suggestions for new mobo & cpu

[aliu79]

i need a new mobo & cpu for a system, and i need some suggestions...

i want to get something 1ghz or higher, and uses pc133 ram.. i can probably push the ram to 150 if i have to oc the cpu, but i would prefer not to oc the cpu too much.. actually, i would prefer not to oc the cpu at all if possible.. stability is a huge issue for me..

should i go for the tbird or p3?

if i get the p3 1ghz, can i still use my pc133 ram? all the mobo's that support the 1ghz+ cpu's seem to be using rdram.. or if i get something lower than a 1ghz and oc it over 1ghz, do most of them oc over 1ghz w/ just the normal fan? what mobo should i get if i go with this?

if i get the tbird 1ghz, are there any problems i have to worry about? i heard it generates alot of heat w/ just normal running and i'm not going to deal with getting a new cpu fan.. if i end up getting a tbird, what mobo should i go with?

my spending limit is around $450 (before tax & shipping).. but the cheaper the better =) i'll be running win2k and will be using this to mainly play games and programming..

 

[CKDragon]

I'm in a very similar boat with my upgrade plan, and after my research I believe I'm going with an Abit KT7A mobo with a 1 Ghz Thunderbird... that's what I'd suggest, but you might want to include a HSF with that, also. That will be well within your price range, I believe.

CK

 

[Ruudje]

If you go for the Thunderbird make sure that you've got a
Big cooling fan on it, because the biggest trouble with this particular prosessor is that it runs hot with a normal fan.

 

[BadThad]

All P3 cpu's use SDRAM. You're thinking of P4's, they use RDRAM. So, yes, you can use you're PC133 ram with a P3 system. If you go Intel, make sure you get a cC0 stepping cpu and NOT a cB0. The cCo will OC much higher.

Stability is not really an issue if the system is OC'd properly. I've built MANY OC'd systems with Intel CPU's and they are all 100% stable. My current system is an absolute ROCK, literally, I'm not kidding, it never crashes. Typically, it runs 24/7 too cause I run SETI. Right now, it's been on over 2 months since the last shut-down....and that's becuase our power went out. Click on My Rigs in my sig to see the specs.

RE: AMD cpu's, well, they are a much better value for the money. My only observation is there seems to be a lot of posts around here lately about problems with AMD based systems. Not saying they are bad, I've built a few myself, but be aware of certain "issues" people post around here before you select your hardware.

Good Luck!