Need help decieding on CPU and motherboard

[blackpanther26]

I'm going to replace my Phenom system not because of the CPU but becuase my motherboard dose not let me run my memory in Dual Channel. The motherboard has to support DDR2 memory but it can support DDR3 memory down the road. But I want a crossfire motherboard as I'll swap the pair of Radeon 4870's into that board.

I was thinking of going all Intel with thinking of getting a Quad at the end of the year. I was thinking a P45 motherboard with a E8500 or E8400. I'm not going to take the E8400 out of my other system as it is for a lan party computer. I would love 45nm.

oh by the way I don't think I want foxconn or MSI.

 

[Devastator_uk]

Well if you have a Phenom then you must have a AM2/AM2+ motherboard, so the motherboard does support dual channel as all AM2/AM2+ boards do.

 

[papalarge123]

your motherboard will allow dual channel memory, it probably lies in the Memory itself (u may have 2 slightly different types of memory, or u have all slots taken up by different sized memory sticks).

as for an intel system, too be honest with u, it might be best to keep ur AMD mobo, replace the ram with 2x2gb 800mhz RAM, and get urself a Phenom 2 (aslong as ur mobo allows for Phenom 2 in the Bios update).

if this is not what u want and a P45 mobo is what u r looking for, then an Asus board (P5Q-pro) is prob the best recommendation, if not then a Gigabyte board.

as for Intels quads, u can get the Q6600 for roughly £30 more than a dual core penryn (45nm).

for another quad, the Q9550 (penryn 45nm) is only another £50 aboe the Q6600.

good luck

 

[Emperus]

Could've specified your motherboard in the query.. Anyways, Check your motherboards manual and verify for the correct placements of the memory sticks for dual channel operation (this is assuming you've got two matched memory modules).. C2D games better NOW but quads will definitely be a future proof option.. If not Phenom II, i'd give a +1 to papalarge 123's recommendation..

 

[blackpanther26]

here is my motherboard it's the Foxconn A7DA 790GX. I have only one type of ram and 2GB 2x1GB sticks from G. Skill. They don't say on the ram them selves that they support Dual-Chanel but when I try to put a stick in slot 3 it is difficult to get the ram to set. I have to apply a bit of a force. More than usual. Once it is in there the computer never postes and keeps restarting. But when I put it in Slot 3 the system boots up with out restarting but no post screen. That is Why I'm thinking of a new motherboard and I'm thinking of going Intel LGA 775 and grap a Core 2 Duo E8400 or the E8500 with the EO stepping and later this year. Like after Intel releases their 32nm chips to pick up a quad then.

I just think I receved a fualty board when I swtch from Asus MPV-Delux SB600 to this one but did not notice till now.

I'm looking at spending about $300 for the motherboard and CPU.

 

[papalarge123]

try to get an Asus P45 board then with the E8500, use the RAM u have (as it sounds as though it may be a fault with the RAM port 3).

that should fall nicely into ur price range, and may have some left for a couple extra ram sticks

 

[blackpanther26]

thanks. Like I said at the yend of 2009 I'll get an Intel Core 2 Quad. Right now I'll have to work for some money so maybe by the time I get to it it'll be a little cheaper. How do I know if I get an EO stepping CPU? I plan on overclocking the CPU to 4GHz.

 

[Devastator_uk]

You say slot 3 is causing issues but really with that motherboard you should start with slot 1 + 2 as slots 1/3 are channel 0 and slots 2/4 are channel 1.

 

[someguy7]

You dont really get any real performnace gain from running the ram in dual channel anyways. I would not go out and spend money on a new board/system just to the ram can be run in dual channel.

 

[blackpanther26]

I already bought the P5Q pro from Asus. I'm just affaird that later down the road this board is going to short out. I think it is doing that already. It dose not let my overclock any CPU much any more. No matter if it is the Phenom or the Athlon 6000.

 

[boygenius]

I don't know what Phenom you have, but a lot of people had problems overclocking the Phenom. Also, if you have an SB600 verses the SB750, that will also limit your overclocking. You already have a good chipset and it supports the Phenom II (providing Foxconn has already come out with the BIOS update).

 

[blackpanther26]

that was not the problem. The problem was that my mainboard did not allow my ram to run in certian slots.