Opinions & alternatives | Budget build!

[TheLaughingMan]

And you have a 3850? What do you use it for?
I'm just looking for someone to help reassure me that I wouldn't be buying this APU and it not be very good at all for what I would be using it for...

I reviewed it and the 3650 counter part. Performance is between an AMD Athlon II X4 640 and AMD Phenom II X4 955. In some tests I it will actually out perform the Phenom II.

I agree with the assessment consider what you want to use it for.

A8-3850
GIGABYTE A75M-UD2H
4 or 8 GB of cheap 1866 MHz RAM (timing is not a factor)

That should handle all you need and mindcraft maxed out. The UD2H also makes overclock so easy you can get it to 3.4 GHz easy.

 

[lilhasselhoffer]

And you have a 3850? What do you use it for?
I'm just looking for someone to help reassure me that I wouldn't be buying this APU and it not be very good at all for what I would be using it for...

Yes and no. I built the thing for a friend, and had the pleasure of testing it. The performance for gaming was not bad, understanding the huge caveat the it is a budget build.

As far as gaming, the demonstrations from AMD are a little far fetched. The dx11 performance is sufficient for medium to low graphics setting is everything that it threw at it (crysis 2, a tiny bit of dirt 3). Older games (team fortress, call of duties, and the like) perform well at medium to medium-high settings (with passable performance on mostly high settings depending upon game) .

It choked a bit with CPU intensive games (read, huge RTSs). Animation became passable only at lower graphics settings.


Office chores are a joke. They generally take little processing power, and even less on the graphics side.


In summation, the APU is a very decent budget build. It plays games competently, and is a good office workhorse. Just understand that a budget build is exactly that. There will be limitations somewhere. The difference with an APU and aa AM3 board is the future. AMD is still supporting the APU, but the introduction of bulldozer will begin to kill Phenom. Do you want this rig to be the absolute best it can be right now, or do you want to keep the rig for the next 3-5 years and upgrade?

 

[Rasputin]

Ok thanks
So would the setup suggested by Jr be a good all round machine? (Wouldn't take like 10 mins to turn on?)

Didn't see the last 2 posts:
So you two believe that I don't need a gpu to pair with the APU? (or however you describe having a seperate graphics card)

And I don't want something that's the best it can be atm, as I said; I don't play the latest games on release and I don't do music and video editing. Just a few games of civ5 etc. a month. But yes, I would love to have something that can be upgraded in the future. AMD is developing some more APU lines for desktops using the FM1 socket aren't they? So that would be great for me if I build this mother

 

[JrRacinFan]

AMD is developing some more APU lines for desktops using the FM1 socket aren't they?

From what I know, there is going to be more SKU's out. There has been also announcements of creating an unlocked SKU like Phenom II's Black Edition moniker.

So you two believe that I don't need a gpu to pair with the APU?

For gaming, i would say the integrated solution is good enough for most titles @ 720p high settings, 1080p low settings, but you must pair it with 1866+ dram. If you find the integrated video card is not enough, get like a second hand gts250. They can usually be found for ~$40-50.


As far as booting time is concerned, that is all dependent really on which drive you choose. My own scorpio blue(nearly same thing you chose) in my netbook gets it booted within 20 seconds on a fresh Win 7 install.

 

[Rasputin]

So for now, I'm going to say no graphics card. If I think I need one, I can always fire one in there can't I.
Thanks everyone

 

[JrRacinFan]

Yes you can.

 

[micropage7]

So for now, I'm going to say no graphics card. If I think I need one, I can always fire one in there can't I.
Thanks everyone

if just for fun, onboard graphic is ok so you can save for a while to get better card

 

[Rasputin]

Also, while i'm here: the monitor.. The mobo i've chosen has HDMI output and the monitor i've chosen is apparently full HD.. But I see no sign of an HDMI input anywhere, i'm a wee bit confused by this..
Hanns-G HH221DP Full HD TFT LCD 21.5" DVI-D.. | Eb...
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-358-GI&groupid=701&catid=1903&subcat=2058

Nvm I answered my own question with google. Although, the mobo does not have a VGA output. So would I need to get myself a DVI lead?

 

[JrRacinFan]

The board supports all flavors of display outputs. You're fine.

 

[Rasputin]

Thanks jr.
Fans, will the one fan supplied with the case be sufficient?

 

[JrRacinFan]

Thanks jr.
Fans, will the one fan supplied with the case be sufficient?

I suggest at least 2, 1 for intake & 1 for exhaust. You can live with 1 as exhaust though.
Welcome.

 

[Rasputin]

Is there an easy way to set fans to intake / exhaust? Or does it involve modifying the hardware itself..
Also, where I am putting the computer.. Back will be against a wall and front will be open. Sides will have about 1.3 inches clearance each..
So I was thinking front exhaust back intake? Or other way around..

 

[brandonwh64]

What's the point?

Cause a 5770 is better than a 5470?

 

[JrRacinFan]

Cause a 5770 is better than a 5470?

Heya b, hate to put you on the spot. Put together an am3+ build that has a 5770 or greater and at least a Phenom II X4 for about ~£350.

 

[brandonwh64]

Heya b, hate to put you on the spot. Put together an am3+ build that has a 5770 or greater for about ~350.

I put used.... not new

seen one the other day for around 75$

 

[JrRacinFan]

UK bro, cheapest I can find is £80.

 

[Rasputin]

Fan intake / exhaust, how to? Anyone?

 

[JrRacinFan]

Fan intake / exhaust, how to? Anyone?

Fans are a one direction serves all. Need it to blow the other way, take it out and turn it around. Also the other way around for your plans. You will need to give some space at the back.

 

[Rasputin]

Front intake back exhaust then. No need for side / top fans?

 

[JrRacinFan]

No need for side / top fans?

Well you could readjust to a side intake and top exhaust if you wanted. Granted the airflow from the side intake wouldn't be as ideal.

 

[Rasputin]

Ok so this:
Xilence Black 120mm Case Fan - 4pin with 3pin adap...
as front intake and the stock fan for the back on the case as the exhaust will keep things cool?

 

[JrRacinFan]

Ok so this:
Xilence Black 120mm Case Fan - 4pin with 3pin adap...
as front intake and the stock fan for the back on the case as the exhaust will keep things cool?

That would be fine.