Future System

[andrew1421lee]

Hello!
I have a plan for a system I am making, Here are the parts I'm thinking about buying:

AMD x4 640 3.0Ghz
Ram 2G DDR3
500g SATAII
Coolermaster 350w
Gigabyte M68MT-D3
NVidia Geforce 210 1g

I want to make sure everything with work together fine before I buy the parts.
Please tell me if there is anything wrong with this configuration.

I just want something that can play the following at about 30+ fps:
Valve games (HL2, Portal, TF2, etc)
Minecraft
Call of duty 1-4
Quake III based games

**EDIT**
Updated Configuration

AMD x4 640 3.0Ghz
RAM 2G DDR3
500g SATAII
Be Quiet L6 350w
MSI 770-C45
MSI R5670-PMD1G Radeon HD 5670 1 GB

 

[ScrewySqrl]

you should be ok with that, except I would suggest the AS Rock 880 for $59.99 and skip the weak 210. The 880 has enough video card for anything short of 3D Gaming, and the 210 won't do gaming. I'd also get 4 GB of RAM.

 

[batuchka]

Ow if thats a CM Extreme Power/plus ditch it and try to hit an entry level 80+ PSU

Also

Gigabyte M68MT-D3

Negative - i would rate any of these chipsets

740G
690G
GF 7XXX
NForce 6xx

far inferior than any entry level AM2+ out in 2008 due to

a. HT Limitation when paired with any AM2+/AM3 chip
b. Still stuck on PCIex16 gen 1.0/1.1, true AM2+ had migrated to PCIe gen 2.0 as of 2008

Gigabyte NForce 630a
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3497#ov

* If you install AMD AM3 CPU on this motherboard, the system bus speed will downgrade from HT3.0 (5200MT/s) to HT1.0 (2000 MT/s) spec; however, the frequency of AM3 CPU will not be impacted. Please refer "CPU Support List" for more information.

MSI 740GTM-P23
http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=proddesc&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=171&prod_no=1917

Hyper Transport Bus

• HyperTransport 1.0 supporting speed up to 1000MT/s

Slots

• 1 PCI Express x16 slot with x16 operation (PCI Express Bus SPEC V1.0 compliant)

 

[andrew1421lee]

I do not get it when you say 'level 80+ PSU'
I am no good at power supplies.
Also
I think I will go with the MSI 740GTM-P23
Thanks for pointing that out!

**EDIT**
The MSI 740GTM-P23 Does not support DDR3
And apparently DDR3 is a lot cheaper that DDR2 where I live.
Are there any alternatives?

 

[andrew1421lee]

... and skip the weak 210. The 880 has enough video card for anything short of 3D Gaming, and the 210 won't do gaming. I'd also get 4 GB of RAM.

If the 210 is no good what do you suggest?

 

[batuchka]

At least hit a 760G/780LE/770/785G AM3 board - and instead of G210 if no games stick to IGP else hang on IGP till u have more funds to snag better GPUs for games

 

[ScrewySqrl]

If the 210 is no good what do you suggest?

If you are not gaming, stick with the IGP on the 880 motherboard. Its great for everything up to and including 1080p Blu-Ray movies, but it won't do 3D gaming.

The 210 will do about the same, meaning no point getting it. If you plan to do 3D Gaming, you want a GTS 450 or HD 5770, minimum, which run $110-$130.

80+ PSUs mean they are certified 80% or better in power efficency at load. 80+ means 82% or better, 80+ Bronze is 85% or better, Silver is 88% of better, and Gold is 90% or better.

Sea Sonic has a 300W 80+ Bronze for 39.99, 350W for 49.99, and 520W for 59.99. the 300w is fine if you don't need a graphics card, or use a lower power one that really can't do games anyway. The 520W model is the one to use with a lower powered video card that needs only 1 PCIe plug (the GTS 450, HD 5770, or HD6850 in modern cards).

 

[andrew1421lee]

If you are not gaming, stick with the IGP on the 880 motherboard. Its great for everything up to and including 1080p Blu-Ray movies, but it won't do 3D gaming.

The 210 will do about the same, meaning no point getting it. If you plan to do 3D Gaming, you want a GTS 450 or HD 5770, minimum, which run $110-$130.

I don't need a very good graphics card. I just want something that can play the following at about 30 fps:

Valve games (HL2, Portal, TF2, etc)
Minecraft
Call of duty 1-4
Quake III based games

And as far as the power source, Will the Be Quiet L6 350w (PFC 80+) be good enough?

The 880GM-LE has an ATI IGP, will Nvidia cards work on it?

 

[ScrewySqrl]

yes, NVidia cards will work with the 880.

However, the games you list will want a discrete card, and you'll need a 400W or higher PSU. The 520W from Seasonic is 80+ Bronze, and Seasonic is the most reliable maker out there.

If you get a discrete card, get the 870 or 770 instead of the 880 (the 870 and 770 lack onboard graphics, but if you are getting a graphics card, why do you need one?

I'd consider the GTS 450 a minimum graphics card, which should handle most games at high settings at 1440x900 to 1680x1050. You can get it as low as $109.99

 

[andrew1421lee]

I'd consider the GTS 450 a minimum graphics card, which should handle most games at high settings at 1440x900 to 1680x1050. You can get it as low as $109.99

The GTS 450 seems like an overkill for what I am going to use it for.

 

[andrew1421lee]

I found a pretty good card!
The ATI Radeon HD 5670.