My friend recently got a complimentary Intel Pentium 4 3.6ghz socket T LGA775 CPU here from Intel. He asked me for help on the components but I really have no idea about the Intel scene either. He is not looking to OC and just wants budget motherboard that will be stable.

He is not sure whether he should get DDR or DDR2 as DDR2 has higher latencies than regular DDR.

Here are some of the things that he is considering so far:

RAM:
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16820145440
HSF:
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835109118

Or any other hsf that is a little cheaper?
PSU:

Antec Truepower 550? Neopower? Enermax?

Keep in mind that he isn't looking to OC and just wants a good stable machine. Thanks in advance for the help. He wants to be able to play HL2 relatively well. Would DDR2 be faster in his case if he isn't OCing? It seems like the pc2 3200 of ddr2 cost a bit more than pc3200 2x512 of regular ddr but ddr2 has more relaxed timings.

Quote: Originally Posted by danbanger My friend recently got a complimentary Intel Pentium 4 3.6ghz socket T LGA775 CPU here from Intel. He asked me for help on the components but I really have no idea about the Intel scene either. He is not looking to OC and just wants budget motherboard that will be stable. He is not sure whether he should get DDR or DDR2 as DDR2 has higher latencies than regular DDR. Here are some of the things that he is considering so far: RAM: http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16820145440 HSF: http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835109118 Or any other hsf that is a little cheaper? PSU: Antec Truepower 550? Neopower? Enermax? Keep in mind that he isn't looking to OC and just wants a good stable machine. Thanks in advance for the help. He isn't into gaming that much so his videocard will be something along the lines of a 6600gt. Would DDR2 be faster in his case if he isn't OCing? It seems like the pc2 3200 of ddr2 cost a bit more than pc3200 2x512 of regular ddr but ddr2 has more relaxed timings.

I've never dealt all that much with Intel. I'm an AMD man through and through, as are most of the Pimps here.

As for the RAM, I'd go with DDR2, and I'd go with the Antec Truepower 550. I'm using the 430 right now and it's an awesome PSU. No problems whatsoever and operates my Vantec Tornados superbly (on a controller, of course), as well as my other case fans.

I wish I could reccommend a good motherboard personally, but as I've stated, I've really only dealt with AMD-socket motherboards. I'm sure there is a pimp or two that could give you some more help, though.

Quote: Originally Posted by danbanger He is not looking to OC and just wants budget motherboard that will be stable. He is not sure whether he should get DDR or DDR2 as DDR2 has higher latencies than regular DDR.

If he's going budget, *without gaming or OC* I would just suggest DDR, it's more bang for the buck - especially if it's going to be non-OC.

I don't know much about intel boards either, but I would look towards this mobo:
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16813131529
It's ASUS and I have only heard good things about them, not having to do with the OC type scene.

That ram looks like a good buy. But the HSF doesn't seem to be compatable with LGA775. You're going to have to go with a diff brand too... couldn't find anything by zalman or thermalright.

Thermaltake had a couple though:
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835106048
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835106046
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835106605
Gigabyte had one too:
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835128008

Hope you find one you like.

Okay, he said he wants to be able to play HL2 and other new games etc. And "light" OCing in the future.

Oh ya the thermalright does work, you just need the extra add-on:
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835999351
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835109119

So I guess that would mean he could use the XP-90 too.

As much as I like intel, I'm still waiting on $$ to replace my stock motherboard, but I've never heard anyone complain about ASUS' hardware.
As for the HSF, the Zalman CNPS series is pretty badass cooling, and they make an adapter for socket 775 CPUs.
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835118219

The ram you listed in the first post is basically "Generic" ram, so don't expect much (Read 210-215FSB or so)

Here is an offering from DFI.

It's inexpensive, takes DDR RAM, AGP Video Card, and is the base level board for the one I am using now, the DFI LanParty 875P-T which I have been very impressed with.

If he can swing it, he should get the LanParty Board. A guy named Frugger took his 3.6 Gig P4 up over 6 Gig without motherboard modifications. He did use a custom BIOS, but the point is, the board is one truely stable platform, even the NorthBridge chip was on a HS with no fan, the stock one.

The Stock P4 cooler will do hime fine if he isn't going to OC the system. Put that cash into decent case cooling, a few fans.

I haven an LGA 775 2.8. My mobo is an Abit AS8 which uses the 865 chipset, so you can still use DDR instead of DDR2. http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16813127194

Memory...1 gig of Patriot PC4000 (512X2) http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16820220009

HSF is an Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835185116

PSU is a Rosewill 500W http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16817182004

It's running rock stable at 230mhz fsb at 3.22 ghz.

That's a good by on the Rosewell PSU also, like $39 or so.

I've been happy with it all. I took a chance on the ram, and have been really happy with it.

Have you tried running the ram at at DDR500?

Not quite there yet. I've had the FSB at 245, but not stable. I need to spend more time chipping away at it, but I've got other things to do. I'm happing running a daily clock of 3.2