Looking for Recommendations for my next PC

  • Thread starter Thread starter Daave
  • Start date Start date
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Daave

I'm ready to purchase a new PC. I'm not sure yet if I should buy
something preconfigured or build my own. I want it to be powerful and
fast, but I don't believe I will have any requirements for 3-D graphics
as I am not a gamer. I'm pretty sure I will want to do both audio
(electronic music recording, editing, and mixing) and video editing, so
I know RAM is important. What other specs should I be concerned with?
Especially, what is the best kind of CPU? Does the type of CPU required
depend on particular software I may run (I'm not sure yet which audio
and video editing software I plan on using)? Also, any recommendations
for graphics and sound cards would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
Daave said:
I'm ready to purchase a new PC. I'm not sure yet if I should buy
something preconfigured or build my own. I want it to be powerful
and fast, but I don't believe I will have any requirements for 3-D
graphics as I am not a gamer. I'm pretty sure I will want to do
both audio (electronic music recording, editing, and mixing) and
video editing, so I know RAM is important. What other specs should
I be concerned with? Especially, what is the best kind of CPU?
Does the type of CPU required depend on particular software I may
run (I'm not sure yet which audio and video editing software I
plan on using)? Also, any recommendations for graphics and sound
cards would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

I think video stuff is not far from gaming, so you might want to
take a look at gaming systems. Even better might be to ask in video
editing USENET groups. Technical savvy application users are
probably your best source for hardware requirements. If you'd like
to start building your own (to have exactly what you want), the
easiest way might be to buy a prebuilt system and start doing
upgrades. I think OEMs make some very upgradable computers at maybe
higher than entry-level (low end) prices, low end business/server
types I guess. Or buy a high quality used computer (from
wherever/whoever, some reliable source) and start from there. I
guess bare-bones computers are another option.

Good luck and have fun.
 
Daave said:
I'm ready to purchase a new PC. I'm not sure yet if I should buy
something preconfigured or build my own. I want it to be powerful and
fast, but I don't believe I will have any requirements for 3-D graphics
as I am not a gamer. I'm pretty sure I will want to do both audio
(electronic music recording, editing, and mixing) and video editing, so
I know RAM is important. What other specs should I be concerned with?
Especially, what is the best kind of CPU? Does the type of CPU required
depend on particular software I may run (I'm not sure yet which audio
and video editing software I plan on using)? Also, any recommendations
for graphics and sound cards would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

In general, the Intel Core2Duo/Quad and AMD X2 CPU are your top choices. Which
you choose is a matter of personal brand preference and price/performance.
Intel has the performance nod at the top end, but AMD may have the edge in
price/performance in the middle.

You only "need" a quad core CPU if the software you run can take advantage of
more than 2 cores or if you participate in a distributed computing project like
Folding@Home (http://folding.stanford.edu). Otherwise, a higher clock speed
dual-core will serve you better for most apps at the same price as a lower clock
speed quad.

For 32-bit OSes like Win XP, 3 GB RAM is the most they can address, and few
people can effectively use more than 2 GB. The 64-bit versions of Windows still
have significant deficiencies in driver and application availability.

For reasonably priced gfx, an ATI X1950 Pro card with 512 MB VRAM will handle
just about anything you need.

I just built one with a Gigabyte mobo, P35 chipset, C2D E6850 CPU, 2 GB Crucial
Ballistix RAM, and X1950Pro gfx. You may find some advantages with the new X38
chipset for an Intel system, at slightly higher cost.
 
Daave said:
I'm ready to purchase a new PC. I'm not sure yet if I should buy
something preconfigured or build my own. I want it to be powerful and
fast, but I don't believe I will have any requirements for 3-D
graphics as I am not a gamer. I'm pretty sure I will want to do both
audio (electronic music recording, editing, and mixing) and video
editing, so I know RAM is important. What other specs should I be
concerned with? Especially, what is the best kind of CPU? Does the
type of CPU required depend on particular software I may run (I'm not
sure yet which audio and video editing software I plan on using)?
Also, any recommendations for graphics and sound cards would be
appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

John gave an excellent response. Every recommendation is very good. My
current system is used as a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), as well as
everything else. You should get a sound card that is made for sound
recording. Depending on your budget and input/output needs, prices are
$100 and up. The most common in use is the same one I use, the M-Audio
Audiophile 2496. There are other makes and models, which a good search
through a place like Zzounds.com, or Musiciansfriend.com will show.

I'm using Cakewalk Home Studio 6, which is quite robust for home use
(since it is just a hobby for me). Which software you use is pretty
much personal preference, as they all work well.

Two other news groups you will want to visit and ask about audio cards,
system specs, software, etc. are cakewalk.audio (they'll know the other
software and hardware available and will give you great advice on all
things [mainly] audio and video recording), and rec.audio.pro, where
others and some of the same people that inhabit Cakewalk.audio hang out.
Most are very skilled recording artists and musicians with lots of
experience, so give them a visit and don't be afraid to ask lots of
questions.
 
John Weiss said:
In general, the Intel Core2Duo/Quad and AMD X2 CPU are your top choices.
Which you choose is a matter of personal brand preference and
price/performance. Intel has the performance nod at the top end, but AMD
may have the edge in price/performance in the middle.

You only "need" a quad core CPU if the software you run can take advantage
of more than 2 cores or if you participate in a distributed computing
project like Folding@Home (http://folding.stanford.edu). Otherwise, a
higher clock speed dual-core will serve you better for most apps at the
same price as a lower clock speed quad.
Click to expand...

Also the new instruction set SSE4.1, that Intel introduced with the new
Penryn processors, looks promising for future releases of video software
optimized for them.
 
Daave said:
I'm ready to purchase a new PC. I'm not sure yet if I should buy
something preconfigured or build my own. I want it to be powerful and
fast, but I don't believe I will have any requirements for 3-D graphics
as I am not a gamer. I'm pretty sure I will want to do both audio
(electronic music recording, editing, and mixing) and video editing, so
I know RAM is important. What other specs should I be concerned with?
Especially, what is the best kind of CPU? Does the type of CPU required
depend on particular software I may run (I'm not sure yet which audio
and video editing software I plan on using)? Also, any recommendations
for graphics and sound cards would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I would build the machine yourself. It isn't difficult as long as you
take your time and read instructions (until you've done a few anyway),
or do as you've already done and ask other people. The beauty of
building your own machine is that you get to choose every piece of
hardware and you won't get a machine with 'junk' software pre-installed.

I built a machine about a year ago comprising of:
Hiper 730W
AMD 64x2 5200+
2GB Corsair 6400 RAM
Sapphire Radeon X1300XT 512MB DDR2


I have no performance issues running M-Audio Conectiv + Torq, Traktor
3.3, editing video using VideoReDo, recording mixes from my CDJ800s and
play games. I keep thinking of buying another 1GB RAM but I don't
actually *need* it. You should be able to get a better machine for about
the same money now but I don't keep up with what's .
 
harikeo said:
I would build the machine yourself. It isn't difficult as long as
you take your time and read instructions (until you've done a few
anyway), or do as you've already done and ask other people.
Click to expand...

It isn't difficult if things go well, but experience helps a lot if
you run into problems. You need patience, like if your new machine
won't be ready on time. Some potential problems can be very
difficult to solve. A spare set of parts is priceless.
 
John Doe said:
It isn't difficult if things go well, but experience helps a lot if
you run into problems. You need patience, like if your new machine
won't be ready on time. Some potential problems can be very
difficult to solve. A spare set of parts is priceless.
Click to expand...

A spare set of parts is priceless, but (realistically) you aren't going to
have one on hand, unless you work in the IT field. But for any build, I
would recommend:
1) A complete, WORKING computer system hooked up to the Internet. This
system should not have any parts "borrowed" (not even the monitor) to build
the new system. This system doesn't have to be fast or powerful, just good
enough to browse the web. That way, if you do run into trouble, you can
research and/or jump on usenet to ask the experts where you screwed up. :)
2) An extra power supply compatible with your intended build. When you
choose the power supply for your new build, you can just order 2 of them.
Or, you can find a similar, but cheaper, power supply. Just make sure that
the spare power supply is also compatible with your new build. And do
yourself a HUGE favor by ordering a -Seasonic- brand power supply, or two of
them. That alone will eliminate a lot of potential problems before you even
start to build!
3) When you order RAM, get exactly two sticks of RAM. Total capacity
should be 1.5GB to 2GB for Windows Vista. Short explanation for 1.5-2GB
capacity is, Windows Vista will not perform better (according to Windows
VISTA!!!) if you add more than 1.5GB of RAM. But, as you need two sticks,
it might make sense to get (2) 1GB sticks. You will want two sticks of RAM
as this will allow you to test for a bad stick of RAM. For video editing,
you might possibly find some specific application that can use more than 2GB
of RAM (check the specs. of the application). But regardless of how much
RAM capacity you install, go for exactly two physical sticks.

I recommend the extra power supply for several reasons. The least of them
is, this is BY FAR the most common failure point of any personal computer.
If you don't need the power supply for testing during the build, you should
have a spare power supply on hand anyway for later testing. If your new
build doesn't work as expected, it's good to have a power supply that you
can swap to rule that out. -Dave
 
I would build the machine yourself. It isn't difficult as long as you
take your time and read instructions (until you've done a few anyway),
or do as you've already done and ask other people. The beauty of
building your own machine is that you get to choose every piece of
hardware and you won't get a machine with 'junk' software pre-installed.

I built a machine about a year ago comprising of:
Hiper 730W
AMD 64x2 5200+
2GB Corsair 6400 RAM
Sapphire Radeon X1300XT 512MB DDR2


I have no performance issues running M-Audio Conectiv + Torq, Traktor
3.3, editing video using VideoReDo, recording mixes from my CDJ800s and
play games. I keep thinking of buying another 1GB RAM but I don't
actually *need* it. You should be able to get a better machine for about
the same money now but I don't keep up with what's .
Click to expand...


We have an advantage in Australia. There are numerous local Computer
shops, local shops and bigger groups, and when I upgrade I pick my
components and have it built to my specifications.
I get the best of both worlds for about $60 extra.
I used to do all my building but it is no longer worth the hassle
I am Too Old - 60+


DJT
 
John said:
In general, the Intel Core2Duo/Quad and AMD X2 CPU are your top
choices. Which you choose is a matter of personal brand preference
and price/performance. Intel has the performance nod at the top end,
but AMD may have the edge in price/performance in the middle.

You only "need" a quad core CPU if the software you run can take
advantage of more than 2 cores or if you participate in a distributed
computing project like Folding@Home (http://folding.stanford.edu).
Otherwise, a higher clock speed dual-core will serve you better for
most apps at the same price as a lower clock speed quad.

For 32-bit OSes like Win XP, 3 GB RAM is the most they can address,
and few people can effectively use more than 2 GB. The 64-bit
versions of Windows still have significant deficiencies in driver and
application availability.

For reasonably priced gfx, an ATI X1950 Pro card with 512 MB VRAM
will handle just about anything you need.

I just built one with a Gigabyte mobo, P35 chipset, C2D E6850 CPU, 2
GB Crucial Ballistix RAM, and X1950Pro gfx. You may find some
advantages with the new X38 chipset for an Intel system, at slightly
higher cost.
Click to expand...

I would like to thank *everybody* for all the helpful replies.

John (or anyone else), I've just started scratching the surface, and as
you might imagine, I keep coming up with more questions! The videoguys
web site Bill recommended had a lot of useful information. I think that
I will tentatively go for an Intel CPU and hold off on sound cards for a
bit; the audio and video production at present is more of a hobby than
anything else, but I'm certainly open to the idea of making money from
it eventually. :-)

So here come the questions...

Can you recommend a good online company where I can configure a
custom-made PC?

Should I stick with a 32-bit system, and if so, would 64-bit
motherboards (e.g., Intel DX38BT) run a 32-bit OS (I don't know if
they're backward-compatible or not)?

I already plan on running XP. Is there any reason to get Pro? Or is XP
Home sufficient?

It seems like 2 GB of RAM should suffice, but I wonder would it be a
better idea to go for 3 GB instead? (I would imagine that anything more
than 3 GB is overkill.) Is there a particular type or brand of RAM I
should get? What about dual-channel and ECC? DDR2 vs. DDR3?

Laugh if you will, but I still want a floppy drive! Do modern
motherboards have floppy controller ports?

Any recommendations for power supplies?

I did some preliminary research at Tiger Direct. I saw a number of Intel
motherboards (are other brands better?). Is there a particular FSB speed
I should try to get? I know this would also determine the type of RAM I
get. Chipsets were G33, P35, and X38. I assume the higher the number,
the better? I don't know much about chipsets... how important is a
southbridge (I noticed only one of the mobos had a southbridge)?

Again, TIA.

P.S., at Tiger Direct, I came up with a PC that would cost $1,269.95
(US):

Systemax Mid-Tower
Intel D975XBX2 ATX motherboard
Intel Core2 Duo E6420 2.13 GHz 4M 1066Mhz CPU
2GB DDR2 PC6400 800 MHz Dual Channel (1GB x 2)
160GB 7200RPM 3G SATA II Hard Drive
250GB 7200RPM 3G SATA II Hard Drive
20X DVD+R/RW-R/RW Dual Layer Drive
Creative SoundBlaster X-FI Fatality (w/o this, the system would be
$1,069.96)
Radeon X1550 512MB PCI-Express (1DVI / 1VGA) video card (I found it odd
that Tiger Direct doesn't carry the X1950 Pro)
Windows XP Home (generic OEM, I presume... it said "DSP")
500 Watt Power Supply
and One floppy drive :-)
 
So here come the questions...
Can you recommend a good online company where I can configure a
custom-made PC?
Click to expand...

I'd suggest starting with a motherboard bundle from www.mwave.com

Selection isn't quite as large as newegg, but mwave tends to carry better
brands (or fewer off-brands at least) at very competitive prices, and their
service is better than neweggs.

Should I stick with a 32-bit system, and if so, would 64-bit
motherboards (e.g., Intel DX38BT) run a 32-bit OS (I don't know if
they're backward-compatible or not)?
Click to expand...

I'm dual-booting (well, triple-booting, with linux) 32-bit operating systems
on 64-bit hardware. Long story but, when I bought Vista, I wasn't observant
enough to notice that ONLY the 32-bit version of it was included (along with
instructions for obtaining the 64-bit version). Didn't want to wait weeks
to install the new OS, so I just installed the 32-bit Vista. And I've been
too lazy to update it since. :) The only thing you need to look out for
is, if you EVER want to run 64-bit software, then all your hardware and your
OS needs to be 64-bit.
I already plan on running XP. Is there any reason to get Pro? Or is XP
Home sufficient?
Click to expand...

In general, either one should do, until you get ready to upgrade to Vista.
The following web site has more information.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradepaths.mspx
It seems like 2 GB of RAM should suffice, but I wonder would it be a
better idea to go for 3 GB instead? (I would imagine that anything more
than 3 GB is overkill.) Is there a particular type or brand of RAM I
should get? What about dual-channel and ECC? DDR2 vs. DDR3?
Click to expand...

More than 2GB will only help if you have a specific application that can use
the extra RAM. Read your video editing software documentation or any
sound-recording/mixing apps. to find out. But in general, it's somewhat
unlikely that you will be able to use more than 2GB of RAM, no matter how
hard you try to do so. If you do dip into RAM above 2GB, it's likely to be
used for video editing. Don't worry about dual-channel (optional, neither
good nor bad), avoid ECC (wasted money), and DDR2/DDR3 makes no difference.
It's good that you asked about brand though. Besides skimping on the power
supply, the number one mistake of many new builders is to go for no-name
RAM. Get a good name brand. I like OCZ and Kingston brands myself, as I've
had no compatibility or stability problems, ever, with those brands. But
there are other good brands also. Find motherboard reviews for your
motherboard, see what brands of RAM that other builders have had good luck
with, when building with your motherboard.
Laugh if you will, but I still want a floppy drive! Do modern
motherboards have floppy controller ports?
Click to expand...

I haven't seen one yet that doesn't have the legacy floppy controller and
appropriate connector. It wouldn't surprise me if this is eventually phased
out though.
Any recommendations for power supplies?
Click to expand...

Yes. Go for Seasonic, Enermax or OCZ. And post the specific model here
before you buy. If you buy the wrong power supply, you might as well take a
sledgehammer to the rest of your hardware. It's that important, it can't
possibly be overstated. The power supply is the first half of EVERY
component in your system, so it's easy to turn top-notch hardware into JUNK
by simply choosing the wrong power supply or (worse) using a power supply
that was included with a case. Expect to spend about a hundred bucks (maybe
more) on just the power supply. There are some bargains though. That's why
I said post the specific model here, so the experts can review it.
I did some preliminary research at Tiger Direct. I saw a number of Intel
motherboards (are other brands better?).
Click to expand...

Better than Intel? No. There are some brands that match Intel quality,
while trying to offer different features. Other brands you might consider
are AOpen and Biostar. Note that Asrock, Asus and Gigabyte are all the same
company, and I specifically would not recommend any of those three.
(thought many will disagree with me there)
Is there a particular FSB speed
I should try to get?
Click to expand...

Not really. Faster is usually better, but the point is moot, as long as the
motherboard supports the CPU you choose. It is highly unlikely that you
will want to upgrade without replacing the motherboard, so FSB is not
something you should need to worry about.
I know this would also determine the type of RAM I
get. Chipsets were G33, P35, and X38. I assume the higher the number,
the better? I don't know much about chipsets... how important is a
southbridge (I noticed only one of the mobos had a southbridge)?
Click to expand...

Higher the better? Nope, shop by motherboard features (especially support
for your chosen CPU). For your build, it looks like P35 would be a good
choice, at the moment. Oh, they all have a southbridge. Some motherboard
chipsets roll this into a single-chip solution, though. That is, the
northbridge also handles the southbridge functions. It is vitally
important, but you aren't going to find a motherboard without one, so don't
worry about it. :)
Again, TIA.

P.S., at Tiger Direct, I came up with a PC that would cost $1,269.95
(US):

Systemax Mid-Tower
Click to expand...

Personal preference. Probably OK.
Intel D975XBX2 ATX motherboard
Click to expand...

Interesting choice. Should work fine, but I think this model is being
phased out, as it appears to be slightly older technology.
Intel Core2 Duo E6420 2.13 GHz 4M 1066Mhz CPU
Good.

2GB DDR2 PC6400 800 MHz Dual Channel (1GB x 2)
BRAND?!?

160GB 7200RPM 3G SATA II Hard Drive
250GB 7200RPM 3G SATA II Hard Drive
20X DVD+R/RW-R/RW Dual Layer Drive
Click to expand...

If possible, get a recent copy of nero OEM suite with your DVD burner
Creative SoundBlaster X-FI Fatality (w/o this, the system would be
$1,069.96)
Click to expand...

If you are thinking about audio work, you might want to hold off on buying
the sound card, or go with a cheap one to start with. Creative Labs Sound
Blaster Audigy SE would be a good choice to start with, only 30 bucks.
Radeon X1550 512MB PCI-Express (1DVI / 1VGA) video card (I found it odd
that Tiger Direct doesn't carry the X1950 Pro)
Click to expand...

If you're not a gamer, this should work fine.
Windows XP Home (generic OEM, I presume... it said "DSP")
Click to expand...

I didn't see DSP on tiger direct. But the OEM version should work fine.
500 Watt Power Supply
Click to expand...

500 Watt Power supply is minimum I would recommend for your rig, BUT that's
assuming it's a good name brand. I don't like the selection at Tiger
Direct, but the Corsair VX550W would be a good choice, if you have to stick
with tiger direct. -Dave
 
Daave said:
Can you recommend a good online company where I can configure a
custom-made PC?
Click to expand...

For one to build yourself, Newegg is probably the best overall. I got all my
parts there except the monitor; MacMall had a better deal there.

Should I stick with a 32-bit system, and if so, would 64-bit
motherboards (e.g., Intel DX38BT) run a 32-bit OS (I don't know if
they're backward-compatible or not)?
Click to expand...

32-bit Windows or Ubuntu is still the best choice, for driver and application
compatibility. All the current 64-bit motherboards are backward compatible.

I already plan on running XP. Is there any reason to get Pro? Or is XP
Home sufficient?
Click to expand...

Stay away from XP Home. Its networking sucks.

It seems like 2 GB of RAM should suffice, but I wonder would it be a
better idea to go for 3 GB instead? (I would imagine that anything more
than 3 GB is overkill.) Is there a particular type or brand of RAM I
should get? What about dual-channel and ECC? DDR2 vs. DDR3?
Click to expand...

2 GB is fine. ECC will be determined by the motherboard; in general only used
by servers and high-end workstations with lots of RAM.

DDR3 not yet worth the extra cost. DDR2 is the standard. I'm partial to
Crucial; Corsair or Kingston are also good choices.
Laugh if you will, but I still want a floppy drive! Do modern
motherboards have floppy controller ports?
Click to expand...

Some do. Otherwise use USB (internal or external)

..
Any recommendations for power supplies?
Click to expand...

Antec Earthwatts 500.

I did some preliminary research at Tiger Direct. I saw a number of Intel
motherboards (are other brands better?). Is there a particular FSB speed
I should try to get? I know this would also determine the type of RAM I
get. Chipsets were G33, P35, and X38. I assume the higher the number,
the better? I don't know much about chipsets... how important is a
southbridge (I noticed only one of the mobos had a southbridge)?
Click to expand...


Look for a motherboard with an Intel P35 or X38 chipset. X38 is newer, hence
more expensive. Both have reasonable upgrade potential.

All have a Southbridge; not all may be identified. The P35 and X38 both use the
Intel ICH9R Southbridge.

P.S., at Tiger Direct, I came up with a PC that would cost $1,269.95
(US):

Systemax Mid-Tower
Intel D975XBX2 ATX motherboard
Intel Core2 Duo E6420 2.13 GHz 4M 1066Mhz CPU
2GB DDR2 PC6400 800 MHz Dual Channel (1GB x 2)
160GB 7200RPM 3G SATA II Hard Drive
250GB 7200RPM 3G SATA II Hard Drive
20X DVD+R/RW-R/RW Dual Layer Drive
Creative SoundBlaster X-FI Fatality (w/o this, the system would be
$1,069.96)
Click to expand...

You probably don't need to spend $200 on a sound card. You can get good ones
for half that...

Radeon X1550 512MB PCI-Express (1DVI / 1VGA) video card (I found it odd
that Tiger Direct doesn't carry the X1950 Pro)
Click to expand...

Try for at least an X1650 Pro.

Tiger may have slightly lower prices, but nowhere near the good reputation
Newegg has.

Windows XP Home (generic OEM, I presume... it said "DSP")
Click to expand...

Dunno what "DSP" menas. An OEM pack will say OEM. Again, stay away from XP
home; Pro is not that much more expensive in OEM pack.
 
Fred said:
Also the new instruction set SSE4.1, that Intel introduced with the
new Penryn processors, looks promising for future releases of video
software optimized for them.
Click to expand...

I was doing a little research on this. The E8500 (now referred to
Wolfdale, I believe) looks like a contender, but apparently the first
batch sold out real fast! I know no one has a crystal ball, but
typically how much longer might it take until it is available again? And
if I want to build a barebones system which already has this processor
on a compatible motherboard, when will I start seeing them available for
sale?

If we're talking several months, I might just go ahead with the E6850.
Or does the difference in performance justify the wait?
 
Daave said:
I was doing a little research on this. The E8500 (now referred to Wolfdale, I
believe) looks like a contender, but apparently the first batch sold out real
fast! I know no one has a crystal ball, but typically how much longer might it
take until it is available again? And if I want to build a barebones system
which already has this processor on a compatible motherboard, when will I
start seeing them available for sale?

If we're talking several months, I might just go ahead with the E6850. Or does
the difference in performance justify the wait?
Click to expand...

I don't think the performance justifies the wait or the price. The new SSE4
instructions have not yet been adopted by software developers, so it will take
more time and $$ for software upgrades to take advantage of them.

For full upgradability options, spend the extra $30 for an X38 chipset instead
of P35 (e.g., Gigabyte has both offerings in its DS4 or DQ6 series), and wait
until the price of the next-gen CPUs comes down.
 
John said:
I don't think the performance justifies the wait or the price. The
new SSE4 instructions have not yet been adopted by software
developers, so it will take more time and $$ for software upgrades to
take advantage of them.

For full upgradability options, spend the extra $30 for an X38
chipset instead of P35 (e.g., Gigabyte has both offerings in its DS4
or DQ6 series), and wait until the price of the next-gen CPUs comes
down.
Click to expand...

Great advice! Thanks.
 
Dave said:
Not really. Faster is usually better, but the point is moot, as long
as the motherboard supports the CPU you choose. It is highly
unlikely that you will want to upgrade without replacing the
motherboard, so FSB is not something you should need to
worry about.
Click to expand...

That's interesting. I thought it was a concern because it also
determines how fast the RAM can be. For instance, if I were to go with
Kingston memory, I see choices all over the place -- from 2 sticks of
533 MHz RAM (2 GB total) for $43.00 up to 2 sticks of 1066 MHz RAM (2 GB
total) for $124. I also encountered "high performance" Kingston RAM (a 2
GB kit again) costing as much as $434.75, so I am quite confused!

Bottom line: What exactly is "high performance" and is it worth the
considerably extra premium? And even if I were to avoid high-performance
RAM, how much of a performance difference is there between 533 MHz and
1066 MHz?
Higher the better? Nope, shop by motherboard features (especially
support for your chosen CPU). For your build, it looks like P35
would be a good choice, at the moment.
Click to expand...

Actually, that build was a preliminary one, a result of configuring a
system at Tiger Direct, which by now, seems like a limited choice! It
seems the consensus here so far is to choose an X38 chipset. What's your
take?

Finally, you had also stated:
Note that Asrock, Asus and Gigabyte are all the same company,
and I specifically would not recommend any of those three. (thought
many will disagree with me there)
Click to expand...

Again, interesting as the consensus is different. Can you recommend a
site where I can compare? Or is this just based on personal experience?
 
Daave said:
That's interesting. I thought it was a concern because it also
determines how fast the RAM can be. For instance, if I were to go with
Kingston memory, I see choices all over the place -- from 2 sticks of
533 MHz RAM (2 GB total) for $43.00 up to 2 sticks of 1066 MHz RAM (2 GB
total) for $124. I also encountered "high performance" Kingston RAM (a 2
GB kit again) costing as much as $434.75, so I am quite confused!
Click to expand...

For a high-speed C2D or C2Q motherboard, you will likely have an 800, 1066, or
1333 MHz FSB. You should buy the fastest RAM the MoBo supports to get best
performance and support upgradability. This will likely mean DDR2 1066/800/667
RAM, depending on the MoBo. Some newer P35 and X38 MoBo's use or support DDR3
RAM, but this is not yet cost effective.

I went with Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864AA1065 R ($155 at Newegg) for my
Gigabyte P35-DS4.

Bottom line: What exactly is "high performance" and is it worth the
considerably extra premium? And even if I were to avoid high-performance
RAM, how much of a performance difference is there between 533 MHz and
1066 MHz?
Click to expand...

533 MHz RAM is likely not DDR2, and will not be suitable for a fast C2D (again
depending on the MoBo). Go with DDR2 if possible.

You need not go with the highest-cost RAM, but go with the mainstream or premium
line (not "value" line) of a reputable mfgr like Crucial, Kingston, or Corsair.
premium lines will be more suitable for overclocking, and may run cooler at
standard specs in a "warmer" case.

Actually, that build was a preliminary one, a result of configuring a
system at Tiger Direct, which by now, seems like a limited choice! It
seems the consensus here so far is to choose an X38 chipset. What's your
take?
Click to expand...

Depends on price vs long-term upgradability. The P35 is perfectly adequate if
you don't need 2 full-speed PCIe 16x ports.

Again, interesting as the consensus is different. Can you recommend a
site where I can compare? Or is this just based on personal experience?
Click to expand...

I have heard elsewhere that Asrock and Asus were from the same company, but I
hadn't heard that Gigabyte was related to Asus. Their corporate web sites in
Taiwan are separate and VERY different. I suppose it is possible they might
come under the same corporate umbrella (is a Jaguar or a Volvo "the same" as a
Ford?), but see nothing to indicate they are "the same"...
 
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