Hey everyone. I'm extremely new to building computers and I'm not really quite sure why i want to so bad except I really want to play starcraft 2 on ultra settings and I like a challenge. I'm not quite sure who to go with as far as the CPU... AMD or Intel. I'll put up two builds that I have and please give me feedback on to which is better and additional comments are appreciated.
AMD Build
CPU - AMD Phenom X6 1100T BE $190
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103913
MB- Biostar TA870U3+ AMD 870 Motherboard - ATX, Socket AM3, AMD 870 Chipset, DDR3 1600MHz, SATA 6.0 Gb/s, 6-CH Audio, Gigabit LAN, USB 3.0 $80
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7265659&sku=B450-2425
GPU- EVGA GeForce GTX 460 SE (Fermi) 1GB GDDR5 PCIe $100 after MIRhttp://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=140752&sku=E145-0489
Memory - G.SKILL Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&cm_sp=Cat_Memory-_-Weekly_Deals-_-20-231-460
HD - Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148697
Case- Cooler Master HAF 922M ATX Black Mid-Tower Case - 5 External 5.25" Drive Bays, 5 Internal 3.5" Drive Bays, 2 200mm Fans, 1 120mm Fan $90 with $10 MIR
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4631382&sku=C283-1223
Power Supply- Cooler Master RS650-ACAAE3-US GX Series 650W Power Supply - ATX, 650 Watts, 80+ Certified, 120mm Fan $90
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5662680&sku=C283-3056
DVD/CD- ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM $21
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
After taxes this comp comes out to a good $761. With shipping im guessing it will come out to $800. Please keep in mind i'm not going to do any video editing or anything crazy. Just want to play movies and games at max settings. I'd like to keep this desktop as cheap as possible without sacrificing much performance if any.
Intel Build
CPU - Intel i5 2500K Sandy Bridge $220
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9115072&cm_re=i5_2500k-_-19-115-072-_-Product
MB- MSI P67A-C43 B3 Intel P67 Motherboard - ATX, Socket H2 (LGA1155), Intel P67 Express, DDR3 2133MHz (O.C.), SATA 6.0 Gb/s, Gigabit LAN, 1 x PCI-Express x16, USB 3.0 $120
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7325818&sku=M452-6206
GPU- EVGA GeForce GTX 460 SE (Fermi) 1GB GDDR5 PCIe $100 after MIRhttp://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=140752&sku=E145-0489
Memory - G.SKILL Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&cm_sp=Cat_Memory-_-Weekly_Deals-_-20-231-460
HD - Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148697
Case- Cooler Master HAF 922M ATX Black Mid-Tower Case - 5 External 5.25" Drive Bays, 5 Internal 3.5" Drive Bays, 2 200mm Fans, 1 120mm Fan $90 with $10 MIR
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4631382&sku=C283-1223
Power Supply- Cooler Master RS650-ACAAE3-US GX Series 650W Power Supply - ATX, 650 Watts, 80+ Certified, 120mm Fan $90
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5662680&sku=C283-3056
DVD/CD- ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM $21
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
So the only thing I changed on the Intel build is obviously the processor and motherboard. I'm pretty sure everything else is compatible. With the modifications the base comp cost went up 80 bucks so i'm almost at $900. I still haven't put anything for sound card as I'm not sure if its necessary at this moment. I've been looking up parts for these builds for the past couple of days and learned that even though AMD's X6 1100T is the newest processor for AMD, the i5 2500k still beats in performance. I guess AMD still has some work to do but I do like the idea that I would have six cores in my computer for a lower price. Anyways, please leave me some feedback so I can learn some more. I'm interested in what you guys have to say.
AMD Build
CPU - AMD Phenom X6 1100T BE $190
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103913
MB- Biostar TA870U3+ AMD 870 Motherboard - ATX, Socket AM3, AMD 870 Chipset, DDR3 1600MHz, SATA 6.0 Gb/s, 6-CH Audio, Gigabit LAN, USB 3.0 $80
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7265659&sku=B450-2425
GPU- EVGA GeForce GTX 460 SE (Fermi) 1GB GDDR5 PCIe $100 after MIRhttp://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=140752&sku=E145-0489
Memory - G.SKILL Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&cm_sp=Cat_Memory-_-Weekly_Deals-_-20-231-460
HD - Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148697
Case- Cooler Master HAF 922M ATX Black Mid-Tower Case - 5 External 5.25" Drive Bays, 5 Internal 3.5" Drive Bays, 2 200mm Fans, 1 120mm Fan $90 with $10 MIR
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4631382&sku=C283-1223
Power Supply- Cooler Master RS650-ACAAE3-US GX Series 650W Power Supply - ATX, 650 Watts, 80+ Certified, 120mm Fan $90
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5662680&sku=C283-3056
DVD/CD- ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM $21
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
After taxes this comp comes out to a good $761. With shipping im guessing it will come out to $800. Please keep in mind i'm not going to do any video editing or anything crazy. Just want to play movies and games at max settings. I'd like to keep this desktop as cheap as possible without sacrificing much performance if any.
Intel Build
CPU - Intel i5 2500K Sandy Bridge $220
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9115072&cm_re=i5_2500k-_-19-115-072-_-Product
MB- MSI P67A-C43 B3 Intel P67 Motherboard - ATX, Socket H2 (LGA1155), Intel P67 Express, DDR3 2133MHz (O.C.), SATA 6.0 Gb/s, Gigabit LAN, 1 x PCI-Express x16, USB 3.0 $120
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7325818&sku=M452-6206
GPU- EVGA GeForce GTX 460 SE (Fermi) 1GB GDDR5 PCIe $100 after MIRhttp://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=140752&sku=E145-0489
Memory - G.SKILL Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&cm_sp=Cat_Memory-_-Weekly_Deals-_-20-231-460
HD - Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148697
Case- Cooler Master HAF 922M ATX Black Mid-Tower Case - 5 External 5.25" Drive Bays, 5 Internal 3.5" Drive Bays, 2 200mm Fans, 1 120mm Fan $90 with $10 MIR
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4631382&sku=C283-1223
Power Supply- Cooler Master RS650-ACAAE3-US GX Series 650W Power Supply - ATX, 650 Watts, 80+ Certified, 120mm Fan $90
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5662680&sku=C283-3056
DVD/CD- ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM $21
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
So the only thing I changed on the Intel build is obviously the processor and motherboard. I'm pretty sure everything else is compatible. With the modifications the base comp cost went up 80 bucks so i'm almost at $900. I still haven't put anything for sound card as I'm not sure if its necessary at this moment. I've been looking up parts for these builds for the past couple of days and learned that even though AMD's X6 1100T is the newest processor for AMD, the i5 2500k still beats in performance. I guess AMD still has some work to do but I do like the idea that I would have six cores in my computer for a lower price. Anyways, please leave me some feedback so I can learn some more. I'm interested in what you guys have to say.