AGP Mainboard - Also components list. Need advice.

Nalced_irl

Hey guys,

Ive decided to attempt to build a PC however my budget is quite low. For this reason i am going to try and use some components i already own, the main one being the GPU. I have an X1650XT AGP Card so am looking for a good motherboard which takes AGP cards. I have seen the Asrock Dual which take AGP and PCI however i have found nowhere in Ireland that sells them so far. Basically just looking for advice on it. I have a budget of about EUR500 but i will be using my current GPU card, USB card and all the speakers, keyboard, mouse ect. Also i have an external HDD and CD/DVD so i dont need particularly great internal devices for that either. Any advice/help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Edit:

I have been having a look around and with the help of a few threads here have made a list of components to build a PC. I have put them below so if anyone with more knowledge than me (ie. most of you) could have a look over it and let me know if there are any incompatibilities or if i have left anything out, which is quite possible.
Thanks again.

List:

Case and PSU:
Dabs Value Alien Gaming Case 480W - Black dabs.ie EUR51

Motherboard CPU and Memory
Upgrade Kit Intel Core 2 Duo E4400, Mainboard, 2048MB, PCI-Express-komplett.ie EUR265

GPU
Sapphire Technology Radeon X1950 PRO 512MB GDDR3 PCIE Dual DVI 580/700 - dabs.ie EUR141

HDD
Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB S300 16mb - dabs.ie EUR63

CD Drive
Optiarc CD-RW 52x32x52x DVDROM 16x IDE Black - Drive Only - dabs.ie EUR29

Altogether with delivery im looking at about EUR580.

Nalced_irl

Also, if anyone has any suggestions for changes they would make id love to hear them. Im planning to buy the parts over a few weeks, probably starting with the case, then motherboard/cpu/memory and so on so i can build as i go along but if the price goes up slightly for something very worthwhile anyone could suggest, thats not a huge problem either. Forgot to say also that i mainly use it to play games like BF2, Americas Army, Pro Evolution Soccer, Counterstrike and so on, so thats what it will be aimed at.
Cheers.

8T8

Theres nothing wrong with that selection of hardware for an upgrade.

Just so you know you can get the motherboard with AGP/PCI-Express support on Dabs it's the ASRock Conroe XFire ESATA2 now it doesn't have a real AGP slot sort of emulated one which hit calls AGI because compatibility is not 100% but any recent AGP cards should work and if the X1650XT doesn't well you can always get the X1950Pro or any other PCI-e card. {They actually mention the X1600XT in the AGI test on the website so the X1650XT should work no problem)

The board is compatible with Core 2 Duo's so an E4400 will work in it & it supports up to DDR-2 667 so get 2GB of that and your sorted.

Nalced_irl

Cheers 8T8, talk about 2 extremes but i was looking at the processor and thinking it could be outdated in a short time as its bottom end with new technology out there now. As im in no real hurry to complete it (over a month or 2 is fine) i was also looking at the Core 2 Quad option. It would add another Eur200 approx but with that bundle would be a better motherboard, memory and of course processor. I think it was the Q6600 bundle. Its on another thread here also.

dazberry

Don't get the Komplett bundle because the motherboard is not very upgradeable (I've the same bundle with the E6400 + a HIS 1950pro + WD Cavier 250MB). If you're stuck for cash by all means get the E4400, but try and get a more future proof mobo, something that will support the Q6600 and the new 1333mhz chips. The kit is fine otherwise.

D.

Nalced_irl

dazberry wrote:

Don't get the Komplett bundle because the motherboard is not very upgradeable (I've the same bundle with the E6400 + a HIS 1950pro + WD Cavier 250MB). If you're stuck for cash by all means get the E4400, but try and get a more future proof mobo, something that will support the Q6600 and the new 1333mhz chips. The kit is fine otherwise.

D.

What about the Q6600 bundle? Im sort of swaying that way tbh. Cost a bit extra but wont need to worry about it for a good few years hopefully after that.

8T8

I wouldn't bother with the Q6600 unless you have applications that you know benefit from 4 cores, most games don't and as far as I'm aware the ones you list don't in any way benefit from more than one core.

Nalced_irl

Ok, new list incorperating your advice:

Kingston ValueRAM 2x1GB 240-Pin DIMM PC2-5300 Non-ECC CAS5 EUR80

ASRock Conroe XFire ESATA2 S775 Intel 945P ATX Audio Lan EUR80

Intel Core 2 Duo E6320 1.86GHz Socket 775 1066FSB 4MB EUR154

Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB S300 16mb EUR63

Dabs Value Alien Gaming Case 480W -Silver EUR49

Optiarc CD-RW 52x32x52x DVDROM 16x IDE Black - Drive Only EUR29

Comes to a total of 474.10 inc delivery. Thats once im not forgetting anything. How does that sound? Would i need to get a CPU cooler also btw?

dazberry

Nalced_irl wrote:

ASRock Conroe XFire ESATA2 S775 Intel 945P ATX Audio Lan EUR80

AFAICS the mobo has the same issue as the original komplett bundle.

If you want to spend wisely, pay a little extra and get something like this: MSI P35 NEO-F, P35, Socket-775, DDR2, 1333FSB, ATX, GbLAN, PCI-Ex16. Disclaimer: I don't have experience with this actual mobo, but the reason I list it is that its more future proof in that it will support quad core and the new 1333FSB chips that Intel are pushing: cpu support.

Secondly since you left out a graphics card I'm guessing your planning to keep your X1650XT AGP Card. Having looked at the spec for the ASRock board, its not an AGP version, from a very quick google you'd need to look for something like the ASRock 775Dual-VSTA.

Personally I don't think you should tie yourself into something for the sake of keeping your AGP card unless you absolutely have to - it'll most likely cost you more in the long run.

D.

uberpixie

Would suggest getting a dacent quality case and PSU.
(you really shouldn't take a gamble on these)

I would suggest Antec Sonato II. (94 Euro)
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3SPW&CategorySelectedId=11145&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11145,50882

Comes with an Antec 450W PSU, which is good quality. The case itself is good quality, keeps the noise of the parts down and has good airflow.

Don't skimp on the case or the PSU, buy once buy right.

Cheap cases and cheap PSUs are never worth it.

The CPU prob comes with a stock Intel cooler, which is fine unless you plan on overclocking. Not the worst for noise.

Peats are selling an Artic Cooling Freezer Pro fro 24.99 EURO, which is a good, quiet and cheap Intel cooler which will just clip into the motherboard. An option if you want something a little quiter than the stock later on if it annoys you.

Nalced_irl

dazberry wrote:

AFAICS the mobo has the same issue as the original komplett bundle.

If you want to spend wisely, pay a little extra and get something like this: MSI P35 NEO-F, P35, Socket-775, DDR2, 1333FSB, ATX, GbLAN, PCI-Ex16. Disclaimer: I don't have experience with this actual mobo, but the reason I list it is that its more future proof in that it will support quad core and the new 1333FSB chips that Intel are pushing: cpu support.

Secondly since you left out a graphics card I'm guessing your planning to keep your X1650XT AGP Card. Having looked at the spec for the ASRock board, its not an AGP version, from a very quick google you'd need to look for something like the ASRock 775Dual-VSTA.

Personally I don't think you should tie yourself into something for the sake of keeping your AGP card unless you absolutely have to - it'll most likely cost you more in the long run.

D.

The main reason im looking to keep the X1650XT is that my budget for this is pretty low, around the EUR500 mark. I was looking at the Asrock Dual board but i cant see any for sale in Ireland. I want to try and buy from as few different companies as possible as it will be easier if there are any problems and also to keep delivery prices down.

What do you think of This Board? Looks very futuresafe from what i can see. Guessing its PCIE and not AGP tho.

Nalced_irl

uberpixie wrote:

Would suggest getting a dacent quality case and PSU.
(you really shouldn't take a gamble on these)

I would suggest Antec Sonato II. (94 Euro)
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3SPW&CategorySelectedId=11145&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11145,50882

Comes with an Antec 450W PSU, which is good quality. The case itself is good quality, keeps the noise of the parts down and has good airflow.

Don't skimp on the case or the PSU, buy once buy right.

Cheap cases and cheap PSUs are never worth it.

The CPU prob comes with a stock Intel cooler, which is fine unless you plan on overclocking. Not the worst for noise.

Peats are selling an Artic Cooling Freezer Pro fro 24.99 EURO, which is a good, quiet and cheap Intel cooler which will just clip into the motherboard. An option if you want something a little quiter than the stock later on if it annoys you.

It may sound stupid but i kinda want to get a case that looks good also I mean i would be willing to spend about EUR90-100 on the case and PSU. Also, i presume around the 450-500W mark would be ok with todays GPU`s? Im currently using a 350W PSU and games tend to lock for a few seconds and release quite regularly so i dont think there is enough getting to the GPU.

How about a case like This?

Nalced_irl

Ok, another possibility. hardwareversand looks a good bit cheaper so i have had a look there and come up with this:

ASUS P5N-E SLI, Sockel 775 nForce 650SLI, ATX

2x 1024MB DDR2 Corsair XMS2 CL 5, PC6400/800

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Box 4096Kb, LGA775, 64bit, Conroe

WD Caviar SE16 250GB SATA II 16MB

Samsung SH-D163A SATA Bulk schwarz

Havent looked at cases or PSU yet but how does that shape up so far? EUR470 approx inc Delivery.