Semi-Budget Build

[Penti]

Hey guys, just wanted to know your inputs on a semi-budget build, esp. regarding CPU and GPU..

 

CPU - Intel i3 540 (3.0GHz) or Intel Q8400 (2.66GHz)

GPU - GTX465 or 9800GT (1GB) in SLI

 

right now, prices where I'm from, they're mostly the same.. I'm still using my 6 year old PC running P4 3.0GHz so I'm kinda outdated in terms of which is better..

I heard the i3 and the i5 don't get much difference in terms of gaming (while price is almost twice as much).. I don't know how this i3 stacks up to a old quad..

Same goes for the GTX465 and 9800GX2 in SLI.. Going SLI might be less energy efficient, but should be much better than the single GTX.. Also, the 9800GT is listed with 1GB VRAM, 256bit, so I'm not sire if it's listed correctly as 9800GT or if it's the 9800GX2..

 

Any advice would be good.. Thanks!

[IVIYTH0S]

You should get a phenom II setup and a 460GTX 1GB

[Zoso]

Yeah, go with the Phenom II Setup, Im not an Nvidia guy so I wouldn't know anything about the 460.

[CowKing]

You should get a phenom II setup and a 460GTX 1GB

[Zoso]

Is that a bad build Cow?

[CowKing]

Is that a bad build Cow?

no it means I'm agreeing with him

[Zoso]

no it means I'm agreeing with him

I see..

[dsedean]

AMD V intel = amd cheaper for same quality! (AMD is more for gaming then the intel)

but i agree with the others here AMD all the way you will save your self hundreds!!! also if your going for an AMD set up i would go with ATI not Nvidia. (only if you get a mobo that can use 2x GPU)

if not then any GPU will do you.

is your system for gaming?

[Penti]

Thanks for the advice.. Thinking of getting myself a Phenom II X2 555 and doing OC.. might also get the GTX460 , however, I just have a few questions. what's the difference between a 768mb GTX460 OC and a 1gb non-OC one in terms of performance?

Also, with the mobo, since I can't do SLI with a AMD processor (and I'm inclined to getting a GF than an ATI), do you have any suggestions for one since most of the good ones are usually CF (or a CF one won't really matter even though I'm using just 1 PCIe slot)?

 

BTW, I'll be using it for gaming since my old P4 is really showing it's age, esp running SC2.. lol

 

Thanks again!

[IVIYTH0S]

Thanks for the advice.. Thinking of getting myself a Phenom II X2 555 and doing OC.. might also get the GTX460 , however, I just have a few questions. what's the difference between a 768mb GTX460 OC and a 1gb non-OC one in terms of performance?

Also, with the mobo, since I can't do SLI with a AMD processor (and I'm inclined to getting a GF than an ATI), do you have any suggestions for one since most of the good ones are usually CF (or a CF one won't really matter even though I'm using just 1 PCIe slot)?

 

BTW, I'll be using it for gaming since my old P4 is really showing it's age, esp running SC2.. lol

 

Thanks again!

You could clock up a 620 x4 too, a good motherboard can get these up pretty high and in the future you'll be glad to have a quad

[Penti]

You could clock up a 620 x4 too, a good motherboard can get these up pretty high and in the future you'll be glad to have a quad

 

I was also thinking if I should go on that route (in particular, 925 x4), however, I'd like to have some room to upgrade to a dual GPU in the future.. I'm actually looking at 5830/5850s instead of 460s (so that I can get an AMD), but I'm not sure if I'm getting the most of my money if I do so.. Sorry, it's just that the last time I was looking into building my own gaming PC, Intel and nVidia were way on top over AMD and ATI.. now I just know bits and pieces, specifically just new releases and stuff..

 

Also, just for knowledge for knowledge's sake, what does the Phenom II x2 have over an i3 (ie. 555 x2 vs i3 540)? Also, what's this stuff people are talking about a 555 x2 potentially becoming an x4 (or something like that)?

Edited August 15, 2010 by Penti

[IVIYTH0S]

I was also thinking if I should go on that route (in particular, 925 x4), however, I'd like to have some room to upgrade to a dual GPU in the future.. I'm actually looking at 5830/5850s instead of 460s (so that I can get an AMD), but I'm not sure if I'm getting the most of my money if I do so.. Sorry, it's just that the last time I was looking into building my own gaming PC, Intel and nVidia were way on top over AMD and ATI.. now I just know bits and pieces, specifically just new releases and stuff..

 

Also, just for knowledge for knowledge's sake, what does the Phenom II x2 have over an i3 (ie. 555 x2 vs i3 540)? Also, what's this stuff people are talking about a 555 x2 potentially becoming an x4 (or something like that)?

Oh if you can get the 925 then by all means get it!!

And if you want to get a strong by inexpensive pair of cards, get two 5770s