An eVGA motherboard? I didn't even realize they made motherboards. I guess it has decent reviews.
If you're going to overclock, you should really get DDR500 memory so you can keep it synchronous. Getting nice memory isn't going to give you much benefit if you have to run it asynchronously when you overclock, so you might as well get the chapest RAM possible if you're getting PC3200. If you like OCZ, you can get OCZ Gold Rev2 PC4000 CL2.5 2x1GB for $164 on NewEgg, and it has a $20 rebate, so you can probably find it cheap in Canada, too.
Also, if you're already going to overclock, the X2 4400 is a waste of money. It really doesn't have anything going for it.
$295: X2 3800 = 200 x 10 = 2.0 GHz ... overclocked is 250 x 10 = 2.5 GHz
$460: X2 4400 = 200 x 11 = 2.2 GHz ... overclocked is 227 x 11 = 2.5 GHz
$329: Opteron 165 = 200 x 9 = 1.8 GHz ... overclocked is 278 x 9 = 2.5 GHz
They all overclock just about the same, but the X2 4400 costs a lot more. The Opteron is essentially the same thing as the X2 4400 except the multiplier is low enough that it really pushes your memory, but I know Mushkin PC4000 is pretty cheap and can run at on the 278 HTT at full-speed with stock timings and voltage.
Personally, I just got the X2 3800. Just pop it in and set the HTT to 250, then you're running at 2.5 GHz with your DDR500 running right at spec, and you can overclock higher if you want. I've got mine shut up in a desk with the stock heatsink and it's doing fine.
Looking at benchmarks that compare the X2 4400 (2.2GHz 2x1MB cache) and X2 4200 (2.2GHz 2x512KB cache), the performance boost you're getting from that extra cache is right around 1.0% to 1.5% in all the benchmarks I've seen (It's 1.1% faster in video encoding, and the highest is 4.8% faster in WinRAR). So, maybe you think that's worth paying $34 more for the Opteron 165 over the X2 3800, but it is harder on your memory. In the end, it's a bit of a toss-up, and most people choose the Opteron, but I think the X2 4400 is definitely the worst way to go because you're paying about $150 more for something that performs almost exactly the same as the other two.
That is,
if you're going to overclock. If you weren't going to overclock, I think the X2 4400 is the best bang for the buck out there.
Originally posted by: jimbob200521
look like a good build, but you might want to get a different power supply. maybe forton, antec, something a little better if you plan on doing sli later on. as for the gt vs gtx, there is not too much of a difference, not enough to pay the difference, imo. i have the same mobo/video card you are getting, and i have been very happy with it.
also, welcome to the forums
Are you serious? You think Fortron and Antec make better PSUs than EnerMax? Fortron and Antec make really decent budget PSUs, but that's a $90 EnerMax. It's certainly not the PSU I would choose... I guess it is a pretty ancient model, and for that price the $90 Fortron Blue Storm 500W would probably be better... But just because the EnerMax looks old doesn't mean it is old. They're just now getting on the 120mm bandwagon with the Liberty.
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