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Building my first computer

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I am looking to build my first computer. I want it to be based around gaming. I am not knowledgeable in computers at all and recently have been learning as much as I can about them. Because I am so new to this area, I want to build it using someone's build. Particularly this one:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-pc-build-a-p...

Is this computer build dated because it was built in September? To me it's not dated, but to the computer industry it might be. I'm not afraid to add better components to it. Any advice would be appreciated.

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Approximate Purchase Date: No later than the end of April


Budget Range: Around $400


System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming is most important


Parts Not Required: Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg or Frys


Country of Origin: US


Parts Preferences: AMD CPU, Asus MoBo,


Overclocking: Maybe(not really sure what this is)


SLI or Crossfire: Maybe(again, not really sure)


Monitor Resolution: 1028x1024, however I am upgrading but this is not included in the PC budget build.


Additional Comments: Quiet PC, easy to upgrade in the future


I'm not looking for top of the line gaming. However, I would like to have my specs at recommended for games. I saw this while browsing Newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?I...

Is that any good? I know that the Phenom's are really good, but if i have to(which is likey), I will downgrade to a Athlon II X4 3.0 Ghz. Also, it says the MoBo in that bundle comes with a Radeon HD 4250. Does that mean that I wouldn't need to buy a video card immediately? If so, this is a pretty good deal.
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Okay I think that I am going to ditch that idea of using that model. I have noticed the the Sandy Bridge is getting some great reviews. The i3 is being compared to the Phenom x4. The only real downside that I see in reviews is its lack of overclocking. Luckily, I'm not into that so this looks like an amazing CPU. I have upped my budget and am looking at $200 for a mobo and a CPU. Is this a good CPU?

Don't get a dual core, get an Athlon II X3 or X4.
Athlon II X4/4GB/1TB SuperCombo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?I...
SAPPHIRE 100283-3L Radeon HD 5770
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

$429.98

What's your new budget?

AMD Athlon II X3 450
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
BIOSTAR TA890GXB + SAPPHIRE 100315L Radeon HD 6850
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
CORSAIR XMS3 4GB + COOLER MASTER HAF 912
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX650 + SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
ASUS Black 24X DVD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

$578.92

?






I have only upped my budget to around $100-150 more dollars so that I can get a little bit better components. Why are you not recommending the dual core? I have read that most games don't use more than two cores. How long would the Athlon x3 last me until I would need to upgrade? Also what makes the Athlon x3/x4 better than the Intel i3 Sandy Bridge?

I just read that the new Bulldozer is not going to be compatible with a AM3 Mobo. That is really turning me away from AMD. I know the Sandy Bridge i3 is not the most amazing but it's budget friendly and I can upgrade in the future without needing a new Mobo, possibly even to Ivy Bridge. If I were to upgrade my computer instead of building one, I would probably go for AMD. However, I will not spend very much at all if I were to do that. I would need a new mobo, cpu, gpu, and psu. Any component you would suggest would be an upgrade. I am a Athlon 64 X2 2.5 Ghz, Radeon X1200, 250w psu, and I don't know what my mobo is.

I either need to upgrade my computer or build a new one. I want two computers, that's why I want to build a new one. I might just want to upgrade my computer now so it can actually do more than surf the web and then build a really nice one when Bulldozer comes out. What do y'all think is a logical road to take?

You can get the Intel Core i3-2100 and a mobo like the ASUS P8H67-M LX, see if those fit your budget but better wait a little. What motherboard do you have right now? . And what RAM?

I have a 3gb DDR2 and I don't know what my mobo is. It's the one that came with the Acer Aspire m3100 and it's not listed on Acer's website under specs. Why should i wait a little on the Sandy Bridge?

Sandy Bridge boards need a bit of a revision on their chipsets I believe as they had some problems with the P67...Squishy IMO if you got the money go with the Sandy as it is by far supreme in everyway, just wait on a X68 board

with your current budget I think you would be better off getting a good 880 or 890 board and a X2 565 Callisto as that is a screamer...you will have the ability with most new boards by AMD to unlock an extra core or two..and some slight and easy OCing

This board will suit your needs

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

This is the CPU that I would get with that budget I meant the 560

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Check out mosox's comment that a good build for the price on both of 'em..I would get the either one of the X2 Callisto's and see if you get smoe stable extra core that OC easily up to I think about 3.6 GHz on most that I have seen unlocked..your results may vary...


I'm so confused. That CPU is a dual core and is only $15 less than the Sandy Bridge. Wouldn't I want my computer to be buttery smooth? How can that CPU unlock more cores if it only has two? I'm not really into OC, because I don't want to void my warranty.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

These two GPU's are the GTX 460 and they're only $130 after rebate. I was going to get a Radeon HD 5770, but a lot of people say the GT 460 is better. Why are these two so much cheaper than the other GTX 460? And what makes these better than this Radeon 5770?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Google "unlocking the AMD X2" or something to that extent and you should get plenty of info on it....BTW if you don't want to go through all the trouble of that. I would go with that rig that Mosox put up a while back in this thread either one is decent for gaming and get that 5770 you listed that should get you where you want to go....BTW check the sticky's out at the tops of forum pages as there is a lot of knowledge their as it has taught me a lot....read, read ,read

My local Fry's has the Phenom II x2 555 black unlocked up for sale. I'm assuming from your previous post that unlocked means it now has four cores. If that's so, under neath in the description it says 2 cores at 3.20 GHz so I am a little confused. I read an article about it on anandtech and they're comparing it to the Phenom II x4 965.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/2927

All Phenom II are actual four core dies with 1 or 2 cores disabled and binned as X2 or X3, sometimes these cores can be unlocked with a motherboard utility...sometime the cores that were disabled from the factory weren't completely defective and can be run as a 4 core processor here is a couple of links I found that might help you

www.tomshardware.com/forum/269615-30-​unlocking-phenom

www.siliconmadness.com/2009/06/amd-​phenom-ii-x2-550

www.tomshardware.com/forum/269739-28-​unlocking-athlon

www.xbitlabs.com/.../cpu/display/phenom-​athlon-ii-x2_15.html

I see a lot of the word "chance" and you even used sometimes. Does that mean you just have to get lucky when trying to unlock? Also I have been seeing the word, stable. What does this mean and why does it matter? Which motherboards help unlock this cpu?

Best solution

Stability is just that a machine that runs without error...The Phenom II X2's and X3's are quad cores that are sold as 2 and 3 cores... due to some not all of them having defective cores or cores that will not run at the advertised speed so AMD disables these cores and they sell them as X2 dual core or X3 triple core CPU's this is with Phenom II CPU's only..AMD also disables good core to maximize sales on these CPU's...So, there is a chance of getting one that can be unlock and run stable

Good! I am definitely going to try that out. That will be amazing if I can get it to work. Now onto the gpu topic. I kinda want the MSI Twin Frozr II GTX 460, however I don't know if that will work on AMD boards. If it doesn't, what is a better alternative? Maybe the Radeon HD 5770?

Unlocked in that CPU description means hat the CPU mutiplier is unlocked all Black edition Processors have this feature..This mean that in BIOS you are abile to adjust the CPU clock speed per the mutiplier. The multiplier is basically a setting that referances a set clock speed which by default is 200MHz the 555 is 3.2GHz which mean the multiplier by default is set to x16

Oh ok, I probably won't be messing around with the multiplier though. I guess I will go with a Radeon HD 5770. It's a little cheaper, but probably just as good.

You have been a big help, thanks!
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