pls help with ~ $500 upgrade (CPU+MOBO+RAM)

[Kyanzes]

Basically I want the best bang for the buck. What combination of CPU, mobo and RAM would you suggest? Please don't recommend saving the money, I need a new setup.

My current config is visible in my sig.

Consider my comp a gaming platform as the work I do on it isn't terribly affected by its overall performance.

Again, the mobo, RAM and CPU all have to go since I'm going to give them to a relative.

Thanks!

 

[Arkaign]

For now, I'd have to say the new 1156-based setup is the way to go. $500 should get you a really good combo. You could also go PhII, but if you do, get an actual AM3 board w/DDR3, I think the AM2+ is probably about at the limit in terms of support for future CPU. Read AT's new review, the 1156 cpus are an amazing value. If you do go PhII, perhaps get a 720BE and OC the bejeezus out of it, with a potential unlock. With the 1156 quads being so good and well-priced, I think AMD will have to lower the 955/965BE pricing.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Is your 8500 overclocked?

EDIT: If you're gaming I'd recommend the next Gen GPU as it's right around the corner & overclock that CPU - with DDR2 800, you should get a comfortable 3.8Ghz OC

 

[Arkaign]

BTRY ... indeed, but in the OP he states that he's giving his current mobo/ram/cpu away to a relative. Since he needs new, I think 1156 i5/i7 makes the most sense with that budget range.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Opps... yes, thank you.

I'd wait on jumping on a 1156 if you are an overclocker pushing for more fps... from what the article says on the front page, everything is GREAT about the i5's & i7 8xx's but what concerns me as an overclocker is the PCIe on-die controller and how it hinders the OCer's goal. Early vcore is needed in the oc experience so this i would guess translates into more heat and its effects on the overall 24/7 Ghz goal.

 

[Lemon law]

Our OP says, "Basically I want the best bang for the buck."

And I say that is almost mutually exclusive by always chasing the top. Just look at the pricing of the current i5, i7 cpu's. $200 for an i5, $300 for the non fastest i7, and damn near double that for the slightly faster i7 at $570. Two or three months from now, that $570 i7 will not be the top and will drop in price. And our OP will at the minimum upgrade to the faster new most expensive cpu. Meanwhile some new faster GPU will come out and the games that need the both to keep up, and dare we hope, a new mobo and memory will be needed too. Such folks never have to worry about dust build up, they swap things out too quickly.

Well, someone needs to keep AMD and Intel funded, while my wimpy cpu has downclocked itself to less than half speed as I post this message.

 

[exar333]

1156/P55 build.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Best Bang for the buck goes to AMD's GPUs

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Good values:

Core i5 750
Phenom 955
Phenom 945
Phenom 720

I don't see any reason for you to stick with LGA775. Make the jump to Core i5 750. The AMD offerings are attractive as they offer multicores at good prices, and I think you should move up from dual core.

 

[Kyanzes]

Lemon, $500 is not that much to spend on a hobby comp. Once a friend told me that I spent too much on comp parts. Then I pointed out that I don't go on expensive vacations as he does, I don't own a $10k motorbike like he does and I certainly don't spend $200 on shirts like he does.

Besides, as I wrote, I'm going to give my current RAM, CPU and mobo to a relative so I need replacement soon.

Well, I have zero debt since I never buy anything on a loan. Please allow me to decide how I see fit to spend my money.

I really feel offended by posts like this.

 

[Beanie46]

Originally posted by: BTRY B 529th FA BN
Opps... yes, thank you.

I'd wait on jumping on a 1156 if you are an overclocker pushing for more fps... from what the article says on the front page, everything is GREAT about the i5's & i7 8xx's but what concerns me as an overclocker is the PCIe on-die controller and how it hinders the OCer's goal. Early vcore is needed in the oc experience so this i would guess translates into more heat and its effects on the overall 24/7 Ghz goal.

Core i5 750 @ 4.5GHz @ 1.36V, on air, run today.


And with current processor pricing, AMD is coming up shorter and shorter.

i7 750 cpu......$180

i7 860 cpu......$230

x4 965 cpu.....$230


Given that the 965 is only competitive with the 750 for the most part, the $50 premium you'll pay for the 965 is not worth it. Moving back to the 955, at $188, just puts you even further behind the curve.

AMD's got to some major price drops now, just at a time they can least afford to do so. Sad, really.

 

[nyker96]

the most bang for buck if you OC is of course P55 board + i5 750 + nice cooler.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Originally posted by: Beanie46

Originally posted by: BTRY B 529th FA BN
Opps... yes, thank you.

I'd wait on jumping on a 1156 if you are an overclocker pushing for more fps... from what the article says on the front page, everything is GREAT about the i5's & i7 8xx's but what concerns me as an overclocker is the PCIe on-die controller and how it hinders the OCer's goal. Early vcore is needed in the oc experience so this i would guess translates into more heat and its effects on the overall 24/7 Ghz goal.

Core i5 750 @ 4.5GHz @ 1.36V, on air, run today.

No offense but you can post a SS like that even if your system is not 24/7 stable but none the less 1.36v is impressive. What is missing in the OP's post in the XS forums, is a mention of completed stability runs. So OP take precaution and see what the majority of results are on your particular CPU choice if you are shooting for high overclocks.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Originally posted by: Beanie46

Originally posted by: BTRY B 529th FA BN
Opps... yes, thank you.

I'd wait on jumping on a 1156 if you are an overclocker pushing for more fps... from what the article says on the front page, everything is GREAT about the i5's & i7 8xx's but what concerns me as an overclocker is the PCIe on-die controller and how it hinders the OCer's goal. Early vcore is needed in the oc experience so this i would guess translates into more heat and its effects on the overall 24/7 Ghz goal.

Core i5 750 @ 4.5GHz @ 1.36V, on air, run today.


And with current processor pricing, AMD is coming up shorter and shorter.

i7 750 cpu......$180

i7 860 cpu......$230

x4 965 cpu.....$230


Given that the 965 is only competitive with the 750 for the most part, the $50 premium you'll pay for the 965 is not worth it. Moving back to the 955, at $188, just puts you even further behind the curve.

AMD's got to some major price drops now, just at a time they can least afford to do so. Sad, really.

Major price drops aren't entirely necessary. It is still possible to build a Phenom 955 platform for less than an i5 750 simply because 1) one could use cheaper DDR2 RAM and 2) there are cheaper AMD boards available than P55 boards.

I do agree the PhII 965 should now not even be a consideration. But I don't get your statement "Moving back to the 955, at $188, just puts you even further behind the curve." If you just meant behind the curve in strictly a performance sense, then yes I get it. But considering the PhII 955 is much cheaper than the 965, it has a much better price/performance ratio and would thus not put it even further behind the price/performance curve than where the 965 currently sits.

 

[s44]

Originally posted by: Beanie46

And with current processor pricing, AMD is coming up shorter and shorter.

i7 750 cpu......$180

i7 860 cpu......$230

x4 965 cpu.....$230

You're listing temporary below-cost prices for the 750/860. Good time to grab one, but doesn't reflect on long-term anything.

Remember, you could get a 955 *and motherboard* a month ago for <$215.

 

[a123456]

How soon do you need the computer and do you have access to a Microcenter?

If you do have a Microcenter, you can even get an X58 + i7 920 to fit in that budget (200 cpu + 180 mobo + 120 ram).

Using Newegg prices, the i7 750 will do pretty much the same at gaming at (210 cpu + 140 mobo + 80 ram). Look for better deals in the coming weeks once demand tapers off.

Even cheaper would be the AMD x4 955 setup with (258 cpu and mobo combo + 50 ram).

If all you're doing is gaming meaning you don't care about video encoding, etc., any of the setups would work. Money saved could be used towards a better video card since most games are GPU limited.

 

[Kyanzes]

Thanks for your inputs guys. Btw I don't overclock. Will probably go with an i7 860. Maybe a 920/940. I will think about it.

 

[v8envy]

If you don't overclock then it's a no-brainer. An $88 after rebate socket 1156 board plus the $230 i7 860 has no competition for enthusiast performance on a budget.

If you can be talked into 30%+ overclocking, the 955 BE and i7 920 are both excellent products at their respective price points ($188 and $280).

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Originally posted by: v8envy
If you don't overclock then it's a no-brainer. An $88 after rebate socket 1156 board plus the $230 i7 860 has no competition for enthusiast performance on a budget.

If you can be talked into 30%+ overclocking, the 955 BE and i7 920 are both excellent products at their respective price points ($188 and $280).

this

 

[Kyanzes]

Okay. Thanks guys. I bought a W3540 and a P6T WS Pro.

 

[Arkaign]

That's a sweet setup. Looking at your sig, save up next for 3x2GB DDR3 PC16000 with a low latency.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231272

^^ 6GB set, 6-7-6-18 latency.

As you list gaming as a priority, 4GB of ram or more is rapidly becoming the standard so as to reduce hitching and so on. Going forward, games will only get more ram intensive, other than the obvious Xbox360 ports.

 

[a123456]

Originally posted by: Kyanzes
Okay. Thanks guys. I bought a W3540 and a P6T WS Pro.

Um, congrats? It seems a little over your initial budget, though.

 

[Kyanzes]

I'll definitely buy more RAM in a few days.

Well, the CPU, RAM and MOBO cost me about $850. Yeah, it's over the budget for sure, then again I really wanted a nice setup and the W3540 was highly recommended by various reviews.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I would of went with a different board. I kept seeing issues with that P6T WS...