elderfoster

Hi guys this is my first post, so I'm just introducing myself and my old computer. I want to upgrade this very soon which is why I'm posting this.

Here is my current spec. It's never been overclocked. I play at 1920x1200 with max settings. I play WoW, CoD4, CoD5:WaW, CoH. I multi-task by using netflix on a 2nd monitor at 1280x1024, have lots of google chrome up, skype, google talk, and ventrilo, with wow at max settings at 1920x1200. Right now I'm getting like 10 fps in wow while doing all of this.

Windows XP Pro w/ SP3
Asus A8N-SLI (939 socket)
AMD 64 X2 3800+
OCZ Tracer DDR 400 2GB 4-4-4-12
Sapphire 4870 512MB DDR5 256-bit
Creative Audigy SE
Samsung T240 (1920x1200)
74GB WD Raptor
320GB Seagate

Here's three builds that I'm thinking about. I'm wanting to get an E8400 with DDR3 1333 because it's 1:1 and I think I'll get the best fps with using DDR3 1333 instead of DDR2 1066, but I'm not sure. I want to spend about $300 or less, so these builds are at the top of my range. I could go higher, but I want to stay at $300.

Build 1: $327 shipped

Intel E8400 - $165
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115037
ASRock P43Twins1600 LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard - $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E168131571303
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (9-9-9-24) - $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...201333&bop=And

Build 2: $345 shipped

Intel Q6600 - $189
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115017
GIGABYTE GA-EP43-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX - $79
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128347
OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 - $65
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227289

Build 3: $223 shipped

AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 - $79
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103300
BIOSTAR TFORCE TA790GX A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI - $79 (combo price w/ cpu)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813138128
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 - $45
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231226

spacegoast

so what the most you want to spend then? i would get a better motherboard than Asrock, maybe something like the GIgabyte Ud3P or the UD3R- LINK for both.
And maybe one of these kits of RAM, LINK

edit: the RAM you get does not have to be the same FSB speed as the CPU's. You can overclock almost any kit to match them and run 1:1. Also, its not always best to run a 1:1 ratio, sometimes 4:5 or 5:6 will be better. This is where RAM timings play a factor of your overclocking

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elderfoster

Hi, thanks for the reply I edited my post to show that I want to spend right around $300 or less. It's possible that I could go more like $375ish but I'd like to stay at $300 or so.

I really do like the gigabyte boards that you linked very much, I do. It's just that the ones I found had good reviews and were only $80, and the gigabytes are $120 and $135. That's a big jump that I don't know is worth it or not mainly because the ones I picked had good reviews.

Okay so I believe you that the ram doesn't have to be the same speed as the FSB with the CPU, but what about the E8400 (FSB 1333) with DDR2 1066 vs DDR3 1333?

microman

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128359
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820609218
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115036
$347.97

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elderfoster

I like this alot, I really like those gigabyte boards.

microman

you could probably go a little higher on the ram especially since you might need it with the way the 8500 clocks so gimme a min and i'll find something with a little more headroom

this looks good http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231211 450x9.5=4275 and you have to assume it will OC at least to 950 or 1000 with nice timings

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elderfoster

I had picked out that exact same motherboard before but never clicked on the payment confirmation button. I'm liking this set up alot but I wonder how much gain there is between the E8500 over the E8400.

I don't know how to pick which ram to get for the CPU, since you're saying the E8500 overclocks alot. I have no idea how to figure out how good of ram i would need to keep up with it. I've read about this fact of overclocking the cpu requiring faster ram, especially if you use 4 slots. But I don't understand the reasoning behind it.

elderfoster

$379.63 shipped

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (4-4-4-12)
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 - $45

I wonder if the price/value difference worth buying ^ instead of >. I'd be alot happier spending $227 than $379, things are tight right now. But I can eat ramen for a month if it's really worth it.

~$227 shipped

AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 - $79
BIOSTAR TFORCE TA790GX A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI - $79 (combo price w/ cpu)
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 - $45

microman

i would get a lesser cpu like an E7400 before i would go amd http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115206

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elderfoster

Okay, gotcha.