Mid range PC - Budget 30-35K

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Mid range PC - Budget 45K

1. What is the purpose of the computer? What all applications and games are you going to run? (Stupid answers like 'gaming' or 'office work' will not work. Be exact. Which games? Which applications? Avoid the word 'et cetera.')

Ans: Better multi-tasking (my job requires use of VMs and remote assistance tools), plus I want to be able to watch Full HD movies on it. Gaming is optional as I have Xbox 360 and I love it. Applications would be Virtualbox, VMWare, Teamviewer etc.

2. What is your overall budget? If you can extend a bit for a more balanced configuration, then mention this too.

Ans: 45K at max.

3. Planning to overclock?

Ans: Not really if it can do just fine. But I want my rig to be as fast as possible for my work.

4. Which Operating System are you planning to use?

Ans: I have Win 7 Pro 64 bit license. I use Linux as well.

5. How much hard drive space is needed?

Ans: As hard drive prices are high, I would satisfy with only 160 GB Or less, will be used for OS and my job work only, for movies, I've 2TB external drive.

6. Do you want to buy a monitor? If yes, please mention which screen size and resolution do you want. If you already have a monitor and want to reuse it, again mention the size and resolution of monitor you have.

Ans: Yes, Full HD 1080p enabled 27 inch or more LCD/LED monitor. I would prefer to have multiple digital inputs (hdmi, dvi, vga) as I want to connect my Xbox 360 to it as well and game on 720p/1080p if possible. Plus I want to watch full HD Movies too as mentioned before.

7. Which components you DON'T want to buy or which components you already have and plan on reusing?

Ans:
a) I can skip discrete GPU purchase as I want PC for work, movies only.
b) I have Intex UPS 600 VA, Typhoon Maxima 2.1 Speakers.
c) DVD drive can be skipped, as I seldom use it anyway.
d) Keyboard and Mouse must be comfortable as I need to use computer for long duration.

8. When are you planning to buy the system?

Ans: As soon as possible, within 1-2 weeks.

9. Have you ever built a desktop before or will this be done by an assembler?

Ans: Yes, I can do it myself. I have an assembler friend as well.

10. Where do you live? Are you buying locally? Are you open to buying stuff from online shops if you don't get locally?

Ans: I live in a small district town in Madhya Pradesh. So I would prefer buying from online shops mostly. My place is 500 kms far from Mumbai though.

11. Anything else which you would like to say?

Ans: Emphasis on -
a) CPU and RAM (Better multi-tasking is most important requirement, 8 GB RAM would be good?)
b) I need preferably big size monitor (27'' or more) if possible (for better windows/desktop management, better movies experience on PC and better gaming experience on Xbox 360)

If more details are needed, please ask away and I'll provide. Thanks. :razz:

Processor: AMD A6-3500 @4650
Mobo:Gigabyte GA-A55M-S2H @4500 RAM: G-skill Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9S-4GBXL @1665
WDC 250GB Blue WD2500AAKX @3766
ASUS 24X Sata Black DVD @1150
PSU: FSP Saga II 500W @2200
Zebronics Bijli(w/o psu) @1200
Monitor: Benq G2222HDL@ 7650
Keyboard & Mouse: Amkette ClASSIC DUO @406
UPS: Intex 1KVA @1800
Altec Lansing BXR1221 @1000
Total 31400 approx.

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Thank you thetechfreak for the quick response.

I think I need to edit my first post. I need big size monitor, preferably 27 inches or more.

I can cut down costs on DVD drive (not necessary), UPS (I have one 600VA lying around), Speakers (2.1 subwoofer)

Thanks a lot.

Component Make Price
CPU AMD FX 4100 3.6GHz 6140
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-880GM-D2H 4020
RAM 2 x G.Skill Value DDR3 4 GB 2300
GPU Sparkle GeForce GT 520 2646
HDD WDCaviar Blue 250GB 3750
Case Zebronics Bijli 1200
PSU FSP Saga II 500 2300
Monitor AOC 27" LED Monitor 17000
KB + Mouse Amkette Classic Duo 390
TOTAL 39746

>If you can settle for a 24" monitor then grab the Phenom 960T with the extra bucks you save.(just let me know, will rewrite the config)

>For HD content playback atleast a GT 520 is recommended.

RiGod has given a very good config but even I'm with 960T at 7K. It provides better performance for the type of apps you're working on. FX4100 has some issues.

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RiGOD and Cilus, thank you very much for your valuable suggestions. Though I have some doubts.

>For HD content playback atleast a GT 520 is recommended.

How about recent APU from AMD like A6-3650? Can't it play full HD content on HD Monitors? Do I really need a discrete GPU to watch HD movies?

>If you can settle for a 24" monitor then grab the Phenom 960T with the extra bucks you save.(just let me know, will rewrite the config)

Please reply with new config so I can get better idea of prices. But would it really be worthy to opt for Phenom processor? Can't AMD A6 APU cut the bargain (it has 4 cores as well with decent inbuilt GPU) and allow me to use big monitor size to advantage? How much more it could impact the performance on the type of applications I intend to work on?

I really appreciate the kind of help I'm getting from TD forum. I'm happy to be here :mrgreen:

Thank you very much mates :razz:

for running VM apps it's better to have more the cpu cores and ram. A6-3500 is a tri core APU running at 2.1Ghz which ain't enough to run VM like apps.

FX-4100 / 960T - both are quad core cpus with decent stock clock speed and will perform good in VM apps.

If you need a good APU which can perform good in both gfx and VM apps - get A6-3650 ( HD6530) @ ~5.5k with a decent A75 mobo which should let you OC the APU later if needed and give you a chance to upgrade to trinity in the future too ;-)

Check out this too. Using a 24" monitor here.

Component Make Price
CPU AMD Phenom II 960T 6960
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-880GM-USB3L 5150
RAM 2 x G.Skill Value DDR3 4 GB 2300
GPU Sparkle GeForce GT 520 2646
HDD WDCaviar Blue 250GB 3750
Case CM Elite 310 1750
PSU CORSAIR CX500 3200
Monitor Dell ST2420L 12600
KB + Mouse Logitech MK200 700
TOTAL 39056

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topgear said:
for running VM apps it's better to have more the cpu cores and ram. A6-3500 is a tri core APU running at 2.1Ghz which ain't enough to run VM like apps.

FX-4100 / 960T - both are quad core cpus with decent stock clock speed and will perform good in VM apps.

If you need a good APU which can perform good in both gfx and VM apps - get A6-3650 ( HD6530) @ ~5.5k with a decent A75 mobo which should let you OC the APU later if needed and give you a chance to upgrade to trinity in the future too

Thank you topgear for explaining. I actually got confused with A6-3650 and 3500. LOL my bad!

Can you please suggest the complete configuration you are talking about? I wish I can skip GT 520 GPU then, and be able to get 27 inch monitor as planned.

Thank you RiGOD. I'll take a look into it.

I dunno why you want to skip the GT520 so badly. Anyways here's an A6 config skipping the GPU as you told.

Component Make Price
CPU AMD A6 3650 6470
Motherboard ASUS F1A75-M LE 6100
RAM 2 x G.Skill Value DDR3 4 GB 2300
HDD WD Caviar Blue 250GB 3750
Case Zebronics Bijli 1200
PSU FSP Saga II 500 2300
Monitor AOC 27" LED 17000
KB + Mouse Logitech MK200 700
TOTAL 39820

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RiGOD said:
I dunno why you want to skip the GT520 so badly. Anyways here's an A6 config skipping the GPU as you told.

Thanks again. I don't want to skip mate, but I don't want to loose big 27'' screen estate due to it. Mostly PC is for work/internet related purposes and watching movies. Gaming would be done on my jtagged Xbox 360 which I bought last year. But Xbox would also use the same monitor!

Another query - So will this APU A6-3650 be able to play Full HD movies on that big display? Is that HDCP capable? I heard it's powerful enough to play most modern games at lowest settings. I want to confirm this before purchase to avoid unnecessary hassles later.

How about A8-3850? Does it improves the performance significantly over A6? Also I'm wondering why no Intel recommendations here? Is it because they are costly or not fitted in my provided criteria?

Some more queries -

1) How about these PSU options instead - Corsair CX430v2 430w or Antec VP 450? Or is FSP Saga II better than those?

2) I have heard NZXT Gamma is better case? or Bijli is good enough for my rig?

3) I think I can arrange for a second hand hard disk from my friend which he doesn't use. So what else I can opt from those savings? Phenom II 960T with GT520 GPU. That way I can get best of all, great CPU, GPU and 27'' monitor all in one package :razz:

Sorry for so many questions. But I want this PC to be able to serve me for at least 2-3 years. So I want a little future proof option

Video game's or HD movie playback performance doesn't depend upon the size of the display, it depends upon the resolution you're using. The 27" display you can get at your budget will be of 1080P (1920X1080) resolution and on that resolution the IGP of A6-3650 can handle HD playback as well as casual gaming with ease. It has all the digital display output ports like DVI and HDMI.
And you're right, at your budget good Intel config isn't possible.

For PSU, Corsair CX430 V2 and FSP SAGA II 500 is more or less same but you'll get 3 yrs of warranty with Corsair compared to 2 years of FSP. I don't think Antec VP450 comes at cheaper price.

At your budget getting a good cabinet is little difficult. The price of NZXT Gamma is 2.3k and NZXT Source 210 Elite is 2.4K. Better get a good case like Cooler Master Elite 300 or 311 whic are available within 2K.

If you want a future proof PC then get 960T and add a GPU later. But I would recommend you to get a good board like Gigabyte GA-880GM-USB3 @ 4.8K with 960T. Then you can unlock the extra two cores safely.

Cilus said:
Video game's or HD movie playback performance doesn't depend upon the size of the display, it depends upon the resolution you're using. The 27" display you can get at your budget will be of 1080P (1920X1080) resolution and on that resolution the IGP of A6-3650 can handle HD playback as well as casual gaming with ease. It has all the digital display output ports like DVI and HDMI.
And you're right, at your budget good Intel config isn't possible.

For PSU, Corsair CX430 V2 and FSP SAGA II 500 is more or less same but you'll get 3 yrs of warranty with Corsair compared to 2 years of FSP. I don't think Antec VP450 comes at cheaper price.

At your budget getting a good cabinet is little difficult. The price of NZXT Gamma is 2.3k and NZXT Source 210 Elite is 2.4K. Better get a good case like Cooler Master Elite 300 or 311 whic are available within 2K.

If you want a future proof PC then get 960T and add a GPU later. But I would recommend you to get a good board like Gigabyte GA-880GM-USB3 @ 4.8K with 960T. Then you can unlock the extra two cores safely.

@cilus: is gigabyte ga-880gm-usb3 can safely unlock the two cores or it would be wiser to go for asus m5a97 ?

^^ 2 extra core means more power. even if TDP will remain at 95W, it'll need more power. so M5A97 is a safe bet. also with it you can overclock without worrying about PC shutting down, crashing cause of lack of power.

W

Asus M5A97 has 4+2 phase design while 880GM-USB3 has 4+1 phase design which means M5A97 has better power delivery mechanism.according to many a 4+2 phase design is minimum for safe unlocking & overclocking of 960T/6 core phenom.

@ OP - if you're going to get M5A97 ( the mobo has no IGP ports ) just make sure you get the GT520 GPU along with it ;-)

But Gigabyte 880GM-USB3 does support 125W processor and lot of people are running it with phenom II X6 processors, including couple of my friends. So I guess 960T can be unlocked safely with this board.

W

if that's the case then it is good.after all real world performance always has a higher priority over theoretical performance.if 4+1 phase of 880GM is running fine with x6 then it is the only option for ~5000 as M5A97 costs ~6200.

P.S.btw 4+1 phase design is minimum for a 125W TDP processor support.even GA78LMT-S2P(rev 3.1) has 125W TDP processor support because of 4+1 design.though quality of VRM also matters so it seems like 880GM-USB3 has good quality VRM components.

1

Thank you all contributors. Your posts were very enlightening and informative. I really appreciate your efforts to explain in detail.

I have this rig in mind based on all above contributors suggestion. Please let me know if it's compatible or not.

CPU - AMD Phenom II 960T - 6960
Motherboard - Asus M5A97 - 6200
RAM - 2 x G.Skill Value DDR3 4 GB - 2300
GPU - Sparkle GeForce GT 520 - 2646
Case - NZXT Gamma/Bijli ? - 2300/1200
PSU - FSP Saga II 500/Corsair CX 430 V2 ? - 2300
Monitor - AOC 27" LED - 17000
KB + Mouse - Logitech MK200 - 700
TOTAL - 40406/39306

Sorry, I don't know how to create table here

How is it? I have doubts about PSU and Case so dunno which one to opt. I can go over 40k if only a matter of few hundred bucks to get a better rig

Also please suggest me where to get the components, links to the best price online shops would be really helpful

Edit : I have Asus NVidia 7300 GS PCIEx graphics card from my previous PC which I sold 1 year ago. I'm wondering if it could be useful or I throw it away?

M

I think the 500 W Psu would do good.
The bulldozer series are good if you do a lot of virtual machines
but fx 4100 is no good.
fx 6100 makes more sense.....

1manshow said:
Thank you all contributors. Your posts were very enlightening and informative. I really appreciate your efforts to explain in detail.

I have this rig in mind based on all above contributors suggestion. Please let me know if it's compatible or not.

CPU - AMD Phenom II 960T - 6960
Motherboard - Asus M5A97 - 6200
RAM - 2 x G.Skill Value DDR3 4 GB - 2300
GPU - Sparkle GeForce GT 520 - 2646
Case - NZXT Gamma/Bijli ? - 2300/1200
PSU - FSP Saga II 500/Corsair CX 430 V2 ? - 2300
Monitor - AOC 27" LED - 17000
KB + Mouse - Logitech MK200 - 700
TOTAL - 40406/39306

Sorry, I don't know how to create table here

How is it? I have doubts about PSU and Case so dunno which one to opt. I can go over 40k if only a matter of few hundred bucks to get a better rig

Also please suggest me where to get the components, links to the best price online shops would be really helpful

Edit : I have Asus NVidia 7300 GS PCIEx graphics card from my previous PC which I sold 1 year ago. I'm wondering if it could be useful or I throw it away?

Change that bolded part with G.Skill RipjawsX F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL @2K

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d6bmg said:
Change that bolded part with G.Skill RipjawsX F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL @2K

Any special reason for opting that RAM modules except low prices?

1manshow said:
Edit : I have Asus NVidia 7300 GS PCIEx graphics card from my previous PC which I sold 1 year ago. I'm wondering if it could be useful or I throw it away?

Good for nothing now.
Keep it as souvenir. :wink:

V

I use an amd fx4100. Is something wrong with the processor? Is it good? It's all fine for me! I got the processor, with m5a97 for 12k dot.

1manshow said:
Any special reason for opting that RAM modules except low prices?

It is a very good kit. Can run at 8-8-8-24 2T @1600MHz with the fan set. (won't be stable for too long though)

But, that fun deal is over. So, ignore my previous post.

1manshow said:
Case - NZXT Gamma/Bijli ? - 2300/1200
PSU - FSP Saga II 500/Corsair CX 430 V2 ? - 2300

Sorry, I don't know how to create table here

How is it? I have doubts about PSU and Case so dunno which one to opt. I can go over 40k if only a matter of few hundred bucks to get a better rig

Bijli is good at Rs. 1.5k price point - also look for CM Elite 350 at the same price point.

Gamma is ~2.2-2.5k and has great ventilation/air flow system - so pick one which you think best.

for th PSu get Corsair CX430v2

Vish2a9l said:
I use an amd fx4100. Is something wrong with the processor? Is it good? It's all fine for me! I got the processor, with m5a97 for 12k dot.

it depends on your usage type ... if you feel like FX4100 is doing well in all of your apps/games then don't think too much about this ;-)

1

Thank you all. Now please suggest me which websites to look for buying these components? If possible, provide the direct links for best buy option for following components.

CPU - AMD Phenom II 960T
Motherboard - Asus M5A97
RAM - 2 x G.Skill RipjawsX F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
GPU - Sparkle GeForce GT 520
Case - NZXT Gamma
PSU - Corsair CX 430 V2
Monitor - AOC 27" LED
KB + Mouse - Logitech MK200

^^SMC international

Here you are

CPU AMD Phenom II 960T
Motherboard Asus M5A97
RAM 2 x G.Skill RipjawsX F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
GPU Sparkle GeForce GT 520
Case NZXT Gamma
PSU Corsair CX 430 V2
Monitor AOC 27" LED
KB + Mouse Logitech MK200

EDIT : Here's the link for RAM.

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Thank you very much RiGOD

I think RAM is too costly. I would prefer with old RAM config -
RAM - 2 x G.Skill Value DDR3 4 GB

Do all above website links contain shipping charges included? Or they are charged separately?

^^Everything except the case is free shipping. The shipping cost of the case would be around 600.

RiGOD said:
Here you are

CPU AMD Phenom II 960T
Motherboard Asus M5A97
RAM 2 x G.Skill RipjawsX F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
GPU Sparkle GeForce GT 520
Case NZXT Gamma
PSU Corsair CX 430 V2
Monitor AOC 27" LED
KB + Mouse Logitech MK200

EDIT : Here's the link for RAM.

SMC is selling most of the components in cheaper price. And avoid Sparkle Gfx card, they are of very bad quality. Spend couple of bucks more and get the Zotac GT 240 1 GB GDDR5 Flipkart: Zotac NVIDIA GeForce GT240 1 GB GDDR5 Graphics Card: Graphics Card @ 3.3K. It performs better than gt 520.

1

Thank you Cilus. I'm not sure if it's worth to shell out 700 bucks more for graphics card, esp. if I don't need it for gaming. Or do you mean GT 520 is faulty piece of hardware? I know ddr5 is the winner but if I don't do gaming, is it worth to still opt for GT 240 (DX 10.1) which is basically older tech than GT 520 (DX 11)?

GT240 is a more future proof solution but if you won't play games then get GT520 / HD6450 ( get the cheapest one ) - both are good for HD movie watching ;-)

Actually GT 520 is very weak card and priced almost at 3K. This card will face problem to run games at 1080P resolution, sometimes even with the lower details. That's why I've suggested GT 240 for casual gaming. Price will be only 300-500 bucks extra compared to the standard price of GT 520.

1

Hey guys, I'm now into ordering the above rig. Thanks all for your contributions.

How about getting this processor Flipkart: AMD 3 GHz AM3 Phenom II 1075T Processor: Processor instead of Phenom II 960T? I can spend extra 400-500 bucks if that processor works much better for my purpose? Please help me take final decision.

Sorry for making haste, someone please suggest me if 1075T is better to go for or 960T is good enough (I'm worried if I can unlock 2 extra cores as it involves good bit of luck in it

)

^^ go for it (1075T) ... at that price it's a lot more better ;-)

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Thanks a lot topgear. Will go for it! Problem is I order 960T yesterday, need to cancel it.

^You should do it fast then.

1

How is this power supply instead of Corsair CX 430 V2? It costs 300 bucks more but is it worth the extra cost?

^^ overpriced and the cables are sleeveless too though it offers 24W more than CX430v2 it's better to stick with either cx430v2 or get CX500v2 - if you want something cheap then consider getting corsair VS450 @ 2.2k ;-)

1

Okay thanks topgear once again. Will stick to CX430 V2.

1

Hey guys, I have got some extra funding (Rs. 3000 more) but unfortunately the processor 1070T got out of stock from flipkart

Now I want to decide from following options -

AMD FX 6100 Zambezi 3.3 GHz - 6 Core - 8000/-
v/s
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition - 6 Core - 8950/-

Which would overclock best and give the best performance for my needs? Or any better option than that? I don't want to spend more than 9-10K at max on processor. Sadly, now I can't go Intel way as I already got AMD motherboard

BTW I have bought and got these components till now -

Motherboard - Asus M5A97 - 6050/-
RAM - 2 x 4GB Corsair Vengeance 1600 - 3300/-
GPU - Zotac Geforce GT 240 1 GB DDR5 - 3235/-
Case - NZXT Gamma - 2600/-
PSU - Corsair CX 430 V2 - 2490/-

AMD 3.5 GHz AM3 Phenom II 970. With the money you save get a CM Hyper 212 Evo an OC it like hell.

M

1manshow said:
RiGOD and Cilus, thank you very much for your valuable suggestions. Though I have some doubts.

How about recent APU from AMD like A6-3650? Can't it play full HD content on HD Monitors? Do I really need a discrete GPU to watch HD movies?

APU like A6 3650 will be best bet for watching movies.

and some mild gaming.Oops you bought your motherboard go for this then AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition

If you are planning to get an after market CPU cooler then I strongly suggest to get G-Skill RipjawX 1600 instead of Vengeance. The big heat sink in Vengeance is known to create problem with the placement of the CPU coolers. Beside that, Ripjaw's performance is also better.

And regarding Motherboard, get the Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 motherboard at 6.6K. This baby has 8+2 phase VRM design and far better for overclocking. It is also more feature rich than the ASUS M5A97

Sorry, didn't notice you've bought all the components.

regarding selection of processor, FX 6100 is simply out of the equation due to its very poor performance. Now if you're gonna use multi-threaded apps like Audio/Video encoding apps, Photoshop etc, get 1075T or 1090T which offers better performance than FX 6100. These two hex core can also be overclocked in very high level with a decent CPU cooler. both are capable of running at 4 GHz + with Hyper 212 EVO. So gaming performance is also very good.

But if main concern is gaming then grab the Phenom II X4 970 and overclocked it like hell as RiGOD suggested.

1

RiGOD said:
AMD 3.5 GHz AM3 Phenom II 970. With the money you save get a CM Hyper 212 Evo an OC it like hell.

Thank you RiGOD, but I am not going to game using PC much. My needs are better multi-tasking and use of VMs/remote assistance tools. For gaming, I have Jtagged Xbox 360, which serves well for now.

Cilus said:
If you are planning to get an after market CPU cooler then I strongly suggest to get G-Skill RipjawX 1600 instead of Vengeance. The big heat sink in Vengeance is known to create problem with the placement of the CPU coolers. Beside that, Ripjaw's performance is also better.

And regarding Motherboard, get the Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 motherboard at 6.6K. This baby has 8+2 phase VRM design and far better for overclocking. It is also more feature rich than the ASUS M5A97

Sorry, didn't notice you've bought all the components.

regarding selection of processor, FX 6100 is simply out of the equation due to its very poor performance. Now if you're gonna use multi-threaded apps like Audio/Video encoding apps, Photoshop etc, get 1075T or 1090T which offers better performance than FX 6100. These two hex core can also be overclocked in very high level with a decent CPU cooler. both are capable of running at 4 GHz + with Hyper 212 EVO. So gaming performance is also very good.

But if main concern is gaming then grab the Phenom II X4 970 and overclocked it like hell as RiGOD suggested.

Thank you Cilus. I was suggested the M5A97 motherboard by many people in previous posts here, so I bought it :cry:

. Dunno if I can ask for replacement, as I bought it from ITWares online shop.

For RAM, G.Skill was not available and it was suggested by Itwares owner Rahul that Vengeance is much better performance wise and is comparable to Sniper series than RipjawX? Also I was made convinced by him that Vengeance works fine with Hyper EVO, only one Noctua cooler (D40 or something like that) has problems with Vengeance. Should I ask for replacement if it doesn't work with any aftermarket cooler? :shock:

Ok, so back to CPU, which one would be best to plunge upon -

AMD Phenom II X6 1055T - 7600/-
or
AMD Phenom II X6 1075T - 8350/-
or
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T - 8975/-

I don't think Vengeance is a problem with Hyper 212 EVO as the cooler isn't that big.
Regarding processor, if your budget permits, get the 1090T.

@ OP - I think this should help ;-)

*cdn.overclock.net/5/5d/600x450px-LL-5d644ae6_DSCN1793.jpeg

if there's ain't enough space between cpu socket and ram slots you may have to install the cooler fan like the above pic but if you have two ram modules only you can install the fan on the opposite direction too facing the ram slots like this :

*i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad144/Dream_Theaterx/20120330_175647.jpg

or the cooler can be installed like this as well ;-)

*s.lowyat.net/uploads//attach-87/post-413187-1294552726.jpg

1

Cilus said:
I don't think Vengeance is a problem with Hyper 212 EVO as the cooler isn't that big.
Regarding processor, if your budget permits, get the 1090T.

Thanks again mate, but what I meant to ask between those processors is if paying 1.5K more worth if I get 1090T? I've heard all three of them can be overclocked till 4 GHz (that is what I'm aiming at, no more than that).

topgear said:
@ OP - I think this should help

Thank you topgear, will see if I need those adjustments in my case. Hope it fits fine with the RAM modules I got. :-D

All of them can be overclocked but with the Non-BE processors, you have to play with the Base clock frequecny (which is 200 MHz by default). Now the clock also drives the speed of other components like the PCI-E speed, Memory speed. Also you have to be extra careful while increasing voltae.

On the other hand, 1090T is a Black edition processor and comes with unlocked multiplier. So just increase the multiplier and you are flying.

1

Thank you very much Cilus, will now go for 1090T. I see you too use same processor. How is the performance overall? How much stable overclock you can expect with stock cooling?

Also will I be able to overclock fine with Asus M5A97? Or I must get it replaced with Gigabyte offering you suggested earlier?

for OCing GA-970A-UD3 is better - the extra 4 power phases will come into play while OCing.

1

Okay. The dealer has agreed to swap the motherboard with GA-970A-UD3. Now I want to know, is it really worth the extra 600 Rs. or M5A97 should be good enough to let my system run better with overclocking? Do note that I don't want to create any overclocking record, just would like to get my 1090T processor clock run at 4+ GHz 24/7. Any insights? Should I go for Gigabyte or content with M5A97?

^^While suggesting the GA-970A-UD3 nobody here expected you to make a world record dude

. The VRM's of the same are way better than M5A97's and the extra 600 you're shelling out is really worth it. You're lucky that the dealer has agreed to exchange the same.

1

Ok. Thanks RiGOD and topgear. Will arrange for motherboard replacement. Can someone suggest me the best price for 1090T and CM Hyper Evo cooler?

1090T @ 9k ;-)

Buy AMD Phenom II Processor | AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Processor in India

Cm Hyper 212 Evo is ~2.2k at everywhere - only SMC may have a little cheaper price though.

1

Thank you topgear. I ordered it from Prime

I've read some other threads and most of the experienced members emphasized on better PSU (over 500W) if you want to go overclocking way.

I have bought low end graphics (GT 240) and I am only going to do very casual gaming on PC. Most of the times I'll watch HD movies only for entertainment, most gaming will be done on Xbox 360. So in total, I won't be stressing PSU from graphics end.

Though processor wise, I'm planning to overclock in order to squeeze in the best performance possible out of it. Now I want to ask if Corsair CX 430 V2 would cut it fine even if I do CPU overclocking?

^^A SeaSonic S12 II 520 is recommended for OC'ing.

1manshow said:
Though processor wise, I'm planning to overclock in order to squeeze in the best performance possible out of it. Now I want to ask if Corsair CX 430 V2 would cut it fine even if I do CPU overclocking?

Since you don't have a pow. hungry GPU, CX430 V2 will suffice..

1

RiGOD said:
^^A SeaSonic S12 II 520 is recommended for OC'ing.

MegaMind said:
Since you don't have a pow. hungry GPU, CX430 V2 will suffice..

I cannot upgrade now as I've already purchased Corsair CX 430 V2. And I don't think I'll upgrade my system anytime soon. I just wanted to know if my system can handle CPU overclocking. Thank you very much for your answers :-D

Well you can. But donot push too hard. Very small increments at a time and run a full stress test after making any change. Remember damage to your processor or Power Supply is not covered under warranty of either of them.

1

^^Thank you thetechfreak, will keep that in mind. Will proceed with extreme caution only. Thanks for your insights.

@ OP - if you are going to OC a 1090T like cpu you better get a 600W or more PSU.

1

@ topgear

Even if I don't have any other stressful components like high end graphics? I only want to overclock CPU so that it performs better with my work applications and VM environment. I am not going to play any games on PC.

Too bad I've already bought PSU. Dunno what to do now?

Edit : I've tried this calculator and used 4.1 Ghz overclock as base too, yet my recommended wattage doesn't go over 363W. So I think Corsair PSU could hold this right?

T

OCed Hexacore @ 3.8 GHz will draw 280W Under Load all for himself.
i.e. 65% Wattage of your PSU leaving just 150W for all other components.

1

Okay, okay. I'll try to get PSU replaced. If not possible, I'll drop the idea of overclocking for now

Dealer has agreed to swap the PSU. He has Corsair GS600 available in stock (for 2K more). Seasonic S12 II 620W is out of stock.

What say guys?

S

Go for it

1

^^ Is that PSU good enough to handle any amount of overclocking load from my processor? Also can I add some high end graphics card later as well if I wish to? I now want to make sure twice before buying upgraded PSU. Is it worth to go for this now instead of waiting for Seasonic S12 II 620W to get in stock?

Thanks for bearing with me

S

Yes GS600 is capable of handling overclocks and good GPU (don't expect it to do GTX 690 SLi though). It can handle GPUs like hd 7870 and hd 7950.

@OP : FYI Seasonic S12 II 620W has far better build quality, similar to Corsair's TX series. It comes with a 5 year warranty too.

1manshow said:
@ topgear

Even if I don't have any other stressful components like high end graphics? I only want to overclock CPU so that it performs better with my work applications and VM environment. I am not going to play any games on PC.

Too bad I've already bought PSU. Dunno what to do now?

Edit : I've tried this calculator and used 4.1 Ghz overclock as base too, yet my recommended wattage doesn't go over 363W. So I think Corsair PSU could hold this right?

Tech_Wiz said:
OCed Hexacore @ 3.8 GHz will draw 280W Under Load all for himself.
i.e. 65% Wattage of your PSU leaving just 150W for all other components.

this should give you guys a good idea ;-)

*i.neoseeker.com/neo_image/177583/article/amd_phenom_x6_1090t/power2.png

1

topgear said:
this should give you guys a good idea

So will a 600W PSU be able to hold this or not? I'm already over the budget now so will drop the idea of overclocking if it takes more wattage than that.

If you need to use Virtualization/VMWare 8GB RAM is minimum... else your machine will crawl, and infinite IO loops...
And you should get quad or higher cores...

Lets say you run 2 instances of Windows 7, both need 1 core each, 2gb ram each to run smooth. So 4GB Ram for guests and 2GB ram for HOST, 3 cores used. 1 core usually free.

at my workplace we allocate 8gb ram and 2 cores to each Windows 7 VM... in the vsphere cloud.

most of our machines have 8-16 cores, 24gb ram, 4tb TB raid disks....

To all the gamers.. 4gb ram is very tiny when it comes to the cloud...This not a desktop PC or Gaming PC whatsoever.. obviously no gfx card

a_k_s_h_a_y said:
If you need to use Virtualization/VMWare 8GB RAM is minimum... else your machine will crawl, and infinite IO loops...
And you should get quad or higher cores...

Lets say you run 2 instances of Windows 7, both need 1 core each, 2gb ram each to run smooth. So 4GB Ram for guests and 2GB ram for HOST, 3 cores used. 1 core usually free.

at my workplace we allocate 8gb ram and 2 cores to each Windows 7 VM... in the vsphere cloud.

most of our machines have 8-16 cores, 24gb ram, 4tb TB raid disks....

To all the gamers.. 4gb ram is very tiny when it comes to the cloud...This not a desktop PC or Gaming PC whatsoever.. obviously no gfx card

Sorry, didn't get your point. How will these stuff affect OP?

EDIT : Ignore this post, rechecked OP's purpose for PC.

1

@ a_k_s_h_a_y

I appreciate your concern. But I've already bought hexacore Phenom II 1090T and 8 GB RAM for it. Also I don't need to run those apps all the time, only for 8-10 hrs of my work time. Other time, I won't be using PC much except for watching movies, or casual gaming on Xbox. That's it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay my rig so far (some components are acquired already, some in transit) -

AMD Phenom II X6 1090T - 9160/- In transit
Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 - 6600/- Not shipped yet, replacement
Corsair Vengeance 1600 4GB x2 - 3300/- Got already
Zotac Geforce GT 240 1G DDR5 - 3235/- Got already
NZXT Gamma - 2600/- Got already
Seasonic S12 II 620 or Corsair GS600 - 4600/- Waiting for stock

Now I'm left with buying Monitor, CPU Cooler, UPS (I think my current UPS won't cut off with this rig), HDD (can skip if I get my friend's used hard disk).

Guys, please suggest some good monitor for 16-17K. Monitor is going to be used with PC (for HD movies and work) and Xbox 360 (for gaming) both connected to it all the time. I am confused with 24" or 27". I've heard 27" is not good if it has 1080p resolution only?

1manshow said:
So will a 600W PSU be able to hold this or not? I'm already over the budget now so will drop the idea of overclocking if it takes more wattage than that.

a 600W PSU is enough for your rig.

1

Guys, please suggest some good monitor for 16-17K. Monitor is going to be used with PC (for HD movies and work) and Xbox 360 (for gaming) both connected to it all the time. I am confused with 24" or 27". I've heard 27" is not good if it has 1080p resolution only?

Also decent non-gaming keyboard and mouse (wireless/wired), and UPS for my rig.

Try to Grab an monitor with IPS panel.

Mention the budget for KB+Mouse and for UPS get APC 1.1KVA - priced between 4-5k.

1

Thanks topgear.

Budget for Monitor - 17K
Budget for KB+Mouse+Mousepad - 1.5K

Why so costly UPS? I just want the ability to protect from voltage fluctuations and backup time of 5 minutes to be able to shutdown PC safely at the time of powercut. Are there any cheaper alternatives? Also I've Intex 600VA UPS already with me, so I can put load of monitor and Xbox on it

^^If you're OC'ing then power consumption of the whole rig will surely cross 550w, the maximum load a 600VA UPS can handle is 360W. Wanna risk your rig on an el cheapo UPS?

1

RiGOD said:
^^If you're OC'ing then power consumption of the whole rig will surely cross 550w, the maximum load a 600VA UPS can handle is 360W. Wanna risk your rig on an el cheapo UPS?

No, I was not going to use the same UPS for PC, that's why I asked for UPS suggestion here. I was planning to use my current UPS for monitor and Xbox 360. So was asking if there are any cheaper alternatives to APC 1.1KVA for my PC only?

Intex 1KVA can supply upto 500W, check out the availability of Numeric 1KVA too, it can provide around 600W, but with APC 1.1KVA you're always on the safer side.

1

Okay. Will go with APC. Any links for best price please?

What about monitor and KB/mouse? Any insights?

for KB+Mouse get either Logitech MK260 or MS Wireless Desktop 800 - both around 1.5k but if you need something wired then Logitech Gaming Combo G100.

1

Guys, please help me take a quick decision (by tomorrow) on what PSU to go for out of these -

SeaSonic S12II 620 620W - 4619/-
or
SeaSonic SS-750JS 750W - 5425/-
or
SeaSonic SS-850AT 850W - 6250/-

I'm not gaming currently on PC, but I want 24/7 stable overclock and future scalability if I plan to add higher end graphics later. No SLI or CF planned though in future too!

^^ get SeaSonic SS-850AT 850W @ 6250/ - nothing is more future proof than this ;-)

S

LOL he does not need that much PSU power. OP bro get the S12ii-620. It's more than enough!

1

Thanks guys, I was looking for some reviews on SS-850AT but unable to find it. Anyone with some experience on that PSU? I'm skeptical with it's low price and non availability of any recommended reviews.

Otherwise I'm going with S12 II 620 which is recommended and well-tested.

^ No need to be skeptical. SS-850AT is a very good PSU, and Corsair TX850V2 used to be around 6.5K mark. Only 1 month ago, I got quote of TX850V2 as 6.5K+tax. Considering all these, price is good.

If you're planning for a single GPU setup SeaSonic S12II 620 is more than enough. BTW for XFire or SLI get TX850V2.

1

Thanks guys. I don't want to go SLI/CF in near future (not with this rig for sure). I'm only going to do CPU overclocking (GPU is low end and not going to be taxed at all) and would like to get stable overclock for 24/7 use.

So I'll get S12 II 620W PSU now and save money towards CPU cooler.

^^Wise choice.

1

Thank you very much my TDF bros.

Now one thing left is Monitor. Which one to go for? Any recommendations from your end? Budget is 16-17K, can be extended to 1-2 K more if the choice is exceptional. Looking for 23-24 inch IPS or above if possible.

One major requirement for monitor, It should be able to connect to both PC and Xbox all the time. Also must be having audio port to route sound via HDMI to my 2.1 speakers (inbuilt speakers are optional, not mandatory)

RiGOD said:
If you're planning for a single GPU setup SeaSonic S12II 620 is more than enough. BTW for XFire or SLI get TX850V2.

buddy just check the power consumption of the Hexa core cpu when OCed Op has

*i.neoseeker.com/neo_image/177583/article/amd_phenom_x6_1090t/power2.png

and there's ain't much price difference between the 620W and 850W model - one more thing is if Op adds a powerful GPU later the 850W will happily power it.

1manshow said:
Thanks guys. I don't want to go SLI/CF in near future (not with this rig for sure). I'm only going to do CPU overclocking (GPU is low end and not going to be taxed at all) and would like to get stable overclock for 24/7 use.

So I'll get S12 II 620W PSU now and save money towards CPU cooler.

don't be skimpy for only 800 bucks - you are getting 200W of additional power to play with ;-)

1

topgear said:
buddy just check the power consumption of the Hexa core cpu when OCed Op has

and there's ain't much price difference between the 620W and 850W model - one more thing is if Op adds a powerful GPU later the 850W will happily power it.

don't be skimpy for only 800 bucks - you are getting 200W of additional power to play with

Thanks topgear, but the difference is not only 800 bucks, it's like 1631 bucks more than 620W. Also I'll never go SLI/CF route with this config, my motherboard is not equipped for that setup (x16 x16) as well.

Now again the question arises, with current GPU (GT 240) will it sustain CPU overclock with 620W model? I'm not going to upgrade to better GPU anytime soon as well (not till next 1-2 years).

@ Cilus

I miss you

I think you can throw more light on this. You are using similar config from long time. Do I really need 850W PSU for 24/7 OC'ing?

With GT 240? No you don't need. With the Seasonic 620W, pretty much overclocking is possible.

1

I've bite the bullet and ordered SS-850AT instead of S12II-620. Hope I will have no fear of system crashing on me even at highest overclocks due to lack of power. Also it would run much cooler with better efficiency at loads like 500+ W when OCed

For Keyboard and Mouse, I've decided on Buy Microsoft Keyboard | Microsoft Keyboard Wireless Optical Desktop 2000 How is it? Or should I go with this one for better performance?

What about monitor? Any help bros? :-D

^^ wise decision and congrats for that ;-)

1manshow said:
Thanks topgear, but the difference is not only 800 bucks, it's like 1631 bucks more than 620W.

Ok ... I've confused it with the price of 750W model ;-)

1

Guys, please provide me the best price and link for online purchase of APC 1.1kva UPS. Thanks.

^^ here you go ;-)

Buy APC | APC Back UPS 660 Watts/1100 VA | Buy UPS

1

My sincere thank you to all TDF bros. who helped me decide and build up my rig.

My rig (still monitor, UPS and KB/Mouse/Mousepad delivery remaining

)

Component Make Price
CPU AMD Phenom 1090T 3.2GHz 9160
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 6600
RAM 2 x Corsair Vengeance DDR3 4 GB 3300
GPU Zotac GeForce GT 240 3235
Cooler CM Hyper Evo 2233
Fans CM Xtraflo 120 (2) & 140 (1) 1758
Case NZXT Gamma 2600
PSU Seasonic SS-850 AT 6250
Monitor ASUS 23" PA238Q LED Monitor 17150
Cable Nitho HDMI Gaming Cable 2 mtrs 309
KB TVS-e Gold Mechanical 514
Mouse Lenovo M6811 615
Mousepad RANTOPAD H1 400
Headset Smart SH-04 Vibration Bass 693
UPS APC 1.1KVA 5175
TOTAL Shipping Included 59992

I crossed my limit by 15K but I got almost well suited rig for myself. Hope it serves me well for few upcoming years :razz:

^^ looks well priced and well balanced .. congrats for your shiny new rig ;-)

BTW, where from you got the xtraflow 140mm fan ??

1

^^ Thanks mate. Sorry, I mean I got 2 Xtraflow 120mm and 1 CM Essentials 140mm for top mount. I didn't wrote it in table to avoid lengthy description. :lol:

Btw I'm going to rip off CM Hyper Evo fan and put both Xtraflows in push-pull configuration on cooler. Then will use Hyper's default fan as front intake. I don't have power hungry gfx so won't install any side fan for now.

Although I'm open to any suggestions for getting best cooling possible for components

Where can I get NZXT M59 Side panel only if I wish to do some show off

1

Hey guys, here are some statistics from new system -

*i.imgur.com/yKALI.jpg

*i.imgur.com/JV1fO.jpg

*i.imgur.com/OaYLW.jpg

This is when overclocked to 3.6 Ghz in normal mode and 4 Ghz in turbo mode. I've not disabled CnQ, C1E and Turbo Core options in Bios.

I want to ask if my temps (esp. CPU) are okay? I've Hyper Evo in push pull config with CM Xtraflow fans.

^^ the temps are way too cool ;-)

BTW, what stress test app you've used to measure cpu load temp ? just use prime95 and use smalFFT test for 30 mins and see the temps rising.

1

Sorry I forgot to mention. These were idle temps. I tested with Prime95 smallFFT and it rises the temp to 57-58 with 100% core usage at 3.6 Ghz.

Now what should I do to get load temps down so that I can overclock further? I want to get till 4 Ghz stable. I wanted to inquire if my temps (idle/load) are okay or should I try reseat the Hyper Evo with repasting TIM properly?

I've set the CPU voltage to 1.375V manually in Bios. No other voltages are altered.

considering the hot summer season the temps you are getting under load with prime95 is OK - to get 4Ghz stable Oc you may need to crack up the voltage to around 1.45-1.5v which will produce a lot more heat - you can try remounting the cpu HSF but I don't think it will make a lot of change and if possible remount the CM Essentials 140mm Top Intake fan as exhaust.

1

^^Thank you mate. Thank you for the suggestion about top exhaust. But I tried some other way, I moved CM Essentials Fan to the second slot farther from rear as intake and it reduced my temps to 4 degrees approx. Both SB/NB chips temp went down too. I think I can get it to 3.8 with this. Although next time, I'll try exhaust position for top fan.

I'll post some pic later for better reference.

1manshow said:
^^Thank you mate. Thank you for the suggestion about top exhaust. But I tried some other way, I moved CM Essentials Fan to the second slot farther from rear as intake and it reduced my temps to 4 degrees approx. Both SB/NB chips temp went down too. I think I can get it to 3.8 with this. Although next time, I'll try exhaust position for top fan.

I'll post some pic later for better reference.

I did not get this - rear fan should be installed as exhaust only not intake but a couple of pics would be good for better understanding.

1

^^ I meant the Top fan is installed as intake but this time I installed it on second slot far from rear fan (previously it was adjacent to rear fan, on top).

I'll post a pic today.

*imgur.com/aJVka.jpg

Sorry for the crap pic, it's from my X10 phone

you should install the fan as exhaust on top of the cpu region - thus the fan will aid in removing vrm region heat much quicker which translates into better mobo lifespan and ocing and the pic quality is ok to understand everything.

1

Thank you very much topgear. Actually I have installed it as top intake to maintain positive air pressure inside chassis. Check this link -
*www.silverstonetek.com/techtalk_cont.php?area=usa&tid=wh_airflow

Should I install it on the current place as exhaust or move it back close to rear fan slot as before?

move it back to the rear top slot.

1

^^Thank you very much buddy!

I moved CM Essentials to Top Rear and installed as exhaust. It brought down my load core temps to 53 degrees max when OC'ed to 3.6 Ghz (4 Ghz turbo) and running Small FFT on Prime95 for 15 minutes! I think I can safely push higher towards 3.8 with this setup.

Edit: Forgot, AC was on that's why there were low temps.