Well I have a nice notebook and a nice desktop. I have been saving up my change and when my computers are out of date I will have enough saved up to buy a $3,000 dream machine. I will be building it myself. I built my current system out of spare parts.

 

 

 

Depending what is good when I decide to get this system (in 3-5 years) it will probably be AMD processor. My very minimul knowledge of motherboards tells me that most new motherboards have basicly the same socket sets? I know when I buy this system I will have to have my ram compatable and such. But what makes a good motherboard (besides what hardware you add to it..)?

I dont know about the motherboard but with graphics

 

GET A DUAL SLI GRAPHICS CARD!!so u can basicly have 2 graphics card into 1 -I have 1 geforce 512mb card with sli and if i get another one ill hvae basicly a 1gb card :shock:Good luck man :D

 

 

 

Dregath

these are my specs to help you out

 

 

 

processor:AMD Sempron 2800+,MMX,3DNow, ~2.0GHz

 

 

 

Memerory:512 MB Ram

 

 

 

Display:

 

Name:NVIDIA GeForce 4 MX 4000(not so good)

 

Memery:64MB(not bad but not so good)

 

Monitor:Plug And Play Moniter (o__O)

 

 

 

 

 

Sound:

 

Name:Realtec AC97 Audio (not so sure)

 

Type:WDM

 

 

 

Thats about it

Depending what is good when I decide to get this system (in 3-5 years) it will probably be AMD processor. My very minimul knowledge of motherboards tells me that most new motherboards have basicly the same socket sets? I know when I buy this system I will have to have my ram compatable and such. But what makes a good motherboard (besides what hardware you add to it..)?

 

Straight up, the best kinds of motherboards are the type that have the functionality that you require.

 

 

 

Take me for instant, I'm using a Gigabyte K8-NSNXP-939. Sure there are other boards out there (I believe the K8-NSULTRA is almost identical) that are better than it, but how good something comes down to how well it does what you need it to do. And right now it does exactly what it needs to do.

 

 

 

Consider what you want to be able to do, stock. And in the future. If you think you might be needing 5 or even 6 hard drives... make sure the motherboard has the capabilities of supporting that many. Same goes for anything else.

 

 

 

And don't play down a moderate board if it does what you'll need it to do just because it isn't top of the line. Especially if there's nothing over it that can do the same thing.

Depending what is good when I decide to get this system (in 3-5 years) it will probably be AMD processor. My very minimul knowledge of motherboards tells me that most new motherboards have basicly the same socket sets? I know when I buy this system I will have to have my ram compatable and such. But what makes a good motherboard (besides what hardware you add to it..)?

 

Straight up, the best kinds of motherboards are the type that have the functionality that you require.

 

 

 

Take me for instant, I'm using a Gigabyte K8-NSNXP-939. Sure there are other boards out there (I believe the K8-NSULTRA is almost identical) that are better than it, but how good something comes down to how well it does what you need it to do. And right now it does exactly what it needs to do.

 

 

 

Consider what you want to be able to do, stock. And in the future. If you think you might be needing 5 or even 6 hard drives... make sure the motherboard has the capabilities of supporting that many. Same goes for anything else.

 

 

 

And don't play down a moderate board if it does what you'll need it to do just because it isn't top of the line. Especially if there's nothing over it that can do the same thing.

We're talking dream machine here :D.

 

GET A DUAL SLI GRAPHICS CARD!!

Actually I almost gave up on waiting and get it now just for that reason. I read an article about them THEY ARE AMAZING. And affordible.

And don't play down a moderate board if it does what you'll need it to do just because it isn't top of the line. Especially if there's nothing over it that can do the same thing.

We're talking dream machine here :D.

 

 

 

Just because it's a "dream machine" doesn't mean you have to buy the highest priced part you can find. You'll actually find that some high end parts perform worse than the midrange stuff if it doesn't fit your needs.

 

 

 

Follow rick's "buy what you need" advice. It'll save you money and still build an outstanding rig.

 

 

 

GET A DUAL SLI GRAPHICS CARD!!

Actually I almost gave up on waiting and get it now just for that reason. I read an article about them THEY ARE AMAZING. And affordible.

 

Buying now and dropping your 3-5 year estimate would be like shooting yourself in the foot the way GPUs are moving right now. Nvidia has already released a dual GPU card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150160) that lets you build quad SLI out of two PCI-x slots. Waiting longer just means higher end cards for when it's really time to upgrade from what you have now.

We're talking dream machine here :D.

Yes we are. But if your "dream-machine" consists of the latest everything, then give me the money. I'll make your system, and keep the change (which will probably be close to 1/3). That way you're getting screwed anyway, but you still have your dream machine. Rather than getting screwed and NOT having your dream machine.

As of right now, SLI is a much more rational and effective choice. Of course, as ATi is trying to copy SLI soon, we may see a change, but for now, if you want 2 GPU's, SLI is most likely easier and better. (On an off note, if you want a single, high end card, ATI destroys nVidia in everyway; nVidia wins in middle-range, low range, and dual card).

 

 

 

You might also like on a motherboard, 3 PCI-E x16 slots is going to be really nice, especially if you want a dream machine. 2 GPU's, 1 PPU (once they become far more useful, and inevitably become PCI-E). Really nice.

 

 

 

Also, you get what you pay for. Do some reasearch, find out about what other people say, and since you clearly have a very nice budget, don't cut corners.

 

 

 

Oh yeah, and look out for DX10.

Have to watch it with video cards. Some models are highly tempremental depending on when they were manufactured. And a lot of games tend to throw a spaz if your card isn't in it's supported range, even if it's a newer model, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

In regards to PCI, try and aim for 4 slots. I have 5 and am using 4 of them. It'd be 5 if my VGA cooler didn't stop me using the last one.

Have to watch it with video cards. Some models are highly tempremental depending on when they were manufactured. And a lot of games tend to throw a spaz if your card isn't in it's supported range, even if it's a newer model, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

In regards to PCI, try and aim for 4 slots. I have 5 and am using 4 of them. It'd be 5 if my VGA cooler didn't stop me using the last one.

Whats in all those?

Im curious as to why you say you're getting an AMD processor...limiting yourself right off the bat. If you have that much money to spend, go with an Intel Core 2 Duo, which beats the AMD on nearly every benchmark. I was going to get one myself, but didn't have the extra 100 to spend over the X2 3800.

 

 

 

Core 2 Duo ftw.

Im curious as to why you say you're getting an AMD processor...limiting yourself right off the bat. If you have that much money to spend, go with an Intel Core 2 Duo, which beats the AMD on nearly every benchmark. I was going to get one myself, but didn't have the extra 100 to spend over the X2 3800.

 

 

 

Core 2 Duo ftw.

Not suprising since there are no dual-core AMD chips on the market yet :uhh: But even still, the results aren't that great. AMD could bring out another single-core chip of 4ghz that'd most likley perform to the same level as the "awesome" Core 2 Duo from Intel.

Im curious as to why you say you're getting an AMD processor...limiting yourself right off the bat. If you have that much money to spend, go with an Intel Core 2 Duo, which beats the AMD on nearly every benchmark. I was going to get one myself, but didn't have the extra 100 to spend over the X2 3800.

 

 

 

Core 2 Duo ftw.

Not suprising since there are no dual-core AMD chips on the market yet :uhh: But even still, the results aren't that great. AMD could bring out another single-core chip of 4ghz that'd most likley perform to the same level as the "awesome" Core 2 Duo from Intel.

 

 

 

Sorry, you said there are no dual-core AMD chips on the market yet? Am I misreading something? The AMD X2's have been out for a while, and that's what I currently have in my computer...

 

 

 

As for the results, the cheapest Core 2 Duo (E6300) at 1.86ghz is outperforming the AMD X2's regularly up to 4400+ at 2.2ghz, as well as outperforming the 4800+ in some areas. So I doubt any single core 4ghz chip will perform as well as any Core 2 Duo. All benchmarks are in the Core 2 Duo's favour, over the X2 and FX.

I would definately go for the Core 2 Duo, its much more efficient at a lower recorded speed, so if you shott higher, it just murders the AMD X2 :shock:

Sorry, you said there are no dual-core AMD chips on the market yet? Am I misreading something? The AMD X2's have been out for a while, and that's what I currently have in my computer...

 

 

 

As for the results, the cheapest Core 2 Duo (E6300) at 1.86ghz is outperforming the AMD X2's regularly up to 4400+ at 2.2ghz, as well as outperforming the 4800+ in some areas. So I doubt any single core 4ghz chip will perform as well as any Core 2 Duo. All benchmarks are in the Core 2 Duo's favour, over the X2 and FX.

Forgot about the X2's. My bad. Just remembered that the place I get my hardware from doesn't stock them yet so they slipped my mind #-o

 

 

 

And which benchmarks are you refering to? I had a look around and most of the reports I found (from a lot of sources) have the X2 on top in the majority of cases :-k

Isn't the Core 2 duo the first TRUE dual core cpu? All Intel's chips before have just been 2 single cores stuck together.

 

 

 

I don't know about AMD, are the X2's 2 single cores or a true dual core?

Sorry, you said there are no dual-core AMD chips on the market yet? Am I misreading something? The AMD X2's have been out for a while, and that's what I currently have in my computer...

 

 

 

As for the results, the cheapest Core 2 Duo (E6300) at 1.86ghz is outperforming the AMD X2's regularly up to 4400+ at 2.2ghz, as well as outperforming the 4800+ in some areas. So I doubt any single core 4ghz chip will perform as well as any Core 2 Duo. All benchmarks are in the Core 2 Duo's favour, over the X2 and FX.

Forgot about the X2's. My bad. Just remembered that the place I get my hardware from doesn't stock them yet so they slipped my mind #-o

 

 

 

And which benchmarks are you refering to? I had a look around and most of the reports I found (from a lot of sources) have the X2 on top in the majority of cases :-k

 

 

 

Take a look at the following sites:

 

 

 

TG Daily Benchmark Gallery

 

 

 

Toms Hardware Benchmark Testing

 

 

 

The Core 2 Duo knocks out the X2s without a problem, and often tkos the FX's also.

 

 

 

Blade, I don't really understand what you're saying. Well, I do understand, but I'm just confused. I know that the X2's have two separate cores in one chip, acting as two separate cpus and all. Are you suggesting that the Core 2 Duo's simply have 1 core which has the power and specifications of two? I don't understand, but you could very well be right I suppose. Can you perhaps find me an article?

I'd go with AMD.

 

It's still better than Intel at many things than Intel (Like memory bandwidth). It's got much more developed and fine-tuned (Cheaper) motherboards.

 

 

 

It basically comes down to bragging rights. Do you want to buy a processor for $140 that gets 300fps or a processor for $300 that gets 320fps?

 

 

 

Also, you'll be saving yourself some money in the future. AM3 processors will be compatible with AM2 motherboards.

As a bit of a AMD fanboy this is quite hard for me to say, but the Intel current offerings are signifcanly better then anything AMD can throw at it. The AMD x2 CPU are not focusing on the value market. If you want preformance get a Intel Core 2 Duo. Their is also a much better range of motherboards around for the intel.

 

 

 

 

 

Now with regards to motherboards. There is a few things to look for.

 

 

 

Reliability. The motherboard must be stable and must be reliable.

 

 

 

Features. Must have the features which you want.

 

 

 

Layout. Many motherboards have heaps of features but due to bad layout many of them are difficult to use.

 

 

 

Preformance. There is slight preformance differences between motherboards. Same also overclock better then others.

 

 

 

Price. Some boards cost more then others.