In need of suggestions for new motherboard, CPU and RAM

Technology and Gaming Help and Support
#1

As the title says, I need a new motherboard, CPU and RAM.

I place highest priority on getting a motherboard, as it is required for the rest. The other pieces come only secondary, and I might be able to figure those out on my own, but suggestions are always welcome.

I don’t really know what to add beyond that, I’m really bad at the details of this, but if you need to know more I’ll probably be able to look up answers if I know what I’m looking for.

My price-range would probably be 3000-4500Kr/347-521€/427-640$/275-413£ for the entire package.

#2

With your budget you can get some pretty good stuff. I saw your build in the previous thread and you can keep some stuff like your graphics card and sound card as both of those look like some very good equipment.

For your CPU, I suggest why not go with the latest Ivy Bridge chip which will handle pretty much anything you can throw at it: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116506

That chip is an LGA 1155 socket, which means you need a motherboard with the same socket. This ASUS motherboard will give you USB 3.0 and SATA 6 support. USB 3.0, if you don’t know, is the latest USB standard that’s a lot faster than 2.0. SATA 6GB/s is also a lot faster than SATA 3GB/s.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131781

That’s a standard ATX board size, so it’s fairly large. It also supports up to 32GB of RAM, so you’ll never run short of memory. In order to support the Ivy Bridge chipset you’ll just need to download the latest BIOS for the board.

Here’s where you get that: https://usa.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8Z68V_LX/#overview

OK, so far you’re running $200 + $124 = $324. RAM is fortunately very, very cheap. Whenever you check for RAM you should just read the compatibility list provided by the motherboard manufacturer. You can find that at the link above. Let’s go with 8GB of RAM so you can handle any game and have a lot of multitasking capability.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231402&Tpk=F3-10666CL7D-8GBRH%28XMP%29

Those two RAM chips give you 8GB (2x4GB) and they’re fully compatible with the motherboard I picked out.

Total, you’re now running $200 + $125 + $50 = $375.

For all of this I do highly suggest a new power supply. Something a little beefier than 550 watts, and simply newer so it has no wear-and-tear. I suggest Corsair, and modular so you can save a lot of wire clutter. Modular just means that aside from the main power cords, you can select which cords you want to plug in and which you don’t. The pictures show it all. Also, this is an extremely efficient power supply and is 650W.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139035

Well, that’s $150 so now you’re up to $525. Still within budget.

All of these components are fully compatible and will give you some awesome computing power. Maybe you’d like a new computer case while you’re at it?

I highly suggest this Antec 300 Illusion case: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

I’ve used it before, it has tons of cooling fans (a must), plenty of room and cable management. No frills but I think it looks good, not to mention is REALLY simple to clean.

So that case goes for $70, which brings your total up to $595! How about that!

#3

CPU: 2500K or 3570K = 225$/190€
mobo: anything with P67/Z68/7 chipset, USB3.0, make sure it has a PCI slot if your sound card is PCI. ~100$/80€
RAM: 8Gb DDR3 either 2x4 or 1x8 depending on prices. = 50$/40€

Total = 375$/310€

#4

Hm, that sure is a lot of info there, thanks for your effort.

I’m gonna have to check all of this up and poke around different sites, as well as see what others might have to say before I decide to get anything.

What I’m wondering now, however, is if the motherboard is backwards compatible? As I said previously, my highest priority is just getting that out of the way, and I might not have the ability to purchase everything at the same time, so it would be great to know if I can use my current attachments, or if they wouldn’t fit the newer connections.

#5

CPU and RAM will not be backwards compatible. GPU, PSU, HDDs and soundcard will.

#6

^^What he said. In general, the ports on a motherboard haven’t changed much over the years. PCI Express 2.0, 3.0, whatever - they’re compatible with each other. There’s also PCI if that’s what your soundcard is.

However, if you mean will your peripherals like keyboard and mouse be compatible, then of course they will. USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with 2.0. SATA 6 GB/s is also backward compatible with SATA 3 GB/s, so you’ll have no trouble plugging in your hard drives. The actual physical shape and size of the connections has not changed, it’s just the data transfer rates that have gone up.

#7

Right. I only really meant CPU and RAM, so that’s good to know.

#8

Okay, so after poking about the site I generally use for buying my stuff I’m back with some pointers.

When it comes to the motherboard, they don’t have the one you suggested, but they did have this one, which seems to be the same only “pro”, which means it’s… better? I’m not to good with the specifications to be sure what to make of it.

As for the CPU, they do have that one, but I’m wondering about this one that I already had bookmarked after looking around a while back.
The customer reviews for this one are glowing, and it seems to have won several awards, but it’s the same story as the motherboard where I can’t quite see the differences in the specs.

They don’t have the RAM either, so I just went looking about on my own there, and through the list of recommended items I found these, which also also has a heap of awards on it and reviews without complaints.

I checked through all the sockets and compatibility info, and it mostly seems to fit, but I’m not quite sure, mostly worried about the RAM.

Anyway, this all sums up in just a tad more than your suggestions, but still well within budget, so I’m wondering if the extra price is worth it or if I’m better off with the cheaper alternatives, as well as just other’s opinions on my choices.

#9

Can’t go wrong with 2500K, the RAM is also OK. The mobo is IMO a bit overkill but then again I’m a cheap bastard, so that doesn’t really say anything. I do like the eSATA port on it though.

#10

Take 2500K. You can overclock this even to 5 GHz, if you take a good cooler! This will give your PC a booooooooooost. :slight_smile:

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