$60 off any Z68/P67 MB w/2500K - Micro Center in store only

[DisgruntledVirus]

Is the 2600k worth the $100 price premium? Generally in my experience CPUs are not the bottleneck as of late (the past few years) when doing most types of work. It is when doing some things, but gaming and videos it really isn't.

 

[Zap]

they also have a phenom x4 830 for 49.99 and you can get a board for ~40-50.

I'd still give the nod to the Core i3-2100K combo for $20 more. The cooler is quieter and the CPU uses less power and puts out less heat. I think those are good things for an HTPC.

Is the 2600k worth the $100 price premium?

Nope. I side-graded from a 2500K to 2600K because I got the 2600K for $250 and had a buyer for the 2500K. My computing and gaming experience has stayed exactly the same.

 

[Skott]

I wish they had a MC store in the Tampa area. MC has some good deals

 

[Spurst]

I'd still give the nod to the Core i3-2100K combo for $20 more. The cooler is quieter and the CPU uses less power and puts out less heat. I think those are good things for an HTPC.



Nope. I side-graded from a 2500K to 2600K because I got the 2600K for $250 and had a buyer for the 2500K. My computing and gaming experience has stayed exactly the same.

exactly which combo are you referring to?
http://www.microcenter.com/search/se...feature=369124

 

[videopho]

MC is a great in-store purchase B&M.
I've found most of its sale associates are pretty knowledge people a far cry from BB or even Fry's.
MC is now my number one choice for hardware purchases.

 

[Meghan54]

I've found most of its sale associates are pretty knowledge people a far cry from BB or even Fry's.
MC is now my number one choice for hardware purchases.

Truer words probably have never been spoken. The sales personnel in MC are light years above any in Fry's...BB doesn't even share the same universe as either of the others, though.

 

[Skott]

When I stopped in at the Atlanta-Duluth store to grab a cpu last month while on vacation I had the Store Manager helping me. Pretty cool when the big boss is out on the floor helping customers and showing them around. He knew his products too. Usually bosses are like, 'I just need to know how to manage people' types. I was impressed. Makes me want to go back the experience was that good.

 

[Aharami]

Truer words probably have never been spoken. The sales personnel in MC are light years above any in Fry's...BB doesn't even share the same universe as either of the others, though.

yea I agree. I've never shopped at MC before this whole cpu+mobo deals they are having. Ever since the deals started, I have been there 4 times, and bought 3 different cpu+mb combos (my htpc, desktop, and desktop for my father in law). I have been quite impressed with their service. They even pricematched newegg for a couple items!

 

[austin316]

I've been out of the hardware game so long I don't even know where to start. What is a good board to pair with a 2500k. I "probably" won't overclock unless the BIOS makes it super simple. If I have to mess with voltage, timing, RAM Speed, etc, I probably won't.

 

[Judgement]

I've been out of the hardware game so long I don't even know where to start. What is a good board to pair with a 2500k. I "probably" won't overclock unless the BIOS makes it super simple. If I have to mess with voltage, timing, RAM Speed, etc, I probably won't.

I haven't messed with it much yet, but the asus p8z68-v lx I picked up looked pretty straight forward and the only thing you would bump is the multiplier.

I am waiting for my non-stock HSF and thermal paste to arrive, but from what I've read the stock cooling should be good enough for some a OC mild

 

[mikeford]

These days I'm more into underclocking, cool and quiet, ramps down the speed and reduces power, heat, and noise.

 

[videopho]

These days I'm more into underclocking, cool and quiet, ramps down the speed and reduces power, heat, and noise.

That's the sign of we all know called "aging".
+1.

 

[videopho]

I've been out of the hardware game so long I don't even know where to start. What is a good board to pair with a 2500k. I "probably" won't overclock unless the BIOS makes it super simple. If I have to mess with voltage, timing, RAM Speed, etc, I probably won't.

GB & Asus are the most two popular choices.
Post your question at motherboard forum if need more help.

 

[Zap]

exactly which combo are you referring to?
http://www.microcenter.com/search/se...feature=369124

Guess it is no longer available. It was a Core i3-2100 with the cheapest MSI H61 motherboard. It was available for almost a half year, so I thought it was one of those ongoing things.

I've been out of the hardware game so long I don't even know where to start. What is a good board to pair with a 2500k. I "probably" won't overclock unless the BIOS makes it super simple. If I have to mess with voltage, timing, RAM Speed, etc, I probably won't.

Just about any of the overclockable boards will let you get a nice bump to at least 4GHz by just raising the multiplier, without having to futz with voltages, etc.

 

[arcenite]

Closest microcenter to me is 31.2mi away :-(

And I just bought a 2500k+Asus Sabertooth P67 for $375 :-(

 

[mikeford]

That's the sign of we all know called "aging".
+1.

Doesn't apply to my Porsche, but HTPC I want low power and stone cold reliable.

I stopped by the MC in SA CA, and nothing on the shelf AMD matched up for me in a bundle, maybe later once the older cpu's get cleared out.

 

[Skott]

Closest microcenter to me is 31.2mi away :-(

And I just bought a 2500k+Asus Sabertooth P67 for $375 :-(

I'd drive 30 some miles to get their deals. But that's just me.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I'd drive 30 some miles to get their deals. But that's just me.

I'm contemplating a 62 mi drive one way. Time and gas would probably kill it though

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

I'm contemplating a 62 mi drive one way. Time and gas would probably kill it though

Make it a day trip and do other shopping in that area

 

[bznotins]

I'm contemplating a 62 mi drive one way. Time and gas would probably kill it though

Can't speak for the time, but the gas is only ~$20RT (assuming ~20MPG). Plus, Microcenter is a fun store to just walk around and look at goodies.

 

[Skott]

Make it a day trip and do other shopping in that area

That was kinda how I was looking at it too.

 

[videopho]

Can't speak for the time, but the gas is only ~$20RT (assuming ~20MPG). Plus, Microcenter is a fun store to just walk around and look at goodies.

Just like a little kid in a candy store.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

I think I'm heading back up today to switch out the Asus board I got last weekend for a Gigabyte board. And I think I'm going to pick up a second board/cpu...

 

[Pardus]

E-News Mailing: Valid 11/11-11/13l

 

[ahenkel]

Gah need one of these in Oregon like now.