So i bought some memory, but now i am not sure if i made the right choice...

[ribbon13]

or an MSI RS480M2-IL for mATX

 

[ribbon13]

Asus is alright, used to be the best, but not so much anymore.

 

[REDtoLINE]

Do any of you have aim, so i can talk to you guys about my entire system i am planning on building...because it looks like i picked out terrible hardware for everything...

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: REDtoLINE
Well, everyone is linking me to all these other sites, but the only site i would like to use is newegg...now i have to see if i can return this memory >_<

You so dont get it! The memory latency makes no performance differance on AMD64 processors!


READ THIS NOW!
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=1475190&forumid=1

originaly posted by zebo

Intro
I have hinted in the past of doing some memory tests, since it's my belief, given the Athlon 64 architecture and it's integrated memory controller, there is no significant advantage to buying expensive ram over the cheap stuff. All the time I'll say get the cheapest PC3200 value ram @ $140 for 1gig instead of overclockers RAM costing twice as much. ANAND and just about everyones else is guilty of hyping the expensive ram and never show comparos with cheap ram. Are you getting the best bang for the buck buying expensive ram? Well here it is.

I'll use the same processor speed thoughout, a realistic overclock of 2610Mhz, only adjusting timings, speed and/or swapping for cheaper parts. I use a overclock, because higher processor speed, the more pronouced the benefits of expensive ram*should show. My tests are not compatable with Anands because he uses different processor speeds thoughout his A64 memory tests which is apples to oranges. Keeping processor speed the same ensures seeing *only* the benefit of differnet memory configuations.



Test Configuration:

-Video card is BFG6800GT@ultra.
-CPU Winch 939 1800@2610 Mhz, 290Mhz HTT, 3x LDT
-Operating system Windows 2000 service pack 4 and all updates.
-Dx version- 9c
-Lastest *official* Nvidia video card and Nvidia motherboard drivers.
-All memory is 2 x 512 MB.

Test 1: Super budget crucial PC2100 ram Henceforth refered to as ?old ram?
290 bus
100 memsetting yeilds PC2300 (145Mhz)
3 3 3 1T

Test2: PC3200 Buffalo Value ram w/ CH-5 chips Henceforth refered to as ?value ram?
290 Bus
133 mem setting Yeilds ~PC3000 (186Mhz)
3-3-3 1T

Test 3: Low Latency (LL) and PC3000, many ram can do this!! I used the TCCD here, but "value" buffalo can handle this speed and latency too!!
290bus
133 mem setting Yeilds ~PC3000 (186Mhz)
2-2-2 1T

Test 4: Highend: PQI PC3200 w/ Samsung TCCD
290Bus 1:1
200 memsetting Yeilds ~PC4700 (290Mhz)
3-4-3 1T

Test 5: Highend: Crucial Ballistix PC3200 (uses Micron G)
290Bus
166 memsetting Yeilds ~PC3800 (237Mhz)
2.5-2-2 1T

Testing software:

All real world except Sandra mem/cpu just to show how erronious it is for A64:

-SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2005, mem and CPU
-Far Cry 1.3 HardwareOC Far Cry Benchmark Demo , max details, AF = 1, AA = 0, 800x600 and 1600 x 1200
-Unreal Tournament 2003 @ 10x7 default settings
-Doom3- All High Quality Settings, "timedemo demo1 1", AA4x, 1600x1200 and 1024x768
-Half Life 2- All High Quality Settings, Route Kanal custom demo features indoor/outdoor, AA6x, AF4x, 1600x1200 and 1024x768
-LAME 3.96.1 (build from mitiok.cjb.net)Default settings 163MB CBS Masterworks Beethoven Symph #9 op.125 Allegro non troppo, un poco maestoso 16:44m
-Cinebench 2003
-ScienceMark 2.0 beta (23SEP03 build) - Molecular Dynamics
-PiFast Parameters: 0,0,10m,1024,1
-Superpi 1M
-Winrar 3.41 internal benchmark
-POV-Ray v3.6 Chess2.pov 1024x768 AA.03
-DVDShrink 3.2 Lawrence Of Arabia Superbit Encode Chap 1-6, 863MB to 500 MB = 58% compression (sharp quality setting)

Results

Sandr mem INT ALU
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 4285
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 5556
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 5602
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 7272
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 6977

Sandra mem FLOAT FPU
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 4288
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 5550
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 5603
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 7267
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 6904
As you can see, TCCD Sanda mem is showing a whopping ~70% faster vs. the cheapest PC2100 ram ever sold. And 30% more than value ram, PC3000 ram @3-3-3. Will this translate into real performance gains? Well lets see.

Sandra CPU Drystone ALU
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 11064
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 11068
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 11066
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 11071
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 11068
no difference

Sandra CPU FPU
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 4253
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 4253
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 4253
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 4252
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T -4353
no difference

Sandra CPU SSE2
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 5527
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 5536
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 5528
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 5551
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 5446
meh, now lets get to the real world:

Farcry 800x600 in FPS
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 61.46
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 66.49
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 72.67
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 74.97
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 77.08

Farcry 1600x1200 in FPS
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 62.25
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 68.14
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 71.31
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 73.52
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 74.42
On farcry, we see ~18% faster performance from the old ram. But only ~8% faster than value ram. hint: spend the xtra $100 on a better video card. Notice async low latency Ballistix owning all even 1:1 TCCD.


Doom3 1024x768 in FPS
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 77.8
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 80.3
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 81.4
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 82.3
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 82.4
No signifigant difference above PC3000

Doom3 1600x1200 in FPS
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 44.6
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 44.6
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 44.6
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 44.5
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 44.6

Video card limitation here...

Half-life 2 1024x768 in FPS
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 113.3
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 120.9
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 131.6
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 133.3
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 134.4
We see low timings here credited with speed since PC3000LL is basically equivalent to PC4700. Overall nothing big above PC 3000.

Half-life 2 1600x1200 in FPS
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 98.77
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 102.5
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 106.0
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 107.9
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 107.3
Same as above. Save your money.

Pifast in seconds
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 38.91
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 36.53
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 35.48
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 34.67
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 34.45
We see bandwitdh have *some* effect here..nothing to write home about. PC2300 vs PC4700 is 10.9% faster, but very small difference vs. value ram.

Superpi 1M in seconds
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 37
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 34
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 33
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 32
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T -32
Similar as above. Nothing drastic at anything above PC3000

Science Mark- Molecular Dynamics time in seconds
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 67.03
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 66.92
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 66.68
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 66.69
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 66.47
Seems bandwidth has no effect here.

CineBench 2003 Rendering
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 363
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 365
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 366
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 368
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 367
Seems bandwidth has no effect here.

CineBench 2003 Shading
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 414
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 426
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 434
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 439
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 440
Infinitesmal bandwidth help

CineBench 2003 OpenGL SW
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 1949
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 1992
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 2019
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 2032
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 2034
Infinitesmal bandwidth help

CineBench 2003 OpenGL HW
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 3568
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 3662
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 3756
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 3781
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 3796
this is getting old, on to another game.

UT2003 10x7 Flyby
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 297
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 319
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 334
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 341
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 345
14% max boost, hey but very small difference with value ram.

UT2003 10x7 BotMatch
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 110
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 118
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 123
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 127
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 128
15% boost over PC2300, only 8% over value ram.

Winrar in KB/s
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 496
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 564
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 636
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 651
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T - 703!!!
Here we see pretty signifigant gains due to bandwidth 41% diff top to bottom. This test obviously is very beneficial to have bandwidth or LL. Update: Crucial Ballistix owning all, Winrar seems the like LL even more than bandwidth. We sorta saw this already by the very close scores of PC3000 LL VS PC4700 high bandwitdh.

Lame in seconds
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 56
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 56
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 56
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 56
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T -56
Seems bandwidth or LL has no effect here.

Chess2.pov in seconds
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 246
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 245
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 246
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 247
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T -246
Seems bandwidth or LL has no effect here.

DVDShrink in seconds
PC2300 - 3-3-3 1T- 243
PC3000 - 3-3-3 1T- 235
PC3000 - 2-2-2 1T- 228
PC4700 - 3-4-3 1T- 221
PC3800 - 2.5-2-2-1T -224
DVDShrink seems to like bandwidth a little bit.


Summary of Results
Well there it was. While sandra likes to show whopping 70% increased bandwidth of expensive TCCD it really does'nt translate to real world . Only one area seemed signifigant was winrar. The couple game tests which slow slight inprovement with bandwidth or LL, I think you're much better of upgrading to the next tier of video card if on a budget instead of investing with overpriced ram. Investing in expensive Ram probably offers to poorest bang for the buck of any computer part. What's intesting was Ballistix's async 166 and LL the performance faired a little better than TCCD 1:1. Seems A64 prefers LL rather than bandwidth? Also shows that running async is'nt to be shunned.

Course if you want the best, go right ahead and invest in expensive ram, as shown it makes a slight difference in gaming and winrar but I'm sticking with $130 2x512 value ram and use a divider from now on because the price to performance ratio is simply not worth it. IMO You're much better off using that cash for the next level of video card which really does boost performance by ~70% in games.

One other thing of intrest is PC3000 running async 133 at low timings 2-2-2 was almost as good as PC4700 high bandwidth but loose timings TCCD is forced to run at 290Mhz.... many a ram can do ~200Mhz 2-2-2.


Bottom Line:

Some Games = very slight benefit to using expensive high bandwidth TCCD or expensive LL ram Like Ballistix over value ram. Winrar sees major benefit though, 41% top to bottom.

LAME, Cinebench, ScienceMark, PiFast, Superpi, POV-Ray, DVDShrink shows no or infinitesmal boost above Value ram.







*Note: I've gotten some PM complaining "well I run 2-2-2 275Mhz with BH-5 or OCZ VX or 320Mhz 3-4-3 w/TCCD" Well first of all, how many volts you push though? 3.5? 4.0? With a 120mm 120 cfm fan blowing thier way? Plus you use 2x256 which overclock much much more to begin with rather than 2x512 which most every user will use. Sorry, this test features the maximum overclocks of TCCD and Micron G with safe onboard voltages most Anandtech users and Anand/Westley themselves will use. My memory modules did as well or better than anands A64 memory tests. 2.85 max voltage. It also does'nt include OCZ booster, active ram cooling, and/or motherboard voltage modifications. We all know what's possible but I'm focusing on probable when entertaining different memory. Even so after all that work, expense, voiding your warranties, etc, you won't see much benefit over value ram running "ansyc" as I think I've shown.


IF you still must insist on buying from newegg then you can pay more for the same stuff or get it direct from the manufacturer with free shipping , ask if you can borrow your parents credit card, also i believe but am not sure but I think crucial takes checks and other payment forms.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: Spikesoldier

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: REDtoLINE
Well, everyone is linking me to all these other sites, but the only site i would like to use is newegg...now i have to see if i can return this memory >_<

Scary mentality if you ask me! Thanks for helping to build another monopoly like Wal*Mart, Microsoft and Intel! Crucial has customer service levels that are some of the highest in the industry. If you really want you can buy crucial from newegg.com but you won't be getting a lifetime warrenty like you would if you bought from crucial.com

newegg.com is one of the few online stores that will ship to APO/FPO addresses. thumbs up from them and they will exclusively get my business while i am overseas.

I agree 100% kudos to newegg.com!

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: REDtoLINE

Originally posted by: ribbon13
DFI Ultra-D

I was told by my friend, that ASUS was the best company to go with...

it's a fine board and benchmarks a little bit higher than the competitors boards.

 

[ribbon13]

Aim name is same as here

A link would have sufficed there googer! 😛

For the price you paid on RAM and a CPU and likely the rest of the system I could have gotten you an entry level dual-opteron.

 

[REDtoLINE]

I wish someone would have told me that latency has no effect on AMD...i thought i was buying really really really good memory when i got this >_<

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: REDtoLINE
I wish someone would have told me that latency has no effect on AMD...i thought i was buying really really really good memory when i got this >_<

Crucial is Really Good memory for AMD, It performs well and is highly reliable. IF you can get your money back do it. And with the savings get more ram (2gb) or a faster video card.

 

[REDtoLINE]

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: REDtoLINE
I wish someone would have told me that latency has no effect on AMD...i thought i was buying really really really good memory when i got this >_<

Crucial is Really Good memory for AMD, It performs well and is highly reliable. IF you can get your money back do it. And with the savings get more ram (2gb) or a faster video card.

i got an X850XT PE PCI-E

i dont think i need a faster video card 😉

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Aim name is same as here

A link would have sufficed there googer! 😛

For the price you paid on RAM and a CPU and likely the rest of the system I could have gotten you an entry level dual-opteron.

I linked, but I don't think he was reading it. Otherwise I would have left it alone. 😉

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Bad choice in motherboard IMHO.

I'd keep the Corsair. Its got a lifetime warranty no matter where you bought it.

The same with crucial, except the stuff newegg sells in the OEM package minus the warrenty. I have bought crucial in the retail package from best buy and gotten the whole warrenty deal.

 

[Googer]

Call crucial and find out what other payments they take

800-336-8915

Hours listed are Mountain time
Monday-Friday: 7am - 6pm
Saturday: 10am - 2pm

 

[509th]

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Bad choice in motherboard IMHO.

I'd keep the Corsair. Its got a lifetime warranty no matter where you bought it.

The same with crucial, except the stuff newegg sells in the OEM package minus the warrenty. I have bought crucial in the retail package from best buy and gotten the whole warrenty deal.

Not true, the Crucial from NewEgg comes with Lifetime Warranty.....

Crucial 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 - OEM


Model# CT6464Z40B
Item # N82E16820146532
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Crucial
Speed: DDR400(PC3200)
Type: 184 Pin DDR SDRAM
Error Checking: Non-ECC
Registered/Unbuffered: Unbuffered
Cas Latency: 3
Support Voltage: 2.5V
Bandwidth: 3.2GB/s
Organization: 64M x 64 -Bit
Warranty: Lifetime
Price: $60.00

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Most would tell you that you overspent by $140 or so...
G.skill
Patriot

What's the platform in question? AMD or Intel?

That's generic stuff that I stay away from with a 10 foot pole.

you have no idea what you are talking about

 

[WW2Planes1]

i'm almost afraid to get involved with this thread, googer and ribbon seem to be pretty adamant here.

I'm gonna say just go ahead and keep the RAM. If you've got a system that works an you're happy with. here's my take on it:
You could have gotten by with cheaper RAM (either Value Select or Crucial), but why? It's not exactly like you've tried to save money anywhere else in building this system. If you want the absolute BEST performing RAM out there, get OCZ VX RAM and overclock it. If you want some really good RAM from a reputable vendor that will last for a long time and handle some really nice overclocks, keep what you've got, just for the sake of saving yourself the hastle of trying to return it. If you want the minimum RAM that you need, get the Crucial or Corsair Value Select. Memory timings don't make that big a difference, and I can run my Crucial at 2.5-2-2-10 1T at DDR400, which is pretty good for cheap RAM.

With the motherboard, I still go with Asus products as well. They still make really solid, reliable products. What they don't do anymore is make the best overclocking boards. That title goes to DFI, and has ever since the LAN Party series was introduced. Pretty much the same thing applies that I said about the memory, you've got a nice motherboard, and is it worth the hastle of trying to return/exchange it? IMO, probably not.

and don't blindly take whatever someone says. the best way to learn anything is by making mistakes, so, I would just remember this for the next time you build. I'm on my third build, and there are still things that I would have done differently if I had it to do over again.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: 509th

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: ribbon13
Bad choice in motherboard IMHO.

I'd keep the Corsair. Its got a lifetime warranty no matter where you bought it.

The same with crucial, except the stuff newegg sells in the OEM package minus the warrenty. I have bought crucial in the retail package from best buy and gotten the whole warrenty deal.

Not true, the Crucial from NewEgg comes with Lifetime Warranty.....

Crucial 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 - OEM


Model# CT6464Z40B
Item # N82E16820146532
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Crucial
Speed: DDR400(PC3200)
Type: 184 Pin DDR SDRAM
Error Checking: Non-ECC
Registered/Unbuffered: Unbuffered
Cas Latency: 3
Support Voltage: 2.5V
Bandwidth: 3.2GB/s
Organization: 64M x 64 -Bit
Warranty: Lifetime
Price: $60.00

Ok then show me where it comes with a lifetime warrenty? It's OEM and the warrety is not the responsibility of Crucial; Newegg.com or what ever retailer you purchase from handles all OEM warrenties for all OEM products sold through that company including CPU's, Hard Drives, RAM, Video Cards, Sound Cards, Corsair RAM, SCSI Controllers, ETC. I will believe you, if you can prove to me that it can be replaced by contacting crucial.com. Otherwise it does not come with a "real" lifetime warrenty and is only covered by retailer's (newegg.com's) replacement policy that can vary from 100 years to nothing at all for OEM products.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: WW2Planes1



"With the motherboard, I still go with Asus products as well."

"and don't blindly take whatever someone says. the best way to learn anything is by making mistakes, so, I would just remember this for the next time you build. I'm on my third build, and there are still things that I would have done differently if I had it to do over again."

Agreed

 

[REDtoLINE]

Originally posted by: WW2Planes1
i'm almost afraid to get involved with this thread, googer and ribbon seem to be pretty adamant here.

I'm gonna say just go ahead and keep the RAM. If you've got a system that works an you're happy with. here's my take on it:
You could have gotten by with cheaper RAM (either Value Select or Crucial), but why? It's not exactly like you've tried to save money anywhere else in building this system. If you want the absolute BEST performing RAM out there, get OCZ VX RAM and overclock it. If you want some really good RAM from a reputable vendor that will last for a long time and handle some really nice overclocks, keep what you've got, just for the sake of saving yourself the hastle of trying to return it. If you want the minimum RAM that you need, get the Crucial or Corsair Value Select. Memory timings don't make that big a difference, and I can run my Crucial at 2.5-2-2-10 1T at DDR400, which is pretty good for cheap RAM.

With the motherboard, I still go with Asus products as well. They still make really solid, reliable products. What they don't do anymore is make the best overclocking boards. That title goes to DFI, and has ever since the LAN Party series was introduced. Pretty much the same thing applies that I said about the memory, you've got a nice motherboard, and is it worth the hastle of trying to return/exchange it? IMO, probably not.

and don't blindly take whatever someone says. the best way to learn anything is by making mistakes, so, I would just remember this for the next time you build. I'm on my third build, and there are still things that I would have done differently if I had it to do over again.

Well you are right, i am pretty happy with what i chose...and the fact that i picked it out myself makes me feel like i did this whole project on my own...but i have been talking to ribbon for the past, oh, 3 hours...and we have been looking at other motherboards...here is what we have come down too, because i do not want DFI...i also have to take the color of the board into consideration, since i have a clear window and i will have this computer next to me for a few years, i will have to look at it...

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-128-283&depa=1
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-484&depa=1

I dunno, what do you think?

 

[Googer]

Keep what you have there is nothing wrong with it, except the ram was too much money and unessary; but otherwise don't worry about, your system is faster than 99.7% of the rest of the words PC's.

 

[REDtoLINE]

Originally posted by: Googer
Keep what you have there is nothing wrong with it, except the ram was too much money and unessary; but otherwise don't worry about, your system is faster than 99.7% of the rest of the words PC's.

Just promise me that you will give all that CPU goodness to good cause and not let any CPU cycles go to waste by running Folding at Home
http://folding.stanford.edu/

I have no idea what you are talking about...?

 

[Googer]

EDIT: those were suppost to be two separate posts.

With a CPU as great as the fx-55, Just promise me that you will give all that extra CPU power to a good cause when you are not using it and not let any CPU cycles go to waste by running Folding at Home
http://folding.stanford.edu/

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: REDtoLINE

Originally posted by: Googer
Keep what you have there is nothing wrong with it, except the ram was too much money and unessary; but otherwise don't worry about, your system is faster than 99.7% of the rest of the words PC's.

Just promise me that you will give all that CPU goodness to good cause and not let any CPU cycles go to waste by running Folding at Home
http://folding.stanford.edu/

I have no idea what you are talking about...?

Folding at home is a program that downloads molecular data and uses it to try to find cures for dieases. The program only runs when you are away from your computer and you will never notice it running even if you are playing a game; It will stop as soon as the user launches a program or needs to do some work. It's a very noble cause to help further reasearch and understanding of human dieases and their cures.

 

[aatf510]

Originally posted by: Googer
EDIT: those were suppost to be two separate posts.

With a CPU as great as the fx-55, Just promise me that you will give all that extra CPU power to a good cause when you are not using it and not let any CPU cycles go to waste by running Folding at Home
http://folding.stanford.edu/

I did that for month with my FX-55 rig, I had to stop due to the heat generated by my computer and after I read my eletricity bill.

 

[aatf510]

Originally posted by: REDtoLINE

Well you are right, i am pretty happy with what i chose...and the fact that i picked it out myself makes me feel like i did this whole project on my own...but i have been talking to ribbon for the past, oh, 3 hours...and we have been looking at other motherboards...here is what we have come down too, because i do not want DFI...i also have to take the color of the board into consideration, since i have a clear window and i will have this computer next to me for a few years, i will have to look at it...

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-128-283&depa=1
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-484&depa=1

I dunno, what do you think?

No worries. You are making fine choices.
For mobos, any nForce4 Ultra/SLI would be good, ASUS, DFI, MSI are all good brands.
They will performance very similiarly unlike Intel boards because the memory controller is located on AMD64.

For memory, your Corsair 2-2-2-5 is perfectly fine if money isn't a big factor. Slower 2.5 CAS memory are usually recommend because they offer better *price to performance ratio. Afterall, 2-2-2-5 low latency performs a little better and you can't argue about that.
And you should not return your Corsair for OCZ (newegg charges 15% restocking on *ALL returns). People prefer OCZ (not referring to the high voltage version) over Corsair because it seems to overclock a little better but it does depend on your luck, otherwise your Corsair would be exactly the same as the OCZ.