18.02.2009 05:50
|
|
Uber Modder
|
Building a new PC? Read this first.
This thread will have the best hardware for given price ranges. It will be updated when new products come out. You don't want to go and pick bad parts, this thread will help you avoid that.
CHASSIS:
The chassis is the case of your PC. You don't want to go cheap here, airflow is the key to lifespan. I personally recommend Antec, COOLER MASTER, or Silverstone cases. There are many good cases out there, those are the ones I've personally dealt with.
- Under $50: Antec 300 - This is the case I use for now. It's a mid tower case, decent size, and good airflow. This case only comes with a 140mm top fan and 120mm rear fan (both exhaust), so more fans are a necessity. Altogether this case can house an additional pair of 120mm front intake fans and a 120mm side intake fan.
- $50-$100: COOLER MASTER RC-690 - This is one of the larger mid tower cases. It comes with a 120mm front intake fan, 120mm side intake fan, and a 120mm rear exhaust fan. An additional 120mm fan can be added to the side if you use a small CPU cooler.
- $100-$200: COOLER MASTER HAF 932 - We're finally moving into the full tower section and what an entrance. The COOLER MASTER HAF 932 (HAF stands for High Air Flow) is an incredible all around case. The case may appear strikingly ugly to some at first, but it's extremely versatile and has very high modding potential. The fans are above average, the case comes with everything you need. A 230mm front intake fan, 230mm side intake fan, 230mm top exhaust fan, and a 140mm rear exhaust fan are all generously included with the case. Noise isn't an issue, the 230mm fans spin at under 700 RPM to keep things cool and quiet. The PSU can be mounted either at the top or bottom, and at the top you have two holes to route water cooling out of the rear of the case. Up top you have a water reservoir. Be aware, you'll need to add your own dust filters. The red LED's and overall look of this case make it stand out, which can be good or bad. Don't be intimidated by the COOLER MASTER Storm Sniper which is in the same price range, the lack of a side intake hurts that case.
- $200+: COOLER MASTER ATCS 840. The COOLER MASTER ATCS 840 is the best case out there. By default, a single 230mm front intake fan is included, along with a pair of 230mm top exhaust fans and a 120mm rear exhaust fan. You can mount two 120mm HDD fans which will push the air the 230mm fan takes in onto the GPUs for GPU cooling, and a 120mm bottom intake can be mounted as well. Tool free HDD/drive bay design just like the COOLER MASTER cases above, an external air duct with an optional 120mm fan will exhaust the heat from your GPU much faster, eliminating the need for a noisy side intake fan. The dual 230mm top exhaust fans can be replaced by three 120mm exhaust fans or a 360 radiator. The rear 120mm exhaust fan and bottom 120mm intake fan (optional) can be replaced by 120 radiators for outstanding water cooling. Just like the HAF 932, the PSU can be mounted on the top or bottom, bottom preferred so it can take in fresh air and you can keep your top exhaust fans. Washable filters are present on each and every intake fan so the dust levels will be minimal. Slide out MOBO tray included as well as meshed expansion slots for optimal air flow. Wire management and CPU cooler installation is easy due to the MOBO tray cut outs. No case comes close to this one overall.
MAINBOARD:
The motherboard holds most of the other hardware in your PC. Certain motherboards are designed for certain CPU's, and some can do SLI, some can do CrossFireX, and very few can do both. Be prepared to spend more than $50 here.
- Under $100: Intel P43 - A decent cheap motherboard, no CrossFireX/SLI here, but what can you expect for under $100? At least there is PCI Express 2.0 X 16 support. If you find an EVGA 730i for under $100 (or equivalent), that would be a better choice.
- $100-$150: (EVGA) NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI FTW - An excellent motherboard, EVGA (a vendor I highly suggest, nothing but success from them personally), is designed for the win. It features an efficient 6-phase power design, 100% solid state capacitors, onboard power reset buttons and much more. DDR2 memory usage up to 1200 mhz with SLI ready memory, FSB support of 1333 mhz (Intel Socket 775 processors), and two real PCI-E 2.0 x16 slots. Matched with PCI-E 2.0 support, this is the ultimate SLI motherboard below $200. Overclocking is a breeze, extreme speeds of up to and over 4.0 ghz have been achieved with third party CPU cooling.
- $150-$200: (EVGA) NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI FTW - Another excellent product from NVIDIA/EVGA, the 780i FTW edition raises the performance bar. This is the motherboard I currently use and I love it. The 780i FTW features an 8-phase power design, innovative sideways exhaust cooling, onboard CMOS reset buttons, ferrite core chokes, 100% solid state capacitors, and much more. PCI Express 2.0 technology makes SLI mode even faster. The 780i FTW features two PCI-E 2.0 X 16 slots (top green and bottom green), while the middle is PCI-E 2.0 X 8. Don't be fooled, PCI-E 2.0 X 8 is more than enough for any video card except the ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295. Any other video card will perform exactly the same in the x8 slot. Tri-SLI and Quad-SLI is available for this motherboard, along with extreme CPU overclocking potential. Speeds of up to and over 4.0 ghz have been reached with ease when using third party CPU cooling.
- $200-$250: (EVGA) NVIDIA nForce 790i SLI FTW w/ Digital PWM - This is the third product from NVIDIA/EVGA that I recommend. The EVGA 790i SLI FTW w/ Digital PWM is the fastest Socket 775 motherboard in the world. It features the same PCI/PCI-E setup as the 780i FTW but with an additional PCI-E x1 slot at the top. Innovative sideways exhaust, 100% solid state capacitors, 8-phase digital power design, ferrite core chokes, dual channel DDR3 memory support, and 1600+ mhz FSB support are just some of the unique features of this board. Speeds of over 5 ghz have been seen when using this motherboard when using extreme CPU cooling methods.
- $250-$450: (EVGA) Intel X58 - Select Intel X58 motherboards bring SLI and CrossFireX support onto one extraordinary motherboard along with support for the latest and greatest Intel Core i7 processors. The EVGA X58 motherboard features all of this, matched with an 8-phase power design, ferrite core chokes, 100% solid state capacitors, and Tri-SLI/Quad-SLI support. Triple channel DDR3 memory support makes the X58 faster than any other motherboard. The PCI/PCI-E setup matches the EVGA 790i FTW, but the middle PCI-E 2.0 slot is the X16 and the bottom is the X8 slot. Extreme speeds of up to and over 4 ghz have been accessed when using third party CPU cooling.
- $450+: (EVGA) Intel X58 Classified) - Read the link, it is by far the best MOBO out there.
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU):
The CPU in a computer is like the brain in a human. It is where everything is processed. I'm fairly certain you didn't come to this thread to learn how these things work, so let's get on with it shall we? One thing though, AMD processors are not recommended as they are much behind Intel, with the exception of the Phenom II processors (nothing out of the ordinary either, just for AMD it is). I don't use AMD CPU's so I can't really recommend anything from them. For a gaming computer you don't want to spend less than $50.
- Under $100: Intel Pentium D E5200 - "Woah, woah wait a second, did this psycho just say Pentium D?" Well, yes I did. Believe it or not the E5200 is an excellent choice for those of you on a low budget. When using a high quality motherboard/CPU cooler, speeds of around the mid 3 ghz area has been reached. It's built on the 45nm process which is ideal for a CPU these days. This is the best CPU in the price range and it's a dual core.
- $100-$150: Intel Core 2 DUO E7200 - "Hey man WTF the E7300 is out, it's the same thing but faster." Yes the base speed is faster but the overclocking potential is actually superior on the E7200. Some crazy folks have surpassed 4 ghz on this sub $150 processor. Incredible. It's a 45nm dual core CPU with a heftier L2 cache than the E5200, faster FSB, and a slightly faster core speed.
- $150-$200: Intel Core 2 DUO E8500 - Rest in peace Sir E8400, my personal CPU, as you are being killed off. The E8500 is taking the E8400's price and the E8600 is taking the current E8500's price in order to make way for the big mighty E8700. That's right, another E8000 dual core. Say hello to a 10x multiplier and a blazing fast of 3.5 ghz. Wait, who cares, that will cost close to $300 and who would want a dual core for that price? The E8500, just as all the other E8000 series CPU's, is a 45nm dual core CPU with a 6 MB L2 cache (most so far), 3.16 ghz base speed, 9x multiplier, and a 1333 mhz FSB. Overclocking potential on all of these (especially E8600) is sky high, I've seen 4.6 ghz once on an EVGA 790i SLI FTW. I've seen an even 5 ghz on an E8600.
- $200-$250: Intel Core 2 QUAD Q6600 - Dude that thing is f*cking old and it is only 2.4 ghz. That's correct, but the Q6600 is the best quad core CPU in the price range. Why? The L2 cache is higher than any other in the price range (8 MB vs 6 MB), it's under $200 (don't even talk about the other Intel Core 2 QUAD CPU under $200), and it can overclock close to 4 ghz with a higher FSB level, thus ruling out the faster base speed of the Q9300/Q9400. It's a 65nm CPU, so it will be a little more power hungry than a 45nm and run hotter (this will become obvious if you get a Q6600). So if you plan on overclocking past 3 ghz, do yourself a favor and get a good CPU cooler. Water isn't always required.
- $250-$300: Intel Core 2 QUAD Q9550 - Now that's more like it, a 45nm Intel quad core CPU with a 1333 mhz FSB and 12 MB L2 cache. The Q9550 is beastly, it's the second best Socket 775 CPU for under $1,000. Overclocking potential is a little further than the Q6600/Q6700, these can pass 4 ghz a little easier. Of course if you're on an i7 platform you have only option - the Intel Core i7 920, which is a hell of a lot faster than any Socket 775 CPU, even the $1400+ QX9770.
- $300+: Intel Core i7 920 or Intel Core 2 QUAD Q9650 - Just like a Q9550 but a 9x multiplier, 3.0 ghz, and better overclocking potential. Enthusiasts usually go over 4 ghz with this CPU.
- Very Rich Man ($1000+): Intel Core i7 965 - This is it, it's the leader of all CPU's. Well of course not for long, the 975 is coming out soon for around the same price. If you have over $1000 to spend then forget Socket 775 man.
RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM):
Yup that's what RAM stands for. It's needed by the system and used very often, so don't cheap out on it okay?
Quality Brand Names:
- Corsair
- Crucial
- G.SKILL
- Kingston
- Mushkin
- OCZ
- Patriot
The ones in bold are the absolute best, and the absolute most pricey.
- Under $50: 4 GB RAM (OCZ Platnium 2 x 2 GB DDR2 1066) - Holy smokes, that's cheap. 4 GB will be more than what many of you need (unless you plan on an 8192 X 8192 map in SB2 - in that case get a workstation motherboard), and DDR2 1066 mhz memory is a fast speed, and that's OCZ so it will overclock nicely.
- $50-$100: Ditto for DDR2 users until you have close to $100, then double up and get 8 GB of that RAM (or Corsair or Mushkin). As for DDR3, 4 GB RAM (OCZ Gold 2 x 2 GB DDR3 1600) actually costs under $100! Go wild with that. If you're using an X58/i7 platform, you're in luck -> 3 GB RAM (Mushkin 3 x 1 GB DDR3 1600).
- $100-$150: Socket 1366 -> 6 GB RAM (OCZ Platnium 3 x 2 GB DDR3 1600), everyone else, you're stuck with that sub $100 OCZ Gold 2 x 2 GB DDR3 1600. I made that sound bad but it isn't.
- $150-$200: OCZ NVIDIA SLI Edition 2 x 2 GB DDR3 1800 - I'd kill for RAM that looks like that! NVIDIA branded memory in an NVIDIA branded CM STACKER 830 Case would be fantastic. If you're on i7 then you're still with 3 x 2 GB DDR3 1600 (most likely).
- $200-$250: If you're impatient there is 3 x 2 GB of OCZ Reaper DDR3 1866 waiting for you here, however if you can wait for this, you'd be one happy gamer. Triple channel DDR3 2000 is hard to come by for now.
- Very Rich Man ($250+): Start to buy two of these kits for 8-12 GB of RAM.
GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNIT (GPU):
Here is the section you've all been waiting for. There will be arguments over this section most likely, so before you say anything, do your research. I chose these parts for reasons I will say, and these parts perform best in the price range. Look it up if you have doubts. I don't mind being corrected, but when I say corrected I mean corrected with factual information. I did my research already. Now, if you want a gaming PC don't get a GPU that costs less than $50.
- Under $100: NVIDIA GeForce 9600GT - The 9600GT is arguably the best card for under $100. It is built on a 256 bit interface, this particular model having 512 MB of memory. I used to own one of these, but when I did I also had a monitor that only supported 1024 x 768 max so it didn't really mean much. The 9600GT can render NVIDIA PhysX technology, which is in many games, including upcoming ones. Two way SLI support and good overclocking capabilities. Minimum power requirement is a 400W PSU with a single 6-pin PCI-E connector. I wouldn't get less than a qualtiy 650W for SLI. The upcoming GTS 230 is a rebranded version of this but built on the 55nm process. If you can find an 8800GT/9800GT for the same price, don't hesitate to buy it over this card.
- $100-$140: (EVGA) NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 - It's a rebranded 9800GTX+ but with a slightly faster core clock speed and lower price. Also available with 1 GB of memory. Both this and the 9800GTX+ smoke the 4850. Minimum power requirement is a 450W PSU w/ one 6-pin PCI-E power connector, I wouldn't go less than a quality 650W for SLI.
- $140-$180: ATI Radeon HD 4870 - Recent price drops put this card below $200. The 4870 is a nice card, but if you get it, forget about 3D gaming and NVIDIA PhysX. I recommend spending a little bit more for the card below, it will do you much better.
- $200-$330: (EVGA) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 CORE 216 - 55nm - More controversy? Probably. Benchmarks show the GTX 260 CORE 216 (EVGA 55nm or not) beats the ATI Radeon HD 4870 most of the time, same goes for the 1 GB 4870. Again the GTX 260's are more power efficient, run cooler, and can render PhysX. For now EVGA is the only vendor with a 55nm model to my knowledge, but I could be wrong. This card is immensely powerful, I have one myself (this exact one). Overclocking potential matches the 65nm overall, but the 55nm model runs cooler and uses less power (I've had both the 65nm now the 55nm, 55nm runs over 5 degrees Celsius cooler under load, idle is around the same). I have it overclocked to 684/1476/1190 (core/shaders/memory). This is great for larger resolutions, recommended 1680 x 1050 or larger so it won't be bottlenecked. Minimum power requirement is a 500W PSU with two 6-pin PCI-E connectors. Personally I wouldn't go below a quality 750W PSU for SLI and a 1000W for Tri-SLI.
- $330-$500: (EVGA) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 - There shouldn't be much controversy here, the GTX 285 takes down anything in it's class, including ATI's 4850 X2 in most cases. The EVGA GTX 285 is the fastest single chip GPU on the planet, no doubts about it. Full 1 GB of VRAM on a 512 bit interface, it's the GT200 chip to the max. It's a GTX 280 but built on a 55nm process rather than 65nm, therefore it runs cooler and uses less power. EVGA GTX 285 backplate is coming soon. Minimum power requirement is a 550W PSU with two 6-pin PCI-E connectors. I wouldn't go below a quality 750W for SLI and 1000W for Tri-SLI. Best stock GT200 card for overclocking.
- $500+: (EVGA) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 - There shouldn't be much controversy, the GTX 295 kicks the ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 in the tail in most scenarios, and by more than a small margin. It's the best GPU on the market. It's better than a pair of GTX 260 CORE 216's. Heat/driver/micro-stuttering issues are gone (9800GX2 suffered from this badly). Minimum power requirement is officially a 680W with a 6-pin PCI-E connector and an 8-pin PCI-E connector. I find this funny, tests show it is more efficient than an ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 and the official minimum PSU requirement for the 4870 X2 is a 650W. For Quad-SLI GTX 295's I wouldn't go below a quality 1000W PSU. This thing is really racking up money for NVIDIA, it's sold out everywhere (EVGA especially). EVGA has a backplate for this.
NOTE: NVIDIA is being stupid and renaming the 9 series. This will confuse everyone.
If you wish to play games and watch movies in 3D, then NVIDIA is your only choice with GeForce 3D Vision (only two expensive 22 inch monitors support it - a Samsung and a ViewSonic - both 120 hz).
POWER SUPPLY UNIT (PSU):
Many people cheap out on a PSU. They see a cheap PSU that has a high wattage count and they go for this. People, this is a big mistake. This will cause many problems in your PC, including blue screens of death (BSOD) and more commonly, system shut downs. You can't get a cheap PSU since it's what powers your PC...
Quality Brand Names:
- ABS Tagan
- Antec
- Chieftec
- COOLER MASTER
- Corsair
- OCZ
- PC Power & Cooling
- Seasonic
- Silverstone
- Thermaltake
- Xion
The ones in bold are the best. The only good Thermaltake PSU's are the more costly ones such as the Toughpower series. The COOLER MASTER eXtreme power series and Silent Pro M aren't nearly as good as the Real Power/Real Power Pro and Ultimate Circuit Protection (UCP) series. I've owned two COOLER MASTER PSU's (Real Power Pro 1000W and now Real Power Pro 650W). Both were perfect, I sold the 1000W for more than I paid for. Modular PSU's aren't better in every way, they are larger, have less cooling potential, and are less reliable. Of course the difference in reliability is so small that it's redundant. The amount of +12v rails is irrelevant, what matters is the total amperage and stability.
CPU COOLING:
Air Coolers:
Water Coolers:
Phase Change Cooling:
Please do not use liquid nitrogen or liquid helium, it is not good for the product's lifespan.
As for hard drives, just don't get anything several years old. Western Digital makes some excellent hard drives, I have one (320 GB SATA 7200RPM 3.0 GB/s).
As for sound cards, make sure it works with your operating system and then you can't really go wrong. I have a nice cheap Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE 7.1 sound card and it's great.
If you are having trouble choosing an operating system, I'll help you out. Get Windows Vista, despite what people say. Unless you have under 1 GB RAM and an incredibly slow CPU, Vista is great with Service Pack 1. The Basic edition can be found for cheap, Home Premium is excellent (I use Home Premium 64 bit). Ultimate is overkill for most. I also suggest 64 bit Vista, 64 bit operating systems are necessary in order to use more than 3 GB RAM. Windows Vista is needed for Tri-SLI or Quad-SLI as well as DirectX 10.
AWARDS:
Chassis:
- CHASSIS KING - HIGH BUDGET: COOLER MASTER ATCS 840
- CHASSIS KING - MID BUDGET: COOLER MASTER HAF 932
- CHASSIS KING - LOW BUDGET: Antec 300
- BEST OVERALL CHASSIS MANUFACTURER: COOLER MASTER
Motherboards:
- MAINBOARD KING: (EVGA) Intel X58 Classified
- MAINBOARD KING - VERY HIGH BUDGET: (EVGA) Intel X58
- MAINBOARD KING - HIGH BUDGET: (EVGA) NVIDIA nForce 790i SLI FTW w/ Digital PWM
- MAINBOARD KING - MID BUDGET: (EVGA) NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI FTW
- MAINBOARD KING - LOW BUDGET: (EVGA) NVIDIA nForce 730i
- BEST OVERALL MAINBOARD MANUFACTURER: NVIDIA (EVGA subbrand)
Central Processing Units:
- CENTRAL PROCESSOR UNIT KING: Intel Core i7 EXTREME 965
- CENTRAL PROCESSOR UNIT KING - HIGH BUDGET: Intel Core i7 920
- CENTRAL PROCESSOR UNIT KING - PRICE TO PERFORMANCE: AMD Phenom II X4 940
- OVERCLOCKING KING: AMD Phenom II X4 940
- BEST OVERALL CPU MANUFACTURER: Intel
Graphics Processing Units:
- MOBILE GRAPHICS PERFORMANCE KING: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4870 x2
- MOBILE GRAPHICS KING - Single Chip: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M
- DESKTOP GRAPHICS KING: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295
- DESKTOP GRAPHICS KING - Single Chip: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285
- DESKTOP GRAPHICS PRICE TO PERFORMANCE KING: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 CORE 216 - 55nm
- DESKTOP GRAPHICS MID BUDGET KING: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250
- BEST OVERALL GPU MANUFACTURER: NVIDIA
Power Supply Unit:
- BEST POWER SUPPLY UNIT SERIES: COOLER MASTER Ultimate Circuit Protection (UCP) series (all 80 Plus SILVER certified - 85%/88%/85% efficiency minimum)
- BEST POWER SUPPLY UNIT - POWER: ePOWER 2000W PSU
- BEST POWER SUPPLY UNIT - EFFICIENCY: Channel Well 700W PSU (80 Plus GOLD certified - typical efficiency = 91.23%)
- BEST POWER SUPPLY MANUFACTURER: Easily debatable, my vote goes to COOLER MASTER
CPU Coolers:
- BEST CPU COOLER - AIR: COOLER MASTER V10
- BEST CPU COOLER - TEC: COOLER MASTER V10
- BEST CPU COOLER - AIR/PRICE TO PERFORMANCE: Thermalright Ultra-120 EXTREME
- BEST CPU COOLER - AIR/LOW BUDGET: XIGMATEK HDT-S1283
- BEST CPU COOLER - MANUFACTURER: COOLER MASTER
Sorry I can't convert prices, but the products still count.
__________________
This post has been edited 18 time(s), it was last edited by boredgunner: 27.04.2009 01:14.
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 06:12
|
|
24/7 Modder
|
RE: Building a new PC? Read this first.
wow, nicely done.. but, wont these things cost different around the world? and what currency have you done it in the 1st place?
__________________
Very high effects on low settings, The Ultimate Low Config
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 06:32
|
|
Trainee
|
RE: Building a new PC? Read this first.
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 06:49
|
|
Trainee
|
CPU is Central Processing Unit, not computer processing unit.
__________________
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 08:44
|
|
Experienced Modder
|
Nice post but what about AMD and ATI? The new Phenom ll's are 45nm. The 920 2.8GHz can be found for lower 200$ and the 940 will be around $229 not to mention the motherboards don't cost 200+ like i7 mobo's do, More like 100$ for a decent motherboard that supports Crossfire or SLI ones can be found too both will support PCIE 16X 2.0 and DDR2 1066 for the new AMD and Nvidia 790's. AMD also makes AM3 Tri core CPU's that are now 45nm and can be found as low as $1.29 for a 2.6GHz one with 6MB of L3 Cache!
Hares a new motherboard higher end AM3 motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...N82E16813128378
Thats actually about the highest end AMD get's for $140. You can install a new 45nm Tri core or Quad and overclock it great! Put DDR2 1600 and id like to see a GPU that gets bottle necked by that. It's also is Crossfire. How bout 2 HD 4870 x2's?
Most of the the new AM2+ boards support Phenom ll's and AM3's too.
The newer AMD dual core is the Kuma. It is 2.7Ghz 95 Watts and they decided to give this one 2MB of L3 cache. My dad got a 40$ cooler master cooler for this and over clocked it past 3.5 GHz and it still stays way under 40c Evan with hours of stress testing. It is 65nm but it is only $68.50. Cheaper and faster than the E5200 right now http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...N82E16819103300
So what about ATI? It doesn't really matter what brand you go with. Mirrors edge does Nvidia Physics, witch looks horrible to me and what else? Unreal Tournament? Not Crysis. If you really care about Physics than go with Nvidia but ATI's prices are sometimes better for what you get. The HD 4870 can now be found for around $175. I personally like Nvidia and own a 9800gt along with mirrors edge but I'm not stuck on Nvidia and i don't care if i don't have Nvidia Physics because i never play mirrors edge anymore.
Why wont any body recognize the Tri core's? Just because its AMD? it's such a good idea. If dual cores aren't enough and Quad's aren't fully utilized get Tri!
I've heard the AMD Pheonom ll 940 can be overclocked on Air to 3.8GHz and so can the i7 940 barely on air. Maybe that's why they gave it the same name.
I could get a Core 2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz for $138.91 ^ and i wont get over 4 ghz without some crazzy cooling. Maybe 3.5+ on the 50$ Air cooling id use on a 2.6GHz Tri core with 6MB of L3 Cache, The one that $1.29 stated above. Just imagine what kind of overclock you could get on that. Lower but with an Extra Cire and a higher stock speed it is worth it.
This article is very one sided unlike a Wikipedia article so i just wanted people to know about AMD too so they can make a good choice and maybe you can find some good AMD/ATI products to through in there or i can find it for you.
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 11:08
|
|
Experienced Modder
|
We shouldn't get AMD and ATI anymore, they going bust and will be out of the market soon enough, they have stopped supporting most of their hardware already,
Stick with Intel and Nvidia, you can't go wrong.
Also the cases, you should have included the Antec 900 and Antec 1200, both excellent cases, i'd go with the 900 though.
__________________
Full Of Myself? Hell Yeah!
www.youtube.com/RayoProductions
Crysis Wars - Shoot To Kill
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 17:17
|
|
Uber Modder
Thread Starter  |
Post updated. Wings For Marie, PhysX has nothing to do with visuals, it's all physics. If the particles don't look good we blame the game engine. As for AMD CPU's, there is no reason to buy one unless you already have an AMD motherboard. They are still not power efficient at all, even though they are built on the 45nm process. Same goes for the AMD/ATI GPU's. I've updated the mid $100 GPU price range with the 4870.
The Antec 900 is discontinued (still being sold though), the Antec 902 took it's place. It seems senseless why one would buy that case, it's a mid tower and airflow is worse than the COOLER MASTER HAF 932, and wire management/water cooling potential is worse. All of this for a heavier price? Nah. The Antec 1200 and the COOLER MASTER HAF 932 constantly battle each other off, but the HAF 932 wins most comparisons. Air flow isn't the only factor.
__________________
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 18:16
|
|
Experienced Modder
|
| quote: |
| They are still not power efficient at all, |
Phenom ll 940 3GHz 45nm Qaud core 6MP L3 cache "125W" $229
i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 45nm 8MB L3 Cache "130W"$288.99
| quote: |
| As for AMD CPU's, there is no reason to buy one unless you already have an AMD motherboard. |
AMD motherboards are much cheaper and theirs a good choice for a mid range system.
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 18:19
|
|
Uber Modder
Thread Starter |
Of course i7 will use more than Phenom II, they're not even close to being in the same league. Phenom II compares better with the Core 2 Quad Q9xxx series. The Q9550 uses 95W, but it's $279.99.
__________________
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 18:22
|
|
Trained Modder
|
Nice recommendations, but what about AMD and ATI? I'm never getting an nVidia again after past experience...
AMD, dunno why, I just like them better then Intel.
I built my PC, it has ATI and AMD in it. Better get a proper power supply, mine is some brand called "Sumvision" never heard of them but the serve me well for now.
__________________
AMD Athlon X2 6000+, OCZ Reaper 4GB RAM,
Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 4890 1GB - High, 1440x900
This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by someone7272: 18.02.2009 18:23.
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 18:42
|
|
Experienced Modder
|
| quote: |
Originally posted by boredgunner
The Antec 900 is discontinued (still being sold though), the Antec 902 took it's place. It seems senseless why one would buy that case, it's a mid tower and airflow is worse than the COOLER MASTER HAF 932, and wire management/water cooling potential is worse. All of this for a heavier price? Nah. The Antec 1200 and the COOLER MASTER HAF 932 constantly battle each other off, but the HAF 932 wins most comparisons. Air flow isn't the only factor. |
Oh, thanks, numberous people have recommended the antec 900/902 to me,
if you dont mind, can ya help me on something ...
Antec 900
Coolermaster CM Stacker 831 Case
Coolermaster Cosmos S Case
Coolermaster Cosmos 1000 Case
Which would you say is the "best" out of those?
Unfortunatly for my new pc, those are my only choice for cases for my pc.
If you could list them from bad 2 good? 
Ty
__________________
Full Of Myself? Hell Yeah!
www.youtube.com/RayoProductions
Crysis Wars - Shoot To Kill
This post has been edited 2 time(s), it was last edited by Rayo55: 18.02.2009 18:44.
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 18:59
|
|
PermaBanned
|
Nicely done , this is really helpful!!!1!!11 
__________________
Banned for piracy.
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 19:17
|
|
Uber Modder
Thread Starter |
| quote: |
Originally posted by Rayo55
| quote: |
Originally posted by boredgunner
The Antec 900 is discontinued (still being sold though), the Antec 902 took it's place. It seems senseless why one would buy that case, it's a mid tower and airflow is worse than the COOLER MASTER HAF 932, and wire management/water cooling potential is worse. All of this for a heavier price? Nah. The Antec 1200 and the COOLER MASTER HAF 932 constantly battle each other off, but the HAF 932 wins most comparisons. Air flow isn't the only factor. |
Oh, thanks, numberous people have recommended the antec 900/902 to me,
if you dont mind, can ya help me on something ...
Antec 900
Coolermaster CM Stacker 831 Case
Coolermaster Cosmos S Case
Coolermaster Cosmos 1000 Case
Which would you say is the "best" out of those?
Unfortunatly for my new pc, those are my only choice for cases for my pc.
If you could list them from bad 2 good?
Ty |
The Antec 900/902 (remember it's replacing the 900) is the worst one there, it's a mid tower. The other cases you listed are in another class, they're even better than the Antec 1200. The CM STACKER 831 is not recommended, it lacks the side fan tray in order to mount the 4 side intake fans (which can range from 80mm to 140mm). The COSMOS S is better than the COSMOS 1000, the S is the updated version that features a 200mm side intake fan and a metal top (no cheap plastic). My vote goes to the COSMOS S.
someone7272, why do you like AMD CPU's better? They are worse in every way. As for the GPU, most people avoid ATI due to poor experiences. With ATI you can't even overclock without voiding your warranty. ATI has no PhysX, they are not efficient, and they run hot. Let's not forget the famous driver issues!
__________________
This post has been edited 3 time(s), it was last edited by boredgunner: 18.02.2009 19:19.
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 19:48
|
|
Hardcore Modder
|
| quote: |
Originally posted by Wings For Marie
Phenom ll 940 3GHz 45nm Qaud core 6MP L3 cache "125W" $229
i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 45nm 8MB L3 Cache "130W"$288.99 |
What's amazing, is that the Phenom 2 uses less power at idle than the i7 (due to the CPU dropping down to 800mhz or something), but at 100% usage (running Prime95 or games, etc), the CPU drew more power than the i7. Tell me, how do they manage to create a worse chip that draws MORE power? 
| quote: |
Originally posted by Rayo55
Which would you say is the "best" out of those? |
I have the stacker 830 (the one with the four side fans), and I must say, it's a nice case. The Cosmos wasn't out when I made my purchase, and I wish it had been. 
__________________
Portfolio
-----------
Vista Ult x64 SP1
nForce 780i
E8500 ~ 4.00ghz
2x GTX280
4x 1gb DDR2 1066
|
|
|
|
|
18.02.2009 20:48
|
|
Uber Modder
Thread Starter |
Yes if you can go for a COOLER MASTER STACKER 830/832 that would be a better choice. The STACKER 831 is a no no.
__________________
|
|
|
|
|
19.02.2009 00:25
|
|
Hardcore Modder
|
| quote: |
Originally posted by boredgunner
| quote: |
Originally posted by Rayo55
| quote: |
Originally posted by boredgunner
The Antec 900 is discontinued (still being sold though), the Antec 902 took it's place. It seems senseless why one would buy that case, it's a mid tower and airflow is worse than the COOLER MASTER HAF 932, and wire management/water cooling potential is worse. All of this for a heavier price? Nah. The Antec 1200 and the COOLER MASTER HAF 932 constantly battle each other off, but the HAF 932 wins most comparisons. Air flow isn't the only factor. |
Oh, thanks, numberous people have recommended the antec 900/902 to me,
if you dont mind, can ya help me on something ...
Antec 900
Coolermaster CM Stacker 831 Case
Coolermaster Cosmos S Case
Coolermaster Cosmos 1000 Case
Which would you say is the "best" out of those?
Unfortunatly for my new pc, those are my only choice for cases for my pc.
If you could list them from bad 2 good?
Ty |
The Antec 900/902 (remember it's replacing the 900) is the worst one there, it's a mid tower. The other cases you listed are in another class, they're even better than the Antec 1200. The CM STACKER 831 is not recommended, it lacks the side fan tray in order to mount the 4 side intake fans (which can range from 80mm to 140mm). The COSMOS S is better than the COSMOS 1000, the S is the updated version that features a 200mm side intake fan and a metal top (no cheap plastic). My vote goes to the COSMOS S.
someone7272, why do you like AMD CPU's better? They are worse in every way. As for the GPU, most people avoid ATI due to poor experiences. With ATI you can't even overclock without voiding your warranty. ATI has no PhysX, they are not efficient, and they run hot. Let's not forget the famous driver issues! |
I would disagree. See, it's not the Brand that determines OC warranty voids, because the same is said about my GTX 260. I'm not even allowed to attach an after-market cooler, although only 1 after-market air cooler exists for it....
__________________
Core i7 980x
12 GB Gskill DDR3
2 EVGA Geforce GTX 480s
EVGA Geforce GT 240 Physx
Asus Rampage II Gene x58
Silverstone Strider+ 1000
Da Box mATX case
|
|
|
|
|
19.02.2009 04:43
|
|
Hardcore Modder
|
| quote: |
Originally posted by Cri2T
| quote: |
Originally posted by Wings For Marie
Phenom ll 940 3GHz 45nm Qaud core 6MP L3 cache "125W" $229
i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 45nm 8MB L3 Cache "130W"$288.99 |
What's amazing, is that the Phenom 2 uses less power at idle than the i7 (due to the CPU dropping down to 800mhz or something), but at 100% usage (running Prime95 or games, etc), the CPU drew more power than the i7. Tell me, how do they manage to create a worse chip that draws MORE power?
|
Smaller die. That's also why a 3 Ghz Phenom II quad is $200 and a 3 Ghz i7 is $1000.
And don't say "OC", Phenom II has gotten up to 4 Ghz stable on STOCK COOLING.
__________________
Core i7 980x
12 GB Gskill DDR3
2 EVGA Geforce GTX 480s
EVGA Geforce GT 240 Physx
Asus Rampage II Gene x58
Silverstone Strider+ 1000
Da Box mATX case
|
|
|
|
|
19.02.2009 05:22
|
|
Hardcore Modder
|
| quote: |
Originally posted by Zurginator
Smaller die. That's also why a 3 Ghz Phenom II quad is $200 and a 3 Ghz i7 is $1000.
And don't say "OC", Phenom II has gotten up to 4 Ghz stable on STOCK COOLING. |
Yes, but the 3ghz i7 is also an Extreme Edition, which means unlocked multiplier.
Out of all the i7's, the 920 is the best bang for your buck.
Check this out:
Stock Table
i7 920: 133 x 20 = 2.66
i7 940: 133 x 22 = 2.93
i7 965: 133 x 25 = 3.2
OC Table
i7 920: 200 x 20 = 4.0
i7 940: 200 x 22 = 4.4
i7 965: 200 x 25 = 5.0
Now, 5ghz isn't exactly realistic, unless you have a phase-change setup to handle the chip. Even a top-of-the-line DD H2O system would have trouble keeping that beast cool; but you see how the multipliers play a role in the system speed; and how the 920's multiplier of 20 is more than adequate.
You also failed to mention that the i7's sport HT tech, which allows a quadcore to behave like an oct-core. Also, the hex-cores are coming out pretty soon, which will act like 12 cores. And later this year the Westmere revision comes out for the i7's (much like the penryn revision of the conroe family). Nehalem: 45nm | Westmere: 32nm (This is where the 5ghz will become a realistic number).
As for the Phenom 2 getting to 4ghz on "Stock Cooling", everyone knows intel's stock cooling solutions are rubbish, and you shouldn't judge a chip based on the stock cooling. 
With all that being said, the P2's are great chips for budget buyers who don't want to fork out for a new mobo/ram combo. However, they are a quick-fix for the performance gap left by the i7's and adopters are going to be shafted when AM3 comes out with proper DDR3 support and such.
__________________
Portfolio
-----------
Vista Ult x64 SP1
nForce 780i
E8500 ~ 4.00ghz
2x GTX280
4x 1gb DDR2 1066
|
|
|
|
|
|
