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Exceeded my budget on step 1

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - Exceeded my budget on step 1

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I kind of got carried away when Newegg offered the ABIT IP35 Pro LGA 775 Intel P35 with a $50 rebate for a total of around $150 with tax and shipping minus the rebate. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813127030

I was planning to team that with 4 GB of Ram, an E8400 or E7200, a cheapish 8800GT after the new generation cards hit the market, and an adequate case and PSU. I already have a WD4000AAKS, Vista, and a Samsung 2232BW monitor.

Should I keep the ABIT or go with something like the GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3L which is now $84 at Newegg? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128337

Would one of those boards be easier for a greenhorn to set up? Is the ABIT board worth $40-45 more than the Gigabyte? What's a good 8800GT for not so much money? Thanks.

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get the gigabit. the abit is not worth the extra money nor can you cant sli with the abit so there is not much reason to get it. im not sure but i think msi had a 8800gt that came with a free game and was not expencive.

Message edited by ilovebarny on 06-11-2008 at 01:19:13 AM

Reply to ilovebarny

Again he's right. The Gigabyte is the better value in your case.

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Reply to ibuypower

It depends. The aBit IP35 Pro has a lot of features that you don't get with the DS3L, and at $150 it's excellent value. Get the IP35 Pro if you need any of these things:

- more than 3 HDD + 1 burner
- RAID
- eSATA

- FireWire
- 3 monitors (i.e. two PCI-E video card slots)

If you don't need any of that then you might as well get the DS3L and save some cash. There's also a GA-EP35-DS3R around $120 if you need some of the first 3 things above but don't need the last two.

Reply to aevm

Thanks to everyone. Ugh, I'm kind of in the middle after reading what you all had to say. But I guess if I want eSATA eventually, the cost of an additional eSATA card suggests keeping the ABIT.

I expect to ultimately have -
2HD and 1 burner
no RAID
eSATA-probably (we have an eSATA drive for a laptop, but it may go back to college in the fall)
Firewire-very unlikely
3 monitors-never

Reply to sisyphus

You could get the GA-EP35-DS3L and later add an eSATA cable or bracket, plus buy a third SATA cable because the DS3L only comes with 2.

Or get the DS3R, which comes with 4 SATA cables and an eSATA bracket.
In total you end up at about the same price. You just get unnecessary freebies like RAID and 4 more SATA ports this way.

Yeah, the DS3R sounds best for you.

Reply to aevm

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