Hey, all. I'm a custom build virgin, so excuse me if I'm missing a few points here. Anyway, I suppose the biggest thing I have to worry about is price. Around... $500-$700 would be the target range. What I use my computer mostly for is just typing - hopefully, I'll become a writer or something close to that - but I often dabble in video and video editing and stuff of that nature. I'm looking for some general advice as to what parts I actually need to get. CPU Motherboard RAM Video Card(?) Audio Card(?) Hard drive (I'll probably get something small because I've already got a 1 TB external drive to use) DVD Drive Fan(s) Power Supply Computer Case Monitor Is that about all I need? If you've got any more essential computer parts, feel free to let me know. So far, this is what I'm planning to get: CPU - AMD Phenom II x4 Quad-core processor Motherboard - ASUS M4A79 Deluxe AM2+/AM3 AMD motherboard RAM - Kingston HyperX 4GB (2 x 2GB) Video Card(?) - Audio Card(?) - Hard drive - DVD Drive - Fan(s) - Power Supply - Computer Case - Monitor -
A Phenom II build on that budget will be tight unless it's the 920 with a basic motherboard. The ridiculous amount of power the Phenom IIs use will probably give the board a short life, not to mention raise your electricity bills. A better idea would be to use a low end Core 2 Quad, which will not only run cooler and more efficiently, but also probably perform better for the same price. Core 2 Quad Q8200 CPU - $165 Gigabyte EP45-UD3L Motherboard - $99 2x2GB Corsair XMS2 PC6400 RAM - $45 ($25 after rebate) HIS Radeon HD4650 Graphics card - $60 Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE Sound card - $30 Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB Hard Drive - $75 LG GH22-NS30 22x DVD Writer - $23 Antec Three Hundred Case - $60 Corsair CX 400W Power Supply - $55 ($45 after rebate) Sceptre 20" Monitor - $130 Prices based on newegg.com
Sammoris - Why are you always bashing AMD? Now they take so much power than the mainboard burns out faster? And not appropriate for a budget build, even though they are cheaper? BTW: Intel is the only company that makes 130W & 150W chips; AMD's most power ungry chips only use 125W, and most use only 75W...the lowest wattage available from intel is 75W. Therefor, AMD will use the same or less power than an intel of similar flavor. BTW2: If your mainboard is so crummy that it cannot deliver the power reliably for a long time, that is the mainboard manufacturer's fault, not the chip maker's fault. Both AMD and Intel have released very specific information for the wattage that the socket must provide. Failure to follow these instructions is not the fault of AMD or intel (unless AMD or Intel actualy make the board)
Quoting extreme editions just because Intel have made them and AMD haven't? The lowest TDP from intel is 65W. In actual fact, the E5000 series only uses 50W. The direct rival to the E5200, the X2 7750 uses 90W. Therefore, AMD use significantly more power for the same product, thus the price is slightly lower to try and sell an inferior product. Any reasonably well made board should handle a Phenom II at stock, but the fact that Core 2 Quads only use about 80W in practice (45nm, 95W for the 65nm) allows the user a lot more overclocking headroom. This post is one of denial, as a Phenom user you're blind defending the terrible CPU you bought. If you had a Phenom II, I wouldn't be so offensive, but anyone who bought a original Phenom clearly did no research.
