trying to upgrade mb,cpu & ram... need suggestions

[tommyncal]

I posted awhile back about upgrading son's dead mb (socket A), but will just lay out the parameters and hope someone can help with suggestions on which options might be best. He doesn't game much (older games only, although he did say he had an interest in a game called 'spore', I have no idea what that game is. But he hinted he didn't think it is a very video graphics demanding game.) And no overclocking needed. Just want stable.
He has a seasonic S12 380W PSU and plans on buying a 7600GT video card.

Decided on the athlon 64 X2 3600+ Brisbane cpu.

MB parameters: full size ATX board....2 x PATA slots...Vista ready... $100 or less
found these options, but hard to find any reviews, any help is appreciated.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131096
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135028
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127010
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138041

as far as the RAM goes, I'm looking for 1GB (1 stick) that will work with a 2nd stick later if needed for Vista. Helpful suggestions in my last post have been with G Skill and Super Talent. I just don't know if I need DDR2 533 or DDR2 667 and if those brands will work in either of the MB's I've listed. Thanks for the help

 

[f4phantom2500]

Unless your son plans on going SLI, which, judging by your story, I doubt, there shouldn't be a real reason to go with that ASUS board. Of the ones you listed, I'd go with the ECS one. The Abit one looks good, but if he's not into overclocking it doesn't really matter which you get (that specific Abit board seems to suck at overclocking anyway, judging by user reviews). The reason I say ECS is because they have a $10 combo discount at newegg right now with an OEM 3600, which makes it ultra cheap compared to the competition. As for RAM, I would just go with one of those cheap 2GB kits listed in the Hot Deals forum, maybe the Super Talent one? If you get that ECS board/3600 combo you'd be saving a lot of $ over any of those other boards, so might as well get 2 gigs now imo, plus you'll most likely end up spending less on the RAM overall if you just buy it now, and you're guaranteed that they'll work well in dual channel together.

 

[tommyncal]

Originally posted by: f4phantom2500
Unless your son plans on going SLI, which, judging by your story, I doubt, there shouldn't be a real reason to go with that ASUS board. Of the ones you listed, I'd go with the ECS one. The Abit one looks good, but if he's not into overclocking it doesn't really matter which you get (that specific Abit board seems to suck at overclocking anyway, judging by user reviews). The reason I say ECS is because they have a $10 combo discount at newegg right now with an OEM 3600, which makes it ultra cheap compared to the competition. As for RAM, I would just go with one of those cheap 2GB kits listed in the Hot Deals forum, maybe the Super Talent one? If you get that ECS board/3600 combo you'd be saving a lot of $ over any of those other boards, so might as well get 2 gigs now imo, plus you'll most likely end up spending less on the RAM overall if you just buy it now, and you're guaranteed that they'll work well in dual channel together.

thanks for the reply phantom...I really liked the price of the ecs board but had never heard of ecs and wasn't sure about the quality. With the combo then get a cpu cooler like this:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835186010
Would that board work if he went with Vista in the future?