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A10-7850K or i5-4670K with R9 290 - which one for mini-ITX?

Go to solution Solved by Apach3,

well then, it looks like the community has decided on the Intel platform! i kind of figured everyone here favored a better, more proven platform over the 'immature' new features that Kaveri offered (definitely not saying they can't be good - they just need more time for them to show their strengths). still; for my first Intel build since Socket T, this will be quite interesting.

 

a big thank-you to all who have voted and spoke their thoughts, and have a great day! :D


I feel kinda dumb for having to pose this question, since I've followed this stuff religiously and I really ought to know better, but I would like to get opinions on this.

I'll get the essentials out of the way now:

  • Location: United States, with a Microcenter nearby
  • Budget: $1200 +/- 10 percent ($120)
  • Aim: gaming (1080p for now, 1440p/1600p in the future) and development, but I'm anticipating more of the latter
  • Monitors: I have a 1080p monitor already, but I hope to eventually get a 1440p/1600p monitor
  • Peripherals: i will be buying new peripherals and Windows 8.1, but they are not included in this budget
  • Why?: I'm 'selling' most of my current build to my younger brother so he can play games and use music production software (FL-Studio, ProTools, etc). In exchange for a 2x8GB kit of RAM, I'll be handing over my motherboard, CPU, RAM, GPU, and power supply, and I will be re-using my 3.5" 1TB HDD as a backup external drive.

I have two of my own options, with my thoughts on both (parts list for each in the poll):

  • A10-7850K w/ Gigabyte F2A88XN-WIFI - I know this seems questionable at best to pair one of the fastest consumer GPUs with an APU, but hear me out. With DirectX 12 in the works, Mantle arguably here to stay, and HSA implementation to look forward to, the reduction of CPU overhead leaves me the impression that I could get away with a weaker CPU later on down the road. Then there's the possibility of using/developing applications using HSA and Mantle, while also having a bigger budget for storage (as is reflected in the parts list comparisons).
  • Core i5-4670K w/ Asus Maximus VI Impact - With the loss of HSA and a slightly higher budget, I get a huge boost in raw CPU performance and is arguably more or less a "side-grade" from my current AMD-FX platform. Why a Maximus VI Impact? It's such a beautiful board rich in expandability for a mini-ITX board, and I haven't had an Intel build since Socket T (a low-end dual-core Celeron). EK also makes a full-board block for the Impact, so it could be something to look forward to if I decide to put it under a custom water loop.

For both systems, I will be getting the following:

  • AMD Radeon R9 290 (the lists assume a Gigabyte Windforce model, but I'm willing to work with any brand)
  • Cooler Master Elite 130 case
  • Samsung 840 EVO SSD and an additional 2.5" HDD (250GB SSD & 2TB HDD for AMD, 120GB SSD & 1TB HDD for Intel)
  • Aftermarket cooling (I have planned a Corsair H80i, but depending on how the F2A88XN-WIFI can handle overclocking I may change this to either a Corsair H60 or a Cooler Master Seidon 120V - whichever is less expensive)
  • Corsair CX600M 600W PSU
  • A 2x8GB RAM kit* (Radeon R9 2400MHz for AMD, Tactical Tracer 1600MHz for Intel - I know it says 2x4GB on PCPP because no retailer has the 2x8GB kit)

If anyone has a suggestion for alternative parts for either choice, please let me know. Again: this is a long-term plan that I'll be putting into effect in at least 2 months from now.

Desktop: CM Elite 130 - Corsair CX600M PSU - Asus Maximus VI Impact - Intel Core i7-4790K (@4.4GHz) - Corsair H80i - 2x8GB Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR3-1600 - Asus DirectCUII Radeon R9 290 - 250GB Samsung EVO SSD + 4TB WD Red HDD

Laptop: Asus N56DP-DH11 (AMD A10-4600M - Radeon HD7730M) -------------------------------------------------------- I know, I'm a bit of an AMD fanboy --------------------------------------------------------

"It's not what you drive; it's how you drive it."   ~~Jeremy Clark, TopGear

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if try to choose between and APU and 4670k why dont you go for the middle choice?

you can pick an 8350 for less cash than then 4670k and you will also save cash from the motherboard which can put in other place or by looking to your desired components simply keep it for a rainy day

 

IMHO 8350 is a very solid option for gaming

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if try to choose between and APU and 4670k why dont you go for the middle choice?

you can pick an 8350 for less cash than then 4670k and you will also save cash from the motherboard which can put in other place or by looking to your desired components simply keep it for a rainy day

 

IMHO 8350 is a very solid option for gaming

buuuuuuut mimi itx am3/+ boards suck

Specs

CPU: i5 4670k i won the silicon lottery Cooler: Corsair H100i w/ 2x Corsair SP120 quiet editions Mobo: ASUS Z97 SABERTOOTH MARK 1 Ram: Corsair Platnums 16gb (4x4gb) Storage: Samsun 840 evo 256gb and random hard drives GPU: EVGA acx 2.0 gtx 980 PSU: Corsair RM 850w Case: Fractal Arc Midi R2 windowed 

 

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if try to choose between and APU and 4670k why dont you go for the middle choice?

you can pick an 8350 for less cash than then 4670k and you will also save cash from the motherboard which can put in other place or by looking to your desired components simply keep it for a rainy day

 

IMHO 8350 is a very solid option for gaming

 

i kinda want a mini-ITX system, though, but i don't disagree with you.

Desktop: CM Elite 130 - Corsair CX600M PSU - Asus Maximus VI Impact - Intel Core i7-4790K (@4.4GHz) - Corsair H80i - 2x8GB Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR3-1600 - Asus DirectCUII Radeon R9 290 - 250GB Samsung EVO SSD + 4TB WD Red HDD

Laptop: Asus N56DP-DH11 (AMD A10-4600M - Radeon HD7730M) -------------------------------------------------------- I know, I'm a bit of an AMD fanboy --------------------------------------------------------

"It's not what you drive; it's how you drive it."   ~~Jeremy Clark, TopGear

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buuuuuuut mimi itx am3/+ boards suck

ooooh damm im so dumb

4670k will be my choice no doubt

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buuuuuuut mimi itx am3/+ boards suck

they suck? since when do they even exist? :o

      

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they suck? since when do they even exist? :o

their so bad they dont exists :P i know micro atx boards for am3 are around and their rather meh

Specs

CPU: i5 4670k i won the silicon lottery Cooler: Corsair H100i w/ 2x Corsair SP120 quiet editions Mobo: ASUS Z97 SABERTOOTH MARK 1 Ram: Corsair Platnums 16gb (4x4gb) Storage: Samsun 840 evo 256gb and random hard drives GPU: EVGA acx 2.0 gtx 980 PSU: Corsair RM 850w Case: Fractal Arc Midi R2 windowed 

 

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their so bad they dont exists :P i know micro atx boards for am3 are around and their rather meh

oh yeah they're horrible. I always wonder why there aren't any good ones...

      

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well then, it looks like the community has decided on the Intel platform! i kind of figured everyone here favored a better, more proven platform over the 'immature' new features that Kaveri offered (definitely not saying they can't be good - they just need more time for them to show their strengths). still; for my first Intel build since Socket T, this will be quite interesting.

 

a big thank-you to all who have voted and spoke their thoughts, and have a great day! :D

Desktop: CM Elite 130 - Corsair CX600M PSU - Asus Maximus VI Impact - Intel Core i7-4790K (@4.4GHz) - Corsair H80i - 2x8GB Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR3-1600 - Asus DirectCUII Radeon R9 290 - 250GB Samsung EVO SSD + 4TB WD Red HDD

Laptop: Asus N56DP-DH11 (AMD A10-4600M - Radeon HD7730M) -------------------------------------------------------- I know, I'm a bit of an AMD fanboy --------------------------------------------------------

"It's not what you drive; it's how you drive it."   ~~Jeremy Clark, TopGear

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