# <$175 AMD budget rig to replace my i5. X2 245 vs 7850



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

I'm thinking about picking up this combo DIY combo to replace my i5 system.

 I was wondering about the price and the cpu. Is this a good value? I'm not too familiar with AMD stuff, how is this cpu compared to the X2 245 which includes a HSF.



My goal is to get the most bang for my buck for ram/cpu/mobo for less than $175..

thanks for any input and suggestions


----------



## Mussels (Jun 3, 2010)

the 7850 is older (athlon I) whereas the x2 245 is an athlon II model.

that said, the 7850 is a BE, which will be easier to OC (FSB OCing on such a cheap board is unlikely)


why are you downgrading?


----------



## theonedub (Jun 3, 2010)

I think you can do better. That board is archaic.


----------



## Dent1 (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> I'm thinking about picking up this combo DIY combo to replace my i5 system.
> 
> I was wondering about the price and the cpu. Is this a good value? I'm not too familiar with AMD stuff, how is this cpu compared to the X2 245 which includes a HSF.
> 
> ...




Which i5 model do you have? its impossible for us to give you a comparison because the i5 is diverse in its model numbers.

The Athlon *I *X2 7850 is old and a fair bit slower than similarly priced CPUs. The  Athlon* II *X2 245 is faster than the 7850 as it uses a modified Phenom II Architecture. However without knowing your model number of your i5 its impossible to compare it.

Personally I would avoid that 7025 chipset motherboard, they are really old, like 4 years old? I would look for a modern motherboard chipset like the 785G chipset.


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

for the past few weeks I have only used the i5 pc for this site, movies, email and music.

someone made me an offer so I am contemplating on seling the hardware off, getting the amd rig and stashing the remaining cash for a winter build... maybe.

A couple weeks ago I ordered some parts from the suggestions of others (240 regor,  gigabyte board) and corsair 1066 i bought from tpu... I guess that rig runs good because the friend I got it for seems to be enjoying it.

I was thinking of ordering the same stuff but I really don't care about the performance (overclocking) as long as I can get something for cheap and it runs stable.

 I'll be using a ATI 5450 for my movies and what not so this isnt going to even be a "light" gaming rig, just a basic rig for doing web, music, 1080p to the tv and thats about it.

I do have a few P4 systems or something sitting in the closet that Ive even considered breaking out but Ive been too lazy to want to do it.. I was thinking of using one of those for as long as it took to find a good deal on something within the $150 range but meh.


----------



## theonedub (Jun 3, 2010)

If the old board doesn't bother you, there is a local seller near me with a Athlon II X3 435 and Gigabyte M68M-S2P for $100, shipping to you would be $12. Pick some RAM up from the Forum and you are set 

I can try talking him down too...


----------



## HalfAHertz (Jun 3, 2010)

What will you use the PC for? The 7850 was based on the old k10 architecture ( the first phenoms) if memory serves me right, so I'd stay clear from it. Plus that motherboard is pretty bad...

I'd go for one of these:
am3 785g Chose carefully - some of them are ddr2 and some are ddr3.

Then the x2 245 as you suggested

And to finish it with some nice memory.

If you're really constrained with price, then go for the first Asrock board and a nice set of 4gb ddr2 like this one: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 ...


----------



## Dent1 (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> for the past few weeks I have only used the i5 pc for this site, .



Which model of i5 is it? 

If you are unsure download CPUZ.com and it should tell you. If you've got the i5 4xx or 5xx you could probably get away with a Athlon II X4 620 or 630 for $99 and it would be considered a upgrade at a cheaper price. If you've got a 6xx series the performance gap from swapping to the Athlon II X4 would be nullified as they are near equivalents. if you've got a i5 7xx you would need a Phenom II X4 to outperform it. Either way you should have enough money for the AMD build and some change left over (not a lot)

I my opinion you should forget about the Winter build, sell your i5 and buy a system around the AMD hexacore, if you get the 1055T X6 you might even have money left over.



http://www.filehippo.com/download_cpuz/


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

HalfAHertz said:


> What will you use the PC for? The 7850 was based on the old k10 architecture ( the first phenoms) if memory serves me right, so I'd stay clear from it. Plus that motherboard is pretty bad...
> 
> I'd go for one of these:
> am3 785g Chose carefully - some of them are ddr2 and some are ddr3.
> ...




you're not the first person that has mentioned the 785g so I suppose I should stick with getting one of those if I knew what was good for me. I guess the answer is ez really.. best bang for buck 785g board and the x2 240.. then hope to score used DDR2 again for cheap.. which is hard to find imo and redic priced new



Dent1 said:


> Which model of i5 is it?
> 
> If you are unsure download CPUZ.com and it should tell you. If you've got the i5 4xx or 5xx you could probably get away with a Athlon II X4 620 or 630 for $99 and it would be considered a upgrade at a cheaper price. If you've got a 6xx series the performance gap from swapping to the Athlon II X4 would be nullified as they are near equivalents. if you've got a i5 7xx you would need a Phenom II X4 to outperform it. Either way you should have enough money for the AMD build and some change left over (not a lot)
> 
> ...



i have the i5 750 with 2000mhz gskill 4gb kit on a foxconn inferno.. Im not looking to match the performance Im just just to get a cheaper rig so I can use it to get online and play music.



HalfAHertz said:


> I suggested it because the igp is decent (as in internet and movies decent). But since you'll use your hd5450, you might look for something more down the line i guess...



Yeah i just bought the 5450 new for $50 cuz my board doesnt have graphics built in.. so id like to still use it if possible + it plays 2 1080p streams with no cpu usage and plays TF2 tolerably


----------



## Mussels (Jun 3, 2010)

hell i'm using a 785G board for my main system now, they're awesome.


----------



## HalfAHertz (Jun 3, 2010)

I suggested it because the igp is decent (as in internet and movies decent). But since you'll use your hd5450, you might look for something more down the line i guess...
And i completely agree about ddr2 - it is ridiculously expensive.


----------



## theonedub (Jun 3, 2010)

He has an i5 750, but the point is to downgrade, so out performing does not matter. 

I wish you would've found out you would need a 785g earlier- like when I had 2-3 of them for sale  The 785Gs are nice, and as stated above, some can use DDR2 and some use DDR3. 

There is a new Fry's circular coming out on Friday, if you check it out and see something you like PM me and I can see if I can pick it up for you. 

To throw out another option, Frys currently has a Athlon II X4 and A760G board on sale for $80 after $10MIR


----------



## Mussels (Jun 3, 2010)

theonedub said:


> To throw out another option, Frys currently has a Athlon II X4 and A760G board on sale for $80 after $10MIR



that sounds about right for what he's doing.


----------



## Dent1 (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> A couple weeks ago I ordered some parts from the suggestions of others (240 regor,  [ I'll be using a ATI 5450 for my movies and what not so this isnt going to even be a "light" gaming rig,







shevanel said:


> i have the i5 750 with 2000mhz gskill 4gb kit on a foxconn inferno.. Im not looking to match the performance Im just just to get a cheaper rig so I can use it to get online and play music.



In that case drop down to the Athlon II X3 425 @ $66. it is much faster than that Athlon *I *regor whilst being priced similarly. I would team the CPU a $60 785G motherboard , it should cost more than $120-140 for motherboard + CPU. the 785G chipset will give you flexibility to upgrade to a X6 in the winter. The 5450 isnt needed, the integrated video card on the 785G chipset can handle 1080p videos if the CPU is decent.

AMD Athlon II X3 425 Rana 2.7GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cach...


BIOSTAR A785G3 AM3 AMD 785G Micro ATX AMD Motherbo...

ASRock M3A785GMH/128M AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX ...


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

That's pretty cheap dub but is that fry's in your neighborhood or a good ways away?

Do you plan on making a trip out there sometime?

I don't want to get a flakey board but that $139 combo is still enticing. Plus I already have a $50 newegg gift card in the tank, so I'll even keep more of my i5 cash, possibly.


----------



## Mussels (Jun 3, 2010)

oh and FYI, the 3200/4200 and various onboards are more than capable of 1080P HD content playback.

its a common misconception that you need a more powerful video card for HD movies, when you dont... any card wtih 128MB of ram can handle 1080p without hardware acceleration, and a 3200/4200 is enough for H264 acceleration anyway.


----------



## theonedub (Jun 3, 2010)

Fry's is not a short drive, but I don't mind since we have done so many transactions in the past. That current deal expires today and I would have to call and make sure they are in stock though. 

No transport fees or anything, just the price on the Frys receipt and the price on the USPS receipt 

Mussels is right, the IGP is capable of all the HD decoding abilities without a sweat. 

Decisions decisions


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

Mussels said:


> oh and FYI, the 3200/4200 and various onboards are more than capable of 1080P HD content playback.
> 
> its a common misconception that you need a more powerful video card for HD movies, when you dont... any card wtih 128MB of ram can handle 1080p without hardware acceleration, and a 3200/4200 is enough for H264 acceleration anyway.



That's good to know. Maybe I should just return the 5450 while I have time.  (Damn that sounds sarcastic, i promise it isn't)



theonedub said:


> Fry's is not a short drive, but I don't mind since we have done so many transactions in the past. That current deal expires today and I would have to call and make sure they are in stock though.
> 
> No transport fees or anything, just the price on the Frys receipt and the price on the USPS receipt
> 
> ...



I know you're a generous dude, but I really would not feel good about having you dash down to a frys on the last day of a sale just to save me a few bucks on a cheap rig. Not without further compensation anway.


----------



## Dent1 (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> I don't want to get a flakey board but that $139 combo is still enticing. Plus I already have a $50 newegg gift card in the tank, so I'll even keep more of my i5 cash, possibly.



To put it simply, that combo deal is crap, like I said you are getting a 3-4 year old motherboard with a CPU that is really weak. It will suffice for your needs but @ 140 you can get a better motherboard (new 785G chipset) and a new Athlon II X3 processor.

1.) 785G > 7025 (i.e. the onboard video on the 785G can playback 1080p and has better upgrade path)

2.) Athlon II X3 > Athlon I X2 7850 (newer and faster architecture, with additional core)

Both solutions cost the same.


----------



## CJCerny (Jun 3, 2010)

If you live near a MicroCenter, they are giving away a free 760G mobo with the purchase of certain AMD CPUs. You could easily get an X4 plus the mobo plus 4gb of RAM for less than your $175 budget. All of that hardware is newer and beefier than your original plan.


----------



## theonedub (Jun 3, 2010)

CJCerny said:


> If you live near a MicroCenter, they are giving away a free 760G mobo with the purchase of certain AMD CPUs. You could easily get an X4 plus the mobo plus 4gb of RAM for less than your $175 budget. All of that hardware is newer and beefier than your original plan.



Just to note, the board MC is giving away is the same board available in the Frys combo. 
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0334733

I will give Frys a call in a coupe hours (after a short nap) and see what the deal is.


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

Dent1 said:


> To put it simply, that combo deal is crap, like I said you are getting a 3-4 year old motherboard with a CPU that is really weak. It will suffice for your needs but @ 140 you can get a better motherboard (new 785G chipset) and a new Athlon II X3 processor.
> 
> 1.) 785G > 7025 (i.e. the onboard video on the 785G can playback 1080p and has better upgrade path)
> 
> ...



Ok, $139 combo scrapped. I'll def take that advice and not waste money.



CJCerny said:


> If you live near a MicroCenter, they are giving away a free 760G mobo with the purchase of certain AMD CPUs. You could easily get an X4 plus the mobo plus 4gb of RAM for less than your $175 budget. All of that hardware is newer and beefier than your original plan.



No MC close by.


----------



## AsRock (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> for the past few weeks I have only used the i5 pc for this site, movies, email and music.
> 
> someone made me an offer so I am contemplating on seling the hardware off, getting the amd rig and stashing the remaining cash for a winter build... maybe.
> 
> ...



I have a old P4 (2.4 and 9600XT) here and it has a little issue at the start with 1MB streaming or when it's been paused which it gets a little stutter for about 3 seconds but plays them fine after then.  On the good side the system takes around 55w were as my current AMD 3800 x2 ( 7900GT )  takes around 150w idle ( 115w with a better card ) but plays HD content without issue.

And to me running a 50w system your not going notice the raise in electric bill were as running a 100w-150w system.

Just saying is all but we have to keep our electric bill down.  When gaming on my main system the power usage is crazy.


----------



## Mussels (Jun 3, 2010)

AsRock said:


> I have a old P4 (2.4 and 9600XT) here and it has a little issue at the start with 1MB streaming or when it's been paused which it gets a little stutter for about 3 seconds but plays them fine after then.  On the good side the system takes around 55w were as my current AMD 3800 x2 ( 7900GT )  takes around 150w idle ( 115w with a better card ) but plays HD content without issue.
> 
> And to me running a 50w system your not going notice the raise in electric bill were as running a 100w-150w system.
> 
> Just saying is all but we have to keep our electric bill down.  When gaming on my main system the power usage is crazy.



my gaming system (see specs) is a nifty 99W idle 

ya just gotta use the right parts!


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

While I have all of you consultants on the hook, what do you suppose a gig  EP45-UD3P an e6600 (which ive owned) and 4gb of corsair ddr2 800 is worth used with no warranty?

Cuz someone offered me that also with $200 cash..

My hardware is listed at $395 as a bundle and all under warranty.. new price is somewhere around $520

This deal is $178.44 shipped which is only a few bucks over my budget for what I would want to spend on a rig like this but after the $50 newegg gift card is applied then my out of pocket cost is only $128.44..


----------



## Dent1 (Jun 3, 2010)

The motherboard looks good 

The memory is good as far as branding, but 1 GB isnt enough even for a lowend rig I wouldnt recommend anything less than 2 GB, vista/win 7 gets choppy on 1GB. If you are playing a genuine 1080p video (not a rip) the systems will be near its maximum memory resource. 

Also that motherboard says DDR3, but you've got DDR2 in the basket?

The Athlon II X2 240 is good but $10 more gets you a extra core, you might get a FREE HDMI cable but DVI can handle 1080p fine.


----------



## Mussels (Jun 3, 2010)

remember, if the board is AM3 then its DDR3 only (and AM3 CPU's only) but if its AM2+ then it takes DDR2, and AM2/2+/3 CPU's


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

@ Mussels Ah, okay.. thanks for the clarification. I'll adjust it

@Dent1, I'll change the mobo, but I do have 2gb in the cart.


----------



## Dent1 (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> @Dent1, I'll change the mobo, but I do have 2gb in the cart.



You do not need to change the motherboard, change the memory to DDR3.

AM2+/AM3 motherboard with DDR2 costs the same as AM3 motherboard with DDR3 (on the 785G chipset)

2GB DDR3 memory modules costs the same as DDR2 memory.

So you'd be better off getting a complete DDR3 solution at the same cost, that Biostar board supports DDR3, so its just the ram that needs swapping


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

I can change to this board? ASUS M4A785-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX...

or change to this memory? Crucial Ballistix 2GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333...


----------



## Mussels (Jun 3, 2010)

personally i'd pick a DDR3 board and DDR3 ram, just for future proofing.

for your needs you dont need any high end ram either, any DDR3 will do.


----------



## Dent1 (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> I can change to this board? ASUS M4A785-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX...
> 
> or change to this memory? Crucial Ballistix 2GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333...



That Asus board is better than the Biostar one admittedly, but the Biostar will fulfil your needs if you've got a shoe string budget both will accept that Crucial Balistix memory too.


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

Ok here it is

x2 240
BIOSTAR A785G3 785G
Crucial Ballistix 2GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333

Color scheme of the mem matches the board.. yes it matters.. doesn't it?  Plus the 5450 is the same color too.. close to it. lol POWERCOLOR Go! Green AX5450 256MD5-SH Radeon HD 54...

total : $180.89 -$50 newegg gift card = $130.89 shipped.

Not bad I suppose. Considering if I were looking to buy an i5 750 from newegg it would cost $199 just for the cpu lol All i need now is a fruit loops or skittles sticker and I'm set.


----------



## AsRock (Jun 3, 2010)

Mussels said:


> my gaming system (see specs) is a nifty 99W idle
> 
> ya just gotta use the right parts!



Yeah i seen ya post it before but why run a 100w system when you can run a 60w max system.  Sure it's slower but gets the job done all the same.  Better still he says he has the system already so saving even more money . And wont the power usage jump up when you watch movies on a 5870 ?.

I have found it better to have multiple systems one for gaming and one for the other like surfing\chatting\watching tv and such.

And no i'm not saying your built a bad system i think it's dam good to for todays as my core2 system idles around 180w.


----------



## Mussels (Jun 3, 2010)

AsRock said:


> Yeah i seen ya post it before but why run a 100w system when you can run a 60w max system.  Sure it's slower but gets the job done all the same.  Better still he says he has the system already so saving even more money . And wont the power usage jump up when you watch movies on a 5870 ?.
> 
> I have found it better to have multiple systems one for gaming and one for the other like surfing\chatting\watching tv and such.



well i have a 100W system because it has a six core and a 5870, lol.

my media PC is likely lower than that, but i havent tested it since the recent hardware shuffle.


----------



## newtekie1 (Jun 3, 2010)

Hey shevanel, I've got 2x1GB DDR2-800 G.Skills for sale here for $40 shipped, it would save you a few bucks off the ones you are buying from newegg.


----------



## Mussels (Jun 3, 2010)

newtekie: it seems he decided on DDR3/AM3


----------



## newtekie1 (Jun 3, 2010)

Mussels said:


> newtekie: it seems he decided on DDR3/AM3



Yeah, that happened while I was typing the post.

Oh well.


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

newtekie1 said:


> Hey shevanel, I've got 2x1GB DDR2-800 G.Skills for sale here for $40 shipped, it would save you a few bucks off the ones you are buying from newegg.



I'll give you this for it. Includes the bay drive thing. If not I def should do the DDr3 route.


----------



## newtekie1 (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> I'll give you this for it. Includes the bay drive thing.



Sorry, I don't need any trades, working up the cash for an 1156 rig(seems we are moving in opposite directions, I'm upgrading to 1156 and your downgrading away from it.)

Stick with the DDR3 route, its more future proof anyway.


----------



## Dent1 (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> Ok here it is
> 
> x2 240
> BIOSTAR A785G3 785G
> ...




$10 more for that extra core, you might regret it in a few months down the line!

Remember the sell the 5450, its really not needed. Overall the build looks cheap and cheerful and it will definitely do what you want 

The weather is good here, so I am going to take advantage and hit the local parks. I'm off!


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

@ newtekie1 I can do DDR2 mobo. I have to wait to see if I get this i5 stuff actually sold 1st. a. save a couple $'s b. help ya raise that $ for your build. I'll let ya know soon, but if you sell it 1st, then thanks for the offer ok.

@ Dent1 Which cpu are you talking about? As far as selling the 5450, I could return it but Ill get hit with a restock and I can't sell anything on TPU lately. Maybe I'm too expensive. On the other hand, it's always good to have a spare pcie gpu layin around.. so I should keep it just incase.. even if the mobo will do the deed. i couldn't even sell a 8800gtx for $50 lol


----------



## newtekie1 (Jun 3, 2010)

No problem, I'll even give you $5 off anything in that thread for all the bumps you've given my sale threads.


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

Lol, it's quite ironic that the ram you have matches the color of the ASUS M4A78.

I'll go ahead and send you the money for that ram, I'll move on to PM and we can get that part done.

I will go ahead and order that cpu/mobo now.. only $77 out of pocket.. I don't need to wait on the i5 taking a walk to do that.

I'll PM dub and let him know he doesnt have to call MC.. thanks thanks thanks and thanks to everyone that took time this morning to stop in and help me sort this out. Much appreciated!


----------



## cdawall (Jun 3, 2010)

I have a phenom 9850be I would be willing to sell cheap no mobo to match it though


----------



## newtekie1 (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> Lol, it's quite ironic that the ram you have matches the color of the ASUS M4A78.
> 
> I'll go ahead and send you the money for that ram, I'll move on to PM and we can get that part done.
> 
> ...



Just remember that the version of the RAM I have is slightly ligher blue on the heat spreaders.  Probably closer to matching the color of the PCI and SATA slots, still goes together though.


----------



## shevanel (Jun 3, 2010)

that's fine lol. I don't mind a slight difference. No one will ever see it but me but I do get bugged when the color of the mobo and ram don't match whatsoever.. a green shirt with blue pants lmao


----------



## Dent1 (Jun 3, 2010)

shevanel said:


> Dent1 Which cpu are you talking about?l



Athlon II X3 425 $66

AMD Athlon II X3 425 Rana 2.7GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cach...


----------

