Another 'what about this setup?' thread.

[FlailBoy]

This is actually for a friend's kid. It'd be for gaming and internet.

ATRIX CSCI-L8005-C43 Black/Silver Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 400W Power Supply

EPoX EP-9NPA+Ultra Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra ATX

AMD Athlon 64 3800+ Venice 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor Model ADA3800BPBOX

Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600JS 160GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA II

G.SKILL 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 550 (PC 4400)
Unbuffered Samsung TCCD Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model

eVGA 256-P2-N376-AX Geforce 6800GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16

LITE-ON Black IDE DVD-ROM Drive Model SOHD-16P9SBLK

THERMALRIGHT XP-90 Heatsink w/ ZALMAN CNPS3100+ 92mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan/Heatsink


1. I don't know anything about the PSU that ships with this. It's off the Egg.

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811209002#DetailSpecs Seems like a pretty good price, anyway.

2. Is the memory overkill?

 

[Sucka]

How old is this kid, what games does he play?! That is a pretty beefy system for a "kid" to play a few games on. That's more a hardcore gamers setup right there imo. Any overclocking planned here? If not, that memory is WAAAY overkill for a stock rig, even the CPU is a tad overkill in my opinion. I also hope you plan to upgrade that PSU, that is the weakest thing i see on the list. Not sure on the Epox, better let someone who has owned one feild that. Personally i would stick with DFI/Abit/Asus on 939 motherboards.

 

[FlailBoy]

He's 15. I don't know what PC games he's into but he'd probably appreciate a system that's a bit over the top. He's been working a part-time job 'just' to get money to build a rig.

He doesn't know anything about overclocking but he's seen me do it and he's curious.

Kinda' figured on the memory.

The EPOX is supposed to be a pretty good board, but I'll do a bit more looking for him. Same with PSU.

Thx Sucka.

fb

 

[Sucka]

Another option, scrap that memory and go with some OCZ Gold VX PC-4000, a DFI NF4 Ultra-D and with the saved money grab a x850 XT PE or Nvidia 7800GTX. Not only would this be a better system, but it provides the best platform to overclock on, while still being very potent at stock.

If he plans to overclock, do it right the first time out. If he doesn't plan to overclock save money on things like the motherboard/memory/CPU and get the best graphics card possible. This is where a casual gamer will see the most bennifit. Just my perspective on it. The DFI is also a very proven board, and gives that vdimm voltage headroom for any type of memory.

Good Luck, this kid is getting quite a system regardless.

 

[Cobalt]

Correct me if I'm wrong Sucka, but AMD doesn't currently support pc-4000. I don't know if thats just a typo but I thought I'd point it out

 

[Flip-Mode]

Correct me if I'm wrong Sucka, but AMD doesn't currently support pc-4000. I don't know if thats just a typo but I thought I'd point it out

Doesn't work that way, AMD's "native" speed is 200MHz but the OC potential of the chips just yells out "Give me faster memory!" although I still believe anything above PC3200 with 2-2-2 timings is a total waste of money according to this.

 

[Sucka]

Correct me if I'm wrong Sucka, but AMD doesn't currently support pc-4000. I don't know if thats just a typo but I thought I'd point it out

The speed rating is based on overclocking potential. So no, it wouldn't run at PC-4000 out of box.

 

[Hey_Its_Cole]

That epox board is good, all the reviews I have read love it. Here is a link to one at Anandtech. Link!
I think that cpu is overkill and the money saved by useing a 3000 or a 3200 would be better spent on say a 7800gtx.
I also think the ram is overkill, it is overkill for most overclockers because they just run a divider.

 

[leeashton]

the epox board are good but not the best a DFI or asus i would run it on

 

[FlailBoy]

Ok, this is good stuff.

Assuming I go with (uh...he goes with...LOL) the OCZ gold PC-4000 and the DFI...

FYI-I don't know jack about A64 systems yet. I really don't know what the implications of running a memory divider *are* on this rig. I'm still assuming 1:1 is what you're shooting for. PC-4000 would give a lot of headroom and would essentially take the memory out of the OCing equation.

processor
(Free shipping for the 3500...$3.99 for the 3200??)

Savings of $104.

vid card
(Free shipping on the 6800...$5.00 for the 7800?? I'll talk to Jason about that.)

An additional $176 and it includes the gamepad.


Net additional cost: $78 and he gets a gamepad.

Better?

 

[Hey_Its_Cole]

the epox board are good but not the best a DFI or asus i would run it on

I have been reading of problems with the dfi, asus makes good board but not the best for overclocking. I would get dfi or epox, epox is my first choice because of price and top of the line performance, plus my 9nda3+ has been steller. My epox sli board came today but my new system will not be up and running till next week as i am waiting for my stacker to come in. The only two sli boards i would go with are dfi and epox, can't go wrong with either. I say epox because of price and just as good or better performance.

 

[Flip-Mode]

I have been reading of problems with the dfi, asus makes good board but not the best for overclocking. I would get dfi or epox, epox is my first choice because of price and top of the line performance, plus my 9nda3+ has been steller. My epox sli board came today but my new system will not be up and running till next week as i am waiting for my stacker to come in. The only two sli boards i would go with are dfi and epox, can't go wrong with either. I say epox because of price and just as good or better performance.

I agree that the Epox is a good board and its the closest one to the DFI when it comes to OC potential. Either way you will be getting a great board so don't worry about it.

 

[Sucka]

That's 2 people voting for Epox but yet i've seen no results on this board. What makes it good? I'm not trying to say it's bad, but i've never seen anyone post a set of solid results using this board which leads me to question how it's so good. I'm not looking for a review, i want some real world results from several users that can back up claims it's better/as good as the DFI. Thanks.

 

[Flip-Mode]

That's 2 people voting for Epox but yet i've seen no results on this board. What makes it good? I'm not trying to say it's bad, but i've never seen anyone post a set of solid results using this board which leads me to question how it's so good. I'm not looking for a review, i want some real world results from several users that can back up claims it's better/as good as the DFI. Thanks.

Sucka, its the same thing with the NForce 3 Epox board. It is the best NForce 3 S939 board when it comes to overclocking but probably only 2 people have it who are members of this board.
Yes you are correct, we have no more then reviews to go on.

 

[Sucka]

Sucka, its the same thing with the NForce 3 Epox board. It is the best NForce 3 S939 board when it comes to overclocking but probably only 2 people have it who are members of this board.
Yes you are correct, we have no more then reviews to go on.

Wish we had some solid results to go on. Until i see real results i'll remain skeptical.

 

[Hey_Its_Cole]

Wish we had some solid results to go on. Until i see real results i'll remain skeptical.

I will give my results as soon as the 4400 gets her tuesday, maybe wens., well actually i am waiting on my stacker and heater core to so hopefully next week. On a side note, I might be asking for your help with the 4400 sucka.

 

[Sucka]

I will give my results as soon as the 4400 gets her tuesday, maybe wens., well actually i am waiting on my stacker and heater core to so hopefully next week. On a side note, I might be asking for your help with the 4400 sucka.

I'll do the best i can with my limited knowledge of the motherboard

Hope to see another real contender in the NF4 market. I don't want to knock the board until i've seen it in real world action. I'm always skeptical of reviews unless i trust the site writing it.

 

[Hey_Its_Cole]

Yea I agree with you, but the few personal reviews i have read on the board have been good and Annandtech did a review on the epox nf4 non sli and it won editors choice over the dfi. I was damn close to going with dfi but my experience with my 9nda3+ was so good i figured i would gamble a little.

I will share m experiences with it with everyone with in 2 weeks, like i said waiting on my stacker and dual heatercore to get here. This week i will lapping my G5 .

 

[Flip-Mode]

Wish we had some solid results to go on. Until i see real results i'll remain skeptical.

Fair enough.