Hi guys, I want to get another PC put together, you know, I really wish i could understand half the stuff that goes on in some websites but anyway, basicly what i want to know is an ASUS motherboard that can support 2 high end ATI cards for gaming, [i dont like Nvida/intel stuff]. I want plenty of Pci/Pci-e/ slots, excellent stability/compatiblility with various things, such as windows xp only os you ever need edition and so forth... Please do not push your Intel, Vista and Nvidia stuff on me, as I will reject you. Sorry just my liking. I do not want 8800 anything ok guys? So a simple re-cap/more details -Asus motherboard with crossfire compatiblity? -differences between SLI and Crossfire? -A bit of chipset advice -Is SLI only nvidia and Crossfire only support ATI? -Ive heard of the 32-bit Xp/vist does not utilize more than 3 to 4 gigs ram? Only 64-bit OS's do -I dont need advice on case/psu/ etc... -ATI card advice only please -Advice on the new Phenom processors? -What is socket F+ release date? -Is the Gecube X1950XTX still a ''kewl kat''? or is the new ATI kewl kard the newest ATI HD card [forget the name...] -Help? -To much technology on the market right now? -I'm confused? Yes. -What am I asking? Well good question...I'm just, confused. -Should I just stick with my old computer than can run anything anyway, and never upgrade again?? Well, that would be a nice concept but i have a hunch this is not possible... Currently I have a laptop, Pro-tools system, 2 Desktop systems one ''maxed out'' socket 754, and other ''maxed out'' 939 seems like theres alot i don't understand right now? Well its true... -Jon.
Most of what you want to know can be found with a bit of searching. Using a Phenom needs an AM2+ mobo to get the most out of it: Here are a few, including Asus: http://www.motherboardpro.com/Socket-AM2-Motherboards-p-1-c-306.html I'm building a crossfire system around this board: GIGABYTE GA-MA790FX-DS5 AM2+/AM2 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128074 $209.99 Using a Phenom or any AMD is going to restrict you performance wise for right now. If you get the 9500 or 9600, plan on upgrading later, I have the 9500 which I'll replace when something a lot faster(hopefully) shows up. Difference between the SLI and Crossfire? There is no functional difference between the two. They do the same thing. Only difference is that Nvidia Based Graphic Cards uses SLI and ATI based Graphic Cards uses CrossFire...That's starting to change though. The fastest video card configurations use two Nvidia 8800 Ultras in SLI. I do note that for benchmarking, Two Radeon 2900 XTs kick ass but you will need a 1000 watt PSU and serious case cooling for these bad boys. I'm using the new Radeon HD 3870 cards, I'm still waiting for them. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129100 2 gigs of RAM are fine. I use this and recommend them highly: Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148069 Isn't SocketF+ for dual socket server boards? Google search this one... I don't know why you would want a server board. Not really... Yes! The Radeon HD 3870! I'd suggest you keep looking at parts and reading. The confusion will go away after awhile.
In my opinion its foolish to pick one side or the other when choosing computer components. Naturally you should buy whichever performs the best. In this case Intel and nVidia do have better products than AMD or ATI. If you want a mix then I would go with an P35 chipset motherboard, a Core 2 Duo, and a Radeon HD3850 or 3870; you also have the option of buying the 8800GT which outperforms any product from ATI. The P35 will support crossfire, but not SLI. However, in order to get a P35 you will need to purchase Intel. Also why just ASUS, there are plenty of other manufacturers that have equal or better products then ASUS. You will never get the best price/performance by sticking with one or the other. You have to mix it up or buy something that you don't like (for whatever reason) to get the best performance for the amount of money that you have. Just like consoles.I have owned a PS and PS2 ever since the late 90s. I never bought an XBOX because it was an inferior product. However, I now own a 360, but not a PS3 simply because of the fact that the PS3 is an inferior product. Anyways, don't be loyal to one brand or the other. Brand loyalty will get you nowhere.
First of all, I think you're stupid to utterly refuse to accept certain brands. By all means suffer a slower PC and lower value stuff, but when you've wasted all your money, at some point you're going to have to wake up and smell the coffee. I primarily end up buying ATI graphics cards, it's not that I necessarily think they're better, but they're better suited to what I do, and most of the time they seem a better deal when I come to buy a graphics card. As for the CPU though, there's no excuse not to go Intel at the moment, they are so ridiculously faster than anything AMD have produced right now. However, you can still make a relatively decent (if slower) system using AMD/ATI hardware. Are you stuck with the Asus brand too? I used to buy Asus motherboards, but after having two break on me after less than a year of use, I'm not really such a fan, I primarily use gigabyte boards. As for the compatibility with crossfire, I'm not sure. Objectively, I think Crossfire's a bit rubbish. I don't much like SLI either before you wonder, but Crossfire has a very poor limit on the number of games it runs on, since the method by which it works means all the games it is to run in must manually be added to the driver. The reason why SLi works more often is that it will work for most games based around a certain type, without having had to be mentioned specifically in the driver code. If you have to have crossfire, then do it, but personally I think it's best if you save your money and go with a single card. An AMD CPU probably won't be able to keep up with 3870s in Crossfire anyway. As for SLI being nvidia and Crossfire only ATI that is correct. SLI will also only work on nvidia chipsets. Crossfire, however, will work on a few different types. As for 32-bit OS, you're also right, 3GB is about the max. I do not, however, ever recommend using a 64-bit OS. Too many problems. As for PSU/Case, suit yourself, but make sure you get a decent quality PSU. With regard to ATI cards, there isn't really much to say. Buy an HD3870, simple as that, they're awesome. The good thing about 3870s is the lower power consumption. With 2900XTs in crossfire, you'd need a 750W Power supply to run them well (1000W is still overkill), with crossfired 3870s, 550W would suffice, and for a single card, you'd do fine with a 400W unit.
I like amd, ati and asus... Ok, it seems to me one single 3870, with twin athlon FX's [what is the best one/] would surrfice...cant seem to find it on amd website So i will most likely order these parts...[or get the computer assembled at my local computer shop] -psu [will buy locally] -case [will buy locally] -motherboard [ill buy one with crossfire support anyway...] -card [single 3870 card ] -cpu [either twin athlon fx's, or phenom and upgrade la8er] -ram [like 3 gigs then] -hard drives don't matter, i don't care about raid... -gotta have windows xp pro, -cooling [i dunno heard horror stories bout liquid cooling] -what else...prolly forget something...
Don't bother with the twin Athlon FX, AMD fanboy or not they are the biggest heap of dung in the recent generation of PCs. Either go with a Phenom or keep to dual cores.
Oh, I would like to know why then please what i mean is, why are twin athlon fx's bad, i heard they have lots of power with sse/sse2/sse3 for games/music creation that i would be doing lotz -Jon.
Here's a review from a year ago on a 2X Athlon based platform. http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTIzMywsLGhlbnRodXNpYXN0 Based on that, I'd go with Intel. The 400 watt idle power is enough to scare me away.
this thread has ignorance written all over it. please do yourself a favour and get a decent PSU (enermax, corsair or PC power and cooling) 64 bit OS has nothing wrong, IF, the programs you want to run have drivers for 64bit. and it will recognise 4GB. (if you want to go 64 bit, i would choose vista, becuase microsft have said that any certifies signed 32bit driver HAVE to come with 64 bit drivers asewll)
lol, i dont think so [and not to get a conspiracy thing going here but, ummm, whats with all the intel adds on this site// and you guys are all pro intel// give amd the respect it deserves guys, you guys all diss it, thats wierd.
You are one of the dumbest people I've met on this forum. I'll make no bones about it. We give AMD plenty of respect by recommending their products often, for things like low budget builds and so on. For a gamer like yourself, Intel is simply the better option. Somebody else I've been in contact with has recently bought an inferior graphics card against my advice because "nVidia better!! lolz!!11!!one!" You typically find more fanboys for nVidia because of the way they market their products, but finding them for ATi doesn't make them any less bad. You will end up with a worse PC having spent more money. Most of the people in aD's PC hardware thread are very knowledgable and know what's right for you. If you ignore several of them, what sort of deal do you really think you're getting?
why come here, and not take the superior advice of the enthusiasts, who are only trying to help you get the best for your money. non of us are fanboys. we rate each product on what it can give the customer, not its brand.
Well precisely, if you refuse to buy what's best, there seems little point asking for expert opinion in the first place.
