Is this configuration what I want?

[Nowhere]

I'll probably have to build two computers...not very fast ones or expensive (rather cheap actually) - one will be used as general purpose/audio workstation and the second will be "always on" machine (mainly web activities...and some games, but not with very high requirements...). So apart from the obvious things like superb IQ (in one there will be G400 for sure, in the other G450/550 probably) this machines have to be:

1. Stable.

2. Stable.

3. Stable.

And also quiet/consuming relatively little electric power.
I think that Celerons Tualatins (with boxed Intel coolers) based machines will be rather quiet and not very power hungry...

Now as far for stability...will this or eventually this board (practically the only two left available...) give me what I want? Mainly completely non problematic platform from the day one? (wchich is rather important, so I ask)

Thanks for help.

[Jon P. Inghram]

I'd say go with the TUSL2-C, but that's just because I'm using one myself. Havn't had any problems with it at all, seems very reliable. Do note that if you want to overclock 'em you'll want to get an i815 tweak program or two to turn some chipset settings back to higher speed modes that get turned off when o/c'ed.

[K6-III]

It maight actually be cheaper to go for an AthlonXP 1700+ and an ECS L7S7A2 at the moment...

[Nowhere]

Not here I'm afraid - let's see...what would I need for very reliable Athlon platform...higher quality psu (and they're insanely expensive here), for that mobo - ddr (which is still 2 times the price of sdr here) and besides that, quiet cpu coolers for athlons are almost unavailable here, and even if they are, again, insane prices (the best way for quiet system is boxed intel cpu...)
Besides I want 'not so power hungry' configuration (so common psu will handle it flawlessly...).

But thanks for feedback...it turned out (since no complains at all) that Asus based on i815 is probably what I want...but it's also more expensive than the second option...
So what do you think about ECS based on i815?

[K6-III]

The 1700+ Tbred runs at 1.5v, so no worries about quiet cooling or PSU requirements.

As for the DDR/SDRAM option, I'd suggest the ECS K7S5A, but you said "stable"

[Pace]

I would vote for Asus...

[UtwigMU]

Note that 815 is limited to 512MB, which is normal now.

If you're going to use the boxes for a few years, you may want to have more room to grow.

That said:
Tualatin/815 is stable

I'd go with Asus over ECS if the price is not that different.

Note you'll still need quality PSU for stable box.

My friend replaced no names with Antec and Enermax in his work boxes (P II 266-mom's accounting box and C 733-business box) to attain quiet machines.

So it appears you'll have to get better PSU regardless of platforms. That said, Athlon platform has better price performance than Tualatin but if you don't need performance go Tualatin.

If you want to overclock get 1.0A or 1.1 Celeron and take them to 1.33 or 1.46

Now if you really want stability and plan to use boxes for a few years and feel the need to grow, I'd recommend to look into P4 platform.

[az]

I don't know where you live in poland, and I don't think germany is much cheaper, but maybe some brand name components are cheaper or more readily available here.

AZ

[Nowhere]

K6-III, really, it's almost impossible to buy quiet athlon cooler here...besides that especially the machine that will be always on shouldn't be very power hungry (and tualatins use ~2 times less power after all: ~20W typical, ~30 max (depending on the model) vs. ~45 typ., ~50W max of AXP1700).

btw...about those models of tualatin; I know that 1000 and 1100 run at sligthly lower voltage...does that mean, perhaps, that the coolers in boxed package are...well, not so powerful, MORE QUIET maybe? (it's rather importants also...)

and I'm still wondering that perhaps due to late revisions etc. of i815 boards ecs is also ok in this case...any experience? anyone?

and az...Germany IS much cheaper...but buying there isn't rather an option now...

[az]

Why not, Nowhere? We're neighbours

AZ

[UtwigMU]

Go to Deutchland, buy the hardware (or have someone get it for you) and then go collect Melversteuer (tax return for those who don't know this feature).

I mean people buy furniture in IKEA (Graz/Gradec Austria) and collect melversteuer (Underreporting at borders in order to save on customs, you can just smuggle a CPU and a few other components.)

Anyway do it before we go to EU in May next year, because it's going to be moot afterwards.

Germany is teh biggest and teh cheapest hardware market in Europe.

Anyway, that's how I'd buy Parhelia. (Matrox has good warranty and return policy.)