crimsonstag84 said:Skip the V3 case and grab a Corsair RM series instead. Honestly, that CX-M 500W is plenty for what you need; everything else in that build looks solid.
+1
If you aren't dead set on modularity, you can find much better value for your money than the cx600M. For instance, an EVGA 550 or an EVGA SuperNOVA 550W would be smarter picks—plus, they're actually cheaper.
They all fit, that's just how it works. You might run into some high-end, longer models like the ax1200. The only real issue is that things can get pretty cramped if you're working with a smaller case, but honestly, if you've got the budget for those premium components, you probably aren't cutting corners on the chassis either.
Mobility is the main deciding factor here. If you don't actually need to move around, think twice—you'll just be staring at a much smaller screen all day. Plus, if a critical component like the motherboard or the display dies once it gets older, you might as well toss the whole laptop in the trash; repairs usually cost more than the machine is worth. With a desktop, swapping out a single part is a breeze rather than a total loss.
The only real advantage a laptop has over that old Phenom setup is lower power consumption, but honestly, you won't even notice the difference on your monthly electric bill.
brightcyclist94 said:I honestly had no idea this PSU was going to be such a massive investment... I always figured it was a component you could just overlook. But you really went all out here—this thing is an absolute beast.😁
Look, I told you already:
You’ll probably notice that this power supply is a bit overkill, but the current market selection is honestly terrible. It feels like everything is either complete junk or, if you want something actually reliable—like a budget Cooler Master Elite or a Gigabyte unit—you're stuck with just a couple of brands. This Corsair modular unit is essentially the gold standard for this tier, and the price is the most realistic option out there. Buying this means you won't have to worry later if you decide to drop in a high-end dedicated graphics card down the road.
Look, since you won't have a dedicated GPU to worry about, you could easily just grab a budget option like a Spire. However, since it actually fits within your budget, I’d suggest going with Corsair. It’s modular, too—which is perfect for you because you won't be tripping over extra cables you don't need. You'll get years of peace of mind out of it, and it’ll serve you well for future builds. Honestly, it's the only one in the lineup that's actually worth the investment. And like crimsonstag84 mentioned, definitely check out that shop first.
You didn't mention if you're planning on gaming, but look—if you eventually decide to drop a high-end GPU into this build, you’ll just end up having to swap out a cheap power supply anyway. If you don't upgrade now, you're essentially paying for the same part twice. That said, if this rig is strictly for browsing and basic web tasks, then sure, go ahead and grab the budget option.
At least the case looks solid. You can find some incredibly pricey hardware out there that’s honestly mediocre. I guess you finally found some peace of mind once you dropped all that cash 😬
That one is only 16MB anyway, but honestly, it won't make a lick of difference to you because you won't feel any speed boost on an HDD (just like there's no noticeable difference between SATA 2 and SATA 3).
AS DRW-24B5ST/BLK/B/AS (leave this out if you don't need a toaster) Contac 21 Toshiba 500 GB DT01ACA050 SATA3 32MB 7200RPM Thermaltake Smart SE 530W Modular SPS-530MPCBEU Gigabyte GA-F2A55-DS3 1.0 AMD A8-5600K x4 FM2 box Kingston 4 AMD A8-5600K X4 FM2 BOX Kingston 4GB DDRIII 1600MHz Zalman Z1 kučište
480 miles
The selection here is poor; for instance, there isn't even an A75 chipset available for FM2, but I managed to dig up this one motherboard with HDMI (the pricing is criminal—charging over $167 for A55 boards is practically highway robbery). If the stock AMD cooler is too loud, you can always swap in something better later. Even though the processor is unlocked for overclocking, the motherboard isn't really built for that sort of thing.
You might notice the power supply seems a bit overkill, but the options are terrible—everything is either junk or, if it's decent (like a budget Cooler Master Elite or something from Gigabyte), it's limited to just a few brands. This modular Thermaltake unit is the gold standard for this tier, and its price is actually realistic. It gives you peace of mind and headroom if you decide to drop in a dedicated graphics card down the road. Also, the Zalman Z1 case is excellent; the price is much more reasonable, and it's easily one of the best cases available alongside Thermaltake. Choosing between those two or just going for the absolute cheapest scrap metal case seems like the only logical move. Everything in between is just overpriced garbage.
Are you sure this shop isn't a bad fit? I think there’s another retailer in Canada that is more reasonable, but I can't recall the name right now.
Alternatively, you could swap the CPU and motherboard above for this Intel option: Intel Core i3-3240 ASUS B75M-A
which would be 493 miles
You'd get a superior motherboard at a much fairer price (featuring HDMI, DVI, VGA, USB 3.0, and SATA 3.0 support) and a CPU with slightly weaker integrated graphics. However, in terms of raw processing power, they are in the same ballpark, and the Intel build actually performs better in games when paired with a dedicated GPU later on.
EDIT crimsonstag84 feels the same way 🙂 — he just decided to go with a cheap case and add a cooler.
Thinking about it now, the i3 option might actually be the smarter play. If he's not a gamer, he won't care and will appreciate the stability; if he *is* a gamer, he'll have high-quality components (power supply, case, CPU, and motherboard) ready to go, needing only a graphics card to complete the setup. Plus, he'll have a clear upgrade path to significantly faster i5 or i7 processors later. With that A55 setup, he'd be stuck—no upgrade path and no overclocking potential—making both the extra cooling and the "K" series processor a total waste of money.
In any case, I'd recommend picking up a board with a DVI output just to have it in your toolkit for later.
On another note, if you aren't planning on buying a dedicated GPU, AMD actually offers much stronger integrated graphics on the FM2 platform—perfect for some light casual gaming. Plus, keep an eye out because a new series for the FM2+ socket is dropping in about two weeks, and those integrated graphics are supposed to be the strongest we've ever seen.
Does gaming actually matter here, or is it just a minor consideration for you? If it’s not a priority, I’d suggest ditching the dedicated graphics card entirely. You already have integrated graphics on the processor, so you're better off putting that money toward a higher-quality motherboard with an HDMI output (something like a B75 chipset). As it stands, that specific motherboard might not even support that Ivy Bridge CPU right out of the box—you’d likely need to flash the BIOS first. It supposedly only supports it starting from BIOS version F7, according to this cpu support list. Just a heads-up: if you go with an H61 motherboard, it will support Ivy Bridge (3xxx series) processors natively, along with the ASROCK VG3 or MSI G3 graphics options.
Your current power supply should handle any of these upgrades since both that CPU and the GPU draw about as much power as a lighter. Honestly, Spire power supplies are junk, but it would hold up for this setup. Furthermore, that graphics card is a total waste of money. It's terrible for actual gaming, and since you have integrated graphics for basic video output anyway, it's practically redundant. You could play some basic web games or older titles on the integrated chip regardless.
Look, just let me know if gaming is important to you and give me a rough budget to work with. For what you described—streaming, music, movies, and browsing—even a basic Celeron G1620 from $100 would be more than enough.
Look, even if it hits near 120 degrees Celsius, it wouldn't have fried itself already. The BIOS is smarter than that. You should check it using some other software, like HWMonitor or Everest Ultimate (PC - Sensor)
Michael King7 said:True, but I'm running DDR2 RAM. I didn't realize a GDDR5 graphics card could work on a DDR2 motherboard. If that's the case, why wouldn't I just buy a more powerful card instead?? I'd spend my max $233 on a card with 2GB, but if not, then 1GB And I'd definitely be looking for something new
Like I already told you, the video memory on your graphics card has absolutely nothing to do with whatever RAM you have on your motherboard. You can go ahead and grab a GDDR5 card without any issues.
Regarding the capacity—you won't notice much difference between 1GB and 2GB at resolutions up to 1920x1080, but you *will* feel the difference between DDR3 and GDDR5. It makes way more sense to pick up a 1GB GDDR5 card for a tiny bit extra cash than to settle for a 2GB DDR3 card just to save a few bucks.
Higher-end cards come with 2GB standard, which is expected, but in that $600-$233 range, it doesn't make sense for you, nor do you actually need it for those lower-tier setups. crimsonstag84 linked you a good option above, or maybe this one—though they were out of the 7750 last week (and many others too). They're slowly disappearing unless they've restocked... and by the way, I hope you're at least running a decent dual-core processor.
If you're looking at buying something brand new, I wouldn't recommend that specific card... Assuming you have at least a dual-core processor, you should set aside roughly $200 and hunt down an HD 7750 with DDR5 memory (if you can find them). If not, look for an R7 250 or an HD 7730—just make sure they all have DDR5 versions. Everything listed below is a bit of a gamble if your goal is actual gaming; if you just need something to drive a monitor, there are much cheaper ways to go about it.
So, if they told you that, they’re right—you should at least grab an i5-3330. If you're looking for the top-tier standard i5, the absolute best you can get is the i5-3570.
The 4xxx series (LGA 1150 socket) won't work with your motherboard...
By the way, what's the full model name of your board? If you check CPU-Z, Everest, or something similar, let me know, because there are a few different versions out there online (like the D2, UD2H, etc.).
If I recall correctly from our previous discussions about gaming builds, you mentioned having a 2500K—switching that out for an i5-4670K would be total madness. Haswell chips like the 4670K, along with Ivy Bridge models like the 3570K, tend to come with some pretty subpar thermal paste pre-applied, which leads to higher temps compared to the 2500K and limits your overclocking potential. Essentially, when you look at the clock-for-clock performance, the difference with the 4670K is negligible. The 2500K actually holds its own because it can hit much higher overclocks while staying cooler. In many ways, it’s the superior choice...
Some enthusiasts know how to pop the lid, swap out the factory paste, and successfully drop those temperatures click
Besides, you aren't going to feel any real-world difference in gaming when comparing them at the same clock speeds—and don't forget that the 2500K has way more headroom to push even higher. You'd just be throwing money down the drain.