$700 Pentium G3258 Build Opinion?

[Keith Cheng]

Introduction:
I have heard the Pentium G3258 is unlocked and overclocks very nicely for the price. I have compiled a build with some parts I may purchase this summer. I have plans for overclocking this CPU to reach it's potential. Any opinions for this build or the processor in general? Is the CPU actually worth the money?

Notes:

This build is based on Canadian Currency (ca.pcpartpicker.com). Also, I chose the cheapest Z97 motherboard in Canada at the time. However, the board looks fine for what I want to do with this build.

Build:

PCPartPicker part list: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/YrpsnQ
Price breakdown by merchant: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/YrpsnQ/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($75.41 @ NCIX)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($32.21 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 PRO3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($92.50 @ Vuugo)
Memory: Kingston Fury Black Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($83.78 @ DirectCanada)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.97 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 280 3GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($229.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: Cooler Master N600 ATX Mid Tower Case ($72.95 @ Vuugo)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($68.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $715.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

 

[MasterDell]

Hi! That looks like a pretty solid build. I have been watching videos on the G3258 and I think it looks pretty promising. I will definitely pick one up even if I'm not going to use it just yet. Something I would change in your build is the PSU. Corsair makes good PSUs. But the CX series they have is garbage. I would downgrade to a 270x and then get a V650 Cooler Master PSU:

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-power-supply-rs650amaag1s1

I saw a common OC of 4.6GHZ in videos. That pretty huge for a little chip like this. We used to see performance from OCing like 2 years ago but it is not so common anymore. It is quite obvious they came out with an unlocked Pentium on the 20th anniversary just as a thank you almost. Haha anyways, if you have any more question please feel free to ask.

 

[dantethedemonkiller]

Wtf 700$ and a plantium u cheaped out on your CPU u can't play watchdogs on even lowest setting even with a 280or even x u must get an i5 and a r9270x or least an i3 don't cheap out on these 3 comp.
1 CPU
2gpu
3psu

 

[MasterDell]

Dan you truly know nothing about the g3258 or computers in general. Before you go flapping your mouth please watch videos and realize that the g3258 is easily over clicked to 4.6ghz and runs at 65 degrees. And please also understand that research is key when giving advice.

 

[Keith Cheng]

I personally would've gotten an i5. However, I wanted a fairly budget-end PC for overclocking. I did not believe the CPU was a good choice just because of the name "Pentium." However, tests show this chip overclocks amazingly with fairly low temperatures as a part of their 20th Anniversary releases.

On another note, I actually have an extra CX600M lying around that is not being used. So, I am planning on getting a 270X instead of a 280. The CX600M has worked very well for me in my past build and the performance is justified with its price. I would get the V600 if I could, but I think i'll stick with the CX600M. Thanks for the suggestions!

Updated Build:
http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/Kb47pg

 

[MasterDell]

Yes that would make sense I suppose Keith. If it the CX breaks I guess it wouldnt mean the end of the world since it isnt too expensive. Before you buy your parts, check on best buy's website to check out their prices. I found that some items were much cheaper on their website than even the cheapest website suggested on PC part picker. (I'm Canadian too) Happy building!

 

[dantethedemonkiller]

OK master dell you hell know nothing about gaming!!!. Games want cores over frequency, with 2cores its better to get amd fx 6300 for gaming u can't game with frequency want cores for that some people don't know nothing about gaming and only say what they look in some free king websites!!!! >-(

 

[MasterDell]

So youre telling me that since a FX 8320 has 8 cores and drops 3.5GHz it beats a 4690k because it has 4 less cores? Seriously buddy the G3258 has been tested by a bunch of promising sources. And you can't tell me that the stats websites and video reviews have are BS. THEY ARE REAL... They aren't selling the CPU they are actually testing it. Games ARE NOT looking at cores right now. They WILL BE looking at utilizing those ridiculous amount of cores in the future. And also if games want cores why did the G3258 kick the 750k's balls in testing? AND YES we are going off the websites right now because the CPU isn't even out yet, but I guess you wouldn't know that since you haven't even researched it.

REVIEWS (READ AND WATCH THEM):

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/pentium-g3258-overclocking-performance,3849.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evXpqpNhu_Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LDM43_cKn0

 

[cry0g3n]

I think Keith has already made up his mind about the CPU and is asking a build around the Pentium 3258.

The updated build is nice and the Z97 chipset allows you to upgrade to an i5 in the future if you want to.

 

[CTurbo]

Some minor tweaks. This would be a very fun build. You'll find yourself upgrading to an i5 sooner or later, but the Pentium would work for now.

PCPartPicker part list: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/BxxwkL
Price breakdown by merchant: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/BxxwkL/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($75.41 @ NCIX)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($32.21 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 PRO3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($92.50 @ Vuugo)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($69.88 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($57.99 @ Canada Computers)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 280X 3GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($264.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Case: Cooler Master N400 ATX Mid Tower Case ($62.50 @ Vuugo)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $715.46
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

 

[dantethedemonkiller]

Ist i5 have ultra powerful cores now u know that 4670 k is boosted to 4 GHz so it is equal in power to a 8350 u know all 4th gen consoles have 8 cores and 1.8 GHz frequency now a days cores r more important for gaming and If u r so confident then play watchdogs on medium with oc g3258 I will doubt u if u do so

 

[CTurbo]

Ist i5 have ultra powerful cores now u know that 4670 k is boosted to 4 GHz so it is equal in power to a 8350 u know all 4th gen consoles have 8 cores and 1.8 GHz frequency now a days cores r more important for gaming and If u r so confident then play watchdogs on medium with oc g3258 I will doubt u if u do so

First of all, the cpus in the PS4 and Xbox1 have absolutely NOTHING to do with the FX cpus for desktops. Nothing at all. You cannot compare PC games with consoles. There is only a handful of games for PC that are optimized for more than 4 cores right now, and even less than that that can use more than 4.

The FX8350 is no match for a 4th gen i5 no matter how high the FX8350 is overclocked. Even the cheaper locked i5 models are way way WAY stronger in single core performance. I'm talking like 40-50% faster per core.

Even an i3 would be better than any FX most of the time. Here is some benchmarks backing that up.

Here is an i3 4340 beating the FX6300 at everything and beating the FX8350 at almost everything.

http://www.hardcoreware.net/intel-core-i3-4340-review/2/

Watchdogs is one of the very few games that should favor the FXs but here is the i3 right on the FX8350's tail.

http://www.techspot.com/review/827-watch-dogs-benchmarks/page5.html


Ironically, a stock Pentium @ 3.0ghz beats out a 6 core Phenom II x6 1100t and a quad core Phenom II x4 980. A Pentium running at 4.5ghz will be just fine.

 

[TechUpdate]

This is a very nice build by going with the pentium chip you get the opportunity to upgrade later. I really dont hate the AMD CPU's but they're getting a little bit old and the socket fm3(+) really is dead. It's good you get a powerfull graphicscard but i really suggest overclocking your Pentium, otherwise it's waste of potential. Overclocked it can beat the I5 at stock in some games.(check this overview of LTT http://youtu.be/evXpqpNhu_Y) Cheers!

 

[dantethedemonkiller]

OK 4th gen games want more cores I myself have a 4690 in my personal rig and it is awasome but some open world games want more cores because they have to operate multi functions at same time I know 4superstrong cores are better but many websites shows that overall performance of 8350 is better then i5 4670
Don't be a fan boy of Intel I know they r awasome
But amd is not that bad

 

[Keith Cheng]

Games do not make it mandatory that you have above 2 cores. Some games are just suited towards utilizing the extra cores (Emphasis on SOME). Most games out right now benefit from having FASTER cores instead of more cores (Quality>Quantity). The purpose of this build was to have some fun with the processor without spending too much.

On another note, I have a gaming rig at home that can play the latest titles fine. This build's purpose is not to max out Watchdogs at the most FPS (Even if the bugs in the game allow you too), but to get a general idea of the potential of the Pentium.

The power supply is decided already. However, I think I'll grab at 280 or 280x because of the price drops as well as change the case. Any suggestions on mid-tower cases for this build? I do not really favor the N600, but it is not my main rig and at the time of thinking of this build, it was on sale.

 

[Vic 40]

On another note, I actually have an extra CX600M lying around that is not being used. So, I am planning on getting a 270X instead of a 280. The CX600M has worked very well for me in my past build and the performance is justified with its price.

You don't need to downgrade the gpu just because of this psu,that will work fine.600watts is still a lot.You probably won't even go over half of that in normal day to day use.

 

[MasterDell]

Keith I personally have the Phantom 410 from NZXT and I love it. But for budget purposes I like the looks of the Zalman z11 or Corsair Carbide SPEC-03 Blue.
Corsair: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139038&cm_re=corsair-_-11-139-038-_-Product
NZXT: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146087&cm_re=phantom_410-_-11-146-087-_-Product
Zalman: http://tinyurl.com/mpq3h6f (I didnt post a new egg link for the Z11 because their pictures do not do it justice)

 

[Keith Cheng]

Was actually looking at the Phantom line from NZXT. The Phantom 410 is on sale this week for about $89 so I think i'll pick that up. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[MasterDell]

Was actually looking at the Phantom line from NZXT. The Phantom 410 is on sale this week for about $89 so I think i'll pick that up. Thanks for the suggestions!

No problem! Tell us if you need any more help.

 

[Keith Cheng]

Just a non-related question. Do you know any place I can find replacement-parts for Fractal Design cases? Or anywhere I can find the built-in fan controllers on their cases? I am looking for a low-end simple fan controller for a couple of case fans and the ones bundled with their cases look perfect to me.

Here is what I am talking about: http://imgur.com/a/q07Cm