Need advice for new build

Wanting some advice/recommendations to build a PC with the best bang for buck and certain mandatory features. The computer will mostly be used for graphic design, with the odd game such as Starcraft 2 being played.

CPU: I'm thinking i5 CPU, but which one is the best for the price? I won't ever overclock, so i don't need the K version. Or should I wait a few months for the new CPU's?
Motherboard: Needs to have at least one USB 3.0 port, SATA III, one slot for graphics card is fine.
GPU: My previous computer had a Geforce 9600GT, would like something that's quieter, uses less power and faster if there is one?
SSD: 120GB SATA III, thinking of getting the Intel 520 Series for the 5 year warranty, is that a good choice?

Going with 8GB of the cheapest RAM.

Thanks and appreciate the help!

Looks good to me.

I would grab a Xeon e3-2130.. Just for the hyperthreading at a low cost.
H61 Asrock US3 board. Has USB 3.0, Has Sata III.
Some generic 8GB ram set or pair (1x4GB stick by 2)
A HD 7770 or something..

I've put up a quick list below. The 7770 only requires a single PCIE connector which the Corsair CX v2 430 has. And is more than enough for your system.

I'm going to get hated on for putting the Xeon in there.. But it works with the board; has hyperthreading which could be very useful for you as a graphics designer.. So Meh. Went with a nice small case that'll be nice and quiet. And I've used the case before; it's quite nice. (note; it comes with USB 2.0 and 3.0 headers. That motherboard does NOT have a USB 3.0 header on it.. Most cheaper boards don't. But you could get some type of expansion slot adapter if you wanted and use that? Or just use the back panel usb 3.0)

If you wanted you could put an aftermarket heatsink on the CPU cooler just to keep it cooler/quieter as well. But that's up to you.

Also I didn't know your budget.. or if you needed a storage drive; or peripherals. Or anything else like that..

Thanks, Mjolnir. I'm also in Aus and wanting to buy it all from umart.com.au. My budget is "cheap as possible", but also fairly powerful, heh. I've got an external USB 3.0 External HDD. I'm okay with using the back port. Would a USB extension cord work or would it have to be a special USB 3.0 one? Have peripherals and monitor.

I'd go with something like this. NVIDIA's CUDA support is something you probably want as a graphic designer. Screenshot is from pccasegear.com, it's the best online Aussie store I've found.

Oh. You're an aussie like me lol. Use PCCG dude. it's cheaper. Knufire; your SS isn't there?

I only looked up the motherboard and SSD, but they were both cheaper at Umart and since I can pickup from them as well, it's cheap and easy to return to.

Mjolnir said:

Oh. You're an aussie like me lol. Use PCCG dude. it's cheaper. Knufire; your SS isn't there?

Click to expand...

Lol, I post first then add the SS xD.

@Vita, it's just a faster interface to use. By all means, just copy/paste the parts and buy them from wherever you like .

Okay, out of interest, what would be the equivalent ATI card?

A HD 6770 is just below a GTX 550 Ti. A HD 6790 matches a GTX 550 Ti. For general gaming and light gaming; the 550 Ti is a fine card. I'll mock you up a PCCG build.. And you can pick the parts from umart.. Umarts site design is horrible. So PCCG is a lot faster to build a cart lol.


Hey.. Knufire.. Why is your Intel 520 199??? The one on their site I found was 209?! Lol. Wha? I put in a Crucial M4 anyway.. Frankly you won't really notice the difference between the two realistically.. Not hugely..

best bang for your buck go amd ... better performance more expensive go intel .. with a budget of 600 you can build a 8 cord amd ... which is almost same bench as the i7 2600k and it will be even faster with windows 8 because of the software programming will unlock some of the potential because of it's multi threaded core systems. because no way in hell the i5 will clock against the 8120 8 core .. and sit it on an asus 4, 990fxa-ud3, or sabertooth and gaurentee you will like this system alot better and you will save some money. I have the 8 core sitting on the 990fxa-ud3, no problems and running amazing and im only on 4gb memory 1600.

Yes; but it also pulls a lot more power.. For basic graphics design work; the i5 2400 is plenty. Unless the OP is CONSTANTLY rendering.. I see no reason to go 8-core. And er. The cheapest 990FX board here is 140 bucks. The Intel board is cheaper. He needs 8GB RAM for graphics work.

Not sure where you got the 600 bucks build.. Maybe in America.. but we're in Aus..

Yes there are a few things I could lower the price on in the rig I proposed. But I'm trying to keep a decent balance.. An i5 2400 pulls 60w under full load without the IGP.. The FX 8120 even at stock pulls well over double this; and its throughput is not double..

if the OP doesn't care about power consumption; I guess it'd be okay.. But eh.. It's a lot of extra heat.. And it's a CPU/motherboard combo that offers something like overclocking which he doesn't need.

+the Z68 quicksync could help if he does video editing as well. Help with encoding.. etc

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/363?vs=434

That's the 8150 model though. which costs 280 bucks here. (A 2500K would be a MUCH better option than this). And the 8150 model comes with 3.6ghz vs the 3.1ghz on the fx 8120

And you can still see the i5 2400 beat it half the time.. And using less than half the power output..

If the OP really wanted to open up options for expandability; they'd be going to look at buying an Asrock Z68 Extreme 3 Gen 3 motherboard; which supports Ivy bridge; and allows for that path.. (Btw; the Z68 Extreme 3 is still cheaper than the equivalent 990fx by 10 bucks..) And the i5 2400 is still cheaper than the 8120..

Good advice from both Mjolnir and Knufire, can't got wrong with anything they've said so far.

I strongly disagree with regards to Intel vs AMD and I'm an AMD fan. Google any review of Bulldozer.

Since you're planning on doing a lot of graphic rendering and considering the price of RAM, I'd max out the RAM.

True I am in usa, and it's up to you if you want to waste an decent budget and get a less powerful computer go i5, if you want a bit more power go with the 8 8120 ... little difference in between 8150 and 8120 as far as performance goes wouldn't be able to tell the difference. if you still going intel I recommend getting a board that will sit your i5 that can handle quad channel memory and for extensive graphics I would max out the memory too .. then you might be able to stack up to an amd .. because with intel if you wanna upgrade your processor you have to switch your whole rig ... amd you can upgrade and sit on same setup (depending how old the set is)

^If he's going to spend that much though.. Over here; a Z68 Extreme 3 + 2500K is similar in price to an AMD 990FX board + 8120.. And frankly; a 2500K > 8120. End story. OC the 2500K to a decent 4.2-4.5ghz and it'll still hold its own for any rendering purposes or what not.. But the OP has no desire to OC.. So.. Both of these chips seem like a waste to me.

A cheap Intel board with a locked down bios + a solid i5 unit would do him well... And over time (say 1-2 years) the Intel would've saved money vs the 8120. Just simply because of the power consumption. Yes it adds up over time.. Especially at high loadings..

agreed. both chipset's waste for him too much power for nothing .. and actually he's not ocing so idk about the power consumption, temp would be about the same if not the amd would be about 5-10 higher in temp. which isnt a big deal. but if same price and your looking for something just for graphics, I would focus more on the graphic's card then anything. get an ok mb to sit the i5 and focus your graphic and memory is where it will get pricey if your going high end.

Power consumption and heat are definately important. I read the ivy bridge CPU's are being released early next month, so I thinnk I'll go for that as I start buying the parts. So http://umart.com.au/newindex2.phtml?bid=4 this motherboard will support Ivy Bridge?

Think I'll go with the 6850, it's got good power to energy usage.

That link doesn't show us a motherboard..? If it says 'Gen 3' it's compatible

Computersecrets. Temps don't matter. AMD temp threshold is different to Intels. The heat comes from the power output. So; Say at full loading on stock a bulldozer pulls 125-150W. Full loading on a i5 2400 without IGP pulls a measily 60-65. That's the difference in heat output. The celsius numbers aren't really relevant. The power output in watts is what creates room temperature increase and thus ambient temperatures as well.

Sorry about that:

ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 MB, LGA1155 Intel Z68
ASRock Z68 PRO3 Gen3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 4x DDR3 2133 (OC)

The second one is $3 more expensive which is nothing. Any idea what the difference is and which one to go for?

They're very similar. The Extreme 3 is actually better lol. Buy the Extreme 3 =). And yes it'll support Ivy =)

I5 > 8120/50

ComputerSecrets said:

True I am in usa, and it's up to you if you want to waste an decent budget and get a less powerful computer go i5, if you want a bit more power go with the 8 8120 ... little difference in between 8150 and 8120 as far as performance goes wouldn't be able to tell the difference. if you still going intel I recommend getting a board that will sit your i5 that can handle quad channel memory and for extensive graphics I would max out the memory too .. then you might be able to stack up to an amd .. because with intel if you wanna upgrade your processor you have to switch your whole rig ... amd you can upgrade and sit on same setup (depending how old the set is)

Click to expand...

For most of the things you listed you wanted your pc the I5 route is better and saves power too.
Also the only quad-channel capable boards/cpu's are the SB-E lga2011 ones.
Only benchmark an fx8120/50 wins over Intel is the Winrar one too.
Don't wanna start a flame war, but I think atm that's the best choice.

Just look for the desired features in the mobo you buy if you're not ocing, get cheap Samsung 30nm ram kits or whatever good brands you find and you're good to go. H61/H67, perhaps z68 (thinking ASRock Z68 PRO3 GEN3).

Also the Intel ssd or a Crucial m4 are the best choices.

Good luck with your build!