AMD cpu suggestions

[razer121]

So i am leaning toward building a AMD based system which mains dutys will include media center use and light gaming. - Budget is no more than £100 hench why im leaning toward AMD!

In regards to built in IGP's this is not needed as a 460gtx will be on duty to deal with that!

Problem is this, i've no idea what sort of AMD chip to go with, will dual core actually be enough? i've doubts but also will quad core be to much?

Second hand is not a problem for me as keeping the price as low as possible is a must for me!

The only thing i have thought about is using a AMD based IGP for graphics switching, but this is not a must just a perk if it is there!

So suggest away

(micro atx board is being used need to find one!)

Edit - Suggestions on the A8 5600K? i am looking at this cpu!

[Nezbert]

I built a home media PC with a 6400K a few monhs ago, due to a tight budget. Check my system specs. It runs Windows 8.1 and Ubuntu as fast as you need. I'm not a gamer, so I can't comment on that but it plays 1080p HD films perfectly with no lag or tearing if you install the latest AMD catalyst drivers.

I think If I'd gone quad core I might've noticed slightly more seamless switching between apps but the 6400K is a bargain for the price.

I originally had 4GB G.Skill RAM in it and upgraded to 8GB Corsair but it managed fine with only 4GB. The APU uses about 700MB of system RAM for graphics, so your OS will report whatever amount you have installed minus 700MB as useable system memory.

[razer121]

Thanks i think i may get the A8 though, i was looking at gpu switching but i cant with a 460gtx! so to be honest i wouldnt use the onboard gpu.

[scaryjim]

if you're using a GTX460 (overkill for HTPC duties, probably more than you need for "light" gaming but it depends how you're defining "light"), then an Athlon X4 is probably the best option: http://www.ebuyer.com/507066-amd-ath...-ad760kwohlbox - about the same price as the 5800k but a bit more CPU oomph.

AMD have never had a graphics switching technology (on the desktop, anyway).

Personally I think you'd be better off selling the GTX460, and investing the extra cash in going all APU - the A10 5800k is only £15 more than the A8 5600k/Athlon X4, should have plenty of graphical oomph for "light" gaming (again, depends on your definition!) and will use a lot less power/produce a lot less heat. I assume you need mobo, CPU and RAM? £100 will be a struggle anyway, since you'll need to allocate at least £30 (ideally £40) for the mobo, and at least £30 for the RAM - that leaves you with only £40 maximum for the CPU. Depending on the games you want to play a dual-core might fare OK, but you really want to squeeze a quad in there if you can. Do you have any other components you can reuse? Is this a new rig or a replacement? What kind of games do you want it to handle?

[DanceswithUnix]

Sounds a bit heavy handed for a media center. Which games are you intending to run?

My daughter runs an A8-5800K using the integrated graphics. She runs stuff like Minecraft, WoW, Garry's Mod and The Sims on it fine, but the fan does get rather noisy. I wonder if getting a graphics card for it will make it a bit quieter by moving some load away from the CPU.

I run an A8-6500 in my home server as it is a newer 65W part and I wanted the energy efficiency. It works away nice and quiet with a pair of hard drives and 16GB of ram running 4 virtual machines including a couple of Minecraft servers and the total system load is under 60W at the wall. Never tried gaming on that setup though.

[scaryjim]

... the fan does get rather noisy. I wonder if getting a graphics card for it will make it a bit quieter by moving some load away from the CPU. ...

If you're using the stock AMD cooler, probably not Those things are generally very noisy (I only had one that didn't sound like a dyson trying to perform a vertical take-off!).

Hmm, I was about to link to the NorthQ cooler I've used a few times but apparently Scan have sold out - shame, it was cheap, effective and quiet!

razer, from your thread in Wanteds it looks like you've already got a s775 system you're thinking of replacing? What's the base spec of that? I'd be surprised if it wasn't more than capable enough for HTPC and gaming duties as is tbh - a recent dual core APU won't have much better performance than a Core 2 Duo anyway....

[Nezbert]

I beg to differ. A couple of months ago I had to transcode a wedding video for a family member. I think it was AVI to DVD vob files and my little dual-core 6400K flew through it in a few minutes. Under 10 minutes if I remember correctly, and this is before I doubled my RAM and still had only 4GB (well, 3.3GB after the APU used a chunk).

I've had core 2 duo's years ago and can't remember them transcoding video that fast. The AMD APU's are really good value for money if you're on a budget.

[Nezbert]

Oh, regarding the stock cooler: it was too noisy for my living room if you're watching a late film on low volume. I replaced it with a Cooler Master GeminII, which is massive and only just fits in my mini ITX case. Because of its huge fins and slow twelve cm fan you can only just hear it if the room is totally silent. The stock AMD coolers are a little on the cheap and noisy side but you can't expect much when you're getting a decent processor for such little money.

[scaryjim]

... A couple of months ago I had to transcode a wedding video for a family member. I think it was AVI to DVD vob files and my little dual-core 6400K flew through it in a few minutes. ...

That's fine, but I'm not sure an HTPC/Gaming machine is going to be used for significant amounts of video encoding? How a Core 2 compares to a recent APU will depend on a) which Core 2, and b) what it's going to be used for. If it's a cheap one like the later Pentium E5000 or Celeron E3000 series then sure, a new APU will probably perform most tasks better, but if it's an E8x00 or Q9x50 the difference might be less noticable. Also, a HTPC is unlikely to do much CPU-intensive work, so again it might not make a difference. My HTPC went from a Socket A Sempron to an AM3 Sempron then finally to an A6-3670k, and tbh I didn't notice the upgrade until I got the beefed up graphics in the A6. For watching media and surfing the web, the CPU simply didn't make a noticable difference. So while a new APU may be faster than the old Core 2, it may still not be noticable for what razer plans to use the machine for.

£100 would be a lot to spend if it turned out that, in a black box test, you couldn't tell the difference between them....

[razer121]

The system being used at the moment is shocking, honestly it wont be able to perform as its a single core celeron which in all honestly cannot do alot!

I have thought about buying a decent core 2 quad but then i felt that going with slightly newer tech would be a smarter move!

The reason i have the 460 is that i like my games to look pretty, i also like to play racing games on the tv, with a controller in hand and the sofa as my chair, hence the reason for a decent gpu as last i remember dirt 3 doesn't look nice on IGP!

I can spend more, the budget in total is actually £300 but i don't fancy spending that as i bought a copy of windows 7, got the HDD, dvd drive, case, memory (more is something i will do)

So really its just the mobo and cpu that i am after at the moment, i can see second hand that the AMD A8 5600k with board can be had for around £60-100 depending on where i buy from, although i am waiting for the cpus to pop up in scans today only

This money is burning a hole in my pocket and i honestly thought someone would have some parts ha! thanks for the input so far guys, really does help!

So to sum it up, my version of light gaming is actually medium to high graphics so a decent GPU is needed (at 1080 aswell!)
Motherboard doesn't need to be special so anything would do really!

psu is a bonus aswell as memory as neither are needed right this minute but if the price is right im taking them!

[Nezbert]

Re: scaryjim

I've also had an E6600 and a Q9300 in the past. While I don't dispute that they're great chips I can't remember them being as nippy as current tech. I realise that video encoding is not really a good example of how fast a chip is for regular usage. As someone who rarely overclocks their system I'd be more inclined to buy newer architecture because it's the whole platform that improves. I'm not biased against Intel. I had an Ivy Bridge i5 laptop that was brilliant and seemed slicker than my current desktop setup. I just think that AMD is worth it if your budget is limited.

[DanceswithUnix]

How about:

http://www.ebuyer.com/507066-amd-ath...-ad760kwohlbox
http://www.ebuyer.com/609508-asus-a5...rboard-a55bm-e

£5 under.

My last build I went for this motherboard as I do like 4 dimm slots and wanted lots of SATA ports: http://www.ebuyer.com/611200-asus-a8...rboard-a88xm-a

And this CPU, it is almost as fast but uses must less power so easier/quieter to cool: http://www.ebuyer.com/507064-amd-apu...-ad6500okhlbox

Though that gets you on the slippery slope to the http://www.ebuyer.com/657970-amd-a8-...-ad7600ybjabox, which I would probably have bought if it was available at the time

Edit to add: Actually, the a8-7600 on the cheap motherboard should work and would be only £10 over to have the latest tech. Depends if you want cool/quiet or fast as possible.

[scaryjim]

... As someone who rarely overclocks their system I'd be more inclined to buy newer architecture because it's the whole platform that improves. ...

... I just think that AMD is worth it if your budget is limited. ...

Can't argue with either of those points, and I think the platform one is particularly relevant to performance uses - s775 is (afaict) really limited by its FSB -> RAM link when you're looking for high performance uses. But my POV is always that if your current tech is up to the job there's no point replacing it (hence the reason my recently built DAW is running an Athlon X2 4050e ).

razer: when you do get the new stuff, think about sitcking the old components in FS, yeah? *nudge nudge*

Having reviewed some prices I'd be tempted back to the A8-5600k tbh. it's only a couple of hundred MHz lower clocked than the Athlon X4, it's about the same price, and it's got the IGP so if your GTX460 goes *poof* at some point you won't be without your HTPC while you find a replacement GPU.... it sounds like your gaming needs are a bit beyond what I'd call "light" so you'll definitely appreciate the extra cores over the next couple of years.

Incidentally, it's worth noting that the A10 5800k spits out almost 60fps running Dirt Showdown @ 720p medium settings, and the low power A8 7600 (that DwU suggested above) runs Grid 2, 1080p High settings at over 30fps. IGP gaming may have come on somewhat since you last looked at it

[razer121]

Thanks guys! some very helpful post! I have been looking at the piledriver chips but the newer tech from AMD is really pulling me in, i think it would have to be an A8 for sure the one that is £60 looks to be perfect, an A10 chip seems to much for the budget at the moment but i won a bit on bingo so i have more to spend....oh the choices! time to go to google and look at some reviews!

Scaryjim your welcome to it now if your interested as the build is currently pulled apart and it is just a board i use for tests really!

Thanks again guys no end of help here

[Nezbert]

P. S. Have you tried the PCpartpicker UK site for choosing a build? It's really handy and you can select the compatibility option to ensure all your components are likely to work together.

If you're umming and aahing you can create an account and save various builds.

It also gives you the cheapest price for each component by automatically scanning Amazon, ebuyer, scan etc.

[philipmathews]

I'm a big fan of AMD FX processors, have the FX8350 and it's even now I don't feel it's slow. I built it for the wife, but some days it feels faster than my 3780K.