best processor+motherboard under 300$

O BS. Under $350, you get much more for your $ w/ amd.
Buy a $150 6400+ and a $150 MSI K9A2 Platinum Mobo (fully AM2+) and you have an amazing overclocking combo w/ room to grow w/ the Phenoms and the next 2 years worth of processors. You cant even use 2009 processors in today's intel boards, probably not even Q3 2008 processors.
Show me what you can do for a $150 processor from Intel???? especially one w/ an upgrade path like the AM2+ at all.. I dont know of a good one that can OC as well as a 5000+ for $100.

quadnad said:

Perhaps you'd bother to A. Look at the link I provided in an earlier post to the TankGuys site and B. recognize that the platform and processor are a vastly better fit (even/especially with SLI in mind) when considering either a P35 or 650i motherboard.

I have to be honest, I've seen far too much AMD fanboyism in recent weeks defending the embarrassment that is/was Phenom; I was/am an AMD fanboy (as you can see by my sig), however I'm building a Q9450 rig once they've available.

Currently C2Ds have a better IPC, TDP, overclockability, and upgrade path (to 45nm quad core). For this price range, I don't believe there is a better choice. If you're looking to build a budget system, then yes, AMD may provide another option; however for $300 you can certainly build something significantly faster than the AMD options.

Click to expand...

I don't see any mention of "Tankguy's Site" in this thread, but I'm old and sleepy so I maybe just missing it. What I do read in this thread is you recommending and $350+ setup for someone asking for a sub $300 build AND stating "cheaper is better".

Also in this thread is link to a HardOCP review compairing a $175 AMD and $1000+ Intel chip. Not only is that a bit apples to oranges, but the review still shows quite acceptable frame rate for both chips at a very high screen resolution (probably much higher than the OP will be shooting for). I'm also guessing the OP isn't driving 8800GTX SLI given the facts at hand.

I'm not Intel or AMD fanboy, I'm not a fanboy of Apple vs Windows vs Linux either. Everything has a useful time and place. I just think an e8400 + mobo is not what this user was asking for even if it is a awesome combo. I almost bought one this week myself. I also, however, am not in need of the extra horsepower so I saved a couple hundred bucks and went with a 5000+ and $89 mobo with on-board video because that is what suits the need of my build at hand.

FSCDiablo said:

Also in this thread is link to a HardOCP review compairing a $175 AMD and $1000+ Intel chip. Not only is that a bit apples to oranges, but the review still shows quite acceptable frame rate for both chips at a very high screen resolution (probably much higher than the OP will be shooting for). I'm also guessing the OP isn't driving 8800GTX SLI given the facts at hand.
.

Click to expand...

What are you talking about?! The article is a year old, with the then flagship CPUs from AMD and Intel.

Nowadays, you can get equivalent or better performance from both companies for MUCH cheaper prices. The point was to illustrate that CPU speed matters for an SLI configuration, the high resolution makes it even more clear, because generally at higher resolutions CPU speed is mostly irrevelant - this is not the case with an SLI setup. In fact, at lower resolutions the dependance on the CPU would be even greater.

I'd recommend my budget gaming setup.


5000+ BE
ASUS M2A-VM

Runs COD4 perfectly @ my LCD's native res.

Money well spent.

bender said:

I'd recommend my budget gaming setup.


5000+ BE
ASUS M2A-VM

Runs COD4 perfectly @ my LCD's native res.

Money well spent.

Click to expand...

QFT

While i havn't got a vid card yet, using the integrated now, I picked up my BE 6400+ for 130 (Can $) along with the same mobo, just with the HDMI add in card, plenty fast for my liking. Been thinking about adding a 3850 or 3870 to finish it off.

If you can get a good deal on a 6400+ and don't feel like OC'ing its not that bad of a chip, although C2D is better when oc'd.

nirvana4all said:

O BS. Under $350, you get much more for your $ w/ amd.

Click to expand...

I'd like to you to put on your thinking cap and read this, because it's clear you're ignoring facts. With an E8400 setup you have something that blows away everything under the sun, with incredible overclockability, and a much lower TDP. You can also upgrade to the 45nm quads, which are again significantly better than the competition's quad offerings.

FSCDiablo said:

I don't see any mention of "Tankguy's Site" in this thread, but I'm old and sleepy so I maybe just missing it. What I do read in this thread is you recommending and $350+ setup for someone asking for a sub $300 build AND stating "cheaper is better".

Click to expand...

Hah, no problem: it was this link. It's gone out of stock though It's a good $~25 cheaper than NewEgg, and these prices will only continue to drop as more and more 45nm chips hit the market (like I've said before, the retailers *cough* NEWEGG *cough* are still price gouging like there is no tomorrow).

As for the recommendation, the OP is asking for the best processor+motherboard for under $300. What I gave him were two options processor-wise (E8500 and E8400) and a great P35 motherboard which will put him around his price point. Hell, once the price gouging calms down, the E8400 should near its price of $184, and the motherboard is ~$89. If the OP would like to go even cheaper and yet still have a proc that is faster than every available A64 he can pick up an E8200 ($163) which should be available in the next few weeks.

If he said something along the lines of "Best processor+motherboard for under $200," I might be offering something from the AMD side; perhaps a 690G based S3H like I've got in my sig, and a 5000+ black edition. It'd be a great HTPC (which is where my sig system is going once the Q9450 hits) once you replace it in the future, and it has good performance with some easy overclocking. However, the OP asked for a price limit of $300, and what I have given him is the system with the highest performance, lowest power consumption, significantly better overclockability, and the ability to upgrade to the better 45nm Q9XXX procs in the future.

SILVR 6 said:

If you can get a good deal on a 6400+ and don't feel like OC'ing its not that bad of a chip, although C2D is better when oc'd.

Click to expand...

Nobody is arguing that the mid-range A64s can't perform resonably well, however this thread is about getting the best for the OPs money, which isn't a mid-range A64. Also, the C2D isn't "better when oc'd"; it's significantly better period. Look at the Xbit review to see just how impressive even the E8200 is.

EDIT: I would like to take a timeout here and state that I was an AMD fanboy; what I'm giving right now is unbiased and realistic advice that any enthusiast (who is given a budget of $300) would go for.

quadnad said:

I'd like to you to put on your thinking cap and read this, because it's clear you're ignoring facts. With an E8400 setup you have something that blows away everything under the sun, with incredible overclockability, and a much lower TDP.

Click to expand...

okay, where can you get a good 780i ($250 at cheapest http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131247 ) overclocking mobo and E8400 ($245 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037 ) for under $350????

Point made. Yes, for the price of a 780i mobo and E8400, AMD does not have anything as good right this moment, but down at the price of a 6400+ and a great AM2+ mobo, it is superior. (and oh yeah, the am2+ mobo will take the processors from 2007-2010, even a 780i chipset intel mobo has absolutely no garuntee like AMD does that the processors from 2009 will work in it, let alone 2010.)

And for those above, pick up the M3A mobo, not the M2N as the M3A has all the AM2+ upgrades and is only like pennies more.

nirvana4all said:

okay, where can you get a good 780i ($250 at cheapest http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131247 ) overclocking mobo and E8400 ($245 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037 ) for under $350????

Point made. Yes, for the price of a 780i mobo and E8400, AMD does not have anything as good right this moment, but down at the price of a 6400+ and a great AM2+ mobo, it is superior. (and oh yeah, the am2+ mobo will take the processors from 2007-2010, even a 780i chipset intel mobo has absolutely no garuntee like AMD does that the processors from 2009 will work in it, let alone 2010.)

And for those above, pick up the M3A mobo, not the M2N as the M3A has all the AM2+ upgrades and is only like pennies more.

Click to expand...

Who says you need a 780i board?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157120

harpoon said:

Who says you need a 780i board?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157120

Click to expand...

Exactly. You don't need 780i to support Penryn and SLI. If you don't want SLI, go with the Gigabyte P35 I posted earlier for $89.

nirvana4all said:

E8400 ($245 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115037 ) for under $350????

Click to expand...

Two things: 1. The E8400 is positioned at $184. Because of the limited supply (the 45nm parts have just been introduced) retailers (especially Newegg) are price gouging. I pointed out a link which showed it from Tankguys at $222 and was at the time in stock. Give it a google and you'll find other e-tailers selling for closer to retail price, or wait a week or two and it will drop further.

2. If you read the article, you'll see exactly the performance you'll be getting from an E8400; you'll also see their comparison of performance per $. Currently K8 is entirely outclassed. Going the C2D route also gives you the option to run the C2Qs in the future (which are again, indisputably better than the competition). Lets look at some other facts: it has significantly better IPC, significantly better TDP, and significantly better overclocking.

To act as flippant as you are, I have to assume you harbor some kind of bias towards AMD. I used to be an AMD fanboy as well, but as a geek I certainly don't ignore facts.

I pointed out a 780i board because it is in the same class and has the same level if not the same future-proofing.
It will stick around longest of the Intel boards, true it wont last as long as an AM2+ board will be useful, but I was trying to make it more apples to apples. I can get a supercheap board and slap a processor in it, but if you are gonna pit a $300 matchup, and $250 is going to processor, and $50 to mobo, then you would hope it is on a great sale, not something with no upgrade future, poor board setup, poor overclocking, etc.
Hence, a good AMD overclocking (and future-proof) board, and a good AMD overclocking cpu.

Not a $250 great Intel Chip, and a $50 board ....

You never skimp on board & PSU.


And I run both types of systems, AMD and Intel. If a customer comes to me and we go over the specs to build and they have $350 or less for mobo and processor, 90% of the time we go AMD. If they have over $400 for mobo and processor, same 90% of time we go intel.
This is where the price/performance spot is, not "$200".
Intel owns the top end (both of prices and performance).
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=928&model2=872&chart=444

nirvana4all said:

I pointed out a 780i board because it is in the same class and has the same level if not the same future-proofing.
It will stick around longest of the Intel boards, true it wont last as long as an AM2+ board will be useful, but I was trying to make it more apples to apples. I can get a supercheap board and slap a processor in it, but if you are gonna pit a $300 matchup, and $250 is going to processor, and $50 to mobo, then you would hope it is on a great sale, not something with no upgrade future, poor board setup, poor overclocking, etc.
Hence, a good AMD overclocking (and future-proof) board, and a good AMD overclocking cpu.

Not a $250 great Intel Chip, and a $50 board ....

You never skimp on board & PSU.

And I run both types of systems, AMD and Intel. If a customer comes to me and we go over the specs to build and they have $350 or less for mobo and processor, 90% of the time we go AMD. If they have over $400 for mobo and processor, same 90% of time we go intel.
This is where the price/performance spot is, not "$200".
Intel owns the top end (both of prices and performance).
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=928&model2=872&chart=444

Click to expand...

For someone who builds systems you really don't have much of a clue, do you?

The mobo I listed costs $105, not $50. Please stop exaggerating.

It is as 'future proof' as the 780i board since Penryn will be the last S775 processor before Nehalem anyway.

Besides, I find it funny all this talk about AM2+ being 'future proof' when so many AM2 owners have been shafted because of lack of BIOS support for Phenom. The same can easily happen with AM2+, something to keep in mind before sprouting any guarantees of 'future proofing'.

I listed $50 beacuse the guy has a $300 budget.
Math, $300-250 only leaves you w/ $50 ...duh! I was not implying the board you picked was $50, I meant that that only left you $50 to try to find a board w/, and you are not getting the board you picked (which is not a bad selection) for $50 new.

and yes, the 780i is exactly as future-proof (or lack thereof compared to AM2+), but it is much more feature laden. Sorry if I did not make that distinction very well. If so, that is my fault.

nirvana4all said:

then you would hope it is on a great sale, not something with no upgrade future, poor board setup, poor overclocking, etc.
Hence, a good AMD overclocking (and future-proof) board, and a good AMD overclocking cpu.

Not a $250 great Intel Chip, and a $50 board ....

You never skimp on board & PSU.

Click to expand...

First off, I never said you should skimp on anything, and I don't need to be told not to skimp on central components to the computer. I'm not an idiot.

That 650i will overclock well, and is a very solid board. If you aren't looking to go SLI, why not go with that P35 board from Gigabyte? It certainly has arguably the best upgrade path when you consider you can grab any of the Q9XXX quads (which are yet again faster than the competition). Also, who the fuck wants a "good AMD overclocking CPU" when the top end it will produce (3-3.2) is still going to be slower than the E8400 at stock!?!

Get realistic. The prices on the E8400 will get closer to the $184 they're meant to sell for in a few weeks; right now you don't have to pay the price Newegg is quoting, as they're notorious for their price gouging.

You are not the only one reading this. The comment not to skimp on mobo and PSU was for anyone. It is universally true. I never called you an idiot: feeling self concious?
Why cut him out of the chance for SLI?
And that board has a fine upgrade path: FOR INTEL, not when compared to AM2+.
And P.S. a 6400+ starts at 3.2 GHz, and can get great clocks. Heck, most of the 5000+ on my main board http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com on air get 3.3Ghz minimum, so please use facts.

This is not a "what price they will be", this is dealing w/ the way things are now. If we want to play "the way I think things will be, and the prices I think things will be", someone will undoubtly come in w/ "well soon the B3 stepping Phenom 9900 will come out, and I think it will be $250 and will wipe the floor w/ any $250 intel". Lets stick with the way things are now, today, at today's prices. My crystal ball is not functioning.

nirvana4all said:

You are not the only one reading this. The comment not to skimp on mobo and PSU was for anyone. It is universally true. I never called you an idiot: feeling self concious?
Why cut him out of the chance for SLI?
And that board has a fine upgrade path: FOR INTEL, not when compared to AM2+.
And P.S. a 6400+ starts at 3.2 GHz, and can get great clocks. Heck, most of the 5000+ on my main board forums.extremeoverclocking.com on air get 3.3Ghz minimum, so please use facts.

This is not a "what price they will be", this is dealing w/ the way things are now. If we want to play "the way I think things will be, and the prices I think things will be", someone will undoubtly come in w/ "well soon the B3 stepping Phenom 9900 will come out, and I think it will be $250 and will wipe the floor w/ any $250 intel". Lets stick with the way things are now, today, at today's prices. My crystal ball is not functioning.

Click to expand...

Jesus christ almighty...

First: What I meant by my comment was that it's irritating when someone makes a snide remark on a forum dedicated to enthusiasts. Do I really need to be told not to skimp? Does anyone on this forum? In all probability, no. This isn't about "feeling self conscious," this is about not needing to read someone's "lesson."

Second: SLI? Fine, then go with the Asrock board. I wouldn't bother with a multi-card setup on an AMD system, considering the amount you'd be paying in videocards to begin with.

Third: The 6400+ has a massive TDP, not much headroom, it's overpriced, and will get a couple hundred Mhz above stock (when using a good cooler, which is something you don't even need to bother with when running the 45nm C2Ds). I'm fully aware of how well A64s and K8s in general overclock, as I used to be quite the AMD fanboy (look at my sig system, and ask a forum member like (CF)Eclipse). I didn't think you'd bother listing such an expensive AMD processor as it's a universal truth that they just aren't worth it at that price point (and most of the other F3s/G2s hit 3-3.2).

Start here, and ask yourself: "Is an extra 200mhz going to overcome the E8400 in any of these benchmarks?" or how bout this one: "What will my TDP be?"

Now ask yourself another question: "When overclocking the E8400 (stock clocks of 3ghz), where will I end up?" The answer to that question is 4+ghz on air.

Fourth: Get realistic, this isn't about a crystal ball. This is about availability, and about the fact that these procs have just been released. It's a fact that availability can be low when procs (or GPUs, or mobos, or just about any other piece of computer hardware) are released into the market. They're priced at $186 and $163 (E8400/E8200) respectively, and both of these processors will be available and at these prices in a few weeks. Go take your AMD fanboyism elsewhere, because while I always hoped AMD would have something to compete with, I never ignored the plain and simple facts.

I will ask a supersimple and straight question. You know the board is gonna cost $125 minimum for a good board, after shipping, be it AMD AM2+ or Intel (Asrock, 780i, etc),
if he only has $300, what processor is for sale today for that remaining $175 that you think will do better than the 6400+ (and he has to get it to his door remember).

I am a fanboy of amd for price of 6400+ and under, Intel fanboy for above that. (and lately most of the good intel boards are more expensive than the good AM2+ boards). It is economics to me, not company based. If it makes you feel macho or right to call me a fanboy, go for it.

Lastly,, we are not talking about "in a few weeks I think prices will" we are answering for today. Evading question/point. Nice try.

nirvana4all said:

I will ask a supersimple and straight question. You know the board is gonna cost $125 minimum for a good board, after shipping, be it AMD AM2+ or Intel (Asrock, 780i, etc),
if he only has $300, what processor is for sale today for that remaining $175 that you think will do better than the 6400+ (and he has to get it to his door remember).

Click to expand...

E8200 ($163)? Outperforms the 6400+ and has all the benefits of the 8400 and 8500.

EDIT: or this E6750

1.Where do you find the E8200 in stock for $163? Not doubting you, just want confirmation. ( I couldn't find it w/ a quick search, so just wanted to see)
2. Performance: got a good few benchmark sites w/ E8200 beating a 6400+.

(um that 6750 is $190 before anything, not $175 after tax and shipping)

nirvana4all said:

1.Where do you find the E8200 in stock for $163? Not doubting you, just want confirmation. ( I couldn't find it w/ a quick search, so just wanted to see)
2. Performance: got a good few benchmark sites w/ E8200 beating a 6400+.

(um that 6750 is $190 before anything, not $175 after tax and shipping)

Click to expand...

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/dualcore-shootout.html


The entire X2 lineup is essentially competing against the E2x00 and E4x00 series. It ain't even in the same league as the E8x00 series. Then theres the fact that E8x00s are overclocking to 4GHz and beyond...

okay, that's one benchmark, got another one or 2, and a price?
Good showing for the E8200 there on that set of benchies.

nirvana4all said:

okay, that's one benchmark, got another one or 2, and a price?
Good showing for the E8200 there on that set of benchies.

Click to expand...

If you look through that set of benches (which I've posted 5, 6, 7 times now) and you'll see just how well the E8XXX series does. This isn't some smokescreen or a bunch of Intel lovers coming round to piss on AMD; this is just plain real benches revealing the performance.

If you'd like the cliffs: the 6400+ loses every single benchmark (gen performance, games, media encoding [audio+video], and final rendering] to the E8XXX series, including the massive difference in power consumption. Add on overclockability, and I think it explains itself.

nirvana4all said:

okay, that's one benchmark, got another one or 2, and a price?
Good showing for the E8200 there on that set of benchies.

Click to expand...

Check the link for more benches. The E8200 wins every benchmark.

Originally Posted by nirvana4all
okay, that's one benchmark *set*, got another one or 2, and a price?
Good showing for the E8200 there on that set of benchies.

nirvana4all said:

Originally Posted by nirvana4all
okay, that's one benchmark *set*, got another one or 2, and a price?
Good showing for the E8200 there on that set of benchies.

Click to expand...

I'm done here. I've proven my point, and I think that this is just a plain waste of time. It's like talking to a wall.

/thread

Just when I thought I might possibly agree w/ you. All I wanted was proof I could get an 8200 for $160 and that more than one site put it above a 6400+.