Build Me a Bulldozer $480

[Bulldozed]

Hi,

Looking to get to the most effective Bulldozer build within a very tight budget. Have a few things already.

Approximate Purchase Date: Next week

Budget Range: $400-500 (£300)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: audio, gaming, internet

Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS, OCZ 450W PSU, 8GB RAM Vengeance Kit 2 x SATA 500GBs HDDs, X-Blade Black Case

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Aria.co.uk, overclockers.co.uk, ebuyer.com

GPU: HD 6850/HD7770 (note resolution below)

Country: UK

Parts Preferences: Would like to use an AMD CPU / AMD GPU / FX 8120 / FX 6100

Overclocking: No (upgrade PSU later for that)

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution: 1280x1024

Preferred brand: AMD

Additional Comments: Would like a quiet PC, power efficiency where applicable!. Stuck on motherboard... 900+ chips are very expensive. I can spec the FX-8120 with a 760G board within budget, but I'm worried about its performance impact (or lack of). Will it be significant?

Cheers for the help

 

[Tavo_Nova]

i count you don't have a HDD yet so i suggest the seagate 500GB 7200RPM, i also suggest the HD 7770 of Sapphire, its great, although i hate the boxing but still awesome, performs well even alone, and really good for the price, for the mobo i'll snoop around and see what i can get, i'll try to see for both fx 8120 and 8150 and fx 6100, although i do suggest to go with an 8150 for many reasons but we will see i'll be back after i snoop aroudn the preferred sites you put, never been there ^_^

 

[traumaiv]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157280 - mobo

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103961 - cpu

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769 - hdd

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161377 - gpu

 

[Bulldozed]

i count you don't have a HDD yet so i suggest the seagate 500GB 7200RPM, i also suggest the HD 7770 of Sapphire, its great, although i hate the boxing but still awesome, performs well even alone, and really good for the price, for the mobo i'll snoop around and see what i can get, i'll try to see for both fx 8120 and 8150 and fx 6100, although i do suggest to go with an 8150 for many reasons but we will see i'll be back after i snoop aroudn the preferred sites you put, never been there ^_^

Whoops.. updated my OP. I have 2 x 500GB SATA HDDs. They're not the fastest, but I guess they'll have to do for now. I can always upgrade them in a few weeks after the build. I have an old x-blade case too, with a couple of fans. Nothing special, but I'm sure it'll see me through.

Awesome, thanks. Great to have you on board.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157280 - mobo

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103961 - cpu

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769 - hdd

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161377 - gpu

I'll try to price this up in a UK store. See how we get on. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[Tavo_Nova]

ok got 2 build both using different gpu of 7770 and 7750 of sapphire..

Processor: 127.99
AMD Bulldozer FX-6100
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-313-AM&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=

Mother Board: 38.98
ASUS M5A78L-M LX AMD 760G (Socket AM3+) Micro
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-485-AS&groupid=701&catid=1903&subcat=1481

Memory: 39.95
Corsair XMS3 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1333 Mhz
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-328-CS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=1516

PSU: 39.98
Corsair Builder Series CX 430W V2 80 PLUS
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-059-CS&groupid=701&catid=123&subcat=1084

Case: 44.99
Antec 300
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-101-AN&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=160

HHD: 61.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 RPM 500GB SATA 6Gb/s
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-252-SE

GPU: 83.99
Sapphire HD 7750 1GB GDDR5
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-294-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1699

OR

113.99
Sapphire HD 7770 1GB GDDR5
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-292-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1699

-7770 Build

467.87 inc VAT/ 389.89 ex VAT

-7750 Build

437.87 inc VAT/ 364.89 ex VAT


i can try to go lower but we would need a less powerful gpu, and go with a 4 core, but well i haven't tried any other site yet only used the overclocker site and i'll see what i can do

 

[Tavo_Nova]

oh wait sorry forgot that you don't need psu and ram, ok let me rephrase things up.....


ok here it is, and i think its up to your budget


Processor: 127.99
AMD Bulldozer FX-6100
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-313-AM&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=

Mother Board: 38.98
ASUS M5A78L-M LX AMD 760G (Socket AM3+) Micro
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-485-AS&groupid=701&catid=1903&subcat=1481

Case: 44.99
Antec 300
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-101-AN&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=160

GPU: 83.99
Sapphire HD 7750 1GB GDDR5
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-294-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1699

OR

113.99
Sapphire HD 7770 1GB GDDR5
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-292-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1699

-7770 Build
GPU+Mobo+7770+antec 300= 325.95 inc VAT/ 271.62 ex VAT

-7750 Build
GPU+mobo+7750+antec 300= 295.95 inc VAT/ 246.62 ex Vat

 

[Tavo_Nova]

or you can try it out like this using the FX-8120 CPU, it's worth the extra dollars i believe,


Processor: 149.99
AMD FX-8120
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-312-AM

Mother Board: 38.98
ASUS M5A78L-M LX AMD 760G (Socket AM3+) Micro
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-485-AS&groupid=701&catid=1903&subcat=1481

Case: 44.99
Antec 300
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-101-AN&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=160

GPU: 83.99
Sapphire HD 7750 1GB GDDR5
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-294-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1699

OR

113.99
Sapphire HD 7770 1GB GDDR5
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-292-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1699

-7770 Build
GPU+Mobo+7770+antec 300= 347.95 inc VAT/ 289.95 ex VAT

-7750 Build
GPU+mobo+7750+antec 300= 317.95 inc VAT/ 264.95 ex Vat


you just need to choose between a 7770 sapphire or the 7750, imo the 7750 is close to your budget in both builds i put up

 

[Bulldozed]

oh wait sorry forgot that you don't need psu and ram, ok let me rephrase things up.....


ok here it is, and i think its up to your budget


Processor: 127.99
AMD Bulldozer FX-6100
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-313-AM&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=

Mother Board: 38.98
ASUS M5A78L-M LX AMD 760G (Socket AM3+) Micro
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-485-AS&groupid=701&catid=1903&subcat=1481

Case: 44.99
Antec 300
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-101-AN&groupid=701&catid=7&subcat=160

GPU: 83.99
Sapphire HD 7750 1GB GDDR5
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-294-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1699

OR

113.99
Sapphire HD 7770 1GB GDDR5
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-292-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1699

-7770 Build
GPU+Mobo+7770+antec 300= 325.95 inc VAT/ 271.62 ex VAT

-7750 Build
GPU+mobo+7750+antec 300= 295.95 inc VAT/ 246.62 ex Vat

Hey, these look great. Thanks for working them up. Good news is I have a case. [strike]Where do you think I should chuck the extra £44.99?[/strike]

EDIT: Just seen the 8120 builds. Nice stuff. Am I loosing much on the 760G chip?

 

[Tavo_Nova]

on the resolution you put up there its good and you won't be using crossfire/sli with the mobo, but it has enough power for you to do your work + gaming

shaving the case, you get these

fx8120= 302.96 inc VAT/ 252.46 ex VAT it should fit your budget well if you can spare a few more euro, which suits your request really well.

the mobo should be good with that setup, i believe you will have all the performance you need right now, and with that budget i believe it is a good build

 

[Bulldozed]

on the resolution you put up there its good and you won't be using crossfire/sli with the mobo, but it has enough power for you to do your work + gaming

shaving the case, you get these

fx8120= 302.96 inc VAT/ 252.46 ex VAT it should fit your budget well if you can spare a few more euro, which suits your request really well.

the mobo should be good with that setup, i believe you will have all the performance you need right now, and with that budget i believe it is a good build

That's really cool, thanks a lot for helping. One final question: It says that this motherboard is MicroATX. How can I check if it will fit into my case? I have an X-Blade ATX case. Sorry about that.

 

[Youngmind]

If you want better performance per dollar, you should go with the HD 7750/6870 instead of the 7770. The 7770 is priced too high because at its price, it competes with the cheaper and faster 6870.

 

[vitornob]

You know that for gaming an Intel is better right? (Just to be sure that you opted going for AMD even knowing that)

 

[Bulldozed]

You know that for gaming an Intel is better right? (Just to be sure that you opted going for AMD even knowing that)

Yep. I seen some benchmarking via LinusTech's YouTube channel, think it was the 8150 up against the 2500K, and I wasn't that fussed on Intel's performance, (then again I've kept my head under the sand with regard to AMDs marketing, and so on). As you know, I'm not just looking to game on the machine, but when the games do pop up, at my measly resolution, I'm pretty sure both camps can handle that and some.

The only thing that's worrying me here is the motherboard. The price of the 900 chipset is nearly a deal breaker when trying to save money up against Intel.

 

[Tavo_Nova]

well we can move up in the mother board for something better for around 80-100 euro if you want? of course that would help you settle down in the feeling of " is my pc alright?"

 

[Tavo_Nova]

but i do agree with TS looking at his resolution


Monitor Resolution: 1280x1024

lol either i3 or amd are both going to be good but well at least with his bulldozer build he can do stuff besides gaming

 

[Boopoo]

You know that for gaming an Intel is better right? (Just to be sure that you opted going for AMD even knowing that)

biased fan boy ^ AMD is just great for gaming and don't let the Intel heretics tell you otherwise and some of there propaganda include Starcft2 and Skyrim benchmark all I will say to OP is do the research and do not listen to all the biased rhetoric. PS the 7770 is ok but the 6850 is faster and cheaper and with your board I would just get a Phenom II x4 980 if you can.

 

[bestlink101]

you know at the time intel has better chips

 

[Tavo_Nova]

well lets just trow in builds and stuff for ts and let him decide its his pocket afterall but overall on his resolution either one of the build he would choose are great but i would prefer a 8120amd build over i3 imo, gaming aside, you can do lots of stuff with fx8120, but still after all its TS call

 

[Bulldozed]

well we can move up in the mother board for something better for around 80-100 euro if you want? of course that would help you settle down in the feeling of " is my pc alright?"

Hey, yeah, that would probably be best. It's amazing how cheap getting into the Bulldozer range really is.

all I will say to OP is do the research and do not listen to all the biased rhetoric. PS the 7770 is ok but the 6850 is faster and cheaper and with your board I would just get a Phenom II x4 980 if you can.

Yeah, the 6850 will save me a couple of bucks - maybe that would untie my hands for a better motherboard. Funny, I really liked the power saving options the 7770 was reviewed with, however, at my budget, I can't be choosey.