AMD vs Intel revisited

[Dizz]

Hi folks, new to the boards. I have been reading the information you folks have accumulated for a couple of days now. Really appreciate everything I have seen so far. Onto my question:

I built a nice rig over four years ago. I am NOT a computer expert, my line of work involves construction. Consider this a hobby. A couple of days ago it burned out and I am now in the market to go ahead and start building another one. First problem was picking out the CPU. (I would go into details on the computer, but another time and another thread)

I picked out the AMD Athlon 64 X2 (6400, AM2 socket, 1000mhz bus) due to price and speed. But after reading more up on AMD, I was not impressed. The last computer I built was Intel. Again, after reading on these boards the major consensus is to build with Intel.

The computer is solely for gaming. I want a processor that will last for a good five years, and I am thinking about what Wise Monkey has stated before back in August, future thinking as in using the DDR3.

Price? Not an option. I have a certified letter from my wife saying I am allowed to build this. :D (Until she see's the bill...TEEHEE!)

Thanks bunches!

~/>

[Jamie Nixx]

Ok money isn't an option.

You may want to wait for the 9 series cards, if we are lucky we may see them before the year is out.

You may also want to wait for Intels new quad core processors, they are going to be awesome.

Motherboard wise your going to want either a good P35 chipset board that offers DDR2 and DDR3 support, or you can wait for the new X48 chipset.

DO NOT even contemplate getting DDR3 memory, its not worth the money even if you have bottomless pits for pockets.

Now, i can price an awesome rig for you now or you can wait a while to build and get more for your money, its up to you.

[Dizz]

Ok money isn't an option.

You may want to wait for the 9 series cards, if we are lucky we may see them before the year is out.

You may also want to wait for Intels new quad core processors, they are going to be awesome.

Motherboard wise your going to want either a good P35 chipset board that offers DDR2 and DDR3 support, or you can wait for the new X48 chipset.

DO NOT even contemplate getting DDR3 memory, its not worth the money even if you have bottomless pits for pockets.

Now, i can price an awesome rig for you now or you can wait a while to build and get more for your money, its up to you.

Thank you thank you thank you Jamie.

If you do not mind, I am going to copy and paste my machine I was planning on building prior to reading more on AMD. You will notice I already picked the AMD and the ASUS mobo, but that was using the AMD. Your input would be appreciated.


Short List:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 (AMD 6400)
Asus M2A VM AMD Socket AM2
Corsair Dual Channel TwinX2048
HP/WD Raptor/80gb/10k/16mb/SATA
BFG Geforce 8800GTX
UH X2 ULT 31852 550 Watt Power Supply

CPU

AMD Atholon 64 X2

Interface is a AM2 (940). About equivalent to an 3.2g for Pentium.

I picked these items off Tiger Direct. Newegg is probably where I will go in the long run. The Egg has a great return policy.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3273141&CatId=2328

Motherboard

I am just wondering if the case size, which is listed as MicroATX would fit in an ATX case?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2968644&CatId=2838

Ram

Going to go ahead and buy four sticks. Give me round 4 gigs of the stuff of Corsair Dual Channel DDR2.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2206470&CatId=2261

Hard Drive

I could probably take the old HD, which is the same thing, out of the out of commission rig. But once I build this one, I am going to figure out what went wrong with the old one. HP/WD Raptor/80gb/10,000rpm

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3110676&CatId=2456

Video card

You will notice it is water cooled. The only thing I have to do is make sure I buy the right tube connections. I will have to verify that later on.

Since the ram for the computer is DDR2, does the ram on this video card (DDR3) conflict with the motherboard ram? I do not think so, but I had to ask.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2824923&Sku=B52-8010&SRCCODE=SHOPPINGDF&CMP=OTC-SHOPPING

Power Supply

I hated hooking up my power supply and trying to figure out what to do with all the cords. This one will let me pick which ones to install.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2974510&CatId=1079

CD/DVD

I just want something that can read both. Meh on this.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3205935&CatId=480

CASE

Since I like water cooling, the main fact I had a problem with the busted computer is everything is just so danged inconvenient to move around with the tubes. So this go around, I am buying a clear accrylic case from Sun Beam.

http://www.xoxide.com/sunbeam-9bay-acrylic-clear.html

Cooling

I was/am very satisfied with the cooling system that was on my previous system. It was a Zalmans. The new version actually has quick couplings that allow you to take the tubes out without leaks. I will have to verify the tube size to coorelate tween the video card water cooling system.

http://www.xoxide.com/zalman-reserator-1-v2.html

Apparently NVIDIA still has not made drivers for there cards and Vista? Is that still true? Either way I decided to go ahead and go with Windows XP rather than Vista. I bought Vista for a new computer at work, just to experiment. Turns out our Citrix server (email) was not compatable with Vista due to the new IE that is integrated with the system. (I tried to delete it)

Thanks again!

[Dizz]

Ok, I have pretty much taken my buddies recomendations for this computer and junked my previous build.

Please let me know what you think.

CPU-Intel Core 2 duo E6750
Mobo-Gigabyte GA-P35-Ds3P (Intel P35 ATX)
Cooler-Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 pro 92mm cooler
Ram-Crucial Ballistix 2g

For video card I am going to try his recomendation and SLI two 8800 GT video cards. Right now they are running at around 210$ US.

No water cooling this time. It takes me hours to trouble shoot problems, why make it more difficult on a nub like me?

Appreciate the input.

[Jamie Nixx]

Sorry forgot about this thread dude :o

Can i make a suggestion and point you in the right direction.

Corsair is better memory, not just my opinion but proven in reviews, on newegg it comes with a hefty rebate of $40 for the 2GB kit.

Also, you can't SLi cards on a P35 board, that chipset only supports Crossfire, which is the ATI equivalent of Nvidias SLI, if you want to SLi 8800GT's you will need a board with an Nvidia chipset, the P35 is an Intel chipset.

If you want my advice, do not bother going down the SLi brick road, its just to much hassle than its worth and the current Nvidia driver support for them is shocking, this is from experience as an SLi reviewer for forums, check out my review for this forum in the Video card section, different cards but the principal is the same.

Always stick with one card.

The processor is good so can't fault that seeing as i always recommend it ;)

Cooling wise, the CPU comes with its own copper cored cooler and it is superb, if your not overclocking stick with that.

[Dizz]

Thanks Jamie,

After posting this I read your review and another review on SLI. I am way leaning towards just one card like you have recomended. I would be spending close to 450$US on two brand new cards when I could just buy a better card for a few hundred dollars more. I have read reviews on the new 8800GTX and it was/is loud. I do not suppose there is a way around this without trying to cool it differently?

The motherboard is still OK if I choose not to Crossfire or SLI right?

For the CPU fan, I only have one prior experience with building a computer, but the last one I built the fan that came with the motherboard was very loud. (P4 roughly 3 years ago) I really would like a quiet system without going water cooled.

Thanks again Jamie!

[Jamie Nixx]

Ill tell you this now honestly, SLi 8800GT's would kill a GTX and cost less.

But on top of that, you would need a very good PSU, some games don't even support it including Stalker and most importantly Crysis and drivers don't support SLi 8800GT's yet.

If you can wait a bit longer i would say go for the new 9 series cards Nvidia are bringing out soon, or just get one GT, they are a superb card just on their own.

Also, the P35 boards are much better than the Nvidia boards apart from overclocking although P35 can do that decently as well.

The P35 board supports both ATI and Nvidia cards, but only supports Crossfire so you will have to use one Nvidia card.

The new Intel cooler is very quiet, barely audible in fact over a normal case fan.

Oh and one more thing, the GTX is only 3% better than the GT and costs double the price, another reason to just get one GT.

Hope this helps.

[Dizz]

Your the bomb. Thanks soooo much Jamie.

Will update in the appropriate thread. :)

[Jamie Nixx]

No problemo, just don't blame me when the wife strings you up by the gonads when she sees the invoice for the parts, my girlfriend would :eek: :D

Good luck building.