What CPU/GPU to get for your new computer (updated monthly)

[metatime]

Tomshardware Does a really good analysis of cpus and gpus for each month. I highly suggest following their guide since it's updated each month so this post on CPU/GPU won't be outdated.

The analysis is good for either low, mid or high end PCs but in this post I'll stick mainly with low end since I'm cheap.

I highly suggest to wait (at least) until the ivy family comes out before building anything.
Intel new Ivy family is coming out with their tri-gate 22nm technology.

What difference does nm make? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/22_nanometer
Basically more transistors on the die, less heat, less power, more powerful. That's why Intel is so far ahead because they're physically improving on the technology. Basically Intel's archeitecture is advance enough to the point that AMDs aren't hitting the price/performance ratio anymore.


CPU
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...lock,3106.html


GPU
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...view,3107.html


Motherboards
Motherboards don't make that much of a difference. I personally like Asus, Gigabyte, MSI but in the end they're just MB. Look at their warranties that appeal to you. You as a builder just have to make sure you're building with the family that the CPU is compatible with. Basically the socket type of the MB matches the socket type of the processor. Newegg is a good place to buy computer parts from. http://www.newegg.com

There's also different standard sizes like ATX, mini ATX, etc. If you get a standard ATX case than any MB can fit in there.


RAM
DDR3 comes in different speed. The JEDEC standard modules are:
800 PC3-6400, 1066 PC3-8500, 1333 PC3-10600, 1600 PC3-12800. Depending on the processor and MB, most support 1600 PC3-12800 (the higher the better)

Anything outside the JEDEC standard aren't standard and you'll have to check the MB and CPU to make sure it matches (if you're a regular builder, you don't have to worry about this). Also timings don't matter unless you wish to overclock.


Power Supply (PS)
This is probably the most technical and trickest area to learn. Basically make sure the the watts rating is at least 350-400W(for a regular setup, higher if you're using x-fire or SLI). The tricky part is the rails. Make sure to have 12 V on each rail. (which comes standard on modern PS). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_supply_rail


Cases, Harddrives (HDD), mouse, KB
Mostly a preference for each person (like Harddrive/SSD size and price). Compare prices online. Most time online is cheaper than in stores.


What if I have a Laptop?
Laptops are static by nature. The CPU/GPU are low powered version of the desktop version which means weaker performance. You can't upgrade GPU (where a lot of games depends on) but CPU you kind of can but it's not worth the effort and time to do it since the laptop isn't engineered to be upgraded in mind. You need a discrete (dedicated) gpu card as a minimum requirement in your laptop.

So if you want to buy a laptop again, you'll have to pay at least $600 minimum for one. With a mid-high end intel or amd cpu and discrete, that's $700 minimum.

Anything < $600 you're only going to find a good processor with an integrated card which does not scale well for future tasks like games.
You can build a desktop that produce the same performance about half or 2/3rds the cost of a laptop.


So I found a laptop with a discrete card, which laptop graphics card is better?
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Compari...rds.130.0.html

This site gives a good idea on the performance your card will get compare to other cards. Make sure your card is at least in the class 1 or 2 level. Class 3 is doable if you're tight on cash. Avoid class 4 and 5 card at all possible.


Buyer Beware for laptop
Don't look at just price to determine a laptop has a discrete or integrated card because a laptop company(sony, apple, ibm, etc) can sell laptops that has an integrated card for $800 while the laptop with a discrete card next to it will sell for the same price! So watch out when looking for a gaming laptop.

A friend of a friend that I knew, she bought a $1000 laptop with no discrete card in it and she can barely run games on it. =(
That's one area where laptop manufactures make money off the average consumer by selling them laptops that has integrated gpu for a high price.

[Xenobia]

No need to worry, as far as i know, the Ivy Bridge can still be used on a old SB board because it basically is a shrink of a SB, and with a new tri gate tech. You apparently dont know Intels dirty tricks. They will first release some weaker IB CPUs, and then slowly go stronger and stronger, that way, the enthusiasts always have to upgrade and Intel will earn a golden nose of a goat. Until people enjoy to wait for years, they still can safely use a good SB type, which in some term can still outperform those startup-IBs with cutted wings.

[metatime]

No need to worry, as far as i know, the Ivy Bridge can still be used on a old SB board because it basically is a shrink of a SB, and with a new tri gate tech. You apparently dont know Intels dirty tricks. They will first release some weaker IB CPUs, and then slowly go stronger and stronger, that way, the enthusiasts always have to upgrade and Intel will earn a golden nose of a goat.

It doesn't matter to me if it's intel or amd. Pick the best what's out there right now or in the future. Don't let bias views cloud your choice. Let facts and actions be the judge.

I used to pick AMD technology in the early 2000s because AMD updated from FSB to HyperTransport which gave them the best performance/price ratio.

Since than intel slowly improved on their architecture and surpassed AMD in performance/price ratio.

Intel just spent $9 billion building a new factory for their 22nm technology. http://www.techspot.com/news/42049-i...g-process.html

That's putting your money where your mouth is.

[Xenobia]

9 billion? Thats nothing for them, they will get 90 billion back i guess. Nope, i do not like AMD CPUs... you got that wrong. But the fact that we all have to rely on Intel as the only good performance supplier... means that we simply are kinda having a monopole and Intel certainly will abuse it. So i kinda enjoy the Radeon vs. Geforce fight, its a true competition and price would be much higher without. Its actually more expensive to build a GPU (but in real term we have about fivty fivty for a comparable type).

Hmm this forum is getting pretty techie lol. Well, cant help it, its PSO2 hardware.

[metatime]

9 billion? Thats nothing for them, they will get 90 billion back i guess. Nope, i do not like AMD CPUs... you got that wrong. But the fact that we all have to rely on Intel as the only good performance supplier... means that we simply are kinda having a monopole and Intel certainly will abuse it. So i kinda enjoy the Radeon vs. Geforce fight, its a true competition and price would be much higher without. Its actually more expensive to build a GPU.

Hmm this forum is getting pretty techie lol. Well, cant help it, its PSO2 hardware.

This post isn't about politics or the opinion on the ethics of either AMD or Intel is ethically is better or not. That's for another discussion that I don't care to be in. I only look at price/performance and getting the best bang for the buck.

I could care less as long as I can get the cheapest, most cost effective product out there. As long as it doesn't involve people getting killed and shot to make the stuff, just do it.

Look I'm pretty sad that borders, circuit city and those other retailers are out of business but in the end most people don't go to those stores as often as they used to and just buy everything online. That's competition for you.

[Xenobia]

Ok, thanks for providing those hints, we do appreciate, maybe merge that thread with Priming.

Spoiler!

Besides: Those retailers didnt pass test of time, because every good retailer is already online (dual sells)... the other should safely disappear, when they cant meet the next gen standart. Nothing to do with ethics, we have a certain requirement in order to execute our job, means to keep up with time and provide good service.

[metatime]

Ok, thanks for providing those hints, we do appreciate, maybe merge that thread with Priming.

Besides: Those retailers didnt pass test of time, because every good retailer is already online (dual sells)... the other should safely disappear, when they cant meet the next gen standart. Nothing to do with ethics, we have a certain requirement in order to execute our job, means to keep up with time and provide good service.

Yes there are reasons why business fail and that's one reason but in the end a failure is a failure.

I truely do wish for AMD for bulldozer to succeed and their future incarnations.

The more companies out there to innovate = the better.

I could care less if it was Intel, AMD or any company that builds x86 processors thats making the improvements or innovations, just do it and I'll buy it.

[Faiyez]

They will first release some weaker IB CPUs, and then slowly go stronger and stronger, that way, the enthusiasts always have to upgrade

No, not really. They'll have most of the chips in the series available on launch day, including the strongest one. Any future chip will be part of a different series even if in the same architecture.

What you are saying suggests that an enthusiast with an overclocked 2600k invariably had to "upgrade" to Sandy Bridge-E. That's ridiculous.

[metatime]

No, not really. They'll have most of the chips in the series available on launch day, including the strongest one. Any future chip will be part of a different series even if in the same architecture.

What you are saying suggests that an enthusiast with an overclocked 2600k invariably had to "upgrade" to Sandy Bridge-E. That's ridiculous.

Yes whenever a new architecture or family comes out, they release the CPU in different tier levels. There is no "dirty" tricks that intel does because the cost/performance isn't worth the upgrade when you compare new releases of new models in the same tier level.

There's different methods to reduce transistor size and intel choose tri-gate as a way to reduce the size.

[SolRiver]

I would wait for 22nm Ivy family to hit 2nd generation. It is far too common for these tech companies' first gen to be borderline prototype (pushing deadlines + borderline monopoly = "doesn't matter what we put out there, consumer don't have a choice" mentality).

Unless the reviews/benchmarks really break some ridiculous new ground. Otherwise I am not willing to bet my money on prototypes for a long term PC.

Just my personal take on tech purchases.