New Build for my Dad. Need CPU & Mobo

[Cheepnis]

*** Update - I bought the 3220 for $100 from tigerdirect.
Last things to do are to buy the AsRock H77M, and a HD 5770 (or something comparable)

I think I'm settling in on:

GPU: Hd 5770, or 7770 or comparable card. $60-80, used on ebay.

*** Bought *** Mobo: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ($87) http://www.amazon.com/ASRock-H77-Motherboard-PRO4-MVP/dp/B007NOYCZ0

*** Bought*** CPU: i3-3220 ($100) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133094)

Boot Drive: 128 GB Plextor M5S SSD

PSU: 430W Corsair CX430 PSU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...9026&Tpk=cx430)

RAM: 4 or 8 GB of low voltage Samsung RAM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...&SID=u00000687

OS: Windows 8 Pro


I may purchase the parts tonight or tomorrow, so, please give me your thoughts.
Thanks to everyone who has come here to help me.





*** Original Post

I'm building a new PC for my dad because the processor in his Inspiron 560 is horrible. (630 Passmark score)
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Celeron+450+@+2.20GHz

So, I bought a decent case, 430W PSU, and am going to give him my extra 128 GB SSD. But I still can't decide on the right CPU and Motherboard.

The PC will be used mainly for web surfing, watching HD videos from HDD, and some light gaming. I want everything to be lightning fast for him, and I want it to be somewhat future proof (will pay extra for unlocked K CPU for future OCing).

I do NOT plan on buying a discrete GPU right away, but may in the future. So, I definitely want to take integrated graphics performance into my valuation of these CPUs. Also, I will require a motherboard with HDMI, DVI, and VGA ports, an optical audio out, and at least 1 SATA III 6Gb/s port for a SSD.
Maybe I will get a less fully-featured Mobo and get a video card with all the ports I need.


The low end of CPUs that I'm looking at is the A8-3870K for $90 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819106001

Here are some others that I'm looking at:

- Phenom II 1045T for $90 looks like the best bang for my buck processor-wise http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...262&CatId=4432

- 5800K for $100

- FX 4130 for $95

- FX 4170 for $120

- FX 6100 for $105

- i3 2120 for $115

- i3 3220 for $120

- i3 3210 for $130. This one has Hyper-Threading, and is Ivy bridge so I imagine it has HD4000 graphics???
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116890

- FX 8120 for $150

- FX 8320 for $150

- or the mighty 3570K for $200

There are a lot of options, and I'm new to this (built my first pc last october) so, I would greatly appreciate help comparing these processors and others to find the best value. I realize that most of these processors are more than he will need, but I want to splurge here to give him a super fast CPU.

 

[Ken g6]

You want light gaming? You don't want to buy a graphics card? Then your choices are Trinity (5800K and its allies), an i3-3225 for HD4000 graphics, or the "mighty 3570K".

Define "light" gaming. If it weren't for the gaming I'd be recommending a simple Celeron. If he's doing any serious gaming Trinity is the minimum I'd recommend without a graphics card. You might consider getting a graphics card with a Celeron anyway, again depending on the "light" gaming.

Also, did you forget to list memory? :whiste:

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Define "light" gaming. If it weren't for the gaming I'd be recommending a simple Celeron. If he's doing any serious gaming Trinity is the minimum I'd recommend without a graphics card. You might consider getting a graphics card with a Celeron anyway, again depending on the "light" gaming.

Ken is right there. We'll need a more precise definition of "light gaming".

 

[Termie]

OP - I think we'll need a more precise budget. You have a huge range in the options you're considering.

For your current purposes, I'd actually say an i3-3225 is the best option. But if you're serious about overclocking (and I'm not sure it's that great an idea with a parent computer), you'll need to go with AMD or the 3570k. For typical home use, however, I don't like AMD, as its extra cores don't help much with that, which is why I suggested the 3225.

 

[Charlie98]

For your current purposes, I'd actually say an i3-3225 is the best option. But if you're serious about overclocking (and I'm not sure it's that great an idea with a parent computer)...

That was kind of my thoughts. The i3 is a very solid chip for what the OP suggests, and I would skip OC'ing.

i3-3225 and Gigabyte mobo. or if you must have optic out

...but, like the others asked... "define 'light gaming'"

 

[Torn Mind]

What are the rest of the specs for the Dell, the RAM especially?

A single core Conroe Celeron is sure to suck these days. But some Core 2 Duos aren't obsolete yet performance-wise.

Get an E8xxx used and stick a Radeon HD 7750 in the Dell if the Dell supports the E8xxx CPUs. Get a 2 x 4GB 2GB stick of ram for it as well. Maybe 70 bucks for the CPU, 110 for the GPU, and 20 bucks for the RAM, so the total is about $200, maybe less.

Then when Haswell matures in December, you can sell off the Inspiron, take or sell the 7750, take out the ram, and go all-in with Haswell and its base clock overclocking and stuff.

Only issue with this route is hard drive migration/cloning the OS crap because of the OEM license, but I suppose Dell did give you reinstallation disks....

 

[Cheepnis]

thanks to all for the responses.

I used "light gaming" to mean playing mostly older games, and possibly a few newer games on low settings. Games like portal, walking dead, civilization III and IV, etc. No battlefield 3 multiplayer for my 60 year old dad.

Thinking about it further, I may be better off buying a GPU like the 6670 for $60 or so, if can save money on a CPU and Mobo (Mobo wouldn't need HDMI or SPDIF, and CPU won't need integrated graphics if the video card has them.



Yes, I did forget to list the memory. I figured I could just give him one or two of my four 4GB sticks of this Samsung RAM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820147096.


As far as a budget goes, I'm willing to spend upto ~ $325, but would like to do it a little more cheaply if I can find the right value.
I realize that he won't be needing a 3570K, but I want him to be blown away by how much faster his new PC is than his last one, so spending an extra $100 for a top notch processor is on the table. The reason I listed CPUs ranging from $90 - $200 is because I am willing to spend $200 on the 3570K if it is a better value than the others, even if it is overkill.


As for upgrading the Inspiron 560; I have planned on giving the 560 to my grandma, and starting a new build with the extra case, ssd, ram, psu, and windows 8 licence I have for my dad.


Teh i3-3225 looks great, but doesn't have hyper threading AFAIK. And I feel like it might be worth it to spend an extra $55 for the 2 extra cores and OC ability of the 3570k.

I was waiting for Haswell, but I don't want to wait until the summer.

 

[Cheepnis]

As of now, I am looking most closely at the i3-3225 ($135) paired with the gigabyte B75M-D3P ($75 AR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128556 total = $210

or the 3570k and that same mobo for $275.


Also, I could use some help pairing a good mobo to the 1045T or 5800K, and/or some $50-70 GPUs to go with a Sandy Bridge or even an Ivy Bridge build. I'm trying to examine all my options.

 

[Cheepnis]

Parts for Dad's build so far:

Case: Thermaltake V3 Black Edition (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133094)
PSU: 430W Corsair CX430 PSU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...9026&Tpk=cx430)
Boot Drive: 128 GB Plextor M5S SSD
RAM: 4 or 8 GB of low voltage Samsung RAM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...&SID=u00000687
OS: Windows 8 Pro
CPU: ?
Motherboard: ?

 

[Termie]

Just FYI, the i3-3225 does have hyperthreading - that's what separates it from the Pentiums and makes it a serious gaming contender. What it does not have is Turbo: http://ark.intel.com/products/65692/Intel-Core-i3-3225-Processor-3M-Cache-3_30-GHz

For most typical home uses and the games you listed, it will perform exactly like the 3570k for a lot less money. It's the SSD that will blow your dad away.

One other point - for the most part, the need for optical out has become a moot point if you're trying to integrate a rig into an AV system due to the availability of HDMI. Unless you have a specific need to split audio and video feeds, you should be ok with HDMI only. Furthermore, you won't find any video cards with optical out.

 

[lehtv]

I'd get

CPU - Celeron G1610 $50
Mobo - Biostar H77MU3 $60 AR
GPU - used 5770 off of eBay $50
SSD - Plextor M5S 128GB $95
RAM - two of your 4GB Samsungs $0
Case - Antec NSK-3000 mATX $20 AP (today only)
PSU - CX430 $35 AR
OS - Why Pro??? Just get regular Win8

= $310 AR AP

the need for optical out has become a mute point if you're trying to integrate a rig into an AV system due to the availability of HDMI

mute point... *chuckle*

 

[Termie]

I'd get

CPU - Celeron G1610 $50
Mobo - Biostar H77MU3 $60 AR
GPU - used 5770 off of eBay $50
SSD - Plextor M5S 128GB $95
RAM - two of your 4GB Samsungs $0
Case - Antec NSK-3000 mATX $20 AP (today only)
PSU - CX430 $35 AR
OS - Why Pro??? Just get regular Win8

= $310 AR AP

mute point... *chuckle*

Yup, typed that too fast.

On the other hand, you read the post too fast - he's already got the RAM, SSD, case, and PSU. I'm reading his budget as covering just the CPU and motherboard.

Touche!

 

[Cheepnis]

Good to hear that the i3-3225 does indeed have HT. I didn't see it listed in the specs so I assumed. Definitely leaning that way now that I found a 3225 for $65 less than the cheapest 3570k I could find.

The reason I want an optical out is He will be getting a cheap (~ $200-300) Surround Sound system eventually, and I assumed I would need the optical to get the best possible sound out of the PC (may buy a sound card in the future).



I already own that 128 GB Plextor M5S, a case ($20 AR), the CX430W 80+Bronze PSU ($16 AR), and an extra win 8 pro licence for $15 from windowsupgradeoffer. but i will check out the 5770.


thanks for the responses

 

[Insert_Nickname]

CPU - Celeron G1610 $50
Mobo - Biostar H77MU3 $60 AR
GPU - used 5770 off of eBay $50

Seems very reasonable. That should do nicely.

 

[Cheepnis]

definitely liking what I see of the 5770. Not exactly energy efficient, but seems like a monster for the price. Could have just won one on ebay for less than $50!

That Celeron for $50 does seem like a very good value, but I think I want to get something better. 4 cores or HT is what I'm thinking.


I may make my move tonight.
As of now I am leaning towards the i3-3225, B75M-D3P, and HD 5770 for ~$260

 

[Cheepnis]

Here are some LGA 1155 Motherboards that I am currently looking at:

- ASUS P8B75-M/CSM ($80) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...305&CatId=6976

- ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP ($90) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157302

- ECS Z77H2-A4 ($100) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...749&CatId=6976


For a Sandy build:

- ECS P67H2-A2 Black Deluxe Motherboard ($81) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...016&CatId=6978
This one says it has 2 External SATA III ports. What is an external SATA III port? Is it for an external drive?

- BIOSTAR TZ77A ($90 AR) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...504&CatId=6976

- ASRock B75 PRO3 ($85) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157314



Also, can someone help me understand the differences between the different audio codecs these motherboards have. alc 892 vs 887 vs 889?

 

[lehtv]

All of the LGA1155 boards you listed are overkill, you just don't need to pay more than $60-70 or so for a budget build board. What more do you need than basic connectivity, SATA 6gb/s, USB 3.0 and a couple of PCIe slots?

I don't see any need for four cores or threads either. None of web surfing, HD videos or light gaming requires more than two fast cores for perfect execution.

 

[Cheepnis]

All of the LGA1155 boards you listed are overkill, you just don't need to pay more than $60-70 or so for a budget build board. What more do you need than basic connectivity, SATA 6gb/s, USB 3.0 and a couple of PCIe slots?

I don't see any need for four cores or threads either. None of web surfing, HD videos or light gaming requires more than two fast cores for perfect execution.

Things I want in a motherboard:
- SATA III. at least 1, preferably 2.
- USB3.0 x2
- DDR3 1600
- Gb Lan
- PCIe x16 for HD 5770 or comparable card
- a good audio codec. He may need 7.1 surround sound, so I think I want alc892, 887, 889, or comparable chip http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/printpage/Audio-Codec-Comparison-Table/520
- S/PDIF (optical out). for best possible sound quality to surround sound
- I think I prefer ATX over mATX. The case has plenty of room for a full ATX, and I worry about not having enough space for some unforeseen future upgrade, or just having a cramped board in general.

Also, between the Mobo and GPU, I have to have HDMI, DVI, and VGA/RGB/Dsub.

I thgink thats pretty much it. I realize taht the boards I have selected are overkill, but I'd rather overbuy than underbuy when it comes to the motherboard. I'm sure you are right that I can save some money and still get everything I need, and I will continue looking.






WHy do I want 4 cores? I don't really know. Mostly for a little bit of future proofing. I just read a rumor the other day that the new xbox will have a CPU with 8 cores. That makes me think that more programs may start to better utilize multiple core CPUs, but I don't really know much about this stuff. Maybe he'll do some video editing or something like that. I figure that I might as well spend an extra $30 or so just to have it.

 

[lehtv]

Things I want in a motherboard:
- SATA III. at least 1, preferably 2.
- USB3.0 x2
- DDR3 1600
- Gb Lan
- PCIe x16 for HD 5770 or comparable card
- a good audio codec. He may need 7.1 surround sound, so I think I want alc892, 887, 889, or comparable chip http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/printpage/Audio-Codec-Comparison-Table/520
- S/PDIF (optical out). for best possible sound quality to surround sound
- I think I prefer ATX over mATX. The case has plenty of room for a full ATX, and I worry about not having enough space for some unforeseen future upgrade, or just having a cramped board in general.

Far as I know, even the absolute cheapest B75 boards have the first five on that list.

The audio codec on cheap boards like the Biostar H77MU3 is often ALC662 or other low end one but I have no experience or knowledge of how big the difference is compared to ALC892, for instance.

An Asrock H77M ($70) would cover everything, including S/PDIF. I think the number of expansion slots is a non-issue, you'll probably never add any device besides the GPU.

Mostly for a little bit of future proofing. I just read a rumor the other day that the new xbox will have a CPU with 8 cores. That makes me think that more programs may start to better utilize multiple core CPUs, but I don't really know much about this stuff. Maybe he'll do some video editing or something like that. I figure that I might as well spend an extra $30 or so just to have it.

Well the i3 is an extra $70 over a G1610. I would rather save that for now. If the need arises to use the PC for something that is CPU intensive and benefits from multiple threads, and you find the current CPU is not fast enough, then you can upgrade to a used i3 or i5. Takes 10 mins to swap the CPUs and reinstall the heat sink.

 

[Cheepnis]

that motherboard looks perfect for what I need. Thank you for taking the time to help me save $20.
ASRock H77M http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157303

As for the CPU, I just want to go up a level above the G1610. It might not be the best bang for my buck, but its mostly a gift, so I'll pay a little extra to make it a little more badass.

I'm zeroing in now, I think. I like the i3 3220 for $100 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...AxkObrIK3QyIPA

This CPU is a 3.3 GHz Ivy so it should be fast as hell (passmark score of 42XX). It has only HD2500 gfx, but I wont be needing HD4000 since I will buy a used 5770.
An extra $50 seems worth it to me.


Adding $60 for an HD 5770 brings my total to ~ $230


Other Questions:
WHat are the major differences between this 3220 and the 3570?
2 cores with HT vs 4 core with no HT, and a 100 MHz edge? What kind of performance difference is there between them?

Any other GPU recs would also be appreciated.

 

[Torn Mind]

BIOSTAR TZ77B has a nice offer from Newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813138352

It comes with a free 8 gigs of RAM. Since 8 gigs of RAM is about 40 bucks minimum, you're getting more for the same money spent on a budget motherboard+RAM.

I have just gotten a i5 Dell E6320, and the processor inside is basically a slower desktop Sandy Bridge i3 with Turbo Boost. Combined with a older, slower than modern SSD Intel X-25M, the thing absolutely flies basic navigating through Windows and web browsing (but I've only had a day with it). Since you will be using a discrete GPU, I would suggest just getting the i3-3220 instead of the 3225.

 

[Torn Mind]

This CPU is a 3.3 GHz Ivy so it should be fast as hell (passmark score of 42XX). It has only HD2500 gfx, but I wont be needing HD4000 since I will buy a used 5770.
An extra $50 seems worth it to me.


Adding $60 for an HD 5770 brings my total to ~ $230


Other Questions:
WHat are the major differences between this 3220 and the 3570?
2 cores with HT vs 4 core with no HT, and a 100 MHz edge? What kind of performance difference is there between them?

Any other GPU recs would also be appreciated.

http://ark.intel.com/compare/65693,65702,65520
Passmark is not the only benchmark out there. www.anandtech.com/Bench has some too.

 

[Cheepnis]

BIOSTAR TZ77B has a nice offer from Newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813138352

It comes with a free 8 gigs of RAM. Since 8 gigs of RAM is about 40 bucks minimum, you're getting more for the same money spent on a budget motherboard+RAM.

I have just gotten a i5 Dell E6320, and the processor inside is basically a slower desktop Sandy Bridge i3 with Turbo Boost. Combined with a older, slower than modern SSD Intel X-25M, the thing absolutely flies basic navigating through Windows and web browsing (but I've only had a day with it). Since you will be using a discrete GPU, I would suggest just getting the i3-3220 instead of the 3225.

Thank you for the Mobo rec. Looks to be as good as the ASRock H77M ($70) with 8GB of decent, low profile RAm. Plus it is ATX form factor, which I think I prefer. I may go with that one, but I already have 16GB of RAM in my PC (lol, I know) so I can definitely spare a couple sticks from my rig. Is Z77 better than H77? If not, I may just go with the cheaper H77 without the RAM. (I want to spend more money; sell me on the Z77) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157303

I'm glad you mentioned the 3220, because that is the processor that I have been thinking most closely about buying in the past few hours.

 

[Cheepnis]

http://ark.intel.com/compare/65693,65702,65520
Passmark is not the only benchmark out there. www.anandtech.com/Bench has some too.

Thats exactly what I'm looking for. I'll be comparing CPUs for the next hour

 

[Cheepnis]

What do you guys think of this Sapphire AMD ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 GB GDDR5 SDRAM PCI-E video card http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...akeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en on ebay that ends in 15 minutes?

should I bid $58 for this thing?

EDIT: Upon closer inspection, it seems that the HD 5770 has 2xDVI, HDMI, and even DisplayPort... but it has no VGA. That's a problem because his main monitor only has a VGA/RGB/Dsub connection.

so, if I get a GPU it must have:
- VGA for main monitor
- HDMI for HDTV
- DVI for a better monitor that will be purchased at a later date.