C2D build for moderate overclocking. Advice?

[jamori]

I'm helping my brother put together a computer that he'll be taking off to college with him. I'm rather experienced with building and overclocking machines, I just haven't really kept up with what's the best since my last build (early adopter, 939 opteron)

I'd like to get moderate overclocking with this build, and I'm sure it will be used for heavy multitasking and gaming. I'd say going for SLI is unlikely.

Here's what we're currently thinking:

mobo: Asus P5B-E or Gigabyte DS3 Need advice!
processor: Core2Duo E6400 or e4300
ram: 2x1gb firestix
video card: Already have a 7900GT
case: Antec Sonata II
PSU: Enhance ENP-5150GH 500W
cooling: Aftermarket air-CPU cooler of some sort

My main concerns are which of the two listed motherboards to get, and if the cheap RAM is going to hold back my overclock. I can just run it on a divider if necessary, right?

Also, it appears my valueram of choice has recently gone OOS. It was $120 for the 2gb kit and apparently worked fine up to DDR2-800 speeds ... anyone have other recommendations? I assume it's still the case that expensive RAM doesn't get you a whole lot aside from benchmark scores?

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Either of those mobos will be fine, I have the P5B-E and like it alot

And yes that ram may hold you back, unlike A64's, P965 boards don't have dividers only multipliers. 1:1 is the lowest you can run the ram. Some DDR2-667 will overclock to DDR-800, but some won't. I would suggest getting something thats gaurnteed to run DDR-800, that way your pretty much assured of hitting 3.2ghz with the E6400, and possibly higher is your ram will O/C past DDR-800

If you want to use value ram get an nvidia based 650i or 680i chipset board, they allow you to unlink the ram and set ramspeed independant of FSB

 

[jamori]

Guitar: thanks for the info regarding ram dividers!

Since there doesn't appear to be a memory subforum, I'm going to assume this is the best place to ask... Anyone have some suggestions for reasonable RAM for OCing that's under $200 for the 2gb kit? Cheaper while still not being the limiting factor in the machine's overclock would be superb.

 

[gerwen]

Get the cheapest DDR2-800 you can find.
On newegg right now, it's this: $170 Gskill DDR2-800 5-5-5-15

It won't stand in your way up to a 400 Front side bus, which is 3.2GHz on an E6400. With an aftermarket cooler, you should have no problem hitting that with reasonable temps. You may even be able to do it without increasing CPU volts. (Many have with less than stock volts, myself included.)

Buying faster ram will allow a higher FSB and overclock (if something else doesn't limit the OC first), but at 3.2GHz and below, it will only provide marginal performance increase, noticeable only on benchmarks.

 

[jamori]

Thanks gerwen.
In that case, for just $15 more than the cheapest ddr800 2gb kit available, I think we'll probably go with the firestix that might end up having the micron D9's. And if not, oh well.

Both those motherboards should be able to give them the 2.2ish V needed without a problem, right?

I guess now it's just down to which of those two motherboards to choose between and which CPU cooler to get. I'd prefer something not so huge that I'd be worried about moving the case around or transporting for 6+ hours in the trunk of a car to/from school. Cheaper and good performance would be nice, too. I ask the world, don't I?

 

[tallman45]

DS3 and E4300, it will OC better with less expensive ram

Nothing wrong with the E6300, but you will likley have buyers remorse next months when the E6320 comes out for the same price.

Pick up a Northbridge cooler as part of your order, that is a must

 

[gerwen]

Originally posted by: jamori
Thanks gerwen.
In that case, for just $15 more than the cheapest ddr800 2gb kit available, I think we'll probably go with the firestix that might end up having the micron D9's. And if not, oh well.

Good plan imo.

Originally posted by: jamori
Both those motherboards should be able to give them the 2.2ish V needed without a problem, right?

I guess now it's just down to which of those two motherboards to choose between and which CPU cooler to get. I'd prefer something not so huge that I'd be worried about moving the case around or transporting for 6+ hours in the trunk of a car to/from school. Cheaper and good performance would be nice, too. I ask the world, don't I?

I think you'd be happy with either board, pick whichever appeals most to you for whatever reason. You've narrowed it down to a couple winners.

My recent build was on the cheap, so I got the Gigabyte S3 board (rather than the DS3). I'm very happy with it.
The E4300 wasn't out when i built my rig in Dec, but if i had it to do over again right now, I think i'd still choose the E6400. I was aiming for 3.2Gig with my build, and i've reached that with flying colours. My cpu is undervolted, and my temps are awesome (~24C idle/~43C load)

I went cheap with the HSF too. Arctic Cooling's freezer 7 Pro. I got it for $27CDN. I just looked on newegg and they want $70 for it now. There's probably some other etailer you can get it from for about $25 USD. It's not quite up to par with the high end coolers that run $70+, but at a little more than a third of the price, it's close enough.

 

[jamori]

If I could get the e6400 and e4300 for the same price, which should I get (right now)? Should I expect a large difference in max overclock? If everything else is equal, I'd probably go with the e6400 ... the VT stuff isn't really used now, but it could be cool if it ever is.

 

[Skott]

Originally posted by: jamori
If I could get the e6400 and e4300 for the same price, which should I get (right now)? Should I expect a large difference in max overclock? If everything else is equal, I'd probably go with the e6400 ... the VT stuff isn't really used now, but it could be cool if it ever is.

If they are the same exact price? The E6400 has the greater potential in OCing. It has more headroom anyway. Assuming of course the other components you choose support the overclock. Mobo and RAM also affects how high of a OC you can achieve. Skill & Luck plays a small part as well.

 

[jamori]

The E6400 has the greater potential in OCing. It has more headroom anyway.

I'd heard the opposite, but the claims were unsubstantiated. Anyone else?

 

[cnhoff]

I have built the following system (8h+ Orthos stable oc'ed) and think it is a very good compromise between 95% performance and money:

Asus P5B-E
E4300 @ 1.45V @ 3300MHz (8x413MHz FSB)
2GB kit G.Skill PC6400 CL5 @ 826MHz 4-4-4-10
Scythe Ninja Plus Rev. B idle 30C, full Orthos load 60C

 

[gerwen]

Originally posted by: jamori

The E6400 has the greater potential in OCing. It has more headroom anyway.

I'd heard the opposite, but the claims were unsubstantiated. Anyone else?

I would suspect it has a bit more headroom, because it is binned for a higher speed stock. Logical, but not necessarily true.
Quickly scanned through this thread, and it looks like most E4300's need extra voltage above 3 gig, where there seem to be a lot of E6400s above 3.0 on stock or lower volts. At the same price i think the E6400 is the better buy.

 

[n7]

C2D E6300 (or E4300/6400)
Asus P5N-E SLI or Asus P5B-E (rev. 1.02G if possible)
Buffalo Firestix DDR2-800

With those combinations & a good heatsink, you should be able to do 3.0-3.5 GHz depending on luck & how much vcore you want to use...

 

[GamingDaemon]

Ok, but now we're about a month away from the Q2 price drops, so if I am looking to buy an E6400, should I wait a month and get an E6600 for the $$$? If the price drops occur right at the beggining of Q2 that is...

 

[Conky]

Originally posted by: jamori

The E6400 has the greater potential in OCing. It has more headroom anyway.

I'd heard the opposite, but the claims were unsubstantiated. Anyone else?

The E6400 is definitely a better overclocker if it's a true Conroe. Some of the newer E6400 and E6300's are Allendale based instead of Conroe. Intel link, B2 stepping is Conroe, L2 stepping is Allendale.

The DS3(F7 bios), an E6400(SL9S9), and cheap DDR2-800(Corsair XMS2) is the way to go. I run this set up at 3.2GHz 24/7 with no issues and at this speed the ram is not even overclocked although I do run it at 4-4-4-12. :thumbsup:

 

[Markfw]

The E4300's rarely get over 3 ghz stable, and I know, I have one. On the other hand with the same components, the 6300 will go much higher (3.2-3.4), but to get over 2.8, you may need slightly better ram. I got PC8000, but you could get a decent OC out of PC7200, and its way more affordable.