Please review config CPU+MOBO+RAM+GPU under 19k.

eternallove

Disciple
Need a CPU+MOBO+RAM+GPU under 19k.
Main purpose : Gaming(GTA4, Portal2) and Graphics(Photoshop, Corel, 3dsMAx)
Primary plan:
Phenom x4 955BE @5550
ASUSM4A88T M/USB3 @5700
Ram 4gb Corsair @1900
Sapphire 1GB 5670 @5200
Total = @18350
Queries:
Is the configuration fair for my usage?
Will the RAM or Processor be the bottleneck?
Is Phenom x4 965BE worth upgrading to?
Please suggest alternate components if they can improve performance.

Prices quoted from : http://challengerpage.in/pricelist.html

This is my first post on the forum, please guide me. :)
 
Processor Intel Core i3 2100 5800

Motherboard Gigabyte H67MA-E35 4600

RAM Corsair Value DDR3 1333MHz CL9 1x4GB 1900

GPU MSI HD5770 6700

Total 19000


In Gaming and photoshop i3 2100 outperforms 955BE plus consumes less power and building an SB based rig now is a pretty right thing coz Ivybridge processors would be backward compatible with LGA1155 motherboards...

Checkout This benchmark if you want to see that how i3 2100 fairs against 955BE : http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core-i3-2120-2100.html
 
@hades : thanx for the response, I have a couple of queries:
1. As far as I know, the i3 2100 cannot be overclocked. Is that right?
2. It also has no turbo boost . Correct?

I was planning to overclock the 955BE, and if 2100 has no room for overclocking
Then considering the marginal difference between gaming performance of both the CPUs do you think an overclocked 955 can perform at par with the 2100?
 
1. As far as I know, the i3 2100 cannot be overclocked. Is that right?

Ans. Yes

2. It also has no turbo boost . Correct?

Ans. Yes

I was planning to overclock the 955BE, and if 2100 has no room for overclocking

Then considering the marginal difference between gaming performance of both the CPUs do you think an overclocked 955 can perform at par with the 2100?

See if you would overclock 955BE you would have to spend money on an after market cooler... Plus to overclock it to 4GHz+ you would have to buy a high end mobo coz you wont be able to overclock it to 4GHz+ on a low end mobo... And even if you succeed overclocking it to 3.8GHz... you wouldn't be able see any earth shattering difference in performance... And not to forget that 955BE would consume a hell lot of power when overclocked... Plus AM3 platform is soon gonna get EOL'ed...

Then considering the marginal difference between gaming performance of both the CPUs do you think an overclocked 955 can perform at par with the 2100?

It would come close but wouldn't be able to outperform i3 2100 in gaming... And for the applications that you are going to use i3 2100 would be better coz in software like Photoshop Intel processors performs better.... If you would check the benchmark above overall i3 2100 performs better than 955BE only gets outperformed in apps where core count matters a lot like Cinebench, x264 , 3dmax but in gaming and in other apps like photoshop, winrar etc it outperforms 955BE... Plus LGA1155 platform has future ...
 
eternallove said:
@hades : thanx for the response, I have a couple of queries:
1. As far as I know, the i3 2100 cannot be overclocked. Is that right?
2. It also has no turbo boost . Correct?

I was planning to overclock the 955BE, and if 2100 has no room for overclocking
Then considering the marginal difference between gaming performance of both the CPUs do you think an overclocked 955 can perform at par with the 2100?
THe X4 955 I assume will perform better, and overclock to 4GHz (yay yippies!) too. And with the HD5670, you wont run into a CPU bottleneck trust me.
Only suggestion would be, up the ante, by 800 bucks, grab the HD6670 GDDR5 instead, should be about 6k. That would total to 19k too.
BTW, the X4 955 breaks no sweats at 3.8GHz just by upping multiplier and with stock cooler (dont replace Stock TIM, amazing, and cooler is adequate too)
 
^^ +1 with Hades's configuration -- the Sandy-Bridge system performs well + later on release of Ivy-Bridge you can directly jump up to that series without getting your motherboard replaced (something like AMD -- AM2 > AM2+ > AM3, backward compatibility), OR if you can hold onto purchase for a month let the AMD Zambezi class processors be out and then but Intel OR AMD on price/performance ratio.
 
Thanx everyone for your response. As i see, Hades has been stressing on the fact that AM3 socket is going to become obsolete, and I agree with him. I want a rig that is future proof. This brings up another question in my mind ( Sry if I sound noob):p
I read on the MSI website, that their current line of AM3 based motherboards will support AM3+ processors with a BIOS update. Does that mean, one can use the upcoming bulldozer processors on the existing board??
MSI AM3+ CPU Support
If that is the case, I can buy a MSI mobo against the ASUS one I mentioned. If yes, please suggest a good MSI mobo for my config.
 
As i see, Hades has been stressing on the fact that AM3 socket is going to become obsolete, and I agree with him. I want a rig that is future proof.

Heres the gig.

Some AM3 mobos support AM3+ processors

Same case with Intel, they mentioned some LGA 1155 mobos will be able to support Ivy Bridge.

Now you make a decision, would to upgrade to another quad core with integrated graphics you won't use in 2012, or upgrade to an 8 core power cpu this year end or later?
 
I have decided to go the AMD way. The motherboard that I have chosen for my 955BE is MSI 880GMA-E45. The CPU support list on MSI's website for this mobo does not include any processor over 95w. It also includes a 95w variant of the 955BE.
I have seen many people successfully running the 125w variant on this board.

I am totally confused now, should I buy this board or not? Will I face a problem in the long run?
 
yup. because I have compared the benchmarks, the difference is not convincive (for me) to buy the i3 2100. Had it been the i5 vs 955, intel would have been my choice.

Reasons why I dont want the "new gen cpu" at heart:
No room for overclocking(cpu side).
I can only get H67 board in my budget -> no overclocking ability for future upgrade
I dont need the IGP of i3 as I am going to get the 5670 / 6670
I place my bet on bulldozer (against ivy)
 
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