On the lookout for new Mobo/CPU/Ram...Wait or get now??

[Penny]

I would also have to agree with going to Intel..i have always supported AMD..but their CPUS run way hotter than Intel...Also if you look at the high end CPUS (2.2 gig and up)AMD is only 10-25 dollars cheaper on average...and there is alot more preformance for the extra couple of dollars you will spend....i just upgraded this weekend to a 2.4 intel 533 bus and i will probably never go back to AMD..So go with intel

 

[iCE]

I have also recently been looking for a new system for myself. At first I thought I would just go with a cheaper AMD Athlon XP based system, however, I have now decided to go with an Intel Pentium 4 based system:
Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz
ASUS P4T533-C (Intel 850E Chipset)
512 MB PC1066 RDRAM
Sure it comes at a higher price, but from what I have seen, this setup stomps all over the AMD Athlon XP based rigs with its brute power. I am not sure on what memory brand to get though, any recommendations? I want the best quality RDRAM available.

 

[Arris]

From www.anandtech.com Comdex day2 article :
We also received full confirmation that VIA's KT400A will in fact be a dual channel DDR solution. The boards should be ready in January and we'll be able to see if VIA has what it takes to out-tweak NVIDIA.

Reckoning on a maximum of a 15% performance increase over nForce2 boards depending on the benchmark.

 

[Greeno]

iCE

http://developer.intel.com/design/motherbd/mv2/mv2_mem.htm

I know it's the Intel Maryville2 mobo, but it's the same chipset as the board you're proposing.

Personally, I'd go for Samsung Memory, i've 'NEVER' had any compatibility problems with the stuff, sure i've had failures (at work im talking) but it's always been a dream to use, and yah ur pc setup kicks *** mate, the only thing is once you've got a 3GHz or whatever after upgrading should you plan to, you're looking at a complete upgrade again, i really like RDRAM, but it just doesnt have a future anymore :-/

My next upgrade will be when HT really takes off my mobo supports it etc, i've got a 2.4bGHz atm i'll wait till 3.06GHz becomes reasonable and i'll sell my CPU to a mate ;P

 

[RustyZip]

UPDATE

Well, ive made my decision - im going for a Gigabyte 8INXP board...
http://uk.giga-byte.com/products/8inxp.htm

Its out any day now...

It says it supports DUAL DDR2700 memory, but im pretty sure i read somewhere (cant find it now:blackeye: ) that when you overclock the board, you ought to buy DDR3200 so that your memory can keep up...

Does this sound right???

Also (im pretty n00bie to this) can someone tell me what Processors are compatible for this board?? I know its the pentium line and 3.06Ghz is supported, but i cant afford that yet. So ive got to buy a cheaper one, and all this 0.13 & 0.18 micron, FSB, Thoroughbred A & B etc etc, so which cheaper processor is best for this board??

Thanks in advance....

 

[iss]

Right now I would say that the performance/price sweet spot with the intel chips is the 2.4 Ghz 190.00 at newegg.

 

[RustyZip]

Is that the 2.4 Ghz "B"??? Northwood??? If so, thats the same thought i had... Cheers iss...

Anyone any ideas about the memory???

 

[Vehementi]

You should go for Yellowstone, Rusty. It's RAMBUS2, but I haven't the slightest when it'll come out. Currently, I would reccomend 1066MHz RDRAM. But it's really your choice.

And yeah, that's the Northwood B, 533MHz FSB, everything. Very nice deal IMHO.

 

[RustyZip]

Thanks for your input Vehementi...

This new "Yellowstone" looks good, but it'll probably take ages till we can get our hands on it, and i've been waiting and pondering long enough...

From reviews i've read this Dual DDR is just as fast as Rambus systems, plus you get the added benefit of Daul DDR being more easier and friendly to overclocking...

Any thoughts on my DDR2700 / DDR3200 question, Veh??

 

[iss]

if it were me I would probably go with corsair Pc2700. corsair has a good reputation for being high performance memory. it does cost more though. my current 333 boards i use either kingston or samsung.

 

[Vehementi]

Yeah, Dual DDR is good. And it will be a while...

I would say get DDR333. Preferrably Corsair, but you don't have to spend that much. 2x256MB will do you great, if not 2x512...For dual DDR get memory the same sizes - might as well. 2x256 I would reccomend, Corsair if you want to overclock really high. Since your board doesn't support 333+, and you do want to overclock really high, you could go with DDR370 (PC3000). Best price/overclocking potential IMHO. Especially if 400MHz memory is probably too expensive for you.

 

[RustyZip]

Well, ive ordered it with Corsair DDR333 Cas 2.0 memory.
As the board only supports DDR266, will i have to manually change something in the bios, or will the memory automatically slow down (??) to that speed..??

 

[Arris]

Originally posted by RustyZip
Well, ive ordered it with Corsair DDR333 Cas 2.0 memory.
As the board only supports DDR266, will i have to manually change something in the bios, or will the memory automatically slow down (??) to that speed..??

The memory will automatically run at whatever the fsb x DDR rate is. So in this case it will run at 133 x 2 on your board.

 

[palmboy5]

what about going up?

if my mobo was 133x2 FSB, shouldnt it make a PC133 run at 266? according to what you said about it going down...

(stupid question)

 

[Nick]

Personally I'd wait for the hammer to come out

 

[Vehementi]

Originally posted by palmboy5
what about going up?

if my mobo was 133x2 FSB, shouldnt it make a PC133 run at 266? according to what you said about it going down...

(stupid question)

Negative, DDR is basically the same as SDRAM except it's double pumped, hence "Double Data Rate". PC133 doesn't run at 266, it's true 133MHz. Hence 133x2 is 133 double pumped. RAMBUS is quadruple pumped, which is why it's 400MHz and 533MHz.

 

[Arris]

Originally posted by palmboy5
what about going up?

if my mobo was 133x2 FSB, shouldnt it make a PC133 run at 266? according to what you said about it going down...

(stupid question)

Well if your using PC133 then your running sdram in sdram slots with a sdram supporting chipset on the motherboard. This means that there is no subsystem which runs the memory at 133x2 for double data rate. There are two ways in which the memory and fsb are related. One is asynchronous where the speed for the memory can be set to a higher or lower speed than the fsb. On a KT266 the fsb of the 266fsb Athlon is 133x2 and with DDR the ddr is also run at 133x2. On a KT133, not sure but it should support 266 fsb processors. The older athlons ran on 200fsb (100x2).
The other way that memory and fsb are related is running synchronously. This has become a more prominent way of running with the release of 333fsb Athlon XPs. With the ram running at 333fsb (166x2) there is a performance gain as neither the ram or the CPU slows down the transfer of data between each one another.

I've probably just confused you more but basically with non DDR systems the chipset doesn't double the data rate, but may provide support for 266fsb (133x2) CPU. DDR chipsets provide support for 100,133 and 166 x 2 (with newer DDR chipsets) and memory data rates along the same line.