Building a system w/ 2.8 ghz core2Duo (e7400), a ATI Radeon 4770, and 4 gig RAM.
Use: Video / Photo editing, Heavy(10 window+) 2D CAD & WordProc. ( No gaming, and No Raid needed )
Yeah, I know the 4770 is overkill, but I like/want the DDR5 bandwith - (it's the cheapest way to own DDR5)
The ASUS P5QL PRO is only DDR2, the GIGABYTE GA-EP45T-UD3LR is DDR3 ... would the faster RAM memory make a visible difference ?
Both are about $ 85 (after rebates) ... and have good reviews & stability ratings w/ this core2Duo Chip.
The "instant boot" feature of the Asus is very attractive. ...Can't spend more than $ 90. on the MoBo (& make other goodies fit in budget)
No visible difference other than 1 or 2 percent in 3DMark06, if that much. Unless you're comparing DDR 400 to DDR 3 1600, there is no visible difference. I've underlcoked my DDR 2 1066 down to 667 mhz and can't see the difference in framerates. Your CPU frequency and fsb speed is more of a factor than RAM speed.