CPU/Motherboard Combinations

[1ctabor]

Whats the most stable and best performing P4 3.06ghz cpu and motherboard combo? Prefer Rambus.

[OS-Wiz]

Asus P4T533-C

[Mithrandir3017]

Why would you prefer RAMBUS!? DCDDR has killed it.

[1ctabor]

Originally posted by Mithrandir3017
Why would you prefer RAMBUS!? DCDDR has killed it.

Kills it how?

[1ctabor]

Ok what are the advantages of each and which is the best performer?

[OS-Wiz]

Originally posted by 1ctabor
Ok what are the advantages of each and which is the best performer?

RAMBUS is still holding a slight edge benchmark-wise over DCDDR.

[RPG Junkie]

Well it depends

Are you gonna overclock ?

[1ctabor]

Originally posted by RPG Junkie
Well it depends

Are you gonna overclock ?

I'm doubting it. So is the intel chipset the best stability/performance at stock speeds? or go for the p4t533?

[OS-Wiz]

Originally posted by 1ctabor
I'm doubting it. So is the intel chipset the best stability/performance at stock speeds? or go for the p4t533?

If you want rock-solid stability and a decent preformer go with this, note onboard sound and LAN:

Intel Motherboard for Pentium 4 Processors Model# BOXD850EMVRL
Specifications:
CPU: Supports Intel Pentium 4 processor with a 400/533MHz bus in the (mPGA478-pin) socket
Chipset: Intel 850E
IDE: 2x IDE with Ultra DMA 33 and ATA-66/100 support
RAM: 4x 184-pin PC1066/800 RDRAM, 1.5GB MAX 1966 2 GB MAx PC800
Slots: 1x AGP(4X) 5x PCI
Ports: 6x USB(max), 1x Serial, 2x PS/2 Mouse & Keyboard,
Onboard Audio: AC'97
Onboard LAN: PRO/100 LAN Model#: BOXD850EMVRL Special Free FedEx Saver Shipping
$185.00

If you're looking for good reliability but a mobo you can overclock, go with this, note onboard sound only:

Asus P4T533 i850E Motherboard for P4 Processors Retail
Specifications:
Supported CPU: Socket 478 for Intel® Pentium® 4
Chipset: Intel® 850E Intel® 82801 BA ICH2
FSB: 533 / 400 MHz
RAM: 2 x 232-pin 32-bit RIMM Sockets support max. 2GB PC800 RIMM3200 (800MHz) /PC1066 RIMM4200 (1066MHz) ECC / non-ECC RAMBUS memory.
IDE: 2 x UltraDMA RAID 133/ 100 / 66 / 33
Slots: 1 x AGP Pro (1.5V only) 6 x PCI
Ports: 2xCOM, 2xPS2, 2xUSB, and Audio Ports
Onboard Audio
Model#: P4T533 Special Free FedEx Saver Shipping
$179.00

[talldude]

Look for a granite bay mobo. That's intel's DC DDR chipset.

DCDDR gives about the same bandwidth as rambus pc1066. Knowing how well ddr OC's, you can expect some pretty amazing bandwidth numbers. DCDDR basically doubles the datarate of standard DDR ram by having 2 independent memory banks each with their own memory controller. This effectively gives you 2.1Gb/s * 2 = 4.2Gb/s from pc2100 memory. If you go with pc3200 and OC the mobo a little, RDRAM will be left in the dust. On top of this, DDR is cheaper than RD. At stock though, PC1066 does offer a little bit (like 1%) better performance in most apps.

[1ctabor]

Originally posted by talldude
Look for a granite bay mobo. That's intel's DC DDR chipset.

DCDDR gives about the same bandwidth as rambus pc1066. Knowing how well ddr OC's, you can expect some pretty amazing bandwidth numbers. DCDDR basically doubles the datarate of standard DDR ram by having 2 independent memory banks each with their own memory controller. This effectively gives you 2.1Gb/s * 2 = 4.2Gb/s from pc2100 memory. If you go with pc3200 and OC the mobo a little, RDRAM will be left in the dust. On top of this, DDR is cheaper than RD. At stock though, PC1066 does offer a little bit (like 1%) better performance in most apps.

So it works in sticks of 2 at a time like rambus did? Would pc3200*2 be like 6.4? and are you talking just raising the fsb some will leave the rambus in the dust? I'm just getting back into the swing of things with the new chipsets and memory so bear with me....

[talldude]

Originally posted by 1ctabor
So it works in sticks of 2 at a time like rambus did? Would pc3200*2 be like 6.4? and are you talking just raising the fsb some will leave the rambus in the dust? I'm just getting back into the swing of things with the new chipsets and memory so bear with me....

yeah, well, those are theoretical maximum bandwidths. In reality, you don't get that much bandwith. The DC approach is a lot more inefficient than the single channel DDR approach. Check this out to see what I mean:

http://www.hexus.net/review.php?review=474&page=4

You can see that the DCDDR 266 gets 3.3GB/s, which is about 80% efficiency. However, when OC'd to a 172mhz fsb, the DCDDR gets up to 4.3GB/s of bandwidth. In contrast, PC1066 memory gets 3.3GB/s (linky) at stock, but cannot be overclocked nearly to the same levels.

[1ctabor]

So whats the best performing P4 chipset at stock levels?

[OS-Wiz]

Originally posted by 1ctabor
So whats the best performing P4 chipset at stock levels?

I850E . . .