OK, so I'm planning to build me a new PC since my old rig is getting a little long in the tooth.

I've decided to go for an E8400 instead of a Q6600. And I want to get an x38 mobo so i can have full dual 16x graphics (and not be tied to just nVidia), but cant afford an x48. Also I plan to get either a single GTX260 or HD4870 (same price now here in England) and buy another one down the line when i have some more money.

But should I get a P5E or a P5E3 based mobo. basically, DDR2 1066 or DDR3 1333? I thought it was best to get the RAM and CPU FSB at the same speed, so am thinking DDR3 to match the E8400's FSB. Also get me a little bit of future proofing. But does the matching FSB's make that much differences. and does the higher latency of DDR3 make it worse than DDR2?

(plus who thinks the HD4870 is better then gettin a GTX260)

Thanx

No, you don't match ram fsb and cpu fsb. ram fsb by default will be half the cpu fsb. E8400 is 1333mhz FSB / 2 = 666.5mhz. That's the speed any ram will run at by default.

Go with P5E and any DDR2-800mhz if you don't overclock. Or 1066mhz+ if you do, especially if you plan to upgrade to Yorkfield when the price comes down.

P5E Deluxe X48- X38 boards are on the way out. The x48 version is either the same price or just slightly more expensive. Go with that.

Don't buy DDR2-1066 unless you plan to take the CPU past FSB1600 (3.6).

4870 smashes the GTX260. No brainer.

am thinking 4870, only killer was that the 260 holds well and in some benchmarks kills the 4870, but then again the 4870 is DX10.1.

ok, so E8400 with DDR2 800 or 1066 for overclocking headroom!

cheers akhilles and shadowduck!!!

If the memory only runs at half the CPU FSB (667MHz), whats the point in using anything other than DDR2 5300 ro 6400 memory. surely 8500 is just a waste of time[quote] No, you don't match ram fsb and cpu fsb. ram fsb by default will be half the cpu fsb. E8400 is 1333mhz FSB / 2 = 666.5mhz. That's the speed any ram will run at by default.

6400 (800) is what you want to buy. That takes you all the way up to FSB1600 (400) which is a good overclock. If you stay at 667- underclock the RAM and tighten the timings.

By default means you don't make changes to bios, but you can. That's what we overclockers do. At least, set the ram to specs. It should run at the rated speed. You might have to use a ratio on an intel-chipset mobo such as 1:2 = 666 x 2 = 1333mhz for ram.

so if am going to run at 1333 for the RAM with the 1:2 ratio, wunt i be best of just buying DDR3 1333 memory on the P5E3 mobo? even with the huge latency

think a 1:1 sounds best with DDR2 800MHz, clocked down and tighten up the timings.

DDR2-667/800 at a 1:1 >> (better) than DDR3.

right, DDR2 it is. better and about £40 ($80) cheaper.

cheers guys

Exactly.

just wanted to check one more thing. This FSB 1:1 thing, 667MHz RAM runs with a 1333MHz CPU right (either dual or quad core?) and what if the RAM is in dual channel? does that change things?

No change. 1:1 means divide cpu fsb by half.