~$1k build.

[symbi0nt]

Okayyyy, before we start.
I used to be into the components scene, but that was back in the day of Core Duo just being released and it was the bees knees! It looks like things have changed a lot since then.
What's Phenom? heh. Is it any good?
What kind of motherboards am I meant to be looking at to go with the specific CPUs? What's all this I hear about Dragons and AM3, and nVidia motherboard chips!? Eeek.


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: I can wait, but i'm thinking it's a present to myself for graduating from University. If there's a huge technological advance round the corner I don't know about by all means tell me!

BUDGET RANGE: Probably about $900-1,200. That's about £600-800.

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: World of Warcraft, Warhammer online, and the occasional chart game such as Mass Effect, CoD, Fear, Crysis etc. Mostly gaming, with some music playing. I doubt there'll be much else.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Maybe a mouse.. although a new one would be sweet.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Ebuyer.com and Dabs.com. Other trustworthy places considered.

PARTS PREFERENCES: Not fussed.

OVERCLOCKING: I don't want to cause my new computer to die early. So probably not?

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: I have no idea, sorry. If 2 of a certain graphics card beats out a certain single one then sure. Whatever you recommend for good price/performance.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: Widescreen please

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Case must look awesome!

 

[fullmetall]

I'd go for the AM3 x3 720BE build here, since a monitor is needed,

Phenom is the newest and latest amd cpu makes.

x3 720 is there tri-core cpu used mainly for gaming, it does have an unlockable core but, only been done a couple times as i've seen.

This CPU runs equal matters with the E8xxx's family and costs way less.

With the amount of combo's you can get, you are surely going to get what is needed.

I'll get a rig going for you on another post.

First, where are you located so i know which online store to use.

newegg is preffered in the u.s.a.

 

[fullmetall]

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Ebuyer.com and Dabs.com


im guessing this isnt the u.s.?

 

[aevm]

If you read the original post carefully, you see his budget is actually in £. That's what they use for currency in the UK

I'm going to be a lazy bum here and just link this other thread, where I just helped another guy from the UK with a £600 build. Just copy what he's doing, and spend the extra 200 pounds on a monitor.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/265264-31-what-think-computer#t1936465

 

[symbi0nt]

Sorry, yeah i'm from the UK.

That Black Edition thing looks pretty sweet, I thought AMD was having a lot of trouble competing with C2D though?

Also, any ideas what type of memory people are using these days? Is it DDR3 now?
Cheers.

 

[aevm]

One more thing: if you're not interested in overclocking, might as well save the cash and not buy an aftermarket cooler. That is, skip the Scythe Mugen 2.

Apart from that, here's the list:
X3 720 BE
Antec 300
Biostar TSeries TA790GX 128M AMD 790GX
OCZ Gold Edition 4GB (2x2GB) PC2-6400C5
WD 640GB Caviar Black
Sapphire HD 4890
Corsair 750TX
SH-S223Q
Win 7 RC

I'll try to find a decent monitor next.

 

[aevm]

Sorry, yeah i'm from the UK.

That Black Edition thing looks pretty sweet, I thought AMD was having a lot of trouble competing with C2D though?

Also, any ideas what type of memory people are using these days? Is it DDR3 now?
Cheers.

Yes, in 2006 and 2007 and even a bit of 2008 AMD was way behind. However, now they are very competitive in the budget segment. As in, CPUs under $200 or whatever. Intel is still the leader, i.e. it has the fastest CPUs, but those cost a lot and require expensive X58 motherboards.

DDR3 is now almost as cheap as DDR2, so it's becoming popular. Anyway, you need to pick a CPU first, then a MB that works with it, then your choice of DDR2 or DDR3 is dictated by the MB. There's very little difference in performance anyway.

 

[aevm]

Assuming you have around 200 pounds for a monitor, I'd pick this one:

Samsung P2350 23" Widescreen LCD Monitor 1920x1080 £204.99 inc VAT
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-118-SA&groupid=17&catid=1425&subcat=

 

[fullmetall]

Also, if you hadn't noticed and you did mention you didn't know the new phenom chips.

AM3 x3 720 is running with a AM2+ motherboard. Why? well, amd made it capable for consumers to buy a cheaper board and a more up-to-date cpu for there budget help. Well it was like that before, now, you'll see am3 motherboards dropping in price aswell. But, anyways, it helped out people with not enough money for ddr3 and am3 motherboards to be able to upgrade down the road on just those main parts.

You'll now see ddr3 for $59.99 and am3 boards under $140. Which is wild seeing the LGA 775 UD3P is still $134.99, because, LGA 775 sockets will not be making cpu's anymore. IMO they should lower it really low since they are going out of business .

 

[symbi0nt]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-phenom-ii-x3-720_5.html#sect0

is it me or does the e8400 seem to be slaughtering the phenom ii 720?

 

[aevm]

LOL, nope, it's an optical illusion. With a typical LCD refreshing at 60 Hz, you'll get 60 fps in all those games at those resolutions with either CPU. That is, they will be indistinguishable.

On the other hand, if you do something like video encoding (see the page right after the one you linked), it's the Phenom II 720 slaughtering the E8400 thanks to that third core.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-phenom-ii-x3-720_6.html

Edit: and then on later pages you see the E8400 coming ahead again in Photoshop. That's obviously because Photoshop used only one or two cores there. The right choice depends on what applications you run most. Still, they're close enough so don't worry too much about it.

 

[fullmetall]

Your still going to get a better deal on future upgrade with the x3 720be and the 720 is not far from the E8400 and in some area's is better or the same as the E8400.

E8400/8500 are the best dual cores made and beat quads in gaming aswell but, they have no upgrade path anymore.

 

[symbi0nt]

Ah I see [:
But that power will make all the difference with new games in high res maybe?

I think you're right though the money saved on the Phenom can just go to a graphics card.


Fullmetall, can you explain what the upgrade path 'was' or 'is' for these two cpus please? I've read something about AM2 or AM3 and so forth but not quite sure what my roadmap looks like for the future.

 

[symbi0nt]

how's that?
gpu not included.

 

[aevm]

You could also get a Corsair 550W. It's not modular, but you save 7 pounds and get 1A more (41 instead of 40). I've read a very detailed article once comparing the 520HX with the 550VX and they were identical for all practical purposes, except for the modular part. Modular means you can detach unused cables and put them away. It's nice, but how many times will you get your hands inside the PC and benefit from this...

Are you sure Dabs has better prices these days than the rest of UK shops? Just curious. Have you tried www.overclockers.co.uk and www.scan.co.uk too?

 

[aevm]

Oops, one more thing. Dump that WD5000AAKS quickly. It's reliable and quiet but very slow. The WD6401AALS is almost twice as fast.

 

[aevm]

Or this WD5001AALS, if you can't afford an extra 21 pounds and don't need 640GB.
http://www.dabs.com/products/western-digital-500gb-caviar-black-sata-ii-32mb-5971.html?q=wd5001aals

It's 13 pounds more than the wd5000aaks and well worth it.

I happen to have three of those wd5000aaks drives myself, along with some newer disks bought two years later, and the difference is VERY visible.