Time to upgrade...which XP CPU?

[Dr. Strangelove]

I'm donating my Shuttle AK32 and xp1800+ to my daughter for her new to her box and want to upgrade my MB and CPU. My choices are these for CPU,
2500+ Barton@333mhz
or
3000+Barton @400mhz

Question is, is the 3000+ with the 400mhz worth the extra $$$

I've narrowed my MB choices to the "ASUS" A7N8X Deluxe or the "Gigabyte" GA-7N400PRO2. Both boards look comparable which is the best OCer?

Memory choice is "Mushkin" 1GB PC 3500 Level 2 (CAS 222)

I will be running six case fans and most probably a Thermaltake SILENT BOOST High Performance Cooler or a SLK900a with a 120mmx38mm fan.

Any thoughts would be appriciated. As usual this is the best info site available and I lurk regularly.

[Steven4563]

idgo with the Abit NF7-S and a new stepping off a 2500+ =D

[CrashOveride]

I would go with the 2500+ and an NF7-S as well, however of the two you said the Asus.

Why do you like the Asus?

[Dr. Strangelove]

I was looking at the ASUS mainly because of the reviews on New Egg and this board. I had not looked at the Abit much until now. For the last couple of hours I have been reading reviews on the Abit and it looks like the front runner. Also the 2500+ looks like a clear winner in bang for bucks!
Thanks

[c627627]

2500+ with Thermalright heatsink on Abit nForce2 mobo.
Thermalright all copper heatsink:
The SLK900A $19.99 (It shows up as $29, but you need the coupon code:
thermalright
to get the discount at http://www.svc.com/thslcl.html)

A 92mm Panaflo M1A for $5.99 is good for this heatsink but look into others. http://www.svc.com/pahywabefb.html

with
twinmos/ch-5 winbond pc3200
http://www.memoryx.net/gn256pc3200.html
and name brand power supply
All Antecs (Channel Well) are good (Antec True Power is better), Fortron (Sparkle), Sirtec (Enlight, Vantec, Thermaltake), or more expensive Herolchi (Heroichi), PC Power and Cooling, or not as good but not dangerous HEC, TTGI, Zalman (Aopen).

You can be approaching 3800+ speeds and guaranteed dual AMD 220 FSB at least.

P.S. What is 'counting crows' a slang for again?

[bambislayer]

Where can i get coupon code for slk900a?

[Zuzzz]

Im gonna go with the majority here and say gop with the 2500 Barton. I understand the 2500 Barton will clock as good if not higher than the so called 3200. and its 3 times cheaper. Good Luck.

PS: Go with the NF7. . . better board for AMD :)

just my 2 cents

[Dr. Strangelove]

Originally posted by c627627
What is 'counting crows' a slang for again?

award 50 points
After five years in my sig on numerous boards you are the first one to ask!
Its not really a slang but rather a reference to an old British poem that said life is as meaningless as counting crows, an English divination rhyme. "...if you hang on to the flimsyness of anything, you might as well be standing there, counting crows..." ;)
Thanks for noticing, I stopped wondering quite a while back if anyone would catch it, "somewhere in middle America" was a portion of a lyric from a song by the band "Counting Crows". It just seemed to fit!


bambislayer... Where can i get coupon code for slk900a? put "thermalright" in for the discount code.

[bambislayer]

Tried to put thermalright in and says coupon code expired.
Thanks anyway