Budget 0-20k Core i3 2120 or AMD FX4100 based system

cool_cat

cool_cat

Adept
Core i3 2120 based system with sata 6mbps motherboard - Help

Hi,
I am upgrading My system soon and need suggestions. I will be using this system for Browsing,Downloading and other works and never played games(except angry birds!).
I need to upgrade CPU,Motherboard,RAM and CPU Cooler+fans only. For Desktop processing, Which one will be better i3 sandy bridge or FX4100?

Few components I already bought are:
1. Coolermaster Eliter 431 plus cabinet
2. Seasonic S12 II Bronze 520W PSU
3. 180GB Sata-III SSD

Will be Buying a APC 1KVA UPS in next few days.


Q: What is your budget?
13-14K


Q: What is your existing hardware configuration (component name - component brand and model)

CPU - C2D E4600
Motherboard - Asus P5GC-MX/1333

GPU - XFX Geforce 7300 GT 256MB DDR-3

RAM - 2 GB Zion DDR-2

Monitor - 19" AOC 917VW+

SMPS - Seasonic S12 II Bronze 520W

HDD - Seagate Sata-2 160GB and Intel SSD
Optical drive - Asus Sata DVD-RW


Q: Which hardware will you be keeping (component name - component brand and model)

Monitor
HDD
Asus DVD R/W optical drive


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 - Intel i3 2120(2125?) or amd FX 4100
Motherboard - since I bought a SSD, I will prefer a VFM Sata-III(6 GBps) Board and possibly USB-3 support. Strict on budget No topend models.

RAM - DDR-3 4GB Gskill Ripjaws <model>

Cabinet Fan(Rear) - Cabinet Elite 431+ comes with a 120mm Frontal fan only. suggest the fan size and details for rear side. Please suggest if 2 no. of fans are enough for this setup(not for gaming) to run cool.

Cpu Cooler - Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo or 212 Plus


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

Will be upgrading Graphics Card (pci-e x16) in December.
HD Monitor also planned.


Q: Where will you buy this hardware? (Online/City/TE Dealer)

Cochin and Online buying(flipkart,ebay) also open.


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

Yes.


Q: What is your intended use for this PC/hardware

Desktop Processing
Browsing
Downloading
Watching Movies


Q: Do you have any brand preference or dislike? Please name them and the reason for your preference/dislike.

I will prefer Intel for CPU and Asus for Motherboard. I never had AMD based system heard about AMD system's faces freezing,overheating issues- clear this please!


Q: If you will be playing games then which type of games will you be playing?

No Games, No overclocking, No mods.


Q: What is your preferred monitor resolution for gaming and normal usage

Desktop - 1440x900

Q: Are you looking to overclock?

No


Q: Which operating system do you intend to use with this configuration?

Default: Debian Linux 64-bit
Windows 7 64 bit
 
Go for this configuration cool_cat --

Intel Core i3 2120 ~6500/-
Intel DH67BL ~5500/-
G.Skill RIPJAWS OR Corsair XMS3 4GB x1 ~1700/-
Cooler Master SickleFlow 120mm fan(s) x2 ~800/- [put one in the front for intake and another on the side panel for intake] http://www.coolermaster.in/product.php?product_id=4355

  • Keep your current hard-drive OR search for a good deal on a second hand drive in the TE market section.
  • No need to invest in a CPU cooler as of now; if you see the temperatures rising beyond 60°C Re-TIM your processor, if this does not help, then and only then go for a CPU cooler.
  • Also AMD systems do not overheat, freeze OR face any such problems, in fact they are the choice for most budget concious users. The stock heat-sink fan bundled with a boxed AMD processor is much better than Intel's stock HSF.
  • Also if you find any affordable Intel H77 based motherboard(s) in your area try to buy those over the H67; it has a better feature set and a must if you plan to go over to Ivy-Bridge down the line.

Hope this helps, Cheerio!!
 
yikes... that's a overkill on a pc meant for basic day-to-day stuff you've mentioned...

anyways... i suggest the Intel Core i3 2120 over the AMD... coz you aren't going to play games on it... plus i read a review which suggest i3 over the amd proc.

and anyways you've suggested that you'll 'upgrading Graphics Card (pci-e x16)'
 
Thanks for the Configuration ALPHA17.
However, I would like You to suggest a AMD FX4100 Processor + Sata 6GB/S Motherboard(possibly usb3)+ RAM. Since, Your reaffirming AMD CPU .
Let's See if it will be better,VFM one than core i3.

ALPHA17 said:
Go for this configuration cool_cat --

Intel Core i3 2120 ~6500/-
Intel DH67BL ~5500/-
G.Skill RIPJAWS OR Corsair XMS3 4GB x1 ~1700/-
Click to expand...
is intel core i3 2125 available in India market and price? what is the difference between 2120 and 2125 both have same Freq.
Sandy Bridge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

if I use 7300GT(nvidia), is it better than IGP of 2120 or 2125 Processors?

Suggest other brands for Motherboard with 6gb/s Sata(~6K) as My experience with Asus is so far so good. never did RMA so don't know how Rashi serves in Cochin.
Gigabyte,MSI,Biostar,Jetway options with Sata 6gbps and possibly usb3 options ~6K.
How will You compare Asus/Gigabyte/MSI vs Intel board in terms of performance,lasting and warranty services.
Is this board available in India: biostar h77mu3?

Also if you find any affordable Intel H77 based motherboard(s) in your area try to buy those over the H67; it has a better feature set and a must if you plan to go over to Ivy-Bridge down the line.
Click to expand...
Please mention the details. I can find biostar,jetway like vfm boards also here.

Cooler Master SickleFlow 120mm fan(s) x2 ~800/- [put one in the front for intake and another on the side panel for intake] 90 CFM Blue LED Silent Fan 120mm - Cooler Master
Click to expand...
this one?
http://www.coolermaster.in/product.php?product_id=4375

cabinet Eliter 431+ has a 120mm CM fan in front for intake. The cabinet has a transparent panel on the left side. no place-holder for fan fixing I can see, perhaps drilling may be required.
Is it enough I put a fan on the backside? possibly a 140mm one? Also, are SickleFlow easily available? please list alternatives also.

No need to invest in a CPU cooler as of now; if you see the temperatures rising beyond 60°C Re-TIM your processor, if this does not help, then and only then go for a CPU cooler.
Click to expand...

Fine. I have a Coolermaster OEM Cpu cooler bought from buygamingstuff presently using. it is a LGA775 socket model. can we get screws/mounts so that this cooler supports i3.
This: http://www.techenclave.com/closed-deals/coolermaster-lga-775-cpu-cooler-74104/

Keep your current hard-drive OR search for a good deal on a second hand drive in the TE market section.
Click to expand...
180GB SSD(Sata-III) will be used for Debian Linux and Windows 64-bit installation. I will buy a 500GB Sata hard drive later. the 160GB Sata I'm using is a RMA'ed one and out of warranty.

CPU Cooler and HDD later.
NeViLLe: not an overkill IMO. I hardly upgrade My pc even in 4 years. My present system itself has parts from as old as 2001! :D
I will go with atleast above configuration foreseeing this.
 
cool_cat said:
However, I would like You to suggest a AMD FX4100 Processor + Sata 6GB/S Motherboard(possibly usb3)+ RAM. Since, Your reaffirming AMD CPU.

is intel core i3 2125 available in India market and price? what is the difference between 2120 and 2125 both have same Freq.
Sandy Bridge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

if I use 7300GT(nvidia), is it better than IGP of 2120 or 2125 Processors?

How will You compare Asus/Gigabyte/MSI vs Intel board in terms of performance,lasting and warranty services.

Is this board available in India: biostar h77mu3?

Please mention the details. I can find biostar,jetway like vfm boards also here.
Click to expand...

The problem with the latest crop of AMD FX series processors is --
  • brand new architecture, with new new instruction sets; the issue is these instruction sets are not universal and wherever the older / current sets are being used Intel performs much better.
  • AMD is blaming the Windows 7 hierarchy and programming for lackadaisical performance; this I feel is being plain lazy on their part.
  • highly inefficient when put head-to-head against Intel counterparts, TDP of Intel Ivy-Bridge has fallen to ~80W; whilst on the AMD side of things it is still ~125W.

The only good thing about AMD is that the stock HSF is better than the piece Intel bundles with their newer Core series processors.

Here is AMD FX-4100 review and a few excerpts -- AMD FX-4100 Quad Core 3.6GHz Bulldozer Processor Review - The AMD FX-4100 CPU - Legit Reviews / AMD FX Vs. Intel Core i3: Exploring Game Performance With Cheap GPUs : FX-4100 And Core i3-2100 Go Head-To-Head

The AMD FX-4100 was found to be a very interesting processor after we sat down and spent a couple weeks with it on the test bench. At first glance it looks like a great deal as it can be purchased for just $109.99 shipped. That makes is far less expensive than the AMD FX-8150 ($279.99) and even slightly cheaper than the AMD A8-3850 ($134.99) and A6-3650 ($119.99). From a price perspective the AMD FX-4100 is indisputably the lowest cost Bulldozer on the market today. So, it's clearly a winner when it comes to pricing.

When it comes to performance we were shocked to see the AMD A8-3850 'Llano' processor and the Socket FM1 platform performing better than the AMD FX-4100 'Bulldozer' processor and the Socket AM3+ platform. We quickly found out that the FX-4100 was priced this low as it needed to be. The performance of the FX-4100 wasn't awful, but we didn't expect to see the AMD A6-3650 running at 2.6GHz to beat the AMD FX-4100 running at 3.6GHz in benchmarks like POV-Ray and Cinebench!
Click to expand...

As for the differences in the various Intel Core i3 offerings is --
  • different base-clocks [not more than ~100MHz]; this also bumps up the effective Turbo clocks.
  • an improved IGP in certain processors, the HD 3000 in place of the HD 2000.
  • rest all same-same.

Yes the SickleFlow BLUE 120mm fan you have linked is the same I was talking about. Just one thing the screws bundled with the same are a pain to use. It is widely available and is on most PC peripheral sites.

No there are not any competitors to the fan in terms of price / performance, all other 120mm fans are ~600/- -->1000/- a piece.

A 140mm fan will set you back by ~1400/-; a Noctua model.

I will not recommend JetWay motherboards as I have no bead on their after sales in India. Also have read that their components get corroded; seeing that you are based of Cochin this will hurt.

About the BioSTAR motherboard that you enquired, why don't you contact BioSTAR India and their local resellers.

Hope this helps, Cheerio!!
 
cool_cat said:
ALPHA17 Thanks. I don't want to go for a intel motherboard. pls Suggest Motherboards from Asus,Asrock or other Competitors.
Click to expand...

ASUS and for that matter other third party H77 chipset based motherboards are exorbitantly priced. I would say go for the Intel DH77KC, I feel it should be not more than ~7000/-.

Also after sales of Intel is strong, because they are recognized all over India vis-á-vis ASUS, GIGABYTE, MSi et al.

Another query I did not answer earlier, whether you can MOD your LGA 775 cooler for the LGA 1155 socket, the answer is quiet bluntly No; this because the physical dimensions of the two sockets are different.
 
@cool_cat going for the i3 2120 is a far better option compared to AMD FX-4100 also don't worry about the onboard graphics because you are not going to play games now & you are going to get a GPU in dec
as far as motherboard you can get Intel DH77KC as suggested by ALPHA17

Hope it clears your doubt
Cheers
 
Last edited by a moderator:
JJ the great Yes. I am going to buy core i3 2120 based system only. and I need a motherboard under 5.5-6K. would've mentioned it in My last post. sry for that.

Which Asus or other boards with Sata 6GB/Sec is available in My budget apart from Intel. I am wary of Intel RMA and Warranty Services.
 
@ALPHA17: So, Asus is least preferred now.

Intel DH67BL motherboard is it superior than MSi H67MA-E35 which one is better?

I forgot to ask earlier, While buying RAM, Higher Speed than 1333Mhz(supported) also will run with core i3 boards? if price difference is negligible, buying 1600Mhz RAM modules also is fine?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
cool_cat said:
@ALPHA17: So, Asus is least preferred now.

Intel DH67BL motherboard is it superior than MSi H67MA-E35 which one is better?

I forgot to ask earlier, While buying RAM, Higher Speed than 1333Mhz(supported) also will run with core i3 boards? if price difference is negligible, buying 1600Mhz RAM modules also is fine?
Click to expand...

Well for me the Inte DH67-BL represents a better deal, because of these reasons --
  • more number of DIMM slots, so more expandability.
  • a somewhat cleaner layout.
  • expansive I/O selection.
  • µATX is same-same.
  • lack of solid capacitors; but you are not over-clocking so shouldn't matter.

For RAM modules over 1333MHz, please go through these articles they are really helpful in understanding the difference in performance you will notice. Anandtech and Xbit Labs.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Why dont u have a look at AMD Phenom II 1075T Processor ,its around 7.5 k in flipkart but is way better than fx4100 or i3 2120.
 
MSi H67MA-E35 . Any Idea if H67MA-E45 is available in India and is it around 6K? it has got 4 DIMM slots.

and.. is there any reliability issue with msi h67-ma-e35: http://www.techenclave.com/cpu-mobo-corner/sandy-bridge-upgrade-116700/p2/#post1440430
Apparently, it is a MSI feature?
3 short beeps then a normal beep - [H]ard|Forum

can't find review of msi e35 motherboard, I know it is the cheapest board for H67.
My options are Intel DH67BL and MSI H67MA-E35 only!:confused1: at under 6K as ALPHA pointed out in First post. and H77 boards are expensive at this time!


I will like to have front panel usb3 ports. seems not possible with H67 value boards?
ALPHA17 JuGGa

Thank you guys for the support.
 
ALPHA17 said:
For RAM modules over 1333MHz, please go through these articles they are really helpful in understanding the difference in performance you will notice. Anandtech and Xbit Labs.
Click to expand...

I believe RAM underclocks to work with the supported speed(1333Mhz). Is any BIOS setting can make H67 board support 1600Mhz DDR3?
, With Intel H67BL board, will It needs any BIOS settings changed to accommodate a 1600Mhz CL9 DDR3? I am totally new into this.
I Hope this is the Model ALPHA17 is recommending :
Gskill Ripjaws F3-12800CL9S-4GBRL

Thanks
 
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