Budget 31-40k Best performing Core i5 build for OK price and best but inexpensive mobo for a quad

H

Hever

Disciple
I was thinking of buying an i3, as it's considered quite good in the mid range segment. But would like to get a quad only, for better future proofing.

Would be using the system for mainly surfing, and general usage (some multitasking) - little video encoding and little gaming really ( not the latest games ).

I really would want to buy a quad only still, either a BUDGET i5 config or a amd quad, so please dont say that i3 is enough, as i want to not upgrade for quite some time.

I do have the gpu - nvidia GT430 kept with myself.



Min requirement for the mobo is that it should have -

1. Ram - support for 1600MHZ DDR3 RAM or higher too and i would prefer 4 slots for ram rather than 2.
2. Two SSDs - And also it should also have the sata3 too because i would like to add Sata3 6Gbps ssd as well. If i can put in 2 such ssds would be preferred really.
3. Should have good reviews / acclaim - I dont want the cheapest, but the best performance at a fine rate.
4. Would be adding a tvtuner, and wireless too maybe.


Please suggest me some 2-3 choices of mobos for these some things -

a) Some 2-3 best Budget Mobos for i5 ( sandy bridge or ivy) - which are very good, but has little to fine OC capability. Dont know if LGA1155 mobos are too better than H61.

b) Some 2-3 best budget ones for Amd quads ( I have not decided which Amd cpu to buy but would like a best BUDGET quad CPU of amd - not the cheapest but the much acclaimed amd quad only, falling under budget price )


I would have got the Asrock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 for the core i5, but would have got it if would liked to OC to a big extent. But OC costs total would be too much seeing the 1/4 th performance gain only, that i achieve. costs include buying a premium mobo + good cooler + better psu. And i dont game or video edit / encode much so i think OC will not be worth the small cpu gain.



+


Also, i would like to know whats a best-well good performing but BUDGET-Corei5 rig i can make.


So kindly tell me the best i5 configuration that a person can build for a minor gaming and minor video encoding system. The best i5 config at budget (not cheapest config but the best performance at a budget price).

Also if there's a slightly low equivalent amd config too (atleast an acclaimed 4-core or 6-core), but at a more less price, would like to consider that too, but only if costs quite less, but gives only some less performance only.
 
Guys, Unlike the title saying Budget 31-40k, consider that i dont have any minimum budget that have to spend 31k atleast to the minimum. Would just want the best config (read details above), but at NOT THE CHEAPEST price, BUT STILL YEAH - a not much expensive cost. Otherwise, i could have just gone on to buy the most expensive i5 without asking on the forum.
 
Ok aplha, here's the questions part -

Questions

Q: What is your budget?
No minimum - but just would like the best BUDGET config, for very nice performance.


Q: What is your existing hardware configuration (component name - component brand and model)
CPU - AMD 630
Motherboard - Biostar TA785GE

GPU - Nvidia GT430

RAM - Transcend 2X1GB + 1x2GB DDR2 400 - 667mhz

Monitor -
SMPS - Gigabyte superb 460W

(please mention the rest in above format)



Q: Which hardware will you be keeping (component name - component brand and model)
SMPS - Gigabyte superb 460W
GPU - Nvidia GT430



Q: Which hardware component are you looking to buy (component name). If you have already decided on a configuration then please mention the (component brand and model) as well, this will help us in fine tuning your requirement.
CPU - Any very good quad
Motherboard - Yet to decide

GPU - Wil keep old one GT430 if not suggested to upgrade by fellow forum members (as only do not much gaming or encoding)
(please mention the rest in above format)


Q: Is this going to be your final configuration or you would be adding/upgrading a component in near future. If yes then please mention when and which component
I think i wont be adding much in recent future


Q: Where will you buy this hardware? (Online/City/TE Dealer)
Delhi + Open to online purchase


Q: Would you consider buying a second hand hardware from the TE market
Yes


Q: What is your intended use for this PC/hardware
Browsing
HTPC
Medium Downloading rig, 24x7 operation
Watching HD movies



Q: Do you have any brand preference or dislike? Please name them and the reason for your preference/dislike.
No


Q: If you will be playing games then which type of games will you be playing?
Some bit older games - not the latest ones.


Q: What is your preferred monitor resolution for gaming and normal usage
Gaming - 1280x728
Desktop - 1440x900


Q: Are you looking to overclock?
Slight to medium


Q: Which operating system do you intend to use with this configuration?
Windows 7 64 bit
 
@Hever this is what I suggest --

Intel Core i5 3550 ~13500/-
Intel DH77-KC ~7000/-
Corsair Vengeance 4GB x2 1600MHz ~3600/-
Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 1TB[64MB cache] ~5000/-
HP [boxed] optical drive ~1000/-
NZXT Gamma ~2400/- OR Bit Fenix Outlaw APAC edition ~3800/-

I do not know why you are keen on over-clocking a RIG, if you will not submit it to the vagaries of encoding OR gaming OR any of such heavy workloads but here is an over-clock capable RIG --

Intel Core i5 3570k ~15500/-
ASUS P8Z77-M PRO ~10500/- OR GIGABYTE-Z77MX-D3H ~9500/-
Seasonic S12II 520W ~3900/- [replace your current SMPS with this one if you plan to over-clock]
[rest configuration same-same]

Hope this helps, Cheerio!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Instead of Corsair Vengeance OP should go for Gskill RipjawsX 2X4GB 1600mhz-3.5k.
ALPHA17 said:
Hever this is what I suggest --

Intel Core i5 3550 ~13500/-
Intel DH77-KC ~7000/-
Corsair Vengeance 4GB x2 1600MHz ~3600/-
Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 1TB[64MB cache] ~5000/-
HP [boxed] optical drive ~1000/-
NZXT Gamma ~2400/- OR Bit Fenix Outlaw APAC edition ~3800/-

I do not know why you are keen on over-clocking a RIG, if you will not submit it to the vagaries of encoding OR gaming OR any of such heavy workloads but here is an over-clock capable RIG --

Intel Core i5 3570k ~15500/-
ASUS P8Z77-M PRO ~10500/- OR GIGABYTE-Z77MX-D3H ~9500/-
Seasonic S12II 520W ~3900/- [replace your current SMPS with this one if you plan to over-clock]
[rest configuration same-same]

Hope this helps, Cheerio!
Click to expand...
 
Jakob said:
Instead of Corsair Vengeance OP should go for Gskill RipjawsX 2X4GB 1600mhz-3.5k.
Click to expand...
Jakob said:
Gskill RipjawsX which overclock very nicely.
Click to expand...

Over-clocking RAM = zilch performance gain, so he can go for whichever he fancies.

Already told you it does not make any difference in real world performance whether you over-clock your RAM OR not.

On the latter part I do agree that the Corsair Vengeance heat-spreaders are very encroaching in the vertical order of things.
 
Yes but Corsair Vengeance is a little pain as it's bigger than else,Can cause spacing problems and all so it's better to go with Gskill RipjawsX which overclock very nicely.
 
Cant there be a lower cpu + mobo for any other i5. Well minimum 20k that has been suggested, seems to be a bit high.

Whats the cheapest i5 available ? And can no other i5's be OCed at all - except the unlocked version "K" ?


And as i said - "Also if there's a slightly low equivalent amd config too (atleast an acclaimed 4-core or 6-core), but at a more less price, would like to consider that too, but only if costs quite less, but gives only some less performance only."

Any similar performance amd config then ?
 
Hever said:
Whats the cheapest i5 available ? And can no other i5's be OCed at all - except the unlocked version "K" ?

And as i said - "Also if there's a slightly low equivalent amd config too (atleast an acclaimed 4-core or 6-core), but at a more less price, would like to consider that too, but only if costs quite less, but gives only some less performance only."

Any similar performance amd config then ?
Click to expand...

No Intel CPU can be over-clocked except those marked as -k in mid-range Ivy-Bridge offerings. In the high end range the processors that can be over-clocked are marked as X for extreme range of products. Also for the another requirement is that the motherboard must be Z77 chipset based.

Buying an AMD based RIG under the current market scenario is a strict no-no whether they be cheaper OR over-clockable for that matter.

No AMD RIG will be as efficient as the Intel RIG's suggested to you, they will consume more power, performance will be lower in the longer run that Intel.
 
I would like to see any more suggestions.

I dont want to OC as it increases cost that would have been paid by me, but its not worth in cost terms, when i dont want to do any gaming / encoding.

SO basically
Intel Core i5 3550 ~13500/-
Intel DH77-KC ~7000/-
total 20k for cpu and mobo ? - there are better options than in the i5 too.

Anyone else with a more reasonable config for i5

Also would like an amd config that has a well acclaimed quad / 6core - but is not that costly too. Please note - no gaming or encoding required, just general multitasking. SO there must be good configs in amd too, which are very good in my tasks.
 
Hever said:
I would like to see any more suggestions.

I dont want to OC as it increases cost that would have been paid by me, but its not worth in cost terms, when i dont want to do any gaming / encoding.

SO basically
Intel Core i5 3550 ~13500/-
Intel DH77-KC ~7000/-
total 20k for cpu and mobo ? - there are better options than in the i5 too.

Anyone else with a more reasonable config for i5.
Click to expand...

Hever, the point is with AMD configurations for doing the same task, the processor will sip more energy. This may not look bad from the current 'buying' perspective but in the long run the Intel setup will be more economical and suited to your tasks.

Assuming that you are going to keep this RIG for 4 years with minimal changes in the setup the Intel Core i3 2120 is perfect for you. Intel's architecture makes it a much more credible performer for light multi-threaded workloads you are going to chuck at it, faster, more efficient that AMD's current architecture which although scales well at the top order of things by packing more cores-per chip than Inte but at the low-order of things these extra cores eat more energy and their weaker performance individually rather than in cohesion make the whole affair an expensive proposition.

This is what I suggest will last long for your purposes --
Intel Core i3 2120 ~6800/- OR Core i5 3540 ~12500/-
Intel DH77-KC ~7000/-
Corsair Vengeance 2GB x2 1600MHz ~1800/-
[rest configuration same as earlier]

If you are still adamant for an AMD RIG, I suggest that you wait till October and go for the AMD Trinity chips releasing then.

Hope this helps, Cheerio!
 
Is it true that sandy bridge doesnot support 1600Mhz ram DDR3 ?

Should i wait for the ivy bridge i3 ?

Will ivy bridge i3 accept my GPU nvidia GT430, or disable it like A8 amd apu will ?

and will the ivy bridge i3 be available in india in how much delay after its launched in usa and at similar price around 7k or more than that ?
 
Hever said:
Is it true that sandy bridge doesnot support 1600Mhz ram DDR3 ?

Should i wait for the ivy bridge i3 ?
Click to expand...

Even if it does not support 1600MHz rated RAM modules, the IMC (integrated memory controller) on-board the Sandy-Bridge processor does not mind being paired with these over RAM modules rated at 1333MHz.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4503/sandy-bridge-memory-scaling-choosing-the-best-ddr3 / http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/display/sandy-bridge-ddr3_7.html.

Sandy Bridge's improved memory controller has all but eliminated the need for extreme memory bandwidth, at least for this architecture. It's only when you get down to DDR3-1333 that you see a minor performance penalty. The sweet spot appears to be at DDR3-1600, where you will see a minor performance increase over DDR3-1333 with only a slight increase in cost.

We also found that memory bandwidth does scale with CPU clock speed; however, it still doesn't translate into any meaningful real-world performance. The sweet spot still appears to be DDR3-1600. All of the extra performance gained by overclocking almost certainly comes from the CPU overclock itself and not from the extra memory bandwidth.
Click to expand...

I doubt Ivy-Bridge Core i3 processors will come on the desktop anytime soon. They are already out for the laptops / ultrathin-notebook market.

Yes the processor will accept the external graphics card, no issues. In case of non-presence of such a solution the iGP will kick in.

As I said not very sure if Ivy-Bridge Core i3's will release for the desktop and even if they do the initial cost will be high and it will not be before the Q2 of the next year [when Haswell will be released] that the price will come down to ~6000/- -->7000/-.

Hope this helps, Cheerio!
 
Heres one statement by presumably an intel staff only -

Ivy Bridge i3 release date?:
Ivy Bridge i3 release date? - CPUs - CPU-Components

We held off the release of the 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i3's processors to make sure that we able to meet the demands of the higher end processors as our production gears up. So the best answer I can give you is that I would expect you to be able to get a 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processor before autumn starts.

..

Means it will be releasing next month. SO say it releases on 15th of next month, then in how many days will it be available in india and at what approx price ?

And is there a less expensive mobo for Non-OCing an i3 / i5, within the range of 5k or something, if possible. If there is one with good features and specially in it for 2 ssds at sata3 ( a must ), then tell me some good ones within 5k too.
 
Hever said:
Means it will be releasing next month. SO say it releases on 15th of next month, then in how many days will it be available in india and at what approx price ?

And is there a less expensive mobo for Non-OCing an i3 / i5, within the range of 5k or something, if possible. If there is one with good features and specially in it for 2 ssds at sata3 ( a must ), then tell me some good ones within 5k too.
Click to expand...

Hever even on release I expect pricing to be somewhere ~8500/- -->7000/- INR [because below that the older Core i3's rest]. So it will not be a cheap buy.

Also for the motherboard, you can aim for the GIGABYTE-B75-D3H ~4500/- instead of the Intel DH77-KC.

Hope this helps, Cheerio!
 
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