The onboard SATA2 will likely be faster than the PCI-E SATA3.

Heads up if you're in the market for an Intel motherboard, the EVGA Z75 SLI is available for $99 after $20 MIR

Buy the EVGA 131-IB-E695-KR Intel Z75 Motherboard at TigerDirect.ca

I liked the board when I reviewed it, I just thought $160 was a bit much. At $99 you won't find a board with better VRM components.

Z75 SLI Review - EVGA Z75 SLI Motherboard Review with Z75 vs Z77

Only caveat is no SSD caching

opinions on this deal? AMD FX-8320 Processor Bundle w/ Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 Motherboard at Memory Express

Hey I want to build a new rig most likely a barebone kit from ncix or tigerdirect. I was wondering if I should wait till boxing day for maybe a deal or just order now for a shipment maybe before christmas?

Vishera 8320 combo can be had for cheaper. At $300+, I would honestly just go Intel 3570k for the lower consumption.

Put together your own barebone kit. These pre-built bare bone kits are usually over-priced @ NCIX/ME/etc.

Should look into getting a cheap AMD APU build and go from there. During Black friday, I was able to piece together a rig for $260 after taxes/ before MIR at memory express.

dafuq:ahwow:
cheap mobo
cheap ram
APU

damn that's a killer value..did you get a card to do hybrid cfx?

I didn't end up buying it, because I had school on Black Friday. I still have the rig from msg history.

Cpu/mobo: AMD A8-3870K Black APU Quad Core Processor & Gigabyte A55M-DS2
Ram: Patriot Viper 3 Series, Black Mamba Edition DDR3 8GB (2 x 4GB) PC3-12800 Dual Channel Kit at Memory Express
Powersupply: ThermalTake TR2 500W Power Supply at Memory Express
Case: Arctic Cooling Silentium T11 Mid Tower Case, Black at Memory Express
HDD: Seagate 3TB Barracuda 7200rpm SATA III w/ 64MB Cache at Memory Express

$262.08 after taxes/before MIR

These parts were ALL on sale during Black Friday haha.

Damn, thought I was going cheap by just going the barebone kits, who knew I could go cheaper :P

included the case/PSU/HDD and after taxes pre-MIR

...MAJORDAFUq:suspicious::suspicious:

What are the latest AMD and Intel sockets at the moment? I'm going to build le gf a new PC come Boxing Day and I want to get her something that will be upgradeable if needed over the next few years.

AMD (with integrated video, low end to midrange): FM2
AMD (no integrated video, low end to midrange): AM3+

Intel (with integrated video, low end to high end): LGA 1055
Intel (no integrated video, high end only): LGA 1366

don't bother with intel if you are thinking of futureproofing thisi way...lga socket is usually only good for each 'tock-tock' cycle...which is roughly 2 years

Yup Haswell will be LGA 1050 next spring

Awesome thanks guys. The socket doesn't have to last forever, but right now her processor is the only thing holding her PC back and it's nearly the best you can get for that socket, which makes upgrading a hassle.

Which socket?

Upgrading the PC is always a hassle. I figured it's better to just get what you need NOW, and not worry so much about upgrading...

The only internal parts that seems to carry over are PSU's and HDD's, but not even necessarily.

I made the mistake before by buying more expensive parts to leave extra room for upgrading.
By the time I was ready to upgrade, nothing modern was compatible with my current parts.

That is unless you plan to upgrade every 1-2 years, but the upgrade would probably be minor and not even worth it imo.

^ True enough, but her CPU is just a little behind where she'd like it to be. I'd like to ad least have some options when it comes to getting more power out of it.

Socket 939 (Asus AL8-SLI mobo, so DDR400 RAM as well)

what does your gf do that needs CPU performance? I would just get a CPU with good OC headroom...so let's say 2-3 years down the road just plop on an affordable air cooler and do a moderate OC and you are good to go for another 2 years or so.

I agree, get what you need now, and don't worry so much for upgrading. There's not much you can future proof now with sockets, because Intel always changes sockets ( and will be soon next year). AMD would have been a good route for you because they basically stayed with the same socket for years. For example, if your AM3+ mobo had an bios update, it could even support the new Vishera's. But even then, AMD is getting a new socket soon.

But anyways, Socket 939 is pretty ancient tech. The newer cpus nowadays should be futureproof for 3years~ at least (if you're not the person to upgrade every 1-2 years) imo.

General purpose gaming, but mostly GW2 at the moment. Her old PC can run it, but at meh settings. I know I'm not futureproofing by much, but I don't want to get an older socket with one of the better CPU's for that socket, because then I'll run into the same problem again later.

Been researching mobos, and just remembered that I'd like to have something with thunderbolt on it...

Anyone got any experience with the ASUS P8Z77-V PRO w/thunderbolt?

anyone got an overclocked 3570k?
what're you at and at what voltage?

i think i got a below average chip

4.4ghz @ 1.248v under load with 50% llc

V pro TB is pricey
if you absolutely need TB i would look at UP4 or G45
GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 1155 - GA-Z77X-UP4 TH (rev. 1.0)
MSI Z77A-G45 Thunderbolt ATX LGA1155 Z77 DDR3 3PCI-E16 4PCI-E1 SATA3 HDMI VGA USB3.0 Motherboard

^Dafaq, the reg g45 is $100 after rebate and the thundrebolt ver. doesn't even mention a rebate...Probably NCIX mistake??

how much do you guys think the I7 3370k will go down to on boxing day?

ncix sells them for 329.99 right now.

and RS member is willing to sell : FS: i7/i5/i3 and radeon 6850

both for $550 so if i buy with friend.. it might be worth it?

or no?