"New" AMD Build

[ed116]

Hey guys i wanted to build a new amd comp i already have a power supply (500w) a case (nzxt gamma) a cooler (coolermaster hyper 212+) a video card (bfg 8800 gts o/c) and now i need CPU Mobo and ram i was thinking of going Phenom II x6 1045T + an asus m5a78l-m lx motherboard .. what you guys think? any suggestions ? will the power supply work? sorry for noob questions

[easylistener]

How much are you paying for the 1045T? I'm asking this because you can buy an octo-core FX 8120 for $160 these days. It'll be as fast as the 1045T in singled threaded applications and considerably faster in multithreaded tasks. The FX also has an unlocked multiplier, if overclocking is your thing.

Right now, AMD doesn't have a particularly attractive processor in terms of price-to-perf ratio in any price range. Intel has them beat in pretty much every sector.

[ed116]

the 1045t for 130$ at ncix .. the fx i heard was horrible

[george__]

NOO way to spend on a Intel?

[ed116]

nah man intel is too expensive and amd has always been good to me for the gaming i do ... i only play dota 2 and starcraft 2 .. no need for a 500$ cpu + mobo when im not gonna use it heavy ...

[DavidY]

Personally, in your price range, I would suggest waiting for the upcoming i3 Ivy Bridge. It's a shame that AMD has been left behind by Intel by quite a margin. I have had a number of AMD based computers (Athlon, etc) over the years....currently, running an Athlon 64 X2 3800+. My next computer will likely be based on an i3/i5 Ivy Bridge.

Dave

[Beradon]

Really depends on what you need to do. If you're not into hardcore gaming stick with AMD as you get the best bang for the buck. Case in point: AMD's new consumer APU's come with a very capable built-in GPU. Not even Intel's i3 or i5's built in video can perform as well and costs a lot more.

[MkmBandit]

If PhenomII, it's good you're looking at the 1045t, they can still be pretty easily overclocked despite the locked multi. I noticed zero gain going from a 1055t to an 1100t.

You'll have a pretty capable setup, and you'll have the leeway of dumping some processing power on the CPU should your GPU end up being the bottleneck.

Only thing I'd change would be the mobo, try and get on the 9xx chipset otherwise you'll be forcing yourself into imminent obsolescence.

[george__]

Phenom II x6?

[MkmBandit]

^Yes, any AMD 10xx is a PII x6

Though for the OP's purpose there wouldn't be much of a gain over a PII x4 955.

[ed116]

yes but the phenom ii x6 is a bit more 'future' proof coz of the extra two cores + its only 30$ cheaper right now from ncix .. so why not ...

[DavidY]

Really depends on what you need to do. If you're not into hardcore gaming stick with AMD as you get the best bang for the buck. Case in point: AMD's new consumer APU's come with a very capable built-in GPU. Not even Intel's i3 or i5's built in video can perform as well and costs a lot more.

If you need to add a dedicated graphics card for moderate+ gaming, you would better off with Intel. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-fx-pentium-apu-benchmark,3120-10.html

[george__]

^^ OP said he can't afford it.

But you are so right. AMD Llano's main benefit is the fact of the GPU.

Here's a very rough estimated for a Intel rig (I'm pretty bad with this program :P)

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

CPU: Intel Core i3-2120 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($115.19 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($69.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: Patriot G Series Sector 5 Edition 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($39.88 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($79.79 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($219.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 310 ATX Mid Tower Case ($28.88 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: XFX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($74.99 @ NCIX)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS90 DVD/CD Writer ($17.69 @ DirectCanada)
Total: $646.40
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)

If you can only afford AMD build, why not invest in a console instead??

[Beradon]

If you need to add a dedicated graphics card for moderate+ gaming, you would better off with Intel. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-fx-pentium-apu-benchmark,3120-10.htmlThe cost of an Intel cpu+mb alone makes the OP's setup expensive and unnecessary. Plus for moderate gaming he can add an inexpensive Radeon 6670 video card and it'll run in conjunction with the built-in gpu to deliver even more GPU horsepower. The APU is a fantastic bargain.




If you can only afford AMD build, why not invest in a console instead??I think the OP wants to do more than just gaming.

[DavidY]

The cost of an Intel cpu+mb alone makes the OP's setup expensive and unnecessary. Plus for moderate gaming he can add an inexpensive Radeon 6670 video card and it'll run in conjunction with the built-in gpu to deliver even more GPU horsepower. The APU is a fantastic bargain.


I think the OP wants to do more than just gaming.

If the A8-3850/3870K was cheaper, you might have a case. This link has a good review of the two options in this price range...better futureproofing with the Intel option too (especially if you use a Ivy Bridge mobo):

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/pentium-g620-amd-a8-3870k-radeon-hd-6670,3140.html

[ed116]

I have a PS3 But like i said i wann aplay dota 2 and sc2 .. im nto a big fan of BF3 and stuff on pc .. and also im not a hard core gamer i dont notice "input lag" amd has been very good to me ... and i honestly dont even notice the difference so why pay an extra 200$ for what im gonna do im gonna get the same result .. the only reaosn im going phenom is coz it has 6 cores and is a bit more future frendly in 2 -3 years ill upgrade again and get an intel then right now i dont feel like i need the latest and greatest .. im sure the Phenom II X6 is a descent if not above average CPU ... many people still on Q66xx or E series .. i dont need to have the best lol im not like that :p

[george__]

@ed116... The extra $200 will mean you'll be getting a superior pc for gaming that will last longer than a AMD system. You go AMD route the next update might mean having to buy new motherboard, CPU and GPU. At least with LGA115 your next upgrade might only mean having to buy new CPU and GPU. In other words, go the I3 route for now and buy a higher end I7 later for dirt cheap.

It's suspected that the AMD Visher, successor to Bulldozer, will require minimum 990FX/990X/970 Chipset for backward compatibility and these boards are pretty expensive.
http://lensfire.blogspot.ca/2012/07/amd-trinity-release-date-and.html

Also don't forget, it is up to the manufacturer to provide a bios update so that the board can see the CPU. So it's a risky gamble

[Beradon]

If the A8-3850/3870K was cheaper, you might have a case. This link has a good review of the two options in this price range...better futureproofing with the Intel option too (especially if you use a Ivy Bridge mobo):

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/pentium-g620-amd-a8-3870k-radeon-hd-6670,3140.htmlFirst off why use an A8-3850? The A6 series is just as capable.
The review itself is skewed towards just pure gaming. It's comparing a quad core(A8) to a single core G620 + discreet graphics card. Even the reviewer admits: "What conclusions can be drawn from this data, then? Clearly, the A8-3870K is a better platform for general productivity, particularly when you run threaded applications (or do a lot of multi-tasking) able to leverage four physical cores. "

The review also neglects the fact that you can pair an AMD APU with an inexpensive Radeon 6670 to provide more graphics power if needed.



@ed116... The extra $200 will mean you'll be getting a superior pc for gaming that will last longer than a AMD system. You go AMD route the next update might mean having to buy new motherboard, CPU and GPU. At least with LGA115 your next upgrade might only mean having to buy new CPU and GPU. In other words, go the I3 route for now and buy a higher end I7 later for dirt cheap. I don't the OP intends to upgrade the cpu again in two years. Even then the i7 might not exist anymore and a newer processor would require a new motherboard.
Better off saving the cash and getting an AMD cpu + mb and upgrade the whole thing if needed in 4-5 years.