input on parts for new system

[Phoenixofwater]

Hi, I’m looking for some input on a new system I am thinking of building.
This system will be primarily for games.
The parts below are the ones I am planning on buying, aside from them the system will also be accompanied by an ATI 9800 Pro.
If I could get some feed back, mostly in the areas of memory,:scratch: it would really be helpful because it seems like the people in this forum know their memory.
I am also planning on overclocking this system so any advice would be great.

Cheers!:beer:


Hitachi 80GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=22-145-049&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE)
($67.00 NewEgg.com)
OCZ Enhanced Latency Series 184 Pin 512MB PC-3200 Platinum Edition (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-889&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE)
($125.00 NewEgg.com)
MSI nForce3 250 "K8N Neo Platinum" (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-457&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE)
($126.00 NewEgg.com)
Thermalright Copper Heatsink for both Intel and AMD, Model "SLK948U" (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=35-109-114&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE)
($39.99 NewEgg.com)
Vantec "Stealth" 92mm (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=11-999-603&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE)
($7.05 NewEgg.com)
AMD AMD Athlon 64 3000+ 512K (754)l (http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=120746&Category_Code=AMD64)
($163.00 Monarchcomputer.com)


Shipping $4.00
Total $532.04

[joeMan]

Proceed at your own risk, but I found this for you over at Newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-413R&depa=0
It's a refurb, but it's a 3200 with the 1MB L2 Cache...he heh...good stuff Maynard... and for $219, you can always use Neweggs return policy: "Newegg.com guarantees all refurbish products for 15 days. CPUs, however, must be returned within 7 days for refund...."

Also, on your cooling choice, the SLK-948U is popular with many. I tried it and found it worked well, but I get 4C cooler with the Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu. See my post here:
http://www.bleedinedge.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3572

As far as the board goes, well, you are going to overclock - something I don't do too much of. I do a little, but not much. When I ran a socket 754, I ran the ASUS K8V Deluxe. It was a great board, but you probably have done your homework on the choice above as far as overclocking, so stick with yours man.

Have fun and good luck!

[LostInSpace278]

Well, for one, I own a SLK-948U and it works great. Its coupled with a panoflo 92mm fan that puts out 56 cfm. I don't think you will get that from the stealth. If you are going to overclock, it would not be something I would consider. I found a ThermalTake 90mm fan with about the same output on newegg.
As far as overclocking goes, if you are going to do a bit of OCing, I would choose the PC3500 EB or even the PC3700 EB. The mobo you are wanting is suppose to have AGP/PCI lock, so you will be able to get more FSB than " I think" the PC3200 EB can handle.

[joeMan]

The SLK-948U did work well for me too.

However, I forgot to mention (but it is mentioned in the post which I have linked to above) that I DO NOT run the Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu in stealth mode. I run it always at full speed, which means about 2,600 RPM - and actually I get 3,000 RPM with my particular setup. It uses an 84mm fan. In stealth it moves 38cfm, full speed 50cfm. See my thread for more details:
http://www.bleedinedge.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3572

Also, another good alternative to both the Zalman, and the Thermalright, is the Thermaltake PIPE101. Check it out here:
http://www.thermaltake.com/coolers/comboCool/pipe101/pipe101.htm
Have read good reviews but have not tried it yet...

[Phoenixofwater]

joeMan: Thanks for finding the refurbish cpu for me but by the time I'm ready to order i'm guessing the chip could be gone, if not i'll take the risk and try it out!

LostInSpace278: Should I keep with OCZ ram or try a diff brand? what do you think of this stuff?

Mushkin 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3500 Level One - OEM (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-298&depa=0)

I'm going to relook at my cooling and see if i can find something better that i like(maybe just a better fan)

Some Q's I have now
Is there a big diff with 1MB vs. 512k of cache, should I pay more for a cpu with 1MB cache?
What are people get for AMD 64 overclock?

Cheers

[Flamer]

If your planning on overclocking the OCZ 3500eb runs very well on nforce3. 1 512 meg stick will fly:) If you use 2 sticks on nforce3 your overclock maybe less.

[faruquehabib]

i9'd actually go with the ocz pc3700eb over the 3500eb for overclocking. but, on air cooling, i suppose the 3500eb will oc just dandy for ya. good rig otherwise. maybe throw in a second hdd and raid0? :D

[LostInSpace278]

AMD's do not need as much bandwidth as the Pentiums. The will fly with EL ram. Due to the tighter timings you may have to go with PC3700 EL. As far as the mushkins go, I haven't personally used the level one your talking about. My Mushkin is the PC3200 Special 2-2-2 BH-6. They do not overclock well. With 2-3-3 timings I can get about 212 stable.
1 mb vs. 512: Keep in mind on the 3200+ @2000 Ghz has the 1mb cache. The same 3200+ @2200 has 512 cache. So it seems to make up the difference of 512 cache they had to up the core by 200 mhz.
Here is a Link (http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=20825) you can take a look at. It doesn't have many OC's yet but its still growing.
I think the OCZ guys would be better preppared to tell you the pros and cons of the PC3500 El or the PC3700 EL on an A64 system. Jump on down to the OCZ forum and ask.

[Phoenixofwater]

Cooling is all set, I plan on getting Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu. I remenber that a friend of my got one but was unable to use it on his mobo so he willing to sell it to me cheap. :thumb:
(thanks joeMan for the cooling info!)

Here some OCZ DDR500 Rams that cheaper then the Mushkin DDR433, what do you think? :scratch:
OCZ Enhanced Latency Series Gold Edition 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-4000 - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-932&depa=0)
I'll hop in to the OCZ forum and ask what ram they thing would be best...

I remenber reading some place that the 1mb CPU didn't overclock as well as the 512kb, is this still ture?

[Phoenixofwater]

i9'd actually go with the ocz pc3700eb over the 3500eb for overclocking. but, on air cooling, i suppose the 3500eb will oc just dandy for ya. good rig otherwise. maybe throw in a second hdd and raid0? :D

I would love to have a nice raid setup but i'm trying to do this as cheap as I can..

If I had more money I would have a raid with a BFG 6800 GT OC! :fire: but i don't :beat:

[Phoenixofwater]

I posted in the OCZ Forum
Here a Link (http://www.bleedinedge.com/forum/showthread.php?p=32593#post32593)

Cheers

[Phoenixofwater]

Update List...


Hitachi 80GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=22-145-049&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE)
($67.00 NewEgg.com)
OCZ Enhanced Latency Series Gold Edition 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-4000 - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-932&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE)
($145.00 NewEgg.com)
MSI nForce3 250 "K8N Neo Platinum" (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-457&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE)
($126.00 NewEgg.com)
AMD AMD Athlon 64 3000+ 512K (754) Model# ADA3000AXBOX (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-486&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE)
($175.00 NewEgg.com)

Price: $514.00
Shipping: Free :)
+ $20 to friend for Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu
-----------------------------------------------------
Total: $534.00 :thumb:

Looks good to me...

[Ju57in]

im currently using the k8n neo platinum as well and am currently really enjoying it. but one thing i found. the stock cooler is keeping my chip at 96* F at idle, and the multiplier only unlocks downward. so your overclocking options are limited, so really there is no need for an aftermarket heatsink.

i have never used OCZ before, but i've heard nothing but good things about them. (im slightly partial to the corsair LED ram myself. my dad works for micron, so i guess that makes me a traitor)

[Phoenixofwater]

im currently using the k8n neo platinum as well and am currently really enjoying it. but one thing i found. the stock cooler is keeping my chip at 96* F at idle, and the multiplier only unlocks downward. so your overclocking options are limited, so really there is no need for an aftermarket heatsink.

i have never used OCZ before, but i've heard nothing but good things about them. (im slightly partial to the corsair LED ram myself. my dad works for micron, so i guess that makes me a traitor)


I'm happy you like the K8N Neo! :thumbs:
About the Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu I'm going to be paying about $20 (they sell for about $40) it should work better then the stock cooling and as far as overclocking being limited I don't think so, if your able to lower the multiplier then your able to up the FSB and be able to use faster ram speeds

I never used OCZ ram before this be the first time but i hear they make a fine ram now a days

[Ju57in]

well that board has a ram lock, but it can be disabled so to speak. i ran the cpu at 8x250 (with the ram locked at 200) and i saw almost no improvement. maybe something faster than pc3200 would have helped.