Build A Budget Gaming PC - June 2013

If you are very low on budget and want to build up a gaming pc for casual gaming, then following are the list of components along with the prices which will help you build your own gaming PC.

1 ) AMD 3.4 GHz FM2 A4-5300 Processor- 3100 :-  (Rs. 3100 ~ $51)

Features :-


2 Cores
Desktop Processors
3.4 GHz Clock Speed
FM2 Socket Type
DDR3-1866 Memory
32 nm Manufacturing Process
Integrated Graphics - Radeon 7480D 96 KB (L1)
512 KB (L2)



Running at 3.4 Ghz, this is a mini gaming beast.

2 ) MSI FM2-A55M-E33 Motherboard :-  (Rs. 3315 ~ $54.5)

Features:- 

Micro-ATX Form Factor
AMD A55 Chipset
2 Memory Slots
Dual Channel DIMM Memory
FM2 Socket Type
Maximum 32 GB DDR3
RAID Controller: AMD A55 Chipset


3 ) Kingston HyperX Blu DDR3 4 GB PC RAM (KHX1600C9D3B1/4G) - (Rs. 2200 ~ $36.2)

Features :-

DDR3-1600
DIMM Memory Module
240-pin Configuration
6-7-8-9 CAS Latency
1.5 V Specified Voltage
Dual Channel Memory Configuration
Unbuffered

4 ) Seagate Barracuda 500 GB Desktop Internal Hard Drive :- (Rs. 3318 ~ $54.6) 

Features:-

3.5 inch Form Factor
SATA 6.0 Gbps Interface
16 MB Cache Memory
7200 RPM Spin Speed
Average Seek Time - 12 ms (Write)
500 GB HDD
4800 Mbps I/O Transfer Rate

5 ) VIP Cabinet :- (Rs1400~$23)

You can get any cheap cabinet depending on your preference.

6 ) BenQ G615HDPL 15.6 inch LED Backlit LCD Monitor :- (4175~$69)

Features :- 

TN Panel Type
15.6 inch LED Backlit LCD Display
HD Display
500:1 Contrast Ratio
200 nits Brightness

Conclusion:-

The above configuration is the best for casual games, you can usually play all the games on low- medium settings, the total price of the above system will be less than (Rs.19000~$313). Any suggestions welcome. Also, I have not included a good cabinet and a PSU since it isn't required for low end configuration. The above system can run well on stock PSU provided by the VIP cabinet itself. Also, there is no need of GPU since the AMD processor comes with an inbuilt GPU.
 

 

Rumors or Reality- The new AMD FX-8570 ????

There is a possibly that AMD will release it's new processor FX-8570 :-

Rumors:-

Clock:- 4.3 Ghz with turbo upto 4.7 Ghz
Cores:- 8 Cores
Threads :- 8 Threads
L1 Cache-  256 KB/ 128 KB
L2 Cache-  8MB
L3 Cache-  8MB
TDP- 125W

AMD is really good when it comes to base clock of the processor's. As we can see that this processor is having a base clock of 4.3 Ghz, also the octa-core model will be performing above all the processors of Intel, rumor says. The cache of the AMD  FX-8570 is also much higher, hence we can expect a fast response of the processor in applications as well as gaming.

Also, the motherboard manufacturer is ASRock, where the Crosshair series is manufactured by Asus.
Thought we did have a official word from any of the Asus team, nor AMD, we are not sure whether the above results and conclusions are true.
If this is a reality, then will it just be a rebranded version of the FX-8350 or will be a beast? We have to wait till the time comes. If this processor is going to hit the processor in future then this means AMD is giving a stiff competition for the Intel and stopping it from market domination.

The above results indicate a new GPU Radeon HD 8970, which can also be a rumor. Will this GPU come up with a 8 GB memory ? Also, will it require a 1000W PSU? Well no one knows for sure, but if it comes, it will be surely be better than the AMD HD 7970 6GB overclocked DDR5 edition .

Conclusion :-

Whether this is a reality of rumor, we have to wait till the times comes. Will this processor give of stiff competition to the new Intel Haswell processor line up or will it completely crush them? We don't know as of yet .
AMD always comes up with different ideas for selling their products and the main part about AMD is the price/ performace ratio. 

AMD A4-3300 VS AMD A4-5300

Today we are going to compare the two low cost APU's from AMD.

NOTE:-
APU ( ACCELERATED PROCESSING UNIT) = CPU ( CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT ) + GPU (GRAPHIC PROCESSING UNIT)


To start off with the specifications:-

Key Features of AMD 2.5 GHz FM1 uPGA A4 3300 Processor :-  $39.99

2.5 GHz Clock Speed
FM1 uPGA Socket Type
65 W Maximum TDP
2 Cores
32 nm Manufacturing Process
Integrated Graphics
128 KB (L1)
512 KB (L2)

Key Features of AMD 3.4 GHz FM2 A4-5300 Processor :-   $54.99


2 Cores
Desktop Processors
3.4 GHz Clock Speed
FM2 Socket Type
DDR3-1866 Memory
32 nm Manufacturing Process
Integrated Graphics
96 KB (L1)
512 KB (L2)

Both the processors are dual core's processors. But one thing to be noted down is the frequency difference between the two. The AMD 5300 is clocked at much higher frequency than the AMD 3300. Will the extra clock provide the boost and required power to the APU, we will see this later.

1) First we start with the motherboard socket :-

Socket FM1 is for AMD's 1st generation APUs (CPU core + GPU core) known as Llano. Socket FM2 is for AMD's 2nd generation APUs called Trinity.  Trinity will also be used by the upcoming Richland APU later this year and the highly anticipated Kaveri APU that is supposed to be released in 2014 (maybe early 2015). Socket FM1 is dead and Llano APUs will not fit in socket FM2.

2) Second we move on to clock frequency :-


As we can clearly see the A4-5300 is the clear winner with clock of 3.4 Ghz whereas it's 2.5 Ghz in case of A4-3300. This means that the A4-5300 will execute the instructions quickly as compared to A4-3300. But, note that this is not always the true case, sometimes a processor with lower clock can beat a processor with higher clock. it just depends upon the benchmarks.


3) Third is the TDP :- 

TDP stand for thermal design power. It is the maximum amount of power the cooling system in a computer is required to dissipate. The TDP is typically not the most power the chip could ever draw, such as by a power virus, but rather the maximum power that it would draw when running "real applications".


Note:-
Lower the TDP the less power will the processor need to dissipate the heat in the surrounding and vice versa. Usually lower TDP is associated with processors having low power, whereas higher in the processors with large processing power.

The lower the TDP the better is for the CPU and power conservation.

4) Fourth is Cache :-

A CPU cache is a cache used by the central processing unit of a computer to reduce the average time to access memory.


If you want more information on cache please click here :- Cache along with levels

5) Fifth and the final is the GPU :- 

AMD A4-3300 :-


The graphics unit, implemented on the AMD A4-3300M, is Radeon HD 6480G, clocked at 444 MHz. The HD 6480G incorporates 240 shader units, which can be used for 3D graphics acceleration, as well as for acceleration of non-graphics applications.
In addition to CPU cores and the graphics processing unit, the A4-Series 3300M includes Universal Video Decoder (UVD) 3.0, used for acceleration of video decoding, as well as memory and PCI Express 2.0 controllers. On-chip DDR3 memory controller has two channels, and it supports standard and low-voltage memory with data rates up to 1333 MHz.


AMD A4-5300 :-


The GPU on the AMD A4-5300 is HD 7480D which is a higher version of HD 6480G which is clocked at 723 Mhz. This means the performance of the HD 7480D is approximately 19% more than the HD 6480G.



Conclusion:-

Thought both of the processors are bang for the buck, the AMD A4-5300 is a clear winner as it is newer version. The AMD offers complete ang for the buck as there is no need to buy a discrete graphics cards. There processors are good if you want to play some old games 2000-2008 , and the APU are also capable of playing HD videos which makes it a greater choice for the low budget PC. 

AMD launched a couple of new Piledriver-based CPUs in the last month, and here they are the FX-4350 and FX-6350 .

While rumors float that AMD could be purchased by its chief rival Intel, AMD is trying to go about its daily business of selling computer chips. To that end, the company has introduced two new processors, while dropping the price on a number of others.
(Image: AMD)

The new CPUs are part of the FX family of performance chips. The FX-4350 consists of four "Vishera" cores each clocked at 4.2GHZ, with a turbo frequency of 4.3GHz, while the FX-6350 has six cores running at 3.9GHz and 4.2GHz in turbo mode. Each new processor has a TDP of 125 watts — far higher than the 95 watts of the FX-4300 and FX-6300 — and features 8MB of L3 cache. The FX-4350 is priced at $122, and the FX-6350 would set you back $10 more.

The day after AMD announced these new processors, it disclosed that it was reducing the price on 10 older chips, including the ones that the new CPUs are replacing. The FX-4300 is now $14 cheaper, at $108, while the FX-6300 is $20 less, at $112. A third FX processor, the eight-core FX-8320, is now $153, down $16 from its original price.

A half-dozen A series processors have also seen their prices trimmed — $10 off in the case of the A6-5400K, A8-5500, and A8-5600K. The biggest reduction comes to the A6-3600, which gets an 18.9 percent reduction to $77. The ancient (in processor terms) Phenom II X4 965 BE also gets a cut, from $91 to $81.

AMD Sempron 145 reviews

AMD SDX145HBGMBOX Sempron 145 2.8GHz 1MB Cache AM3 Single Core Processor

AMD Sempron Processor Overview


The AMD Sempron processor performs at the top of its class when running the home and business applications most. The AMD Sempron processor’s full-featured capabilities can include AMD64 Technology, HyperTransport Technology, up to 256KB total high-performance cache, One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 1600MHz full duplex system bus technology, and an integrated DDR2 memory controller.


The AMD Sempron processor provides the productivity enhancing performance you need for your everyday applications. It runs over 60,000 of the world’s most popular applications, so you can enjoy solid performance. With 35 years of design and manufacturing experience and shipments of more than 240 million PC processors, you can count on AMD to provide reliable solutions for your home or business.

Affordable - Performance
The AMD Sempron processor performs at the top of its class on the home and business applications that you need and use most.
The AMD Sempron processor is designed for day-to-day computing and beyond.

In India you can get the processor for as low as Rs.2000/-

Full-Featured to Improve your Computing Experience

The AMD Sempron processor lets you enjoy a dynamic Internet experience with smooth streaming video and audio.
The AMD Sempron processor saves you time and effort; enabling your system to boot and load your applications quickly.
Applications that allow you to communicate with family, friends and colleagues will run smoothly with the AMD Sempron processor.

The AMD Sempron processor’s advanced architectural features help ensure affordable performance and full-featured capability. These features include:


AMD64 Technology
HyperTransport Technology
Up to 256KB total high-performance, full-speed cache
One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 1600MHz full duplex system bus technology
Integrated DDR2 memory controller on certain models
Built-in security with Enhanced Virus Protection that works with Microsoft Windows XP SP2 to help protect against viruses, worms, and other malicious attacks. When combined with protective software, Enhanced Virus Protection is part of an overall security solution that helps keep your information safer.

Enjoy full compatibility with the tools you use daily.

The AMD Sempron processor is designed to run more than 60,000 of the most popular software applications, so you can enjoy reliable performance for a wide variety of computing needs. And since the AMD Sempron processor is compatible with leading PC peripherals, it helps keep everything running smoothly.

Get more value from your PC.

The AMD Sempron processor is ideal for families, students and other budget-conscious or entry-level computer buyers. It includes the right set of features you need for day-to-day computing, and gives you more power for your money than other similar processors. This means you get a PC configured with better components such as CD drives, graphics capabilities, and more.

Reliability from an Industry Leader

AMD is an industry leader that is dedicated to enabling you to get the job done at work or at play.
AMD is constantly striving to find the right solutions for you and your home or business needs.
AMD’s superior quality and track record have long been recognized by a number of the industry’s top publications, organizations and high-tech experts. AMD products, technology, manufacturing, facilities, executives and corporate and community programs have earned a multitude of awards and recognition over the years.

SECRET :-

If you are lucky, you can unlock the second core of the AMD sempron 145.

The Unlocking Process

 In terms of unlocking your “defective†cores, the process is actually very simple.
Enter BIOS.
Set Automatic Clock Calibration (ACC) or Nvidia Core Calibration (NCC) to AUTO.
CRUCIAL step for Asus and Gigabyte owners : Enable "Unleashing" or change "EC Firmware" mode to "Hybrid"

Reboot.

If it was successful, your processor should have a new name; ending in either x3, x4, or x6. Though naming is not always consistent on some boards. Congratulations, because you probably just unlocked your processor.

New upcoming Richland APU from AMD


Today we are going to talk about the latest AMD lineup. These are the latest upcoming processors. The list is mentioned below :

MD Richland APU Lineup for 2013:

1) A10-6800K
GPU- Radeon HD 8670D
CORE- Quad Core
TDP- 100W

2) A8-6600K
GPU- Radeon HD 8570D
CORE- Quad Core
TDP- 100W

3) A10-6700
GPU- Radeon HD 8670D
CORE- Quad Core
TDP- 65W

4) A8-6500
GPU- Radeon HD 8570D
CORE- Quad Core
TDP- 65W

5) A6-6400K
GPU- Radeon HD 8470D
CORE- Dual Core
TDP- 65W

6) A4-6300
GPU- Radeon HD 8370D
CORE- Dual Core
TDP- 65W


Above are the new upcoming Richland processor's from AMD. The future hold's good in the computer world.

The new APU will be consisting of dual core and quad core versions for the processor. APU will have a TDP of 65W and 100W.

NOTE: -


TDP - Thermal design power ,
( Usually low power processors will have lower TDP as they need less heat to dissipate in the surroundings, whereas the case is opposite with the high power processors because they generate lots of heat due to more power ).
The lower the TDP the lower will be the power consumption.

Also, you can see that the A10-6800K and the A10-6700 posses the same GPU, thought the clock speed of the apu A10-6700 is lowered in order to achieve low TDP.

The new cheapsets are expected to support eight SATA 6GB/s devices with an additional 4 USB 3.0 ports and 14 USB 2.0 ports.The launch date of the new APU will be at the end of June 2013.


Following are the benchmarks of the APU lineup :

3DMARK 11:
A10 6800K – 1667
A10 5800K – 1489
A10 6600K – 1296
A8-5600K – 1193

PCMARK 7:
A10 6800K – 4176
A10 6600K – 4095
Phenom X6 1100T – 4021
FX-8350 – 4412

3DMark Vantage

Let us see how successful this APU lineup will be in future and what more can the computer world offer you.
Time will tell :)