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WoW/iTunes/Movie computer

GoStumpy

GoStumpy

Golden Member
1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

itunes library, light gaming (WoW, no skyrim), watching movies.

He currently has a Radeon X1650 video card and would like higher settings in WoW.
2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread

Must be UNDER $850 before tax & shipping ($1000 including tax(12%)/shipping(~$50))

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

Canada, from Newegg.ca or NCIX.ca only

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.

No bias, prefer ATI video cards, wondering if I can get a better system using AMD processors for such light requirements

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

Keyboard/Mouse, need the Tower & Monitor

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.

I'm always reading threads 🙂


7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

No overclocking.

8. What resolution YOU plan on gaming with.

1680x1050 on an Acer AL2223W

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?

Within a week

10. Don't ask for a build configuration critique or rating if you are thin skinned.

Duh.

Here is what I've come up with intel-wise:

Thermaltake V3 Black Edition $39.99 after MIR
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16811133094

Corsair CX430V2 PSU $39.99 after MIR
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16817139026

Biostar H61MGC Motherboard $44.99 after MIR
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16813138332

Intel i3-2100 CPU $129.99
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16819115078

Patriot Signature 8GB DDR3-1600 $42 Free Shipping
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220570

 Powercolor AX6850 1GB DDR5 $129.99 after MIR
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814131374

OCZ Solid 3 120GB SSD $169.99 after MIR
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227729

WD15EARS 1.5TB 5400RPM HDD $99.99 (Storage)
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16822136935

Samsung DVD Burner $19.99
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16827151233

Windows 7 Home Premium OEM $109.99
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16832116986

Koutech 5-in-1 Card Reader $7.50
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820162024

Total = $834.41

Thoughts?
 
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Wait, you're building a PC again? Didn't you just build one for yourself and another for your friend?
 
lehtv said:
Wait, you're building a PC again? Didn't you just build one for yourself and another for your friend?
Click to expand...

Yep! Apparently a lot of people want new computers 'round here 🙂 Either that, or I'm a popular guy! :colbert: (I also built one for a co-worker, the Lian-Li) (I'm also building a HTPC)

Talked to him briefly this morning, he currently has a 22" Acer Monitor with 1680x1050 resolution (may work for now, he's thinking of upgrading) and a Radeon X1650 video card.
 
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I think Bulldozer would be a poor choice given your associate's needs. The i3 will give better single-threaded performance using a fraction of the power. WoW, the only game he plays, prefers a fast dual core (and Intel architectures) over a slow quad like BD.

When Oynaz's suggested an AMD APU, I assume he meant Llano, which would allow you to forego a video card and save some money.

IMO, however, an i3 and a mid-range video card would offer significantly better performance within your budget.

Also, although you missed most of the good Black Friday deals, if you check NCIX's weekly sale, you'll save a few dollars here and there... like that Powercolor 6850 for $109 AR, and Win7 HP for $99.

Many Canadian shoppers also use NCIX's pricematch functionality to get the absolute lowest prices. I'd guess you could shave off $50 to $100 if you're willing to spend the time doing that.
 
Thanks for the advice!

Just want to check though, the AMD CPU is 3.6ghz (3.8ghz turbo) and the i3-2100 is 3.1ghz always... Wouldn't the AMD CPU be faster? And what *if* I was to give him a slightly overclocked system?
 
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You mustn't have been following the Bulldozer (Zambezi) debacle... its single core performance is abysmal. It would need to run at ~4.5GHz (maybe more) to equal the single-core performance of an i3 2100 at 3.1.
 
That settles that, then!

i3-2100 is a beast of a chip for 99% of things, so I'm sure it is more than enough for WoW and an itunes library 😉

One thing he mentioned is he will want a second display, so there will be two 1680x1050 displays. I'm assuming to WoW on one and have internet/itunes on the other. Does this raise my GPU needs at all?

I'm thinking a 6850 is plenty for him?
 
A 6850 would be more than adequate. Any video card will support multiple displays. Difficulty only arises when you want to game on more than one of them at a time.
 
AMD has pretty much abandoned the non-extreme budget desktop space, which actually makes a lot of business sense. Their APUs are great for laptops (laptops are over 50% of sales by volume) and Bulldozer is good for servers (huge margins). They're probably figuring that they've got both ends of the spectrum covered, so why bother with the relatively low volume and low margin desktop market?

Anyway, I agree totally with birthdaymonkey on the parts suggestions. Intel is just plain better and lower power consumption than AMD in the midrange.
 
OK! So, tomorrow I will get the green light (and the $1000 budget) to go ahead and order the parts for his new computer!

He wants the best possible computer for the $$$.

I'm thinking a HD6790 will be enough for his needs, so that I can include a SSD drive for him. The main complaint he has right now is load times, and just overall slowness of his system.

I would like to give him at least 1TB of storage, with HDD prices right now thats not easy, but with a WD Green 1.5TB recertified drive for $99.99, I think that is the route I'll go.
 
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Build I figure at this moment:

Thermaltake V3 Black $45
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16811133094

Corsair CX430V2 $50
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16817139026

Gigabyte GA-H61M $70
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128524
Intel i3-2100 3.1ghz $130
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16819115078

G.Skill Ripjaws 8GG DDR3-1333 $30 (shellshocker)
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16820231426

XFX Radeon HD6790 1GB $130
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814150564

OCZ Vertex Plus 120GB SSD $145
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16820227739

WD Green 1.5TB HDD (Recertified) $100
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16822136935

Samsung DVD Burner $20
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16827151233

5.25" Card Reader/USB Panel $25
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820132021

Windows 7 Home Premium OEM $110
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16832116986

Total: $8999 + Tax/Shipping = $1007

Rebates are not part of the prices, since that is how I am paying myself for building these computers. So parts with rebates are a bonus for me 🙂

-edit to include-

Doesn't it suck when you plan for too long and realize that all of those MIR's expire... tonight? lol. Oh well may have to make some changes tomorrow!
 
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Hmm, $8999 + tax/shipping somehow ends up at $1007? Canada must be an awesome place with negative sales tax! :awe:

As for the build, I have a few comments:
- NCIX has a 6850 for $120 AR
- The Vertex Plus is pretty much one of the slowest SSDs out there. It is fundamentally the same drive that was released in 2009. There is no reason to get one when a 90GB SF-2281 drive can be had for $150.
 
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