A new Buying Advice thread/idea

[Firestar]

Hi Guys,



For potential buyers, or potential customers:

This thread will contain information (eventually) of basically anything you need to find advice on. Please read the posts by the contributors in this thread quickly (each should give a summary of what component they are giving advice on), and see what they suggest. There will be no discussion in this thread. Please do not ask for advice in this thread (rather make a new topic in this forum if you're unclear of anything or if you require more advice)



For Contributors:

You guys have been doing a stellar job. I really appreciate this, as I hardly ever get time to look at the request threads, and yet you guys always keep these potential buyers happy with good advice. I've seen that you basically type the same advice over and over again, which is obviously a bit of a schlep. I've decided that the best way to deal with this, is to have this thread, where each of you knowledgeable chaps can make a post, with your latest advice for low, medium, and high budget computer systems. This achieves the following things:

1. It's a central topic, that anyone can look at, to find advice already given by the community
2. It's going to give potential buyers/customers more than just my opinion, but will give the opinions of basically every single person that has a bit of knowledge of computer components
3. It's going to allow you a place to post your advice once only, and then link to your post in this thread (if someone asks a question that you already answered in a post here), which means less typing for you
4. You can give advice on just about anything, from which PSU to buy, to which VGA card, to which system, or console game. Basically, anything you find yourself typing out again and again and again, you can add to a post in here, and then just link to it

When making a post (as contributor), please keep these things in mind:

1. Only have one post in this topic, please. Therefore, if you feel the need to update your post with new advice/information/more clarity, please copy your entire previous post (quote it, and then remove the quote tags to do it easily), make the changes, and post the entire updated post again as a new post. This will allow me to just delete your previous post, if you have an updated one, which means a more organised thread, and less clutter for potential customers to read through.
2. Please keep your posts organised. Please give a small summary of no more than a line or two, of what you intend to give advice on (see example post below), and make proper larger sized headings, underlined and bolded, so that potential buyers/customers can easily see what you are giving advice on (again, see example post).

Thanks for all your help (once again) in keeping Prophecy a good source of information when it comes to computer component/system purchases.

[Firestar]

Example post:



Summary (fontoint 4):

Budget 775 motherboard, bang for buck VGA card, and nice case for lanning.



Budget Intel Socket 775 motherboard (fontoint 3):

Asus P5KPL-AM SE - ~R480 (give approx price. Price will obviously change, so there's no need to be 100% exact)



Bang for Buck VGA card (fontoint 3):

Force3D 4850 512 - ~R1030

Force3D 4850 1GB - ~R1160



Nice Case for lanning (fontoint 3):

Coolermaster 690 Pure - ~R970 - Really nice case. Not too expensive. Nicely designed, easy to assemble, and is painted black on the inside.

Coolermaster Scout - ~R900 - Really nice lanning case. Looks awesome, and has a handle. What more can you ask for!



To make use of this format really easily, please quote this post, remove the quote tags above and at the bottom of the quoted post, and then make your changes, and post the new post.

[Firestar]

reserved

[DCC]

16/11/2009



Graphics Cards :



HTPC



A great HTPC card is the HD4350. This particular one features an all silent low profile design. It consumes less than 25 watts under load , has DX 10.1 support and can display movies at above 1080p resolutions.

Sapphire HD4350



Budget



A great budget gaming card is the HD4670. It doesn't require a power connector and offers better performance compared to a 9500GT and similar performance when compared to a 9600GT. Has DX 10.1 support.

Sapphire HD4670



Low-to-Mid Range



The best low-to-mid range graphics card to buy is the HD5750 as it's than the HD4850 and the GTS250 whilst

consuming less power and running at a lower temperature. It also has the benefit of DX 11 support.

Club 3D HD5750



Mid Range



The best mid range graphics card to buy is the HD5770 as it performs on par (+- 5%) with the HD4870 and the GTX260 whilst

consuming less power and running at a lower temperature. It also has the benefit of DX 11 support.

Club 3D HD5770



Mid-to-High Range



The best mid-to-high range graphics card to buy is the HD5850 as it's faster than the HD4890 , GTX275 and GTX285 whilst

consuming less power and running at a lower temperature. It also has the benefit of DX 11 support.

Sapphire HD5850



High Range



The best high range graphics card to buy is the HD5870 as it performs on par (+- 5%) with the HD4870x2 and the GTX295 whilst

consuming less power and running at a lower temperature. It also has the benefit of DX 11 support.

Sapphire HD5870

[SCHUMI_4EVER]

Power Supplies



These are just some things that I think the anyone looking to buy a power supply should consider.

I know these are relatively expensive especially if you're on a tight budget they just never seem to fit nicely for some reason but you have got to have one and there's a number of things to know when making your pick.



Rated Wattage VS Continuous Rating/Efficiency Rating

Don't just look at the Power Supplies' Wattage and decide it's sufficient. This wattage is it's absolute peak, not what it can actually achieve most of the time. What you have to also look at is the continuous rating or efficiency rating which typically can be 20% less than than the rated wattage. As an example we will take my relatively cheap Gigabyte Odin 720W, it only achieves 610W continuous power in reality. So if you're buying a cheap budget system and and just squeezing any old PSU in you may be getting less than you need eventhough it looks sufficient. As another example a 470W Power Supply might be providing as little as 380W.



Amps on the 12v rail

This generally only concerns you if you're getting a strong graphics card or if you're getting a bottom barrel PSU. Make sure that the minimum amp requirements for your graphics card are met by your PSU, in other words check the minimum amps against those on the 12v rail of your PSU. Generally though if your PSU is well above the minimum wattage specified by the graphics card then you won't need to worry about the amps on the 12v rail either.



Connectors

Make sure that the Power Supply you're choosing has the connectors your graphics card will need.



Normal VS Modular

Modular is best, it allows you to plug in only the cables you need thus saving space in your case improving airflow and generally just being less of an eye-sore if however your budget is tight then I am afraid this is a luxury you will have to do without.



Getting just what you need VS overkill

Well I personally prefer to think of overkill as peace of mind. The closer to the minimum you get the closer it is to using it's maximum potential, which means the harder it's being run theoretically the shorter it's lifespan and thus the closer to breaking it is. Conversely the bigger you buy the lighter it's being run the more reliably it performs, the longer it's lifespan and the more peace of mind that you have that it won't blow and take your expensive components with it. Now mind you by overkill I mean 100W or so more if it's only say R100-R200 more, not getting a 1000W power supply no matter the situation, in fact I don't think those are ever needed unless you have the absolute best graphics cards running in SLI/X-Fire along with the best processor.







Current Recommendations - Jan 2010

Some of these may looking like overkill to you (and perhaps some of the ones I list under medium to high-end are) but I don't look only at the wattage I also look at the brand as well as the price and weigh each of those factors up to choose the optimal one which sometimes means that I mention a high wattage PSU not only because I am trying to preach overkill but it also happens to have a good price for what it offers.



Budget Buyer:

ABSOLUTE Minimum - Gigabyte Odin 470W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/gigabyte-o...y-p-31568.html

Recommended Minimum - Gigabyte Odin 585W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/gigabyte-o...y-p-31569.html

Corair VX550W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/corsair-vx...w-p-30333.html

Comfortable Choice - Gigabyte Odin 720W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/gigabyte-o...y-p-31570.html



Regular to high-end buyer looking to SLI/X-Fire Medium cards:

Gigabyte Odin 720W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/gigabyte-o...y-p-31570.html

Corsair TX650W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/corsair-tx...w-p-27712.html

Corsair TX750W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/corsair-tx...w-p-25607.html

Corsair HX750 - http://www.prophecy.co.za/corsair-hx...t-p-46676.html



High-End buyer looking to SLI/X-Fire high-end cards:

Corsair TX850W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/corsair-tx...w-p-33711.html

Corsair HX850W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/corsair-hx...t-p-46677.html

Antec TruePower Quattor 850W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/antec-true...t-p-22000.html

CoolerMaster RealPower 850W - http://www.prophecy.co.za/coolermast...w-p-38705.html

[spit]

Processors



Processors are the main component to any good computer the processor is vital to your computer as it is basically the brains of the system. Your choice can vary from Budget to high end, Or by what you plan to use your computer for. I will compile a list of processors from both AMD and Intel. The processsors will be mentioned by budget and not uses.



Low end Intel: Core2Duo E5300

Link: http://www.prophecy.co.za/intel-pent...z-p-33775.html

Price:R690

Uses: Any low end computer to be used as a work system mainly using Word processing programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and power point.



Low to Mid Range Intel: Core2duo E7400

Link: http://www.prophecy.co.za/intel-core...m-p-31577.html

Price:R1200

Uses: Any low to mid range computer or gaming computer. I own this processor and have experienced no hassles or lag during Game play or Usual tasks on my computer. It can multi task quite well as i have had a few programs open at a time with no lag or hangs. Also not a bad clocking Cpu even though there is better out there.



Mid range Intel: Core i5 750

Link: http://www.prophecy.co.za/intel-lga1...o-p-56771.html

Price:R2100

Uses: Gaming or work computer with Graphics intense tasks or Processor intensive tasks. Future proof is always a bonus too.



Mid to High End Intel: Core i7 920 D0

Link: http://www.prophecy.co.za/intel-i7ne...s-p-31955.html

Price:R3000

Uses: one of the most common i7's used by many forum members. very good clocking chip and Good for a high end gaming machine or Video encoding Machine.



High end Intel: Core i7 975 XE

Link: http://www.prophecy.co.za/intel-i7ne...s-p-36910.html

Price: R11200

Uses: Anything really. If you can afford this chip you can pretty much do anything with this chip in a High end machine



Overclocking Intel: Core2Duo E8600 or i7 975 XE or i7 920 D0

Link for Core2Duo E8600: http://www.prophecy.co.za/intel-core...t-p-29431.html

Link for Core i7 975 XE: http://www.prophecy.co.za/intel-i7ne...s-p-36910.html

Link for Core i7 920 D0: http://www.prophecy.co.za/intel-i7ne...s-p-31955.html

Prices: E8600 - R3000

920 D0 - R3000

975 XE - R11200

Uses: all these above chips are excellent for clocking coupled with a good board you will reach high clocks and good scores in any Benchmarking application.



Low end AMD: Athlon II 240

Link: http://www.prophecy.co.za/socket-am2...n-p-56766.html

Price: R700

Uses: same as E5300



Low to Mid End AMD: Phemon 2 x2 550 BE

Link: http://www.prophecy.co.za/socket-phe...z-p-52289.html

Price:R1100

Uses: same as E7400



Mid end AMD: Phemon 2 x4 945

Link: http://www.prophecy.co.za/socket-phe...z-p-37207.html

Price:R1820

Uses: same as Q8300



Mid to high end AMD: Phemon 2 x4 955

Link: http://www.prophecy.co.za/socket-phe...n-p-37208.html

Price:R2000

Uses: same as Q8300



High end AMD: Phemon 2 x4 965 BE

Link: http://www.prophecy.co.za/socket-phe...n-p-63649.html

Price: R2200

Uses: same as i7 920. Top of the range AMD chip available today and Is defiantly A good buy for its price.



You may have noticed the AMD chips are alot cheaper than the Intel chips, But the Intel chips are better than the AMD chips in certain ways. AMD is a Bang for buck chip, While Intel is a Performance chip. Its your choice on which brand you prefer.

[SCHUMI_4EVER]

Anyone mind if I unsticky this? It's pretty out of date and would require a huge amount of effort to update and I believe my build suggestions thread should already serve most people. I'm mainly concerned because the thread still seems to receive a lot of attention despite how out of date it is. That isn't really fair.