PCA Forums

Gonna start shopping for parts sometime this month... here's the list... feel free to offer suggestions
This PC will be strictly for games and benchmarking. My Tbird in my current main system is about to croak and will be rejuvenated with a Duron 1.3GHz to basically become my low end AMD bench system/workhorse. Both PC's will then share my monitor and keyboard via a KVM switch.

Case KingWin $165
http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage.asp ... 001-01.JPG

Antec 300w P/S $50

P4 1.6a $130

512MB DDR333 $160

Turtle Beach Santa Cruz $60

GF3 Ti200 $115

Promis Fasttrak100 Controller

IBM 20GB 7200RPM

2 x Maxtor 30GB 7200RPM RAID

Pioneer 16x Slot DVD Drive

CPU Cooler <-- need suggestions

KVM switch <-- need suggestions

Mobo:
Abit SD7-533
http://www.abit.com.tw/abitweb/webjsp/e ... ME=SD7-533


Now for some of my questions:
1 - What CPU cooler is best for overclocking P4's under $50?

2 - Does anyone have experience w/ a reliable KVM switch?

3 - Not sure if i should get this board... it overclocks great and has the right price tag... however, I saw on Abit's site that they've got a SX7-533 based on the SiS645DX/961B chipsets lined up with ATA133 and official DDR333 support... does anyone know when this SX7-533 is coming out?

I would look at this heatsink:

http://2cooltek.safeshopper.com/31/337.htm?711

As far as KVM switches go, Belkin is the best. They are more than just simple switches. It uses electronics to keep you mouse/keyboards live while switching. Manual flop switches can't do that. Also they have an exteremly low fail rate.

Wow seems like a lot of AMD guys are giving the P4's a try these days

This AMD guy put his AMD setup back in ... I can't tell no difference performance wise between a P4 @ 2.4 gig and a XP @ 1.66 or a 2000+ Benchmarks are right there with each other. P4 beating out the AMD in most cases but just by a small amount.

My observations on building a 1.8a system

AVC Sunflower for $19

Samsung is some of the fastest DDR available....just order from newegg to be sure you get the good official stuff

If you ever want to put something faster than that ti200 in there you WILL need a bigger psu (5v and 12v outputs most important)

The MSI645U is the cheapest fastest board out there...Good overclocker despite it's barren BIOS...the asus 645 based boards seem to be as stable with more adjustments (vcore/vagp/vdimm)

If you dont need ata133 just stick with the regular 645 chipset, cheaper and has NO problems reaching high FSBs with good dividers...no reason I cant put a B chip in mine if I wanted too

Stay away from the sunflower! I've read about too many problems with them at serious overclocks such at 1.6 to 2.4... their no better than the stock HSF when the chip is put under a load. Idle i hear they cool better but i could care less about idle Loaded is what i'm concerned about.

I will have to agree with you on the Sunflower. I have one because back when I got mine it was the best choice at the time. The Alpha wasn't out back then. I have had my chip hit 50c while playing a game with the Sunflower. This is with my CPU at 2.7 Ghz. I am thinking of getting an Alpha or going water cooling, maybe I'll sneak even more out of this chip with better cooling. I backed it down to 2.6 until I figure out what I am going to buy next. If it is a heatsink definitley the Alpha and if water I am looking at the koolance stuff.

personally I've seen a 9*c temp drop over the retail @ load...

then again I have 2x 92mm h1a's on it (side=intake top=exhaust)

i've also considered a Koolance case, however I'm a complete n00b when it comes to watercooling and there seems to be just too many add-ons required for a Koolance rig so I'm just going to stick with what I know

Thanks for all the input fellas, keep'em comin..

Also for the board I'm also considering the Asus SiS645DX board cuz it also comes w/ a 6 channel C-media chip which is what I'm used to w/ my DRAGON and I'm very happy w/ the sound

i'm testing some hsf combos for review now -

1) the intel stock is actually pretty high end - 1.6 @2.4 @ 1.54 while folding = 48 C

2) i've got a dr thermal in the box now and it seems about 4-5 C cooler

3) tonight i'll have the specs on the thermaltake dragon - it is awesome looking but i was too tired last night to get it installed

msi 645 ultra with the 645 schipset does support 333 but it has no ram, agp voltage and the highest i can get the voltage is 1.54 - default it 1.45 on this board or .05 low

it also does not have a 3:4 divider at high speeds for a 150/200 setuyp - it defaults to 1:1 over 160 fsb

i got my 1.6a from newegg and it was malay, and the same stepping as the all the good ones listed at overclockers.com

yeah more voltage options would be nice on this board...luckily more vcore is only a vid pin away...

1.8 in bios 1.74-1.78 real delivered


Unfortunately my chip maxes out at about 145FSB so I'd never even get to use that divider but I can see how for a 1.6a that'd be an issue

As for the Intel Stock cooler it is rather nice...I can hold this same o/c (2574@1.75v) with the stock and still notice no throttling or stability problems. I just use the sunflower because I dont mind a little extra noise and it's here...might as well use it

i may try the pin trick on the voltage - i have gotten boot so far at 155

and how dost one accomplish such a deed sir?

Linkage

http://www2.justnet.ne.jp/~kiti/Paso/00 ... wood01.htm