Help me build my dream system

[Svenn]

Okay guys, I've been given the oportunity to get a 3.0 HT P4 (and crap motherboard and win xp pro) for $199. I'm now looking for a good motherboard. Two main candidates right now are IC7-Max3 and P4C800-E Deluxe. Any suggestions either way? Does anyone know the max voltages on either of these boards? Between a 3.0 and a 3.2, what would be the differences in overclocking? Would the 3.2 be much better? I'm looking at getting a laptop with a 3.2 P4 and I was thinking of switching this 3.0 with the 3.2 and using the 3.2 in the desktop.

I think I'll be keeping everything else the same so what I need from the board is:
1) Good voltages, I have a prom and I'm not afraid to use it!
2) onboard SATA raid 0
3) P4 3.0 HT support

Also, this will be my first intel system since my old p2 450Mhz and that was back before I started overclocking. So anything else I should know coming from amd would be appreciated too.

After this, it's time for a new video card I guess, eheh. Then look out because I'm headed straight to the top!

[Metro]

If I could have that price for a 3.0 in my country...
About your questions:
The Vcore in the PIV you must be carefull. You dont want to go up than 1.7-1.8 for long periods of time. You can kill the cpu and the results will not gone be so much better. The Abit and asus board have enough Vcore for you. About the Vdimm you probably will need to make Vdimm mod to the asus board. Is max is 2.85 (if they unchanged to the -E... My P4C800 Deluxe have only 2.85). With the Max-3 you have at least 3.1. No need to Vdimm mod. I think you should go with the Max3.
Be aware the problem when using a prommie I with a board that have a canterwood chipset:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18785
The 3.2 will achive better result. But not very diferente at least if you got lucky with a good 3.0, you will have a 1ghz overclock.
The memory, you probably wont to go with PC4000. Like you now you cant change the multiplier in the PIV so you want a memory that go and go up like crazy.
I hope I could help.

[Svenn]

Argh, I don't like the sound of the problems with the prommie. Is that any board or just the IC7-Max3? I like the voltages on IC7 since I'm trying to avoid volt mods (I blew up 3 nf7s trying vdimm mod).

[bigjohns97]

the ic7 max 3 has very high voltage options.
i would get that and some mushkin lvl 2 3500 1gig
malay 3.2 chip
radeon 9800xt
sblive audigy 2 with live drive
2x wd raptors
200 gig wd w/ 8 meg cache for storage
dvd-r burner or the fastest burner you can buy.

[Svenn]

Originally posted by bigjohns97
the ic7 max 3 has very high voltage options.
i would get that and some mushkin lvl 2 3500 1gig
malay 3.2 chip
radeon 9800xt
sblive audigy 2 with live drive
2x wd raptors
200 gig wd w/ 8 meg cache for storage
dvd-r burner or the fastest burner you can buy.

I got 2x512 Corsair XMS 3500 already, and 2xraptors, and sb audigy 2 zs (brand new), and I have a dvd-rom, I don't burn anything at all, though I'm contemplating a dvd-burner soon (Sony DRU510A). The video card I'm holding off on for now, and the chip will be a 3.0, not sure anything about it other than that it's a 3.0 800 FSB HT chip, but for $199 w/ mobo and winxp pro it's not a bad deal, eheh. That's the whole reason I'm changing my system. (Btw, this means I'll be selling my nf7-s rev 2 and 2400+ soon. So, any comments as far as IC7-Max3 paired with Prommies? I don't want to buy it and then it not work. Also, I know the northbridge runs hot on athlon chipsets, how about on these boards? Would I want better cooling for nb or anything other than proc?

[JToolz]

Where are you getting this deal for 199?

[Svenn]

Originally posted by JToolz
Where are you getting this deal for 199?

From intel, it's for retail employees who sell intel products. I work at Best Buy:D