Good day guys! I need your votes on which system to get. All factors like Crossfire support for GPU and upgrades to CPU are taken into consideration. My current system has just received Powercolor ATI RADEON HD3870 PCS 512Mb 256bit which is cpu limited by my Pentium 4 531 (3.0Ghz). I bought the card with the thought of using it with a new system this year. MY choices are listed below.

Intel base system 2008a
casing: Gigabyte 3D Aurora Aluminum = php 6,800.00
psu: Silverstone Decathlon 650W (DA650) = php 7,700.00
motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R P 7,900.00
memory: Kingston Value Dual 2 GB DDR2-800 (2 x 1GB) Ddr2 P 2,650.00
hard disk: 320GB Seagate SATA 3Gbs = 4,150.00
processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66 Ghz, 4MB, 1333FSB = php 8,700.00

Total = php 37,900.00
Total with = 41,550.00 (Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4 Ghz, 8MB,1066Mhz)

Intel base system 2008b
casing: Gigabyte 3D Aurora Aluminum = php 6,800.00
psu: Silverstone Decathlon 650W (DA650) = php 7,700.00
motherboard:ASUS P5K SE Intel P35 = Php 6,300.00
memory: Kingston Value Dual 2 GB DDR2-800 (2 x 1GB) Ddr2 P 2,650.00
hard disk: 320GB Seagate SATA 3Gbs = 4,150.00 (4th priority)
processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66 Ghz, 4MB, 1333FSB = php 8,700.00

Total = php 36,300.00
Total with = 39,950.00 (Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4 Ghz, 8MB,1066Mhz)

Intel base system 2008c (preferred because of CrossfireX support)
casing: Gigabyte 3D Aurora Aluminum = php 6,800.00
psu: Silverstone Decathlon 650W (DA650) = php 7,700.00
motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3P P 8,400.00 (2nd priority)
memory: Kingston Value Dual 2 GB DDR2-800 (2 x 1GB) Ddr2 P 2,650.00
hard disk: 320GB Seagate SATA 3Gbs = 4,150.00 (4th priority)
processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 (2.66GHZ, 6MB L2 CACHE, 1333MHZ FSB) PhP 9,308.00

Total = php 39,008.00


AMD base system 2008a
casing: Gigabyte 3D Aurora Aluminum = php 6,800.00 (1st priority)
psu: Silverstone Decathlon 650W (DA650) = php 7,700.00 (1st priority)
motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA69G-S3H Socket AM2 = P 4,850.00 (2nd priority)
memory: Kingston Value Dual 2 GB DDR2-800 (2 x 1GB) Ddr2 P 2,650.00 (3rd priority)
hard disk: 320GB Seagate SATA 3Gbs = 4,150.00 2pcs (4th priority)
processor:AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5600+ Socket Am2 = P 7,900.00 (5th priority)

Total = php 34,350.00

AMD base system 2008b
casing: Gigabyte 3D Aurora Aluminum = php 6,800.00 (1st priority)
psu: Silverstone Decathlon 650W (DA650) = php 7,700.00 (1st priority)
motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA69G-S3H Socket AM2 = P 4,850.00 (2nd priority)
memory: Kingston Value Dual 2 GB DDR2-800 (2 x 1GB) Ddr2 P 2,650.00 (3rd priority)
hard disk: 320GB Seagate SATA 3Gbs = 4,150.00 2pcs (4th priority)
processor:AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5200+ (2.6 Ghz) = php 6,150.00 (5th priority)


Total = php 32,600.00

note: I'm having difficulties getting a good deal with AMD chipset based board in Philippines. Too bad market only limited choices to Intel sets.

ehm... first off, get the e8400, not the E6750, if gaming is the concern and primary focus

second, for the amd ones, did you consider the 500+BE?

personally, i think the option w/ the p5k...

Agreed on both counts E8400 1st P5K 2nd.

Intel base system 2008b - revised
casing: Gigabyte 3D Aurora Aluminum = php 6,800.00
psu: Silverstone Decathlon 650W (DA650) = php 7,700.00
motherboard:ASUS P5K SE Intel P35 = Php 6,300.00
memory: Kingston Value Dual 2 GB DDR2-800 (2 x 1GB) Ddr2 P 2,650.00
hard disk: 320GB Seagate SATA 3Gbs = 4,150.00 (4th priority)
processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.06GHZ, 6MB L2 CACHE, 1333MHZ FSB = PhP 11,438

Total = php 39,038.00

a bit expensive but still within the 40k limit

I can only secure the ASUS P5K SE which has only one PEG 16x on it... That's the reason i was inclined on Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3P P 8,400.00 for crossfireX future.


AMD 5000+ BE is a bit hard to find How I wish i can secure AMD 790X/FX board to even it with the intel base system.

Kingston is a rather over-priced memory vendor, look at these:
G.SKILL, CRUCIAL, CORSAIR & PATRIOT memory brands.

Also maybe a: Antec Sonata III 500 Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case with 500W Power Supply
or
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
+
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610 EPS12V EPS12V 610W Continuous Power Supply

Also check and see if this drive has comparable pricing to the 320gb:
Seagate Barracuda ST3500320AS 500GB 7200.11 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Also chech this mother-board: Abit IP35 Pro

Thats a lot of $$$ for a case & psu you might as well check on a :

Antec 900 & Corsair CMPSU-620HX

or I can go for WESTERN DIGITAL 500GB WD5000AAKS = Php 5,150.00 is the most affordable the Seagate drives in the City shops were just 7200.10 gen.

Gigabyte 3D Aurora Aluminum = php 6,800.00 or $170.00

You really want 7200.11 if possible

How i wish i'm the U.S. now... i got limited choices here in Cebu. after sales support becomes an issue if I buy from there. I just got Powercolor HD3870 PCS 512MB 256bit for $268.00 shipping included. I am hoping to get crossfireX within a year also.

then don't get the Antec; it won't power your PC... too little power...

consider a crossfire or SLI certified PSU, ie, the Hiper 580watt...