Best Quad Core / MB Value??

[jeguzik]

I am looking to start a home built system and I have around $450 to spend for the Hardware. I am looking for the best performance to cost ratio on the market today for a Quad Core Processor and Mother Board. Where do you guys think I should start. Intel / AMD and what chips and MB's??

Also, please let me know if you know of any packages or deals on the market I am looking to start this project asap.

Thanks In Advance,
J

 

[Wisecracker]

Yup.

If a total re-build is the plan in a few years I like going as low as possible with AM2+. Will not be a big difference in system performance either way --- depends on how the OP looks at it.

Maybe in a few years that quad may actually be worth it --- LOL.

 

[someguy7]

Can't really stress enough how much better off you will be in the long run with AM3/DDR3.

There are no guarantees in life ---- and certainly not with computer hardware 😀 --- but AM3/DDR3 will give you the best opportunity for future CPU/RAM upgrades in the next 18-24 months.

AMD was nice enough to make current AM3 microprocessors 'backward-compatible' with AM2+ chipsets by enabling both a DDR2 and DDR3 memory controller. Nobody knows how long this may last, nor how long motherboard OEMs will continue to update their AM2+ BIOSs.

I agree. But at the same time I don't in this case. As this is for his parents and is not going to upgraded probably ever I would go the cheaper route. His parents are still running a 1.8ghz p4. For his parents and what they use the machine for this machine will never need a cpu upgrade. And if they did it would so far down the line that AM3 would most likely be obsolete as well.

If possible I would go with the AM3 system but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me in this case.

 

[jeguzik]

Hey guys, I am going to head the AM3 / DDR3 Route. Costs considered it gives me more flexibilty to maintain this system in the future. Since the machine will be around for a while, this is my prefference.

What do you guys thing of this mother board for 99.99 after rebate at Newegg - GIGABYTE GA-MA790GPT-UD3H AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail?? I was thinking for the extra $15 I may go this route, is this a good board IYO?? How would this compare to the 785 ASROCK recommend abovce, worth the extra $15? I was thinking the onboard Grafics in the Giga make it a better deal, since I am not budgeting for a video card? Thanks Again!!

 

[theholylancer]

the onboard will be good enough for most things i would imagine an older couple can do... the 790GX suppose to be able to play back blu-ray 1080 stuff with the HDMI out to a big screen, so hell that will cover beyond of what likely (assuming dvd here lol) is gona be thrown at it.

and yes a PII is "better" but hell, if the most demanding application is going to be web browsing and some HD 1080 video then well, why light a candle with a flame thrower? buy a better PSU to guaranteed this 500 dollar wont go up in flames and that may be smarter, or put it towards a really nice looking case and maybe even call it a Home Theater PC (sans a tv in card a bit, remote controls and what nots and just hook it up to the internet and watch hulu or what nots) with the HDMI thing and be done with it.


read about the 1080 play back:

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2374&page=2

 

[deadlockedworld]

... or put it towards a really nice looking case and maybe even call it a Home Theater PC (sans a tv in card a bit, remote controls and what nots and just hook it up to the internet and watch hulu or what nots) with the HDMI thing and be done with it.

This could potentially be a good idea for an entertainment computer-- do your parents have an LCD TV? You could put together the system with a wireless keyboard and mouse, and hook it into a home theater/audio....

 

[Wisecracker]

Hey guys, I am going to head the AM3 / DDR3 Route. Costs considered it gives me more flexibilty to maintain this system in the future. Since the machine will be around for a while, this is my prefference.

What do you guys thing of this mother board for 99.99 after rebate at Newegg - GIGABYTE GA-MA790GPT-UD3H AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail?? I was thinking for the extra $15 I may go this route, is this a good board IYO?? How would this compare to the 785 ASROCK recommend abovce, worth the extra $15? I was thinking the onboard Grafics in the Giga make it a better deal, since I am not budgeting for a video card? Thanks Again!!

Generally, the '790gx' would be considered more of an 'enthusiast' motherboard with advanced BIOS features for overclocking, chipset cooling and a second PCIe x16 Gen2 slot which may be used to CrossFire two discreet video cards.

The 785g chipset has only a single PCIe x16 Gen2 slot for a discreet video card, a slightly better IGP with the ATI Radeon HD 4200 and less fancy chipset cooling.

Something like the Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-UD2H AM3 785G HDMI additionally has an eSATA port which the 790gx you listed does not offer.

Oh, boy! We are havin' some fun now! ---LOL