new build needed, what options? futureproof

Jaffacakekilla

Jaffacakekilla

Jaffacakekilla

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5 Feb 2010
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I have three PC's, one is very old that my young kids mess about with.
I have P4 630 3ghz with 4gb , 6800 GLH 512 xp 22" cibox screen for surfing with.
My now ageing games machine P4 3ghz 630, 4gb, 7800glh 512 xp samsung syncmaster 223bw screen.

Before Xmas I wanted to get a little more from my games machine, so bought P4 660 3.6 cpu from ebay for £23, and a 4780 1gb graphics card from a friend for £90.

This was a bit of a temporary measure , as I intended to build a new system. I thought I should be able to use the card on the new system.

Played Modern Warfare spot on, but trying to play BFBC ids dismal. Single core cpu :(


So here is my plan.
The old kid pc get put in the bin, and replaced with the p4 3ghz machine.
The surfing PC gets replaced with the P4 3.6 with the 7800glh back in.

Build new system.

So my question is what system to build, and do i use the 4780 or not. Will this bottle neck any system i build?

I would like to build something a bit future proof, but do not need the latest most expensive gear.

I have not really got a budget as such, because in reality I could afford any system I wanted, but I'm from Yorkshire and us northerners like value for money

I was thinking along the lines of
either
a cheap i7 system or AMD phenon II x4 965 system

in either case, I would like some potential to expand the system in the future, add more memory, or faster chip.

What can I can get?
CPU
MOBO
GFX (use the one I have?)
case
psu
hd
memory
dvd burner

I will keep the monitor and keyboards I have in the same places.

Any help would be nice, and I am sure to be asking lots more questions
 
Best bang for buck you are going to get imo is a Phenom II x2 550 BE and try and unlock it. Most people have no issues doing so but it isnt a guaranteed thing. Mine had no issues whatsoever and is still running very happily as a PII x4 B50. Others have even managed to overclock it aswell.
This requires a motherboard with a SB710 chip (I think it was) like the Asus M4A785TD-M which is the board I am using.
AM3 with DDR3 will also give you some decent upgrade opportunities later on.

As for the GPU, Id try running it for a while in the new build just to see how it fairs. If its not upto it then replace it otherwise hang on for a while.
 
This any good, or are there better value options?

clockersamd.jpg
 
To the OP - what is the speed of the DDR2 RAM in your current systems??

If the OP wants to save money I would go for the Phenom II X4 955BE.

The OCZ 500W PSU only has a pair of PCI-E power connectors and for having a pair of HD4870 cards they would need a PSU with 4 PCI-E power connectors.

Also consider this motherboard if you don't want to go Crossfire:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-355-AS

The Phenom II also runs RAM in dual channel so I would get one of the following RAM sets:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-026-PA&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=1517

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-041-GS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=1517

Unless you want to overclock I would stick with the existing Phenom II X4 stock cooler.
 
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That triple channel RAM will go to waste on the dual channel motherboard.
That cooler will keep you happy on stock and mild overclocks only - wont be pushing anything great. Id suggest one of these instead.
That case is pretty poor too, a Coolermaster or NZXT case can be had for cheaper and are better imo.
 
 
So, if I plan on keeping the 4870 that I have, what is the most future proof of these set ups?

How much memory do I need?

Is there any bits that are a bit over kill for the system, or any bits that need to be better?

clockersi5.jpg


clockersamd2.jpg
 
If you go for the AMD computer I would get the Phenom II X4 955BE if you are overclocking. Most seem to be the same C3 stepping as the X4 965BE and both have the same unlocked multiplier too.
 
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Jaffacakekilla said:
sorry, another question.

cpu benchmark has a very similar score for both the phenon 965 and th i5 750
but the mobo in my list is a lot more expensive. Is it a much better board?
Click to expand...

The sub £100 P55 motherboards do asymmetrical Crossfire at PCI-E 2.0 16X/4X. The AMD motherboard you chose does symmetrical Crossfire at PCI-E 2.0 8X/8X and the 790FX ones do it at 16X/16X.

The motherboard you chose will do symmetrical Crossfire and SLI at PCI-E 2.0 8X/8X. As P55 motherboards go it is very nice indeed!!

I would read this article so you know which P55 motherboards are the best ones for Crossfire and SLI:

http://www.hardware-revolution.com/p55-motherboards-crossfire-sli-performance-problem/
 
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BIGBC said:
I dont see anywhere he mentions crossfire?
Click to expand...

If that is the case he should go for the cheaper AMD and Intel motherboards.

Both the motherboards he has chosen can do symmetrical Crossfire at PCI-E 2.0 8X/8X and the OP has an HD4870.

If the OP does not want to run a Crossfire setup on the AMD side I would look at the following motherboards:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-358-AS&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1481

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-358-AS&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1481

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-355-AS&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1481

Here are the cheaper P55 motherboards:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?&groupid=701&catid=5&subid=1495&sortby=priceAsc
 
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Not really sure what the advantages of crossfire or sli are tbh.
My current mobo GA-8N-SLI, has sli, but I have never used it.

I would thought it better to just change the graphics card for a better one, instead of running two older similar ones.

Anyway!! should I be getting sli / cross fire or not. I'm a little out of touch
 
Jaffacakekilla said:
Not really sure what the advantages of crossfire or sli are tbh.
My current mobo GA-8N-SLI, has sli, but I have never used it.

I would thought it better to just change the graphics card for a better one, instead of running two older similar ones.

Anyway!! should I be getting sli / cross fire or not. I'm a little out of touch
Click to expand...

If that is that case go for a cheaper motherboard in both builds. I have some links in post 13 which should prove useful IMHO.
 
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