Help building a system around some components I was given for free

rodyaj · 22 Dec 2009 at 02:39

I have been given a relatively old ATI Sapphire X1950pro 256mb DDR3 (very power hungry needs 30a on a single 12v rail) and a 1.8ghz Core 2 duo e4300. Someone I met on a forum also offered to send me another X1950pro for £20 so I can make a Crossfire system. I'm also considering purchasing the following additional items from Overclockers to build a full system around the freebies. Total: £285.88 with delivery.

Foxconn ELA Intel P45 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard

Corsair XMS2 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 PC2-8500C5 TwinX Dual Channel (TWIN2X4096-8500C5C)

Corsair VX 550W ATX Power Supply (CMPSU-550VXUK)

Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500GB SATA-II 16MB Cache - OEM (ST3500418AS)

Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Low Profile CPU Cooler (Socket LGA775)

Arctic Cooling MX-2 Thermal Compound

Akasa AK-TC TIM Clean CPU & Heatsink Cleaner

If I had more time before Christmas I'd do more research - it's a while since I've built a system, and I've never attempted overclocking - but since I do want to order my components asap I need your help.

My worry is that the e4300 will bottleneck the system because the fsb is only 800mhz. I'm assuming that the fsb isn't locked in and I can overclock it to 1066 since the motherboard also supports 1066. Can I?

Another worry is the ram: it says the voltage is 2.1 (2.2 on some other sites), and I can't see from the specs if the Foxconn motherboard supports it. I've also read that 1.8ghz core duo runs on upto 1.4v. Are the voltages of the processor and ram linked together?

I'm not sure how good two x1950pro will run in Crossfire, but it will only cost me £20 to get the extra card and £20 on top of what I would have payed for a motherboard to get Crossfire support. Will the extra £40 be worth it to get a Crossfire system? Or do you think I am better off getting a lower range motherboard and maybe a lower range psu (if possible) and just get either a more powerful graphics card or a better cpu?

Thanks for your time.

tankskun · 22 Dec 2009 at 07:19

What kind of games do you play or want to? The x1950pro you already have is AGP or not?

rodyaj · 22 Dec 2009 at 08:49

The one I have is pci-e, as will be the one getting sent. If I'm honest the last computer game I really played is Oblivion after the last time round I built a computer (I gave the computer to my brother and kept the old one), so graphics aren't all that essential to my day-to-day use. Even so, it is always nice to have the option to play newer games. The only game I'm really interested in trying out is Modern Warfare 2. If I could run most of the titles that came out before this year at medium/playable graphics I'd be happy.

Are there already a lot of titles that won't play very well on what I'm building?

tankskun · 22 Dec 2009 at 09:39

With the e4300 you could easily overclock the fsb as its not locked, its a good overclocker. The ram will be great.

Both lower profile and Rev2 Artic CPU cooler already comes with pre-applied mx2 so no need to buy separate paste. But will you have space for a higher cooler, what case you already have?

As for graphics Oblivion will run perfect with the x1950. But I recommend not going crossfire and sell the x1950 and get a cheap 4850 second hand (if only you had enough posts for MM) because the x1950 is only Dx9 at least get a dx10 card to play current games - dont bother with dx11 yet.

Hers my Suggestion

+Sell the x1950 and use the money towards a second hand 4850 which you could get for around £50.

Lets see what others think

rodyaj · 22 Dec 2009 at 14:01

Thanks for your suggestions. My case is old and big, but it does the trick.

Looks like it's the Chieftec Dragon DX-01WD:

http://www.chieftecusa.com/dragon.htm

My brother said the Sapphire is overheating so that is why I'm getting extra thermal paste to re-apply to an Akasa Vortexx Neo cooler on the graphics card. I'll look round on ebay for one of those cards.

tankskun · 22 Dec 2009 at 19:49

The Chieftec Dragon DX-01WD is a big case, so defintely go for the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Rev 2 CPU Cooler its has superior cooling than the lower profile version and needed as you will be overclocking the e4300.

Good luck with the build!