View Full Version : Upgrading from intel to Amd need advice
Hi all, my current comp is s*** wont run any games so wanting to build a relativly cheap comp, currently runnin an intel system but wanting to change to Amd things on list so far are:
MSI K9VGM-V VIA K8M90 (AM2)
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4200+ 2.20GHz
Patriot 2GB PC2-6400 C4 Extreme Performance (2x1GB)
Any advice would b helpfull as no idea wot im doing, spent 2 days looking at mobos and aint got a clue which 1 to go for, Advice on picking a graphics card and other components would b a real big help
thnx in advance
intel are the best to go with at the minute m8, how much are you looking to spend, how long are you looking for it to last and what will the system be used for? if you give us this info we could help you pick the parts to fill your needs :)
Hi welcome to the forum :D
Whats the specs of your system now? How much you willing to spend max? and are you looking to reuse any parts from the old system?
just wanting to build a mid spec gamin rig, ill b re-using my drives and hard drive case and psu dont really wanna spend anymore than £150-200 components i need will b a mobo, cpu, graphics card and ram also will b buyin a new internal hard drive to run as a slave.
My comp specs at mo r 2.4ghzs cpu 756 ram intergrated graphics couldnt tell u wot the mobo is. comp is really old now so desp need to upgrade
For a system of that age, I'd be cautious about reusing the PSU. What Brand and Model is it? This can be found on a sticker on the side of the unit if you open the case.
For £150-200, either AMD or Intel is fine although AMD has the upper hand in this price bracket. Avoid Via based motherboards and plump for an AMD 690G/780G chipset.
psu and case r new. about 1 month old cos i transferred my old rig to this case
thats why i wanted to go for amd as its a lot cheaper than intel, intels dual core chips r expensive at mo compared to amds dual core
How about
MSI P35-Neo2FR- 54.95(ex vat)
Intel E2160- 31.99(ex)
Patriot 6400 2gb- 21.26(ex)
9600gso- 64.95(ex)
total = 203 inc vat
Almost the same setup to mine (apart from graphics) and it can be overclocked brilliantly and easily.
thnx for advice ill look into that, any graphics cards you could recommend?
also wot psu would i need to power mobo?
I've just put a 9600gso in as an example... sure the other guys on here will be along soon to recommend one.
You're looking at spending about £40.
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Power+Supplies/500w+%2B/OCZ+500W+StealthXstream+PSU+?productId=29090
http://********/MSI-P35-NEO-CORE-2-QUAD-SOCKET-775-MOTHERBOARD_W0QQitemZ160261556921QQcmdZViewItem?ha sh=item160261556921&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318
is this the mobo u were on about?
Nope.
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Motherboards/Socket+775+%28Intel%29/MSI+P35+NEO2-FR++Socket+775+Motherboard+?productId=28015
is it micro atx? doesnt say in description?
It's regular ATX, not mATX I'm afraid
in that case i dont think it will fit in my case
What case have you got? if it wont fit there are mATX versions of that board.
gd question, didnt come with a manual or box so dont know the name im just assumin i need a matx board cos my other board was the same and that just say fits
wonderlust
22-07-08, 16:48
How many expansion slot holes at the back of the case?
cant post a pic cos dont know how to lol asks for an url
http://forums.aria.co.uk/C:\Documents and Settings\BevandAde\My Documents\My Pictures\Picture 3 011.jpg
lol not read all the posts but it maid me laugh when i read upgrade from intel to amd lol
surely that should have read downgrade from intel to amd. ;)
im having a fick day today lol
pic of back of my comp is now my new avatar lol
you can fit a standard ATX board in that case
cool, so ill go for that board then
you wont be disappointed with that board... it is the board of choice here... what do you say mr wonderlust?
wonderlust
22-07-08, 17:22
It's getting a little old, but it's still a damn fine board.
He has 2Gb of ram he can reuse BTW
lol not read all the posts but it maid me laugh when i read upgrade from intel to amd lol
surely that should have read downgrade from intel to amd. ;)
yeah definetely! AMD suck
a e2160 £30 quid intel can WIPE the floor with more expensive amd CPUS!
AMD =
http://i31.tinypic.com/20hx84z.png
No offence guys but do you actually CHECK these things? Ok the 2160 may overclock well but does the OP want to overclock? BUT the AMD X2 4400 is cheaper and performs better than the 2160 at stock, the X2 5000 is a few pounds more and performs even better.
http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/cpu/intel-pentium-e2140-2160-page1.html
IF the OP wants to overclock a bit then yes Intel is probably the way to go if not then don't discount the AMD stuff as it gives more bang / £ on cheaper systems.
Sorry but my recent experiences with a Phenom chip have kinda opened my eyes a bit the AMD chips aren't as cr@p as they used to be.
No offence guys but do you actually CHECK these things? Ok the 2160 may overclock well but does the OP want to overclock? BUT the AMD X2 4400 is cheaper and performs better than the 2160 at stock, the X2 5000 is a few pounds more and performs even better.
http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/cpu/intel-pentium-e2140-2160-page1.html
IF the OP wants to overclock a bit then yes Intel is probably the way to go if not then don't discount the AMD stuff as it gives more bang / £ on cheaper systems.
Sorry but my recent experiences with a Phenom chip have kinda opened my eyes a bit the AMD chips aren't as cr@p as they used to be.
Correct.
I've done my fair share of AMD vs Intel comparisons. Example
http://www.pchardwaresource.co.uk/index.php?view=category&id=43%3Ahardware-components&option=com_content&Itemid=41
Yes, Intel is faster but that doesn't make AMD poor. A component is only as poor as it's price.
As I said on page 1, AMD does have a slight advantage in performance right out of the box in the budget mentioned and technically this does make them the better buy. Also it's worth noticing that the clock for clock advantage does diminish once you start taking L2 cache off the Core 2 Duo's. In some apps this is completely lost at 512kb L2 with the Celeron Duals and in some it's at 1mb L2 with the Pentium E2000's. AMD Athlon 64 X2's do also overclock roughly as well, generally hitting 3.0GHz with ease.
If however you can count on more funds to come through as time goes on, then you better stick to Intel because you'll be open to a far superior range. Intel offers you a range of much faster duals while AMD will only offer the same tech but at higher clock speeds. Phenom is an alright chip now but still doesn't quite have the upper hand on the Core 2 Quad that it needs to make it a better buy.
So should you go Intel or AMD for this build? Your call. I say Intel if you ever think you can afford some faster kit later on but if not, the AMD is a tad faster out of the box.
Too many people assume AMD is atrocious. We're not comparing a new Q6600 to a Duron Morgan... we're comparing a ferrari and a lamborghini. One's better than the other, but not by huge advances.
There's actually surprisingly little betweeen them price-for-price since AMD's recent price drops.
Yes, a comparable priced intel is probably still better than the AMD. And an intel is probably cheaper than an AMD - but not by that much.
If you're worried about a handful of PCmark points, go for the intel... if you've already got an AM2 compatible motherboard, you'll spend more upgrading to an intel and compatible motherboard than upgrading your CPU. But
e2160 Oc'ed gets my money, the fact a Q6600 could be chucked in a year later for £30-£40 i'm guessing. No brainer.
wonderlust
22-07-08, 19:29
Get a 6000+ if your board can take it, save you pennies for next years big thing...
BTW Intel are about to cut prices yet again.
Yes, a comparable priced intel is probably still better than the AMD. And an intel is probably cheaper than an AMD - but not by that much.
If you're worried about a handful of PCmark points, go for the intel... if you've already got an AM2 compatible motherboard, you'll spend more upgrading to an intel and compatible motherboard than upgrading your CPU.
This is where you are mistaken, at this price range the AMD is the better chip IF the user isn't overclocking.
However, as pointed out by Coiler, if an upgrade is likely in the near future (under a year) to a quad ie Q6600 / 9450 then intel is the a better choice. If an upgrade isn't on the cards anytime soon then i would stick with an X2 6000, as per wonderlust, as these are e6600 performance for less than the price of a e4500.
This is where you are mistaken, at this price range the AMD is the better chip IF the user isn't overclocking.
However, as pointed out by Coiler, if an upgrade is likely in the near future (under a year) to a quad ie Q6600 / 9450 then intel is the a better choice. If an upgrade isn't on the cards anytime soon then i would stick with an X2 6000, as per wonderlust, as these are e6600 performance for less than the price of a e4500.
Even when overclocking there isn't that much in it. You'll struggle to find a brand new E2000 CPU that will overclock north of 3.2GHz without rediculous voltages. Likewise Athlon 64 X2's will top out around here anyway. It's only when we're talking price categories for CPU's upwards of £80 where Intel gives AMD a beating both out of the box and once overclocked.
If going AMD, I for one would save £10 and get the X2 5400+ rather than the 6000+
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/CPUs+%2F+Processors/AMD/Athlon+64+X2+Socket+AM2/AMD+Athlon+64+X2+Dual+Core+5400%2B+2.80GHz+%28Reta il+AM2%29+?productId=30001
It's got a 200MHz clock deficit but it's power consumption is basically half of the 6000+. Heat output is much lower and the CPU is much less demanding on motherboards, something important when you'll be opting for cheaper boards in your price bracket.
Infact it would appear that even the X2 5400 might be outside of your price bracket. X2 4400 would do just fine.
hmmm lots of advice here, its seems theres a war here goin on Amd haters vs Intel haters, im just looking for the best bang for buck mid spec gaming system i can rig up without having to go overboared on the price. im not a gaming geek so not up to scratch on wot to buy,like ive said ive spent 2 days lookin at mobos and quite frankly im just gettin more confused by the minute cos theres so many out there and im really not sure wot im lookin for lol, my main reason for wantin to upgrade is so i can play spore and any game of my choice when i want to, i just bought spore creature creator for £5 and i cant even play it pmsl cos my comp is that ****
if the pic of my pc is doin anyones head in let me know and ill remove it :P lol
The real questions are if you are willing to overclock or not and if you intend to upgrade again within a year or wait longer.
Answer those questions and the delightful chaps here on the forums will recommend something!
My view is that it's AMD you probably want, but if you are happy to overclock and your going to upgrade again soon then Intel will be what you need.
EDIT: Your case is annoying, I have hosted it here for a bit: http://www.alexnifty.co.uk/images/belasarCase1.jpg
http://www.alexnifty.co.uk/images/belasarCase1.jpg
wey i dont know how to overclock so im not too bothered about that and wont b wanting to upgrade again for a couple of years
oh and for the annoyin pic sorry lol :P ive removed it pmsl
changed it too the front now pmsl change of perspective for now lol
One thing's for sure is that there's no Intel haters here
If that's the situation, then I say, get the fastest AMD Athlon 64 X2 money can buy you barring the X2 6000 and 6400.
Absolutely, look at my sig i'm not a fan boi as i have both. Its just i had the opertunity recently to get my hands on an AMD quad set-up and it opened my eyes as they aren't the push over everyone expects so i tend to be more sceptical about "inferior AMD" quotes. At the price range you are looking at AMD certainly is worth considering its only when considering overclocking and (near) future upgrade paths then intel kinda makes more sense.
PeterStoba
22-07-08, 22:22
At the price range you are looking at AMD certainly is worth considering its only when considering overclocking and (near) future upgrade paths then intel kinda makes more sense.
Thats the thing, AMD only have budget, aren't very good in the middle and their high end just gets thrashed
id say intel atm purley for the fact of the amount of procs out that you could drop into it later. it wont be long and intel will be begging for people to adopt the new sockets so they will sell them cheap, forcing the prices of the older tech to the floor(think current ddr2 price?).
phenoms do great in multi-threaded stuff as their intercore conectivity is still ahead of intels current design but intel are miles ahead in pure single core power.
amd spank intel on the entry level stuff because there boards are also better spec'd than their counterparts. im currently thinking about a semp based box (with a 3450 all in wonder) for the livingroom. my main machine is intel powered but its been both in the past and like every other englishman i do back the underdog. i just hope they tread water long enough for bulldozer to overtake nehalem.
Indeed. I'm sorting out a Home Theater setup for the lounge and it's going to be AMD Sempron X2 / HD 3450 purely out of cheap and cheerfulness.
so if i went for Amd can anyone give me a rating for Amd mobos starting at the most expensive and goin down to the lowest bearing in mind i dont wanna spend anymore than £60 on a mobo
Without Integrated Graphics
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Motherboards/Socket+AM2%2B+%28AMD%29/Asus+M3A+AMD+770+%2B+SB600+%28AM2%2B%29+?productId =30027
With Integrated Graphics
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Motherboards/Socket+AM2%2B+%28AMD%29/MSI+K9A2GM-FIH+AMD+780G+AM2%2B+Motherboard+?productId=31229
Or if you can find it, Gigabyte's 780G version.
I can recommend Abits AX78, though Aria don't seem to stock it for some reason :S they are about £50, you can drop a Phenom (quad core) in it should you want to at a later date too.
Dont know if im allowed to post external links but wot about these, r they gd value for money?
Intel
Deleted linky, mac
Amd
Deleted linky, mac
Well aprt from the fact linking to competitors isn't allowed, we'll let you off this time though, i would say those aren't particularly good value, the X2 4600 is £40 from aria and biostar boards whilst ok, the ones Mul liked to are better specced so buying one of those and the chip from Aria would cost similar price but imho you would end up with a better setup.
The intel link well Foxconn ARE buget boards so i would avoid that as likewise the 2160 is just over £40 from aria and there is no way i would pay £50 for a foxconn board.
Deleted linkies btw.
i was just using the links as an example all my parts will b bought off aria as i havnt found a cheaper site yet, Aria is the best priced by far for components
Can anyone recommend a graphics card for £50-60 that will run games like crysis easily, also agp? or pci-e?
In that price bracket your choices are looking at a radeon hd3650 or an nvidia 8600GTS.
Neither of which will run Crysis 'easily'. They will run it at a low resolution on medium settings.
EDIT: Not that the likes of an 8600GTS is utter rubbish. My housemate games away quite happily with his on COD4, Bioshock, etc. Just dont expect that card to run games coming out in the next year.
so is it worth spending more money on a graphics card then?
wonderlust
23-07-08, 10:35
yes!
my budget is gannin out the window by the looks of it, if i buy a high end graphics card will it last the test of time? meaning will it still b able to run games from next year or will i have to ugrade every six months to a new one?
Doesnt make much sense to whack a high end card into a budget system really. You want balance.
wonderlust
23-07-08, 10:43
You don't have to buy a high end card, an ATI 4850 will offer excellent performance at a very good price:-
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Graphics+Cards/PCI-E/ATI+Radeon+4000+Series/
wonderlust
23-07-08, 10:45
http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=672&p=0
Gives an idea of how graphics cards scale with processor speed
I think ill try this rig setup and see how it runs, opting for amd purely for cheapness
MSI K9A2GM-FIH AMD 780G AM2+ Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4200+ 2.20GHz
Patriot 2GB PC2-6400 C4 Extreme Performance (2x1GB)
XFX GeForce 9600GT 512MB PCI-E
PeterStoba
23-07-08, 11:34
Foxconn ARE buget boards
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/518
PeterStoba
23-07-08, 11:35
See if there are 3870s left on super special, got a friend one for £75 on sunday
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/518
Spose there's a first time to step out of the buget end of the market ;).
I think ill try this rig setup and see how it runs, opting for amd purely for cheapness
MSI K9A2GM-FIH AMD 780G AM2+ Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4200+ 2.20GHz
Patriot 2GB PC2-6400 C4 Extreme Performance (2x1GB)
XFX GeForce 9600GT 512MB PCI-E
That looks alright to me. The graphics card will be held back by the CPU but I still wouldn't buy anything slower than that. Once it's up and running, I insist you overclock it. I'll guide you through it over the forum, my treat.
(Sorry there's my overclocking OCD kicking in)
What about the Power Supply Unit?
Do you mean to say the Graphics Card (GPU) will be held back by the Processor?
Stealth Edited.
Yes that's what I meant. Proof that I'm not designed to multitask.
So good of you to offer to take this newbies overclocking cherry :twisted:
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