building a new puter

[qbert]

Hey,

I'm about to start building my new computer and I just wanted to get some feedback.

3.0 p4 800 fsb
abit IC7-G
2 sticks of 512 pc3500 (don't know which to get yet, how's Geil?)
2 seagate 120 mb S-ATA in raid 0
xp pro
already own a black chieftec case (server one with the window), lite on DVD, lite-on cdrw, 400 watt antec power supply, ati radeon 9800 pro 128 mb, audigy 2, 19" NEC LCD,

Now should I go with the abit? The DFI looks cool but I'm nervous about the name. I'm not sure if they have a good reputation or not, but it seems to have everything I want. The only problem with the Abit is the fan on the northbridge. I want a quite computer. The asus is out since it doesn't offer ich5r or CSA, which I also want. I think that motherboard may tax the PCI bus too much. MSI- aready own a few and they have been good but it has a fan on the north bridge and I'm kinda getting sick of red. Biostar, gigabyte, and chaintech are too expensive. I'm getting sick of waiting for part 2 of the canterwood roundup and anandtech won't post their roundup until the 13th at the earliest if I'm not mistaken. Any suggestions?

Also with the pc3500. Do I have to reduce the fsb for the ram in the bios before I do anything (On the first power up). That should be at 200 right if my cpu is at 200? The reason why I want to get the 3500 is overclocking later on. If I don't wouldn't the ram be running at 866 and the cpu at 800?

Any other brands make 100 or 120 gb S-ATA drives? I can't seem to find any.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Prof133]

Any other brands make 100 or 120 gb S-ATA drives? I can't seem to find any.

I'd get the Maxtor S-ATA drives. Which country are you located?

<b><font color=blue>I agree with that solution ... because it is a logical one.</font color=blue></b>

 

[scottkli]

If your looking for top notch:
3.0 P4 800fsb - Good
Abit IC7-G - Great
2x Corsair XMS 512mb PC3500 434mhz - Great
2x Seagate 160mb S-ATA in Raid0 - Great
[Best Value and Great Capicity]
XP Pro - Good
Sony DRU510A DVD+RW - Great
Sony CRX220A1 CD-RW - Good
Antec 430watt TruePower - Great
ATI Radeon 9800Pro 128mb - Great
Creative Audigy 2 Platinum - Great
NEC 19" LCD - Great

Total Cost: $3500 (+/-)

 

[lhgpoobaa]

Showoff! Thats gonna cost you a crapload of loot man.
Maybe switch the ram to 1GB low latency corsair twinex ram (its good, i have it).
And i wouldnt run just a raid0. Just for data security. Have another drive in there to boot off or for backups.



<b>My PC is so powerful it it makes a 286-16 look slow!</b> :lol:
<A HREF="http://www.picturetrail.com/master_poobaa" target="_new">PooBaa's Pics!</A>

 

[qbert]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Which memory should I get pc3200 or pc3500? And how about the FSB with the 3500 if I don't plan on overclocking my CPU just yet? What should I set it at and when? I'm assuming during the first boot up while I set up the raid and stuff before I install windows.

 

[qbert]

prof133: I live in the US-east coast

 

[scottkli]

I read up on that a few hours ago and you will have to set the mobo to 215mhz instead of 200. Thus getting 860 front side bus [215x4] and 430mhz ram [215x2]. So you could or could not overclock. If you dont right now it will run at the pc3200 level, but will be ready for overclocking later on vs. buying pc3200 now and overclocking later and finding ram problems. Now how far can pc3500 get overclocked I dont know dont do any overclocking myself.

 

[Prof133]

Which memory should I get pc3200 or pc3500? And how about the FSB with the 3500 if I don't plan on overclocking my CPU just yet?

Corsair XMS PC3500 would be great for this build.

<b><font color=blue>I agree with that solution ... because it is a logical one.</font color=blue></b>

 

[Prof133]

prof133: I live in the US-east coast

NewEgg has the Maxtor SATA drives in stock. They have the 120GB capacity that you're targeting.

<b><font color=blue>I agree with that solution ... because it is a logical one.</font color=blue></b>

 

[qbert]

Yeah, I think I'll get the corsair. I'll check out the maxtor drives. Thanks for the ram info. I was a little confused if the pc3500 would run at 3200 initially. I'll let you guys know how it turns out in a few days.

Thanks for the help.

 

[recruit370]

3200 should do it once your cpu is at that high of a frequancy it don't make much difference anyway