New System -> Which P4 / Mobo to get?

[PokeSmot]

I'm buildin a new system (givin my 700mhz box to the 'rents), and had a couple questions

After Intel's chip prices get cut, I want to buy a 2.4Ghz chip.
For the motherboard, I want to stay with ASUS, since I've had alot of success with them

I'm thinkin about getting the P4B533 board-> any opinions? (I plan on o/cin just to see what I can get, and then run at 2.4ghz unless i need the extra speed )

Also, would you guys get the 533 FSB or 400FSB version of the 2.4 chip? From what I gather, 533FSB is more of a rambus thing (I may be wrong, I haven't looked into it recently).

Also for sound -> Game theater XP or SB Audigy Platinum (eventually this will be my "entertainment" box)?

 

[Duvie]

Also, would you guys get the 533 FSB or 400FSB version of the 2.4 chip? From what I gather, 533FSB is more of a rambus thing (I may be wrong, I haven't looked into it recently).

I believe the p4 400fsb processor produces 3.2gb of bandwidth....So 400ddr can fulfill all the needs there...some are hitting 440ddr with the memory and thus producing pc3600 levels, and thus can handle p4 at even higher fsb speeds

When p4 hits 533fsb it produces 4.3gb of bandwidth and that is what I believe pc1200 rdram can handle....pc1200 I don't think is out and a few of the pc1066 may hit hose levels...

So in a sense yes...However the higher the fsb will be a boost in performance even when ran in conjunction with ddr. The higher fsb will allow you out of the gate to take advantage of 3:4 mem ratios to run memory of pc2700 to pc3200....

All that being said I did extensive research using toms hardwares last xp 2200+ review to look at bandwidth needs of individual apps he ran and it widely varies...Some programs can give a good boost going to pc1066 from pc800 while others it is neglible to nill...


Do you plan on ocing??? Rdram could be a limiting factor in a chip like the 2.4ghz(533fsb) with a low muliplier...If the fsb gets too say like 150-160 you likely wont get pc1066 to get to pc1200 levels or definitely any higher. Therefore you have to lower the multiplier for the rdram to 3 and all of a sudden you are running pc900-960 levels....

also if ocing the 2.4a chip with its high multiplier is unlikley to oc to 133fsb to take advantage of the rdram pc1066 or the mem ratios to get pc2700-3200ddr levels....at least not with an intel chipset...sis has chipsets with 3:5 and 4:6 ratios...asus p4s533 I believe...

Pc3200 can obtain pc1066 rdram levels and done so for cheaper price.

 

[ToBeMe]

This is purely personal preference as I have or have tried nearly all of them, but, I would consider the SiS 648 chipset Asus board which is due out very soon. It will have SATA, Firewire, as well as many other perks, and the SiS 648 chipset is showing to be nearly as fast as the RDRAM boards and faster that the Intel boards. As far as the bus speed..........definately get the 533 board in whichever you decide upon...............the 533FSB is NOT just a "Rambus Thing"...........

 

[PokeSmot]

At 2.4 ghz, (besides for fun) I don't really think I'll be overclocking, but I would like to keep the option open in case i decide to water cool or whatnot. Thanks for all the input.. any other personal recommendations are welcome.. I'll look into the SiS board!

 

[jiffylube1024]

Originally posted by: PokeSmot
I'm buildin a new system (givin my 700mhz box to the 'rents), and had a couple questions

After Intel's chip prices get cut, I want to buy a 2.4Ghz chip.
For the motherboard, I want to stay with ASUS, since I've had alot of success with them

I'm thinkin about getting the P4B533 board-> any opinions? (I plan on o/cin just to see what I can get, and then run at 2.4ghz unless i need the extra speed )

Also, would you guys get the 533 FSB or 400FSB version of the 2.4 chip? From what I gather, 533FSB is more of a rambus thing (I may be wrong, I haven't looked into it recently).

Also for sound -> Game theater XP or SB Audigy Platinum (eventually this will be my "entertainment" box)?

If I were in the market for a new computer right now, I'd get the P4B533. I'm currently a happy P4B266 user, with no real complaints. For the CPU, I think either one would be fine. You can lock the PCI/agp speeds anyways, so that's not an issue. I'd say get the 533 FSB one because if you get a pretty good overclock to, say around 3GHz, your DDR will be running higher than with the 400 MHz FSB one (and keeping memory:fsb at 1:1).