Need some feedback on the new PC I want to build

[tcG]

Originally posted by: Rand3000

Originally posted by: tcG
No problem! 😎

It will work fine with an ATi card, but you won't get the added benefit of going SLI in the future.

Like I said, they are both great boards and should both get you in that 450+ FSB range, provided your RAM is cooperating.

That being said, I would buy the S3, and use $40 I saved to upgrade the X1900GT to an X1950Pro.

Also, what kind of CPU cooling are you looking at?

I was planning on just using the stock cooler because the reviews of the Core 2 Duo overclocked seemed to show that the stock cooler was sufficient. Do you think I'll need a separate cooler? Thanks again for the info.

This is what I think of the E4300:

I have yet to see an E4300 get past 3.36GHz... yay for gimped overclocking ability?

Anandtech's 3.3GHz on 1.46V is pathetic... your average Conroe would be fetching AT LEAST 3.4GHz with those kind of voltages.

I am personally prepared to spend the extra money on an E6400 simply because I haven't seen this new Allendale clocking nearly as high as Conroe's... who needs a multi above 8 anyways? (except for people on phase/WR)

Just because Anandtech used a stock cooler doesn't mean much. Their voltages were still way too high for 3.3GHz... the same goes for XBitLabs.

So what does the E4300 give you? A multiplier that air-overclockers will NEVER use (9) unless they are on crappy RAM (which you aren't), no VT, and from what I've seen, poor overclocking ability.

 

[Rand3000]

So if I switched to the E6400, what kinda of speeds would I be able to get with it overclocked and would an E6300 give a similar performance? I'm guessing I will need a CPU cooler then, any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[tcG]

E6300 has a 7X multiplier so a lofty FSB of 500 will only net you 3400MHz (500 x 7)... and nobody is to say that you're motherboard/RAM will go that far, which is why I would play it safe with the E6400 and it's 8X multiplier.

The difference between the E6400 and the E4300 isn't THAT much... based off what I have personally seen I would say it's no more than a 200MHz difference. $220 vs. $190... your call.