Building a dual processor rig: Part One

WE'RE TRYING to convince resellers in this column to offer freebies or additional discounts to our readers. If you do buy from any of the guys listed here, just tell them that you come from theinquirer's daily buy column. And, resellers or readers alike, if you have some hot and spicy deals. Send me a line.

UK IT Publication CustomPC has a monthly contest called Beat the Office PC where readers have to submit their rigs for evaluation and see if theirs can beat CustomPC's. A quick view in the list shows that the first four fastest home PC in the list use the Asus NCCH-DL motherboard and Xeon Chips. Prices do not include VAT or shipping.

The Asus NCCH-DL motherboard is equipped with a i875P chipset which sounds odd and obsolete in this world of i9x5 chipset. But don't judget that book by its cover. It has four DIMM sockets, capable of supporting DDR400 unbuffered memory. To that two PCI 32 bit slots, two PCI 64 bit slots and one AGP slot. Not enough? Throw in Firewire, six USB ports, Twin SATA RAID controller, GbLAN onboard sound, SPDIF out and USB risers. All this in a normal ATX format. Also a very good overclocker. And the price? A cool £139.27 at ebuyer.

I'll also grab two Intel Xeon 3.0GHz CPU for £321.58+VAT the pair at Ebuyer. That particular Xeon is a 64-bit EM64T part with HT, based on the Nocona core (1.4v, 90nm, 800MHz FSB and 1MB cache). It comes in a retail box with a fan. Model number: BX80546KG3000EP.

Alternatively you could go for an older Asus PCH-DL at Techfever for £100.66+VAT and couple it with two 2.8Ghz Xeon parts at £150.98 a pop from Ebuyer and save £60.

If you want to go AMD's way, well, you don't have that much choice. The Asus K8N-DL is the way to go. It cost £175.98+VAT at techfever, one of the rising startups out there. The board needs Reg ECC memory to work. But with six DIMM slots, 1GHz HT support, 8-channel sound, twin RAID capable SATA controllers, ATX format, Gb LAN, eight USB ports and loads more, there's nothing much going against it. And it is PCI Express compatible as well as powered by the nForce 4 Pro chipset.

Combine it with two 4AMD Techfever's Opteron 244 CPU running at 1.8GHz and equipped with 1MB cache each. £261.14+VAT the pair. 130nm process, Clawhammer core, Retail package including HSF and three years warranty. Model number OSA244CEP5AL.

Alternatively, check the Tiger K8W motherboard at £144.79+VAT at pcnextday.co.uk and team it with two 1.4Ghz Opteron 240 from Misco at £199.98+VAT the pair; if you're running on a budget. More tomorrow. µ