Your opinion - putting together a new system

[Gigantopithecus]

Hi!
I'm tentatively planning on putting together the following system, my notes/concerns are indicated by the appropriate piece of hardware. I'm not a hardcore gamer, though I do enjoy picking up a new game once in a while so I'd like something that will run newer games. The system will primarily be used for word processing & large data set analysis, as well as a variety of forensic-related apps that are somewhat memory and graphics intensive. So, in other words, I don't need anything really high-end, but I need something with a decent amount of power.

Processor:
I really can't decide between the Athlon 64 [edit] 2800+ ($130), 3000+ ($150), 3200+ ($194) or 3400+ ($223).
Which one do you think is the best value?

MoBo:
Asus K8V SE Deluxe Newegg Link
I've read of some issues with the A8V booting off of SATA hdds, any word as to whether this mobo's had any issues?

Memory:
Crucial 512 sticks Newegg Link
The question is, will using three give me an appreciable advantage over using two? (Like, $80 worth?) Also, how significant will having CAS 3 be compared to CAS 2?

HDD:
Going with the WD 36gb Raptor for boot drive (assuming there's no problems booting off a SATA with the mobo I've listed above). (I have two older IDE drives and a newer 120gb SATA for storage.)

Everything else (dvdr, cdr, etc.) will just be cannibalized off my old system.

Thanks for your comments!

 

[Bateluer]

There is no AXP 3400, the XP topped out at 3200. And I'd still avoid socket A unless you are on an extreme budget. A s939 based mobo and a A64 2800 should cost abou the same as what you originally spec'd and deliver much more memory performance from the on die memory controller. Memory latency also doesnt impact the A64s, so the CAS3 on your RAM doesn't matter. Rest of the system looks pretty good though.

I've never heard of the A8V having issues booting from SATA hdds myself, but I don't really follow all the details of a given board unless I"m interested in buying it myself.

 

[Tea Bag]

I'm assuming you mean Athlon 64, because the Asus K8V supports S754. Judging by your prices, I'm assuming. If you don't need anything "high end", I would probably ditch the raptor and put that money towards something else, like a video card so you can run some of those games. Unless you are overclocking, I don't see a need to run CAS 2 ram either, you can just pick up a couple sticks of Corsair value RAM.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Doh, yeah, I meant Athlon 64 not Athlon XP. My bad!

 

[bob4432]

get rid of the raptor and just use a decent pata 7200rpm 8MB cache drive.

 

[slpaulson]

If you're going for socket 754, I'd get DFI's nforce3 board over the board you have listed. If you're going to get a via chipset board, I'd at least try to get the newer VIA K8T800 pro chipset.

BTW the A8V motherboard you mention is a socket 939 board, so that would change your cpu choices.
I suspect the problem with it booting off of SATA drives is user error. You need to use the driver disk when you install windows....


Also, do you plan on doing any overclocking?

 

[Tea Bag]

Originally posted by: cRazYdood

BTW the A8V motherboard you mention is a socket 939 board, so that would change your cpu choices.

His link goes to---

Model# K8V SE DELUXE
Item # N82E16813131490

Specifications:
Supported CPU: Socket 754 for AMD Athlon 64 Processors

but yes, the A8V is 939, and I also think you should go S939 as well.

 

[slpaulson]

Originally posted by: Tea Bag

Originally posted by: cRazYdood

BTW the A8V motherboard you mention is a socket 939 board, so that would change your cpu choices.

His link goes to---

Model# K8V SE DELUXE
Item # N82E16813131490

Specifications:
Supported CPU: Socket 754 for AMD Athlon 64 Processors

but yes, the A8V is 939, and I also think you should go S939 as well.

I was responding to this

I've read of some issues with the A8V booting off of SATA hdds, any word as to whether this mobo's had any issues?

I'm going to be building a computer with that motherboard soon...

 

[Tea Bag]

Ahhh.. not the OP. Anyhoo - if the OP's was gonna get a raptor, I think the better choice would be the migration to a 939 solution.

 

[JBDan]

Originally posted by: Gigantopithecus
Hi!
I'm tentatively planning on putting together the following system, my notes/concerns are indicated by the appropriate piece of hardware. I'm not a hardcore gamer, though I do enjoy picking up a new game once in a while so I'd like something that will run newer games. The system will primarily be used for word processing & large data set analysis, as well as a variety of forensic-related apps that are somewhat memory and graphics intensive. So, in other words, I don't need anything really high-end, but I need something with a decent amount of power.

Processor:
I really can't decide between the Athlon 64 [edit] 2800+ ($130), 3000+ ($150), 3200+ ($194) or 3400+ ($223).
Which one do you think is the best value?

MoBo:
Asus K8V SE Deluxe Newegg Link
I've read of some issues with the A8V booting off of SATA hdds, any word as to whether this mobo's had any issues?

Memory:
Crucial 512 sticks Newegg Link
The question is, will using three give me an appreciable advantage over using two? (Like, $80 worth?) Also, how significant will having CAS 3 be compared to CAS 2?

HDD:
Going with the WD 36gb Raptor for boot drive (assuming there's no problems booting off a SATA with the mobo I've listed above). (I have two older IDE drives and a newer 120gb SATA for storage.)

Everything else (dvdr, cdr, etc.) will just be cannibalized off my old system.

Thanks for your comments!

i say go with the 3000+ for 155$ oem @ Newegg> it is easily overclockable to 3500+ speeds on air/ The a8v' issues are not really issues just people not reading the installation manual carefully. Just have to make a bios setting that allows windows to recognize the sata drive thats all / This is a great mobo / Good mem you have selected, but I like corsair and corsair is approved by asus / Raptor is rather loud at times, but you do get a performance increase with it over the 7200 rpm drives. Nice system good luck