So i'm building a new computer

[Kyr Knightbane]

I'm building a new computer and for around 400 bucks i can get a much better rig than what i have right now. Is this a good deal?


AMD Athlon II 64 X3 455 Triple-Core 3.3GHz Processor AM3
BIOSTAR A880GZ AM3+ AMD 880G HDMI SATA 6Gb/s Micro ATX AMD Motherboard DDR3 RAM
8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel
Hitachi / WD 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB CACHE SATA 3.0Gb/s
nVidia GeForce GT520 1GB DDR3 DVI/VGA HDMI PCI-EXP Video Card

Also it includes a 480 Watt power supply and a rather large case that will give me room for future upgrades

 

[distortedreality]

Pre-made build obviously if it includes PSU and case?

I'd find out what brands they(PSU and Case, but especially the PSU) are before commenting. Generally speaking though, you can get these pre-configured builds cheaper (even if you pay someone to put them together if you don't have the confidence).

Can't really comment on whether it's a worthwhile upgrade or not without knowing what your current specs are either.

captcha - tear us apart.

I say never!

 

[Hateren47]

You won't be playing on neither "High" or "Ultra". I won't recommend anything less than an i5-2500k + 560ti/6870 + 600W PSU. It's gonna cost you much more but there is no sense in buying such outdated hardware if you're gonna use it for gaming.

I guess it's not bad for $400 but I would consider it $400 wasted.

My friend bought a FX-4100 (and OC'ed it to 4.2 GHz) + 520 setup last month (against my advice) and he is kicking himself now when he saw the performance compared to my 2500K @ 3.6GHz.

 

[Sanat]

This is a fantastic guide for building a computer with any budget, and it's constantly updated.
It's helped me greatly in my decisions and I'm rather happy with the results.

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af150/The_FalconO6/CurrentLogicalPCBuyingGuide/Guide.png

 

[Kyr Knightbane]

Pre-made build obviously if it includes PSU and case?

I'd find out what brands they(PSU and Case, but especially the PSU) are before commenting. Generally speaking though, you can get these pre-configured builds cheaper (even if you pay someone to put them together if you don't have the confidence).

Can't really comment on whether it's a worthwhile upgrade or not without knowing what your current specs are either.

captcha - tear us apart.

I say never!

Its a massive upgrade from what i have now. Im currently getting by with 1GB of ram, an 8800 gts, and a 200 gb hd. I think its a single core processor as well. But it has no trouble running Saints Row 3 on medium with 35-45 fps, even with explosions going on.

You won't be playing on neither "High" or "Ultra". I won't recommend anything less than an i5-2500k + 560ti/6870 + 600W PSU. It's gonna cost you much more but there is no sense in buying such outdated hardware if you're gonna use it for gaming.

I guess it's not bad for $400 but I would consider it $400 wasted.

My friend bought a FX-4100 (and OC'ed it to 4.2 GHz) + 520 setup last month (against my advice) and he is kicking himself now when he saw the performance compared to my 2500K @ 3.6GHz.

Its not really a priority for me to play on high or ultra at this point in time. I am content with mid level performance as i am used to low. My current pc lags on LoL, so a toaster would be a good upgrade lol

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Its not really a priority for me to play on high or ultra at this point in time. I am content with mid level performance as i am used to low. My current pc lags on LoL, so a toaster would be a good upgrade lol

It'll be fine for almost everything out these days. My slowish quad core with a 5600 and 4 gigs of RAM was and still is (it's my girlfriend's comp now) running circles around pretty much everything out there. Granted she only plays at 1600x1050 due to an older monitor, but it's more than sufficient for her gaming needs. And $400 is a nice low price.

That power supply isn't very upgrade friendly though, and unlike video cards swapping out a PSU is a pain in the ass, so I'd spend another $20-30 to get a bigger, better one.

 

[Kyr Knightbane]

Its not really a priority for me to play on high or ultra at this point in time. I am content with mid level performance as i am used to low. My current pc lags on LoL, so a toaster would be a good upgrade lol

It'll be fine for almost everything out these days. My slowish quad core with a 5600 and 4 gigs of RAM was and still is (it's my girlfriend's comp now) running circles around pretty much everything out there. Granted she only plays at 1600x1050 due to an older monitor, but it's more than sufficient for her gaming needs. And $400 is a nice low price.

That power supply isn't very upgrade friendly though, and unlike video cards swapping out a PSU is a pain in the ass, so I'd spend another $20-30 to get a bigger, better one.

I plAy at 1400x900 and love it . I think the next step up is 550w, i'll check and edit post after breakfast. Mmmmmm waffles

 

[Worgen]

I would go with a bigger power supply since 480 is a bit light, also you might want a better vid card, the 520 is a bit light also.

 

[distortedreality]

No, I am not familiar with the CPU, but BioStar produces amongst the shittiest Motherboards out there, it'll lead to crashes and instability. Hitachi harddisks also aren't particularly known for their durability and that graphics card isn't really meant for gaming... you should get a 560 or similar at least.
PSU sounds to be no-name and prone to instability too (get a proper/proven brand for that), overall it's a rather shit build altogether.

Agree with all this.

The CPU will be fine and a nice upgrade for you though, not sure if it's one of the tri-cores where you can unlock the fourth or not though, but the tri-core will be enough for you to do some decent gaming when paired with a decent card (as suggested above).

 

[Kyr Knightbane]

I admit that this CPU might seem shitty to others, however it's a build that I can be happy with for a few years. It's also at a point where I need to upgrade as my current computer is dying. It chugs on games that it shouldn't and is failing to restart and even turn on properly. So it may seem like money wasted to people with more disposable income for these kind of things, but I don't foresee needing much more. I can upgrade more later and can add and subtract as needed. I do definitely appreciate the feedback, both positive and negative

 

[Hateren47]

Pre-made build obviously if it includes PSU and case?

I'd find out what brands they(PSU and Case, but especially the PSU) are before commenting. Generally speaking though, you can get these pre-configured builds cheaper (even if you pay someone to put them together if you don't have the confidence).

Can't really comment on whether it's a worthwhile upgrade or not without knowing what your current specs are either.

captcha - tear us apart.

I say never!

Its a massive upgrade from what i have now. Im currently getting by with 1GB of ram, an 8800 gts, and a 200 gb hd. I think its a single core processor as well. But it has no trouble running Saints Row 3 on medium with 35-45 fps, even with explosions going on.

You won't be playing on neither "High" or "Ultra". I won't recommend anything less than an i5-2500k + 560ti/6870 + 600W PSU. It's gonna cost you much more but there is no sense in buying such outdated hardware if you're gonna use it for gaming.

I guess it's not bad for $400 but I would consider it $400 wasted.

My friend bought a FX-4100 (and OC'ed it to 4.2 GHz) + 520 setup last month (against my advice) and he is kicking himself now when he saw the performance compared to my 2500K @ 3.6GHz.

Its not really a priority for me to play on high or ultra at this point in time. I am content with mid level performance as i am used to low. My current pc lags on LoL, so a toaster would be a good upgrade lol

You should still consider a better graphics card or stick with your 8800 GTS since it's already more powerful than the GT 520. 8800 GTS is (or were) for gaming rigs and GT 520 is for HTPCs and similar.

Toms Hardware Graphics Card Hierarchy Chart. [http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html]

Edit. GT 520 is tier 20 on the list and 8800 GTS is tier 10/12/14 depending on the amount and type of RAM

Edit 2.
For less than $500 you can get

ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z/GEN3 + i5-2500K [http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.911797] $382
8GB RAM [http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220558] $43
and a 500W PSU [http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171031] $50

Stick that in you old case and reuse you HDD, 8800 GTS and drives until you can afford something with bigger numbers.

 

[Kyr Knightbane]

Pre-made build obviously if it includes PSU and case?

I'd find out what brands they(PSU and Case, but especially the PSU) are before commenting. Generally speaking though, you can get these pre-configured builds cheaper (even if you pay someone to put them together if you don't have the confidence).

Can't really comment on whether it's a worthwhile upgrade or not without knowing what your current specs are either.

captcha - tear us apart.

I say never!

Its a massive upgrade from what i have now. Im currently getting by with 1GB of ram, an 8800 gts, and a 200 gb hd. I think its a single core processor as well. But it has no trouble running Saints Row 3 on medium with 35-45 fps, even with explosions going on.

You won't be playing on neither "High" or "Ultra". I won't recommend anything less than an i5-2500k + 560ti/6870 + 600W PSU. It's gonna cost you much more but there is no sense in buying such outdated hardware if you're gonna use it for gaming.

I guess it's not bad for $400 but I would consider it $400 wasted.

My friend bought a FX-4100 (and OC'ed it to 4.2 GHz) + 520 setup last month (against my advice) and he is kicking himself now when he saw the performance compared to my 2500K @ 3.6GHz.

Its not really a priority for me to play on high or ultra at this point in time. I am content with mid level performance as i am used to low. My current pc lags on LoL, so a toaster would be a good upgrade lol

You should still consider a better graphics card or stick with your 8800 GTS since it's already more powerful than the GT 520. 8800 GTS is (or were) for gaming rigs and GT 520 is for HTPCs and similar.

Toms Hardware Graphics Card Hierarchy Chart. [http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html]

Edit. GT 520 is tier 20 on the list and 8800 GTS is tier 10/12/14 depending on the amount and type of RAM

Edit 2.
For less than $500 you can get

ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z/GEN3 + i5-2500K [http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.911797] $382
8GB RAM [http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220558] $43
and a 500W PSU [http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171031] $50

Stick that in you old case and reuse you HDD, 8800 GTS and drives until you can afford something with bigger numbers.

That would work if my EDIT::Case would support a new motherboard, its a stock HP case::. I can save money by keeping the 8800, and by upgrading to a medium load power supply and an ASUS motherboard. The 8800 I have is the 640, so it's still good, and suits my needs for the foreseeable future. Thank you for your recommendations

 

[Kyr Knightbane]

Ok, so for 389.00 Here's what i can get
AMD Athlon II 64 X3 480 Triple Core 3.4GHz Processor
Asus M4A785TD-M EVO AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
8GB DDR3 Ram
500GB Seagate Harddrive
8800 GTS 640 (Current Card)
hec X ORION 585 Watt Power Supply
3 Year Warranty Plan on all parts
Custom Case (Expandable, made by the company that makes the PC'S. ALLPCZONE Viking Mid-Tower Case)

 

[Alpha Maeko]

I've always recommended the latest no-auxiliary-cord GPU's from AMD for people who need graphics muscle on a budget with power constraints. Currently, the AMD Radeon 7750 is that choice. It costs around $100 USD atm.

The Athlon II triple core is an excellent choice (and a natural pairing to the 7750, both being a balance between power and cost)... but it's also an unfortunate choice to make. You would be buying an already dying platform that may be hard to upgrade down the line because the AM3 socket hardware wont be sold, anymore.

 

[Lucem712]

I admit that this CPU might seem shitty to others, however it's a build that I can be happy with for a few years. It's also at a point where I need to upgrade as my current computer is dying. It chugs on games that it shouldn't and is failing to restart and even turn on properly. So it may seem like money wasted to people with more disposable income for these kind of things, but I don't foresee needing much more. I can upgrade more later and can add and subtract as needed. I do definitely appreciate the feedback, both positive and negative

No specs advice because I basically know nothing about that, but if you want to keep your old computer running in a usable state, just download an ISO of Puppy Linux, it runs completely on ram (As little as 512mb). It's very easy on the pc, it isn't difficult to set up and that way you can keep your old pc around cos you never know what can go wrong!

 

[Kyr Knightbane]

I admit that this CPU might seem shitty to others, however it's a build that I can be happy with for a few years. It's also at a point where I need to upgrade as my current computer is dying. It chugs on games that it shouldn't and is failing to restart and even turn on properly. So it may seem like money wasted to people with more disposable income for these kind of things, but I don't foresee needing much more. I can upgrade more later and can add and subtract as needed. I do definitely appreciate the feedback, both positive and negative

No specs advice because I basically know nothing about that, but if you want to keep your old computer running in a usable state, just download an ISO of Puppy Linux, it runs completely on ram (As little as 512mb). It's very easy on the pc, it isn't difficult to set up and that way you can keep your old pc around cos you never know what can go wrong!

I've never used Linux or Ubuntu or anything like that. How user friendly/ software friendly are they? Can I run all my games on Linux?

 

[Lucem712]

I admit that this CPU might seem shitty to others, however it's a build that I can be happy with for a few years. It's also at a point where I need to upgrade as my current computer is dying. It chugs on games that it shouldn't and is failing to restart and even turn on properly. So it may seem like money wasted to people with more disposable income for these kind of things, but I don't foresee needing much more. I can upgrade more later and can add and subtract as needed. I do definitely appreciate the feedback, both positive and negative

No specs advice because I basically know nothing about that, but if you want to keep your old computer running in a usable state, just download an ISO of Puppy Linux, it runs completely on ram (As little as 512mb). It's very easy on the pc, it isn't difficult to set up and that way you can keep your old pc around cos you never know what can go wrong!

I've never used Linux or Ubuntu or anything like that. How user friendly/ software friendly are they? Can I run all my games on Linux?

Ubuntu isn't hard at all to set up and personally on of the easiest I've used. You download an ISO from the official site, burn a image CD, put it in your disk drive, restart your pc and boot into the live disc. From here, you can test it or just install right away, if you like the way it is, you just install and you can dual boot or have Ubuntu clean out your harddrive and install itself all clean and shiny.

You can run windows games through a little program called 'WINE' which tricks programs into thinking your pc is windows. You can also you 'PlayonLinux' which is an extension of WINE with a Graphical User Interface and might be easier to use for some people.

If you need any more information, you can message me and I'll answer as best as I'm capable of

 

[MercurySteam]

Micro ATX are the quadratic/small Motherboards meant for HTPCs, they shouldn't really be used for desktop PCs

Not entirely true. There are plenty of smaller desktop cases that are designed specificly with MicroATX in mind (these cases are good for people who want small, quiet desktops) and even more larger cases that support MicroATX along with the standard ATX form factor.

 

[distortedreality]

Ok, so for 389.00 Here's what i can get
AMD Athlon II 64 X3 480 Triple Core 3.4GHz Processor
Asus M4A785TD-M EVO AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
8GB DDR3 Ram
500GB Seagate Harddrive
8800 GTS 640 (Current Card)
hec X ORION 585 Watt Power Supply
3 Year Warranty Plan on all parts
Custom Case (Expandable, made by the company that makes the PC'S. ALLPCZONE Viking Mid-Tower Case)

Looks good to me - as others have said though, get a big name PSU, you really don't want to skimp on it, no-name PSU's have a tendency to blow up.

mATX boards are fine - you just have to realize that there won't be a lot of room to upgrade, which in your case doesn't seem to be a problem. That board will have all the fuctionality you need.

The only other thing I will say is to double check that the case will be big enough to fit current gen video cards - from memory, the 8800 were fairly big, but the newer nvidia cards are even bigger (if you decide to go down that path in the future).

 

[Kyr Knightbane]

Ok, so for 389.00 Here's what i can get
AMD Athlon II 64 X3 480 Triple Core 3.4GHz Processor
Asus M4A785TD-M EVO AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
8GB DDR3 Ram
500GB Seagate Harddrive
8800 GTS 640 (Current Card)
hec X ORION 585 Watt Power Supply
3 Year Warranty Plan on all parts
Custom Case (Expandable, made by the company that makes the PC'S. ALLPCZONE Viking Mid-Tower Case)

Looks good to me - as others have said though, get a big name PSU, you really don't want to skimp on it, no-name PSU's have a tendency to blow up.

mATX boards are fine - you just have to realize that there won't be a lot of room to upgrade, which in your case doesn't seem to be a problem. That board will have all the fuctionality you need.

The only other thing I will say is to double check that the case will be big enough to fit current gen video cards - from memory, the 8800 were fairly big, but the newer nvidia cards are even bigger (if you decide to go down that path in the future).

I checked the reviews on the power supply on Newegg, and for my graphics card, motherboard, processor and etc, it will be just fine. The only people that have had major problems with it are those who overload it.