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That's an i5-2300, not an i3. Typo I guess.
For the purposes of the computer, an H61 motherboard is fine:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130587
Drivers should be on AMD's site. Just look for the workstation drivers. Note that installing the FirePro drivers on a Radeon is kind of a hack solution that involves a little bit of effort because it's obviously not officially supported. I think you can find tutorials online for that.
For compatibility reasons, it may be better to just go with the real deal. But on that budget, this seems like a waste of money.
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Sorry if this is a dumb question but will a mATX board fit into an ATX case. Thats all I really need to know before I make my purchase because I might be able to borrow an extra case from a friend which will save me money.
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On March 09 2011 10:30 lerker999 wrote:
Sorry if this is a dumb question but will a mATX board fit into an ATX case. Thats all I really need to know before I make my purchase because I might be able to borrow an extra case from a friend which will save me money.
Yes.
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Just wanted to let people know who are looking for an i5 2500k that microcenter has it for $180.00 in store pickup right now.
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589
They had it for this price back in January but it was recently up to $200.00. The $180 price is the best I've seen it in the last couple weeks.
You have to add it to your cart to see the price.
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pc died, posting with ps3. be kind
(already have mobo - MSI P67A-C45)
Antec Three Hundred Midi Tower
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
Crucial DDR3 1333MHz 4GB KIT, CL9, Kit w/two matched DDR3 2GB
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 560Ti 1GB "OC Version"
Intel Core™ i5 Quad Processor i5-2500K
Samsung SpinPoint F3 1TB
ill probably do some overclocking of pcu/gpu
-psu? currently choosing between corsair CX 600W and TX V2 650W
-Is "value" ram any good or just bs?
-Is that case too outdated? will i need extra fans?
-also looking for an ssd
all help appreciated!
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TX V2 650W is considerably better than the CX 600W. The CX 600W should have decent performance (but the TX V2 has very good performance), but the parts are cheaper and likely to fail sooner.
That said, your setup isn't going to draw 400W even if you overclock heavily. If you want to get a good value, there's often something better for the price than the CX 600W or TX V2 650W, especially considering that you definitely don't need that much wattage. There are also alternatives that are even better performing than the TX V2. What are your options where you are buying from?
If non-"value" RAM is more expensive than value RAM, it's the non-value RAM that's generally BS (see here, for example).
Antec 300 is outdated, so it lacks things like motherboard tray cutouts for cable routing and the backplate hole. But it's still not a bad option. It's definitely not going to need more fans for that setup. Antec 100 is mostly the same thing but with the modern features included. There are also obviously lots of cases by others as well.
Current best value for SSDs at most capacities is probably still the first-gen SandForce drives, e.g. Corsair Force, G.Skill Phoenix Pro, OCZ Vertex 2 and Agility 2. Crucial RealSSD C300 is also good, as is the Intel X25-M G2 and 510 series. The 510 series is the latest and greatest, but you may not like the price. Also, the second-gen SandForce drives are faster and should be out before too long.
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I want a p67 motherboard with SLI/CF capabilities. Which one do you guys suggest that is the lowest price that is not missing too much functionality ? ty
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On March 09 2011 12:28 bonedOUT wrote:
I want a p67 motherboard with SLI/CF capabilities. Which one do you guys suggest that is the lowest price that is not missing too much functionality ? ty
The Asrock Extreme4 or MSI GD53 would probably be the cheapest options. Both are around $160.
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On March 09 2011 12:32 skyR wrote:Show nested quote +On March 09 2011 12:28 bonedOUT wrote:
I want a p67 motherboard with SLI/CF capabilities. Which one do you guys suggest that is the lowest price that is not missing too much functionality ? ty The Asrock Extreme4 or MSI GD53 would probably be the cheapest options. Both are around $160.
I found an ASUS P8P67-m Pro for $150. Would I run into any problems with this micro atx board? Like if my GPU is too large or something like that? I have no experience with motherboards and whether micro atx matters or not
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The only problem with mATX is that when you are doing SLI / Crossfire, it'll block out all other expansion slots so you will have no room for sound cards or other cards you may wish to possibly add in the future. And the second card may also block some of the connectors located at the bottom of the motherboard.
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Furthermore, mATX motherboards that have two x16 PCI-E slots have them 2 slots apart. Many ATX motherboards that support SLI / Crossfire have the them 3 slots apart. If you are doing SLI / Crossfire with video cards that are 2 slots wide, then one card would be severely restricting the intake of the other. Temperatures may actually be a concern in this scenario with two hot graphics cards right up against each other. The situation is not quite as bad with an extra slot of room between them, or otherwise with good airflow around that area.
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On March 09 2011 12:19 Myrmidon wrote:TX V2 650W is considerably better than the CX 600W. The CX 600W should have decent performance (but the TX V2 has very good performance), but the parts are cheaper and likely to fail sooner. That said, your setup isn't going to draw 400W even if you overclock heavily. If you want to get a good value, there's often something better for the price than the CX 600W or TX V2 650W, especially considering that you definitely don't need that much wattage. There are also alternatives that are even better performing than the TX V2. What are your options where you are buying from? If non-"value" RAM is more expensive than value RAM, it's the non-value RAM that's generally BS ( see here, for example). Antec 300 is outdated, so it lacks things like motherboard tray cutouts for cable routing and the backplate hole. But it's still not a bad option. It's definitely not going to need more fans for that setup. Antec 100 is mostly the same thing but with the modern features included. There are also obviously lots of cases by others as well. Current best value for SSDs at most capacities is probably still the first-gen SandForce drives, e.g. Corsair Force, G.Skill Phoenix Pro, OCZ Vertex 2 and Agility 2. Crucial RealSSD C300 is also good, as is the Intel X25-M G2 and 510 series. The 510 series is the latest and greatest, but you may not like the price. Also, the second-gen SandForce drives are faster and should be out before too long.
thx myrmidon ur a beast. great link aswell
these are my limited options for psu's:
http://www.komplett.se/k/kl.aspx?mfr=&bn=10061&sortBy=p&zbo2=true
sorted by price
much obliged
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hey guys, just a simple question as my computer just arrived and i am not certain if it would be good to plug it in right now as the pc itselfs seems pretty cold - to be expected after being in a car for like 18hours O.o i guess.
are 4-5hours enough? my brother was once at a lan and plugged his computer in and his pc "exploded" :3
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On March 09 2011 08:29 Myrmidon wrote:
Drivers should be on AMD's site. Just look for the workstation drivers. Note that installing the FirePro drivers on a Radeon is kind of a hack solution that involves a little bit of effort because it's obviously not officially supported. I think you can find tutorials online for that.
For compatibility reasons, it may be better to just go with the real deal. But on that budget, this seems like a waste of money.
I spent some time google-ing it but i could only find people talking about how it could be done, but not actually how to do it. I assume that if I can't figure this out, I probably won't be able to do the actual process if I could find it. So would I need an actual workstation gpu or is the radeon good enough for the other parts I have?
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alright team liquid: I have spent the last couple days doing some thorough research on a build that I would like to do, but am a real newbie when it comes to building your own computer. I heard that it is cheaper for your value to make a computer yourself so I am going to give it a shot here. Please let me know if my build is flawed (especially if something isn't compatible) or if you think I can get a better build for the same amount of money/less money.
i plan on using my comp for browsing team liquid, playing starcraft 2 (if I can run smoothly on higher graphics, cool, but it doesn't matter to me), and possibly some streaming eventually.
My concerns/questions:
1) when choosing a CPU how important is the cache?
AMD HDX840WFGMBOX Phenom II X4 840 Processor - Quad Core, 2MB L2 Cache, 3.2GHz, Socket AM3, Retail+ Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7225660&CatId=4431 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5752143&CatId=4431
2) is it cheaper to buy mobo/CPU packages or should I buy them individually?
3) I have a graphics card I bought a year or two ago that was "built for vista" and I can't seem to find an example of online right at the moment. it is an XFX GeFORCE 8800GS "alpha dog edition". I am assuming this card will work in my new comp even if I go for windows 7 right? Should I get a new graphics card? its got 384MB DDR3 580 MHz and PCI express 2.0, whatever that means.
4) what kind of power supply will I need? does it really matter all that much? I was thinking about 500 watt because thats what my graphics card says it recommends.
5) i know nothing about heatsinks. do i need one? i thought that processors kinda came with the stuff needed to cool them. I don't plan on overclocking.
6) are there any secret places I can go to get windows 7 cheap? also I am assuming its not too difficult to install on a new comp?
my build as of right now:
+ Show Spoiler +Case: Gigabyte GZPH2A30 Mid-Tower Case - ATX, Micro ATX, USB 2.0, No Fan, No PSU, Black + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5205499&CatId=1842 Mobo: Biostar A770E3 Motherboard - AMD 770, Socket AM3, USB, PCIe, RAID, LAN, DDR3 + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5581073&CatId=5537 CPU: AMD HDX840WFGMBOX Phenom II X4 840 Processor - Quad Core, 2MB L2 Cache, 3.2GHz, Socket AM3, Retail + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7225660&CatId=4431 RAM/Memory: Corsair XMS3 TW3X4G1333C9AG 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 RAM - - PC10666, 1333MHz, 4096MB (2x 2048MB), 240 Pin, Dual-Channel (is 4 GB gonna be enough? should I order 2 sets of these?) + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4837614&CatId=4524 HDD: Western Digital WD10EARS Caviar Green Hard Drive - 1TB, 3.5", SATA 3G, 64MB Cache, GreenPower + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5659779&CatId=2459
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On March 10 2011 01:05 ishboh wrote:alright team liquid: I have spent the last couple days doing some thorough research on a build that I would like to do, but am a real newbie when it comes to building your own computer. I heard that it is cheaper for your value to make a computer yourself so I am going to give it a shot here. Please let me know if my build is flawed (especially if something isn't compatible) or if you think I can get a better build for the same amount of money/less money. i plan on using my comp for browsing team liquid, playing starcraft 2 (if I can run smoothly on higher graphics, cool, but it doesn't matter to me), and possibly some streaming eventually. My concerns/questions:1) when choosing a CPU how important is the cache? AMD HDX840WFGMBOX Phenom II X4 840 Processor - Quad Core, 2MB L2 Cache, 3.2GHz, Socket AM3, Retail + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7225660&CatId=4431 MD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition AM3 CPU HDZ955FBGMBOX - 3.20GHz, Socket AM3, 6MB Cache, 2000MHz (4000 MT/s) FSB, Retail, Processor with Fan + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5752143&CatId=4431 is the extra cache worth the extra money? 2) is it cheaper to buy mobo/CPU packages or should I buy them individually? 3) I have a graphics card I bought a year or two ago that was "built for vista" and I can't seem to find an example of online right at the moment. it is an XFX GeFORCE 8800GS "alpha dog edition". I am assuming this card will work in my new comp even if I go for windows 7 right? Should I get a new graphics card? its got 384MB DDR3 580 MHz and PCI express 2.0, whatever that means. 4) what kind of power supply will I need? does it really matter all that much? I was thinking about 500 watt because thats what my graphics card says it recommends. 5) i know nothing about heatsinks. do i need one? i thought that processors kinda came with the stuff needed to cool them. I don't plan on overclocking. 6) are there any secret places I can go to get windows 7 cheap? also I am assuming its not too difficult to install on a new comp? my build as of right now:+ Show Spoiler +Case: Gigabyte GZPH2A30 Mid-Tower Case - ATX, Micro ATX, USB 2.0, No Fan, No PSU, Black + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5205499&CatId=1842 Mobo: Biostar A770E3 Motherboard - AMD 770, Socket AM3, USB, PCIe, RAID, LAN, DDR3 + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5581073&CatId=5537 CPU: AMD HDX840WFGMBOX Phenom II X4 840 Processor - Quad Core, 2MB L2 Cache, 3.2GHz, Socket AM3, Retail + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7225660&CatId=4431 RAM/Memory: Corsair XMS3 TW3X4G1333C9AG 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 RAM - - PC10666, 1333MHz, 4096MB (2x 2048MB), 240 Pin, Dual-Channel (is 4 GB gonna be enough? should I order 2 sets of these?) + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4837614&CatId=4524 HDD: Western Digital WD10EARS Caviar Green Hard Drive - 1TB, 3.5", SATA 3G, 64MB Cache, GreenPower + Show Spoiler +http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5659779&CatId=2459
As per your technical questions; I try not to confuse people with the inner workings of cpu technology - i'd rather you just look at the raw numbers from reviews, for the specific purposes you want. For example, cpu's in starcraft 2:
+ Show Spoiler +
And cpus for streaming (movie creation) :
+ Show Spoiler +
It would be better if you provided us with a budget range so we can give you an example build based on these results.
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@ishboh
Tell us your budget (does this include Windows 7?) and the resolution you play on and we'll come up with a affordable build for you that is suitable for playing / streaming SC2 on high.
Is there a reason why you are purchasing from www.tigerdirect.com and not www.newegg.com?
To answer your questions:
1) Obviously the more cache the better but it only has very minimal impacts on performance.
2) It usually is cheaper to buy the processor and motherboard in a combo.
3) Built for X, Compatible for X, etc is all marketing.
4) A quality 500W power supply is fine for a single graphic card setup and will last you for the next 10 years if you have no intention of going SLI or getting a flagship graphics card.
5) All retail processors come with a heatsink. If you aren't overclocking or care about noise than the stock heatsink (the one that comes with the processor) will do fine.
6) To install windows 7, you simply just go into the BIOS and change the first boot device to the DVD Drive and insert the installation disc. You can get Windows 7 for free from a university if you are a student studying in a computer related program (sometimes other programs such as business will also qualify). You can also ask a friend in university to get one for you as well. If you don't care about ethics, you can download it for free through torrents. There is also buying it from someone else on buy/sell/trade forums.
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thank you both for your help! this helps immensely!
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ishboh
Microcenter is having multiple mobo/amd cpu deals right now. You could actually get the Phenom II 955 BE cpu and a mobo for ~160$ which is less than the cost of you getting a mobo/Phenom II 840 off of tigerdirect or newegg.
http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/AMDbundlePROMO.html
Windows 7 Professional is $65 if you have a University/.edu email address.
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