CPU/Mobo Quick suggestions on CPU, Motherboard & RAM

[Ethan_Hunt]

Looks like my last aging component (RAM) is on it's last legs, as I scrubbed away with an eraser to get my PC booted up a few minutes back. This is a 1GBx2 sticks of Kingston's DDR II RAM. If it/they die(s), no way am I going to look for a DDR II RAM now, when DDR III is selling for such a dirt cheap rate. Anyway, I need some quick suggestions for an impromptu upgrade of my entire CPU, motherboard & RAM in that case. What would be an ideal choice at the moment to supplement my GTX560Ti?

Ivy Bridge? AMD's newest line up?

Motherboard needs to be a bare basic one. I don't need a fancy one with a gazillion USB and SATA ports, just enough to support my regular components. Any good Gigabyte boards?

RAM isn't a big concern, as I'll probably pick up a pair of Corsair Vengeance. Now the main question concerning RAM; is 8GB RAM really necessary? Is there noticeable differences in any aspect between 4GB and 8GB?

Thanks for your replies in advance!

 

[JuGGa]

If you're going to OC, i5-3570k. If you want to go barebone, i3 (SB or IB) will suffice. For gaming, Intel >>> AMD.

Mobo: Intle dh67cl

4GB should suffice for now. 8GB helps in some areas like VM and in some games like BF3 (loading times), which are too demanding.

 

[Ethan_Hunt]

Can't seem to find the 3570K anywhere. What's the price?

How about this motherboard? Gigabyte GA-H61M-D2H

 

[ALPHA17]

@Ethan_Hunt as I know that you will not dabble in over-clocking best is you go for these --

Intel Core i5 3450 [Ivy Bridge] ~12500/-
Intel DH67-BL ~5800/-
Corsair Vengeance OR G.Skill RIPJAWS 4GB x1 1600MHz ~1650/- [add another RAM module down the line for dual channel advantage]

I will suggest that you avoid the H61 based motherboards, they are very basic cut-down chipsets which are meant to be used for office builds rather than a gaming RIG.

RAM isn't a big concern, as I'll probably pick up a pair of Corsair Vengeance. Now the main question concerning RAM; is 8GB RAM really necessary? Is there noticeable differences in any aspect between 4GB and 8GB?

Advantages of two modules of RAM --

• dual-channel bandwidth, thanks to maturing integrated memory controllers this is no longer just a sales gimmick;
• RAM is dirt-cheap stock up while it lasts, later you might regret it. Although games still do not need more than 4GB in most scenarios, depending on the game it spikes a lot [RPG's and RTS's are conniving in this role];
• The Intel motherboard has 4 DIMM's populate two of them for now, later you can keep adding if you need more.

That is why I feel you should get 8GB of RAM [2 x4GB modules].

Hope this helps, Cheerio!!

 

[luster]

get this motherboard Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H Motherboard | Motherboard | Flipkart.com

 

[Ethan_Hunt]

I had the same advice provided earlier, when I was planning for a Sandy bridge upgrade. Why is it that only OC'ers would want to pick the 3570k or the 2500k? What's wrong with staying on stock? Just curious.

The DH67-BL doesn't seem to have integrated video. This is a feature which I find handy, in the event that your graphic card goes kaput. Gigabyte has that option. What role would a high end motherboard have, other than supplementing OC'ing, in a gaming build?

 

[Gannu]

Since you do not overclock your processor, chuck the idea of getting a K series processor. Settle for the non-K versions. And a barebone no-frills reliable motherboard - Intel's motherboards for instance.

As for RAM, 8 GB is pretty much the standard nowadays since DDR3 sticks are dead cheap. IIRC I did not notice a huge difference when I switched over to the Sandy Bridge system last year which had 8 GB DDR3 compared to the older system that had 4 GB DDR2. Game loading times may decrease by a few seconds.

 

[luster]

integrated video will be available depending on the processor you are using.

 

[ALPHA17]

I had the same advice provided earlier, when I was planning for a Sandy bridge upgrade. Why is it that only OC'ers would want to pick the 3570k or the 2500k? What's wrong with staying on stock?

The DH67-BL doesn't seem to have integrated video. This is a feature which I find handy, in the event that your graphic card goes kaput. Gigabyte has that option.

What role would a high end motherboard have, other than supplementing OC'ing, in a gaming build?

The -k suffix denotes the fact that these processors have an unlocked multiplier [hence easier over-clockers]but if you are not using this feature why do you want to spend an extra ~1000/- --> 2000/- quid on it?

HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Actually after the release of Intel Clarkdale processors [the first generation Core i3's and low-end i5's] the Intel integrated HD graphics adapter has migrated on the CPU die and the Core i5 3450 does have a HD 2500 iGP so you are covered on that front.

The Intel H67 / H77 chipsets support these iGP's on the processor [they have HDMI-OUT too] and you will not be stuck incase your discrete graphics card ends in a pickle.

What do high end motherboards grant us apart from over-clocking --

• after Intel split its motherboards into two subfamilies ~H series [which were oriented towards a HTPC and gaming RIG role] and P series [adopted all the above H features + over-clocking support] several third party companies have secured both the high-end and low-end spectrums by releasing boards at all price points.
• Better build-quality and components are used on these motherboards [to better withstand the rigours of over-clocking OR high ambient temperatures is stuffy HTPC cabinets];
• Onboard LED-debuggers and reset / power switch, over-clocking boards also have a CMOS clear switch on the motherboard;
• more elaborate cooling solutions, interconnected heat-pipes and heat-spreaders. Wider clearances around CPU area.

Hope this helps. Cheerio!!

get this motherboard Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H Motherboard | Motherboard | Flipkart.com

It is out-of stock and I would rather go for a H67 OR H77 based build, rather than using the B75 small business oriented chipsets.

 

[Ethan_Hunt]

Since you do not overclock your processor, chuck the idea of getting a K series processor. Settle for the non-K versions. And a barebone no-frills reliable motherboard - Intel's motherboards for instance.

As for RAM, 8 GB is pretty much the standard nowadays since DDR3 sticks are dead cheap. IIRC I did not notice a huge difference when I switched over to the Sandy Bridge system last year which had 8 GB DDR3 compared to the older system that had 4 GB DDR2. Game loading times may decrease by a few seconds.

Gotcha!

integrated video will be available depending on the processor you are using.

Thanks!

The -k suffix denotes the fact that these processors have an unlocked multiplier [hence easier over-clockers]but if you are not using this feature why do you want to spend an extra ~1000/- --> 2000/- quid on it?

Point noted. Then would the 3550 be worth an extra grand?

HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Actually after the release of Intel Clarkdale processors [the first generation Core i3's and low-end i5's] the Intel integrated HD graphics adapter has migrated on the CPU die and the Core i5 3450 does have a HD 2500 iGP so you are covered on that front.

The Intel H67 / H77 chipsets support these iGP's on the processor [they have HDMI-OUT too] and you will not be stuck incase your discrete graphics card ends in a pickle.

This shows that I have lost all touch in the recent hardware changes. I read about it earlier. How does this feature exactly work out?

What do high end motherboards grant us apart from over-clocking --

• after Intel split its motherboards into two subfamilies ~H series [which were oriented towards a HTPC and gaming RIG role] and P series [adopted all the above H features + over-clocking support] several third party companies have secured both the high-end and low-end spectrums by releasing boards at all price points.
• Better build-quality and components are used on these motherboards [to better withstand the rigours of over-clocking OR high ambient temperatures is stuffy HTPC cabinets];
• Onboard LED-debuggers and reset / power switch, over-clocking boards also have a CMOS clear switch on the motherboard;
• more elaborate cooling solutions, interconnected heat-pipes and heat-spreaders. Wider clearances around CPU area.

Hope this helps. Cheerio!!

You sure do know how to sway us in the other direction, don't you?

Excellent explanation. That really clears up quite a lot of my doubts.

 

[ALPHA17]

Point noted. Then would the 3550 be worth an extra grand?

How does this feature exactly work out?

In my opinion yes OR you can go for its slightly lower sibling the Core i5 3450 ~12500/-. Either ways stick to an Ivy-Bridge set-up now that it is out, no point going for the older Ivy-Bridge / AMD FX- processors --

• actual performance gain over the previous Sandy-Bridge processors is minimal, averaging ~10% -->15% in the most optimistic scenarios;
• gains in efficiency are more profound, thanks to newer transistor 3D-gate design and shift to 22nm fabrication the processor does the same work as a Core i5 of the previous generation with ~30% lesser power --> 77W TDP vis-á-vis earlier 95W.
• you are getting a new build, better to get the latest and greatest instead of older stuff, it is not costing a whole lot more thanks to the $ games going on and poor supply-demand situation.

To answer how the iGP functions on the Intel processor, you have to understand that it was AMD that went around trumpeting that the future is close integration of CPU + GPU [what they now sell in Llano and Trinity chips]. Intel has always wanted a pie of this market but since the last well... existence of Intel their GPU's were pure malarkey.

So when AMD turned on the heat in 2006 -->07 by acquiring ATi graphics, Intel decided to up the ante and the first results were the Clarkdale iGP equipped CPU' which did not go down well [because they were all dual-cores and the iGP was worst than competing AMD Athlon IIx4 + AMD 785G combos]. So they went back to the drawing boards and came up with a fresh design for the same in their Sandy-Bridge lineup [but once again screwed up by equipping the high end chips with the best iGP's whilst the lower end offerings got smashed by AMD's Llano APU].

The base differences are --

• the iGP has shifted from the NorthBridge chipset onto the CPU-die;
• th iGP on the Llano had a direct interconnect with the main memory, this meant with faster RAM the performance went up and with poor bandwidth the GPU was starved and would under-perform, Intel did not have this direct linking instead the CPU + GPU shared the same bandwidth and because the CPU demanded more the iGP performance suffered;
• Ivy-Bridge is the refinement of these ideologies and features a more powerful HD2500* and HD4000* iGP with a better architecture and more pixel crunching power per pipeline [and a whole lot more of the same].

*These allow you to play Solitaire while waiting for your replacement graphics card, the Llano and Trinity from AMD steam-roll Intel here and even play most titles on full-HD [minus gratuitous eye-candy].

Here are a few interesting articles --> Intel Ivy Bridge Architecture Breakdown | ITProPortal.com / AnandTech - The Intel Ivy Bridge (Core i7 3770K) Review / AMD's Trinity Processor vs. Intel's Ivy Bridge | PCWorld.

Hope this helps, Cheerio!!

P.S. -- Thanks for the compliment.