Possible new computer setup

**Ralck** · 05-23-2006, 04:19 PM

So, I was thinking about building a new computer over the summer as my current one has a problem with the motherboard.

So this is what I was thinking:
AMD X2 4200+ (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103547)
ASRock 939Dual-SATA (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157081)
Titan Nikita Water-cooling kit (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835192005) This is more to reduce the amount of dust buildup in my case because I can have less intake/outtake fans and/or slower rpm fans.
Antec P180 Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129154) I might go with something a little cheaper, but I like this design.
And either a Antec Truepower 2 550W (not neo series, I know!) or an Enermax 535W (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817103512)

I'd like to go with that motherboard because it allows me to keep my AGP 9800Pro card for the time being, and later on I can upgrade to a PCI-E card if I want to. I don't plan to OC, so I don't need all those extra features, and looking online about the ULi chipset, it seems to fair pretty decently against others like nforce4.

So, what do people think about this set up? Any suggestions? Also, I was thinking about going for 2x1gb DDR400 sticks, maybe one of those deals on newegg like the OCZ with 2-3-3-6 timings. I see DDR500 and DDR550 ram, but is there a reason to pay that much more? Is there actually a noticable performance increase in that over DDR400? It kind of seems like at that point it would be better to just go with AM2 and get DDR2 memory.

**mgoldb2** · 05-23-2006, 08:52 PM

Quote:

ASRock 939Dual-SATA (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157081)

You just went through trouble with a motherboard and you want to roll the dice again with a motherboard from ASRock?

I would reconsider getting a motherboard with both PCI-E and AGP. From what I heard they usually dont equal good motherboard. M2 is more future proof. The M2 CPU cost the exact same as there skt 939 counterparts. The only part that will cost you more on the M2 is the motheboard.

**Ralck** · 05-24-2006, 01:00 AM

What would you suggest then? I'd much rather keep my current AGP gpu as it's a good card and I don't have all that much money to work with (starving college student and all that). Is it really that much wiser to go with AM2 and get one from Gigabyte that is AGP?
Also, looking at benchmarks and such, it seems like to get the same performance as DDR 400 @ 2-3-2-6, I'd need to get DDR2 800 and have to pay more for that too.

Are there any other boards that have that ULi chipset that has both AGP and PCI-E? I'd like to keep an upgrade path for my GPU (probably won't upgrade for another 2-3 years), and reading on Anandtech that chipset is actually really good for what it does, but is it really not worth it?

**Ralck** · 05-24-2006, 10:55 AM

I found some interesting news about ASRock. ASUS is the parent company of them. Do people still think they have bad boards? I know it doesn't have a great layout, but I'm not looking for a board to overclock with or do anything really fancy; just a new computer to fix my old one.

**Ralck** · 05-24-2006, 10:58 PM

If this is not a good motherboard to go with, does anyone have any suggestions for cheap good AGP motherboards? Maybe I should just upgrade the motherboard in two or three years to a PCI-E one when I get a PCI-E video card?

05-23-2006, 04:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ralck TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,454 OS: 98SE/XP PRO/FC4 My System	Possible new computer setup So, I was thinking about building a new computer over the summer as my current one has a problem with the motherboard. So this is what I was thinking: AMD X2 4200+ (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103547) ASRock 939Dual-SATA (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157081) Titan Nikita Water-cooling kit (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835192005) This is more to reduce the amount of dust buildup in my case because I can have less intake/outtake fans and/or slower rpm fans. Antec P180 Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129154) I might go with something a little cheaper, but I like this design. And either a Antec Truepower 2 550W (not neo series, I know!) or an Enermax 535W (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817103512) I'd like to go with that motherboard because it allows me to keep my AGP 9800Pro card for the time being, and later on I can upgrade to a PCI-E card if I want to. I don't plan to OC, so I don't need all those extra features, and looking online about the ULi chipset, it seems to fair pretty decently against others like nforce4. So, what do people think about this set up? Any suggestions? Also, I was thinking about going for 2x1gb DDR400 sticks, maybe one of those deals on newegg like the OCZ with 2-3-3-6 timings. I see DDR500 and DDR550 ram, but is there a reason to pay that much more? Is there actually a noticable performance increase in that over DDR400? It kind of seems like at that point it would be better to just go with AM2 and get DDR2 memory.

05-24-2006, 01:00 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ralck TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,454 OS: 98SE/XP PRO/FC4 My System	What would you suggest then? I'd much rather keep my current AGP gpu as it's a good card and I don't have all that much money to work with (starving college student and all that). Is it really that much wiser to go with AM2 and get one from Gigabyte that is AGP? Also, looking at benchmarks and such, it seems like to get the same performance as DDR 400 @ 2-3-2-6, I'd need to get DDR2 800 and have to pay more for that too. Are there any other boards that have that ULi chipset that has both AGP and PCI-E? I'd like to keep an upgrade path for my GPU (probably won't upgrade for another 2-3 years), and reading on Anandtech that chipset is actually really good for what it does, but is it really not worth it?

05-24-2006, 10:55 AM	#4 (permalink)
Ralck TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,454 OS: 98SE/XP PRO/FC4 My System	I found some interesting news about ASRock. ASUS is the parent company of them. Do people still think they have bad boards? I know it doesn't have a great layout, but I'm not looking for a board to overclock with or do anything really fancy; just a new computer to fix my old one.

05-24-2006, 10:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ralck TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,454 OS: 98SE/XP PRO/FC4 My System	If this is not a good motherboard to go with, does anyone have any suggestions for cheap good AGP motherboards? Maybe I should just upgrade the motherboard in two or three years to a PCI-E one when I get a PCI-E video card?