And yet another configuration... [APPROVAL]

[G9]

1. Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 1066MHz FSB 2M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor
2. ASUS P5NSLI Socket T (LGA 775) NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI Intel Edition ATX Intel Motherboard
3. CORSAIR VALUE SELECT 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) System Memory
4. Western Digital Caviar RE WD1600YD 160GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
5. eVGA 256-P2-N554-AX Geforce 7600GT KO 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card
6. Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS SB0350 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Interface Sound Card
7. 2x LG Black 16X DVD-ROM 52X CD-R 32X CD-RW 52X CD-ROM 2M Cache IDE Combo Drive
8. Antec LifeStyle SONATA II Piano Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 450Watt SmartPower 2.0 ATX 12V V2.0 for AMD & Intel systems Power Supply
9. Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2

How's the above config? It's under $1000...

 

[ownage]

Intel mobo, nvidia chipset? No thanks. Get a DS3, or P5B.

 

[MikeReiner]

Ownage, whats so bad about the nForce chipsets?...

 

[ownage]

It's because Nvidia is imcompetent at designing memory controllers. The reason they are so nice on AMD systems, it is because AMD designs the memory controllers, Nvidia does everything else. But on an Intel system, the memory controller is the NB, and Nvidia can't get it right. They just slap together a memory controller, put it on, makes sure it works and then sell it. The reference NF590 boards have a FSB wall at 350, YES, 350. With an E6600, that is only 3.2 Ghz, and the board maxes out. You max out the board on AIR. How is THAT possible?

 

[X1337]

yea, you got a point there

 

[G9]

Alright, new motherboards: ASUS P5B Socket T (LGA 775) Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard or the Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 Socket T (LGA 775) Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard.

Will this affect my video card choice?

 

[MikeReiner]

It's because Nvidia is imcompetent at designing memory controllers. The reason they are so nice on AMD systems, it is because AMD designs the memory controllers, Nvidia does everything else. But on an Intel system, the memory controller is the NB, and Nvidia can't get it right. They just slap together a memory controller, put it on, makes sure it works and then sell it. The reference NF590 boards have a FSB wall at 350, YES, 350. With an E6600, that is only 3.2 Ghz, and the board maxes out. You max out the board on AIR. How is THAT possible?

Good enough for me. P5B IT IS!

btw, i'm assuming your saying in a nutshell, these nvidia chipsets can't OC for crap.. right? memory being the limitation thanks to the mem controller..

 

[G9]

Those motherboards both support the 7600GT, correct? Which one should I get? I'm going for the cheaper buy if there isn't any other reason.

 

[MikeReiner]

if they have PCI-E 16x, then yes, they should support it just fine.

 

[G9]

I'll go with the P5B. Got a 9 from MaxPC.