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onizuka · (This post was last modified: 2012-10-08, 20:35 by onizuka.)

Quick question:

Props to Bluray for sniffing out the Levono H520s from Microcenter for the decent: $470 price. (Or was it even cheaper?)

http://www.microcenter.com/product/39315...p_Computer

How does last year's i5-2320 stack up to this forum's newly coveted i3-3225?

If one were to do some light gaming along with HPTC usage, would it make more sense to build from scratch with the i3-3225 and throw in a discrete card or just toss a card in the H520s?

Opinion away!
Thanks

Palmer · 2012-10-08, 21:02

If your going to purchase a graphics card for gaming anyways then there is really no point to going with the i3-3225 with gpu, there is a dozen other cheaper choices that will do the job as a dedicated CPU. The graphics card depending on what you purchase will do the heavy work for gaming anyways along with video playback. You could just get a basic i3 in that case and 8gb ram. I would think you could build a better system for same price or less then the Levono, but it seems ok if you maybe have room for video card and more ram(for gaming)

bluray · 2012-10-08, 21:40

(2012-10-08, 20:33)onizuka Wrote: If one were to do some light gaming along with HPTC usage, would it make more sense to build from scratch with the i3-3225 and throw in a discrete card or just toss a card in the H520s?

If you want to play some games too, you can opt for this "Lenovo H520s + PowerColor AX6670" instead......you'll get everything with it and it is ready for XBMC out of the box- "case, PSU, mobo, CPU, GPU, RAM, HDD, Windows 7, etc".......

RaggSokk3n · 2012-10-08, 21:55

sandy 2500k + HD 7750 if you want a small and cheap gamer.. Smile

Giovanni95816 · 2012-10-23, 22:20

Hi guys.
First of all thank to all of you for your great tips and advices.
My dilemma is if to get an HTPC built as the lenovo H520s either with Intel G640 or I3-2120 plus eventually the AX6670 or build my own HTPC (never done before!) which is the following:
Case Apex Mi-008
Motherboard AsRock B75M-ITX LGA
CPU I3-3225
Memory Kingston HyperX 8GB
Hard Drive SSD 2.5" SATA III 128GB Samsung

Thanks in advance!!!

bluray · 2012-10-24, 05:23

(2012-10-23, 22:20)Giovanni95816 Wrote: Motherboard AsRock B75M-ITX LGA
CPU I3-3225
Memory Kingston HyperX 8GB
Hard Drive SSD 2.5" SATA III 128GB Samsung

Why not? You should be able to play some games with Intel HD4000.....

Giovanni95816 · 2012-10-24, 05:29

I know this questions may sound ridiculous to many of you but I was wondering if by building my own system all cable and patches comes with the hardware or not. I admit I am a rookie but I am so excited to have XBMC on my big fat 48" HDTV and the soung going to my Onkyo receiver.
Thanks

bluray · 2012-10-24, 05:40

(2012-10-24, 05:29)Giovanni95816 Wrote: I know this questions may sound ridiculous to many of you but I was wondering if by building my own system all cable and patches comes with the hardware or not. I admit I am a rookie but I am so excited to have XBMC on my big fat 48" HDTV and the soung going to my Onkyo receiver.
Thanks

Yes, most cases " and some cases included PSU too" included all the cables needed to complete HTPC build other than HDMI cable to your AVR.....

Giovanni95816 · 2012-10-24, 06:13

Bluray you are "THA MAN"!!!!

Giovanni95816 · 2012-10-29, 19:50

OK I'm thinking that I may go to a different direction. AMD A10-5800K instead of I3-3235 plus a video card (possibly HD7000 series) to be able to to play games at an acceptable graphic level.
So any good suggestion on case and motherboard?
Thanks!

**Dougie Fresh** · 2012-10-29, 20:58

I would look at this article before making that decision: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/A...ew/1646/19

They conclude that w/o a video card for gaming, the A10-5800K's integrated GPU blows away the i3-3220's integrated GPU. However, when you use a discrete video card, the i3-3220's CPU is more powerful than the A10-5800K's CPU and therefore the i3-3220 is a better choice.

No video card: A10-5800K. With video card: i3-3220.

bluray · 2012-10-29, 21:54

(2012-10-29, 19:50)Giovanni95816 Wrote: OK I'm thinking that I may go to a different direction. AMD A10-5800K instead of I3-3235 plus a video card (possibly HD7000 series) to be able to to play games at an acceptable graphic level.
So any good suggestion on case and motherboard?
Thanks!

If you want to play some games, AMD A10-5800K is a great choice......you can find some good reviews on AMD trinity in my "post #40"....