First build..any thoughts?

[Heusen77]

Well after both my desktop and laptop decided to crash within day apart I had to do some looking around. I have come up with the following parts for the desktop so far .....

Motherboard: MSI 890GXM-G65 AM3 AMD 890GX HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

Processor: AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition Thuban 3.2GHz 6 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Six-Core Desktop Processor HDT90ZFBGRBOX

Case: Antec Twelve Hundred V3 Black Steel ATX Full Tower Unbeatable Gaming Case

Memory: CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX4GX3M2A1600C8

I will be using some parts from my old system: had just bought a Corsair CMPSU-650TX 650-Watt TX Series 80 Plus Certified Power Supply, i have hard drives and burners but would still consider getting a good burner (any suggestions?). I have 2 sticks of the Crucial Ballistix 2GB DDR2 PC2-8500 1066Mz Ram 5-5-5-15. I would also consider a video card also but I have a Diamond Multimedia ATI Radeon HD 4850 512 MB 4850PE3512.

I am not a big gamer so i only really play football manager and some car racing games...may play call of duty or something occasionally.

I would like some feedback on the parts and where I can buy these parts at a good price. I am looking to buy soon as I currently dont have my own system; using my friend's computer currently and it's a standard HP and it's very depressing using such a slow and limited system (he was kind enough so i appreciate it).

thanks

 

[salmanshah]

You build is absolutely fine. Currently I am using the board and CPU that you mentioned. But I would suggest you to get MSI 890FX if you can.
Good Luck!

 

[mnewsham]

that is a horrible build with the new AMD architecture coming out next month and Sandy bridge giving better price for performance.

 

[fffblackmage]

No Phenom II X6. Even if an Intel SB build comes out slightly more expensive, it's well worth it for the significant performance increase.

Actually, since you're not much of a gamer, maybe you can get something cheaper, like an i3, and allocate some of the money into an SSD instead. You'll definitely have enough money for an SSD if you go for a cheaper case as well (Antec 300 maybe?).

Save some more money and just reuse a DVD burner. There you go, you should have enough money for an SSD.

 

[MAW1082]

No Phenom II X6. Even if an Intel SB build comes out slightly more expensive, it's well worth it for the significant performance increase.

Actually, since you're not much of a gamer, maybe you can get something cheaper, like an i3, and allocate some of the money into an SSD instead. You'll definitely have enough money for an SSD if you go for a cheaper case as well (Antec 300 maybe?).

Save some more money and just reuse a DVD burner. There you go, you should have enough money for an SSD.

+1

 

[salmanshah]

If you are do multitask, then you should go for AMD 6 core or if you use single threaded apps, then go for intel. And yes, SSD is a must for faster performance.

 

[betasub]

If you are do multitask, then you should go for AMD 6 core or if you use single threaded apps, then go for intel.

There's multi-tasking (OS/office apps) and then there's serious multi-tasking. Even today's dual-core processors can handle the former just fine. Yes, Intel's SandyBridge has stand-out single-threaded performance, & OP's usage doesn't shout ">4 cores required", so an i3 "SandyBridge on a budget" could be a good solution.

But OP really should include in this thread answers to the sticky: including planned usage, budget, currency, location for shopping/shipping/taxes etc.

 

[mnewsham]

Also the i5-2500 beats the x6 in most multi threaded apps too..

 

[Heusen77]

You build is absolutely fine. Currently I am using the board and CPU that you mentioned. But I would suggest you to get MSI 890FX if you can.
Good Luck!

thanks for the suggestion but i prefer a board with onboard video as i had a board before without and when my video card went i was up a creek....

also, for me I would get an AMD processor....I was told about the SSD but i will wait a bit to see how the prices go...I currently have an antec 900 case and it's a bit crampy so i would like the full tower instead. really just hoping to get a good enough system to run for a while as my other system was pretty good just the board has gone

Location: Barbados
Currency: BDS (Barbados Dollar)
Budget: $1000 - $1250 BDS (1 usd = 2bds)
Planned usage: games (sometimes), running apps - photoshop, office and some others)
Shopping: Not sure...may buy from newegg or amazon but i will be in washington and miami in july so i can maybe look around then. Not sure of any better sites at this point.
Shipping: I work for a distribution company so i will ship to our office in miami and get the items shipped to Barbados.
Taxes: We have no taxes/duties on computer technology imported to the island

 

[betasub]

^ You are on a tight budget (500-625 US$), so it's good that you can take advantage of the hot deals on the US newegg and amazon sites. Shipping to the Miami office and no extra taxes should help too.

You can carry forward the PSU & the graphics card (for now, as it beats integrated), but you are correct that you should get 4GB DDR3 minimum for a new build (so your old DDR2 won't help). I'd still recommend trying to fit a SandyBridge processor (plus choice of H61/H67/P67/Z68 motherboard) into the build, but if you prefer AMD, the Phenom II X4 is better suited to your usage profile than the "flagship" X6.

 

[fffblackmage]

Ah, I see. I have the 900 as well, and it's a bit more cramped than expected for such a large mid-tower. Still, I'd stick with it if it meant getting other, more useful, upgrades instead.

Reconsider the AMD CPU. The i5-2500K is only $35 more (on newegg.com), but the difference in performance is staggering. Not only does the i5-2500K beat the 1090T in most cases, it often does it by a wide margin.

 

[LuluTheMonk]

Try this:
i5 2500 + GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 $315
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) $75 AC EMCKEHF23
Cooler Master HAF 912 $49.99 AR

$450 - $10 MIR = $440

1090T vs 2500

Looks like you could fit a 2500k in under $500 USD probably.

**edit**
Intel Core i5-2500K + GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 $330

Only increases your price by $15.

If you are ok with MIR:
Kingston SSDNow V100 64 GB $100 - $25 MIR

Final Tally:
$330
$75
$60
$100

$565 - $25(ssd) - $10(case) = $530

 

[Heusen77]

Ah, I see. I have the 900 as well, and it's a bit more cramped than expected for such a large mid-tower. Still, I'd stick with it if it meant getting other, more useful, upgrades instead.

Reconsider the AMD CPU. The i5-2500K is only $35 more (on newegg.com), but the difference in performance is staggering. Not only does the i5-2500K beat the 1090T in most cases, it often does it by a wide margin.

if i go with the i5-2500k which board would you recommend?

 

[Heusen77]

Try this:
i5 2500 + GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 $315
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) $75 AC EMCKEHF23
Cooler Master HAF 912 $49.99 AR

$450 - $10 MIR = $440

1090T vs 2500

Looks like you could fit a 2500k in under $500 USD probably.

**edit**
Intel Core i5-2500K + GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3 $330

Only increases your price by $15.

If you are ok with MIR:
Kingston SSDNow V100 64 GB $100 - $25 MIR

Final Tally:
$330
$75
$60
$100

$565 - $25(ssd) - $10(case) = $530

thanks for the detail help...i could easily bump up the budget if need be, i just put it at the 500usd-625usd as i had selected the parts on newegg with the AMD processor and it came up to around that price (well with the memory, board, processor and the case)...

it seems most ppl are pushing for the i5 so i will consider that....question, why the i5 and not the i7?

 

[mnewsham]

The i7 wont add much for the extra 100 bucks unless you are doing LOTS of encoding or multi threaded tasks.

 

[Heusen77]

The i7 wont add much for the extra 100 bucks unless you are doing LOTS of encoding or multi threaded tasks.

oh ho...thanks and thanks to everyone for the replies, that's why i love this site, ppl always willing to help a novice out.

i really like the case so i still feel i'll get it but i am currently looking at the i5-2500 and a good motherboard to go with it...

 

[mfenn]

oh ho...thanks and thanks to everyone for the replies, that's why i love this site, ppl always willing to help a novice out.

i really like the case so i still feel i'll get it but i am currently looking at the i5-2500 and a good motherboard to go with it...

The mobo that Lulu suggested is quite good. In fact, the whole build is good.

 

[mfenn]

If you are do multitask, then you should go for AMD 6 core or if you use single threaded apps, then go for intel.

Not true. Four fast cores beats six slow cores.

 

[Heusen77]

The mobo that Lulu suggested is quite good. In fact, the whole build is good.

thanks...i actually putting together the list in my newegg basket....any good video cards to suggest as i will be changing the one i have very soon...

 

[salmanshah]

Not true. Four fast cores beats six slow cores.

There is also a big difference in price. You should also consider that.
I often do video encoding and file compression. So in that view i considered 6 cores.

 

[mnewsham]

There is also a big difference in price. You should also consider that.
I often do video encoding and file compression. So in that view i considered 6 cores.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103913 (199.99)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115072 (224.99)


Not that big of a difference, for 25 bucks id pay for the extra performance.

 

[aphelion02]

There is also a big difference in price. You should also consider that.
I often do video encoding and file compression. So in that view i considered 6 cores.

If you do video encoding then you will want quicksync with SB. Also, you must consider system price, not CPU price, because the final judge is your performance / computer cost. In that view AMD simply isn't competitive until bulldozer comes out ($30 is only 5% of your system cost, and SB is much more than 5% faster).

 

[salmanshah]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103913 (199.99)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115072 (224.99)


Not that big of a difference, for 25 bucks id pay for the extra performance.

That 25 dollars matter to many one, may not to you.

 

[Heusen77]

^ You are on a tight budget (500-625 US$), so it's good that you can take advantage of the hot deals on the US newegg and amazon sites. Shipping to the Miami office and no extra taxes should help too.

You can carry forward the PSU & the graphics card (for now, as it beats integrated), but you are correct that you should get 4GB DDR3 minimum for a new build (so your old DDR2 won't help). I'd still recommend trying to fit a SandyBridge processor (plus choice of H61/H67/P67/Z68 motherboard) into the build, but if you prefer AMD, the Phenom II X4 is better suited to your usage profile than the "flagship" X6.

i see you recommend some boards there for the i5...i had the Motherboard: MSI H57M-ED65
in mind...what do you think?

 

[betasub]

Looking up that H57 board on newegg shows it to be a LGA1156 board (for the first gen Core-i processors). For SandyBridge processors (second gen Core-i2) you need LGA1155.

I mentioned four different chipsets for LGA1155 boards. In simplistic terms, the new Z68 chipset gives you access to most features, like QuickSync, integrated graphics & K-model overclocking, but is likely to be more expensive. P67 allows K-model overclocking, and is recommended if you rely on an add-in graphics card (like your 4850). H67 has the QuickSync & integrated graphics features already mentioned, but no overclocking; AFAIK H61 is a budget cut-down version of H67 (typically on smaller form-factors).

Lulu's suggestion of "Intel Core i5-2500K + GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3" is a good place to start because it covers most bases. If you need something cheaper, then there are plenty of options at lower price points (e.g. motherboards with fewer features).