AMD for a budget light gaming/highschool workstation?

[broidk]

I have only ever researched Intel because that's what I have. I also haven't ever searched for any kind of budget oriented build since I always wanted to play everything maxed out without a problem.. A friend wants to build a computer on a budget because he doesn't play many video games but wants a computer for doing school work. He is also REALLY into architecture(I think he wants to go to college for it) so it's a possibility he might want to do some drawing on it. Also what mobo chipset for AMD

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

What's the exact budget? Does your friend also need a monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.? What software and games does he plan to install?

 

[RCFProd]

I would get him this for 500 USD

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-8320E 3.2GHz 8-Core Processor ($119.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock 970M PRO3 Micro ATX AM3+/AM3 Motherboard ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Zotac Premium Edition 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($74.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($104.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair Carbide Series 88R MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($48.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($55.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $498.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-19 09:31 EST-0500

Good for those purposes, and an SSD to open and decrease load times a lot faster. Also, stronger than a PS4 for gaming.

 

[broidk]

He doesn't have an exact budget other than lower than $1k I told him I need a budget but he just doesn't have an exact budget. He needs OS, games I think he said just some CS:GO. Also if I remembered correctly he said he wanted a monitor keyboard mouse. Although that's not set in stone, so a recommendation for monitor included and without would be awesome.

 

[ktolo]

I would go for an APU - it will play games in 1080 or 720 with some settings dialed down a little, is quad core and doesn't need a video card.
I have a 7800, 8GB ram (faster the better, 2133MHz+) and a SSD for system + 1TB for storage.
As an all round system, it's cheap and reliable. Plus it has enough graphics horsepower to do any design work.

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

Is that USD, CAD, AUD? I assume AUD based on your profile picture. 😉

 

[broidk]

USD. My profile picture is just something random I found xD

 

[ComputerSecurityGuy]

Yeah, especially since CSGO is a pretty lightweight game from just reading so many builds going 200fps on 750 Ti. It should do that at 60fps (that is, an A10 with DDR3-2133+) at 1080p. Otherwise- 8GB of RAM, a SSD and it should be good.

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

For less than $850, you can have this build; http://pcpartpicker.com/p/BPNwRB. I've omitted a case, keyboard and mouse as these are very particular to the individual. The monitor is obviously interchangeable, but stick to an IPS panel for the architectural work as the colours are far more vibrant and accurate.

I would encourage your friend to avoid AMD for now. Their current CPUs are due to be replaced sometime this year and a new socket will come with it.

 

[broidk]

Yeah makes sense. But, I also don't know how much he cares about upgrading. Though it is something to keep in mind.

 

[jghaverty]

I would get him this for 500 USD

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-8320E 3.2GHz 8-Core Processor ($119.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock 970M PRO3 Micro ATX AM3+/AM3 Motherboard ($63.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Zotac Premium Edition 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($74.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($104.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair Carbide Series 88R MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($48.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($55.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $498.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-19 09:31 EST-0500

Good for those purposes, and an SSD to open and decrease load times a lot faster. Also, stronger than a PS4 for gaming.

That motherboard isn't suitable for overclocking at all. Is barely strong enough to run stock speeds on an 8320E. 4 phase power and crap vrm cooling is a recipe for disaster on AMD FX chips.

 

[Metalauxilia]

It really depends on what he wants to do with the machine. He can get a cheaper build with just an entry level graphics card to help aid with CAD design software but it wouldn't be the fastest, but would fit his basic non gaming and basic design spec needs.

 

[jghaverty]

Not amd, but another solution to look at.

Includes a higher end GPU (can go down to save money of course), intel i5, OS, mechanical keyboard, good mouse and a good ips monitor.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/WNHT6h

 

[konawolv]

I have been a long time advocate of the FX line, but its kind of starting to get long in the tooth. I can no longer recommend the FX line for gaming (in any capacity) over the intel line because the intel line offers a viable upgrade path if you start with a pentium or i3 and work your way up to an i7 as your budget allows.

I would only recommend the FX line for one thing and that is virtualization.

I would only recommend AMD at all for a desktop if you go with the APU's and only intend to use it to view media, and maybe game a little (and of course do your MS Office products etc). But build on this platform if you have no intentions of upgrading to meet higher demands.

 

[jghaverty]

I have been a long time advocate of the FX line, but its kind of starting to get long in the tooth. I can no longer recommend the FX line for gaming (in any capacity) over the intel line because the intel line offers a viable upgrade path if you start with a pentium or i3 and work your way up to an i7 as your budget allows.

I would only recommend the FX line for one thing and that is virtualization.

I would only recommend AMD at all for a desktop if you go with the APU's and only intend to use it to view media, and maybe game a little (and of course do your MS Office products etc). But build on this platform if you have no intentions of upgrading to meet higher demands.

HUGE +1 to this.

 

[RCFProd]

Literally barely anyone here doesn't have a clue what they are rambling about. Such an issue with Tom's hardware at times, the strong biasement towards AMD for no clear reason. Trust me, for architecture and also gaming that build is ideal and better than whatever anyone else is going to suggest for the same budget.

And, jghaverty, the build is not MEANT to be overclocked on and doesn't throttle at stock speeds. At the same price it is better than an i3-4150/6100 dual core processor and is absolutely ideal for the purposes. The processor won't throttle because this motherboard can easily run a 95w TDP processor without overheating.

Is this budget friendly? Yes it ticks that box easily.

Does it game? Yes, ridiculously well for the price.

Is it good for the purpose? Great for the purpose.

Sometimes actually consider why someone makes a certain build. Don't just think someone is rambling about like a headless chicken, because I'm not. My reputation should be more than enough to prove that...

If you want to suggest something else, go for it. But don't say things like ''This build is going to throttle to hell screw AMD it is overheating pile of crap, when It's not of used properly.

 

[Metalauxilia]

Literally barely anyone here doesn't have a clue what they are rambling about. Such an issue with Tom's hardware at times, the strong biasement towards AMD for no clear reason. Trust me, for architecture and also gaming that build is ideal and better than whatever anyone else is going to suggest for the same budget.

And, jghaverty, the build is not MEANT to be overclocked on and doesn't throttle at stock speeds. At the same price it is better than an i3-4150/6100 dual core processor and is absolutely ideal for the purposes. The processor won't throttle because this motherboard can easily run a 95w TDP processor without overheating.

Is this budget friendly? Yes it ticks that box easily.

Does it game? Yes, ridiculously well for the price.

Is it good for the purpose? Great for the purpose.

Sometimes actually consider why someone makes a certain build. Don't just think someone is rambling about like a headless chicken, because I'm not. My reputation should be more than enough to prove that...

If you want to suggest something else, go for it. But don't say things like ''This build is going to throttle to hell screw AMD it is overheating pile of crap, when It's not of used properly.

YES!! At least someone else understands that you need to talk about the needs of the person the build is for and not just ramble on about overclocking when they probably won't do it anyway hence a "Budget light gaming /workstation". Its just the basics not your own custom rig.

 

[jghaverty]

Literally barely anyone here doesn't have a clue what they are rambling about. Such an issue with Tom's hardware at times, the strong biasement towards AMD for no clear reason. Trust me, for architecture and also gaming that build is ideal and better than whatever anyone else is going to suggest for the same budget.

And, jghaverty, the build is not MEANT to be overclocked on and doesn't throttle at stock speeds. At the same price it is better than an i3-4150/6100 dual core processor and is absolutely ideal for the purposes. The processor won't throttle because this motherboard can easily run a 95w TDP processor without overheating.

Is this budget friendly? Yes it ticks that box easily.

Does it game? Yes, ridiculously well for the price.

Is it good for the purpose? Great for the purpose.

Sometimes actually consider why someone makes a certain build. Don't just think someone is rambling about like a headless chicken, because I'm not. My reputation should be more than enough to prove that...

If you want to suggest something else, go for it. But don't say things like ''This build is going to throttle to hell screw AMD it is overheating pile of crap, when It's not of used properly.

Allow me to be direct then.

- You are pairing an 8 core FX chip to a laughable motherboard. For the 30$, he is vastly better off with the peace of mind that a higher tier motherboard provides. In particular the 970 ud3p. Yes, that motherboard is rated at 140w, but MSI has also been know to produce some crappy motherboards for AMD. I can't take anyone seriously that recommends a 4 phase motherboard with an 8 core FX chip.
- spend the 10$ for a samsung 850 evo over that garbage ssd you chose
- the fact you jumped to "overheating" implies lack of knowledge of what causes motherboards to fail. Its rarely the chipset that causes motherboard failures. VRM failures are the usual suspect with FX chip sets, and you WONT get "throttling" or "overheating" as indicated by CPU. Theres a reason tons of people put fans on their VRM sections with FX chips.
- an athlon x4 or APU build would be more suitable for a "budget" pc build of this nature, since youre going that route.

For the "1000$" budget given, my build is vastly superior to yours and has a distinct upgrade path. You can't even overclock on yours (which is almost half the point of getting an AMD FX chip). Spare me your righteous indignities please. (Also, my build includes 300$ in peripherals and an OS. Add that to your budget too buddy).

EDIT: heres your build with an OS, keyboard, mouse, and monitor.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/zc2wRB 820$.

Seems you missed this part of the conversation as well ->

Yeah makes sense. But, I also don't know how much he cares about upgrading. Though it is something to keep in mind.

 

[jghaverty]

Literally barely anyone here doesn't have a clue what they are rambling about. Such an issue with Tom's hardware at times, the strong biasement towards AMD for no clear reason. Trust me, for architecture and also gaming that build is ideal and better than whatever anyone else is going to suggest for the same budget.

And, jghaverty, the build is not MEANT to be overclocked on and doesn't throttle at stock speeds. At the same price it is better than an i3-4150/6100 dual core processor and is absolutely ideal for the purposes. The processor won't throttle because this motherboard can easily run a 95w TDP processor without overheating.

Is this budget friendly? Yes it ticks that box easily.

Does it game? Yes, ridiculously well for the price.

Is it good for the purpose? Great for the purpose.

Sometimes actually consider why someone makes a certain build. Don't just think someone is rambling about like a headless chicken, because I'm not. My reputation should be more than enough to prove that...

If you want to suggest something else, go for it. But don't say things like ''This build is going to throttle to hell screw AMD it is overheating pile of crap, when It's not of used properly.

YES!! At least someone else understands that you need to talk about the needs of the person the build is for and not just ramble on about overclocking when they probably won't do it anyway hence a "Budget light gaming /workstation". Its just the basics not your own custom rig.

If you think that modest i5 based system is my "custom rig" ideas, you are horribly mistaken and, frankly, you are coming off as a sycophant. The rig he chose was poor at best. Bad motherboard, bad ssd, extremely outdated processor (5 years old now), and generally poor performance in modern programs compared to intel. But, youre right. We all get a little "biased".

I do CAD work, and going from an 8320 @ 5.0 ghz to my intel rig was a ridiculous perceptible upgrade. I am speaking out of first hand experience, not from some anecdotal "hey I heard from a guy on a forum...". He's far better off going intel at the moment.

 

[Metalauxilia]

Literally barely anyone here doesn't have a clue what they are rambling about. Such an issue with Tom's hardware at times, the strong biasement towards AMD for no clear reason. Trust me, for architecture and also gaming that build is ideal and better than whatever anyone else is going to suggest for the same budget.

And, jghaverty, the build is not MEANT to be overclocked on and doesn't throttle at stock speeds. At the same price it is better than an i3-4150/6100 dual core processor and is absolutely ideal for the purposes. The processor won't throttle because this motherboard can easily run a 95w TDP processor without overheating.

Is this budget friendly? Yes it ticks that box easily.

Does it game? Yes, ridiculously well for the price.

Is it good for the purpose? Great for the purpose.

Sometimes actually consider why someone makes a certain build. Don't just think someone is rambling about like a headless chicken, because I'm not. My reputation should be more than enough to prove that...

If you want to suggest something else, go for it. But don't say things like ''This build is going to throttle to hell screw AMD it is overheating pile of crap, when It's not of used properly.

YES!! At least someone else understands that you need to talk about the needs of the person the build is for and not just ramble on about overclocking when they probably won't do it anyway hence a "Budget light gaming /workstation". Its just the basics not your own custom rig.

If you think that modest i5 based system is my "custom rig" ideas, you are horribly mistaken and, frankly, you are coming off as a sycophant. The rig he chose was poor at best. Bad motherboard, bad ssd, extremely outdated processor (5 years old now), and generally poor performance in modern programs compared to intel. But, youre right. We all get a little "biased".

I do CAD work, and going from an 8320 @ 5.0 ghz to my intel rig was a ridiculous perceptible upgrade. I am speaking out of first hand experience, not from some anecdotal "hey I heard from a guy on a forum...". He's far better off going intel at the moment.

Yea I wasn't agreeing with him on the AMD cpu he would be far better off with intel. I was agreeing that people do tend to wander off from the main point of the thread a lot. Plus it depends on how much CAD or autodesk work he is going to do he should at least get an i5 no matter what but he could scale back on the graphics card if he's not going to demand that much from it.

 

[jghaverty]

Literally barely anyone here doesn't have a clue what they are rambling about. Such an issue with Tom's hardware at times, the strong biasement towards AMD for no clear reason. Trust me, for architecture and also gaming that build is ideal and better than whatever anyone else is going to suggest for the same budget.

And, jghaverty, the build is not MEANT to be overclocked on and doesn't throttle at stock speeds. At the same price it is better than an i3-4150/6100 dual core processor and is absolutely ideal for the purposes. The processor won't throttle because this motherboard can easily run a 95w TDP processor without overheating.

Is this budget friendly? Yes it ticks that box easily.

Does it game? Yes, ridiculously well for the price.

Is it good for the purpose? Great for the purpose.

Sometimes actually consider why someone makes a certain build. Don't just think someone is rambling about like a headless chicken, because I'm not. My reputation should be more than enough to prove that...

If you want to suggest something else, go for it. But don't say things like ''This build is going to throttle to hell screw AMD it is overheating pile of crap, when It's not of used properly.

YES!! At least someone else understands that you need to talk about the needs of the person the build is for and not just ramble on about overclocking when they probably won't do it anyway hence a "Budget light gaming /workstation". Its just the basics not your own custom rig.

If you think that modest i5 based system is my "custom rig" ideas, you are horribly mistaken and, frankly, you are coming off as a sycophant. The rig he chose was poor at best. Bad motherboard, bad ssd, extremely outdated processor (5 years old now), and generally poor performance in modern programs compared to intel. But, youre right. We all get a little "biased".

I do CAD work, and going from an 8320 @ 5.0 ghz to my intel rig was a ridiculous perceptible upgrade. I am speaking out of first hand experience, not from some anecdotal "hey I heard from a guy on a forum...". He's far better off going intel at the moment.

Yea I wasn't agreeing with him on the AMD cpu he would be far better off with intel. I was agreeing that people do tend to wander off from the main point of the thread a lot. Plus it depends on how much CAD or autodesk work he is going to do he should at least get an i5 no matter what but he could scale back on the graphics card if he's not going to demand that much from it.

The problem seems to stem from people "validating" their FX builds still. Yeah, they provide relatively decent performance, but compared to modern intels, they are frankly getting close to the 'not worth it anymore' side of things. Bulldozer (piledriver is a modified bulldozer keep in mind) architecture is ANCIENT compared to intel's modern offerings. 32nm build process, poor IPC performance, and lack of core utilization makes them not the best choice for anything. Back when they came out, the i7 2700k was king. It is that old. At this point, theres really no reason to go amd outside of an APU build or a budget athlon x4 build. FX is DEAD.

Subsequently, people seem to think "oh it's am3+, so any am3+ motherboard will work fine", which is pretty far from the truth. I fried 2 m5a97 LE R2.0's at stock clocks and voltages with an 8320. That board he picked isn't much over that. If he's hell bent on getting an FX 83x0, the ud3p should be the bottom board to look at. THAT was my only real "beef" there.

 

[RCFProd]

Yes, I think with a 95w tdp no-overclocking you will be fine with most AMD motherboards.

Most people throttling are either ones who OC'd their FX-6300 or paired it with a 125w tdp cpu like fx-8320.

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

Broidk, can you tell us which specific piece of software your friend will be using for their architectural work?

 

[Cryio]

2x4 GB DDR3 2133 (2400 if he can afford it), AMD A8 7600 APU ... any FM2+ mobo will do, 128 GB SSD for Windows install, another 512 GB-1 TB HDD and any 350-400W PSU will do.

 

[RCFProd]

A8-7600, or any APU, is suicide with any process that includes rendering. Architecture is likely going to include rendering at some point too. Also so poor in gaming. Stop recommending that really.