surface, right side up. Look here: [ignore the warning and crap]



See the dots? Will each of the 2 dots that are parrell, are a bridge. Look where it says "L3". Then count 5 dots over. You can see, they have taken ink (thats condutive) and connected the two dots parrell to each other/bridge. This unlocks the CPU

How Does this sound for a price on a system ?

Athlon XP 2500+ 333 mhz fsb (we will get that up to a 3200+ 400mhz fsb)

$85.99

Abit NF7-S rev 2.0

$99.99

80 gig 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drives x 2 ( so you can run RAID +0 FAST MAN FAST)

$160.00

It seems like you are set on a 512 increment of memory, SO what I'd reccomend is going with 2x 256 meg chips or Corsair to take advantage of the Dual Channal.

Cosair XMS Extreme Memory Speed Series
Cas Latency 2-3-3-6-T1
N82E16820145415

$56.99 X 2

Thermalright SLK-947-U Heat Sink

$39.00


All this for $598.98

SPEED MACHINE MAN !!!!! Just pic out a case and we are all set....

LoL Just giving you a price for a great system, I know you wanted to use your old hard drives so if you op not to go with the SATA RAID setup thats your option just trying to give you a good Idea of what the final cost will be

Just get this case, it rocks

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-156-139&depa=1

Comes with a 420W power supply and is more than adequate.

No, I am planning to purchase another 512MB Corsair RAM when I have more money, later. For now, I am going with Single 512MB. Besides, I hear the Duel Channels are BUll! As long as I get the identical one to my final choice RAM, I will be able to do a Duel Channel of 1GHz later.

Also, I will have to stick with ATI Radeon 7500 Sapphire. I purchased this like almost last year and haven't been able to put in my Gateway Crap because it doesn't recognize.

DVD RW? Worth it?

like almost a year ago