$600 Mini-ITX build - Seeking Opinions

[MEC-777]

Hey all, I'm new to the forums here but have been lurking and reading tons of information from this website, in general.

Cutting to the chaise, I'm getting back into PC gaming and PC's in general after being out of the hobby for about 8 years. After carefully assessing my needs and preferences, I've decided on a Mini-ITX build primarily for gaming, multi-tasking, surfing, HTPC tasks as well as portability (hence the SFF). So a bit of everything with an emphasis on gaming. Looking to complete this build within the next few months.

I don't need bleeding edge and I HAVE to stick to within the $600 budget (excluding OS) as much as possible (so please don't suggest $300 GPU's etc. lol Thanks).

My build is almost identical to the current Tom'shardware $600 m-ITX build as of late, but with a few tweaks. While that build was primarily focused on gaming, and while I know the i3-3220 is still a great CPU for gaming, it falls off on other tasks. Plus most of what I hear is that gaming in the future will be more multi-core/thread dependent.

So my build list currently stands as follows:

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/MEC-777/saved/1PR5
(Note: That build includes the OS)

If you play around with my build on pcpartpicker, keep in mind I live in Canada and prices can be significantly different, especially looking at the total.

I've done a lot of research and as far as I can tell the A10-6800K (HD 8670D) in crossfire with an HD 7750 with 8gig's of 2133 RAM (required for the APU/GPU) should provide performance somewhere between an HD 7770 OC and a stock 7850 (GTX 650ti/boost). Is this accurate? Since this CPU is still fairly new, I haven't been able to find a whole lot of info about this.

The other CPU I was considering is the ancient but still very capable AMD Phenom II x4 965 BE. If I go with this CPU at only $90, I can also go with 8gig's of cheaper 1600 RAM and re-alocate the money saved for a better discrete GPU in the $180 range, like a GTX 660 or similar.

An i5-3570k is an awesome CPU, I know. But it's way too much $ and I'd have to skimp on the GPU. So that's not an option for me right now.

Thus...

Option #1: A10-6800k APU in crossfire with a 7750 (requires 2133 RAM)

or

Option #2: Phenom II x4 965 BE with a GTX660 (or similar) (cheaper 1600 RAM)

What are your thoughts on the build(s) as a whole and on these CPU options? Which is going to be a better gaming rig and still be relevant in a couple years?

Thanks in advance,

Mike.

 

[tiny voices]

The phenom with the gtx660 will blow option 1 out of the water. It will be 5x more powerful for gaming. I would suggest an i3 instead of the phenom though because intel itx boards are easier to find and there are more of them. Also, you can upgrade to an i5 in the future.

 

[MEC-777]

The phenom with the gtx660 will blow option 1 out of the water. It will be 5x more powerful for gaming. I would suggest an i3 instead of the phenom though because intel itx boards are easier to find and there are more of them. Also, you can upgrade to an i5 in the future.

Thanks for your input. So the Phenom is still that powerfull, even after all these years? wow. lol

I would go with an i3 and upgrade to an i5 later, but the only problem with that is I would have to skimp on the GPU upfront and go with a GTX 650Ti/boost or 7770/7850.

Also with the intel ITX mobo's the cheaper ones are a little too cheap/lack features, so for a few bucks more I'd opt for the Gigabyte GA-H77N wifi board (increasing the "portability"), which then takes a little more away from the GPU budget...

I've been racking my brain over all these options over the past few weeks, so thanks for the insight. The APU option is looking less and less attractive the more I look into it.

 

[tiny voices]

It isn't that a phenom is powerful (its not), it is that the gtx660 will BLOW AWAY any APU crossfire setup.

A gigabyte h77N is an intel board. You will have a rough time finding decent selection of am3+ itx boards. Also, look into an fx-4350.

 

[vertexx]

P2X4 IMO is the best budget gaming CPU chip. I paired one with an HD7850, overclocked both, and am running a gread mid-level gaming build on that platform. Unfortunately, AM3+ socket is not available in mini-ITX, so you would have to look at uATX. Silverstone SG09 or SG02 are options for HTPC-like platforms, but they are a bit expensive.

You're best option for mini-ITX is an I3-3220 with the 660. I run a living room gaming HTPC using this setup, and it works very well. The I3 runs cooler as well (more ideal for an HTPC).

You may also consider the Athlon II X4 750K Black - (here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113328). This is an FM2 socket chip. It is "branded" as an Athlon chip, but from what I could tell with a little research, it is really an AMD 5800K without the IGPU. One website reported OC'ing this chip to 4.8 Ghz (http://www.bitsandchips.it/9-hardware/2409-amd-athlon-x4-750k-continuavano-a-chiamarlo-trinity?start=3).

For more info, see Tom's Hardware article here: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/AMD-Richland-Athlon-FM2-cpu,23116.html.

I don't have direct experience from this chip, but it may be a viable replacement for the Phenom II in a mini-ITX form.

It's a tough call. Normally, for a budget HTPC/Gaming build, I would recommend the I3-3220. However, the LGA1155 socket is at end-of-life, and the next gen Haswell I3's are not out yet.

With the Phenom or Athlon Chips, they're good budget buys, but less desireable for HTPC due to high wattage. However, both the AM3+ and FM2 sockets are supposedly going to be supported with next gen AMD chips, providing a longer upgrade path going with those boards.

 

[tiny voices]

For his needs, I would recommend an i3 and a gtx660. It can be upgraded to an i5 later on and even though lga1155 is dead, sandy/ivy bridge i5s are a LONG way from being old.

 

[vertexx]

The phenom with the gtx660 will blow option 1 out of the water. It will be 5x more powerful for gaming. I would suggest an i3 instead of the phenom though because intel itx boards are easier to find and there are more of them. Also, you can upgrade to an i5 in the future.

Thanks for your input. So the Phenom is still that powerfull, even after all these years? wow. lol

I would go with an i3 and upgrade to an i5 later, but the only problem with that is I would have to skimp on the GPU upfront and go with a GTX 650Ti/boost or 7770/7850.

Also with the intel ITX mobo's the cheaper ones are a little too cheap/lack features, so for a few bucks more I'd opt for the Gigabyte GA-H77N wifi board (increasing the "portability"), which then takes a little more away from the GPU budget...

I've been racking my brain over all these options over the past few weeks, so thanks for the insight. The APU option is looking less and less attractive the more I look into it.

If you decide on an I3, the HD7850 is a viable option. Like I said in my earlier post, my HTPC build is an I3/GTX660. My son's budget gaming build is a Phenom II X4 OC'd to 4.0Ghz and a Powercolor HD7850 OC'd to 1050Mhz. The P2X4/7850 rig with the overclock runs every bit as fast as the I3/660. So, if you're willing to overclock the 7850 (or you can buy a factory overclocked one for a few more $$), you can get pretty much the same performance as the 660, which has very little overclocking headroom.

 

[wkronbaek]

You'll need intel or FM2, so i'd say FM2 for this budget. The 750K (Basically a a10 5700 that's unlocked W/O graphics) is cheap as chips, and performs the same as 965 BE roughly. Also, FM2 Motherboards are cheap as well.

Get a 7850 or a 7870 for graphics, they overclock greatly compared to 660, and performs better when OC'ed.

For pretty much all games this would be a well balanced system within the price point : P

 

[vertexx]

I'm not sure how this translates to Canadian prices, but here is a build I priced out on PcPartpicker. Note the splurge on a 7870Ghz Edition. It also has wi-fi and a blu-ray for your HTPC needs.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1aX9R
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1aX9R/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1aX9R/benchmarks/

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 750K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($79.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master GeminII M4 58.4 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: Zotac A55ITX-B-E Mini ITX FM2 Motherboard ($84.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Hitachi 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.00 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: CoolMax 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDC-207DBK Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($37.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $600.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-27 18:01 EDT-0400)

 

[tiny voices]

I'm not sure how this translates to Canadian prices, but here is a build I priced out on PcPartpicker. Note the splurge on a 7870Ghz Edition.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1aX9R
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1aX9R/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1aX9R/benchmarks/

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 750K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($79.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master GeminII M4 58.4 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: Zotac A55ITX-B-E Mini ITX FM2 Motherboard ($84.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Hitachi 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.00 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: CoolMax 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDC-207DBK Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($37.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $600.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-27 18:01 EDT-0400)

This PSU is trash and the build id significantly over budget in CAD.

 

[vertexx]

Another try - this one with CA prices. Just change out the Blu-ray reader if you can't budge over $600.

PCPartPicker part list: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/1aXsM
Price breakdown by merchant: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/1aXsM/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/1aXsM/benchmarks/

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 750K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($91.98 @ Newegg Canada)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master GeminII M4 58.4 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75M-ITX Mini ITX FM2 Motherboard ($94.98 @ NCIX)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($32.98 @ NCIX)
Storage: Hitachi 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($174.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($42.12 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($24.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Asus BW-12B1ST/BLK/G/AS Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($67.00 @ Vuugo)
Total: $629.01
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-27 18:15 EDT-0400)

 

[wkronbaek]

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 750K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($91.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75M-ITX R2.0 Mini ITX FM2 Motherboard ($102.23 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: Corsair XMS3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($55.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Memory Express)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($109.75 @ Vuugo)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($42.12 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($24.99 @ NCIX)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($97.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $585.04

 

[vertexx]

I thought I'd try an Intel build with CA prices. I actually like this better - just pick up a USB wifi stick and you're all set. The I3 performs almost like a quad core with it's hyper-threading. Plus, you may be able to upgrade later to a 3570 as prices for those drop. You won't be overclocking the I3, so the stock cooler works fine. It runs cool and quiet.

PCPartPicker part list: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/1aXXG
Price breakdown by merchant: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/1aXXG/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/1aXXG/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard: Asus P8H77-I Mini ITX LGA1155 Motherboard ($102.47 @ DirectCanada)
Memory: Patriot Intel Extreme Master, Limited Ed 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($55.25 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Memory Express)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($174.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($42.12 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($24.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Canada Computers)
Total: $599.79
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-06-27 18:41 EDT-0400)

 

[MEC-777]

Thanks for all the responses. You've all given me some interesting options to consider. I haven't completely ruled out an intel build, but I think for future progression in gaming and apps relying more on multiple cores, I'm still leaning towards an AMD 4-core CPU. Also, as others have mentioned, the FM2 and AM3/+ sockets are going to be supported for quite a while yet.

I knew AMD mITX mobo's only exist in FM1/2 sockets, which means the best options (I thought) were the A10-6800K or P2X4 965 BE. I had heard of the Athlon II X4 750K just earlier today actually, but couldn't find it on pcpartpicker for some reason. Looks like it's showing up now.

The other thing I forgot to mention is I love the fact that you can significantly overclock these AMD CPU's quite easily. I was planning to OC (within safe parameters), hence the Gemin II cooler.

I'm thinking now this Athlon II X4 750k might be the answer I'm looking for. If I'm going for a gaming rig and the APU + 7750 in crossfire won't cut it then there's no point paying extra for the IGPU that I don't need.

Another thing is the case. I was originally going to do the build with the Coolermaster 120 elite, but then discovered the Sugo SG05 can swallow the same guts in a bit smaller space and looks better (imo). Without a PSU it's a little cheaper too, albeit you have to buy a SFF PSU. To buy it with the included PSU is way over priced.

Anyways, thanks again everyone for all the input. Much appreciated. If you have any more suggestions or criticisms, by all means. I realize not everyone is going to agree on every component as there's always an element of subjectivity and personal preference. That being said, I'll take some of the ideas suggested and play around a little more with the build. Will post up a revised build list tomorrow.

 

[vertexx]

Great! I'm really interested in how the A2X4 works out! It has sort of snuck up on the scene - there's not much written about it, but it looks like a winner for the price. I also like the SG05 - just be careful with picking the PSU - you may find after looking at the SFX options that you just go with the Silverstone bundled PSU - it's well reviewed.

The only other thing with the Silverstone is it requires a slim DVD drive. For my SG08 build, I used one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151261. Plus, you'll need a slimline SATA adapter. There are a couple of options (one with the adapter sticking out of the back of the drive, but I don't think you'll have room for that in this case). I used one of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OFNLXI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

 

[MEC-777]

Great! I'm really interested in how the A2X4 works out! It has sort of snuck up on the scene - there's not much written about it, but it looks like a winner for the price. I also like the SG05 - just be careful with picking the PSU - you may find after looking at the SFX options that you just go with the Silverstone bundled PSU - it's well reviewed.

The only other thing with the Silverstone is it requires a slim DVD drive. For my SG08 build, I used one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151261. Plus, you'll need a slimline SATA adapter. There are a couple of options (one with the adapter sticking out of the back of the drive, but I don't think you'll have room for that in this case). I used one of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OFNLXI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Yeah I watched the newegg SG05 build video and was pretty much sold on the mITX gaming rig concept. It's suits my needs and space requirements perfectly. I live in a basement apartment and don't want or need a giant obnoxious gaming tower taking up a lot of real estate.

Some friends of mine who've been into PC gaming much longer than me, and are quite knowledgeable claimed I had to spend at least $1000 for a "proper" gaming machine. While that may be true to a degree, you certainly don't have to spend that much for a very strong setup that will play the latest titles at 1080 on high/ultra settings just fine. To me, 50fps is no different than 100fps. I'm not paying twice as much for a difference I can't really see.

Thanks for reminding me about the SG05/450w PSU combo. You can get both separately but the cost adds up to about the same, give or take. Could save $10-$20 depending on where you get them. I figure I'll cut the optical drive from the initial build and add those later on (with the adapter cable ).

 

[MEC-777]

Ok folks, so I played around with some more options/components and after a few hours came up with 2 builds that *just* fit the budget. One is based on the Athlon II x4 750k and the other on the i3-3220. They both are actually $10-$20 over budget, but considering the performance they will provide, I'm ok with that. I'd rather spend a little more and get what I want, than spend a little less and be dissatisfied.

So here they are...

AMD build: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/MEC-777/saved/1R8r

Intel build: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/MEC-777/saved/1Qw5

As I said before, with the intel build I'd have to skimp on the GPU, but surprisingly I was able to keep it just $10 over the AMD build and with only a very small step down on the GPU.

Wasn't too sure at first if it would be possible to build this level of performance within my budget of $700 (OS incl.) and in SFF, but there it is!

Any thoughts on these final builds? I feel quite confident with both of these. Now the hard part is which to go with???

Please, feel free to share your opinions/thoughts. I'm all ears. At the moment I'm still leaning towards the AMD purely because of the true 4-core multi-tasking ability and overclocking which would cater to my needs a little better than the i3. Also because of the future support of the FM2 socket. That being said, I'm still torn. lol

Just another side note: I'll add an optical drive at some point later on. We don't even own a single blue-ray yet (I know I know) and still use the xbox360 for dvd's for the time being.

 

[wkronbaek]

Ok folks, so I played around with some more options/components and after a few hours came up with 2 builds that *just* fit the budget. One is based on the Athlon II x4 750k and the other on the i3-3220. They both are actually $10-$20 over budget, but considering the performance they will provide, I'm ok with that. I'd rather spend a little more and get what I want, than spend a little less and be dissatisfied.

So here they are...

AMD build: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/MEC-777/saved/1R8r

Intel build: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/MEC-777/saved/1Qw5

As I said before, with the intel build I'd have to skimp on the GPU, but surprisingly I was able to keep it just $10 over the AMD build and with only a very small step down on the GPU.

Wasn't too sure at first if it would be possible to build this level of performance within my budget of $700 (OS incl.) and in SFF, but there it is!

Any thoughts on these final builds? I feel quite confident with both of these. Now the hard part is which to go with???

Please, feel free to share your opinions/thoughts. I'm all ears. At the moment I'm still leaning towards the AMD purely because of the true 4-core multi-tasking ability and overclocking which would cater to my needs a little better than the i3. Also because of the future support of the FM2 socket. That being said, I'm still torn. lol

Just another side note: I'll add an optical drive at some point later on. We don't even own a single blue-ray yet (I know I know) and still use the xbox360 for dvd's for the time being.

Get a 7850/7870

 

[MEC-777]

Get a 7850/7870

The 660 edges out the 7850 ever so slightly but costs roughly the same. The 7870 edges out the 660 but is just a tad bit too expensive. I have to draw the line somewhere. Between the 660 and 7870, at this point, is where I had to draw it.

Now that doesn't mean I'm completely ruling out the 7870. If by the time I got to purchase these items, there is a deal or the prices come down a little on the 7870, I'll definitely jump on that. I'm not brand bias so Who ever has the best value/$ in the price range I can afford at the time will win my wallet.

The reason I chose the 650 ti boost for the intel build is because it performs very close to a 660. In order to afford a 7850 on the intel build, I'd have to drop to a 1gig version. I'd rather stick with a 2gig card over a 1gig card for the same cost and nearly the same performance.

The 650ti boost vs 7850 vs 660 is really splitting hairs in this price bracket. At least that's what I've consistently heard and seen after many many hours of research.

None the less, thanks for your recommendation and I agree, if I can afford it, the 7870 is one of the best (if not the best) GPU for around $200 at the moment.

Depending on how I go about purchasing all the components, might allow for a little wiggle room (if I buy the parts one or two at a time over the course of a few months) and in that case, the GPU is the first place any extra coin will be spent.

 

[wkronbaek]

On stock, the 660 is better than 7850 yes, but you can overclock the 7850 a lot more which will give it more performance in the end.

 

[vertexx]

Ok folks, so I played around with some more options/components and after a few hours came up with 2 builds that *just* fit the budget. One is based on the Athlon II x4 750k and the other on the i3-3220. They both are actually $10-$20 over budget, but considering the performance they will provide, I'm ok with that. I'd rather spend a little more and get what I want, than spend a little less and be dissatisfied.

So here they are...

AMD build: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/MEC-777/saved/1R8r

Intel build: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/MEC-777/saved/1Qw5

As I said before, with the intel build I'd have to skimp on the GPU, but surprisingly I was able to keep it just $10 over the AMD build and with only a very small step down on the GPU.

Wasn't too sure at first if it would be possible to build this level of performance within my budget of $700 (OS incl.) and in SFF, but there it is!

Any thoughts on these final builds? I feel quite confident with both of these. Now the hard part is which to go with???

Please, feel free to share your opinions/thoughts. I'm all ears. At the moment I'm still leaning towards the AMD purely because of the true 4-core multi-tasking ability and overclocking which would cater to my needs a little better than the i3. Also because of the future support of the FM2 socket. That being said, I'm still torn. lol

Just another side note: I'll add an optical drive at some point later on. We don't even own a single blue-ray yet (I know I know) and still use the xbox360 for dvd's for the time being.

For the Intel solution, you honestly do not need an aftermarket CPU cooler since you will not be overclocking it. I run the stock cooler on the I3 in a Silverstone SG08, and it runs cool and quiet, much quieter than the 660 GPU fan. So that will mean you can get the I3 and the higher end GPU.

I think the safer bet is the I3 for this budget, but there is an awful lot of talk about this 750K AMD CPU going on in the forums. Just look at the discussion following this article: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/budget-mini-itx-gaming-pc,3513.html#comments

It sounds like Tom's has a review of the 750k forthcoming, but it also sounds like there is a better chip available in the UK, the 760K based on the Richland CPUs. I'm actually considering buying one off of Ebay UK and have asked this seller how much to ship to the US: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140982590739

My own opinion is the safer build is the I3, but the funner build will be the 750K.

With GPU's, the 660 is also a bit of a safe/boring choice. I have 7850 that I overclocked, and it runs every bit as fast as the 660 I have in the other build. That said, I'd hate to recommend a 7850, because I think there are titles coming out now where it is getting stretched a little to thin. 2 weeks ago I saw a 7870 on promo for $175, so it might be worth waiting a week or two to see if you can grab a 7870 for the better overclocking ability. But if not, I don't think you'll regret getting the 660.

 

[vertexx]

On stock, the 660 is better than 7850 yes, but you can overclock the 7850 a lot more which will give it more performance in the end.

I have both in two different builds, and yes, my OC'd 7850 runs about as fast as the 660, but I wouldn't say any faster. But I mostly run an extremely modded Skyrim (~150 mods plus ENB all on ultra) and little else.

The only problem with the 7850 is I have to keep an eye on the temps, and so I think it's getting stretched a bit. I have it OC'd to 1050Mhz plus a bit of a memory overclock. I have modded the fan profile as well as tweaked my case cooling setup. It's been fun, but with the 660, it has just sat in the entertainment center, and I haven't had to touch it.

So I wouldn't really recommend the 7850 over the 660. When I bought my 7850, it was $40 cheaper than the 660, so it was a budget choice. For prices right now, I'd really recommend seeing if you can stretch to a 7870 - there was one on Newegg 2 weeks ago for $175 with a promo and rebate. Right now, there isn't much of anything though.

 

[MEC-777]

For the Intel solution, you honestly do not need an aftermarket CPU cooler since you will not be overclocking it. I run the stock cooler on the I3 in a Silverstone SG08, and it runs cool and quiet, much quieter than the 660 GPU fan. So that will mean you can get the I3 and the higher end GPU.

I think the safer bet is the I3 for this budget, but there is an awful lot of talk about this 750K AMD CPU going on in the forums. Just look at the discussion following this article: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/budget-mini-itx-gaming-pc,3513.html#comments

It sounds like Tom's has a review of the 750k forthcoming, but it also sounds like there is a better chip available in the UK, the 760K based on the Richland CPUs. I'm actually considering buying one off of Ebay UK and have asked this seller how much to ship to the US: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140982590739

My own opinion is the safer build is the I3, but the funner build will be the 750K.

With GPU's, the 660 is also a bit of a safe/boring choice. I have 7850 that I overclocked, and it runs every bit as fast as the 660 I have in the other build. That said, I'd hate to recommend a 7850, because I think there are titles coming out now where it is getting stretched a little to thin. 2 weeks ago I saw a 7870 on promo for $175, so it might be worth waiting a week or two to see if you can grab a 7870 for the better overclocking ability. But if not, I don't think you'll regret getting the 660.

Oh man... decisions decisions...lol.

I'd go with the i3, ditch the cooler and go with a better GPU (that is uber tempting) but I fear in even the short run, it will start to fall on it's face, even aside from gaming, and become a significant bottle neck.

A friend of mine might be upgrading to an i7 soon and thus, might sell me his i5-3570k. The only problem then is I've got $120 sunk in an i3 I no longer have any use for. not sure how many people will be eager to buy a used i3... :S

Thanks for posting those links for the 750k. That's really got my attention too. I could always run the stock cooler on that, sub that cash for a 7870 and just not OC the 750k until I grab a better cooler later on.

So many options... what to do... I think I'd be wise to ride this out a little and see what's what with this 750k before making any final decisions.

 

[vertexx]

I could always run the stock cooler on that, sub that cash for a 7870 and just not OC the 750k until I grab a better cooler later on.

That's perfect. Get the 750K with stock cooler. Pick up a cooler when you can grab one on special.

I think the consensus is the 750K will probably be close to the I3, probably slower in single threaded, but faster for apps that use all 4 cores, probably not enough to notice a difference.

There also seems to be some growing consensus that with both next-gen consoles built on AMD 8 Core tech, that the next couple of years will see gaming advantage shift back into AMDs favor.

 

[MEC-777]

I could always run the stock cooler on that, sub that cash for a 7870 and just not OC the 750k until I grab a better cooler later on.

That's perfect. Get the 750K with stock cooler. Pick up a cooler when you can grab one on special.

I think the consensus is the 750K will probably be close to the I3, probably slower in single threaded, but faster for apps that use all 4 cores, probably not enough to notice a difference.

There also seems to be some growing consensus that with both next-gen consoles built on AMD 8 Core tech, that the next couple of years will see gaming advantage shift back into AMDs favor.

And the AMD vs Intel battle rages on... lol

Here's a revised build list with the 750k minus the heat sink, plus a 7870:
http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/MEC-777/saved/1R8r

$24 over budget, but I'm willing to splurge a little for that 7870.

Thanks again, everyone, for all suggestions/recommendations. You've all been very helpful.

Anyone have any final thoughts?