Computers

[AdroitThirteen]

I'm looking for the best CPU and Mobo for around $200? I'm a gamer and I want to be able to play games on their top performance. ( My current video card is the Nvidia GTS 250)

 

[boonality]

You must have a computer already, so what are the specs of it? Without knowing that how do we know if a mobo/cpu combo for $200 is even going to be faster than what you have now?

 

[saint19]

Hi newcomer and welcome to the Tom's hardware forum.

If you want the best mobo and CPU for play game you options are:

1- Mobo AMD AM3: $190
2- CPU AMD X4 955: $165

total cost: $255

Now, how you want paly the games at the top of performance, maybe an AMD processor don't be enough for you, so, you could need an i7 processor. Cost?

1- Mobo for i7-920: $279.99 (good mobo, but not the most expensive)
2- CPU i7-920: $ 288.99

total cost: $ 568.98

 

[C00lIT]

We need to know what memory you have if you are not planning on buying new one.
200$ for motherboard and cpu can get you something nice and balanced for that GTS250

This is taking into consideration that you already have minimum 2x1Gig DDR2-800

Motherboard 80$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131595&cm_re=m4a785-_-13-131-595-_-Product

CPU 113$ Athlon II Quad @ 2.8Ghz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103704&cm_re=athlon_ii_x4-_-19-103-704-_-Product
Or
Phenom II X3 @ 2.8Ghz 124$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649&cm_re=phenom_ii-_-19-103-649-_-Product



Should be around the listed budget

 

[C00lIT]

I hope the I3 Fails and gets delayed like a Blizzard game 😛
Runs away real fast.

 

[AdroitThirteen]

We need to know what memory you have if you are not planning on buying new one.
200$ for motherboard and cpu can get you something nice and balanced for that GTS250

This is taking into consideration that you already have minimum 2x1Gig DDR2-800

Motherboard 80$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131595&cm_re=m4a785-_-13-131-595-_-Product

CPU 113$ Athlon II Quad @ 2.8Ghz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103704&cm_re=athlon_ii_x4-_-19-103-704-_-Product
Or
Phenom II X3 @ 2.8Ghz 124$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649&cm_re=phenom_ii-_-19-103-649-_-Product



Should be around the listed budget

Yeah, I plan on buying new ram according to the mobo

 

[AdroitThirteen]

Hi newcomer and welcome to the Tom's hardware forum.

If you want the best mobo and CPU for play game you options are:

1- Mobo AMD AM3: $190
2- CPU AMD X4 955: $165

total cost: $255

Now, how you want paly the games at the top of performance, maybe an AMD processor don't be enough for you, so, you could need an i7 processor. Cost?

1- Mobo for i7-920: $279.99 (good mobo, but not the most expensive)
2- CPU i7-920: $ 288.99

total cost: $ 568.98

first of all your math is wrong lol, total is 355

 

[sighQ2]

I believe he meant 90 for the cpu. Check prices yourself.

Look at MSI mobos with amd-socket AM3 (ddr3ram) - or - you can upgrade an existing AM2+ MOBO - we don't know what you have to start with. But MSI's are good for unlocking cores.

People will tell you what to buy based on their personal bias.

I find it interesting that you are told to ignore everything and wait for spintel's latest con. Insider info? paid fanboy? hahaha.

Welcome to the cpu wars. Have a google at antitrust while you're at it.

 

[AdroitThirteen]

We need to know what memory you have if you are not planning on buying new one.
200$ for motherboard and cpu can get you something nice and balanced for that GTS250

This is taking into consideration that you already have minimum 2x1Gig DDR2-800

Motherboard 80$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131595&cm_re=m4a785-_-13-131-595-_-Product

CPU 113$ Athlon II Quad @ 2.8Ghz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103704&cm_re=athlon_ii_x4-_-19-103-704-_-Product
Or
Phenom II X3 @ 2.8Ghz 124$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649&cm_re=phenom_ii-_-19-103-649-_-Product



Should be around the listed budget

as far as the phenom goes, what mobo can i get with it to attempt to unlock the 4th core. would the motherboard you advised me to get work?

 

[BadTrip]

I cannot say this enough. NEVER buy a cpu thinking you will unlock the other cores. The cores are disabled for a reason. If you want a quad, buy a quad.

 

[BadTrip]

I believe he meant 90 for the cpu. Check prices yourself.

Look at MSI mobos with amd-socket AM3 (ddr3ram) - or - you can upgrade an existing AM2+ MOBO - we don't know what you have to start with. But MSI's are good for unlocking cores.

People will tell you what to buy based on their personal bias.

I find it interesting that you are told to ignore everything and wait for spintel's latest con. Insider info? paid fanboy? hahaha.

Welcome to the cpu wars. Have a google at antitrust while you're at it.

I almost never tell someone to wait. If you always wait for the next best thing you will never by anything. In this case though, with the 32nm i3 releasing next week, it would be in his best interest to wait.

 

[sighQ2]

That's very sane and very consistent too - support spintel antitrust regardless of FTC and half the planet hanging them out to dry for antitrust and sleezy marketing and dirty compilers screws too - did I miss something? Target someone else sport.

RE UNLOCKING:
http://www.overclockers.com/amd-core-unlocking-msi-easier/

This article is about unlocking.


MSI is repeatedly being mentioned as the board to buy re AMD cpu's - see amdzone if that's ok with badtrip.

There are several models to research depending your personal interests.
MSI has really good BIOS - asus and giga are not as supportive - many good reports on MSI mobos.

http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=prodpage2&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=171

.

 

[AdroitThirteen]

That's very sane and very consistent too - support spintel antitrust regardless of FTC and half the planet hanging them out to dry for antitrust and sleezy marketing and dirty compilers screws too - did I miss something? Target someone else sport.

RE UNLOCKING:
http://www.overclockers.com/amd-core-unlocking-msi-easier/

This article is about unlocking.


MSI is repeatedly being mentioned as the board to buy re AMD cpu's - see amdzone if that's ok with badtrip.

There are several models to research depending your personal interests.
MSI has really good BIOS - asus and giga are not as supportive - many good reports on MSI mobos.

http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=prodpage2&maincat_no=1&cat2_no=171

.

as far as the i3 goes, what's the price on that?

 

[Wisecracker]

I3 520 is going to be 90 something dollars, P55 mobo is 89.99, Memory is 119.99

What's an i3 520?

Are you making stuff up, again, Psycho ?

as far as the phenom goes, what mobo can i get with it to attempt to unlock the 4th core. would the motherboard you advised me to get work

You need an AM2+ or AM3 motherboard with either an sb710 or sb750.

1) Set ACC to 'Auto' in BIOS; and maybe
2) Set EC firmware to 'Hybrid' (w/ Gigabyte mobos --- not sure about some others)

From Xtreme Systems: Phenom X2 550 Unlocking & Overclocking Consolidated

I've unlocked a 550 today ---- going to check a Sempy 140 and 2 720BEs this afternoon

 

[warmon6]

I believe he meant 90 for the cpu. Check prices yourself.

Look at MSI mobos with amd-socket AM3 (ddr3ram) - or - you can upgrade an existing AM2+ MOBO - we don't know what you have to start with. But MSI's are good for unlocking cores.

People will tell you what to buy based on their personal bias.

I find it interesting that you are told to ignore everything and wait for spintel's latest con. Insider info? paid fanboy? hahaha.

Welcome to the cpu wars. Have a google at antitrust while you're at it.

Just stop flaming threads that mention intel in it.

Just because people recommend Intel because they releasing a new cpu soon doesn't always mean there bias to them.

If you want the real truth, most people (on here) go to who ever has the performance lead at the moment in time. If you were to look back in 2003/4 in these forums (and other sites), a lot of people had AMD cpus because clock for clock (Athlon 64 vs Pentium 4's), the athlon 64s were faster. I've see people here said, if AMD took the performance lead back, they'll switch to them and who knows. AMD ,a few years from now, could have a cpu that beats intel cpu's clock for clock (may actuality happen, with the $1.25 B and AMD able to sell there cpus to dell and the others companies easily now. Only the future will tell.)

Back to the OP:

Can you metion your current computer specs.

Cpu, ram, motherboard, ect. This will help us figure out what you'll be able to keep and what you'll have to replace.