Updating 1.5 year old rig

[allen5o4]

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Mostly Gaming
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
300-400
3) Where do you live?
New Orleans , Lousiana
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word
CPU, MOBO, RAM
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006 750w PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148395 500gb HDD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277 2x2 G. Skill Ripjaw (maybe replacing or adding ram)

Also, Radeon HD 4890

6) Will you be overclocking?
I plan to do very little overclocking
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
23"
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Planning to build it for the summer

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video? etc.
None
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
64bit Window 7


As of now I have a unlocked core Triple Core AMD Phenom II 720 with a AMD mobo. I want to replace this rig with a Intel build. Please help me. I am apart of slickdeals.net, so I may wait or find deals on parts offer to me.

Thanks for you help.

 

[tonytnnt]

Here's the Newegg combo page for the 2500k. There's a lot of good options on there. Some of the better ones are:

$320 - 2500k + MSI P67A-C43 (no frills)
$335 - 2500k + MSI P67A-G43 (2 PCIe x16 (x8/x8) for Crossfire/SLI)
$379 - 2500k + MSI P67A-GD65 (2 PCIe x16 (x8/x8) for Crossfire/SLI, eSATA, firewire)
$335 - 2500k + Asus P8P67LE (2 PCIe x16 (x16/x4) for Crossfire/SLI, eSATA, firewire) -- x8/x8 is preferable to x16/x4 for Crossfire, but this can do it with a small performance hit.

All of the above have SATA 6, USB 3, and RAID.

For RAM, I don't know why you would replace those Ripjaws. They're still very good sticks. Overkill for the P67 chipset, actually.

If you'd like more RAM, consider:
$80 - G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333
$39 - G.SKILL Value Series 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333

Depending on your budget, either get one 4GB stick, or the 2 x 4GB kit. However, I think you'll be find with 4GB for awhile still. You'd be better served by saving the money you would have spent on RAM and putting it toward a new video card as that will become the biggest bottleneck in your system.

As far as Slickdeals goes, you won't save much over the above prices unless you can get to a Microcenter. In which case you should take a look at this ad and get the 2500k with the MSI P67A-GD55, the Asus P8P67, or the Asus P8P67 Pro, depending on the features you want (see the top of page 28 of the ad.) Check with the Microcenter or buy online before you make the trip though. If you buy online, realize that it's only for in-store pickup.)

If you're willing to give up overclocking you can get a very similar setup from Newegg right now with this:

$180 (use promo code EMCKEKD24) - Core i5-2400
$65 - MSI H61M-E33 (no SATA 6, no RAID, no USB 3)
$245

or this if you want SATA 6 and RAID:
$256 - Core i5-2400 + ASUS P8H67-M LX

With both of these mATX motherboards you're looking at only having 2 slots for RAM though, so it'll be harder to upgrade going forward.

 

[allen5o4]

Thanks for the advice. I can sacrifice overclocking. As for raid 0 and sli or crossfire I won't be doing those either. Just gaming and keeping it simple. Could you help me furthur narrow my search ? Thank you.

 

[tonytnnt]

How much expansion do you want? Like PCIe slots and room for memory?

 

[allen5o4]

Meh, I won't be upgrading for another 2-3 years. Even if I upgrade my ram, I'll probably replace it with a 2x4gb. So maybe I won't need more room for RAM, For PCIe slots, I might need a few extra for an sound card, and what not.

As for my Radeon HD 4890, you think I'll need to upgrade it? I'll be playing games like DOTA on Warcraft III, Black OPS, and Battlefield 3.

 

[Briguyatx]

Oops - ignore, wrong thread.

 

[tonytnnt]

Meh, I won't be upgrading for another 2-3 years. Even if I upgrade my ram, I'll probably replace it with a 2x4gb. So maybe I won't need more room for RAM, For PCIe slots, I might need a few extra for an sound card, and what not.

As for my Radeon HD 4890, you think I'll need to upgrade it? I'll be playing games like DOTA on Warcraft III, Black OPS, and Battlefield 3.

Wait until Battlefield 3 is out to determine if you need to replace it. If it still provides acceptable performance, then keep it. If it's too slow for your tastes, come back here and get some more advice. New cards should be out from AMD by then, and hopefully nVidia too.

If you just want one motherboard + CPU combo to choose from, this will be good. It has some room to upgrade the RAM and some extra PCIe slots.

$278 - Core i5-2400 and BIOSTAR TH67+

 

[allen5o4]

Wait until Battlefield 3 is out to determine if you need to replace it. If it still provides acceptable performance, then keep it. If it's too slow for your tastes, come back here and get some more advice. New cards should be out from AMD by then, and hopefully nVidia too.

If you just want one motherboard + CPU combo to choose from, this will be good. It has some room to upgrade the RAM and some extra PCIe slots.

$278 - Core i5-2400 and BIOSTAR TH67+

Okay thanks, I'll just keep it for now, it plays BO and DOTA flawlessly.

Is there a significant difference between the 2500k and the 2400? If the ratio between performance and difference in price is good, I might as well go 2500k. Also, I'm thinking of replacing my 5 year old case for another case, what cases would you recommend?
I was thinking of getting an Antec three hundred case.

 

[Mercuri]

The K variant means that the chip's multiplier is unlocked. Intel is pricing these at a premium, so if OC'ing is not on your menu, it won't be of much advantage to you. You can still overclock a non-K, as far as I know -- you just won't have as detailed of a range of speeds to choose from.

 

[allen5o4]

The K variant means that the chip's multiplier is unlocked. Intel is pricing these at a premium, so if OC'ing is not on your menu, it won't be of much advantage to you. You can still overclock a non-K, as far as I know -- you just won't have as detailed of a range of speeds to choose from.

Ah thank you. How about 2400 vs 2500?

 

[Mercuri]

Ah thank you. How about 2400 vs 2500?

According to this comparison chart, a 200MHz difference at stock speeds, and up to 300MHz difference when in "Turbo" mode. They're physically identical, but it looks like the K doesn't have a second virtualization extension or "Trusted Execution Technology," which I think is a hardware-based system for preventing some unauthorized program activity.

Edit: The K doesn't look that much more expensive -- I think it's worth the extra $15 or so bucks. It'll give you more flexibility in the future.

 

[tonytnnt]

According to this comparison chart, a 200MHz difference at stock speeds, and up to 300MHz difference when in "Turbo" mode. They're physically identical, but it looks like the K doesn't have a second virtualization extension or "Trusted Execution Technology," which I think is a hardware-based system for preventing some unauthorized program activity.

That's really strange, I never realized the 2500k was missing features from the vanilla 2500.

You can do a limited overclock with the non-k chips on P67 motherboards. If you'd like a good combo with a 2500k, look at this:

$320 - 2500k + MSI P67A-C43

If you're not overclocking though, I think you'll be better served by going with the Core i5-2400 and the BIOSTAR TH67+ for $40 less.

They're both in your budget, so you decide if you want the extra 200 MHz + overclocking abilities for $40 more.

This is part of Danny Bui's list of preferred cases:

I recommend any of these cases:
$106 - Lian Li PC-7B Plus II ATX Case
$127 - Fractal Design Define R3 Black ATX Case
$110 - NZXT Whisper WHI - 001BK ATX Full Tower Case
$120 - Velocity Micro GX2-W Silver Classic Aluminum Case with Side Window
$140 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Full Tower ATX Case
$140 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001BK Black Full Tower ATX Case
$140 - Cooler Master HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$165 - Corsair Graphite Series 600T ATX Case
$160 - Silverstone RV02B-W ATX case
$220 - Corsair Obsidian Series 650D ATX Case
$220 - Cooler Master ATCS 840 RC-840-KKN1-GP Full Tower ATX Case
$230 - Silverstone FT02B ATX Case
$220 - Lian Li PC-A71F Black ATX Case
$290 - Corsair Obsidian Series 800D CC800DW Full Tower ATX Case
$330 - Silverstone Temjin SST-TJ07B Full Tower ATX Case

It's missing a few cheaper options. I know the HAF 912 is on there, which is a very good, reasonably priced case. I wish I'd used it in my build instead of the Antec 900, but I was foolish in trying to shave $10 from my build.

 

[allen5o4]

That's really strange, I never realized the 2500k was missing features from the vanilla 2500.

You can do a limited overclock with the non-k chips on P67 motherboards. If you'd like a good combo with a 2500k, look at this:

$320 - 2500k + MSI P67A-C43

If you're not overclocking though, I think you'll be better served by going with the Core i5-2400 and the BIOSTAR TH67+ for $40 less.

They're both in your budget, so you decide if you want the extra 200 MHz + overclocking abilities for $40 more.

This is part of Danny Bui's list of preferred cases:




It's missing a few cheaper options. I know the HAF 912 is on there, which is a very good, reasonably priced case. I wish I'd used it in my build instead of the Antec 900, but I was foolish in trying to shave $10 from my build.

Thanks, I'm just afraid the 2400 won't be enough power for me. Its my first Intel build thats why. I hear the Biostar mobo have bad reviews on them. Is there an alternative mobo?

 

[allen5o4]

That's really strange, I never realized the 2500k was missing features from the vanilla 2500.

You can do a limited overclock with the non-k chips on P67 motherboards. If you'd like a good combo with a 2500k, look at this:

$320 - 2500k + MSI P67A-C43

If you're not overclocking though, I think you'll be better served by going with the Core i5-2400 and the BIOSTAR TH67+ for $40 less.

They're both in your budget, so you decide if you want the extra 200 MHz + overclocking abilities for $40 more.

This is part of Danny Bui's list of preferred cases:




It's missing a few cheaper options. I know the HAF 912 is on there, which is a very good, reasonably priced case. I wish I'd used it in my build instead of the Antec 900, but I was foolish in trying to shave $10 from my build.

Those cases are most likely out of my budget lol. Is there a list of the lower priced ones?

 

[Dangman]

That's really strange, I never realized the 2500k was missing features from the vanilla 2500.

Another difference: the 2500K and 2600K actually have faster onboard video than the vanilla 2500 and 2600. Odd for obvious reasons.

It's missing a few cheaper options. I know the HAF 912 is on there, which is a very good, reasonably priced case. I wish I'd used it in my build instead of the Antec 900, but I was foolish in trying to shave $10 from my build.

Rest of the list here :
$60 - Cooler Master HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 ATX Case
$70 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K58W ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K56 ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master CM690 II Advance ATX Case
$100 - Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B ATX Case

Thanks, I'm just afraid the 2400 won't be enough power for me. Its my first Intel build thats why.

Since you're only gaming and you're not doing overclocking, then the 2400 will be fine.With that said, the numerous 2500K + mobo deals that tony posted does make the 2500K the better buy.

I hear the Biostar mobo have bad reviews on them. Is there an alternative mobo?

Dude, did you not read tonytnnt's posts? He already made multiple recommendations for alternative mobos.

 

[allen5o4]

I read his alternatives but I meant alternatives that didn't have raid 0 or too many pcie slots. It would only waste money since I won't be using them.

 

[Dangman]

I read his alternatives but I meant alternatives that didn't have raid 0 or too many pcie slots. It would only waste money since I won't be using them.

Actually not wasted money in this case: If you look at the cost of the other H67 and P67 motherboards, they're not any cheaper than the $320 MSI mobo + CPU combo that tony posted. As such that Biostar and MSI are pretty much the cheapest you can go.

 

[tonytnnt]

Yeah, RAID is pretty much standard with P67 boards. And PCIe slots are cheap too. Yeah mATX is generally cheaper, but not that much cheaper. If you really want a cheap Sandy Bridge setup I listed one for $245 with an MSI motherboard (H61 chipset) in my long post.

$180 (use promo code EMCKEKD24) - Core i5-2400
$65 - MSI H61M-E33 (no SATA 6, no RAID, no USB 3)
$245