P4 Help!

[bachviet]

I am goin' to build a system for my cousin and he wants a P4... I don't have any idea about P4 chipset (1.6Ghz)! I want to know which chipset is the fastest (DDR or RDRAM)! THank you!

[THC]

I would definately go with the 850 chipset and a Northwood core (1.6A, 1.8A etc) with Rambus memory. Quality rambus is cheaper than quality DDR and is definately the way to go:
http://www4.tomshardware.com/column/02q1/020215/index.html

In addition, the current Northwoods are entry level CPUs in that line where AMD is pushing their current technology to the limit. Word has it that the 0.13 Thoroughbread processors won't hit the market until May. AMD also made the motherboard manufacurers remove the claim that their new boards would work with the new core, making it really uncertain whether fufure upgrades are possible.
And the lower end Northwood chips apparently are very good canditates for overclocking :-) 1.8 @ 2.4ghz with stock cooling is common :-))

[DREDD]

yes RDRAm is cheap now...DDR is getting pricey for first time builders so I'd say look for a northwood P4 and some RDRAM PC800.

[ramazank2]

Look into an ABIT TH7-II Raid Motherboard. I love mine