AMD chipsets, New AMD build since 2005

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MooseParade

Member
Feb 26, 2013
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Hello again!

I haven't built an AMD rig since 2005 so I am really out of date on the chipsets. I know 990FX is the best right now but does it matter when it comes to overclocking features?

The build ($500 budget incl. tax & shipping) is based on a Phenom II x4 965BE with a CM Hyper 212 Plus and a Radeon 7770. I'm trying to squeeze as much performance as I can right now out of the allotted budget.

Maximum allotment for the mobo is $90 and form factor does not matter (AM3+). No I won't be running Xfire / SLi and CPU & GPU will be upgraded sometime in 2014.

Also, is one brand better than the other on the AMD front?
 
N4g4rok

N4g4rok

Senior member
Sep 21, 2011
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It's kind of difficult to say if one Mobo will be better than the other for a Phenom II, since they really aren't designed with those particular CPUs in mind. Since you aren't planning on Crossfire, 990FX won't have that much over a 970 chipset.

If you don't need the extra PCI-E slot, you might look at this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157280

Basically the same specs, minus the PCI-E slot, and it will save you a little more. As far as overclocking goes, i don't believe it's any easier for a 990FX Chipset than a 970. In my experience, Phenoms just want a ton of power if you start going over an extra 300 Mhz.

As far as brands, i usually still with Asus or Asrock.
 
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Sleepingforest

Platinum Member
Nov 18, 2012
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If front-panel USB 3.0 isn't an issue: get this $70 Asrock board. It has two SATA 6Gb/s, which is helpful if you want to get SSDs down the line. It also has PCIe 3.0. Basically, it has all the features of the board Fox5 recommended, but is cheaper (and doesn't need a rebate).

If you want USB 3.0 headers: I'd go for this $60 ($50 after a MIR) Gigabyte board if you don't mind getting only SATA 3Gb/s speeds for storage (as in, you only have conventional spinning disks) and PCIe 2.0 (only 5% slower at worst for video cards). This $95 Asrock board has SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0, but costs $85, which means you'll have to spend less elsewhere.

On the other hand, you can probably go Intel for $500. Intel is better for gaming because their cores have better single-threaded performance, which is what games depend on:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($133.69 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Foxconn B75M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($63.37 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($43.18 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: HIS Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($37.69 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($48.58 @ Newegg)
Total: $493.88 ($479.88 after 2 $10 MIRs)
(Prices include shipping, taxes of 8%, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-10 14:59 EDT-0400)
 
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MooseParade

Member
Feb 26, 2013
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Yes this will be for gaming. Piledriver will be next year with an 8320/50 or whatever else comes out (Steamroller on AM3+ maybe). So I'm just trying to get as much gaming performance out of it as I can then next year dump another $500 for CPU, GPU and probably a beefier (500W-600W) PSU.

So just really trying to get the best performance to dollar ratio I can.
 
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Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
5,957
7
81
MooseParade said:
Yes this will be for gaming. Piledriver will be next year with an 8320/50 or whatever else comes out (Steamroller on AM3+ maybe). So I'm just trying to get as much gaming performance out of it as I can then next year dump another $500 for CPU, GPU and probably a beefier (500W-600W) PSU.

So just really trying to get the best performance to dollar ratio I can.
Click to expand...

Why not just get an 8350 now and forgo the upgrade next year that might not come?

I say go for an asus motherboard, they have good reliability, feature sets, build quality, and longevity of bios updates. Gigabyte isn't bad either.
 
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MooseParade

Member
Feb 26, 2013
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It's just not in the budget, I have $500 including taxes & shipping to get a working rig that can play games at 1920x1080 on low settings with AA & AF off of course. That's why I'm going with the 7770 instead of an A10-5800K and 2133 RAM because of the resolution and upgrade path.
 
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Sleepingforest

Platinum Member
Nov 18, 2012
2,375
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Then your build (or my i3 build) makes sense since it stays strictly within the budget limits. Your AMD build does have better longevity (at the cost of some performance now) though, since the board will overclock and support future CPUs.

Your next upgrade should probably be something like:
FX-8320 ($180 or so)
HD 7950 ($300, since the 2014 generation is pretty much guaranteed to be overpriced at release unless Nvidia releases something really good this year at reasonable prices)
500W PSU ($50 for a good one fr0m Antec, Corsair, Seasonic, or XFX)
 
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Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
5,957
7
81
MooseParade said:
It's just not in the budget, I have $500 including taxes & shipping to get a working rig that can play games at 1920x1080 on low settings with AA & AF off of course. That's why I'm going with the 7770 instead of an A10-5800K and 2133 RAM because of the resolution and upgrade path.
Click to expand...

Would you consider a cheaper cpu for now and a better video card? Something in the Athlon II series would likely suffice for most games, and you could get a faster video card (like a 7850), then upgrade the cpu down the road.

An Ivy or Sandy Bridge based Pentium wouldn't be a bad choice either.
 
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Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
5,957
7
81
MooseParade said:
You mean dropping down to a Dual Core AMD? I know even less about these CPU's lol.
Click to expand...

Either a dual core or a triple core.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...E&PageSize=100

You could save a bit of cash to get a better video card now (more important for games) and then upgrade the cpu in a year, and hopefully have a video card with some staying power.

I would jump up to a 7850, either 2GB (will last longer) or 1GB.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161406

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814202004
 
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K261326

Junior Member
Mar 5, 2013
6
0
16
can you get me the best list for amd setup pc because i'm canvassing now for a new setup thanks? :D
 
spaceman

spaceman

Lifer
Dec 4, 2000
17,611
172
106
i went gigabyte ga 970ad3
and fx 6300
put it at 4ghz @default
very pleased
always had goodf luck with gigabyte
 
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K261326

Junior Member
Mar 5, 2013
6
0
16
nice specs for a pc i'll be noting your specs spaceman.
i would like to ask for more specs for a best set-up but on a cheaper side :D
 
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