Need help buying a motherboard

evaninspain

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Mar 31, 2007
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I could really use some expert help. I'm about to build my first computer. I've changed components before but never built a computer from scratch. It's kind of exciting! I'm leaning heavily towards buying (in April after the price cuts) an E4300 for $113, or E6320 for $163, or possibly an E6600 for $183. My questions revolve around what motherboard to get. I do not use my computer for games - I use it mostly for web surfing/word/outlook/Photoshop so I don't think I need a fancy video card, in fact, I'm hoping to be able to buy a MB with on-board video. I also want to try my luck at over clocking – not max over clocking but to get a bit more performance out of my system (I'll ask about that in a few months). I plan on installing Vista Ultimate. Should I wait until X10 comes out (not exactly sure what that is either)? Can anyone recommend a MB for me please? I'm leaning towards the Gigabyte GA-965G-DS3 LGA 775, or the ASUS P5B-VM LGA 775. Which one is best for me? Any other recommendations?

Thank you!!
 

Gh0stDrag0n

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The 965P DS3 does not have onboard video, overclocks great though.
If you do not game I would not worry too much about DX10, a mid range DX9 card will be more than enough for what you intend to do.
If you want better performance, stay away from onboard video.
 

evaninspain

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Thanks for your advice! Would a $40 or $50 dedicated video card really improve performance for my needs, I never play games? Also, I just noticed that the 965G-DS3 does not seem to have a dvi input for my monitor and all the video cards seem to have it. Am I missing something?
 

hashbrown

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The only mother boards that offer DVI out from an onboard video source that I know of are from AMD and their new M690, also with HDMI. Not too sure there any other ones. I think you will be better off with an add in card, no sharing system memory with the onboard video, and better performance, but nothing you don't need.
 
If your trying to get a little cheaper system (not sure here) than this is what I would look at for a nice low end system with some room to grow later.

CPU/Mobo combo
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+(65W) Windsor 2.0GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103733

Memory
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820231087

DVD Burner
LITE-ON Black 18X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 18X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM IDE DVD Burner - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16827106043

Case/PSU (Good basic PSU, need better PSU if you upgrade Video card too much more)
Athenatech A416BS.H350 Silver/Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 350W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811190040

Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3160815AS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822148230

Video Card
EVGA 256-P2-N443-LX GeForce 7300GT 256MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814130052

Total is $527.44 minus $10 MIR, gives a grand total with shipping at $517.44.

Now if you want to use Intel CPU than substitue this:

CPU
Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 Allendale 1.8GHz 2M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819115013

Mobo
GIGABYTE GA-965P-DS3 LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813128012

Memory
OCZ S.O.E 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820227118

This would total (at current prices): $664.75 minus $15 MIR on memory would give a grand total of: $649.75.

Hope this helps?

My 2cp