Upgrading again after 1.5 years, need help as I am out of the loop :)

[Seraphim7]

I am getting a little bit of extra $ in about 3 weeks. I am thinking it might be time to retire my XP 1800+ running @ 150 FSB.

Thing is I haven't really been keeping up on CPUs/motherboards/memory in about a year, just what I hear in passing.

I think I will stick with AMD and get one of these Nforce boards everyone is raving about.

I tend to order everything from www.bzboyz.com because they always have decent prices and everything always comes quickly and in perfect working order.

I have been using nothing but Abit since about 99 and plan on sticking with them unless there is a much better motherboard for cheap.

I am thinking about this deal here:
http://www.bzboyz.com/store/product946.html

Abit NF7-S with an Athlon XP 2800+, $307

Then I noticed this one:
http://www.bzboyz.com/store/product813.html

Abit NF7-S with an Athlon XP 2800+, $257.87

It is the same except it is just an Abit NF7, not the NF7-S

Anyone know if there is a big difference between the two Mb's except price?

Then I saw this one too:
http://www.bzboyz.com/store/product3416.html

Abit NF7 with an with Athlon XP 2500+, $173.82

I have heard that the 2500+ will overclock very high with the right memory and cooling. I am using a Swiftech 462A heatsink, the one that screws into the motherboard, which should still be a very good heatsink. So I am thinking that
it might be a lot better deal to get the 2500+ and then OCit, still the price difference from 173 to 257 is small enough that I might just get the 2800+ reguardless.

Also now onto memory. These motherboards support 400 DDR. Is that 3200? I am thinking 512 megs of 400 DDR memory should be plenty still, I don't think a gig of memory is really neccessary in any games yet.

I have always been kinda cheap on memory, but I think this time I might get some Corsair or another good brand. Any recommendations?

I am confused on the Corsair memory though, I mean look at this website:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...ription=&page=2

There are plenty of different configurations, even for 400 DRR, not sure which ones I should get, I don't think the 500 DDR would be worth the cash but maybe some of the others, paired with my heatsink I should get a pretty decent overclock.

Thoughs?

Thanks

 

[JBT]

the NF7-S has SATA Raid and sound storm sound I think firewire also. so if u need them then the extra is worth it. other wise not
the 2500XP is your best bet OC's to the same as the 2800's im pretty sure just cost MUCH less.
Ram I would go for Buffalo PC3200 512MB from new egg. cost 85 bucks awsome deal.

I would personally get ALL those parts from Newegg just check there resellerratings they own.
2500XP retail - 95
NF-7 - 93
Buffalo PC3200 512MB -87
$ 270

Sick stuff right there

Plus you can add a free gift too like a newegg pen or somthing.

 

[wetcat007]

If you got the money you can look at one of those nice new AMD Athlon 64 system 🙂 that Abit board should do you well, I'd recomend a DLTC3 Athlon 1700+ but I don't think they can be found anymore so I guess I can't really recomend it.

 

[Seraphim7]

I have been hearing the new VIA KT600 would be better then the Nforce2 because if I want to upgrade later down the road adding more ram will disable dual channel but the KT600 doesn't have those problems so it is more forward looking.

Also are the majority of 2500+ good overclockers? I am kinda nervous about buying a 2500+ and then having it be a slower one that doesn't overclock well. That is why I am considering the 2800+, I am not sure yet though.

If I can get my cpu and memory to run at 200 FSB that would be very nice, but I don't know if it is wise to buy a slower cpu and hope it will work out.