Multiple Questions, easy to answer :)

[NickS]

Hello everyone. Workin on getting me a Conroe setup within the next say, 5 months. As of this moment, my plan is..

Sell my CPU, Mobo, RAM, & HS/F. Already sold HS/F and RAM. I have about $175.. and growing.

I'm going to then buy a Celeron D 352 (Cedar Mill based 65nm, OEM) from Tiger Direct. It's $60. This will most likely do 5GHz on good air.

So now I'm down to $115. RAM, I'm going to go for this stick. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820221039

It has reasonable timings and speed, and I hope will do DDR2800 with say 2.0-2.2v @ 5-5-5-15. Don't really care about timings as they don't matter *that much.*

Then, I'm going to purchase the Giga-Byte GA-P965-DS3 from Newegg, for about $150.

I'm going to use that setup until about November, when I'll buy another stick of that ram with B-Day money. Then on Christmas, open my shiney new E6600. Sound good?

My dad though thinks it'd be best that I continue using the parts from my spare rig, which consists of a Biostar TForce4 U nF4 Ultra Mobo, a 3000+ @ 2700MHz and 2x256MB Corsair. Now, I don't know about you all but going from 2GB to 512 SUCKS. He then suggested I invest in a cheap set of 2x512MB DDR, but I told him DDR's value is going to drop like a rock, as there is no mainstream platform that really uses it anymore, so by the time I'm ready to sell it around November I'd only get $30-40... is this true?

I know the Celeron will be slower but I'm kinda excited about building my first LGA775 rig anyway.

Moving on to the cooling dillema. Thermalright's SI-128 w/Panaflo M1A 120MM (About 85 CFM, already have.) or a Thermaltake Big Typhoon VX (New version with better fan.)? I will NOT be lapping anything as of now.. so take that into consideration.

I really like the SI-128/BT because they blow on and around surrounding motherboard components/RAM. I was thinking about the Ultra-120 or Scythe Ninja but they don't offer the same widespread cooling as the regular-styled heatsinks do. If the BT VX isn't out yet by this Friday, I'm opting for the SI-128 anyway, just as a little note. Then again, how would the regular BT be with the panaflo on it? Anyways.. I'm not ALL that considered about noise, but I want it to be very reasonable. So what would you guys do? Have any suggestions?

Thanks a ton, I really appreciate it.

Nick

[Shpoon]

Let's see....I like the idea that you're slowly phasing one thing into another. However, I think it'd be best to go for RAM right now, possibly ask for a loan with interest from your dad. This is because if you buy one now, one later (assuming you want 2gb), they're not made for dual channel. The memory sold in pairs is generally tested to make sure they can work together, something you can't be sure of with two different sets. (And yes, DDR1 will be worthless save for crunching).

I'd buy the RAM, mobo, and cheap CPU, use your spare parts, and hold off until Christmas.

Cooling wise - The SI/BT blowing on the mobo is actually a good thing since it cools off the surrounding parts, this is especailly needed with boards with heatpipes (like the DS3) (Also makes a b*tch for WCing)

Fan wise - Take a panaflo M1 if you arn't too concerned with noise. You can ramp them down, but they're fairly powerful when needed.

[NickS]

Anyone wanna help me, for real?

[Nazu]

1) 5GHz on air? You're gonna need very good aircooler and mobo for that, but the idea of getting a Celly until you can afford C2D is ok.
2) For the ram (the link doesn't work) get some cheap 2GB 667MHz ram as you seem to have a tight budget.
3) The mobo is good budget board and seems to have great overclocking potential. If you don't have problems waiting till Christmas to get your C2D go for it.
4) I don't think the prices of ddr memory are going to drop a lot, but if I was you I would sell those parts and get the new ones now.
5) It's not that slow but it's slower than P4/P-D and those are a lot slower than C2D.
6) I would choose the Thermalright's SI-128 and the Panaflo fan as the Thermalright cooler has better mounting mechanism and the fan is better than that with BT. Without lapping the SI-128 is probably better than BT.
7) Yes it is a good thing that the fan blows air to the power regulators on the mobo as it will affect the lifetime of your mobo and maybe affect to overclock. BT+Panaflo fan would cost you more than SI-128+Panaflo fan so get the SI-128 as the BT doesn't benefit from high cfm fan that much.

[NickS]

Alright! Thanks a lot Nazu!

RE-Link to RAM. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820221039

Two sticks of that wouldn't be bad, I'm pretty sure DDR2800 wld be attainable.

[Shpoon]

Anyone wanna help me, for real?

Er? Is that directed at me?

Edit: And why'd perkham edit out my joking "That's not easy enough to answer, it's not in a list" comment? >.>

[NickS]

Er? Is that directed at me?

Edit: And why'd perkham edit out my joking "That's not easy enough to answer, it's not in a list" comment? >.>

Yes, and Perkam obviously got edit happy. (Hahah what else is new? )

[Shpoon]

So....nm...

I really don't understand what you meant...I was helping you I assumed, guess it was wasted time typing.