Intel E5200 + Gigabyte EG31MS2L + MSI HD4350(with HDMi) - 7.5k

AMD AthlonII 240 + Gigabyte MA785GM-US2H(HD4200, HDMi port) - 7.3k

If you plan to plan to play HD videos not possible with a G31 so you need a HD4350. So any energy savings of the intel proccy is negated. AMD works out to be the best HTPC bet.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu...p_9.html#sect0

Check this link for power consumption charts. The AthlonII rig consumes 1w less when idle. Eventhough the E5200 consumes 20w less than the AthlonII 240, the G31 mobo consumes 10w more than the G785. So the effective difference is only 10w. But once you need a HDMi port and HD videos playback you need a GPU. Idle power consumption of HD4350 is 10w. So at load the intel setup consumes more power then the AMD setup.

Athlon II X2 240



can't mention gigabyte mobo in 785/790 chipsets.. gigabyte's pricing for amd isn't so good for them.

vfm is available with biostar in amd.



GA-MA785GM-US2H is listed for 5.6k @ itwares.



better option would be to stick to 5200/5300 + gigabyte G31 and add an ATi HD4350 to fulfill your HTPC requirements.

overall price will be lower.

No offences bro, i beg to differ here, i have GeCube 3450 and G31 and i had the same damn confusion. So one day i removed my 3450 and played 1080i HD movies on G31's onboard and it played without a hitch! no problems in sound/video/forwarding whatsoever, no matter how absurd it sounds but it is true, only difference in IQ i saw was noticably degraded text quality with G31's onbard and OCing failed, i had to use PC @ stock!

EDIT: Forgot to mention i have 22" LCD so reso was high and TE member Sidhu has tried the same thing on an even higher reso, i hope i cleared your doubts. I think i should mention that the usage will be more like a general PC not an extensive HTPC. With onboard G31 we won't get DVI and HDMi ports hence thats something that i need to keep in mind for later usage.

Why is the AMD mobo u suggested so costly? Arent there any cheaper ones?

Originally Posted by Karthi007

Intel E5200 + Gigabyte EG31MS2L + MSI HD4350(with HDMi) - 7.5k

AMD AthlonII 240 + Gigabyte MA785GM-US2H(HD4200, HDMi port) - 7.3k

If you plan to plan to play HD videos not possible with a G31 so you need a HD4350. So any energy savings of the intel proccy is negated. AMD works out to be the best HTPC bet.

Any BIO mobo that will reduce the cost further, 4350 is out of question, i dont need HDMI etc, not even DVI. If i need DVI i will buy ATI 4350 later.

Originally Posted by madnav

Athlon II X2 240



can't mention gigabyte mobo in 785/790 chipsets.. gigabyte's pricing for amd isn't so good for them.

vfm is available with biostar in amd.



GA-MA785GM-US2H is listed for 5.6k @ itwares.



better option would be to stick to 5200/5300 + gigabyte G31 and add an ATi HD4350 to fulfill your HTPC requirements.

overall price will be lower.

^^ I have edited my post with tests from few websites. If it works for you and you wont be needing a HDMi port then its your take. But just take a look at your CPU usage when you do play it with G31. As you yourself have admitted it has affected OCing. It will also affect multitasking if the CPU usage is more.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showd...=3444&p=2&cp=2

Actually AMD's golden VFM Combi is



DDR2



Athlon II x2 240 - 3k

Biostar A785GE - 3.3k(HD 4200 is a very good IGP. Plays HD with eaze and directX 10.1 complaint)



Total - 6.3k



DDR3



Athlon II x2 240 - 3k

MSI 785GM - E51 - 4.6k



Total - 7.6k

+1 to X2 240+A785GE combo.

if considering biostar then get TA790GXBE (or TA790GXB A2+) minor differences... both cost same, bt GXBE is a lil better. Both are ATX



785G option available in same price range is a uATX board.

I have Pmed u regarding my harsh post and also the fact that i specified HTPC usage hence ur genuine suggestions. It is morever a ganeral usage PC and the end user doenot have a digital LCD/TV right now so he doesnot need DVI/HDMI, if he buys digital LCD/TV he can always buy 4350/3450 later. I guess we will stick with Intel combi. He doesnot OC, conroes are great at multi-tasking so thats not a problem, he is one guy who will watch a movie from a distance and won't touch the PC untill it is over .....

Originally Posted by Karthi007

^^ I have edited my post with tests from few websites. If it works for you and you wont be needing a HDMi port then its your take. But just take a look at your CPU usage when you do play it with G31. As you yourself have admitted it has affected OCing. It will also affect multitasking if the CPU usage is more.

AnandTech: MSI R4350 - First Look

Woah... this is coming out to be more expensive that Intel's combo.

+ = It has onboard DVI/HDMI (Future proof for a good HTPC)

- = Costly to buy right now.

DX 9-10 etc make NO real world difference for a general PC user imo.

Verdict: He doesnot have a digital LCD LCD TV right now so prolly then Intel combi wins.

Thanks.

Nevertheless plz mention the model number and cost of BIO mobo u want to suggest.

Originally Posted by Anubis

Actually AMD's golden VFM Combi is



DDR2



Athlon II x2 240 - 3k

Biostar A785GE - 3.3k(HD 4200 is a very good IGP. Plays HD with eaze and directX 10.1 complaint)



Total - 6.3k



DDR3



Athlon II x2 240 - 3k

MSI 785GM - E51 - 4.6k



Total - 7.6k

Sorry but Intel combi loses.



Intel E 5300 - 3.3k

Gigabyte G31ME - S2L - 2.5k



Total - 5.8k





I'll tell you why



Athlon II x2 240 is AM3 cpu and AMD's upgrade path is futureproof for 2011.



But unfortunately Intel's upgrade path does not exist at all . LGA 775 is EOL



Any sensible guy wouldn't mind spending .8k more for futureproof platform for 2011



Think ab8 it bro . Its .8k for futureproofing ur platform till 2011

that cpu can work at 4GHz without mobo change..he wont have to upgrade cpu

AMD AthonII X2(3k)+Asus M2N68-AMPLUS(2.3k)- 5.3k. Equivalent to the Intel combo.

U r right and wrong i guess. E5300 = Rs. 3100 and G31 = Rs. 2400 = Rs. 5500 & look at the onboard sound of BIO mobo: CODEC : Realtek ALC662 6-Channel HD Audio. It has amazing video but crappy onboard sound. End user listen to heavy metal music lol, Giga G31 doesnot have very high-end sound but is definitely better than this one, how much in real world i don't know! The guy will not upgrade for the next 5 years i guess. I am confused rofl! Also he will connect this Phillips HT with the PC, is this possible with a mobo which has 2.1 sound? I guess it is just a matter of connecting one cable.



http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/d...&scy=au&slg=en

Originally Posted by Anubis

Sorry but Intel combi loses.



Intel E 5300 - 3.3k

Gigabyte G31ME - S2L - 2.5k



Total - 5.8k





I'll tell you why



Athlon II x2 240 is AM3 cpu and AMD's upgrade path is futureproof for 2011.



But unfortunately Intel's upgrade path does not exist at all . LGA 775 is EOL



Any sensible guy wouldn't mind spending .8k more for futureproof platform for 2011



Think ab8 it bro . Its .8k for futureproofing ur platform till 2011

He can do that, i can arrange for a copper based intel stock cooler for him and voila!

Originally Posted by madnav

that cpu can work at 4GHz without mobo change..he wont have to upgrade cpu

ASUS ASS is repulsing, end user can't do the RMA thingy once the mobo goes bad, i heard giga already has their dedicated RMA service center in Delhi now

Originally Posted by Karthi007

AMD AthonII X2(3k)+Asus M2N68-AMPLUS(2.3k)- 5.3k. Equivalent to the Intel combo.

m2n68 is horrible.

it overvolts cpu by default.

no voltage settings..

all you can do is select power saving mode and then it overvolts less.

morever, its is am2 board with HT and NB at 1GHz..defeats whole purpose of having an athlon II



yes the ALC codec on biostar is shit.

ALC662 sucks bad...

U know these are the dreaded hidden "features" that scare me while investing in a cheap mobo, specially BIO and ASUS. I am kinda comfortable with Giga G31 as i am using it almost 24x7.

Originally Posted by madnav

m2n68 is horrible.

it overvolts cpu by default.

no voltage settings..

all you can do is select power saving mode and then it overvolts less.

morever, its is am2 board with HT and NB at 1GHz..defeats whole purpose of having an athlon II



yes the ALC codec on biostar is shit.

ALC662 sucks bad...

Originally Posted by Rockfella

U know these are the dreaded hidden "features" that scare me while investing in a cheap mobo, specially BIO and ASUS. I am kinda comfortable with Giga G31 as i am using it almost 24x7.

Alright dude go with Intel config. Its better that way , and he will upgrade it when required



Sorry to Rockfella for misleadind you into the Biostar A785GE mobo with crappy audio

Originally Posted by Rockfella

U know these are the dreaded hidden "features" that scare me while investing in a cheap mobo, specially BIO and ASUS. I am kinda comfortable with Giga G31 as i am using it almost 24x7.

well things have be in balance..

4.4k is still much better than 7k compared to gigabyte's 785G solution..all you lose is audio codec.

things could be better. biostar's pricing is closer to newegg pricing.. gigabyte is 1.5-2x the newegg pricing..

I have played 1080P video movie "GI Joe The Rise Of Cobra" on E5300+Gigabyte G31 S2C both in windows 7 and XP. Here are results.





Playback is very smooth with CPU usage 22 to 34% maximum in XP and 32 to 40% maximum in Windows 7 without any lag in audio / video.



@OP ASUS M2A74-AM+Athlon II 240 @ 2700+2900=5600/- would do job well without any scope of overclocking.

GIGABYTE - Product - Motherboard - Specification - GA-G31M-S2L



And the Giga G31M S2l also has the ALC662 codec. So it evens out.



Tooshay !!!!