first pc build please review!

[trowieuk]

You could probably get a small overclock on an FX-6300 with the DS3P, but for anything more you would want that Asus, or the Gigabyte UD3P.

You won't get much of an overclock on stock fan anyway - you would want to look at an aftermarket cooler.

I won't be overclocking straight away, i'll be getting aftermarket cooler if I do dw, thanks for the info.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

A mate got the DS3P for a build recently and it had issues with RAM VDROOP with 1866MHZ RAM,which was not inspiring.

[DanceswithUnix]

Asus M5A97 R2.0 better option if I do overclock?

EVO.

M5A97 EVO R2.0

The EVO bit means you got the decent VRM (as well as fancy audio, firewire and an esata controller if you care about those). When I bought mine they were advertising it as suitable for liquid nitrogen overclocks, but they seem to have backed down on that bit

I got it because I find that boards with OTT VRM sections tend to last until I no longer can find a use for them, cheaper ones have a nasty habit of dying after a few years.

[fma965]

I would rather buy a Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 or UD5 or UD7 personally, i used to have a m5a97 board and it didn't go well.

[trowieuk]

I would rather buy a Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 or UD5 or UD7 personally, i used to have a m5a97 board and it didn't go well.

what happend?

[DanceswithUnix]

I would rather buy a Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 or UD5 or UD7 personally, i used to have a m5a97 board and it didn't go well.

That is a £100 board, I would really hope it was better!

I had the opposite. I was using my Asus board for a few months before I had a blue screen and when diagnosing realised my RAM was running really slow. Tried the ram in two different Gigabyte boards, neither of them would even post. The Asus, bless it, was doing its best to give me a stable machine even with faulty ram. Ram is now replaced, machine has been rock solid since.

Gigabyte motherboards seem to be excellent value atm, so I have used them in 2 recent builds. There is nothing terribly wrong with either machine, but they have been just that bit irritating.

[trowieuk]

for my budget build I think the asus board is a good option

[lammyray]

You should add an ssd to that build, it makes all the difference imo

[trowieuk]

You should add an ssd to that build, it makes all the difference imo

I will be, it's a budget build. I'll get an ssd just not yet.