[Brandon H.]

Ok so between now and 48 hours I am about to buy my first buy off of Newegg. The start of project "Im poor". I will start with the motherboard first. It should be done by early November. I think I am actually going to make a very detailed build thread as well, since I just bought my girlfriend a Canon Rebel XT (VERY good Digital SLR camera, we love it).

I have a case already. I can't decide if I am going to be able to afford the AMD 550BE, or if I will just get a 7750BE. Which is one of the problems I am having when choosing a mobo. So IDK if I should get a AM3 board (then I would HAVE to buy a AM3 chip and DDR3), or a AM2+/AM3 and just stick with DDR2 and get whatever cpu I can afford.

So either tonight or tomorrow I will buying the mobo. I really want to go with a Gigabyte "Ultra Durable" board (or any Gigabyte or ASUS board with all solid caps). I am a sucker for "Durable" stuff, so if it says it in the name I am sure its perfect for me

.

I will spend anywhere from $50-90. I would perfer to find something in betweeen those prices (so around $75ish)

Here are the boards I am thinking about, unless u guys recomend something else.

GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128392

GIGABYTE GA-MA770-UD3 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128376

GIGABYTE GA-MA780G-UD3H AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128382

A couple things I am worried about is how the performance would be with a AM2+ board and AM3 cpu (amd 550) with 4gb DDR2 800mhz VS. a AM3 board with a 550 cpu, and 4gb DDR3.

I need to have this build be decent for atleast 3 years or so, with a cpu upgrade in about 2 years. And I will post more questions in this thread as I think of them.

 

[candy_van]

If you're thinking about having this build last + be upgradable, you have to go with the AM3 board

EDIT:
I'd also consider getting the GA-MA790XT-UD4P, it's only $35 more after rebate and is a much better board, w/ more expandability

 

[n1helix]

yep, i would go with AM3, i would recommend this as it supports AM2/+/3 but it might be a bit too much

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128387

 

[Brandon H.]

But I thought that AM2+ boards can still take AM3 cpu's. Also those prices are a little too high for me.

Whats the performance difference between a AM2+ board vs. a AM3 board with a AM3 cpu??

I am sorta leaning towards a 7750BE, and in a year or 2 upgrade to a AM3 cpu.

 

[SinX7]

Get ASRock 790X,FX, or GX there like $89-$95

 

[Brandon H.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SinX7 Get ASRock 790X,FX, or GX there like $89-$95

are those ASRock boards better then the Gigabyte boards?
I will be ordering either tonight or tomorrow night.

 

[Brandon H.]

Well poopie, it might be a couple more days untill I buy. My girlfriends dads girlfriend (ya I know) gave me a Emachines T2742 that she needed fixed. She came home from work and the computer was turned off, she tried starting it and it wouldn't start. I asked her if there was an storms that day and she said no.

After looking at it, the cpu still works (tested on my spare 478 board), but when I tried even jumping the power supply it had no life. So I pluged in my spare power supply and the led on the board lit up, but it still wont turn on. I used a spare power switch and looked at the manual for the right pins for it, still nothing.

The plan was to just give her my spare power supply and charge her $75 for it, then buy a mobo with the $$. But it seems the bad power supply took everything out with it.
Damnit!

I have been trying since January to save up and build a cheap rig better then what i got now. I am getting too impatient to wait untill my birthday in October.