Intel Core i3 2100 AND MSI H61M-E33 Motherboard for $99.99 -- MicroCenter B&M Only

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VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,574
10,211
126
A very hot deal. How does this compare, CPU-wise, to an Athlon II X4 640 (or Phenom II X4 820), and a free or nearly-free mobo? I'm assuming that the Intel is slightly faster?

I just looked up some benchmarks, and it looks like it's practically a wash, between the i3 2100 and the Athlon II X4 640. HyperThreading helps, and so does improved IPC, but it cannot make up for more real cores, when it comes to multithreaded apps.

So for my money, I would still buy an AMD setup. At least the onboard graphics on those 760G/780G boards can handle a proper NTSC framerate for blu-ray. (Referring to the problem of 2nd Generation iCore CPU's onboard graphics only supporting 24FPS and not 23.97FPS.)

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1501/13/
 
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M

master7045

Senior member
Jul 15, 2005
729
0
76
20 CPU in stock/12 MOBO in stock in St. Louis... Thinking about buying one. Anyone want to pay for shipping and I'll send it to them at cost?
 
Unheard

Unheard

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2003
3,774
9
81
master7045 said:
20 CPU in stock/12 MOBO in stock in St. Louis... Thinking about buying one. Anyone want to pay for shipping and I'll send it to them at cost?
Click to expand...

Nice of you to do that seeing as we already have a member over in FS/FT price gouging.
 
N

nwo

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2005
2,308
0
71
VirtualLarry said:
A very hot deal. How does this compare, CPU-wise, to an Athlon II X4 640 (or Phenom II X4 820), and a free or nearly-free mobo? I'm assuming that the Intel is slightly faster?

I just looked up some benchmarks, and it looks like it's practically a wash, between the i3 2100 and the Athlon II X4 640. HyperThreading helps, and so does improved IPC, but it cannot make up for more real cores, when it comes to multithreaded apps.
Click to expand...
Sure, AMD will be faster in stuff that requires more cores such as multithreaded apps. However, an i3 2100 outperforms nearly all AMD CPUs in terms of gaming performance.
 
Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
nwo said:
Sure, AMD will be faster in stuff that requires more cores such as multithreaded apps. However, an i3 2100 outperforms nearly all AMD CPUs in terms of gaming performance.
Click to expand...

The Intel platform should also be a lot more energy efficient. Not only is the TDP 65W versus 95W, the Intel chip TDP essentially includes the Northbridge and IGP. It is also known to idle really low. Using one SSD and the IGP, a basic system with this Intel combo will probably draw under 30W during non-demanding tasks.
 
B

bupkus

Diamond Member
Nov 25, 2000
3,816
0
76
The MC near me never got their allotment of MSI H61 motherboards.
What they're doing instead is offering $60 off the following Gigabyte boards.

*P67A-UD3-B3 $129.99
*H67A-UD3H-B3 $144.99
*P67A-UD3P $169.99

I checked out those boards and I'm not thrilled with the reviews.
I would rather match an entry level processor like the i3-2100 to a cheaper H61 or Biostar H67 with more glowing reviews.
Really, if I'm using a locked dual core why would I want a P67 chipset?
And why is the above H67 more money than the P67? I don't need a dedicated video card for this entry level application.
 
marmasatt

marmasatt

Diamond Member
Jan 30, 2003
6,576
22
81
Are those the after or before prices?


bupkus said:
The MC near me never got their allotment of MSI H61 motherboards.
What they're doing instead is offering $60 off the following Gigabyte boards.

*P67A-UD3-B3 $129.99
*H67A-UD3H-B3 $144.99
*P67A-UD3P $169.99

I checked out those boards and I'm not thrilled with the reviews.
I would rather match an entry level processor like the i3-2100 to a cheaper H61 or Biostar H67 with more glowing reviews.
Really, if I'm using a locked dual core why would I want a P67 chipset?
And why is the above H67 more money than the P67? I don't need a dedicated video card for this entry level application.
Click to expand...
 
J

john3850

Golden Member
Oct 19, 2002
1,436
21
81
Yonkers ny has 8.
My friend is still using 248 939 Opteron with a xtpe i gave him in 2007.
Dud wanted a new build so i sent him to mc.
Now i have to pick some 2 sticks memory.
 
A

amanoai

Member
Nov 19, 2003
123
1
76
I missed this but the good thing about MC is they will more likely than not to have a same, similar, or better deal in the near future for these loss leader type of deals.
 
Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
amanoai said:
I missed this but the good thing about MC is they will more likely than not to have a same, similar, or better deal in the near future for these loss leader type of deals.
Click to expand...

The big deal about this is that it is an Intel combo. Typically they are AMD combos.
 
C

claes

Junior Member
Jan 6, 2011
15
0
0
RuffRyder1672 said:
Wow, I have been checking since Friday and never saw the board in stock in MN. :(
Click to expand...
I called them on Friday and they said they expected no stock this weekend (obviously now at 10pm) but said that they'll probably run the deal on the next shipment. :)

Frustrating as I was in there Thursday staring at those two for an hour for a server...
 
D

DisgruntledVirus

Lifer
Dec 26, 2007
11,782
2
76
VirtualLarry said:
So, considering that you can overclock the Q6600, and you can't overclock the i3 2100, it would seem to be a simple answer (as long as you can live with the power consumption).
Click to expand...

For the price and market segment this deal would appeal to, OC'ing isn't going to be a "feature" for most.

This chip would be used in a HT/server type system for most people on here. Maybe a family members computer. Point is, that people in this segment would rather get the stock faster chip. Oh, and you *could* get a Core i7 920 instead which would beat both chips...
 
B

bupkus

Diamond Member
Nov 25, 2000
3,816
0
76
So... has anyone here actually built a system with the MSI H61M-E33 LGA 1155 H61 mATX Intel Motherboard?
 
B

bupkus

Diamond Member
Nov 25, 2000
3,816
0
76
Lol, my gf just told me she got one for me last week and wanted to surprise me. Sweeeet.
I guess I'll be posting my impressions next week. I'm too busy right now to build it. ;)
 
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