Buying Some Components - Please Comment

[Brian R.]

I am in the market to upgrade my computer. Here are the components I was thinking of getting:

ASUS "P5GDC-V Deluxe" 915G Chipset Motherboard For Intel LGA 775 CPU -RETAIL $159

Intel LGA 775 Pentium 4 640 3.2GHz 800MHz FSB, 2MB L2 Cache Processor w/ Hyper Threading Technology - Retail $289

Kingston HyperX 240-Pin 512MB(256MB x 2) DDR2 PC2-4300, Model KHX4300D2K2/512 - OEM $175

Are these compontents pretty much optimized? or is there something I'm missing here? There are so many variables associated with processors and memory speeds that I'm not sure of the best buy and optimized performance. I plan on using the on-board video until I get a decent deal on a PCI Ex video card.

Thank you for any feedback.

Brian

[lecter]

Get 1GB of RAM...512 is getting painful with all the modern apps one needs on a PC

[Umfriend]

Be sure to test it by crunching CPDN on it as much as you can. For more info you can find your way to the Distributed @MURC forum.

[Brian R.]

Would it be faster computer with a 3.4 GHz processor/1MB of L2 cache or a 3.2 GHz/2MB of L2 cache?

[Tjalfe]

That is a PCIe motherboard, what about a video card?


I have a P4-3.4GHz, it overclocks nicely to 3.8GHz on stock cooling

[Brian R.]

I plan on using the on-board video until I get a decent deal on a PCI Ex video card. I don't play games at the moment.

[Umfriend]

I do not know. For CPDN, mem bandwidth appears to be very important based on a Xeon 2.4 512k L2 / 533 FSB vs a PiV 2.66 1mb L2 / 800 FSB. But I do not know whether it is the L2 of the FSB diff that causes the difference mainly (aside from the small mhutz diff). I *think* for CPDN, the L2 cache will get the 3.2 to outperform the 3.4.

AFAIK, all these PIVs run hot, but the 3.4 and up even more than the others. My 3.2 1mb l2 gets to 64 to 68 degrees normally with rather basic, stock Shuttle SFF cooling. It can handle that easily though.

Aside from the main use of CPDN, what else will you use it for? My gut feeling is go for the 3.2 one, assuming it is cheaper.

Would it be faster computer with a 3.4 GHz processor/1MB of L2 cache or a 3.2 GHz/2MB of L2 cache?

[Brian R.]

I guess my most processor-dependent use is transferring analog video to digital (DVD).

[Umfriend]

Just went to Tom's. If I understand it correctly, you would be better of with a 3.2/1mbl2 than a 3.0/2mbl2. As far as CPDN goes, either is good enough!

[Marshmallowman]

Why don't you buy a decent processor...hint amd64

[Brian R.]

Thanks for everyone's input.

(Why not AMD? - I have friends who work for Intel)

[Umfriend]

You can show your gratitude by joining MURC @ CPDN, but you knew that of course and can't wait to do so.

[The PIT]

AMD here as well.


Show your friends the long pipeline ceiling.

[Umfriend]

Brian, any progress yet?

[Mehen]

Make sure you get a case with good airflow (something that can have 120mm). While the cpu may work fine in the 60's, some of the other components may not (your cpu will tend to heat up your northbridge and video card pretty good). IMO Intel should sell prescott based cpu's with waterblocks instead of heatsinks

Don't bother getting more than 512mb of ram unless you are using XP.