First "starter" mobo

[mDust]

Shopping results for buy p4 extreme

Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.46 GHz Processor
$694 new - 13 stores
Intel P4 840 3.2Ghz DC Extreme Socket 775 ( 800Mhz FSB 2MB Cache)
$998.00 new - Buy.com
Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.2 GHz Processor
$848 new - 13 stores

WTF! You're right. What the hell is wrong with people? Ok, so the extreme versions stay the same price for all eternity...but the average joe processors are dirt cheap after a few years.

replace your old system with a good motherboard and midrange CPU on a new socket, then...

...OC the crap out of it! You can match or even exceed the extreme speeds with a good OC.

[FuzzyPlushroom]

...OC the crap out of it! You can match or even exceed the extreme speeds with a good OC.

Also true! I made a $50-with-good-cooler "2600+" low-voltage Athlon XP run as a 3200+ (2.2 vs. 1.9) - at 1.525v instead of 1.65... probably the best chip I've ever owned in terms of value (if we're not counting my current free-save-for-labor 4400+ X2).

[Locum51]

Wow, i didn't know they were phasing out 775's. That's good to know when i'm still in the planning phase!

[Zephik]

Yea, they've had a new socket for quite some time now. Socket 1366 has been around since 2008. Its used for the high-end Core i7 processors and it will also be used for the future Core i9 processors. Then there is Socket 1156 which is for Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7. I have no idea why there is two sockets that both support i7, but only one supports the future i9. I'm also not sure if one will be phased out or not. They might just end up co-existing with each other as far as I know or can tell. Maybe the triple support socket is for the average person and then the i7 and i9 socket for crazy enthusiasts? (Core i9 will be a 32nm 6 core processor, btw. Core i7 is a 45nm 4 core processor)

I'd go with Socket 1156 if you want to upgrade now. But, I doubt you will want to upgrade right now. The cheapest boards are at minimum $100 and they require DDR3 which can be pretty expensive as well. Although, you can get 1GB DDR3 for $20 so I guess that isn't too bad, but you'll want at least 2GB which is $40. Then of course the processors, which are $200 minimum. So all together, you are talking $340 for the motherboard, ram and processor. Whereas with what you're probably going to get with the 775 setup, it'll only cost you around $210. Quite the difference in cost, however, its also quite the difference in power. That $340 will buy you something that will smoke everything else right out of the universe. :p

...of course, if you plan on spending some extra cash on some sweet hardware, you'll want a better case and power supply and all that too, to better protect your investment. It all gets very pricey very fast. lol

I'd just go the 775 route for now, and then maybe like a year or two from now upgrade to the newer stuff. Its not like the 775 stuff sucks or anything either, its all perfectly adequate. I mean hell, I'm on a 1.7GHz Pentium M right now with 1GB RAM and a graphics card that was outdated years ago and I'm perfectly happy. lol

[Locum51]

Yea, i think i know what i'm going to do as far as my first build. Thanks for all the help!

[Kayin]

*insert spanner in works*

I'm gonna recommend AM3. Quad for 80 bucks, overclocks like wee and very good performance, good boards around $100, runs cooler, and DDR3 can be had cheap, as you just showed-coming in close to the $210 USD mark you just quoted.

Also, AM3 is guaranteed some support for a while, as it debuted in 2009. The Thuban hexacore is on the way for it, as well. Also, with AMD, the IGP on those boards, should you use it, is far stronger. Lemme throw something together...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130233

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103706

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820148194

Close to what's quoted, for a very strong board, a quad core processor, and 2 GB of RAM that WILL overclock if you ever decide to do it. It's also an HD 4200 IGP, so it's gaming capable for some stuff.

[Zephik]

You know, I'm actually going to second AMD. They are very well priced and amazing for budget builds. I didn't even think about them before...

[Zephik]

Here is what I would pick. Damn AMD has a lot of nice motherboards. lol

Motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813135085

Processor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103706

Memory:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820220174
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231136
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227267

Total: $200 for a Quad Core build. I think that comes out to be like $10 cheaper than the 775 build, and I think that was a Dual Core build as well? Now that's value!

Edit: Although, I think I like the MSI board that Kayin picked out, that thing is pretty sweet! And it doesn't cost too much more. But, it requires DDR3 memory. Which I would go with this one...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227325

Which totals to be like $245, but with a sweet motherboard and sweet memory and a sweet processor. or with the memory he picked out which comes out to be like $235. Any way you dice it though, I'd go AMD. Who wouldn't want a quad core over a dual core for either less or around the same price?? :p

[Locum51]

Wow, yea the 775 was only dual core and it was going to be around $200 just for the mobo and Core 2 duo processor.

Haha. yea exactly...

"Now that's.....BANG for your buck!"

[Locum51]

Does that ECS Black Series board support the IIx4?