Need PSU advice for amd quad-core budget build :D

[bloodmage3]

Goal: General workstation with light gaming and HD video playback.

Country of Origin: Canada

Budget: ~$400-$450 CAD

Approximate Purchase Date: Boxing Day 2010 or the week after.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Multi-tasking, HD videos, some gaming.

So far, I'm looking at:

ASUS M4N68T-M AM3 NVIDIA Geforce 7025/nForce 630a Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131626

AMD Athlon II X4 630 Quad Core Processor
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5073819&sku=A79-0630

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

Western Digital WD5000AAKS Caviar Blue Hard Drive - 500GB, 7200rpm, 16MB, SATA-300, OEM
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2795126&sku=TSD-500AAKS

Apex TX-381 Computer Case - MicroATX/FlexATX W/ 300-Watt Power Supply
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4627626&sku=A355-2011

MSI R5670-PD512 Radeon HD 5670 512MB 128-bit GDDR5
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127523

LG DVD R/W lying around - Free

Total Cost: $432.29 CAD

So my main concern is whether the 300W psu will be enough, especially if the processor is OC'd to 3.20Ghz. Will the psu cripple my video card and what are some alternative psu, cases and video cards within my budget? Appreciate any comments

 

[mianmars]

u need at least a 350w PSU, dats a minimum.

Case
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119195

PSU
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817815007

 

[ScrewySqrl]

I'd consider the 880G from AS Rock for $15 more as a better motherboard.

 

[bloodmage3]

u need at least a 350w PSU, dats a minimum.

Case
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119195

PSU
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817815007

How is this PSU? http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371023
Also, will the psu fit in a microATX case or do I have to buy specific sized psu? Thanks.

 

[mianmars]

Yeah the Antec will do as well, its a bit cheap build but works. which case u have in mind, post some links !!

 

[batuchka]

Negative on
ASUS M4N68T-M AM3 NVIDIA Geforce 7025/nForce 630a


I would rate any of these chipsets

740G
690G
GF 7XXX
NForce 5xx/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 PCIe 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)

 

[bloodmage3]

@mianmars

Case
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147023

@batuchka

Can you explain more? So AM2+ boards have better chipset than AM3?
How is this board?
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157215

Thanks both for comments

 

[ScrewySqrl]

he's saying the opposite: AM3 board is better for aM3 chips than AM2+

 

[mianmars]

@bloodmage3 yeah that case will be better, its all black and have free shipping as well.

 

[batuchka]

If $$ tight just hit any cheap AM3 chipset from this list

760G
780LE
785G
880G/SB710

 

[bloodmage3]

If $$ tight just hit any cheap AM3 chipset from this list

760G
780LE
785G
880G/SB710

Kay, thanks for the info. I'm gonna go with the ASRock 880GM-LE recommended by ScrewySqrl
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157199&cm_re=asrock_880g-_-13-157-199-_-Product

Out of curiosity, does the 8xx chipset series perform better than the 7xx?
Also, this mobo supports TurboACC so I'm thinking of getting a phenom II X2 555 and hope to unlock its disabled cores. Will my system become unstable cuz I don't wanna crash the CPU.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

the 8xx is a newer (2010) chipset over the 7xx (2009)

the 555 MIGHT unlock, but there is some reason it was binned down to an X2 in the first place. only about 50% unlock extra cores, and most of them get just 1 ore. The Athlon II X4's guaranteed 4 cores is worth more than the L3 cache.

 

[mianmars]

CPU: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103679
MOBO: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131657
GPU: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127523
RAM: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277
PSU: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371023
CASE: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119195
HEATSINK: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103064

TOTAL: 454$

Asus board is better and have easy core unlocker system if u wana unlock the 4th core. Samsung HDD is smaller in size but better in performance from W.D.

 

[bloodmage3]

Thanks all for your comments. Waiting for all my parts to arrive.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

you're welcome. Happy building!

 

[bloodmage3]

Best answer selected by bloodmage3.

 

[Maziar]

This topic has been closed by Maziar