First time builder, Build @ x58a-ud5

[Dark Mantis]

Ah, but with all those adapters and extension cards etc Pierre your computer must look like a mechano set.

[whenyournex2me]

I am looking at comparing price wise only here, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129141&cm_re=ati-_-14-129-141-_-Product

now I will see the performance difference with some more research.

[Dark Mantis]

The 5850 is the first 5xxx series card that is 256 bit.  Before that they are all 128 bit and that makes a big difference. They are good all round cards though.

[whenyournex2me]

I like it. Its described as a little bit stronger... in several places I've looked. Interesting.

However, benchmarks are showing that the 460 give apx 10 fps more avg, than the 5850....  It seems the 5870 is directly comparable to the gtx460. but there is a huge difference in price here, Which is again, why I chose to focus at the gtx 460. I think I will still go with EVGA gtx 460 and h20 them. The drive issues will prolly be solved soon anyway. Im not afraid to get my fingers dirty. If there is a problem, their will be a solution. I jsut hope that It wont cost me too much if it turns sour, hahaaha  has faith in Nvidia...

[Fatman]

Hi there whenyournex2me, if you do go with this Corsiar GT Memory Model CMT6GX3M3A2000 (8/7) would you post back here and let us know if you have any issues? Thanx.

[Dark Mantis]

I like it. Its described as a little bit stronger... in several places I've looked. Interesting.

However, benchmarks are showing that the 460 give apx 10 fps more avg, than the 5850....  It seems the 5870 is directly comparable to the gtx460. but there is a huge difference in price here, Which is again, why I chose to focus at the gtx 460. I think I will still go with EVGA gtx 460 and h20 them.

I think that you will find the 5870 is more powerful than the 460 and is more comparible to the 470. Your choice anyway.

[whenyournex2me]

meh. I Dont need the best of the best, I find results similar to a friends online, to be rather impressive.



And I hope to model similar results.





Besides debating the min differences in the performance of the gpu, Id like to keep focus to the build overall, and mainly to the Gigabyte products being used.

Fatman, If there is something you know about the memory and that model mobo, will you please let me in, but of course, I will be back to follow up with a review of the build. Im not sure if there is something you are not telling me, and that is sarcasm, or, you guy really dont have too many geeks installing the dominator gt modules nad really want to get in with the install or at least know if there are any issues, Both I respect, and thanks for looking into the thread. I hope I wont have any problems, Ill call Gigabyte and talk to some of their engineers before I do go out and buy the memory. Like I said, Im a first time builder, The reading Ive been doing for three years, doesnt make up for the lack of experience by any means. Im jsut looking for a lightning fast computer that wont become twice a mortgage payment...

[Fatman]

whenyournex2me..............I have a I7 965 extreme sitting inside my desk draw alongside a set of Dominator-GT CMT6GX3M3A20008 set of ram. Now I have been waiting to purchase a x58 board like the UD7 but I am waiting for something with the USB 3 and marvel issues to be sorted so I can utlise them without the thought of running a bastardized version. So that is why i was asking for feedback regarding if the ram is ok. I think it will be fine, but I can't find anyone with it. So if you buy it let me know if it is fine. I do know that you won't be able to run it 24/7 at it's rated speed, but to 1600 would be excellent or even @ 1800. So plz let me know :-)

[whenyournex2me]

whenyournex2me..............I have a I7 965 extreme sitting inside my desk draw alongside a set of Dominator-GT CMT6GX3M3A20008 set of ram. Now I have been waiting to purchase a x58 board like the UD7 but I am waiting for something with the USB 3 and marvel issues to be sorted so I can utlise them without the thought of running a bastardized version. So that is why i was asking for feedback regarding if the ram is ok. I think it will be fine, but I can't find anyone with it. So if you buy it let me know if it is fine. I do know that you won't be able to run it 24/7 at it's rated speed, but to 1600 would be excellent or even @ 1800. So plz let me know :-)

Understood. I have found not too many posts or blogs or articles with any of the new x58 1366 mobo's using Dominator gt memory modules, so that sort of info atm is scarce. I have done some more research, quoted from a senior member on another forum, "2000mhz ram wont run at that speed without huge qpi/vtt voltages and will put alot of heat through the nb, its just not worth it imo, i would try and get 1800 or maybe 1866mhz ram."

SO thinking on this, makes me want to get a waterblock for the motherboard, so I can safely achieve faster speeds for stock performance in memory. I may get the ud7, because there is limited aftermarket parts for the ud5 atm,. Im assuming that the performance kick is at the u3, ud7 and ud9... for the x58 mobo's. Some companies are skipping the middle grade if you will, IDK, Tbh the board is so new that companies seem to maybe not have had enough time to get the ud5  AM parts in production? Idk,

I may get the ud7. But tbh the ud5 is already overkill for me.... I dont want to spend more money that I feel like I have too. The ud5 is my performance and price meeter, and tbh, I still want that board.

I am choosing to go with lower clock speed memory, if I do go with the ud5. prolly 1600 mhz for the ud5, and would go with 2000 with the ud7. But Im continuing to research.

[Dark Mantis]

SO thinking on this, makes me want to get a waterblock for the motherboard, so I can safely achieve faster speeds for stock performance in memory. I may get the ud7, because there is limited aftermarket parts for the ud5 atm,.

Unless you are happy to void the warranty on your motherboard and strip all the Southbridge, Northbridge and power phase cooling pipes and assosiated heatsinks off, then the watercooling blocks are not going to help much. I take it when you mention the UD7 you have been looking at the watercooling block that is incorporated into the Northbridge cooler. It actually sits on top of a finned heatsink so it is not as efficient as you might expect and by pushing the memory that hard it will not be enough on it's own.

[whenyournex2me]

SO thinking on this, makes me want to get a waterblock for the motherboard, so I can safely achieve faster speeds for stock performance in memory. I may get the ud7, because there is limited aftermarket parts for the ud5 atm,.

Unless you are happy to void the warranty on your motherboard and strip all the Southbridge, Northbridge and power phase cooling pipes and assosiated heatsinks off, then the watercooling blocks are not going to help much. I take it when you mention the UD7 you have been looking at the watercooling block that is incorporated into the Northbridge cooler. It actually sits on top of a finned heatsink so it is not as efficient as you might expect and by pushing the memory that hard it will not be enough on it's own.

This is very very helpful here, thank you so much!
This does raise a few more questions then.

will overclocking the cpu void the warranty on the motherboard?

What is the stock memory speed for the ud5>?

*there are a few listed with details of the mobo and Im confused I guess.
(if a mother boards details state, memory support 1066, 1333, 1600, 1866 ddr3 sdram then I assume only those freq, will work with that motherboard. if it stated 1066, 1333, 1866, then Id assume that only those freq's will work. but my question to the last example, would 1600 work though not listed my manufacturer? if its a speed in between the min and max?) realted, the ud5 detail description of the memory supported skips a few freq... but I hate to assume...






 

[Dark Mantis]

(if a mother boards details state, memory support 1066, 1333, 1600, 1866 ddr3 sdram then I assume only those freq, will work with that motherboard. if it stated 1066, 1333, 1866, then Id assume that only those freq's will work. but my question to the last example, would 1600 work though not listed my manufacturer? if its a speed in between the min and max?) realted, the ud5 detail description of the memory supported skips a few freq... but I hate to assume...

And you would be quite right not to assume that. If you check you will find that 1600 Mhz is missing from quite a few spec sheets now. There have been problems running with it and the memory controllers on the CPU. That isn't to say that it is not possible to run 1600 but try and find a board that states it is compatible. I am running a UD7 with Corsair Dominator 1600 memory and it is rock solid.

Overclocking the motherboard/CPU will invalidate both warranties.

Stock memory speeds are the JEDEC standard ones and anything over them is basically an overclock ( although that won't affect your warranty as far as I know )

[whenyournex2me]

I understand that heat is a killer, but will overclocking hurt memory, cpu, mobo if its cool? what if its even cooler than running stock on air? I understood that overclocking can cause heat, and heat hurts the computer parts, but will my computers life span dec if I h2o it and overclock it?



The ud7 with a waterblock I like. though not in stock atm. I would 1600 dominator this ud7 and oc it if when h20's I would be still dependable and last a long time. If i need to replace it in 2 years then Please tell me, Ill keep it stock and stick with the ud5 and 1333 memory.

[Dark Mantis]

If done properly and with a setup like you posted there is no reason, as long as you don't go mad, that your components shouldn't last as long as normal. As you quite rightly said it is mainly the heat that kills although to a lesser extent frequency doesn't help. If you can keep the temperatures down you should be fine. The UD7 is a good solidly built motherboard with plenty of options and if you can get hold of the revision 1.0 model even better. Any other question just ask. 

[Wonderwrench]

I like it. Its described as a little bit stronger... in several places I've looked. Interesting.

However, benchmarks are showing that the 460 give apx 10 fps more avg, than the 5850....  It seems the 5870 is directly comparable to the gtx460. but there is a huge difference in price here, Which is again, why I chose to focus at the gtx 460. I think I will still go with EVGA gtx 460 and h20 them.

I think that you will find the 5870 is more powerful than the 460 and is more comparible to the 470. Your choice anyway.

I agree. GTX 460= HD 5850, GTX 470= HD 5870. plus or minus some as it depends on the game etc. The GTX 460 is the best bang for the buck IMO.
I'm running an EVGA  GTX 460 1 gig card in the rig in my sig. I have had zero problems with it so far. Its near silent, runs cool and plays Crysis Warhead, Dirt 2 on max settings though my monitor only supports 1440x900. I would have gone ATI if Nvidia had not come out with the GTX460.
The GTX 465,470,480 suck to much power and run hot as a pistol. IMO both brands have bugs you need to pick which set of bugs you can live with.