Review/Improve my Planned Build

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DrakonSan

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
340
1. What will you be doing with this PC?
Gaming, compiling C++, Python, Java, running SQL (University IT student work)

2a. What's your budget? $500
2b. Are tax and shipping included in this budget? NO
2c. Is your budget flexible? Slightly, within $100
2d. Is cost a driving factor in component selection? YES

3. Where do you live? Do you have any big B&M (brick and mortar) computer chains nearby (e.g. Microcenter, Fry's, etc)?
FL. There is a local CompUSA

4. What exact parts do you need for that budget?
CPU, RAM, GFX, MoBo, Case, Optical Drive, possibly PSU

5. If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing?
80mm/120mm fans (regular height)
HDD1: Western Digital Caviar SE WD2500JS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"
HDD2: (unknown) 250GB 5200 RP SATA 3.0Gb/s 2.5" from gateway p171x-fx laptop

6. What specific features do you need in a motherboard?
Required:
Wireless b/g/n
MITX form factor
Want:
USB 3.0
Bluetooth
Upgrade potential

7. What resolution output do you need?
1080p for gaming current and some future titles. Single monitor only

8. Does this system need to fit into a particular space?
I am using a shelf in a sliding door closet as my desk, and I tend to move at least once per year. The smaller, the lighter, the better.

9. How comfortable are you with custom case design/modification and electrical wiring?
Have screwdrivers to work on desktops and laptops and light duty trucks!
Have power drills/dremel.
Have tinsnips/wire cutters.
NO soldering tools.
NO electrical experience. (unless baking my laptop counts as a solder reflow)

10. How important is the noise/silence of this system?
No high pitched whining, please. There is a toddler here that provides as much of that as I can stand. Fans OK (generally don't care)

11. How mobile does this system need to be?
Mobile/light enough not to break my back lugging it to/from my truck when I move. Won't be leaving the desk on a daily or even monthly basis.

12. Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license?
32 and 64 bit WinXP Pro, 32 bit Vista IDKWTF distro. Maybe I'll try Linux :D

13. When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Immediately. I baked my Gateway P171x-fx laptop and got about 2.5 weeks out of it before it failed again; just enough to finish out the semester. My backup PC is older than the laptop and has 8 blown capacitors on the mainboard that I'm just not comfortable fixing myself. I can't keep limping along on dying hardware (don't tell my truck, PLEASE!), so I planned out the following. I'm not brand loyal, but I'd prefer to keep away from nVidia if possible.

NewEgg Wish List Link: http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=17449986

For those who wish not to click:
AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition (planning to unlock extra cores)
G.SKILL 4GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM (PC3 10666)
MSI R6850 Cyclone PE Radeon HD 6850
ASUS M4A88T-I Deluxe
LITE-ON DVD Burner DS-8A5S
Slimline SATA to SATA+molex adapter FLT-6020-18
SILVERSTONE Sugo SG05BB-450

EST price: $600+tax/shipping

Will the SG06's 300w PSU be enough, can I mod it to take my old full ATX psu, and if I do, will I need an aftermarket cooler? Answer: Swapped for the SG05 with a 450w 80+ Bronze PSU at the same price. Increased efficiency over the previously mentioned, now removed, 70% efficient 520w PSU results in similar expected output. Aftermarket cooler unnecessary.
Is there hardware I should switch out? I need to buy within the coming week, but I'd like to leave myself room to upgrade over the next 3 years as funds become available, and I'm already $100 over budget.
 
Last edited:
You know...its the same question I'm asking myself about the PSU. I think for your selected components it will be ok.
I mean, worst case, you atx mod it. the Stock cpu cooler should still fit, and maybe with some luck even the ODD.

But i gotta ask, why AMD? Even unlocked an i3 SB will kick it's ass and it has a lower power consumption.
 
ithanium2 said:
But i gotta ask, why AMD? Even unlocked an i3 SB will kick it's ass and it has a lower power consumption.
Click to expand...
Intel chips tend to be more expensive than AMD chips. Since I was on a budget, and I knew that AMD usually locks down working cores from poor production runs, I figured it would be easier to get an AMD chip that unlocked to something better for less than I could get an Intel. Tell me about these unlocking sandybridges. Are you unlocking the multiplier or extra cores? There doesn't seem to be as much buzz about it as the AMD 555/560 BEs, with no purchasers on newegg commenting on unlocking i3 SBs.

Team Obi Juan said:
I've been configuring and reconfiguring AMD mITX builds for a month now on Newegg. It sucks that there is only 1 mITX AM3 board with a PCI-e x16 slot.

This silverstone case has a bigger PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163171 (and looks better IMO)
Click to expand...
It does suck that there isn't much AM3 MB choice, but at least the board is feature rich! I liked the SG06's front panel, but I took a moment to examine the interiors again and the painted interior on the SG05 IS nicer. It's just a skosh smaller and a third of a pound lighter for the same price. I think a switch in the list is in order.
 
If you like the SG06 buy it...and buy a can of black spraypaint and presto.

Intel i3 does not unlock and it's not overclockable, it's not that expensive. It is only dual core, but has hyper threading. Even so in gaming it beats the hell out of most of the AMD quads.
It's main advantage tho, for a mITX build, is that it runs very cool and doesnt consume too much power.
 
DrakonSan said:
Intel chips tend to be more expensive than AMD chips. Since I was on a budget, and I knew that AMD usually locks down working cores from poor production runs, I figured it would be easier to get an AMD chip that unlocked to something better for less than I could get an Intel. Tell me about these unlocking sandybridges. Are you unlocking the multiplier or extra cores? There doesn't seem to be as much buzz about it as the AMD 555/560 BEs, with no purchasers on newegg commenting on unlocking i3 SBs.
Click to expand...

I'm wanting to go AMD too, but I figured I should mention that I believe Intel has more mITX boards with DDR3 and a PCIe x16 slot. Going Intel might cost you $10 more for a comparable processor (?? I dunno), but save you $40 - $50 on the motherboard over that (lone) Asus.

Also, your RAM price could drop if you go Intel + a DDR3 board, since you wouldn't have to buy laptop RAM.

Like I said... I've been shopping for a month. :D

One last thing... there are some really small mATX cases that would allow you to choose from more AMD boards.
 
Team Obi Juan said:
I'm wanting to go AMD too, but I figured I should mention that I believe Intel has more mITX boards with DDR3 and a PCIe x16 slot. Going Intel might cost you $10 more for a comparable processor (?? I dunno), but save you $40 - $50 on the motherboard over that (lone) Asus.

Also, your RAM price could drop if you go Intel + a DDR3 board, since you wouldn't have to buy laptop RAM.
Click to expand...

I COULD save $10 on the RAM if I get desktop PNY with a MiR.

The cheapest intel MBs with WiFi are as or MORE expensive than the Asus, without the benefit of bluetooth. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157239) The cheapest i3 is about $120, with the sandy bridge at $125. While I COULD go with a mATX board, I'd have to rethink the whole build around it, getting a WiFi NIC in the least. If I go that route, I might want to consider modding the hell out of my old case, but this is becoming a terrible digression.

I suppose the real question with regards to switching to Intel/mATX is this:
Will the AMD 555BE bottleneck my choice of GPU?
 
jalaj said:
What happened to your fried laptop's optical drive?
You can reuse that instead of buying the Lite-On.
Also cables are much cheaper to buy from like monoprice, meritline, or similar sites that spam $1 and under deals.
You could also buy an Asus USB bluetooth adapter for like $10 or less AR (was $5AR recently).
I think Directron has the lowest price on the sg05bb.
BTW, you're missing a CPU cooler
Click to expand...

Removed the laptop's ODD because it is Slim ATAPI and would require an adapter board. I thought I put a note in the OP but I must have forgotten.
Thanks on the cable deal! :D
Bluetooth is just a bonus, it's the WiFi b/g/n that's key. If I need to, I can pull the mini-PCIe b/g/n out of my fried laptop, but then I'd need a board that supports mini-PCIe. :(
I'll poke back at directron/tigerdirect/CompUSA for the case. EDIT: Directron does indeed save me 500 pennies :D
I uh... I was gonna use the stock HSF >.>
 
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