Im Confused on Memory speed for the AM2+ CPU's

[gidgiddonihah]

Right now im planning on building a computer-my first self built one!

And I have the following planned out:

CPU: AMD Phenom x4 940 3.0 GHz (150 on Newegg, and yes I know there are way better chips... I don’t have the money...)

Case: Cooler Master Elite 310 RC-310-BWNI-GP (40 on Buy.com and Amazon and Newegg)

RAM: (In question)

Video Card: PNY 9600 GT (Yes I know im going cheap but im unemployed... Hoping to get it for Christmas)

Optical Drives: Still not sure...

PSU: Not sure what model but i will go with a 500w version

Mobo (Motherboard): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387&cm_re=am2%2b_motherboard-_-13-128-387-_-Product

Hard Drives: One 250 and one 750 gigger



Ok #1 Are there any better mobo's out there? I mean for about 100-150 with the CPU I want? And with the same or more connections.

OK #2 With this current Mobo can I get 1066 RAM with the AM2+ restriction (Or is this restriction a rumor). Or will I have to get 800? Is it possible to go with 800 RAM when the mobo is 1066? (Im a RAM dork ;P)

OK #3 What are some good ideas for RAM? Links would be nice !

OK #4 Are there and CHEAP and I mean CHEAP upgrades that I could do?

OK #5 Any good and CHEAP optical drives out there (Blueray would be nice!) Links would be nice!

And last… I will be regurgitating the hard drives that I have now I my current computer. I have windows installed on the 250 gig. Can I just transfer the hard-drives WITHOUT installing windows? Or will I have to do a hard install?

Thank you so much in advance!

 

[curtains]

If anything get a Phenom II x4 940, Phenom II are quiet a bit better than the phenom I's and its only $5 more (i'm sure u can stretch ur budget $5 more)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103471

with RAM anything above DDR2-800 is a overclock, eitherway since your poor and on a budget just get any cheap ddr2-800 ram and you'll be fine, the performance differences from 1066 isn't much. But if you did want to get 1066 anyways it'll work on AM2/AM2+/AM3 its just a overclock.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231085&cm_re=ddr2-_-20-231-085-_-Product <<<i donno if thats the cheapest ram you can get but thats the cheapest i could find on newegg.com, buy 2sticks (2x1GB) since your on a budget, unless you need more than 2GB, but for the average user 2GB is more than enough.

with optical dirves just get the cheapest DVD-RW you can get if your on a tight budget you don't need a blu-ray player.

You'll need to install a fresh copy of windows, though it may(sometimes it does depending on hardware) work it definitely isn't a good idea. The previous windows would have been installed onto the hardware it was originally built on, different drivers different hardware. Always a good idea to do a fresh install of windows.

 

[gidgiddonihah]

I was going to do the the II but i forgot to put the two on lol. So would my other hard drive be ok to just install (The 750)? I could back up everything to there...

AND

How much difference would i see with this compared to:
My current rig: (Laugh if you will)

Dimension E510
Pentuim 4 3.2 Ghz
3 gigs of RAM (Might just take that out now that i think about it)
Those hard drives...
Optical DVD and DVD RW/CD RW
Nvidia Geforce 7300LE

 

[gidgiddonihah]

I just dicovered that i might not do that... its only 533 (My current RAM)

Maybe ill do that untill i have more money! lol