New Computer - Let's talk about it.

[Grey Fox]

Here's what I'm planning to buy for my GF's new computer. I will stick a 8800 GTS and a 1tb WD hdd with it too.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($129.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard:  ASRock Z77M Micro ATX  LGA1155 Motherboard  ($89.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory:  Corsair XMS3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($70.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage:  Samsung 840 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($99.50 @ Vuugo)
Case:  BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($40.80 @ DirectCanada)
Total: $418.27

In canadian dollar, so Americans can cut 10-20%.

@Viper, I expect to have a proper AMD alternative from you.

[Barrister]

What are you planning to do with this machine?

It's a fairly modest system.  I would be tempted to try and build it into a much smaller case than that.  You've selected a micro ATX motherboard - why not get a micro ATX case?  It would probably mean moving to some kind of integrated graphics, but I think AMD probably has something that would be sufficient.

[Barrister]

I had a 3 day trial turn into a guilty plea, so I'm a bit bored.

Here's something I was playing around with:


Component      Selection   Base Price   Promo   Shipping   Tax   Price   Where         
CPU   

AMD A10-5700 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor   $128.99            $128.99   Newegg Canada   

MSI FM2-A55M-E33 Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard   $51.02      FREE      $51.02   DirectCanada   

Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory   $63.99            $63.99   Newegg Canada   

A-Data XPG SX900 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk   $104.99            $104.99   Newegg Canada   

Rosewill R379-M MicroATX Slim Case w/300W Power Supply   $54.99            $54.99   Newegg Canada   


for a total of $403.98



Items selected just to try and prove that it could be done, not for any particular preference.  The AMD CPU has integrated Radeon HD 7560D graphics.

FWIW, Tom's Hardware gives a list of "roughly comparable" graphic performance, broken down to 30-some levels.  They list the integrated Radeon HD 7560D graphics as one step below the 8800 GTS you wanted to use.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

They have a similar chart for CPUs.  Your i3-3220 is listed 2nd from the top, while the A10-7500 is 3rd from the top.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-5.html

You'd take a very modest hit in capabilities, in exchange for a dramatically smaller computer case.

[Grey Fox]

I'm happy to see you browse something else than Apples.

[Grey Fox]

I had a 3 day trial turn into a guilty plea, so I'm a bit bored.

Here's something I was playing around with:


Component      Selection   Base Price   Promo   Shipping   Tax   Price   Where         
CPU   

AMD A10-5700 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor   $128.99            $128.99   Newegg Canada   

MSI FM2-A55M-E33 Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard   $51.02      FREE      $51.02   DirectCanada   

Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory   $63.99            $63.99   Newegg Canada   

A-Data XPG SX900 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk   $104.99            $104.99   Newegg Canada   

Rosewill R379-M MicroATX Slim Case w/300W Power Supply   $54.99            $54.99   Newegg Canada   


for a total of $403.98



Items selected just to try and prove that it could be done, not for any particular preference.  The AMD CPU has integrated Radeon HD 7560D graphics.

FWIW, Tom's Hardware gives a list of "roughly comparable" graphic performance, broken down to 30-some levels.  They list the integrated Radeon HD 7560D graphics as one step below the 8800 GTS you wanted to use.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

They have a similar chart for CPUs.  Your i3-3220 is listed 2nd from the top, while the A10-7500 is 3rd from the top.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-5.html

You'd take a very modest hit in capabilities, in exchange for a dramatically smaller computer case.

It's a light-gaming computer. I'm either buying from the 1st or 2nd CPU Row.

[katmai]

YOu keep knocking her up, when is she gonna have anytime for gaming?!?!

[Grey Fox]

YOu keep knocking her up, when is she gonna have anytime for gaming?!?!

The Québec Parental Insurance Plan

[viper37]

@Viper, I expect to have a proper AMD alternative from you.

CPU:
Phenom X4 965 Black Edition
It's cheaper and it's faster.


Here is full ATX board
This is what I've got in the office.  I'm not sure the 8800 would fit in there, the newer cards don't for sure, but they are bigger.

Another ATX herem from Asus
This one is bigger and will let you fit the 8800, even modern cards too.

With AMD, just make sure you pick an AM3+ chipset, not one of the FM2.  The FM2 chipsets are for their newer "A" cpus, and all board comes equipped wich cheap graphic card, for wich you need to add another discrete radeon to get decent gaming.

Given the rig, chipset 970 should be good enough, but if you ever want serious gaming, the 990FX, like the Asus Sabertooth 990FX is the way to go, but it's sold at 200$ currently, wich is above your price mark.

[Barrister]

I had a 3 day trial turn into a guilty plea, so I'm a bit bored.

Here's something I was playing around with:


Component      Selection   Base Price   Promo   Shipping   Tax   Price   Where         
CPU   

AMD A10-5700 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor   $128.99            $128.99   Newegg Canada   

MSI FM2-A55M-E33 Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard   $51.02      FREE      $51.02   DirectCanada   

Corsair 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory   $63.99            $63.99   Newegg Canada   

A-Data XPG SX900 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk   $104.99            $104.99   Newegg Canada   

Rosewill R379-M MicroATX Slim Case w/300W Power Supply   $54.99            $54.99   Newegg Canada   


for a total of $403.98



Items selected just to try and prove that it could be done, not for any particular preference.  The AMD CPU has integrated Radeon HD 7560D graphics.

FWIW, Tom's Hardware gives a list of "roughly comparable" graphic performance, broken down to 30-some levels.  They list the integrated Radeon HD 7560D graphics as one step below the 8800 GTS you wanted to use.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

They have a similar chart for CPUs.  Your i3-3220 is listed 2nd from the top, while the A10-7500 is 3rd from the top.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-5.html

You'd take a very modest hit in capabilities, in exchange for a dramatically smaller computer case.

It's a light-gaming computer. I'm either buying from the 1st or 2nd CPU Row.

By all reports what I described should do just fine for a light gaming computer.  The AMD integrated graphics are supposed to be much, much, much better than anything from Intel.  After all, AMD *is* a good GPU company.

[Barrister]

I'm happy to see you browse something else than Apples.

I don't recommend Apples because I am unaware of the PC world.

Rather, I recommend Apples because I *do* browse PC components.

[viper37]

I didn't notice your site

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/17X0q
375$.

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/17WZA
448.80$, 8 core CPU.

I looked at the A series from AMD using this site, but I can't find anything cheaper than the above builds, for the same performance.

[viper37]

By all reports what I described should do just fine for a light gaming computer.  The AMD integrated graphics are supposed to be much, much, much better than anything from Intel.  After all, AMD *is* a good GPU company.

They are good for an office computer, but when it comes to gaming, or even 3D computing (Google Earth...), it brings the system down to its knees. So he'd need to add another, compatible Radeon card so the system will use both video cards in tandem to combine the performance.  Kinda like the old 3D video cards, where you'd have a 2D video card + a dedicated 3D card instead of having everything on one GPU

[Barrister]

By all reports what I described should do just fine for a light gaming computer.  The AMD integrated graphics are supposed to be much, much, much better than anything from Intel.  After all, AMD *is* a good GPU company.

They are good for an office computer, but when it comes to gaming, or even 3D computing (Google Earth...), it brings the system down to its knees. So he'd need to add another, compatible Radeon card so the system will use both video cards in tandem to combine the performance.  Kinda like the old 3D video cards, where you'd have a 2D video card + a dedicated 3D card instead of having everything on one GPU

Tom's is saying though that this one (which is apparently AMD's best) is comparable to a "Discrete: 7950 GX2, GT 440 DDR3, GT 630 DDR3" for NVidia, and "X1950 XTX, HD 4650 (DDR3), 5550 (DDR3)" for AMD.  Those are obviously not the latest and greatest, but they were the latest and greatest 5 years ago or so.

So like I said, for light gaming it should be fine.  I haven't noticed a whole lot of games coming out that won't run on a 5-6 year old computer.  And the graphics card GF wants to use is already a 5 year old card or so.

And remember the big trade-off I'm suggesting - instead of a big, bulky ATC Tower, you have something roughly the size of a hardcover book.

[Grey Fox]

It's something to consider.

[Grey Fox]

I didn't notice your site

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/17X0q
375$.

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/17WZA
448.80$, 8 core CPU.

I looked at the A series from AMD using this site, but I can't find anything cheaper than the above builds, for the same performance.

The thing is the AMDs have way higher power consumption than the I3. The 3220 is a full 100 watt less than the 965.