# New build: Help



## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

So, i'm going to be building my own computer soon and I wanted some opinions and advice from those who are more experienced in this field than myself (i'm a bit of a rookie).

I've decided my setup (shown below) and worked out that it would be quite a bit cheaper to build my own rather than buy a pre-built computer. The other reason that I want to do this is because of my university studies, I am studying computing and this would help me understand the computer architecture model greatly.

So, the setup:

Processor: AMD Athlon II X4 640 Quad Core Processor - 3.00GHz

Motherboard: ASUS M4A78T-E 790GX Socket AM3 onboard VGA DVI HDMI 8 channel audio ATX

Memory: Corsair XMS3 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3

Video Card: SAPPHIRE RADEON HD 5670 1GB GDDR5 ULTIMA PCI-E DP DVI HDMI HEATPIPE IN

HDD: Western Digital 500GB (7200RPM) SATA 32MB

DVD Drive: Sony Optiarc 18x DVD-ROM SATA Optical Drive - OEM Black

PSU: Be Quiet 530W Pure Power PSU - 120mm Fan Dual 12V Rails 5x SATA 2x PCI-E

Case: Casecom 6788 Black Mid Tower Case with Full Black Interior/Exterior 120mm Blue LED Front Fan - No PSU

Questions I need answers to:

Are all these components compatible?
Would these all fit in the case? (maybe a silly question)
Is the PSU adequate?
Any ways I could improve the setup without massively increasing overall cost?

Thanks


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

The build looks fine, might helps us out if you tell us where you are from and what your budget is perhaps you can do more for your budget. Welcome to TPU


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## BarbaricSoul (Feb 25, 2011)

> Are all these components compatible?
> Would these all fit in the case? (maybe a silly question)
> Is the PSU adequate?



yes to all three.




> Any ways I could improve the setup without massively increasing overall cost?



1st off, the CPU you picked is lacking L3 cache, which does a hell of alot for a CPU's speed. This cpu is better(comparable to my Intel q9650), faster, and only $39 more-  AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 ...

2nd, the video card you have choosen is really weak. Performance wise it's between a nvidia 9600gt and a 9800gt. If your gonna use this for any gaming, I highly recommend switching to a 5770 atleast. That 530 watt PSU should be enough for a 5770.


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

The L3 cache on the PII's don't have that much of an effect on performance over the Athlons in most things including gaming.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks guys. 
I'm from the UK and my budget is around £500.

Should I change processor if the L3 cache is not good enough? I really want this thing to be quick


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## BarbaricSoul (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> The L3 cache on the PII's don't have that much of an effect on performance over the Athlons in most things including gaming.



To my understanding(keywords here), you are correct about the L3 cache in overall performance, but the L3 cache does help with the responsiveness of the CPU. I know the 12mb L3 in my q9650  makes a hugh difference. I'm not saying the L3 lacking propus core CPU can't do the job, but the denebs do it faster because of the L3. If he can have the performance equal to a $329 Q9650 for only $39 more, wouldn't you say that it's worth the extra?


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## BarbaricSoul (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Thanks guys.
> I'm from the UK and my budget is around £500.
> 
> Should I change processor if the L3 cache is not good enough? I really want this thing to be quick



what exactly are you gonna be doing with this computer?


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

BarbaricSoul said:


> To my understanding(keywords here), you are correct about the L3 cache in overall performance, but the L3 cache does help with the responsiveness of the CPU. I know the 12mb L3 in my q9650  makes a hugh difference. I'm not saying the L3 lacking propus core CPU can't do the job, but the denebs do it faster because of the L3. If he can have the performance equal to a $329 Q9650 for only $39 more, wouldn't you say that it's worth the extra?



It makes more of a difference in the intels, though not so much with the latest Athlons compared to PII. 

To the OP you can get much better for that budget, give me 10 mins.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

BarbaricSoul said:


> what exactly are you gonna be doing with this computer?


General use (internet browsing, word processing etc.) and gaming


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## BarbaricSoul (Feb 25, 2011)

Personally, I would get the fastest CPU you can afford. If you can afford a deneb CPU over a propus CPU, do it. If not, the propus will do the job. Not everyone can afford a Buggati over a Subaru


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

BarbaricSoul said:


> Personally, I would get the fastest CPU you can afford. If you can afford a deneb CPU over a propus CPU, do it. If not, the propus will do the job. Not everyone can afford a Buggati over a Subaru



Propus? Deneb? 

nb. no idea what that means :S


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

Have a look at the following: 

Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3 1TB Hard Drive SATAII...
Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz Socket LGA1156 8MB L3 Ca...
Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 P55 Socket 1156 8 Channel Aud...
OCZ 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz Obsidian Memory Kit 1...
PowerColor HD 5770 1GB GDDR5 DVI HDMI Out PCI-E.. ...

Keep the case, PSU and optical drive and it comes to slightly over your budget at around £510 with supersaver delivery. 

The i5 and 5770 will be a big step up from the Athlon and 5670


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## BarbaricSoul (Feb 25, 2011)

Propus and Deneb are CPU archetectures. The AthlonII cpu is a Propus core, where PhenomII cpu has a deneb core.


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## BarbaricSoul (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> Have a look at the following:
> 
> Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3 1TB Hard Drive SATAII...
> Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz Socket LGA1156 8MB L3 Ca...
> ...



this is a much faster system than what you listed Rasputin


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> Have a look at the following:
> 
> Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3 1TB Hard Drive SATAII...
> Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz Socket LGA1156 8MB L3 Ca...
> ...



Thanks so much 

So you're saying this will be generally a better machine?


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## BarbaricSoul (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> So you're saying this will be generally a better machine?



no, not generally, it will be faster in every aspect.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Ok thanks.

Maybe a stupid question: how would I get this thing connected to a network? :S


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

Motherboard has onboard LAN.


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## BarbaricSoul (Feb 25, 2011)

the motherboard has onboard ethernet/LAN



> Telecom / Networking
> Networking Network adapter - Realtek RTL8111D - Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> Motherboard has onboard LAN.



What about Wi-Fi?


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## BarbaricSoul (Feb 25, 2011)

you'll need to get a Wi-Fi adaptor of some kind.

something like this- Belkin N Wireless USB Adapter | Ebuyer.com


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks so much for all your help 

Anything else anyone could add to help me?


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

Well if you are comfortable putting it all together then you should be all set, if not we can help you out its not that hard


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Yeah I think there will be enough youtube guides for me haha 

Just out of interest, how much did your setup cost? And what is it like in comparison to the setup you suggested for me?


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## Thrackan (Feb 25, 2011)

Bringing in a 5670 is such a little upgrade compared to the graphics card on the motherboard that I wouldn't recommend it. Either choice will not give you much gaming pleasure.

What kind of monitor will you be plugging into this setup? In general, I'd recommend a 5770 atm for some regular gaming, depending on whether you prefer using AMD or nVidia, and at which resolution you will be playing.

EDIT: Check these graphs: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Axle/Radeon_HD_5670/29.html


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## arnoo1 (Feb 25, 2011)

Get a i3 530  get a decent mobo and oc it to 4ghz and a gtx460 than you have a great rig


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Thrackan said:


> Bringing in a 5670 is such a little upgrade compared to the graphics card on the motherboard that I wouldn't recommend it. Either choice will not give you much gaming pleasure.
> 
> What kind of monitor will you be plugging into this setup? In general, I'd recommend a 5770 atm for some regular gaming, depending on whether you prefer using AMD or nVidia, and at which resolution you will be playing.
> 
> EDIT: Check these graphs: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Axle/Radeon_HD_5670/29.html



Ok thanks, what about this one?
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/248749


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

arnoo1 said:


> Get a i3 530  get a decent mobo and oc it to 4ghz and a gtx460 than you have a great rig



Sorry arnoo but you'll have to give me that in laymans terms :S Not much of a buff when it comes to hardware etc atm 

EDIT: Isn't overclocking supposed to be quite risky?


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## Thrackan (Feb 25, 2011)

Looks just fine imho 

Can you maybe post a little shopping list with prices? Makes it easier to see what we can fit in the budget.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Thrackan said:


> Looks just fine imho
> 
> Can you maybe post a little shopping list with prices? Makes it easier to see what we can fit in the budget.





Component	Description	Cost	Link
CPU	Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz Socket LGA1156 8MB L3 Cache Retail Boxed Processor	£154.71	
Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz Socket LGA1156 8MB L3 Ca...


Motherboard	Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 P55 Socket 1156 8 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard	£89.99	
Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 P55 Socket 1156 8 Channel Aud...


RAM	OCZ 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz Obsidian Memory Kit 1.65V CL9(9-9-9-24)	£32.99	
OCZ 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz Obsidian Memory Kit 1...


Video Card	PowerColor HD 5770 1GB GDDR5 DVI HDMI Out PCI-E Graphics Card	£98.99	
PowerColor HD 5770 1GB GDDR5 DVI HDMI Out PCI-E.. ...


HDD	Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3 1TB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 32MB Cache	£39.74	
Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3 1TB Hard Drive SATAII...


DVD Drive	Sony Optiarc  18x DVD-ROM SATA Optical Drive - OEM Black	£12.99	
Sony Optiarc DDU1681S 18x DVD-ROM SATA Optical Dri...


Power Supply	Be Quiet 530W Pure Power PSU - 120mm Fan Dual 12V Rails 5x SATA 2x PCI-E	£46.76	
Be Quiet 530W Pure Power PSU - 120mm Fan Dual 12V....


Case	Casecom 6788 Black Mid Tower Case with Full Black Interior/Exterior 120mm Blue LED Front Fan - No PSU	£29.99	
Casecom 6788 Black Mid Tower Case with Full Black....
Hope this helps!!

EDIT: My budget is around £500 and the above setup comes in at about £506 excluding peripherals


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

arnoo1 said:


> Get a i3 530  get a decent mobo and oc it to 4ghz and a gtx460 than you have a great rig





Rasputin said:


> Sorry arnoo but you'll have to give me that in laymans terms :S Not much of a buff when it comes to hardware etc atm
> 
> EDIT: Isn't overclocking supposed to be quite risky?



That particular cpu, 4Ghz is a norm on stock voltages and on stock cooling. Either way, I myself cannot tell a difference between a 4Ghz i3 and my unlocked 555 Black @ 3.6Ghz in terms of day to day performance and gaming.

EDIT:

Bump your ram up some if you can afford it
G-Skill 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz Ripjaws Memory Ki...


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Would that setup run most games on medium / high graphics?

ATM I am hooked on Sid Meiers Civ V and it runs ok on my laptop but always screws up when ending turn :/

Another Q: RAM, there are so many different types. I know I would need DDR3 memory but why not just buy the cheapest 4GB(2x2GB) sticks?

EDIT: upon looking into the memory I had chosen I noticed it was 1600MHz and the motherboard only supports 2200/1333/1066/800 MHz memory modules... So I need to change the memory I have chosen.. Or am I being a noob?


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## Thrackan (Feb 25, 2011)

I currently use a 5770 as you can see in my specs, and I can play recent games pretty well at 1920x1080.
This also depends on what monitor resolution you will be using! The more pixels, the more bandwidth the graphics cards needs to fill the screen.

On RAM, I would not bother with 1600mhz and get a standard 1333mhz kit. You will not notice in daily use. 

I would never recommend someone new to hardware to overclock any of their components. You need to either feel comfortable with the risk or completely know what you're doing. Or both of course.


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Would that setup run most games on medium / high graphics?
> 
> ATM I am hooked on Sid Meiers Civ V and it runs ok on my laptop but always screws up when ending turn :/
> 
> ...





Thrackan said:


> I currently use a 5770 as you can see in my specs, and I can play recent games pretty well at 1920x1080.
> This also depends on what monitor resolution you will be using! The more pixels, the more bandwidth the graphics cards needs to fill the screen.
> 
> On RAM, I would not bother with 1600mhz and get a standard 1333mhz kit. You will not notice in daily use.
> ...



Highly agree with you on the 5770! Can always get the 1600 kit and underclock it's bandwith to 1333, while attempting to tighten timings. Remember the only way to void a ram's warranty is by voltage, and that can be moot as you can just tell your supplier you ran it at recommended volts anyways . I myself really don't care for OCZ ram anymore, I'd rather get a cheap Kingston or a Corsair value kit.

I wouldn't say you are being a noob at all. Just buying what you see as more compatible.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/192049
What about this?


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## Thrackan (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> http://www.ebuyer.com/product/192049
> What about this?



My *personal* opinion is never to go with any hardware that does not have a distinguishable brand. But those sticks should do absolutely fine.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Thrackan said:


> My *personal* opinion is never to go with any hardware that does not have a distinguishable brand. But those sticks should do absolutely fine.



The people who reviewed them would beg to differ haha 

Plus it knocks a few £ off my total cost 

What about this for monitor?

Samsung 19" Monitor


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## Thrackan (Feb 25, 2011)

Small, but Samsung delivers good monitors in general


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

http://www.amazon.co_uk/dp/B00481F836/?tag=tec053-21


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

I only picked it because it's cheap 

Is there anything you think i've forgotten?


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## Thrackan (Feb 25, 2011)

Keyboard/mouse are pretty nice to have 

and speakers


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Thrackan said:


> Keyboard/mouse are pretty nice to have
> 
> and speakers



I knew someone would say that. I have that sorted already.. 

Thanks for the link jr, know of any HD monitors around the same price?


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> I knew someone would say that. I have that sorted already..
> 
> Thanks for the link jr, know of any HD monitors around the same price?



Oooooo .... this is decent...

AOC 2236Swa TFT LCD 21.5" VGA Monitor with Speaker...

I am a firm beleiver in AOC products. They made me a regular customer with a 19" LCD a couple years ago.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> Oooooo .... this is decent...
> 
> AOC 2236Swa TFT LCD 21.5" VGA Monitor with Speaker...
> 
> I am a firm beleiver in AOC products. They made me a regular customer with a 19" LCD a couple years ago.



It doesn't have HDMI input though does it?

EDIT: Curious if this would work with my setup?
NZXT Sentry 2 Touch Screen


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> It doesn't have HDMI input though does it?
> 
> EDIT: Curious if this would work with my setup?
> NZXT Sentry 2 Touch Screen



Plan on running a Xbox 360 or PS3 on the monitor? HDMI would be a moot if no.

And yes, it would. That's a VERY nice bay controller.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

I already run my PS3 on a tv with HDMI but it doesnt really matter, i'll stick with the BenQ monitor 

And I know I definitely want the fan controller now, so shiny xD

Just gotta get paid :S then I can start buying.

Again, if you have any suggestions to anything I could change hardware-wise then PLEASE tell me, the more I know the better


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

No others from me. You're going to enjoy that build ALOT!


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> No others from me. You're going to enjoy that build ALOT!



What about this...?
Different processor, more powerful, same socket and cheaper...
Intel Core i5 650 3.2GHz


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Will I need extra cooling or anything (fans) for this build?


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## _JP_ (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> What about this...?
> Different processor, more powerful, same socket and cheaper...
> Intel Core i5 650 3.2GHz


That processor isn't more powerful than the i5 750 you had chosen earlier. The 650 is a dual core and the 750 is a quad core (to put it simple). Don't guide yourself by clock speed.  Although the 650 has HyperThreading, and thus can handle 4 threads (because it adds 2 logical cores), like the 750, it's performance won't be as good as the 750's (which has 4 physical cores).
As for cooling, if you could add fans to your case, it would help to keep your hardware cool. At least a fan at the back of the chassis is recommended.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Ok thanks  What kind of fan would I need for this case? The full spec of the build is in an earlier post in a table


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Component	Description	Cost	Link
> CPU	Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz Socket LGA1156 8MB L3 Cache Retail Boxed Processor	£154.71
> Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz Socket LGA1156 8MB L3 Ca...
> 
> ...



This is the table


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## _JP_ (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Ok thanks  What kind of fan would I need for this case? The full spec of the build is in an earlier post in a table





> Features:
> (...)
> * 1x 120mm Blue LED Front Case Fan Included.  *Space for top mounted 120mm or 140mm fan and rear 80/92/120mm fan*
> * Space for *2x 80/92/120mm Fans on Side Panel*
> (...)


It's on the features list. 
My advice would be to put the fan that comes with the case on the back, get a 140mm fan for the top and two 120mm fans for the front and side. On the side I'd put it to intake air so that it would cool the graphics card. Go for ball-bearing fans if possible, but sleeve-bearing is good too, as long as the fan stays vertical. Just check if you have enough fan headers on the motherboard to power them.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

_JP_ said:


> It's on the features list.
> My advice would be to put the fan that comes with the case on the back, get a 140mm fan for the top and two 120mm fans for the front and side. On the side I'd put it to intake air so that it would cool the graphics card. Go for ball-bearing fans if possible, but sleeve-bearing is good too, as long as the fan stays vertical. Just check if you have enough fan headers on the motherboard to power them.



You lost me when you said I could set one fan to intake air.. :S I'm a bit of a massive rookie when it comes to this kinda thing 

How can I set which fan to what setting?
Why not just leave the fan that comes with it on the front and get a new one for the back?


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## _JP_ (Feb 25, 2011)

It's not that complicated.  Instead of installing the fan with the it's orientation to expel air from the inside of the case to the outside, you install it to intake air from the outside, to the inside of you case. The side panel can hold two 120mm fans. What I meant was for you to install a 120mm fan on the bottom place so that it would be at the same height as you graphics card and thus being able to help with the card's cooling. That's all.
And I said to move the front fan to the back, because you would be able to illuminate the top area of your computer. But that's really up to you.  I just made a suggestion.


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> What about this...?
> Different processor, more powerful, same socket and cheaper...
> Intel Core i5 650 3.2GHz



If you need to be a touch cheaper


AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8GHz 9MB Cache Socket AM3...
+
Asus M4A87TD/USB3 870 Socket AM3 8 Channel Audio A...


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

_JP_ said:


> It's not that complicated.  Instead of installing the fan with the it's orientation to expel air from the inside of the case to the outside, you install it to intake air from the outside, to the inside of you case. The side panel can hold two 120mm fans. What I meant was for you to install a 120mm fan on the bottom place so that it would be at the same height as you graphics card and thus being able to help with the card's cooling. That's all.
> And I said to move the front fan to the back, because you would be able to illuminate the top area of your computer. But that's really up to you.  I just made a suggestion.



Ok thanks  this will all be useful when I build it!!
So have you built your own computer before?



JrRacinFan said:


> If you need to be a touch cheaper
> 
> 
> AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8GHz 9MB Cache Socket AM3...
> ...



And thanks Jr but i'm just gonna stick with my setup in the list  have you built your own Jr?


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

About 6 builds for myself and close to 20 for others. Oh and you're welcome! 

EDIT:

Oh hey, if you do you go to the lower mobo/just as good cpu I posted you can get yourself a better video card with the funds:
KFA2 GTX 460 EX OC Edition 768MB GDDR5 Dual DVI Mi...


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> About 6 builds for myself and close to 20 for others. Oh and you're welcome!



Wow nice!!  do you do it for a living or something? Or just a bit of money on the side?


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Wow nice!!  do you do it for a living or something? Or just a bit of money on the side?



It's all hobby for me.


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> The people who reviewed them would beg to differ haha
> 
> Plus it knocks a few £ off my total cost
> 
> ...



Don't go for the cheap memory you will save what £3-£4?? stick with branded memory, you will find it less picky with motherboards/ running at rated spedds/timings. 

And to the person who suggested 1333 there is no point again it is the same price perhaps £3-£4 cheaper just not worth it especially in an intel build as intel favours higher clocks over tighter timings. 

I'd say stick with the i7, clock for clock in singlethreaded apps and in general everyday use it is noticeably faster than the x6 only in true multithreaded tasks will the x6 outshine the i5 which unless you do video encoding 24/7 won't be that often. Besides in a year or 2 grab an i7 870 for peanuts and it will out do any AM3 CPU (not AM3+ which there are no boards out for yet and Bulldozer is unknown performance wise)

it's an hobby for most of us, and an expensive one sometimes, my build cost £1100 though I could easily build 1 for double that if I had the money!!!


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## cdawall (Feb 25, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> If you need to be a touch cheaper
> 
> 
> AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8GHz 9MB Cache Socket AM3...
> ...



have to agree with JR on this one a phenom 1055t would be a bit more powerful than the i5 750.


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

cdawall said:


> have to agree with JR on this one a phenom 1055t would be a bit more powerful than the i5 750.



I beg to differ, see post above  yes in true multithreading that can fully utilise more than 4 cores efficiently, currently only video encoding and the like. In everyday tasks and gaming no it will not be.


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## cdawall (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> I beg to differ, see post above  yes in true multithreading that can fully utilise more than 4 cores efficiently, currently only video encoding and the like. In everyday tasks and gaming no it will not be.



not true the chip is faster overall too


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

cdawall said:


> not true the chip is faster overall too



BS, I want to see proof that in everyday tasks and gaming the x6 is faster than i5, i5 is faster than PII so again unless its utilising all 6 cores it is not faster. Really interested to see PII beat i5/7 being as they couldnt beat C2Q and i5/7 architecture was 20% faster clock for clock on C2Q


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

Both are just as good as the other. Both have pros and cons. I suggest the 1055t due to being in a non-overclocked environment(again assuming the OP has mentioned previously that would like not to).

@ NDMK

Again, both are just as good as one another.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

I won't be overclocking this thing for a long time after building it..
Also, that newly suggested motherboard only has 3 fan power sockets so I wouldnt be able to have all those fans. Unless I am mistaken.


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## JrRacinFan (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> I won't be overclocking this thing for a long time after building it..
> Also, that newly suggested motherboard only has 3 fan power sockets so I wouldnt be able to have all those fans. Unless I am mistaken.



Said you were looking at getting a bay controller.... 

Unless you decided against it.


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

> •Price somewhat higher than Core i5 750
> •Not the best choice for hardcore gamers
> •Slower than i5 750 or Phenom II X4 965 when just few cores are used



TPU's own review of the 1055T so as I said unless you can utilise those 2 extra cores it's just an PII x4 which is slower than an i5 750


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

JrRacinFan said:


> Said you were looking at getting a bay controller....
> 
> Unless you decided against it.



Don't really understand the bay controller, do I power the bay controller then plug the fans into that to power them?


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## cdawall (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> BS, I want to see proof that in everyday tasks and gaming the x6 is faster than i5, i5 is faster than PII so again unless its utilising all 6 cores it is not faster. Really interested to see PII beat i5/7 being as they couldnt beat C2Q and i5/7 architecture was 20% faster clock for clock on C2Q



http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/Phenom_II_X4_975/1.html

weird after reading through that it would appear it trades blows with the i5 750 winning more tests than it looses weird its like its faster overall


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

cdawall said:


> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/Phenom_II_X4_975/1.html
> 
> weird after reading through that it would appear it trades blows with the i5 750 winning more tests than it looses weird its like its faster overall



Weird, I quoted its actually not faster when utilising less than 4 cores, again if the OP is video encoding all day long go with the 1055T I don't dispute that, though for general usage and most apps being 2/4 core multithreaded you wont see any benefot and it will be slower in some cases.

And you quoted the 975BE review not the 1055T review...  

It's 6 of 1 half dozen of the other (if you know the phrase)


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> BS, I want to see proof that in everyday tasks and gaming the x6 is faster than i5, i5 is faster than PII so again unless its utilising all 6 cores it is not faster. Really interested to see PII beat i5/7 being as they couldnt beat C2Q and i5/7 architecture was 20% faster clock for clock on C2Q





cdawall said:


> not true the chip is faster overall too



Would you both like to post a setup you could suggest for me with all these new parts you're talking about? Instead of arguing 

The more I find out about the possibilities the better decisions I can make.


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## _JP_ (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Ok thanks  this will all be useful when I build it!!
> So have you built your own computer before?


You're welcome. Yes, many times, not only for me but for others too.


Rasputin said:


> Don't really understand the bay controller, do I power the bay controller then plug the fans into that to power them?


Bay controllers receive power trough a 4-pin molex connector directly from the power supply and have fan headers to power the fans. Some, like mine, also provide RPM readouts to the motherboard.


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Would you both like to post a setup you could suggest for me with all these new parts you're talking about? Instead of arguing
> 
> The more I find out about the possibilities the better decisions I can make.



I did lol I recommended the i5 750 build over your original build  and looking through the TPU review for the 1055T there are only a few occasions it comes out on top, and it gets truly spanked in gaming by the i5 750, heres the link: 

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/Phenom_II_X6_1055T/10.html

BTW we are not arguing at all  it's a nice community here and although people disagree rarely does it end up in flaming and hurling insults at each other, I am well aware of cdawall as he has had some awesome overclocks from budget boards and processors so I have a lot of respect for him


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

_JP_ said:


> You're welcome. Yes, many times, not only for me but for others too.
> 
> Bay controllers receive power trough a 4-pin molex connector directly from the power supply and have fan headers to power the fans. Some, like mine, also provide RPM readouts to the motherboard.



This is the one I had in mind...

Sentry 2 Bay controller

What d'ya think?


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

How many fans excluding the CPU cooler do you have or are they all case fans?


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> How many fans excluding the CPU cooler do you have or are they all case fans?



4 case fans (recommended by JP) and the PSU and Video card have fans on them i think...

EDIT: you said excluding the cpu sorry, just changed list


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> 4 case fans (recommended by JP) and the PSU and Video card have fans on them i think...
> 
> EDIT: you said excluding the cpu sorry, just changed list



Ok, the cpu fan has its own header on the motherboard, the graphics card and PSU power their fans so you don't need an header, the case you are looking at has 4 pin molex fans from what I can tell and again you don't need to use a motherboard pin header for those, so only if you will be adding a further 2+ fans to those listed would you need an controller


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## _JP_ (Feb 25, 2011)

I think that the e-shop has very few options. 
That fan controller is fine, but adding to what NdMk2o1o asked, it is important to manage how many fans you actually need to control. The sentry 2 could control all the case fans on the chassis, but is it hat you really need?
Don't forget you need to also find spots to install the thermal probes to get temperature readings. These need to be studied in order to give good readings and improve the thermal performance of you cooling system.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> Ok, the cpu fan has its own header on the motherboard, the graphics card and PSU power their fans so you don't need an header, the case you are looking at has 4 pin molex fans from what I can tell and again you don't need to use a motherboard pin header for those, so only if you will be adding a further 2+ fans to those listed would you need an controller



I just quite fancy having a touch screen fan controller 

So having 4 fans in the case would be ok? I can't seem to find any specifics on the amount of fans the motherboard can power..


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

_JP_ said:


> I think that the e-shop has very few options.
> That fan controller is fine, but adding to what NdMk2o1o asked, it is important to manage how many fans you actually need to control. The sentry 2 could control all the case fans on the chassis, but is it hat you really need?
> Don't forget you need to also find spots to install the thermal probes to get temperature readings. These need to be studied in order to give good readings and improve the thermal performance of you cooling system.



I think with the CPU being stock, and also only having an 5770 the included case fans, maybe 1 more 120mm fan would be wholly sufficient. 

In lamens terms rasputin that means maybe just add 1 120mm fan to your build that will be more than enough and you also won't need an fan controller if you do that. There is no need to stick 4 fans into that case with your proposed build


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## _JP_ (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> I think with the CPU being stock, and also only having an 5770 the included case fans, maybe 1 more 120mm fan would be wholly sufficient.
> 
> In lamens terms rasputin that means maybe just add 1 120mm fan to your build that will be more than enough and you also won't need an fan controller if you do that. There is no need to stick 4 fans into that case with your proposed build


True. I though he was going to overclock. One 120mm fan should suffice. More can't hurt, though (maybe the wallet). The HD 5770 heats up a little in the summer (~90ºC), then again my room reaches 30ºC during said time, so I'm not a good example. 
FYI, I spy with my eye, 3 fan headers on that board.  (excluding the CPU fan header)


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

So with a fan controller it has probes which I need to place around the tower?


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## _JP_ (Feb 25, 2011)

Yep. Bay controllers can give temperature reading, so that you know whether to speed-up or down the fans. Recent bay controllers rely on the temperature readings in order to automatically control such fans. A good probe placement ensures that the cooling will be the most adequate for the situation.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Think I might get some extra fans for the case, it's only like £5 for 3 fans on eBuyer...


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## cdawall (Feb 25, 2011)

phenom 1090t £159.68

Asus M4A87TD £72.02

there you go keep the rest the exact same and the 1090T is faster than the i5 750 in damn near everything. not to mention if you do ever decide to overclock all you have to do is change the cpu multiplier on this one.



NdMk2o1o said:


> BTW we are not arguing at all  it's a nice community here and although people disagree rarely does it end up in flaming and hurling insults at each other, I am well aware of cdawall as he has had some awesome overclocks from budget boards and processors so I have a lot of respect for him



which budget board normally i stick to mid range or higher last budget mobo i remember for amd is a bisotar 780G and intel a crap P35


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> Don't go for the cheap memory you will save what £3-£4?? stick with branded memory, you will find it less picky with motherboards/ running at rated spedds/timings.
> 
> And to the person who suggested 1333 there is no point again it is the same price perhaps £3-£4 cheaper just not worth it especially in an intel build as intel favours higher clocks over tighter timings.



But the motherboard supports 1333 not the one which I had earlier.. Atleast thats what it says in the description for it.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Is it fairly simple to overclock a computer? Or would I be introducing myself to a world of pain? :S


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## cdawall (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Is it fairly simple to overclock a computer? Or would I be introducing myself to a world of pain? :S



its very easy and if you post back on here after you get the PC i bet people on here would be more than happy to help you overclock that system to a pretty quick 3.5-3.7ghz


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

cdawall said:


> to get that chip up to 3.5-3.7ghz is easy as can be just change the multi in the BIOS or this one should let you change it in windows with asus turboV program it does it all for you



Schweet  might have to have a dabble with that after a while. I would need more cooling power right?


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## cdawall (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Schweet  might have to have a dabble with that after a while. I would need more cooling power right?



for a small overclock no you will not to get that chip up to 4ghz yes you will need a better cooler. there is a couple bucks freed up by that mobo being cheaper than the i5 one


this is a good cheap one that should be able to hold that chip to 4ghz or so

Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus Socket 775, 1156,1155...


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

cdawall said:


> for a small overclock no you will not to get that chip up to 4ghz yes you will need a better cooler. there is a couple bucks freed up by that mobo being cheaper than the i5 one



yeah i saw it was cheaper than my previous build idea. got it all down in a spreadsheet working out how much i'll need for this thing 

an extra 3 fans in addition to the stock case fan would be ok?

EDIT: using the psu calulator at newegg.. What type of motherboard would This be classed as?


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## cdawall (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> yeah i saw it was cheaper than my previous build idea. got it all down in a spreadsheet working out how much i'll need for this thing
> 
> an extra 3 fans in addition to the stock case fan would be ok?



they should help keep case temps


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

cdawall said:


> phenom 1090t £159.68
> 
> Asus M4A87TD £72.02
> 
> ...



H55 is entry level for 1156, jees man wasn't a dig  lol 

Though you do seem out to set a point so am not going to argue, either way the 1090t/i5 760 is going to be awesome which ever he swings for and a hell of a lot better than the Athlon x4 and 5670 he had initially planned to buy so its a win win situation


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

Component	Description	Cost	Link
CPU	Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz Socket LGA1156 8MB L3 Cache Retail Boxed Processor	£154.71	
Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz Socket LGA1156 8MB L3 Ca...


	AMD Phenom II X6 Black Edition 1090T 3.2GHz 9MB Cache 125W	£159.68	
AMD Phenom II X6 Black Edition 1090T 3.2GHz 9MB Ca...


Motherboard	Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 P55 Socket 1156 8 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard	£89.99	
Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 P55 Socket 1156 8 Channel Aud...


	Asus M4A87TD/USB3 870 Socket AM3 8 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard	£72.02	
Asus M4A87TD/USB3 870 Socket AM3 8 Channel Audio A...


RAM	EXTRA VALUE 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1333MHz Memory Kit 1.5V CL9	£24.99	
EXTRA VALUE 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1333MHz Memory Kit 1....


	OCZ 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz Obsidian Memory Kit 1.65V CL9(9-9-9-24)	£32.99	
OCZ 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz Obsidian Memory Kit 1...


Video Card	PowerColor HD 5770 1GB GDDR5 DVI HDMI Out PCI-E Graphics Card	£98.99	
PowerColor HD 5770 1GB GDDR5 DVI HDMI Out PCI-E.. ...


HDD	Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3 1TB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 32MB Cache	£39.74	
Samsung HD103SJ Spinpoint F3 1TB Hard Drive SATAII...


DVD Drive	Sony Optiarc  18x DVD-ROM SATA Optical Drive - OEM Black	£12.99	
Sony Optiarc DDU1681S 18x DVD-ROM SATA Optical Dri...


Power Supply	Be Quiet 530W Pure Power PSU - 120mm Fan Dual 12V Rails 5x SATA 2x PCI-E	£46.76	
Be Quiet 530W Pure Power PSU - 120mm Fan Dual 12V....


Case	Casecom 6788 Black Mid Tower Case with Full Black Interior/Exterior 120mm Blue LED Front Fan - No PSU	£29.99	
Casecom 6788 Black Mid Tower Case with Full Black....


Monitor	BenQ 20.1”	£94.99	
http://www.amazon.co_uk/dp/B00481F836/?tag=tec053-21


Keyboard + mouse	Logitech Mk300 wireless desktop	£21.80	
http://www.amazon.co_uk/dp/B002AB40GW/?tag=tec053-21
So this is a table of the changes made so far...
Where there are two parts in one component section it means I am undecided as of yet.
Opinions?


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

You really only need to decide between AMD or Intel (i5 760/750 or AMD 1090T), though thats not a question I would raise as some people are blindly devoted to one company or another so even facts don't come into play and then the ugly word "Fanboyism" starts to surface 

Facts are both are good CPU's and you wont be disappointed with either I guess you just have to make an judgement call, but either way you won't be disappointed performance wise and well the rest of the build seems to be decided upon already. 

Though one thing we will all agree on is the budget ram vs branded, you just don't buy budget rams or PSU's it is cheaper for a reason


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> You really only need to decide between AMD or Intel (i5 760/750 or AMD 1090T), though thats not a question I would raise as some people are blindly devoted to one company or another so even facts don't come into play and then the ugly word "Fanboyism" starts to surface
> 
> Facts are both are good CPU's and you wont be disappointed with either I guess you just have to make an judgement call, but either way you won't be disappointed performance wise and well the rest of the build seems to be decided upon already.
> 
> Though one thing we will all agree on is the budget ram vs branded, you just don't buy budget rams or PSU's it is cheaper for a reason



Ok thanks  I think I will buy branded ram, simply because this thing will be my baby  I'll have to benchmark it once I get it up and running


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Ok thanks  I think I will buy branded ram, simply because this thing will be my baby  I'll have to benchmark it once I get it up and running



My rig is my baby and even my mrs knows this lol as long as she does then we are cool I mean I have had an affair with computers and overcloking for the last 10 years yet only been with her for 1.5 years.... she knows her place and if she has a problem with that then I know who is going to win


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## _JP_ (Feb 25, 2011)

I didn't even see that you were choosing between branded or budget. Mate, no matter how much it hurts, go for branded. This way, it only hurts once and not repeatedly for a long period of time. 
OCZ, Corsair, Kingston, GeIL, Muskin, G.Skill, Patriot, PNY. Take your pick.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> My rig is my baby and even my mrs knows this lol as long as she does then we are cool I mean I have had an affair with computers and overcloking for the last 10 years yet only been with her for 1.5 years.... she knows her place and if she has a problem with that then I know who is going to win



Haha i'm with you on that one!!  
What dya reckon the max clockspeed is I could achieve with this one is? 



_JP_ said:


> I didn't even see that you were choosing between branded or budget. Buddy, no matter how much it hurts, go for branded. This way, it only hurts once and not repeatedly for a long period of time.
> OCZ, Corsair, Kingston, GeIL, Muskin, G.Skill, Patriot, PNY. Take your pick.



No worries, i'm going for two 2GB OCZ sticks so no pain for me


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## NdMk2o1o (Feb 25, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Haha i'm with you on that one!!
> What dya reckon the max clockspeed is I could achieve with this one is?
> 
> 
> ...



Both the 1090T and the i5 should overclock to 4ghz fairly easy, that said at the SAME clock speed again the i5 takes the performance lead UNLESS you are utilising all 6 cores which you are unlikely to do unless your encoding. Cause of course the 1090t with its default clock speed of 3.2ghz slightly edges the i5, but now we get into overclocking and if were talking clock for clock, the i5 architecture is better than the PII architecture. 

But yeah 3.8 ghz should be easy as pie on both chips even with little overclocking experience as you will need is a small bclk/multiplier bump and a little voltage, all other voltages you could keep at auto so it's literally 2 changes within the bios for a good 20-25% boost.


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## Rasputin (Feb 25, 2011)

NdMk2o1o said:


> Both the 1090T and the i5 should overclock to 4ghz fairly easy, that said at the SAME clock speed again the i5 takes the performance lead UNLESS you are utilising all 6 cores which you are unlikely to do unless your encoding. Cause of course the 1090t with its default clock speed of 3.2ghz slightly edges the i5, but now we get into overclocking and if were talking clock for clock, the i5 architecture is better than the PII architecture.
> 
> But yeah 3.8 ghz should be easy as pie on both chips even with little overclocking experience as you will need is a small bclk/multiplier bump and a little voltage, all other voltages you could keep at auto so it's literally 2 changes within the bios for a good 20-25% boost.



Would my current PSU allow me to do this?


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## ShiBDiB (Feb 26, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> What about Wi-Fi?





BarbaricSoul said:


> you'll need to get a Wi-Fi adaptor of some kind.
> 
> something like this- Belkin N Wireless USB Adapter | Ebuyer.com



I'd skip the usb adapters and get a pci one... usb's are always a pain in the balls and the pci tend to hold a better connection at the same range


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## puma99dk| (Feb 26, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> What about this...?
> Different processor, more powerful, same socket and cheaper...
> Intel Core i5 650 3.2GHz



i5-560 is only Dual-Core with HT and build-in graphic so stick with the i5-750 it's a Quad-Core.


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## Rasputin (Feb 26, 2011)

ShiBDiB said:


> I'd skip the usb adapters and get a pci one... usb's are always a pain in the balls and the pci tend to hold a better connection at the same range



Anyone else vouch for this?


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## cdawall (Feb 26, 2011)

Rasputin said:


> Anyone else vouch for this?



all the PCI ones i have had have been more of a pain than the USB ones the USB ones tend to have better support behind them. the PCI ones can occasionally have better connection but not in the same price bracket you end up buying an expensive one with 50 antennas on the back


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