Anyway, my motherboard selection thought processes ran along these lines. First, I had read a lot about the AMD Spider concept… where the CPU, 790X Chipset based Motherboard and an ATI Graphics Board [an AMD owned company] all work in conjunction with one and other to produce superior performance. I wanted to perhaps take advantage of this option.

Secondly, I was concerned about “Heat” it can kill a big processor based system like this build entails. While I see a movement toward water cooled systems… to be frank… most of the liquid cooling systems I reviewed seemed a bit rickety to me. As such, visions of water squirting into all my new components didn’t seem too appealing to me at all… consequently I was looking for a better option in regards to cooling.

Third, and like I reiterated in my previous post, my 9600 might not be the be all and end all of CPUs in this new AMD Series… I wanted to perhaps have the option at some point to replace the 9600 with a bigger CPU… So, an AM2+ [the newest] Socket was important to me for both my current and maybe future use.

The answer to all these considerations for me was the Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe WiFi-AP Motherboard

The Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe Wi-Fi-AP carries its own revolutionary ASUS Cool mempipe heat pipe to tame the flames of my new smoking hot system. Built for the latest AMD Phenom Quad-Core processors it supports dual-channel DDR2 1066,800,667, 533 memory up to 8GB, PCI-e 2.0 Gfx with ATI CrossFireX, Precision Tweaker 2, 8+2 Phase Power Design, and ASUS Q-Shield. Based on the AMD 790FX/SB600 chipsets, the M3A32-MVP Deluxe also supports SATA2, 54MBps wireless LAN, USB 2.0 (10 ports), a variety of ASUS Al Lifestyle and Overclocking Features.

AMD 790FX Chipset
AMD 790FX Chipset is designed to support up to 5200MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0 (HT 3.0) interface speed and quad PCI Express™ 2.0 x16 graphics. It is optimized with AMD latest AM2+ and multi-core CPUs to provide excellent system performance and overclocking capabilities.

ATI CrossFireX™ Technology
ATI’s CrossFireX™ boosts image quality along with rendering speed, eliminating the need to scale down screen resolution to get high quality images. CrossFireX™ allows higher anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, shading, and texture settings. Adjust your display configurations, experiment with the advanced 3D settings, and check the effects with a real-time 3D-rendered previews within ATI Catalyst™ Control Center.

Multi-VGA Support
Quad CrossFire Ready for Excellent Graphics – This motherboard is ready to support the advanced graphics standard, Quad CrossFire, which provides higher frame rates for superb graphics performance. It also provides full x16 dual lanes or triple VGA support.

ASUS Cool Mempipe
10°C Cooler! Revolutionary memory heat pipe – The ASUS Cool Mempipe provides support for unparalleled memory performance via innovative thermal solutions. By lowering the memory and system temperatures, it provides a stable computing environment.

Till next time,

T

I’ve assured that AMD CPUs were in at least my last four systems and they’ve all treated me very well… heck, I’ve even owned AMD stock a few times and may have even been caught in one of their T-shirts a time or two. They’ve developed wonderful processors over the years and have for the most part stayed ahead of their competition, Intel, with less expensive comparable and even superior products.   

As mentioned in my previous post… the idea behind this build was to create a top of the line system. So, I did consider Intel. In fact I looked quite seriously at the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Processor BX80562QX6700 – 2.66GHz, 8MB Cache, 1066MHz FSB, Kentsfield XE, Quad-Core, Retail, Socket 775. This CPU receives tremendous reviews and obtains impressive performance numbers. However, I was uncomfortable with the Extreme QX6700’s current price tag… which ranges from $1,035.00 to $1175.00.  

So… with that knowledge in hand I began reading reviews on the latest family of AMD CPUs. That would be the AMD Phenom Series with the top of the line being the just released AMD Phenom 9600 Black Edition. In comparison to Intel’s top of the line offering I was able to purchase a 9600 Black Edition for $247.36, delivered price. 

A few Google searches will quickly tell you that some may not think this processor is the best selection to make… there are some inherent issues with certain processes that the AMD lab has identified… but in real world applications… no one’s complaining. Additionally, there are many price/performance articles comparing the 9600 to the Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Dual Core Processor. They all amount to the fact that for a few dollars less you can get the E6600 that performs slightly below the 9600. 

My bottom of the line thinking on the CPU subject boiled down to this… if two heads are better than one, then four must be twice as good. The 9600 was built from the ground up for true quad-core performance, AMD Phenom processors speed through advanced multitasking, critical business productivity, advanced visual design and modeling, serious gaming, and visually stunning digital media and entertainment. With all that in mind I pulled the trigger on my AMD Phenom 9600 Black Edition. 

Next, I’ll discuss the Motherboard.

Till then,

T

A little of my background… I am an IT guy… I’ve been involved in systems, hardware and software since the early seventies… professionally I’ve been around huge build, move and/or repair projects… often involving complicated timelines, many systems and massive dollars.

At home… and over the last couple decades I’ve had my fingers into every computer case I’ve ever owned… adding memory, cards, drives etc. it’s become fairly routine for me to crack open a PC case and fix or improve it in one way or the other.  

Until recently my personal home computers have come from Gateway, IBM, Hewitt Packard, Compaq or whoever was offering the most bang for my computing buck. My last desktop however, now probably 3 years old, was built by a small local firm from common components. I’ve constantly upgraded it and through these efforts and the knowledge gained I decided it was time to build my own system from the ground up.

A little advice… knowing what I know and knowing that there will be no vender’s 800 number to call when my new system fails or perhaps doesn’t even boot up… I took the time to research my component selections, I bought and read two books on PC building (see covers below) and I spent hours on the net reading reviews and articles dedicated to this subject.

I wanted to build a state of the art, highest end at the moment, system but wanted to keep the cost down as much as possible particularly when a visit to Alienware’s site displayed my dream system (my prototype more or less) at the cost of $4,700.00 out the door. This relates back to the previous paragraph… I researched so I wouldn’t end up with an expensive pile of nonworking parts.

Next post I’ll get into the components I selected and my reasoning behind those selections.

Till next time,

T

I’ll probably first be discussing my most successful PC Build to date. She’s a beast and is currently purring like a kitten back in my office while I type away here in the Living Room on my 19″ Sager Laptop. Life is good when it comes to equipment around here… I’m a hopeless Geek… and tend to strive for the best hardware I can get my hands on when I buy or build… currently both my newest Laptop and Desktop are top of the line…. I’m a happy Geek!

I’m thinking by discussing these systems it will begin to lend some insight into me and if anyone does read this Blog and since you obviously are into the web and computers too… perhaps some parallels can be drawn… think of it as my way of breaking the ice..

Till next time,

T