What To Build?

[itsme]

So back to the old question: AMD or Intel?

 

I'm more than a casual gamer, but I don't play very demanding games. WarCraft III/Dota, WoW, and CS are the extent of the games that I play. I'd like to play GTAiv on the highest settings possible without breaking the bank, but if it can't be done without serious cash then I can live without it. Power consumption is also something that I'm kinda interested in, but I can learn to not run my computer 24/7.

 

My issue is this: I want a computer that offers decent performance and can be upgraded in the future.

 

With AM3 around the corner, does it make sense to invest in an AM2 system? Will prices go down further? Will AM3 be expensive? Why not stick with AM2 since the AM3 processors are backwards compatible? On the other hand, there's Intel...

 

Socket 775 is dead, so despite the performance advantages that a Core2 processor might have, the system will be relatively short-lived. Core i7 would be great, but I don't want to spend that much money.

 

Obviously, I'm leaning towards AM2, but am I wrong for this? Is it better to get a LGA 775 board? Better to wait for AM3 despite higher system costs (board/ram)? Wait for AM3 to come out and snatch an AM2 board, assuming AM2 prices drop and legacy ddr2 ram doesn't skyrocket? GaH...

[Kuronin]

You could really go either way, I am not an Intel owner, but I can say that the E7300 has quite impressive overclocks, and the E8400 and Q6600 are also very impressive and give you a lot of bang for your buck. Define what you mean by "breaking the bank".

 

This is an AMD build I made for a friend. If you like it, I can give you links.

 

Biostar TA790GXA2+

AMD Athlon X2 7750

Transcend 2x2GB 800MHz Dual-Channel DDR2

 

Video card, if interest permits, gaming, graphics, moving playing, rendering, ect.

 

Recommended due to best value. ATI Radeon 3450 Will be able to CrossfireX with the 790GX.

 

Other, more powerful GFX.

 

ATI Radeon 4550

ATI Radeon 4830

ATI Radeon 4850

[ekiM]

By the time AMD releases it's AM3 socket, I seriously doubt DDR2 will be in such short production that it will be deemed a legacy product and it's prices skyrocket

[hierovision]

AMD or Intel?

 

Read reviews like the ones I've listed and more, and then decide. If the AMD processors perform better with apps that you know you're going to use then get AMD. If Intel performs better get Intel. Same thing goes for graphics cards and every other component you ever consider buying

 

http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/phenomii940/

http://www.guru3d.com/article/amd-phenom-i...40-review-test/

http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php...7&Itemid=27

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/phenom-ii-940,2114.html

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3492

[Krieg1337]

I would suggest going AMD, as the Phenom II's seem the best priced right now, at 195$ for the 920 and 235$ for the 940, these compete and sometimes beat the Q9000 series from Intel, which I will say are priced nicely too. But the Phenom 940 is cheaper than all of them but the Q9400 and beats most of them, including the 9550 and sometimes the 9650.

[krazypoloc]

If you are going for power efficiency then I would say Phenom2

If you want the best bang for your buck I would say 775

 

I just built 2 775 systems and I plan on keeping one of them for years (my server) and my HTPC will get upgraded when the i7 motherboards prices come down in a few months.

 

Both systems perform stunningly and can be had for a few hundred dollars.

 

You need to try and figure out your proposed upgrade path before you do anything as that is usually the most important thing to consider when changing platforms or building a new rig.

[Krieg1337]

If you want the best bang for your buck I would say 775

 

 

Uh, what are you talking about? The Phenom 940 beats/does aswell as the Q9000 series, getting only sometimes beat by the Q9650, and maybe the Q9550.

So I would say Phenom II is the best bang for the buck. It also beats the Q6600, and I heard they overclock around the mid 3ghz with air, and around 4ghz with water.

[itsme]

You need to try and figure out your proposed upgrade path before you do anything as that is usually the most important thing to consider when changing platforms or building a new rig.

 

What is meant by this? The way I see it, there is not much of a future upgrade path for a 775 system. Intel is moving on and the only upgrades would be a top of the line 775 processor assuming prices drop to where it would be cost-effective. With an AMD system i can upgrade to future AM3 processors using the AM2 board and upgrade the board/ram when I see fit.

 

I guess the question is: if I spend 200-300 dollars on a cpu and board, am I going to get more performance from AMD or Intel? And if I get more from Intel, is the limited upgrade path something that makes AMD more worthwhile?

[scr4wl]

What is meant by this? The way I see it, there is not much of a future upgrade path for a 775 system. Intel is moving on and the only upgrades would be a top of the line 775 processor assuming prices drop to where it would be cost-effective. With an AMD system i can upgrade to future AM3 processors using the AM2 board and upgrade the board/ram when I see fit.

 

I guess the question is: if I spend 200-300 dollars on a cpu and board, am I going to get more performance from AMD or Intel? And if I get more from Intel, is the limited upgrade path something that makes AMD more worthwhile?

While this may be true for now am3 will only be backwards compatible as long as MOBO companies make bios updates for the am3 processors. As new CPU's are released manufactures will start to make more AM3 MOBO's and will eventually stop creating updates for AM3's on AM2's.

 

AM2 is also ddr2 so if you buy an AM2 board with the hopes of upgrading to AM3 CPU's as they are released you will find your behind in performance because you can not use DDR3.

 

If you want top of the line stuff then your choice is either wait for AM3 MOBO or get an I7. If I were you however I'd pick up a 775 MOBO and a decent quad core. That should last you a very long time, and even if your planning on upgrading a lot things should be available. I no some people that still use P4's and Celerons and are perfectly fine with what they've got. No matter what you'll find eventually you'll have to buy somethinng new.

 

What you will have to chose is what kind of performance you want and when you next want to redo the whole thing.

 

Good Luck

[mattwalter85]

The Phenom II's didn't impress me at all. yeah stock for stock they maybe come close to beating some of the 775's but i promise you ANY Intel cpu will overlcock WAY higher then its AMD counterpart and thats really what its all about. Plus most of you guys are comparing the Phenom II's to 775 socket Intel's which compete very closely but what you're missing is the Phenom II's were produced to compete with the i7 and i've seen the bench's and read the reviews and they come NOWHERE near touching an i7 so yeah of course Intel is more expensive but haven't you heard the saying you get what you pay for??? Sorry AMD fanboys but Intel all the way on this one, if u want a good rig thats future-proofed then save your money up and build an i7 rig because by the time AMD has something out to beat the i7 Intel will already have their next line of CPU's out beating those, thats how its always going to be.........deal with it.

[IVIYTH0S]

The Phenom II's didn't impress me at all. yeah stock for stock they maybe come close to beating some of the 775's but i promise you ANY Intel cpu will overlcock WAY higher then its AMD counterpart and thats really what its all about. Plus most of you guys are comparing the Phenom II's to 775 socket Intel's which compete very closely but what you're missing is the Phenom II's were produced to compete with the i7 and i've seen the bench's and read the reviews and they come NOWHERE near touching an i7 so yeah of course Intel is more expensive but haven't you heard the saying you get what you pay for??? Sorry AMD fanboys but Intel all the way on this one, if u want a good rig thats future-proofed then save your money up and build an i7 rig because by the time AMD has something out to beat the i7 Intel will already have their next line of CPU's out beating those, thats how its always going to be.........deal with it.

I have to agree with you to a point mr matt. I first point my finger at the OP and say that 775's rock and to not exclude them from your potentials. just because it's a dead socket doesn't mean they suck. I bet my Q9450 could give some i7's a good spanking (in games), and although the 920(i7) is cheaper than it and better with heavy work-work apps, have fun buying a new x58 and ddr3 (which is not really any better than ddr2 for the money). I'm not opposed with a phenom II but 775 is not dead, I just want to make that clear. The phenom II actually proves that the 775 socket isn't dead when it's still competing with them...it's newer so it should surpass it in every way (not just price). That's why I'm not interested in i7's as much because they don't give me a performance increase in everything that I will be doing, sure my video encodes and winrar extractions will be completed faster but I like my games and my Q9450.

 

I'd say either Phenom II or 775 quad (you'll love the Q9 series if you can afford them, and I don't consider the Q9400 and Q9300 a part of them because they disgrace their high cache brothers). I hear Phenom II's overclock quite well which might make them even better for the already great price they are. The choice is yours but just don't down talk a great socket and we will be cool

 

Moral of story, AMD can shine and 775's haven't hit the grave yet.

[krazypoloc]

Uh, what are you talking about? The Phenom 940 beats/does aswell as the Q9000 series, getting only sometimes beat by the Q9650, and maybe the Q9550.

So I would say Phenom II is the best bang for the buck. It also beats the Q6600, and I heard they overclock around the mid 3ghz with air, and around 4ghz with water.

Yeah you would only save a few bucks with the 775 build but both would be a dead end as aptly stated by taco. The only "near" future proof build would be an i7 as the AM3 mobo's have not yet released.....

 

While this may be true for now am3 will only be backwards compatible as long as MOBO companies make bios updates for the am3 processors. As new CPU's are released manufactures will start to make more AM3 MOBO's and will eventually stop creating updates for AM3's on AM2's.

 

AM2 is also ddr2 so if you buy an AM2 board with the hopes of upgrading to AM3 CPU's as they are released you will find your behind in performance because you can not use DDR3.

 

If you want top of the line stuff then your choice is either wait for AM3 MOBO or get an I7. If I were you however I'd pick up a 775 MOBO and a decent quad core. That should last you a very long time, and even if your planning on upgrading a lot things should be available. I no some people that still use P4's and Celerons and are perfectly fine with what they've got. No matter what you'll find eventually you'll have to buy somethinng new.

 

What you will have to chose is what kind of performance you want and when you next want to redo the whole thing.

 

Good Luck

 

Great advice, exactly the point I was trying to make. You will be buying into a dead format unless you get i7 at this point......and thats fine, just as long as you are fine with that, like I said, I JUST bought my two sig rigs a few weeks ago and was fully aware that the i7 was the new champ, but I would have had to pay a LOT more!