Intel or AMD which would be best for me.

[HeadlessChicken]

am2+ only really came because mobo makers enlarge didnt put large enought eeproms on boards to allow for an update to support phenom chips, asus boards(and a few others) had the space to update and thus can still run whatever chip you want(well given asus updated the bios for the latist chips.

most boards today have excess space on their eeproms(bios chips) for any update needed to support new cpu's amd has in store.

 

[n-ster]

Going AM2 is bad either, but it may save you very little... like 30$...
4gb of good ddr3 RAM is 50~55$ and an AM3 board is what? 20$ more?

 

[iandh]

As said above, a decent AM3 board is only $20 or so more than a decent AM2+ board, and a decent DDR3 kit is only about $20 more than a decent DDR2 kit. On top of that, you may have more of an upgrade path.

I personally have own both AM2+ and AM3 boards, and I find my 720BE clocks better on my DDR3/AM3 board than it doesn on either AM2+ board. That could just be coincidence, but another thing to consider is retail value. An AM2+/DDR2 setup is already pretty much worth dirt used, while an AM3 board/DDR3 can still catch a decent price used. For $40 extra for the AM3 setup, it is worth it if just for that reason alone.

 

[n-ster]

http://forums.techpowerup.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=1355202

As said above, a decent AM3 board is only $20 or so more than a decent AM2+ board, and a decent DDR3 kit is only about $20 more than a decent DDR2 kit. On top of that, you may have more of an upgrade path.

I personally have own both AM2+ and AM3 boards, and I find my 720BE clocks better on my DDR3/AM3 board than it doesn on either AM2+ board. That could just be coincidence, but another thing to consider is retail value. An AM2+/DDR2 setup is already pretty much worth dirt used, while an AM3 board/DDR3 can still catch a decent price used. For $40 extra for the AM3 setup, it is worth it if just for that reason alone.

Exactly my point Anyways if you go AM3 route, This RAM is awesome... OCs like hell... though that RAM WILL cost you 63$, I still think it's a good deal

 

[ShadowFold]

Defenitely go for an AM3 setup. You will want some FX series action when they come out and why the 275? The 4890 is better. Even the 4850X2 would be a great choice, and I recommend the latter!

 

[n-ster]

really? I thought the GTX 275 a bit better in some games and a bit worse in others... so basically =

 

[ShadowFold]

If you're going AMD/DDR3, you pretty much have to go ATi if you're gonna be going multi-GPU. They are pretty neck and neck, but the 4890's got better stuff under the hood and better multi GPU compatibility.

 

[n-ster]

interesting... in your opinion, is it worth the extra 50-70$ compared to a 4870 1gb?

 

[1Kurgan1]

why would i need ddr3? amd chips arent and never have been bandwidth limmited(k8 and up that is) , ddr3 shows ZERO bennifit currently for amd.

am3 chips work in am2/am2+ boards given a bios updates avalable, so i really dont see the need to move to ddr3, i think 8gb of good ddr2(cheap as hell) will likely hold you till am4 comes out.

It does show a small gain, the big issue right now is that AMD doesn't support triple channel. If they did the gain would be more.

But either way your 940/AM2+ mobo/DDR2 ram is end of the line. You can keep tossing AM3 procs in it for sure, but when AM4 rolls out or AM3+ and people can rotate their CPU's up the AM2+ chips will not have that.

Like I said just future proof, plus if your a gamer most games only use 2 cores. So this setup saves you some cash and gets you a system that is just as good for gaming, and is more future proof. win/win/win

 

[iandh]

interesting... in your opinion, is it worth the extra 50-70$ compared to a 4870 1gb?

It's a tossup kinda... at release I would have said no, but you can get down near the $200 range for 4890 if you are patient. I paid $225 shipped on release day for my 4890, and I must say although my 4870's were all great cards, they just don't compare really.

My 4890 runs cooler than my 4870's did, even at a higher clock speed. Hell, my 4890 @ 925 core still runs cooler than my 4870's did. Who knows, maybe it's the extra heatpipe... the card is slightly louder but it isn't as big a difference as everyone made it out to be. I can barely tell the difference between 4870/4890 under load in my Antec 900 which is a very open case.

 

[n-ster]

thxs for the opinion Anyways, I'm waiting for DX 11 cards for sure, maybe even wait till after christmas to get them cheap

 

[HeadlessChicken]

It does show a small gain, the big issue right now is that AMD doesn't support triple channel. If they did the gain would be more.

But either way your 940/AM2+ mobo/DDR2 ram is end of the line. You can keep tossing AM3 procs in it for sure, but when AM4 rolls out or AM3+ and people can rotate their CPU's up the AM2+ chips will not have that.

Like I said just future proof, plus if your a gamer most games only use 2 cores. So this setup saves you some cash and gets you a system that is just as good for gaming, and is more future proof. win/win/win

tri chan really isnt the issue, the k8/k10 chips are not that diffrent and dont bennifit from crazy bandwith as much as intel chips do, go back and look at ddr1 vs ddr2 and ddr2 vs ddr3, the gains are small, the chips just arent designed to need the massive bandwith intel chips have relyed on.

sure more bandwidth could boost a few apps, but it wont have the massive effect your implying, you could use the best ddr3 on the market with low cas and crazy clocks and its not gonna give much of a boost over a decent ddr2 kit.

as to the overclocking, each board+cpu combo overclock diffrently, you really cant say that all am3 setups are going to clock better then the same am3 cpu in various am2+ boards.

few examples, i have had ALOT of socketA and 754 chips and boards, some chips just work better with some boards/chipsets/bios, one chip i had HATED every board but my chaintech vnf3-250, wouldnt get past 2.5, on the vnf3 it went to 2.8 with almost no effort(was a clawhammer cg 3700)
socketA chips, some boards+center stepings/scews clocked better then others, i had great luck with the l7s7a2 and certan 1700+ scews, could get them to beyond 3000+ specs with ease, but the same chips didnt clock quite as well in my far more expencive abit nf7-s or epox boards(yet other stepings clocked great in them)

I see the point if ur building all new and can get a good deal on a good/great am3 board, but currently the list of pure am3 boards is a bit short for me and they are all pretty new, so issues arent uncommon.

and how is the 940 the end of the line when you can stick any am3 cpu in an am2+ board and overclock it? its the last purely am2+ cpu, but that really dosnt matter(i would probbly get a 720 over 940 anyway till they get some lower watt quads out)

no board has out lasted the one i have in here now the biostar ta770(non-se) can take any am2+ cpu you wana toss in her and overclock it with ease, by the time i replace this board most likely 3rd gen am3 boards will be out, and by then maby there will be a real reasion to move to am3/am4 (or whatever its called by then)

 

[n-ster]

you don't have system specs... how the hell are we supposed to know you have an am2+ board and ddr2 RAM? I have no idea if your board is good or not and what RAM you have... but I'm sure that in another board, a 720BE would OC much better, and that an AM3 board would last you a very long time...

 

[HeadlessChicken]

wintek ampx ddr2 800, it will do 1180 at 2.2v with ease, biostar ta770(great clocking board), 6000+@3.33gz(can go higher but temps get nasty if i take it above 3.4, and summers on the way so i keep it where it is)

you have no damn clue about this board, or for that matter clocking amd chips clearly, on a cooler i helped a buddy make we hit 3.6 22hrs p95 64bit stable, i could probbly get more but im on an air cooler not a tech+liquid like i was testing for him(helped him attach the techs and get it setup for him)

people with my same board have hit 3.6-3.7 on the 720 with air(without using insain volts that is, cdawall could probbly hit higher but he would stick 1.7v into the damn thing most likely )

and your complaining about my not having system specs when you dont have system specs ?

board
http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/t-series/content.php?S_ID=310

thred about how this board overclocks with various chips(am2, am2+ and am3)
http://www.rebelshavenforum.com/sis-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=45;t=000014

just an example of what this board can do.

hope this helps you understand why i say this boards a great little clocker

I reset the cmos the other day(oops, i was cleaning the system and pulled the jumper then put it on wrong pins) i gotta set it back up so the rams at 960-965, im using mised ram, wintec 2x2gb ampx 800kit and a set of 2x1gb hynix dell stuff(667 rated) 6gb has helped some games and apps perform better under extended play/use so droping back a bit on memory clocks works out better then higher memory clocks with only 4gb ram.

 

[Flibolito]

OK that's alot of good info there. thanx guys, it seems to be a AMD system then.
the bugets for the whole thing was to be under $1200. i already bought the HAF 932 ( which rocks by the way). now some of you were leaning towards the 720 PII which is a triple core. would that really be a better choice since cooling wont be a problem i already have another xigmatek S-1283 for it. As far as foxconn goes i bet they are great im just going to stick with gigabyte mainly because all 6 systems i build last year had gigabyte boards and 0 problems to date.

so why would the 720 be better if the clock will probably settle at 3.6GHz for me.
Also as far as RAM i usually use Gskill but was thinking about giving mushkin a shot.

 

[Flibolito]

also the PSE i think most of the ones recommended are over $130 which is a bit steep for a PSU isn't it i mean the system i have now has a $40 apevia and runs perfect i just don't see the difference is the amps on the 12v rails are good and the reviews are good on the sigmas

 

[HeadlessChicken]

as for a PSU, I will toss you a few suggestions, but please dont buy a cheap ass psu, they may seem fine at first, then blow taking everything with them.

BFG 800watt psu(designed by jonny guru)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817702004
or
FSP 600watt blue storm
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104014
or
FSP 700watt
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104058

those are in order of price, they are all top quility, the BFG WILL get you a lifetime warr with BFG as long as you reg it with them after you get it(its the best buy)

in the watt range you would need(600 and up should be plenty) those are the best units, I have used fortron/sparkle for years at shops i have worked for, and have seen 2-3 dead in all that time(12+years) and BFG, well i deal with their head tech support guy dirrectly, they offer FREE advanced RMA's on their products as well as being a great company to deal with.

the fail rates on their new psu's are very very low

 

[Flibolito]

ill have to look into those they seem very nice. shooting for 650-700 watts and at least 40 amps on the 12v rails(s).

as for the 275GTX over the 4890 its just preference i used to have ATI cards but since switching to Nvidia its been easier on me as far a drivers go. Also i believe the the 275 is the best of both worlds in their line-up for the price. Nothing against ati I'm not a fanboy its just personal experience.

 

[Binge]

The best for you is obvious. Apple II. I hope everyone who's sick and tired of these opinion threads agrees.

 

[HeadlessChicken]

ill have to look into those they seem very nice. shooting for 650-700 watts and at least 40 amps on the 12v rails(s).

as for the 275GTX over the 4890 its just preference i used to have ATI cards but since switching to Nvidia its been easier on me as far a drivers go. Also i believe the the 275 is the best of both worlds in their line-up for the price. Nothing against ati I'm not a fanboy its just personal experience.

anymore, the drivers are about even, if u dont mind beta's from nvidia that is, if u dont like running beta drivers, then ur gonna wait a long while between updates

the 275 isnt even supported in pre 185.6x drivers :/(185=beta)

sine the 9.3's ati's drivers have been fine with the 4800 cards.

the only complaint i have with nvidias drivers is that at times they have video playback issues with some formats/color spacings(it still comes back, damn yv12 and other issues )

if you get a 790gx board you will beable to use the onboard video for openCL stuff like havoc as well as having physx(well, i really think nvidia will endup porting the cuda physx software to OpenCL to ensure they dont loose adopters to havoc so it wont matter much)

and any of those psu's is acctualy UNDER RATED on the amps per rail, not massivly but as an example my 400watt fsp uni as 16+18 on 12v rails, and i have used x1900xtx and 8800gts 512's as well as 8800gtx(testing for a friend) and other crazy cards NO PROBLEMS, this with 6 hdd's 2 burners, 8fans, overclocked ram and cpu and a slew of usb devices.

the most important thing is to remmber BUY A GOOD BRAND, i avoid antec because dispite some models being excelent, others are CRAP, and i have caught them pulling dirty tricks like using good parts/OEM's(channelwell and such) for early models, then switching out with cheaper OEM's for later versions of the same model(using same model number)

stick with a well know and well trusted brand and you should be fine

 

[Deleted member 3]

The best for you is obvious. Apple II. I hope everyone who's sick and tired of these opinion threads agrees.

The best for you is not to read threads you don't like. If you don't read them you can't reply with things that result in infractions.

That was even more obvious.

 

[zCexVe]

^ROFL.
At the moment I would look at a P2 with future proof,price/performance/OC ability i great areas.720BE or a 920 would do a great job.I would have a Biostar or Foxconn(more) mobo with a low budget.I have used them (Not with P2) they were reliable for some far OC.Great for budget builds.Or you can save and add for the GPU.

 

[HeadlessChicken]

yeah, i love this ta770a2+, one of the best boards i have owned, i have also used/owned biostars tseries in 6100/550/570/590/690/780 and a few other chipset versions, all have been execelent, just make sure its a tseries (force or tseries) and your good to go.

infact IF You want to go with the ability to have SLI the tpower 750 boards a great little clocker and can be had cheap openbox

 

[Tatty_Two]

Defenitely go for an AM3 setup. You will want some FX series action when they come out and why the 275? The 4890 is better. Even the 4850X2 would be a great choice, and I recommend the latter!

Lol, statements like the HD4890 is better than the GTX275 is what makes these threads interesting to read, they keep me laughing all the time! As for system, I would go AMD, either the 940 and stick with DDR2 or the 945 and go DDR3 on an AM3 because, contrary to some popular beleif, DDR3 IS better, yes in an AMD system today, not by much, but perhaps by a fair bit more in a system tomorrow

Especially for Shadowfold ...........................