Building a new machine how do these parts sound?

Puddin · Posted: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 20:54:54 Post Subject:

i know that much. I am carefully physically, have dabbled with OCing but i am not goign to try it atm.

Also i was reading around and i read in a couple places that 939 socket types are being phased out for the AM2 socket types?? Wondering whats the deal with that one as well.
Off to try and find the answer to the question i just adsked Smile

BeerCheeze · Posted: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 21:05:25 Post Subject:

AM2 is the new form factor that supports DDR2. From what I've read though, 939 is still faster on the same speed CPU. Bang Head

Puddin · Posted: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 23:30:58 Post Subject:

wow ok. Yea even though it rought down thw 939 prices... which hey.. works in my favor.

edvallie · Posted: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 23:38:16 Post Subject:

Where are you going to college? Michigan Tech?

By the way, I'm not sure how much you know about building computers, so i'll throw this out here. DFI boards aren't made for beginners at building computers, if you only have a slight idea as to what your doing, I would highly advise against one.

Puddin · Posted: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:39:00 Post Subject:

well i put togeter my kollence water cooling, custome heat sinks and such. I have built 2-3 helped a couple friends put some together, so i am higher then a novice probly. What is so complicated bout them as well??

And i am attending NMU Northern michigan.

edvallie · Posted: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:50:36 Post Subject:

First of all, they're very picky motherboards. They have a track record of not liking certain hardware types/brands. I was told my board wouldn't recognize maxtor IDE drives. There are also a lot more settings that are designed for performance that are given to you for extreme computing needs. If you don't know what some of the features do, I could a novice getting confused about them. There are also jumpers all over the board that do one thing or another, so you'd have to be smart enough to read your manual properly in order to configure them. (Even harder if you buy open-box and don't recieve a manual) Just the small things that add up make a not a beginner-friendly board.

Puddin · Posted: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 13:51:38 Post Subject:

is there a list of compatibility? i checked the DFI website but didn;t see a compatibility list. I saw the DRR 40 was compatible but i didn;t see if certain manufactuers would have issues.

I am leanign toward that DFI board with the 4800 x2 CPU for 280... or a 3800 for 175. The only real diferencde i could se was that the 4800 is an x2 and it has 2x1mb L2 cache on it. Granted its at 2.4ghz while the other is at 2.0... But is that woth the extra 100 as well???

3800 : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103562
4800 : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103544

Hellfire · Rated XXX Joined: 05 Aug 2003 Posts: 3473

For DFI boards, I'd check out DFI-Street.com before you make your final purchase for incompatibilities.

As it has been said, they are great boards. However that comes at a price that most wont want to pay in the form of incompatibilties and fine tuning requirements.

Overall though, if you get good quality components I don't think you'll have an issue.

I never had compatibilty issues with my DFI Expert.

As for the CPU, IMHO get the one with the extra Cache.

If you are getting an AM2 CPU, maybe take a look at the Asus boards, the one I have for my AM2 has been working great.

Puddin · Posted: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 14:29:52 Post Subject:

whats the deal with the AM2 chipset there hellfire??? I heard they are discontinuing 939 as well. Looking for a reliable place to read up on it. or id it just they are changing it just because?

Hellfire · Rated XXX Joined: 05 Aug 2003 Posts: 3473

Biggest difference is the AM2 supports DDR2 and is the new/current chipset.

Don't know where to read about it to be honest. I believe it's the same pin layout as a 939 or 940 (although they are NOT compatible so do not get an AM2 and put in a 939/940 MB).

Otherwise as it has been said, I don't think there is technically any improvement over the 939 and AM2 right now (other than the DDR2).

Who knows what it will bring 6months - year down the road. Will we be at AM3 (or other) or still at AM2 and you have an upgrade path. Or you buy a 939, and they no longer make it so you don't have an upgrade path.

Would be like buying a new system based on AGP instead of PCI-E. You already know they are not going that route, so you're at a dead end for upgrades.