Need advice on 2 systems

[Fureddo]

Hey guys!
Long time reader first time poster here.
Where to start...
Well, looking to build 2 system. Either with the same spec or
totally different (AM2+ vs Intel ).

Would be very kind of you guys to help me out.
Read a few reviews and all but haven't gotten all my answers yet.

Looking for 2 solid MOBOs
I'm looking into :

PCI-Express 2.0 support
Intergrated Wifi
More than 6 USB 2.0 ports
Possibility for dual GPUs (Optional)
SATA drive support (DVD Rom and HDD)

I will go for a HD4850 for both systems. Not going to OC.
It will be used for mainly for playing an MMO or a FPS.
Need a board that will last me at least 2 years with the current trends and all.

So yeah i'm looking for AM2+ or Intel Combo
On the intel side i saw the P5Q3 Deluxe Wifi/AP... Is that a good choice? Is there any other options?
And on the AMD side is there a combo that matches these specs?

Can you please help me?

 

[o1die]

Fry's.com has the e8500 for around $155 shipped. The asus board is a good choice. I use asrock; they're ok for non overclockers.

 

[Fureddo]

Thanks but for the long run should i go with 4 cores or not. I know that games barely use 2 cores... but that should change soon right ? Or is the dual core the best choice regarding gaming?

 

[perdomot]

On the AMD side, the 790GX mobo is an excellent choice with either an x3 or x4 Phenom and 1-2 4850 vid cards. I like AMD's Spider platform idea where the cpu-mobo-vid card really work together well as opposed to a hodge podge of good parts from different vendors. My x3 rig has been stable and fast the last 5 months which is more than I can say for some of my other experiences.

 

[perdomot]

BTW, X3 prices were recently cut so you should be able to find some good deals on them.

 

[Fureddo]

Thanks again but what about the IGP? Will it work with a 4850 or the 3xxx ones only?

 

[perdomot]

The advantage of the 790GX over the 780G is that it has two vid card slots so you can do real Crossfire with two vid cards. The hybrid graphics only works with the 3xxx cards. Check out this combo I just found:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...d=0&PageSize=10&page=1
$243 is a sweet deal IMHO.

 

[Fureddo]

Ah very nice!! But performance wise. Money is not really an issue but performance wise should i go for AMD or Intel. I was one who adopted the X2 64 and loved them to death. I know gpu wise they are currently. because if the way things are i could pretty much by 2 AMD systems instead of one of each...

 

[o1die]

Newegg.com will save you a few bucks on their combo deals, mostly with amd. As far as dual core versus quad core, you'll get a variety of answers. The q6600 has been recommended for some time for it's price and overclocking capabilities. It's being phased out in the next few months. At $150, the e8500 is also a great deal, but only 2 cores. There is no one right answer. I recommended to one guy that he look at his budget and order the cpu last with whatever $$ he has left over. Good advice, as many cpus will work fine. Both amd and Intel are changing designs soon that will require a new board, so nothing is future proof.

 

[Fureddo]

Very good! then i shall think on i t a while. Read more on it and pretty much get that done with all the feedback i got from here!! Thanks again!

 

[perdomot]

Intel has an advantage when OCing comes into play for stuff like video encoding mostly. I tried an E4400 cpu that OC'd to 3Ghz easily and it was fast but I developed problems in Windows with both a P965 mobo from Gigabyte and then a P35 mobo from Intel. Even running at stock speeds had little issues and I believe its the fact that these are excellent parts individually but together as a platform, issues seem to occur. AMD took the approach that its the platform that matters most and having the cpu,mobo chipset and vidcard from the same company really seems to work. I got an X3 for the extra core for multitasking and extra horsepower because I didn't see to much use for a quad right now.

 

[o1die]

Fry's stores are the best for pricing; but few folks have them in their town. Today's ad has a 7200 with ecs board and antec case for $130 after $30 rebate.

 

[Fureddo]

Interesting point. I read the review on the 790GX + SB750. It seems that they do work well together and are a winning combination. Hmmm Well so many choices so little time. Mobo wise i guess the P5Q (intel ) or the GA-MA790GP-DS4H (AMD) are good choices? Either way good bargains are on all sites so i might as well window shop a bit