i`m putting together a new machine. its my first one and i`m a novice in the computer relm. i have been googling motherboards and processors for the past week and the selections seem to be limitless. a couple of boards that have caught my eye are the asus p5n32-e sli and the evga 680i sli. at this point in my life i`m not gaming and mostly doing applications but i might want to move in the game direction in the near future.

so i need a board that will suit the best of boths worlds but be able to perform applications as well. i pretty sure an intel processor will be my choice (since i`ve been steered clear of amd by the shop experts) but again either duo or quad core?

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

KH.

Two things you need to do. (1) Determine the function of the computer (which you have done) and (2) establish a budget.

I agree that Intel is the way to go. AMD makes great CPUs at good prices, but the Intels outperform, consume less power, and generate less heat. As for duos or quad - much of that depends on your budget, but you will not be happy with a good duo.

For beginners (and experienced too) I recommend you check out MWave's "Motherboard Bundles" Wizard. This is a great research tool as it allows you to pick a motherboard, then the Wizard will offer a big list of CPUs and RAM that MWave has already determined are compatible with that motherboard. Or, you can start with a CPU and the wizard will list a bunch of motherboards and RAM options that will support that CPU. This is a great research tool you can use even if you buy elsewhere (although their prices are fairly competitive once you factor in shipping - if you live in the US). However, for only $9 more, MWave will mount the CPU and RAM on the motherboard AND test them. So not only do you know from the Wizard that your components work together, you know your specific parts will not be DOA - a nice warm fuzzy for only $9.

That said, too often, new builders wrongly overlook the need for a quality case and power supply (PSU). Both are critical. The case must house, protect, and cool everything inside. Not all cases are created equal. I recommend ENSURING the case you select supports 120mm fans. These big fans move massive amounts of air but at a lower RPM, making them much quieter. Note that fancy lights do nothing for performance, add some heat, consume some power, and do nothing for performance (worth repeating).

A case with a washable air filter is a huge plus - I have to clean my PC 3 - 4 times more often than I do my wife's and they are both running 24/7 and in the same room. Her PC is in the Antec Sonata II, mine is in an older, filterless Antec. You can't go wrong with Antec cases. The new Antec Sonata III is a great case too. And I note both these Sonata DO come with nice PSUs.

That said, do not make a case purchase decision based on the PSU inside. Many vendors toss in a cheap, generic PSU just to make the case sell - even with good cases. If the case you select comes with a PSU, be prepared to replace it with a good PSU. I have a pile of brand new PSUs from that same situation.

WARNING!: Cases are designed to support 1000s of motherboards. Therefore, there will be more mounting holes in the case than the motherboard needs. You MUST ensure you do not have extra standoffs screwed into the case as they may short your motherboard destroying it, and possibly the CPU, RAM, and anything else connected to the board - all in the first second you first power on! A common mistake - simple to avoid with just a little attention to detail, and a double (or triple) check.

Use the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite to determine your power supply requirements. Plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom. I recommend you set Capacitor Aging to 30%, and if you participate in distributive computing projects (e.g. BOINC or Folding@Home), I recommend setting TDP to 100%. Then look for brands listed under the "Good" column of PC Mechanic's PSU Reference List. Don't try to save a few dollars by getting a cheap supply. Digital electronics needs clean, stable power. A good, well chosen supply will provide years of service and upgrade wiggle room.

Get a graphics card with 2 DVI (digital) connections. These will allow you to take maximum advantage of the better digital LCDs displays. Many cards come with 1 DVI and 1 D-Sub (analog) connector. This limits you to inferior quality analog for a second display should you go dual monitor setup (BTW, once you do, you will never go back to a single monitor! ). Analog is great if using CRT monitors but not for LCD. And all DVI cards will support analog monitors with an expensive (and usually included) adapter.

Finally, I recommend 2Gb RAM. You may see some performance gains if you go to 3Gb, but generally, only marginal gains for the money. I recommend avoiding going over 3Gb for any 32-bit operating system as no performance gains will be realized.

I also recomend Intel. Besure to check the spec's on the duo core as in some cases you maybe better off going with a single core. That being said quad cores run around $1000(price you pay for new technology). I also recomend 2GB of ram, if your gona be running Vist Ultimate then I would recomend more. For ram my personal preference is Kingston or Crossair(also recomended by other computer tech's I am friends with). Also a good heatsink/fan is crucial for good CPU performance. 120mm fans are a good idea also if you have a free pci slot then you can get fans that fit in there and are very good at sucking the heat out. Also for the mother board, you have to think about weather you are going to use SATA or IDE to connect your drives or a combo of both. Just some of my thoughts and preferences, may not be for everyone. Hope I have helped some.