Cheap first build

[mstrsmith]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: This weekend.
BUDGET RANGE: <500
PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS, hard drive, case
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: 3d modeling & animation, photoshop, gaming
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS:newegg.com
OVERCLOCKING: Probably

What I have so far (Hopefully, I didn't do too bad... ):

SAMSUNG Black DVD Burner

XFX GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB)DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066

GIGABYTE GA-EP45 Motherboard

Rosewill 500W PSU and E8400 Combo

I wonder if I can make it cheaper, without much quality loss.

 

[Outlander_04]

yes easy to do

replace the e8400 + mb with an
AMD phenom X3 720 be and AM3 mb combo . The amd is a better multitasker and just as good in games . And even better its not being phased out like the e8400 and all the other intel socket 775 processors

 

[gkay09]

^+1

And change the PSU, graphics card too...

CPU + Mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.205337

RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146873

DVD - Rethink again about the open box...

PSU -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016

Graphics card -
If you want nvidia card,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150357

Else a better value card -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161244

 

[waynec121]

both outlander and gkay are right. any advice from them is top notch!

good luck with the build

 

[Outlander_04]

both outlander and gkay are right. any advice from them is top notch!

good luck with the build

Thank you , but you are wrong .

Quite often my advice is rubbish

But not this time , thankfully

 

[jsc]

I will not quibble over the graphics card, but dump the Rosewill PSU.

And out of curiosity, which GA P45 motherboard?

 

[batuchka]

Hmm under $500 after rebates

 

[Outlander_04]

see !
batuchka has just proven my advice was rubbish with an utterly awesome build

 

[mstrsmith]

Wow, thanks for all of the replies.
Just 1 more quick question. Does the X3 720 need ddr3? As far as I know, it performs just as well with ddr2...

 

[hunter315]

If you get an AM2+ board it needs DDR2, if you get an AM3 board(as you should there are nice combos with them) then you need DDR3. It all depends on the motherboard, the CPU itself will work with either.

 

[mstrsmith]

I meant performance-wise.
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3512&p=3

http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/ddr2_vs_ddr3/13.html

I also just found out that my 3d app favors intel's architecture , so I'm not so sure about the Phenom anymore.

 

[ahslan]

Hmm under $500 after rebates
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q205/batuchka/JulTHR1.jpg

jesus! thats gotta be the best $500 build EVER!

 

[hunter315]

Performance wise the differences are negligible. Are you sure that it prefers intel and not just hyper threading in i7's? If it prefers hyperthreading its going to be a much more expensive build and often times the differences are only a few seconds over a couple minute long operation.

 

[Helloworld_98]

jesus! thats gotta be the best $500 build EVER!

unless you need a case, HDD and dvd drive.

 

[mstrsmith]

I'm positive. Render times of the e8400 and x3 720 are the same, despite the extra core. If the e8400 overclocks well, it might(???) be worth getting it over the x3 720.

 

[Helloworld_98]

^ except the 720 clocks close to the E8400 so that might be worth considering aswell.

 

[ahslan]

unless you need a case, HDD and dvd drive.

very true... ....still its crazy to see what a $500 upgrade can give you (considering you use your old case, hdd, and dvd drive)

 

[jerryb]

Hmm under $500 after rebates
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q205/batuchka/JulTHR1.jpg

Where in newegg did you find this combo? How do I get there?

 

[hunter315]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.212174

If you go to a part in the lower left just below the pictures there is often combo deals, sort through them because some of them are amazing and can allow you to fit alot more into a small budget

 

[Outlander_04]

I'm positive. Render times of the e8400 and x3 720 are the same, despite the extra core. If the e8400 overclocks well, it might(???) be worth getting it over the x3 720.

The charts on this site give some clues to performance

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-desktop-cpu-charts/benchmarks,60.html

the only 3d render app is 3DS max
http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-desktop-cpu-charts/3DS-Max-2009,1380.html

the e8400 ran the test in 337 seconds
the x3 720 ran the test in 316 seconds
the x4 945 ran the test in 219 seconds

The results show the gains made by extra cores , I think . Check if your application can make use of more cores.
The intel quads are right there as well , but they will not fit in your budget , so Batuchka's build remains a very very credible choice

 

[jerryb]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.212174

If you go to a part in the lower left just below the pictures there is often combo deals, sort through them because some of them are amazing and can allow you to fit alot more into a small budget

I saw the combo with processor and board, but I guess I thought that the GPU< PS and Memory were part of another combo.

 

[mstrsmith]

Why am I always so unattentive
That really is an amazing build! I thought (for some sleepy reason) that batuchka's build had a x3 720 processor, not an x4 945.
Thanks to everyone, and sorry for being absent-minded.

P.S.
In Blender
the e8400 ran the test in 83 seconds
the x3 720 ran the test in 80 seconds
the x4 940 ran the test in 68 seconds

 

[Outlander_04]

Why am I always so unattentive
That really is an amazing build! I thought (for some sleepy reason) that batuchka's build had a x3 720 processor, not an x4 945.
Thanks to everyone, and sorry for being absent-minded.

P.S.
In Blender
the e8400 ran the test in 83 seconds
the x3 720 ran the test in 80 seconds
the x4 940 ran the test in 68 seconds

the 945 should have marginally improved performance over the 940 . Theyre effectively the same part except the 940 has a DDR2 memory controller , and the 945 has DDR3 as an option .

 

[Raidur]

Since when is the 720 'just as good' as the E8400 in games...? I don't know, seems like I'm the only one that thinks that the E8400 is quite a bit (10-15%) faster in 1-2 core games. *shrug

BTW, not starting a fight or anything, I'm actually an old AMD 'fanboy' from back when AMD dual cores first released. I'm just curious of peoples reasoning. And I know about the 'future' of the 775 socket compared to AM3, and I know about the 3rd core helping in multi-core optimized stuff and a very few games. Just curious.

 

[Outlander_04]

Since when is the 720 'just as good' as the E8400 in games...? I don't know, seems like I'm the only one that thinks that the E8400 is quite a bit (10-15%) faster in 1-2 core games. *shrug

Its you against the world with that argument

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-desktop-cpu-charts/Far-Cry-2-1.0.1,1401.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-desktop-cpu-charts/GTA-IV-1.0.3,1402.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-desktop-cpu-charts/Left-4-Dead-1.0.0.5,1403.html

all the 3d games from Toms latest cpu charts

The 720 out performs the e8400 in every single one , and often by a good margin

. actually you could be right [ in a way ]
The 720 be isnt "just as good " as an e8400 .... its BETTER