Which GTX 460 off newegg, please? +any advice with build appreciated

[toms_hammer]

Hello! I have questions on various topics at the bottom, please. And any help with my build is appreciated.

---------------------------------------------
CPU
$210 Intel Core i5-760 Lynnfield 2.8GHz 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80605I5760
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115067
---------------------------------------------
MOTHERBOARD, which?
$120 GIGABYTE GA-P55-USB3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
$140 GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
$160 GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3P LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
$185 GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD4P LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard w/ USB 3.0 & SATA 6 Gb/s
$210 GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD6 LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard w/ USB 3.0 & SATA 6 Gb/s
newegg link with gigabyte 1156 ATX boards: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007627%2050001314%20600007888%20600009016&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Order=PRICE&PageSize=100
---------------------------------------------
RAM. want to OC. don't know which speed to get. please see "Which RAM?" question below.
$103 G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL7D-4GBECO
1333, 1.35V, 7-7-7-21-2T, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231318
$103 G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBECO
1600, 1.35V, 7-8-7-24-2T http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321
$140 G.SKILL PI 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL6D-4GBPI
1600, 1.6V, 6-8-6-24, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231351
$103 G.SKILL PIS 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model F3-16000CL9D-4GBPIS
2000, 1.65V, 9-9-9-24, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231365
---------------------------------------------
HARD DRIVE, PRIMARY, which?
$220 Intel X25-M SSDSA2M080G2XX (“OUT OF STOCK”, item N82E16820167027)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167016&cm_re=x25m-_-20-167-016-_-Product
$230 Intel X25-M SSDSA2M080G2XXX (newegg says: “Discontinued, replaced by N82E16820167027”)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167027&cm_re=x25m-_-20-167-027-_-Product
---------------------------------------------
HARD DRIVE, SECONDARY
$110 Western Digital 1.5TB Caviar Black Model:WD1501FASS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136592&Tpk=caviar%20black%201.5tb
---------------------------------------------
VIDEO CARD. I'm thinking GTX 460. but which?
$230+ so many models on newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600007323%20600062521&IsNodeId=1&name=GeForce%20GTX%20460%20(Fermi)
---------------------------------------------
POWER SUPPLY
$110 Corsair 750W PSU Model:CMPSU-750TX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006&Tpk=corsair%20750
---------------------------------------------
CASE:
$60 Cooler Master 690 Mid Tower ATX case Model:RC-690-KKN1-GP
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137&cm_re=cm_690-_-11-119-137-_-Product
---------------------------------------------
OPERATING SYSTEM
XP 32 bit (already own)
---------------------------------------------
HEATSINK/FAN:
$35? ?????
---------------------------------------------
Total, with cheapest choice for each: $1198
---------------------------------------------
Questions:

1. Which motherboard? Gigabyte suggestions only, please. I am interested in overclocking.
Do the more expensive motherboards offer my build any advantage, overclocking or otherwise? OTherwise I'll just go with the cheapest, considering combo deals.
Will the USB 3.0 or Sata 3.0 matter at all for my build?

2. Which RAM? G.skill only, please. I'd like to OC. With an i5/nehalem system, does a faster CPU mean worse RAM timings, and if so, does it make up for worse RAM timings?
If so, I would like as much OC as possible on air cooling. How fast speed should I get? How will I know if the RAM is plug and play? I don't really wanna pay more than about $130 for RAM.
Can I still get a fast CPU speed with 1333 or 1600 RAM? Even if all these RAMs recommend 2t command rate, will they all, especially the more expensive ones, be able to get a 1t command rate?

3. Will I have any problems trying to install windows Xp 32 bit with my build? For example, I do not think these mobos have a connection for a floppy drive.
Will I need a floppy with SATA drivers to install XP onto a SATA drive? Would I have to use an external floppy?

4. Are RAM sticks like this with slightly names manufactured exactly the same, except the higher model ones tested better?
e.g. F3-10666CL7D-4GBECO, F3-10666CL8D-4GBECO, F3-12800CL7D-4GBECO. What does the first F in g.skill's ram models stand for?

5. Is the newer SSD worth waiting like a week+ for? Does anyone know any specific differences between SSDSA2MH080G2C1 / SSDSA2MH080G2R5 and the newer SSDSA2M080G2GC / SSDSA2M080G2GN?

6. Which video card and heatsink/fan should I get?

7. To any overclockers out there, how often does your computer crash? Does firefox crash more with an unstable OC? And is it possible to get a high OC and never fail prime95?

8. If I want to upgrade an LGA 775 build to 1156, could I just format x25m SSD HD(after plugging it into another computer),
swap in a mobo and cpu, and reinstall Windows? Would I run into any problems?

9. Has anyone here ever used a RAMdisk to make use of more than 4 gigs of RAM on a 32 bit OS?
Anyone know a good place to look for info about that?

10. Does anyone have any links to sites that show windows xp significantly beating windows 7 in benchmarks?

11. Is 1 stick of 4 gigs more likely to fail than 2 sticks of 2gb?

12. I'm thinking about a getting a laptop for word processing. Is a $400 new laptop off newegg worth spending more on than a $100-200 dollar one off of ebay?

13. Should I look into getting parts from any other website besides newegg? I live in the US.

14. Anyone here ever gotten recertified or open box stuff off newegg? Anyone ever gotten new PC parts off ebay?

15. I heard Intel makes makes all the CPUs the same, then makes them worse for lower models. Why do they do that?

16. If you got a gigabyte board, and RAM slots 1 and 3 didnt work, and a lot of people were complaining about that problem, but RAM slots 2 and 4 did, and it overclocked stable, would you return/refund the board or just keep it?

 

[Helltech]

1. You say Gigabyte because your interested in overclocking, but what about ASUS, you can get rediculous overclocks with ASUS boards.

2. Again you say G.Skill then you ask about overclocking, do you think you can't overclock any other RAM? I personally have G.Skill so I know its fine, but there are better choices.

3. Why would you need a floppy drive? You do not needa floppy drive, just burn an ISO of XP to a bootable CD.

5. I can't comment on SSD, I'm biased and wouldn't buy them till they go down more in price (my Velociraptor is plenty fast enough and much bigger), plug no hassle.

6. Any EVGA, ASUS DirectCU, or MSI Cyclone are the best 460 1GB versions, get one of them IMO.

For heatsink/fan the best right now is the Noctua DH-14, I wouldn't buy anything else.

7. Uhm, if you don't have a stable OC you shouldn't be running you computer with that OC. If you overclock right and get it working it won't crash... thats the whole point.

8. You might not run into problems upgrading from 775 to 1156, but I would just put together the 1156 computer, and when you go to reinstall windows format all the hard drives that you want via Windows boot disk.

9. You're going to be locked at 3gb~ Ram with 32, you'll have to upgrade to 64 bit if you want more.

10. No links to sites where Windows XP beats Windows 7, Windows XP doesn't even have the ability to play the newest games at the best settings (DX11) so you can't even compare.

11. I would use 2gig sticks personally.

12. 400 dollars is pretty decent for a nice laptop, up to you.

13. NewEgg is all I use they have good deals.

14. Recertified is "safer" then open box, but I have seen bad reviews on open box stuff, I can't comment on Ebay, I sell old parts on there and I'm a good seller, but I can't speak for everyone. Just make sure if you buy off ebay its from a good sell with many reviews and you re-re-read the description of the item.

16. I would return the board, without a doubt.

 

[yanje03]

Since your topic is in graphic card forum, I will answer you one. go get Gigabyte GTX 460 1G OC. not only it has real good review with top sell in Newegg but also I bought one and it run real great.

 

[namelessonez]

MSI 1G OC

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127510&cm_re=GTX_460_OC-_-14-127-510-_-Product

Or wait for this one to come in stock:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814162056&cm_re=GTX_460_OC-_-14-162-056-_-Product

 

[toms_hammer]

thanks for the reply. I'll check it out. I like the ones with lots of reviews cause hopefully they'll be reliable.