Help me build a budget AMD pc :)

[SirJangly]

Hey guys! Nursing school begins soon, and I'd like to have a desktop in my room just for me. I think I am dead set on either an x2 550 or x3 720. This will be used for basic usage, although some Steam games and WoW, and DVD movie backups. No crysis, farcry 2, or anything like that. I would like to spend as little as possible, and I'm starting from scratch, so I will need all components. You guys are the experts, so tell me what I should get!

 

[Darren]

A.) whats the budget?
B.) how long does this rig have to last?
C.) are you willing to upgrade, if so when?
D.) whats wrong with your current rig?

 

[werez]

Since you are on a budget you don`t need the x3 720 , the x2 550 is more than enough . Your money should go on a decent video card , like a HD4770 or better , witch will play your wow and steam games . As for the mainboard you should get the GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P , the perfect budget choice . The board overclocks ok , has ACC feature for unlocking . You don`t need more than 2 gigs of ram for your mainstream gaming , so a Corsair 2GB KIT will get the job done . Also a good 400 PSU , Corsair.
The stock HSF is enough , if you plan to bump the speed a little bit ... let`s say 3500 . Now that`s decent gaming ...

 

[human_error]

depends on your budget.

for $503.89 i quoted this for someone else on here earlier - add an amd 4770 or 4850 and windows vista home prem oem (maybe get a better cooler too) for a tiny bit over $600 and you've got a really good pc:

 

[SirJangly]

A.) whats the budget?
B.) how long does this rig have to last?
C.) are you willing to upgrade, if so when?
D.) whats wrong with your current rig?

A) ~$500
B) ~Two years
C) Would prefer not to.
D) The gateway is a POS.

Isn't the $20 difference between the 550 and the 720 worthwhile?

 

[SirJangly]

1. AMD HDZ720WFGIBOX: $119.00

2. ASUS M4A78T-E: $139.99

Combo Discount: -$54.00
Combo Price: $204.99

I saw that, looks good. I'm not sure though

 

[human_error]

1. AMD HDZ720WFGIBOX: $119.00

2. ASUS M4A78T-E: $139.99

Combo Discount: -$54.00
Combo Price: $204.99

I saw that, looks good. I'm not sure though

that's the exact same cpu/mobo choice i made for my parent's rig (running 4 hdtv's round the house plus home security and home automation) so it's a pretty solid choice with loads of power. I'm expecting ~3.5ghz (3.7ghz seems max on that cpu/mobo for most ppl) on a decent air cooler with low temps and if i'm really lucky a 4th core unlock too

 

[Darren]

A) ~$500
B) ~Two years
C) Would prefer not to.
D) The gateway is a POS.

Isn't the $20 difference between the 550 and the 720 worthwhile?

Yes the 720 BE is worth the extra $20, hower if your budget stretches to the X4 range it might be worth considering for the longevity.

The sysetm that is in your specification, will you be borrowing any parts from it? I'm presuming that you'd need a new case, PSU, motherboard, hard disk drive?


Edit:

1. AMD HDZ720WFGIBOX: $119.00

2. ASUS M4A78T-E: $139.99

Combo Discount: -$54.00
Combo Price: $204.99

I saw that, looks good. I'm not sure though

Which processor does the combo deal come with?

 

[SirJangly]

Yes the 720 BE is worth the extra $20, hower if your budget stretches to the X4 range it might be worth considering for the longevity.

The sysetm that is in your specification, will you be borrowing any parts from it? I'm presuming that you'd need a new case, PSU, motherboard, hard disk drive?


Edit:



Which processor does the combo deal come with?

I would like to start anew, as the gateway will be for my parents and sis. It is a 720BE Would the X4 really be necessary? I wouldn't be doing much that is very cpu intensive. By the time I graduate, I will definitely build a new one

 

[Darren]

I would like to start anew, as the gateway will be for my parents and sis. It is a 720BE Would the X4 really be necessary? I wouldn't be doing much that is very cpu intensive. By the time I graduate, I will definitely build a new one

Well there is only £20 between the X4 810 and 720 BE.

The 720 BE will be better at games today, the X4 810 would be better at everything else today. It will catch up in gaming performance in the future as more multi-threaded applications and games catch up.

I'd say go the X4 810 if its within budget, if it is not within budget the 720 BE is the best alternative.

Both are fantastic CPUs.

Give me 20mins, I'll see if I can put a rig together on newegg.

 

[SirJangly]

Thanks so much for everything so far guys. So many helpful responses so quickly . Are there any parts that would be okay to buy second hand here on the forum? Sound card, video card maybe!

 

[human_error]

Well there is only £20 between the X4 810 and 720 BE.

The 720 BE will be better at games today, the X4 810 would be better at everything else today. It will catch up in gaming performance in the future as more multi-threaded applications and games catch up.

I'd say go the X4 810 if its within budget, if it is not within budget the 720 BE is the best alternative.

Both are fantastic CPUs.

Give me 20mins, I'll see if I can put a rig together on newegg.

i disagree with the 810>720BE. The point where you'll need the 4th thread is a while off, and considering the 720 has more cache and clocks better than the 810 it means you'd get more performance in everything which didn't need 4 cores with the 720 (and for less money).

Thanks so much for everything so far guys. So many helpful responses so quickly . Are there any parts that would be okay to buy second hand here on the forum? Sound card, video card maybe!

I'd put up a WTB thread in the FS forums with everything you want to buy for your rig, see what people have lying around for sale

 

[Darren]

i disagree with the 810>720BE. The point where you'll need th 4th thread is a while off, and considering the 720 has more cache and clocks better than the 810 it means you'd get more performance in everything which didn't need 4 cores with the 720 (and for less money).

lol, look at the benchmarks the 720 BE looses in almost every task other than gaming, and even in gaming the 810 is only slightly behind.

Edit:

I'm basing this mostly on Anandtech's review

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3512

 

[SirJangly]

i disagree with the 810>720BE. The point where you'll need the 4th thread is a while off, and considering the 720 has more cache and clocks better than the 810 it means you'd get more performance in everything which didn't need 4 cores with the 720 (and for less money).



I'd put up a WTB thread in the FS forums with everything you want to buy for your rig, see what people have lying around for sale

I am guessing there is a point at which higher clock speed outperforms an extra core? Also, what parts would be okay to get second hand?

 

[1Kurgan1]

Here's what I would go with, as I figure you already have a computer you have the basics, a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers. Either way if you didn't you could tack on the cheapo $6 logitech keyboard, $6 logitech mouse, monitor will cost you as will speakers. But if your fine with those for now, this comes out to $536 + shipping, to men the ship would be about $30 and you end up getting a free game, also comes with $30 of mail in rebates so you can get some cash back on this later.

I think this would be the best route, I feel the 710 is a better proc for the money than the 550 as they are both $99. Just when you OC this you will have to use the FSB instead of the multiplier. Also the 4850 is about the best videocard you are going to get for that price, $79.99 is a steal for a brand new onem yes it's only 512mb, but I don't think your a huge gamer so you most likely aren't going to be playing at crazy high resolutions. And this nets you a copy of Win Vista 64bit with a Win 7 upgrade for free, so your set there, if you already got a copy of an OS you could get this build for under $500.

like a HD4770 or better

Those actually aren't budget cards anymore, you can get a 4870 for the same price ($119.99) Theres a 4850 on the Egg for $79.99 after MIR ($99.99 before) and it comes with a free game.

lol, look at the benchmarks the 720 BE looses in almost every task other than gaming, and even in gaming the 810 is only slightly behind.

Edit:

I'm basing this mostly on Anandtech's review

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3512

The 810 is also $30 more than the 720, and the 720 is easier to clock and clocks better netting closer results when OC'd. A $150 proc on a budget of $500 is just too much, granted I think the 720 is a touch too much also at $119, which is why I tossed the budget screamer 710 in my suggested build.

 

[human_error]

I am guessing there is a point at which higher clock speed outperforms an extra core? Also, what parts would be okay to get second hand?

The extra core is only good if there is a need for an extra core - such as multi-tasking apps which need a lot of cpu resources at the same time or running multi-threaded apps (which are not too common now but will be in the future) - the higher clockspeed (especially when overclocked) will help with both multi-threaded apps (maybe not as much as a 4th core) and single-threaded apps too, so it helps with everything.

i'd be happy to buy any of the parts from TPU members who i know are regulars. You won't find everything you want on TPU but see what you can get and if it is a decent saving over buying new then go for it, you could even get better parts for the same money.

 

[SirJangly]

The extra core is only good if there is a need for an extra core - such as multi-tasking apps which need a lot of cpu resources at the same time or running multi-threaded apps (which are not too common now but will be in the future) - the higher clockspeed (especially when overclocked) will help with both multi-threaded apps (maybe not as much as a 4th core) and single-threaded apps too, so it helps with everything.

i'd be happy to buy any of the parts from TPU members who i know are regulars. You won't find everything you want on TPU but see what you can get and if it is a decent saving over buying new then go for it, you could even get better parts for the same money.

That's true. If anyone is reading this and has parts they think I may need, feel free to offer

 

[Darren]

On paper Human Error is absolutely correct.

Theoretically if an application isn't multi-threaded there would be little need for additional cores, I suppose a lot of the non-gaming reviews on Anandtech are encoding, compression, and rendering and hence they're more likely to favour the X4. From my view though, there is only a mere 200 MHz that separates the clock speeds, I feel its a small sacrifice to accept slightly slower gaming performance for better performance in most other tasks and longevity.

SirJangly, you can trust this forum, just make sure they are regularly active in the forum so they can not run and hide from the mods.

 

[SirJangly]

Here's what I would go with, as I figure you already have a computer you have the basics, a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers. Either way if you didn't you could tack on the cheapo $6 logitech keyboard, $6 logitech mouse, monitor will cost you as will speakers. But if your fine with those for now, this comes out to $536 + shipping, to men the ship would be about $30 and you end up getting a free game, also comes with $30 of mail in rebates so you can get some cash back on this later.

I think this would be the best route, I feel the 710 is a better proc for the money than the 550 as they are both $99. Just when you OC this you will have to use the FSB instead of the multiplier. Also the 4850 is about the best videocard you are going to get for that price, $79.99 is a steal for a brand new onem yes it's only 512mb, but I don't think your a huge gamer so you most likely aren't going to be playing at crazy high resolutions. And this nets you a copy of Win Vista 64bit with a Win 7 upgrade for free, so your set there, if you already got a copy of an OS you could get this build for under $500.

http://img.techpowerup.org/090724/Capture001.jpg



Those actually aren't budget cards anymore, you can get a 4870 for the same price ($119.99) Theres a 4850 on the Egg for $79.99 after MIR ($99.99 before) and it comes with a free game.



The 810 is also $30 more than the 720, and the 720 is easier to clock and clocks better netting closer results when OC'd. A $150 proc on a budget of $500 is just too much, granted I think the 720 is a touch too much also at $119, which is why I tossed the budget screamer 710 in my suggested build.

That seems like a great build. Isn't Seagate better than hitachi? Also, the x3 720 is only $20 more. Would the performance difference be worth $20?

 

[Darren]

That seems like a great build. Isn't Seagate better than hitachi? Also, the x3 720 is only $20 more. Would the performance difference be worth $20?

The 710 and 720 BE are the same processor, except the 710 is clocked 200 MHz lower and has a locked multiplier so overclocking is more difficult.

You could easily apply a 200 MHz overclock yourself and claim to have a 720

 

[human_error]

That seems like a great build. Isn't Seagate better than hitachi? Also, the x3 720 is only $20 more. Would the performance difference be worth $20?

it's only worth it if you want to overclock - if you do want to OC you'll have a far easier job with the 720 The fact it is a BE is the only reason i'd say get it over the 810 X4 as the 720 can be clocked to between 3.5ghz and 3.7ghz nicely with a TDP that isn't too high and doesn't need a high-end aftermarket air cooler - which the 810 would need as the 4th core increases the thermal output by a decent margin.

if you don't want to OC then the 710 X3 would be better.

 

[1Kurgan1]

That seems like a great build. Isn't Seagate better than hitachi? Also, the x3 720 is only $20 more. Would the performance difference be worth $20?

If you want the Seagate go for it, both are good brands and the price is negligible. As far as the 720 being better, yes it is, easier to clock and binned higher. If you can spare the extra $20 I would say go for it. But really I would say spending the extra $20 on a 4870 over a 4850 would be a better choice as it shouldn't be terribly difficult to pull 3.3ghz or 3.4ghz out of the 710 even on the stock HSF setup. I mean heck my gf's 7750 was running at 3.3ghz on the stock HSF till about a week ago. If you plan to go beyond that you will need an aftermarket cooler which I would suggest the Xigmatek 964 as it's only $25 and is awesome.

So theres a few ways you can go with this, but I would really suggest a 4870 as you need it to last at least 2 years, videocard OCing just doesn't give the response like CPU OCing. So basically what videocard you buy, if that doesn't do it for you for 2 years your in a tight spot. While the 710 will clock pretty well and is a new architecture, I feel my 720 even at 3.5ghz is overkill for anything out there right now, granted I don't run it at 3.5 I run it a bit higher, heck even at 2.8ghz it was flying.

 

[human_error]

If you want the Seagate go for it, both are good brands and the price is negligible. As far as the 720 being better, yes it is, easier to clock and binned higher. If you can spare the extra $20 I would say go for it. But really I would say spending the extra $20 on a 4870 over a 4850 would be a better choice as it shouldn't be terribly difficult to pull 3.3 or 3.4ghz out of the 710 even on the stock HSF setup.

i agree, if you had $20 spare and could get the 720 over the 710 OR the 4870 over a 4850 the grahics card would make the bigger difference for games (personally i'd do both as that would be a very very nice rig).

 

[SirJangly]

If you want the Seagate go for it, both are good brands and the price is negligible. As far as the 720 being better, yes it is, easier to clock and binned higher. If you can spare the extra $20 I would say go for it. But really I would say spending the extra $20 on a 4870 over a 4850 would be a better choice as it shouldn't be terribly difficult to pull 3.3 or 3.4ghz out of the 710 even on the stock HSF setup.

Well I have never OC'ed before, so simplicity is a must. You just have to go into bios, change the frequency, and monitor temps right? Hmmm, this is confusing If the 720 can hit much high than the 710 with a simple OC, the $20 would be worth it, but I'm not sure if it can? I will also need a wireless-G adapter

 

[human_error]

Well I have never OC'ed before, so simplicity is a must. You just have to go into bios, change the frequency, and monitor temps right? Hmmm, this is confusing If the 720 can hit much high than the 710 with a simple OC, the $20 would be worth it, but I'm not sure if it can? I will also need a wireless-G adapter

the process is very similar with BE vs non-BE processors - you have to monitor temps, adjust voltages and run stress tests to ensure stability, but with a BE you increase the clockspeed by increasing a multiplier, this leaves the rest of the system at normal operating speeds, whereas a non-BE you need to up the fsb (well the amd equivalent which i've got a mind-blank on the name of it atm) which increases the rest of the system speed as well, which need to then be reduced to keep the system stable.

Basically a BE is a lot easier to OC and should hit slightly higher speeds. But either one you get ask for help in the forums if you're not happy overclocking alone