My trusty dual-core took a death knell the other night...

Already have a good Viewsonic monitor so no need there.

Money is tight but here's what I'm considering for my new machine:

Here's the possibility for a new build:
Case: Clear Sides, LED's
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156223
$40

Mobo: ASUS AM3, Lots of ports http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131669
$55

CPU: AMD Phenom II x2 3.2GHz Black edition http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103846
$88

RAM: 8GB DDR3 Kingston http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104262
$60

PSU: Corsair 650W Enthusiast Grade http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020
$100

HDD: 1TB Western Digital Caviar Black http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136786
$95

Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 6850 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161348
$160

Cost: $598 +
Windows 7 64bit Home premium OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986
$92

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All Intel and Nvidia here.......
So I surely can't advise.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

That mobo leaves you no room for an additional card.

Any particular reason you're going with a non NVIDIA card?

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Executive Director GPU Users Group Inc. -
brad@gpuug.org

Because ATi rocks! Duh!

Because ATi rocks! Duh!

Oh, pulleeez.
Top 38 computers on the project are running NV.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

If you use an AMD CPU I'd avoid the nvidia chipsets. They don't work all that well and IIRC they don't allow very decent OCing

also check this one out. AMD Athlon II X4 630 Propus 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor ADX630WFK42GM - OEM

for a few bucks less you get 4 cores. There isn't an L3 cache and its a bit slower than the 555 but you get 2 more cores to work with.

Otherwise it looks like a nice box of fun

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In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
Diogenes Of Sinope

If you use an AMD CPU I'd avoid the nvidia chipsets. They don't work all that well and IIRC they don't allow very decent OCing

also check this one out. AMD Athlon II X4 630 Propus 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor ADX630WFK42GM - OEM

for a few bucks less you get 4 cores. There isn't an L3 cache and its a bit slower than the 555 but you get 2 more cores to work with.

Otherwise it looks like a nice box of fun

I am running that one in my current desktop. I just changed out the motherboard so I can have that extra PCI-E slot. It was maintaining about a 3500 to 4000 RAC before I added the GTX460.

This is the one I got.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157176

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Because ATi rocks! Duh!

Oh, pulleeez.
Top 38 computers on the project are running NV.

Some people actually do other things with their GPUs besides crunch for SETI.

Because ATi rocks! Duh!

Oh, pulleeez.
Top 38 computers on the project are running NV.

Some people actually do other things with their GPUs besides crunch for SETI.

Really?

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

I`d agree with skildude here.
I would go for a mobo with AMD chipset.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

Go for it.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

Actually after looking at finances last night, my price range increased. I'm now getting a Core I-5 w/ a Nvidia-chipset GTX 220 vid card

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Actually after looking at finances last night, my price range increased. I'm now getting a Core I-5 w/ a Nvidia-chipset GTX 220 vid card

Can't go wrong with intel and nv.

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I'd look at an AMD CPU/mobo, which will save you some bucks and then get a bigger GPU.

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In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
Diogenes Of Sinope

I'd look at an AMD CPU/mobo, which will save you some bucks and then get a bigger GPU.

Or he could save up later for a better GPU (or 2). ;)

I certainly can't complain about the difference I got from just swapping out my 4yo x4 630 and mobo (it was my no.1 cruncher, now currently no.2) for an i5-2500K and Z68 mobo (I havn't even had the time yet to test a bit of overclocking on it), but for the few extra dollars I spent on going Intel at this time the power bill after 12mths will so look much better and I can replace the 2x 9800GT's a bit later with something a bit more modern. :)

Sorry to throw water there but until Bulldozer comes out Intel LGA1155 ATM is the better way to go just now on both performance and running costs, but then again Bulldozer is now 2yrs late. *shrugs*

Cheers.

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Hey Blurf,

There are many things in this world that are none of my business and your new build is one of them. Other than crunching for SETI I have no idea what your priorities are or what you might be taking into account.

Also, hardware is changing fast enough with names that are useless for making comparisons, that I can't sit here and honestly tell you that I *know* what I'm talking about simply because things might have changed since yesterday.

Just so you'll know; in various computers around here I have the following processors:

Athlon II x 4 640 3GHz
Athlon II x 2 245e 2.9GHz
Athlon II x 2 250
Athlon 64 x 2 5800+
Phenom x 4 2.2GHz
Pentium Dual Core 2.5GHz
P4 3GHz w/HT
i7 Quad 2.2GHz (laptop)
i7 w/HT
i5 2.53GHz (laptop)
Turion 64 x 2 2.1GHz (laptop)
Turion 64 x 2 1.9GHz (laptop)
P4 1.8GHz

In short, I'm not "wedded" to Intel or AMD and I really couldn't care less about bleeding-edge anything in my systems. I want them to work, do what I need them to, and otherwise stay out of my way (and not cost a fortune). I just wanted to give you that frame of reference.

IF you are trying to build primarily a cruncher, in my humble opinion and acknowledging a limited exposure to everything that's out there;

This motherboard $150

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128514

This processor $100

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103871


This video card: $150

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125345&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&PageSize=10&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&IsFeedbackTab=true#scrollFullInfo

This case: $45

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066


This RAM: $80

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233165

This Drive $60

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148697

This PSU $130

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703028



It's about $115 more than your original list, but you said you found some more money in your budget.

Less RAM (I edit HD video on 6GB of RAM with a GTX 460; no problem)

Quad Athlon instead of Dual Phenom (more crunching cores are better than slightly faster cores)

Seagate drive (save some money - and heat)

Multiple GPU capable motherboard for future expansion.

AM3+ for future "bulldozer"

The case has lots of fans premounted and independently variable.

The PSU is enough for another video card.

I'm thinkin' it's an ~20k RAC computer that could easily go another 15k with a second video card down the road and who knows what might be possible with an 8-core "bulldozer" in there if they ever actually ship and then come down in price.

The only downsides I see to this are two:

1) There are a lot of rebates to fool-with.
2) You give-up bragging rights about processors or amounts of RAM or a 500-series nVidia card in return for more useable work gettin' done and a cheap and easy route to doubling that output down the road.

Just something else to think about.

OK... I'll jump in...

I'd recommend going AMD CPU on an AMD chipset motherboard for best bang per buck;

Go for a 4xx or 5xx series nVidia GPU for the Fermi features, with 512MByte VRAM min;

And ditch the old Windows to instead take advantage of one of the Linux distros and use the money you've saved to buy a second HDD so that you can run (Linux md-raid) RAID1 (mirror).


If you have any 'must-have' Windows-only applications, see if there are native Linux alternatives or see if they are supported on Linux WINE.

Good luck and happy crunchin',
Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Thx for the thoughts friends....tbret your input is absolutely welcomed!

I did order a Core I-5 2300 system with a GTX 220.Should be here within a week.

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You mean a GT220? AFAIK, there is no GTX220.

But, for what daily work, and for which BOINC projects you would need this new machine?
After looking to your BOINC stats.. - at some projects nVIDIA, at other ATI/AMD GPUs are 'better'/faster (RAC/power consumption)..

AFAIK, e.g. MilkyWay@home love ATI/AMD cards..

Maybe you should ask in all forums of all projects in which you participate.

Because of CPUs in past there was also differences, but I don't know if this is still corrrect.

If you would be a SETI@home only cruncher, I would go with Intel CPU and nVIDIA GPU.


- Best regards! - Sutaru Tsureku, team seti.international founder. - Optimize your PC for higher RAC. - SETI@home needs your help. -

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for what it is worth, about 6 months ago I upgraded my GT220 to a GT 430, the power consumption was within 5 watts of the 220 and the efficiency was significantly better. Since then prices on them have dropped tremendously.

Oh yes, things look much better in games as well!

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Janice