Which CPU and Cooler?

[Chez]

I've ordered most of my system -

Abit IT7 Max2 rev2 845PE Motherboard
Corsair XMS3500 CAS2 Memory
Enermax 431w PSU
128Mb Gainward Ti4200 Golden Sample Graphics Card
MS Windows XP Pro
Lian-Li PC-65 Case with 4 case fans

I will be using my existing Maxtor D740X HDD until S-ATA becomes available.

I'm waiting for the expected price drop before I order my CPU though. Does anyone know the expected price drops in the UK? will they be the same as the US (I saw these price drops quoted in another thread)?

I am probably going to get a 2.26, 2.53 or 2.66 (depending on the new prices and availability of a C1 stepping chip).

What cooler would you guys recommend? I was thinking of the Coolermaster IHC-L71, but have heard that the Swiftech coolers are better, is this true??

Thanks
Chez

 

[Chez]

anyone??

 

[Indyxc1]

What exactly are your goals in clock speed?

Peter

 

[runsalone]

I would get an alpha 8945 and then use a silent fan for everyday use. if you wanted to overclock, slap a 80 mm tornado or equivalent onto it and it will take you farther than you would expect from air cooling. I've also heard good things about the swiftech heatsink for the 478s.

 

[Chez]

I'm hoping to get the clock speed as far as possible, with the memory on 3:4 divider.

 

[Neo_peter]

how much money are you planning to spend on your new CPU?

 

[Chez]

Current UK prices are -

2.4B - £155.10
2.53B - £206.51
2.6B - £339.58


I had planned on the 2.53, but would rather have the 2.6 (faster and guaranteed C1 stepping).

Just depends how much they drop!

If the 2.6 drops below £250, I'll probably go for that.

 

[markodude]

Hi m8
Glad to see someone from the UK in here, we're masssively under-represented!
I quite like the coolermaster heat pipe, I have the silent one and it keeps my [email protected] around 45c full load. I would go for the non-silent one if you are going for a high OC.
I would go for the 2.66 if you can, although I have had better experience overclocking my B0 2.53ES than my C1 2.50 chip, you may find differently and the sandra scores are better per mhz on the C1.
These are the UK distributor prices in pounds and if you can get around these prices plus 5% or so you are doing well....the 2.6 price you put up is quite high, I dont know who you buy from but I would suggest dabs.com or scan.co.uk. I have a contact who gets me my P4s free or at disti prices so havent bought from a retailer in some time!

INTEL / BX80532PE2400D PENTIUM 4 2.4GHZ SKT478 FSB533 512KB CACHE BOXED 139.45
135Z882 INTEL / BX80532PE2533D PENTIUM 4 2.533GHZ SKT478 FSB533 512KB CACHE BOXED 172.70
135Z909 INTEL / BX80532PC2500D PENTIUM 4 2.5GHZ SKT478 FSB400 512KB CACHE BOXED 172.65
135Z911 INTEL / BX80532PE2667D PENTIUM 4 2.667GHZ SKT478 FSB533 512KB CACHE BOXED 281.62
135Z910 INTEL / BX80532PC2600D PENTIUM 4 2.6GHZ SKT478 FSB400 512KB CACHE BOXED 281.62
135Z912 INTEL / BX80532PE2800D PENTIUM 4 2.8GHZ SKT478 FSB533 512KB CACHE BOXED 355.20
135Z934 INTEL / BX80532PE3066D PENTIUM 4 3.066GHZ SKT478 FSB533 512KB CACHE BOXED 443.65

HTH and good luck
Markodude

 

[Chez]

Hi markodude

The prices I quoted were from scan.co.uk, including VAT.

Does anyone know what the prices will be after the 3.06 is released??

 

[markodude]

I reckon around 480-500 if the price above is right at the disti (443.65)....
Youd be better buying a low speed P4 and a Prometia to cool it to minus 40 and get to 3.5ghz on a 2.66. You would almost save the cost of the Prometia on one chip! Thats if you are not bothered about Hyperthreading....

 

[Chez]

There's no way I can afford the 3.06.

What I meant was what is the likely price drop on the other chips once the 3.06 is released.

 

[markodude]

Sorry m8, misunderstood there, I can find out for you but off the top of my head I would expect a 25% drop on the 2.8 chip and 10-15% off the other lower speed CPU's...
You should still hit 3gig on most of the CPU's you mentioned regardless whther they are B0 or C1 steppings, in fact I dont reckon we will get 2.26 C1 steppings until next year...on the good side the 2.26 will give you the highest potential FSB/RAM speed combination as it has the lowest multiplier.
HTH

 

[Chez]

Cheers markodude.

You don't know of any shops in the midlands or mail-order/internet stores where I could choose the stepping of my CPU before I buy do you??

 

[markodude]

That would be nice wouldnt it?! I have been looking for a while, and no e-retailers seem to do it...
Try e-mailing [email protected], hes a good guy, say you want a CPU but want him to check the S-Code first, get the S-code and check it on http://processorfinder.intel.com to find out the stepping or use the image on overclockers.com front page to determine the stepping.
If you have no joy with scan then try some others, I am sure womehwere will be good enough to look at the CPU and tell you the S-code, or try a local place but not PC World or anything, just a local business....All the advice I can offer Im afraid, if you go 2.66 you will be guaranteed C1 stepping!