I'm looking

[Brucifer]

My eyes are gazing about for a new system. What I'm thinking hard about is centering it on a Core 2 Duo e6400, possibly the next one up even. As I am basically ignorant on the intricacies of the intels I need some info/help/comments. I plan to run 64-bit linux on it, most likely OpenSuse, but will also dual boot it with XP-64. With all the stuff going on about the GPU client for folding, I would like to get an ATI card capable of that. Also what kind of memory would the system need. I don't buy completed systems, rather just buy the parts and stuff them together.

What would you recomment as to motherboard, memory, PS, video card for the e6400?

[festergod]

Upgrading this year IMO is not the best idea. Amd is going to release new chip styles over the next 2 years. leading up to 2008 with quad core design combined with ddr3. AM2 socket is out but is till low production and very expensive, which it uses ddr2. Mid 2007 am2 will be more mainstream and more cost effective. As for intel as you suggested im not really sure on there stuff.. i dont follow them. Maximum Pc is a great source for tech release dates and info , "Tom's hardware" is another good resource site for hardwareand news releases. As for video cards. Nvidia's next series will feature direct draw 10. Directx 10 will be as in the past with all the Directx updates you can use the software upto your video cards hardware permits, but it will still work.Directdraw 10, however will not be backwards compatable. Only the next generation Nvidia cards will you be able to install the Directdraw 10 software.

hope this helps:D

[daddygeek]

Sorry, I can't help you with a Intel set-up. I to am ignorant on the intricacies of the intels (It's been 5yr's since I've set one up).

But, i do like your pick of linux. OpenSUSE is #1 on my list.

[Brucifer]

Sorry, I can't help you with a Intel set-up. I to am ignorant on the intricacies of the intels (It's been 5yr's since I've set one up).

But, i do like your pick of linux. OpenSUSE is #1 on my list.


Heh.... :) That's my issue too. :)

[Brucifer]

Upgrading this year IMO is not the best idea. Amd is going to release new chip styles over the next 2 years.

Well unfortunately my crunching scores won't wait until next year! LOL

I will probably end up going for the highest clock speed AMD-64/X2 I can find without having to spend a fortune as a lot of this stuff still goes by clock speed. Been looking more at the Intels, but I keep going back to stuff I'm more familiar with, and the lower prices too.

[Beerknurd]

You can buy an X2 5200+ off Ebay for 600 bucks I think... That's what i'm saving my pennies for...

http://cgi.ebay.com/AMD-Athlon-64-X2-5200-AM2-2-6GHZ-2000FSB_W0QQitemZ170036524450QQihZ007QQcategoryZ36 72QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[gatekeeper53]

Bruce,

I'm thrilled to death with my 4800+ Toledo and it runs great at oc'd speeds. If you already have a cooler you can pick one up at Newegg for about $250. It does take quite a cooler the one that comes with it in the box is the size of a '53 Buick. It has been running at 60 w/100% load for about a month. Last night I pulled it and applied Artic Silver rather than the stock stuff and it's now at 54. That's running at 2.69GHz. I put together a cheap sys and it don't do to bad. Mem was $70 a gig and MoBo was under 80.

[gatekeeper53]

Beer, You might like this and there's free shipping.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103758

[Beerknurd]

And a free pencil holder... Very nice... :lol:

[Strongbow]

What would you recomment as to motherboard, memory, PS, video card for the e6400?

I'm looking for a similar set up as well. The following is almost ordered, I just keep refining it....

Asus P5WDG2-WS Professional Intel 975X (Socket LGA775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard

GeIL 2GB (2x1GB) PC6400 800MHz Ultra Low Latency DDR2 Dual Channel Kit

Enermax Galaxy 1000W EGA1000EWL ATX2.2 Modular PSU

Sapphire ATI Radeon X1900 XT-X TOXIC 512MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express)

[vaughan]

Brucifer I went for the e6600 with an Asrock775 dual-vsta m/b and 1GB Corsair value select DDR2 ram. The Asrock was selected as I wanted to use my DDR400 ram, Seagate 80GB SATA1 HDD and old AGP Leadtek A280 GPU. However, this setup has run into some difficulties :sad:

After 3 weeks it started to randomly re-boot WinXP. After lots of mucking about with the h/w I tried a format and re-install of Win. This failed near the end of the process with stupid non-sensical errors about Critical setup failure, unable to read files off the CD drive's i386 folder, meh!

My local PC shop replaced the CD drive, said one of the Geil Ultra DDR400 sticks was faulty (and RMA'd it), tried another motherboard and still it gave the same dumb errors. They believe the Intel CPU is faulty but as the CPU is <30 days old I had to take it to the original vendor. Naturally at that shop they deny a problem with the CPU but sent it to Intel as an RMA anyway. Bottom-line - no Core 2 Duo system until this debacle is sorted out :icon_cry:

If I was starting the C2D process again I'd get the 775X ASUS P5W-DH DELUXE. If I went 665P I'd go for either the ASUS P5B DELUXE or the Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6. The 775X is an older chipset but has faster memory bandwidth than the 665P series.

[Brucifer]

Somehow without even looking up the prices I feel a severe case of sticker shock...... :) Thank you for taking the time to look stuff up!! :)

[vaughan]

Tomshardware has an article on overclocking an E6400

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/10/10/cheap_thrills/

[Big Whiskey]

AMD slashing the price of their Opty's as of Oct.30 for all sockets
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4503

[gatekeeper53]

The quads are comming and the duals should drop like a rock

[Brucifer]

Maybe they just want me to find a new hobby. Tom's didn't do much to bolster my opinion of the core 2 duo. Sounds like heat is still a big issue with the intels.

And G5's aren't exactly falling from the heavens either. It's beginning to look like the wisest choice for sieving is to get some 1.8 Durons, overclock them and just let them cook. Only problem is finding socket A motherboards. :)

[gatekeeper53]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813185075R

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819104160

Here ya go Mobo & Duron $49

[mitchellds]

yep its hard to beat a overclocked intel e6300 right now for price/performance unfortunately.

20 minutes after loading my new one up I'm running overclocked @2.5 ghz up from 1.8 on stock cooling with the below results without even trying.

SiSoftware Sandra
Benchmark Results
Dhrystone ALU : 23138 MIPS
Whetstone iSSE3 : 15992 MFLOPS

as a reference, sandra says a fx2-62 is supposed to run @
Dhrystone ALU : 20225 MIPS
Whetstone iSSE3 : 17084 MFLOPS


These puppies are commonly oc'd over 3ghz with good cooling. What a performer! This is my second one in 10 days. My daughter wanted one first so I had to wait for mine.

[Strongbow]

Somehow without even looking up the prices I feel a severe case of sticker shock...... :) Thank you for taking the time to look stuff up!! :)

The list I gave is a bit pricey, well actually it's extremely pricey but it is my ultimate choice at the moment!