[chrisbviper]

I am new to building but have done a little bit of research. I want a CPU that's upgradable, I was thinking of the 850MHz Tbird since i can goto 1.2GHz. Mostly wondering what is the best type of board and memory to use.

[proze]

getting an 850 to 1.2 is not a given... you'll need good cooling and lots of power. and make sure it's blue.
as for the mobo and ram:
mobo: abit kt7a-raid
ram: mushkin high performance rev3 if you're feeling rich, and crucial cas2 if you're a bit money-conscious. the crucial is still great, and very cheap at the moment.

[MiracleMan]

Go for the 'minies, blue core t-birds 900 and beyond...
But o/c to 1.2ghz? Maybe if u are Azz broda. 8)

[Richard]

If you're thinking of building a new AMD system from scratch and you want a solid base to build from I recommend the Asus A7V133.

The Asus motherboards are great to work with. I have an Asus A7V, and it is a pleasure. The manual is easy to follow, and actually - helpful! The A7V133 is just an A7V with an upgraded chipset. Allowing 133 MHz FSB. Which means that when you are ready to upgrade to one of the 1.2 GHz T-birds you'll be able to get the (266 FSB) version.

Since I am recommending a KT133A motherboard that makes the memory recommendation easy. Crucial CL2 SDRAM. Right now you can get 256 MB for ~ $90. That's a steal. Heck, get (2) 256 MB DIMMs and you'll be set for a while to come. If you ever intend on running Win 2k server you'll be glad you have that extra RAM.

http://www.crucial.com/webpromo/ Just hit that link and you'll get 15% off on your purchase. Note: Don't register with their web-site. You'll get bumped down to 10%. Just hit the link, and look for the CL2 SDRAM (168 pin DIMM).

http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.asp?imodule=CT32M64S4D7E

That's the link for the 256 MB CL2 DIMM.

One other reason for my A7V133 recommendation. This is a mature motherboard. Even though it has just been released. It's a proven performer. Other motherboards may perform 2-3% better under certain circumstances, but at some point stability has to count for something.

[chrisbviper]

Thanks Richard, I'll have a look to see what i can get on that MoBo. And sorry bout the misunderstanding with the Proc, i meant i can UPGRADE the 850 to 1.2 not overclock it.