[cerchiarax]

Hi guys,

Newbie here. So I decided last night to upgrade my 8 year old P4 HTPC. I didn't do as much research as I probably should have as the Mobo I bought last night doesn't fit in my old micro atx case. Below are the parts I got yesterday and my old case. My plan was to upgrade my machine for under $200 bux and get a pretty good machine for XBMC media streaming. Let me know if I got a good deal in parts or if I should just start all over and return everything. I'm hoping I don't need to return the parts and that I only need to purchase a new case. Any Micro ATX case that you guys can recommend for under $40?

Note: What group 1-7 would the below be considered as?
Note 2: Is the stock fan loud? I'd like to have a quiet machine. Any fan you can recommend that doesn't break the bank? I'm not planning to overclock or play games.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856110028 <-- Old case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6817822001 <-- Power supply( Has been working pretty good for me. I bought this 2 years ago I think when the other died) Will this work or do I need to get another power supply with the new cpu and mobo?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6813138345 <- Mobo with the rebate I ended up getting this for $9.99!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6819103996 <-- Processor

http://www.microcenter.com/product/35321...y_Modules) <-- ram. ( I know probably not the best but I figured it was cheap and only needed 4GB and I didn't think I really needed to go all the way to 1866.

Below are the damages from microcenter. Subtract $10 dollars from the rebate and the total cost was only $129.01.


SKU DESCRIPTION QUANTITY PRICE PER TOTAL
242792 A880GZ AM3+ 880G AMD mATX Motherboard 1 $19.99 $19.99
994335 FX 4100 Black Edition 3.6GHz Quad-Core Socket AM3+ Boxed Processor 1 $89.99 $89.99
168237 4GB DDR3-1333 (PC3-10666) CL9 Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit (Two 2GB Memory Modules) 1 $17.99 $17.99
Subtotal »
$127.97
Tax » $11.04

RESERVATION TOTAL » $139.01 - $9.99 rebate= $129.01

[Dougie Fresh]

If you bought the processor from Newegg, you can't return it anyway so you're stuck with it. A more modern processor with integrated graphics, not the motherboard's HD4250, would have been a better choice but that's money under the bridge at this point.

If the mATX board didn't fit in that case, it's likely a proprietary motherboard size.

This is as close to $40 as I could get that's a decent HTPC case.
http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=CA-ML03

If you want just a regular tower case instead there are plenty of those like the Fractal Design Core 1000.

[cerchiarax]

If you bought the processor from Newegg, you can't return it anyway so you're stuck with it. A more modern processor with integrated graphics, not the motherboard's HD4250, would have been a better choice but that's money under the bridge at this point.

If the mATX board didn't fit in that case, it's likely a proprietary motherboard size.

This is as close to $40 as I could get that's a decent HTPC case.
http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=CA-ML03

If you want just a regular tower case instead there are plenty of those like the Fractal Design Core 1000.

Thanks for the suggestion on the case. I actually bought all the parts from microcenter. So I believe I can return everything if needed.

[Dougie Fresh]

Ah, yes, MicroCenter has a much better return policy.

What you have there is a couple of generations old GPU with last year's overkill processor. It'll work, no doubt, but it's not going to be the most efficient or even perform the best on the GPU front.

If you budget is $200, you could get this A6-5400K/ASRock FM2 A75 microATX combo for $140:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealD...bo.1076943

Keep your RAM and power supply and then pick your case -- who knows you might find something interesting in the bin at MicroCenter or catch a sale on that Silverstone ML03.

But, at the end of the day, what you have will work -- it's just not the most up-to-date choice.

[cerchiarax]

Ah, yes, MicroCenter has a much better return policy.

What you have there is a couple of generations old GPU with last year's overkill processor. It'll work, no doubt, but it's not going to be the most efficient or even perform the best on the GPU front.

If you budget is $200, you could get this A6-5400K/ASRock FM2 A75 microATX combo for $140:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealD...bo.1076943

Keep your RAM and power supply and then pick your case -- who knows you might find something interesting in the bin at MicroCenter or catch a sale on that Silverstone ML03.

But, at the end of the day, what you have will work -- it's just not the most up-to-date choice.

Wow! ok you got me convinced. I really thought I got a smoking deals on the parts. Is there something similar that I can get in MicroCenter. I feel better getting stuff there because of the return policy and would like to build my system tonight. I was trying to see if the mobo you recommended was there. But I couldn't find it. Thanks again!

[Dougie Fresh]

Which MicroCenter? I don't see any FM2 motherboards at the Boston/Cambridge on yet

[cerchiarax]

Which MicroCenter? I don't see any FM2 motherboards at the Boston/Cambridge on yet

The one in Westbury, NY. And that's what I was afraid of as well. I couldn't see any FM2 Mobos either. All I saw was the FM2 CPU you recommended. I guess I'll have to just return the parts and not take anything back home with me

[Dougie Fresh]

What about something Intel based? MicroCenter has good deals on those. If you're purely streaming, the Intel stuff works very well and is very efficient.

CPU:
G630: http://www.microcenter.com/product/38857..._Processor $49.99 (2nd Gen)
G2120: http://www.microcenter.com/product/39800..._Processor $79.99 (3rd Gen)

Motherboard:
http://www.microcenter.com/product/39841...otherboard $69.99 (only one I could find with HDMI that's under $70)

Lots of folks here, myself included, have G5xx/G6xx HTPCs.

[cerchiarax]

What about something Intel based? MicroCenter has good deals on those. If you're purely streaming, the Intel stuff works very well and is very efficient.

CPU:
G630: http://www.microcenter.com/product/38857..._Processor $49.99 (2nd Gen)
G2120: http://www.microcenter.com/product/39800..._Processor $79.99 (3rd Gen)

Motherboard:
http://www.microcenter.com/product/39841...otherboard $69.99 (only one I could find with HDMI that's under $70)

Lots of folks here, myself included, have G5xx/G6xx HTPCs.

I can consider Intel. Only went with the AMD because it seemed like a really good price for everything. How does the Intel setup compare to my original setup. I'm assuming the GPU is better on the Intel.

[Dougie Fresh]

All the modern APUs, Intel and AMD, are more than capable of rendering HD video to your television. There are a lot of happy XBMCers with AMD and Intel setups. The Trinity stuff (A6-5400K) is brand-new yesterday so you'd definitely be on the cutting edge but all the reviews say it's a step above Llano. So, maybe Intel vs. AMD even comes down to tried-and-true vs. the latest-and-greatest. I haven't tried Trinity yet (I am waiting for mini-ITX motherboards) so you'd have to go by the reviews. For Intel there is a lot of experience out there already.

What it comes down to after that are more specific usages that one or the other might be better suited for, budget, price/performance, availability ("I want to build it tonight"), stuff like that.

But, at the end of the day, either one will get you what you want. I am just showing you what's at your MicroCenter since you seem to want to build something ASAP. The price for that is what's available there vs. getting a combo from Newegg, seeing how Trinity pans out, etc.

[cerchiarax]

All the modern APUs, Intel and AMD, are more than capable of rendering HD video to your television. There are a lot of happy XBMCers with AMD and Intel setups. The Trinity stuff (A6-5400K) is brand-new yesterday so you'd definitely be on the cutting edge but all the reviews say it's a step above Llano. So, maybe Intel vs. AMD even comes down to tried-and-true vs. the latest-and-greatest. I haven't tried Trinity yet (I am waiting for mini-ITX motherboards) so you'd have to go by the reviews. For Intel there is a lot of experience out there already.

What it comes down to after that are more specific usages that one or the other might be better suited for, budget, price/performance, availability ("I want to build it tonight"), stuff like that.

But, at the end of the day, either one will get you what you want. I am just showing you what's at your MicroCenter since you seem to want to build something ASAP. The price for that is what's available there vs. getting a combo from Newegg, seeing how Trinity pans out, etc.

Thanks for all your help. Very appreciated. I only wanted to get the stuff asap because I have like a graveyard of parts all over the place right now and the wife isn't to happy . The intel parts you suggested might just work and having usb 3.0 is a plus with also the addition of me being able to upgrade the board to a i7 in the future. When I mentioned Intel vs AMD I was more talking about the parts I already had. Like the HD4250 vs the intel HD graphics. Another thing I read is that the intel chip might actually be quieter with the stock then my original AMD setup so that can also be a plus.

[Dougie Fresh]

With the on-die GPUs you do get much better power consumption and some extra features over the HD4250 like HD audio bitstreaming which the HD4250 cannot do. The stock Intel cooler does run quieter in my experience and you'll find a lot of threads here attesting to the same. Overall, you'll get something more modern, efficient, quieter and cooler.

[cerchiarax]

With the on-die GPUs you do get much better power consumption and some extra features over the HD4250 like HD audio bitstreaming which the HD4250 cannot do. The stock Intel cooler does run quieter in my experience and you'll find a lot of threads here attesting to the same. Overall, you'll get something more modern, efficient, quieter and cooler.

Ok cool deal. I may go with the Intel then. Last question I hope. (Thanks for the quick responses.) Will the ram I bought work? Or should I replace that as well?

[Dougie Fresh]

DDR3-1333 will work with the Intel setup. Depending on which CPU you get, it might run at DDR3-1066. That's nothing to be concerned about for HTPC duties however. I believe most MicroCenter RAM is rebadged A-DATA RAM.

[cerchiarax]

DDR3-1333 will work with the Intel setup. Depending on which CPU you get, it might run at DDR3-1066. That's nothing to be concerned about for HTPC duties however. I believe most MicroCenter RAM is rebadged A-DATA RAM.

So I'm planning to go with the 3rd gen cpu you mentioned. And I think this mobo might be better then the one you mentioned and cheaper. What do you think?

http://www.microcenter.com/product/38808...otherboard

Linkworld Electronic 727 mATX Computer Case
SKU: 342766
$19.99 $19.99

ASRock H61M-HVS H61 1155 mATX Intel Motherboard
SKU: 397539
$49.99 $49.99

Intel Pentium G2120 3.1GHz LGA 1155 Boxed Processo
SKU: 866541
$79.99 $79.99

Micro Center 4GB DDR3-1333 PC3-10666) CL9 Dual Cha
SKU: 168237
17.99