Help me choose an amd rig

[dispr]

Pulling my hair out trying to decide what I should get. Right now its between the 940 and 720. If i get 720 should I get the am3 mobo and ddr3 ram to "future proof" myself? If i do that, then down the road it would only require a cpu upgrade. Or I can just get the 940 and in another 12-18 months down the road upgrade to everything.

 

[NXIL]

Hi D,

If i get 720 should I get the am3 mobo and ddr3 ram to "future proof" myself?

There is no future proofing. It is best to buy a system that meets your needs and fits your budget at the current time. There is always a new CPU, chipset, and GPU 'just around the corner'; and, as soon as you buy, prices will come down, better gear gets introduced into the market, and the current "hot" gear gets replaced.

Questions are: what is your total budget?

Do you have any parts to recycle, i.e. DDR2 800 RAM (it's just fine--hey, it's almost future proof), video card, etc?

And, what do you want your system to do? Gaming is the main reason to get higher end components; if you are just surfing the web/email/running office, a single core $30 chip will probably suffice. If you are ripping and burning DVDs, a quad core is good.

Anyway, a little more info would help.

And, as for future proofing with the 720, I think I saw that there is a new socket coming from Intel pretty soon. But, the 940, while it runs in AM2+ and AM2 sockets apparently will not run in AM3+ sockets.

http://www.maximumpc.com/artic...henom_again?page=0%2C1

By the way, that might be a good article for you to read, since it compares the two CPUs you are considering.

With more info, most likely you will get a lot of opinions here. A lot. Of opinionated opinions.

GL

NX

Edit: error, and apology:

I thought the 720 he was referring to was an Intel Core i7 "720"--there is no Intel Core i7 720; there's a 920.

So, the 720 is an AMD triple core.

On Newegg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...3471%2CN82E16819103649

720 $154

940 $229

Note that 4 people rated the triple core, and hundreds rated the quad core...that's some big votes for the 940.

Both work with DDR2, and with the right motherboard, DDR3. However, as Denithor said:

Considering the low cost of DDR2 you shouldn't even be considering DDR3.

Agree w/ combo linked above.

Or, 940 and one of these mobos:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...0191%2CN82E16813131361

All have the SB750 south bridge, which is what you want, not the SB600....

Anyway, hope I did not confuse you with link to i7 920 article....

GL!

 

[dispr]

Only thing I would be recycling is my 9800gtx+ and maybe the memory depending on which route I go. My budget is as high as 850 but lower the better.

 

[NXIL]

Programs you run, i.e. games, etc?

 

[Denithor]

Doesn't really matter - just go for 720 with AM2+ board and DDR2-1066 (G.Skill kit for $55 shipped). There's less than 3% difference in DDR2-800 vs DDR3-1600 so it's a non-issue. Considering the low cost of DDR2 you shouldn't even be considering DDR3.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Combo: $310 AR

Foxconn A79A-S 790FX + Phenom II 940

That 9800gtx will be lonely in there :laugh:

 

[Rhoxed]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
Combo: $310 AR

Foxconn A79A-S 790FX + Phenom II 940

That 9800gtx will be lonely in there :laugh:

I fully agree with this combo! i just picked it up myself

used the SB750 mobo for my old 9850BE to get it to 3.3 from 2.8 stuck the 940BE into my ~2 year old MSI K9A2 Platinum and got 3.9Ghz stable so far.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Rhoxed
stuck the 940BE into my ~2 year old MSI K9A2 Platinum and got 3.9Ghz stable so far.

Very nice! I have a K9A2 Platinum too, but it's running a BE-2350 right now. It does folding on my three graphics cards, all 9600s. (Had four graphics cards but one burned out due to temps.)

 

[techboie]

If you have $850 to spare, either go i7 or wait and go i7. That is the way to go.

 

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: techboie
If you have $850 to spare, either go i7 or wait and go i7. That is the way to go.

Or save it for these uncertain economic times. Nobody needs to drop $1500 on a computer to get something nice nowadays.

 

[dispr]

thanks for all the help guys!! went for the 940 and these other parts!!! stayed up all night researching and just pulled the trigger on this- should have it by friday!!

AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor Model
GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4 AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
LG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model GH22LS30 - OEM
CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Active PFC
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer
Western Digital Caviar Black WD7501AALS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop