help!

[dudeman007]

Ok I'm sure you have all heard this before but I really need your input.

I'm building a new system, and I guess I'm quite a n00b. I'm a heavy gamer, so I decided to build my own system. so far I know I'm getting...

p4 intel 3.2ghz
ati 9800 xt
Xaser III Lanfire w/ 420 psu
samsung 120 SATA hdd
some random sony cdrw/dvd rom drive

OK!...now

I'm pretty sure I'll get the TWINX1024-3200c2pro by Corsair

but I'm really unsure about the mobo now.

Originally, I thought I'd go for the intel 875 mobo. Then i thought the asus p4c800e del. Then I thought the gigabyte GA-8KNXP. THEN i thought about the msi 875P NEO-FIS2R. Till today i was torn between the asus and msi untill today when i decided I would go for the msi. But now all I see in forums is rants about problems. I don't plan to o/c. I just want a solid, stable, and good featured mobo. Please help me out! Much thanks.

 

[smahoney]

Either the Abit IC7 Max3 or the Asus P4C800 E Deluxe - The best two available right now. Personally I go with Abit first. With everything your spending I would go with a WD Raptor drive instead of the Samsung though.

 

[Peter]

"Help!" is not a good headline. Name your problem! Attract people who might know!

 

[zodder]

Take a good look at some of the 865PE based mobos, too. If you aren't overclocking and want a good stable system, you can save a few dollars by going the Springdale route. The performance is almost on par with the 875 chipset.

edit - The 865PE based boards overclock fantastically. I didn't want it to sound like they didn't

 

[dudeman007]

Thank you soo much! Sorry about the header, i guess you are right, it wasn't very informative. I really think I should get an 875p mobo because i heard the 865 ones dont have agp 8x pro. With my graphics card I am going to want it. Also, I talked to a few guys at some local stores and they recommended the asus p4c800e deluxe, but they said that board doesnt like low latency ram. Is that true, and if so what would you recommend? Thanks again for all your input.

 

[pspada]

I just helped a friend put together a 2.8E w/Abit IS7. Nice system!

 

[dudeman007]

sweet

How was the install? The thing I'm most worried about right now is getting a bad mobo/memory combo. I'm leaning to the asus p4c800 e deluxe right now. Anybody beg to differ? hehe. By the way, me being a n00b, since i dont plan to o/c anytime soon, shouldnt everything be straight forward? I shouldn't really even have to touch the bios. I might be wrong, but since I'm not trying to up anything, it should be almost good to go right?

 

[Fricardo]

The P4C800 E Deluxe is a nice board. I built a system for my friend with it a while back. I put some pretty high quality RAM in there and it's running at CAS 2 no problem. I haven't heard of anyone having those sort of conflicts with this motherboard, so I wouldn't worry about it. It's a nice board; go for it.

As far as not having to touch the BIOS, that's not really realistic. If you are afraid to look around the BIOS then you shouldn' t be building your own computer. Going in there is the first thing you should do the first time your new system posts. You are going to have to change settings, and it's really not that bad.

If you build your own system, you need to learn to be familiar with it. If you don't want to do that then you should have someone else build you a computer...

 

[Fricardo]

Oh, I forgot:

Don't buy the 9800 XT, get a 9800 Pro. The performance boost you'll get from the XT is <10% and it'll cost like twice as much. It's not worth it. Just save up your money and upgrade your card in like a year when much more powerful cards will be out. If you really have cash burning a hole in your pocket, do what smahoney said and buy a raptor. I guarantee you that it'll be a better investment.

 

[dudeman007]

Originally posted by: Fricardo
The P4C800 E Deluxe is a nice board. I built a system for my friend with it a while back. I put some pretty high quality RAM in there and it's running at CAS 2 no problem. I haven't heard of anyone having those sort of conflicts with this motherboard, so I wouldn't worry about it. It's a nice board; go for it.

As far as not having to touch the BIOS, that's not really realistic. If you are afraid to look around the BIOS then you shouldn' t be building your own computer. Going in there is the first thing you should do the first time your new system posts. You are going to have to change settings, and it's really not that bad.

If you build your own system, you need to learn to be familiar with it. If you don't want to do that then you should have someone else build you a computer...

Well i didn't really post that one right, but I know I'll have to change some stuff. But I don't want to be writing a whole damn essay. I went to PC club and they told me if I leave everything on auto it will be ok. I say BS to that. Anyways thanks for the help so far. I think I will order this board.