Thinking of getting E2xxx or Q6600 for new build

[alimoalem]

Hey guys. 1st post in the CPU forum

We're upgrading our family PC after over 5 years. We're looking into spending ~$600 for the computer (including PSU + case), ~$200 for the LCD monitor.

I can't find any numbers with the E2xxx series being overclocked or with them benched against more expensive cards (like the Q6600, E6xxx, E4xxx).

Should I go with a Q6600 now, or go with an E2xxx now, and upgrade in a year?

Also, is it worth the extra few bucks getting an E2200 over an E2160?

The computer will be used for general office use, but will probably be in use for ~5 years.


Thanks ATers

 

[Denithor]

Hate to say it but you must not have looked very hard for a comparison.

Here you go: Tom's Hardware compares overclocked e2160 to e6750 and e6850.

Personally I would get the e2180 ($75 from ClubIT with a free copy of Lost Planet) because of the 10x multiplier. Combine this with an abit IP35-E or a Gigabyte P35-DS3L and 2x1GB DDR2-800 and you should hit 3GHz without much effort.

If necessary, in about a year upgrade to a Q9450 and your family PC will become a rocketship with enough power for many more years (to tell the truth, e2x00 at 3GHz is more than enough for general use).

And if you throw in an 8800GS ($110 after MIR at newegg) you/your kids will be able to play most games out there as well.

 

[SpeedEng66]

for a family pc and cost is a factor
just stick with a dual core..

and upgrade later when it's out of date
just make sure your mb is going to compatible with 45nm

 

[Capt Caveman]

For the money, you can pick-up a E2180, 2gb of DDR2 and an Abit IP35-E mobo for the cost of a Q6600 alone.

 

[hnzw rui]

Yep. Go with a Pentium Dual-Core E2000, overclock it to 3.0GHz and by the time it becomes too slow for you, it'll probably be time to build/get a new PC. The family uses an AMD Sempron 3200+ at stock 1.80GHz and kept clean, it's more than zippy enough for everyday tasks (net surfing, email, homework, listening to music, occasional movie watching). Most practical overclocks for any of the E2000 series tops at 3.0~3.2 GHz so it wouldn't really matter if you get the E2200 or E2160. You might want to get the E2180 for the extra multiplier (10x vs 9x) just so it's there when you need it.

If I were you, the money saved from going E2000 instead of a Q6600 (assuming there's any) will be better spent on a nicer monitor. That one has instant gratification factor.

Hmm, does that $600 cover the cost of the operating system, too? What about hard drives and optical drives?

Antec NSK4480B w/380W PSU - $70 (newegg)
Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2180 - $75 (clubit)
Abit IP35-E - $90 ($60 after MIR, newegg)
2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800 SDRAM - $50 (average)
EVGA GeForce 8800GS - $140 ($110 after MIR, newegg)
Seagate 250GB SATA - $60 (newegg)
Samsung SH-S203N DVD Burner SATA - $30 (newegg)
Microsoft Windows XP Home OEM - $90 (newegg)
Total: $605 ($545 after MIR)

Above quote is assuming old keyboard and mouse will be recycled. You can recycle your old hard drive(s) and optical drive(s), too.

 

[Markfw]

I agree with hnzw rui, looks like a good build. For office use, you will never use a quad (in the forseeable future)

 

[v8envy]

A general office PC doesn't need a firebreathing GPU. Which also lowers the requirements for a nice airflow case and PSU.

The E2160 chips seem to have better VIDs than all the other E2XXX chips. I wouldn't pay extra for one, but given the choice of E2200, E2180 and E2160 I'd go for the E2160 when the intent is overclocking. E2200 for stock.

Have you considered AMD? An AMD AM2 with a 780G motherboard can save you a ton of cash when the goal is a general use PC. 3800 x2 for $50 including cooler, $70 780G mboard and you're in business. That'll play back HD content and be plenty zippy for everyday tasks. A low end core2 rig can be overclocked to match a higher end gaming PC -- but do you need that? In a year or two the $ you save by going basic today will buy you a much more powerful upgrade than even a high end box today.

Buy for today's needs and upgrade for the future IN the future.

 

[Twista]

Get the E2160 and overclock it alittle. 2.6ghz should be enough

 

[lopri]

Once overclocked E2160 performs admirably. And they overclock very well.

 

[Burrich]

Originally posted by: Denithor
Hate to say it but you must not have looked very hard for a comparison.

Here you go: Tom's Hardware compares overclocked e2160 to e6750 and e6850.

Personally I would get the e2180 ($75 from ClubIT with a free copy of Lost Planet) because of the 10x multiplier. Combine this with an abit IP35-E or a Gigabyte P35-DS3L and 2x1GB DDR2-800 and you should hit 3GHz without much effort.

If necessary, in about a year upgrade to a Q9450 and your family PC will become a rocketship with enough power for many more years (to tell the truth, e2x00 at 3GHz is more than enough for general use).

And if you throw in an 8800GS ($110 after MIR at newegg) you/your kids will be able to play most games out there as well.

LOL - that's what I bought last Friday. 2180 + IP35-E + 8800GS + 2x1GB G.Skill 800Mhz

 

[ther00kie16]

Depending on your needs, it could be a lot cheaper to go with integrated graphics. All of the current generation of integrated graphics do a good job with HD material. If you are going with intel and can wait until may or june, you can get yourself a g45 mb. Otherwise, the AMD 780g and nVidia 8200 are also good boards. AMD and nVidia also support hybrid crossfire/sli and up to 4 displays when adding a matched dedicated graphics card, though it doesn't sound as if you'd need that many.
I built a htpc last october with amd 690g and x2 4000 for $310. I have it matched with a 24" lcd and wireless desktop from black friday Everything cost $600 actually.
hnzw rui is right, a better monitor is very satisfying. I went from a 4year old 17" lcd to a 24" lcd and the difference is just stunning.

 

[cpemma]

For a budget machine the E2180 with DDR2-667 is sweet, the slight extra over the E2160 is saved on the cheaper memory (lower FSB with 10x multiplier). A problem sometimes found with integrated graphics is that it limits overclocking; may be better with a budget card.

 

[Roy2001]

Originally posted by: Denithor
Hate to say it but you must not have looked very hard for a comparison.

Here you go: Tom's Hardware compares overclocked e2160 to e6750 and e6850.

Personally I would get the e2180 ($75 from ClubIT with a free copy of Lost Planet) because of the 10x multiplier. Combine this with an abit IP35-E or a Gigabyte P35-DS3L and 2x1GB DDR2-800 and you should hit 3GHz without much effort.

If necessary, in about a year upgrade to a Q9450 and your family PC will become a rocketship with enough power for many more years (to tell the truth, e2x00 at 3GHz is more than enough for general use).

And if you throw in an 8800GS ($110 after MIR at newegg) you/your kids will be able to play most games out there as well.

I agree with you. E2180 or maybe a E4500, IP35-E, Crucial 2x1GB. Then within your budget you can get a 8800GT. If not, I would say, move money to get a 24" monitor.

 

[hnzw rui]

Oh, I thought there was mention of gaming. If not, then it's kinda pointless to spend $140 on a graphics card. P35 boards don't have integrated graphics so you have no choice but to get a discrete graphics card if you go with that. The HD 3450 can be had for $50.

My cheap-ass mobo w/Intel 945 chipset has absolutely no overclocking options so just be selective with the motherboard you choose.

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: hnzw rui
Yep. Go with a Pentium Dual-Core E2000, overclock it to 3.0GHz and by the time it becomes too slow for you, it'll probably be time to build/get a new PC. The family uses an AMD Sempron 3200+ at stock 1.80GHz and kept clean, it's more than zippy enough for everyday tasks (net surfing, email, homework, listening to music, occasional movie watching). Most practical overclocks for any of the E2000 series tops at 3.0~3.2 GHz so it wouldn't really matter if you get the E2200 or E2160. You might want to get the E2180 for the extra multiplier (10x vs 9x) just so it's there when you need it.

If I were you, the money saved from going E2000 instead of a Q6600 (assuming there's any) will be better spent on a nicer monitor. That one has instant gratification factor.

Hmm, does that $600 cover the cost of the operating system, too? What about hard drives and optical drives?

Antec NSK4480B w/380W PSU - $70 (newegg)
Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2180 - $75 (clubit)
Abit IP35-E - $90 ($60 after MIR, newegg)
2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800 SDRAM - $50 (average)
EVGA GeForce 8800GS - $140 ($110 after MIR, newegg)
Seagate 250GB SATA - $60 (newegg)
Samsung SH-S203N DVD Burner SATA - $30 (newegg)
Microsoft Windows XP Home OEM - $90 (newegg)
Total: $605 ($545 after MIR)

Above quote is assuming old keyboard and mouse will be recycled. You can recycle your old hard drive(s) and optical drive(s), too.

I like the thought, but $70 seems a little excessive for a 380w psu, even a high quality one. also, I checked a few hours ago and the ip35-e rebate is gone. you can get a nice intel-based chipset with integrated graphics for ~ $60 with no rebate, however.

 

[Markfw]

I think the $70 is CASE w/PSU if I read that correctly....

 

[hnzw rui]

Yep, the $70 is for case and power supply. Pretty good price point considering the included PSU is relatively decent. Granted, the case isn't much to look at, but hey, it'll probably be hidden underneath a desk or something...

 

[nyker96]

I'm sitting writing this on a E2140 M0, here's the setup:
E2140 @3.1Ghz ($75, retail version)
4x1GB DDR800 RAM ($50AR)
Abit IP35-E board $(75AR at newegg)
Arctic Freezer Pro 7 ($25)
500 GB HD ($100)
simple case - $25AR
Antec EW 500 ($50AR)
DVD wroter ($30)
BFG g-card ($15AR)
2x120mm fans ($20)
====
I think it's like under $500, runs pretty fast. If you need play some games can replace that g-card with 9600GT like $130 or so AR. total about 600. should be a killer in games with that card.

 

[Rhonda the Sly]

If it's only going to be used for office use the E1200 might suit you.

 

[alimoalem]

The parts list I've made up is similar to hnzw rui's and nyker96's. Here's what I'm thinking so far.

MB:Abit IP35-E for $90.
CPU: E2160 or E2200, at $70 or $85, respectively. Depends on E2160 availability.
RAM: Crucial Ballistix 2x1GB DDR2-800 - $65...$30AR or G.SKILL DDR2-800 2x1gb -$35.
GPU: I saw this deal and while it performs much better than an 8600GT/GTS, according to this AT review, it looks like the 8600GTS is better at HD stuff. I just have a question...when do you do HD decoding? Each time you watch the movie or just once? Also, I'm now considering the Radeon HD 3450.
HDD: I'm thinking of going with a samsung for decent performance and excellent thermal and acoustic performance. Either the 320GB T166 or 250GB HD250HJ (they're ~$70 shipped).
Optical: recycle from last build.
OS: Already have it.

Case + PSU: I was thinking Sonata III maybe just because it comes with a good 500w psu. If someone could recommend a good case for ~$50 or less, I think it'd open up my options. Or other case + psu combos. I think $100 total for the two would be good.

As for the keyboard & mouse, I'm thinking logitech lx 710 or mx 3200. The local Office Max had both for $60. I might be able to find them for $50.

With the E2200 + Abit IP35-E + G.SKILL RAM + $70 Samsung HDD + $100 Case/PSU + $50 KB/Mouse, I'm at $430. If I spend $70 on GPU, I have $100 left to add to the monitor.


Could anyone recommend a good Case and PSU? Are there any parts I should reconsider? Is there anything wrong with the NZXT Lexa Blackline case? What do you think of me going with an HD 3450HD 3450 for $40 ($30AR)? Would the 8800GTS be the best card to get if I wanted to make this into a gaming rig?

 

[lopri]

Everytime you watch Blu-Ray or Quicktime HD, etc. your CPU and GPU need to decode the files to pixels. I would advise against 8600 GT or HD 2600 at this point because there are better options. (like you mentioned, HD 3000 series or G92/G94 variants)

 

[VivienM]

Originally posted by: hnzw rui
Antec NSK4480B w/380W PSU - $70 (newegg)

How long is the 8800GS? I just built a rig with an NSK4480B, and I'm pretty sure my 8800GT wouldn't fit. If the GS is anything close to the same size, this could be a problem...