To use old components or start from scratch, for new build :)?

mattbill

mattbill

mattbill

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I plan on building a new ITX system to replace my current Antec P182 build. I built my old system over 3 years ago now and is still working 100% flawlessly, but the case is far too big for my needs, so I'm downsizing. I don't play games on the PC anymore, only watch movies, listen to music and browse the internet. The current spec works perfectly for what I currently use it for.

Its specs:
E6600 @ 3ghz
Asus P5NE Mobo
4GB Crucial Ballistix RAM PC6400
BFG 8800GT 512mb
1.5Tb Samsung HDD's.
Corsair HX520W
LG DVD drive.

I have two options so far, but am stuck between what to do.

Option 1:
Lian Li PC-Q11 case
Buy a socket 775 motherboard in m-ITX form
Current CPU
Current RAM
Current HDD
Current PSU
ATI 4350 512MB passive card (as it's small and will do HD film fine, got it free so can't complain.)

Option 2:
Lian Li PC-Q11 case
Current HDD
Current PSU
Blu Ray drive
i3/i5 CPU w/ motherboard, RAM etc.
ATI 4350 512MB passive card (as it's small and will do HD film fine, got it free so can't complain.)

Option 1 will cost less to build now and will do everything I need fine, but finding a good ITX motherboard isn't that easy in S775. Only decent one I have found is the Zotac 9300 mobo.

Option 2 will cost more in the long run but will last longer as its newer tech and will be a lot easier for future upgrades.

In your opinion, would you pay the extra now for newer components or get a S775 mobo and transfer components?

All in all... option 1 will cost around £220 ish. Option 2 will cost more than likely about £400, but I've not totalled it up fully yet.

I'm awful at decision making, hence the thread lol :p

Opinion's would be great ta very much :)
 
Go for option 1. An upgrade to S1156 will do absolutely nothing for you, now or for the near future- leave upgrading until you're struggling, that way you'll get much more power for your money. 1156 is becoming obsolete in a matter of weeks, so it'd be a fool's game anyway.

As an aside, one of my friends has a 4350 and is playing SC2 on pretty decent settings. Apparently it's not too bad a card.
 
Hey
Firstly you wouldnt need a 4350 with the new i3/h55 set up as the integrated gfx is powerful enough
Also for some reason you dint include blu ray drive in option 1, youd need blu ray drive and case for both options, so the options are

1) new mobo, gfx card on 775

2) new mobo, cpu, ram using new i3/h55

option 2 costs

Gigabyte GA-H55N-USB3 Intel H55 (Socket 1156) DDR3 Mini-ITX Motherboard £89.99
Intel Core i3 540 3.06GHz (Clarkdale) (Socket LGA1156) - Retail £78.71
Corsair XMS3 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit (CMX4GX3M2A1600C9) £46.99
Total : £215.69

option 1 is

Zotac GF9300-I-E (Socket 775) DDR2 Mini ITX Motherboard £99.99
Asus ATI Radeon HD 4350 512MB GDDR2 Low Profile PCI-Express Graphics Card £29.99
Total : £129.98

so for £85 more youre getting quite a bit more powerful system, personally I'd go this route and sell your old kit, you'll prob come out ahead
 
It says in the OP that he got the 4350 free, so he may as well use it. That makes the i3 option £115 more.

It's a fair improvement, but I'd really struggle to recommend spending £115 extra for a more powerful system when it will offer zero tangible benefit for the OP's usage.
 
missed that bit (free 4350) yeah makes it more of a toss up agree, but he could still sell current components to finance the upgrade, either way will work, toss a coin
 
Thanks for the input folks...

Also forgot to mention I have an Asus Xonar DX card that I'd have to give up for ITX too. It's got me thinking maybe mATX might be worth looking in to also. Although, I'm pretty sold on the Q11 case. Hopefully there is something similar in mATX.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-154-LL&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=187 isn't a bad looking case and seems reasonable for space internally.

But then again, my plan with the ATI 4350 is to have the sound coming from the HDMI port so that'd make the sound card redundant anyway.

So S1156 is on the way out I presume then? It might not be the best idea for me to go that way if so.

I would have plenty of kit to sell on if I went the i3 route. Case, GPU, Mobo, CPU, so I'd recuperate some of the cost back in that.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-008-ZT&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1124 This Zotax H55 mobo looks nice. Built in wi-fi too, which is a bonus. Similar to the S775 board just S1156.
 
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I also have a P182 C2D setup that I want to migrate to ITX, so I'm in the same dilemma. I have a GTX 260 which is gonna go as it's far too big for anything other than the monster case it's in now.

The problem is I do some light casual gaming here and there, the last two PC games I've really only played being TF2 and SC2 @ 1680x1050 resolution and I'd like to put everything into either one of the Lian Li's or Silverstone ITX cases.

I'm just trying to weight up the pros of waiting for the newer SB tech but with the associated cons (i.e. price) I'm more tempted to just stick with an i3 build instead if I can't keep my current S775 stuff.
 
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