Buddy Build

[Bo$$]

Sub £600 Build For a Friend

HI im building a new PC for a friend, this is what i have got so far.

He wants to play games bit of music making...
He is not too knowledgeable in PCs so he implicitly said it MUST be a quad core... if you can help me make it just as quick as a Q6600 based pc we will be happy

I need to cut the fat so to speak..
<£600 but needs to include keyboard/mouse/windows/speakers too!
I dont mind moving to Intel if it is cheaper...

 

[xBruce88x]

you could probably switch to an HD6750 and an Athlon II X4 OEM since you're getting an aftermarket cooler.

or just drop the aftermarket cooler and use an HD6750 while keeping the current cpu you selected. should be about 594.7 incl VAT

Sapphire HD6750 1G GDDR5 PCI-E HDMI / DVI-I / DP.....

 

[Bo$$]

Is that Mobo+CPU+RAM a good combo, i have never made an AMD system before....

PSU and case are Ok?

 

[xBruce88x]

everything looks pretty solid. i'll double check on that PSU real quick though...

edit: yes that PSU is good. 44A on the 12v rail should be plenty for that setup. 85% efficiency rating, and its rated at its typical capacity (which is 550W) not its peak. its peak is 660W

specs: http://www.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=6641

i would say drop the add in card for sound (btw nothing wrong with that card, i've heard great things about it) and keep the 6770, but since you said he does music I'd say keep it. I'm guessing he's picky with audio

 

[Bo$$]

everything looks pretty solid. i'll double check on that PSU real quick though...

edit: yes that PSU is good. 44A on the 12v rail should be plenty for that setup. 85% efficiency rating, and its rated at its typical capacity (which is 550W) not its peak. its peak is 660W

specs: http://www.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=6641

i would say drop the add in card for sound (btw nothing wrong with that card, i've heard great things about it) and keep the 6770, but since you said he does music I'd say keep it. I'm guessing he's picky with audio

Thanks Bruce

What does intel currently have that is as fast as a Phenom X4?
is it worth looking at them?

 

[xBruce88x]

pretty much anything i5 is faster, but all cost more than any amd cpu. you could find a used q6600, e8xxx, or 9450 but ppl are charging a premium for those. I think that Phenom II should be sufficient for most games. I have an Athlon II and it does everything just fine. it even survived a blowout on the motherboard's voltage reg. for the cpu! although its more sensitive to heat now... the only game i see much slowdown in is SCII with highest settings, and metro 2033 demo, and the new duke nukem demo. but I think that's my 9600GT.

I've heard that for gaming some of the core i3's are as good as the amd quads.

 

[Bo$$]

pretty much anything i5 is faster, but all cost more than any amd cpu. you could find a used q6600, e8xxx, or 9450 but ppl are charging a premium for those. I think that Phenom II should be sufficient for most games. I have an Athlon II and it does everything just fine. it even survived a blowout on the motherboard's voltage reg. for the cpu! although its more sensitive to heat now... the only game i see much slowdown in is SCII with highest settings, and metro 2033 demo, and the new duke nukem demo. but I think that's my 9600GT.

I've heard that for gaming some of the core i3's are as good as the amd quads.

Ill bear that in mind when i see him...
I have a Q6600+RAM+VIDEOCARDS but the main thing is i want everything to have a warranty so that if it goes wrong i can blame someone else rather than my brother loosing a good friends

 

[brandonwh64]

I5 750 with a nice P55 board would be what you may want if its around the same price

 

[DigitalUK]

keep the retail over the oem cpu (1 year warranty on oem, 3 years on retail)

 

[Bo$$]

I5 750 with a nice P55 board would be what you may want if its around the same price

I have been out of the loop for a while, could you recommend ones from ebuyer please?

 

[xBruce88x]

the i5 costs way more

Intel Core i5 750 2.66GHz Socket LGA1156 8MB L3 Ca...

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

get an i3 2100 + H67 motherboard i3 2100 will out right destroy the Phenom II or Athlon II in gaming

if the right parts are selects an i3 2100 system is only about $20 more then a Phenom II 840 system

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/188?vs=289

 

[Bo$$]

get an i3 2100 + H67 motherboard i3 2100 will out right destroy the Phenom II or Athlon II in gaming

if the right parts are selects an i3 2100 system is only about $20 more then a Phenom II 840 system

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/188?vs=289

how are the lesser mobos?
H61 and such?

 

[Fourstaff]

http://www.dabs.com/products/xfx-at...=product search&utm_content=Q200?ReferrerID=t

Get this instead, better than the 6750 and comes with free games to boot.

Cut off the iChill and Xonar, they are excess luggage imo.

Also, try to squeeze a i3 2100 in, it should be way better for not so much more.

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Comp...t+LGA1155+Processor+-+Retail+?productId=43839
and
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Comp...DDR3+PCI-Express+Motherboard+?productId=43858

 

[Bo$$]

http://www.dabs.com/products/xfx-at...=product search&utm_content=Q200?ReferrerID=t

Get this instead, better than the 6750 and comes with free games to boot.

Cut off the iChill and Xonar, they are excess luggage imo.

Also, try to squeeze a i3 2100 in, it should be way better for not so much more.

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Comp...t+LGA1155+Processor+-+Retail+?productId=43839
and
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Comp...DDR3+PCI-Express+Motherboard+?productId=43858

Wow, thanks man
If i take the intel will that ram in the OP still be ok?

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

here ya go way better PC

as for keyboard and mouse seriously recycle you dont need wireless its a luxury i know my local thift store aka paperback trader, goodwill, salvation army have perfectly fine keyboards and optical mice for like $3 it saves money allows for a better rig.

and i agree above unless your buddy has some expensive headphones ie, greater then 70 quid sound card is worthless. same goes if you have shitty speakers kinda dosent make a difference you need both for it be worth it half the equation is half not a whole

the motherboard isnt that great tho so id try and squeeze something better in.

here swap the asus mobo for this one it has better sata port placement. about same quality
Biostar H67MU3 B3 Revision H67 Socket 1155 6 Chann...

to really cut some money but lower quality then above. 95watt CPU TDP limit
Biostar H61MH H61 Socket 1155 6 Channel HD Audio m...

but i really wouldnt suggest going with the super cheap board... just not a good idea.

 

[Bo$$]

here ya go way better PC

http://img.techpowerup.org/110621/pc build.jpg

as for keyboard and mouse seriously recycle you dont need wireless its a luxury i know my local thift store aka paperback trader, goodwill, salvation army have perfectly fine keyboards and optical mice for like $3 it saves money allows for a better rig.

and i agree above unless your buddy has some expensive headphones ie, greater then 70 quid sound card is worthless. same goes if you have shitty speakers kinda dosent make a difference you need both for it be worth it half the equation is half not a whole

the motherboard isnt that great tho so id try and squeeze something better in.

here swap the asus mobo for this one it has better sata port placement. about same quality
Biostar H67MU3 B3 Revision H67 Socket 1155 6 Chann...

to really cut some money but lower quality then above. 95watt CPU TDP limit
Biostar H61MH H61 Socket 1155 6 Channel HD Audio m...

but i really wouldnt suggest going with the super cheap board... just not a good idea.

mmm, does using a MATX cube have any benefits other than obvious size?
liking that MOBO actually. does the I3 have HT on it? will it look like a quad core in windows?
if i take the 5770 or 6770 will he be able to play latest games 1600 x 900 with decent LOD?
He is a borderline audiophile, always see him with a new set of headphones when my bro brings him round... thought the headphone amp would be perfect

TBH im just worried about the CPU/RAM/MOBO i think i will have to see if he wants to waste cash on the other stuff or just go for raw performance

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

i3 is 2cores 4 threads in gaming it rapes any AMD cpu currently available

MATX mobo is fine i doubt he will run 2 gpus or 5-6 sata devices i3 wont overclock so need for cooling etc id take the more powerful gpu simple because lets face it a 6770 would have to be replaced sooner rather then later.

and since the 5770 is exactly the same as a 6770 and its performance is that of a 4870 well you get the idea its long in the tooth.

headphones and sound card can come later.

look at it this way do you compromise the performance so he gets better sound or not

when it comes to sound cards and extras ill take performance first EVERY time because trying to fit it all in while awesome also means you have to settle for lesser performing CPU GPU which is the heart of a PC in terms of its performance

 

[Bo$$]

He uses a seriously good set of headphones so he wants a headphone amp...
Gaming is not a necessity but it should be decent, How is that looking right now?

 

[erocker]

i3 is 2cores 4 threads in gaming it rapes any AMD cpu currently available

I used an i3 and no it does not. What makes you say that? For the price though it's a good enough chip.

 

[sneekypeet]

I used an i3 and no it does not. What makes you say that? For the price though it's a good enough chip.

I think he was referring to the new second gen i3 (2100).

 

[cheesy999]

I think he was referring to the new second gen i3 (2100).

even so i'm sure the 6 cores especially would out-perform it

(I was going to use billie pipers head but i lost that photo and as such have improvised - why do i get a smaller avatar then everybody else? -pm me i don't want to hijack bo$$'s thread)

 

[sneekypeet]

I just did a bit of surfing and it seems CER's advise is widely spread across the few forums I had looked at. For CPU intensive applications the more cores of the AMD could pull it in the lead. For gaming and such, "they" say that the Intel has an advantage, and OCing the 840 may lessen the gap but not close it.

 

[Fourstaff]

As long as you are not playing Battlefield Bad Company 2, i3 SB will basically beat any AMD chips. Even in BFBC2 its even enough to decisively hand the award to the i3, unless you play BFBC2 exclusively.

 

[cheesy999]

As long as you are not playing Battlefield Bad Company 2, i3 SB will basically beat any AMD chips. Even in BFBC2 its even enough to decisively hand the award to the i3, unless you play BFBC2 exclusively.

depends how long he's keeping it for though, more and more games are quad core now and it doesn't hurt to have it