New Build...need advice!

[GCKilla54]

I am about to build my first PC. It will be used mainly for gaming. I am pretty sure all these items are compatible and worth the money. I will be waiting for the AMD price drop at the end of the month. Any advice will be helpful!

Here is what I've got:

MOBO: ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe Socket 939
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131568

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 4600 Socket 939
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103545

HARD DRIVE: Seagate Barracuda 320GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148140

RAM: Cosair 2GB (2x1GB)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145028

VIDEO CARD: Leadtek Geforce 7900GT 256MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814122244

OPTICAL DRIVE: Samsung 16X DVD+R
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827151118


And NO I will not wait for conroe! Don't even bother posting if that is the "advice" you are going to give me.

Thanks
GCKilla54

 

[The_Prophecy]

Suggested Changes:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ <---- I know this is lower than the 4600+ you wanted, but the AM2 chips can be overclocked easily.

Mobo: Asus M2N-E. Getting an SLI board isn't worth it, unless you're planning on getting another 7900GT within the next 3 months. If you really want an SLI board, go for the Asus M2N-SLI

Video: eVGA Geforce 7900GT KO Superclocked <--- this card is $20 more, but the clocks on the core and ram are much higher.

RAM: Corsair XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2-800

 

[GCKilla54]

Sorry I forgot to mention that I will not be using AM2 because I will be building an AM2 PC at the end of the year, when dx-10 comes out, and be giving this one to my brother. Plus I want to wait until there is a bigger selection of mobos out.

 

[The_Prophecy]

In that case, here are my new suggested changes:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ <--- this one has 2MB of L2 cache, the 4600+ you were going to get only has 1MB. Overclock this if you want to make up for the frequency difference.

Mobo: Asus A8N-E <--- If you REALLY want an SLI board, get the Asus A8N-SLI. The A8N32-SLI isn't worth it because Video cards don't need the amount of bandwidth that 32 PCI-E lanes provide yet. By the time they do, a new slot will probably be out.

RAM: OCZ Titanium 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR400 <--- DDR550 is a waste of money. The only reason you would need it is if you were planning on OC'ing the CPU by over 1Ghz. AMD systems LOVE ram with low timings over high frequencies. This set's timings are 2-2-2-5, vs. 3-4-4-8 on that Corsair set. The OCZ also runs at a lower voltage (2.6 vs. 2.75) which means the ram will generate less heat.

Video: Go for the same one I mentioned in that AM2 setup I suggested before.... It's MUCH better than the Leadtek you were going for.

 

[shadowduck]

Suggested Changes:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ <---- I know this is lower than the 4600+ you wanted, but the AM2 chips can be overclocked easily.

Mobo: Asus M2N-E. Getting an SLI board isn't worth it, unless you're planning on getting another 7900GT within the next 3 months. If you really want an SLI board, go for the Asus M2N-SLI

Video: eVGA Geforce 7900GT KO Superclocked <--- this card is $20 more, but the clocks on the core and ram are much higher.

RAM: Corsair XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2-800

Sorry I forgot to mention that I will not be using AM2 because I will be building an AM2 PC at the end of the year, when dx-10 comes out, and be giving this one to my brother. Plus I want to wait until there is a bigger selection of mobos out.

Well.. take what Prophecy suggested and change it to this:

CPU: X2-4200+ S939

Mobo: Asus A8N-E (S939 version of the board- with less features like no RAID 5 and only half the RAM support I might add)

Video Card: what Prophecy said

RAM: There is no reason to get DDR550 RAM unless you enjoy spending money. Get this RAM instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145574

 

[The_Prophecy]

Well.. take what Prophecy suggested and change it to this:

CPU: X2-4200+ S939

Mobo: Asus A8N-E (S939 version of the board- with less features like no RAID 5 and only half the RAM support I might add)

Video Card: what Prophecy said

RAM: There is no reason to get DDR550 RAM unless you enjoy spending money. Get this RAM instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145574

Might want to revise your last post.....

Edit: I stand by my earlier suggestion of an X2 4400+. The extra cache will really help.

 

[shadowduck]

Well.. take what Prophecy suggested and change it to this:

CPU: X2-4200+ S939

Mobo: Asus A8N-E (S939 version of the board- with less features like no RAID 5 and only half the RAM support I might add)

Video Card: what Prophecy said

RAM: There is no reason to get DDR550 RAM unless you enjoy spending money. Get this RAM instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145574

Might want to revise your last post.....

Edit: I stand by my earlier suggestion of an X2 4400+. The extra cache will really help.

Tom has done benchmarks and the extra cache gives around 2FPS more. Not really worth it IMHO.

 

[waylander]

I still think that you should go with the advice given and get an AM2 system... even if you're giving this to your brother why give him a computer that's pretty much obsolete when you can get current for just a few bucks more?

You said that the motherboard selection for AM2 sucks but in a year the components for 939 will be really hard to find and if anything breaks down on that 939 rig.....

Of course it's your choice, this is just my advise.

btw the price cuts on the AMD processors will also affect the AM2 processors, so you're really only paying a bit more for a motherboard.

 

[The_Prophecy]

Tom has done benchmarks and the extra cache gives around 2FPS more. Not really worth it IMHO.

Don't really care about FPS, the extra cache will help just about everywhere else.

 

[shadowduck]

Tom has done benchmarks and the extra cache gives around 2FPS more. Not really worth it IMHO.

Don't really care about FPS, the extra cache will help just about everywhere else.

Then why did AMD discontinue all 1MB cache products claiming they are no faster?

 

[The_Prophecy]

Since I don't follow AMD products as much as I follow Intel's products, I didn't know they had done that...