This is what im building check it out!!!!

[lynx]

Assuming you are going for one of the Asus boards, you have 4 options:
A8N-SLI Deluxe $175
A8N-SLI $160
A8V-E Deluxe $145
A8N-E $125

I can see no advantages of the A8V-E Deluxe over the A8N-E, so I would drop that from the list straight away.

Do you need SLI?

Translate that question into "Will you ever but 2 identical SLI enabled graphics cards for the same system?". Remember that it is unlikely that buying a second card a few months later will be sufficiently similar to allow the 2 cards to successfully co-exist. So if you buy 1 now you will have to buy 2 more later and get rid of the one you have.

Only you can answer that question. If the answer is no then stop looking at the SLI boards.

Other questions are:
how many SATA drives are you likely to buy; I suspect the answer will be 1 or at most 2.
how many gigabit ethernet ports are you likely to need; I suspect the answer will be 1.
If so, even if you go for the SLI board you don't need the Deluxe.

The same rules apply with boards from other manufacturers - perform the same analysis. Don't buy what you will never use unless it is part of a package with something that you feel is a "must have". Otherwise you are simply wasting money.

[clocker]

Translate that question into "Will you ever but 2 identical SLI enabled graphics cards for the same system?". Remember that it is unlikely that buying a second card a few months later will be sufficiently similar to allow the 2 cards to successfully co-exist. So if you buy 1 now you will have to buy 2 more later and get rid of the one you have.

This is simply not true.
In fact, I have read that you can use two cards from different manufacturers in SLI mode (dunno anyone who has tried this though).
More info here...

[S!X]

Translate that question into "Will you ever but 2 identical SLI enabled graphics cards for the same system?". Remember that it is unlikely that buying a second card a few months later will be sufficiently similar to allow the 2 cards to successfully co-exist. So if you buy 1 now you will have to buy 2 more later and get rid of the one you have.

This is simply not true.
In fact, I have read that you can use two cards from different manufacturers in SLI mode (dunno anyone who has tried this though).
More info here...

I saw pics of 2 different brand cards being used in an SLI setup somewhere cant remember where

[clocker]

I do agree with Lynx that "SLI or no?" is a fundamental question you should answer.
The second question would be "Am I going to OC this thing or not?".

If the response is yes, then the only board you should consider is the DFI LanParty series...they have the most extensive list of BIOS options and a constant flow of new BIOSs...it is the premier tweakers platform.

If the BIOS is uncharted waters for you (or if you don't know what BIOS IS...), then the Gigabyte is a very stable and feature rich way to go.
It is a middling overclocking board, so you can play around a bit, but not like the DFI.

Soon, another question will be relevant..."IDE or not", because the upcoming generation of boards will come fully SATA capable and the legacy IDE ports will disappear.
This should really change the way the boards are laid out as IDE eats up a lot of real estate on the PCB.
That's what I'm waiting for...

[Virtualbody1234]

... Soon, another question will be relevant..."IDE or not", because the upcoming generation of boards will come fully SATA capable and the legacy IDE ports will disappear.
This should really change the way the boards are laid out as IDE eats up a lot of real estate on the PCB.
That's what I'm waiting for...

Where did you hear that, clocker?

I don't see IDE disappearing anytime soon. There are still IDE products being sold.

[clocker]

Where did you hear that, clocker?

I don't see IDE disappearing anytime soon. There are still IDE products being sold.

That was brought up at a recent MS System Builder teleconference where Bill Gates intoduced the release of 64bit XP.
Longhorn will include a full compliment of SATA drivers and the floppy will be unnecessary.

Interviews with Oskar Wu (superstar board designer, currently with DFI) have revealed that he ( and presumably all the other designers) can't wait to ditch the space-gobbling IDE ports.
Supposedly there are already preliminary nVidia reference designs that do not include any IDE at all and the board layout/functionality is greatly enhanced.

Naturally, boards as we now know them will be available for some time to come.
The SATA only design will almost certainly appear in high end products first, but the trickle down effect will bring it to the masses as inevitably as PCI-e will replace AGP.

Join the Dark Side VB.

[fkdup74]

For the power supply the case says 420w and one of you sayed I need a 500w supply will it fit into my case?

nah, you misread
I recommended the Antec Truepower 550, in favor of the TT you were looking at
you may not need 550 watts, you may well do fine with 420-480 watts
(of which there are Truepower models as well )

and more wattage doesn't mean a bigger PSU

as for the CPU, well.....
read a bit through this forum
a few ppl have harped on the 3000+ Winchester, and it's only 1.8 GHz
now you have the option of the Venice or San Diego cores in the 90 nm setup,
(Venice being sort of comparable to Winchester,
with the 512 MB L2 and 90 nm, but with SSE3 instructions)
and the 'Diegos with 1 MB L2s and SSE3 on the 90 nm setup
where as before there was only a 130nm option if you just had to have a bigger L2 cache

so you see...options are there....you dont have to limit yourself to more GHz,
just because it's a bigger number....
contact Intel and ask them about that mistake

[clocker]

contact Intel and ask them about that mistake

Sure.
It's 7:30AM on a Sunday morning there.
I'm sure they're open for inquiry.

"Lines are open and operators are standing by!"

[Virtualbody1234]

... (Venice being sort of comparable to Winchester,
with the 512 MB L2 and 90 nm, but with SSE3 instructions) ...

Oooh!!! Where can I get one of those? 512 MB of L2 cache!!! That's a lot.

[imasoldier]

SInce im getting a 1 gig of ram how much better would it be to have an extra gig? And also will it cost the same price or is therea different brand with 2 gigs that I can get just for a little bit more?