Whats the best desktop CPU for around $200

[Yawgm0th]

This seems good, based on reviews. However, I'd probably take a good widescreen LCD, such as this or this. They get higher resolutions, particularly at this price point. I also tend to prefer widescreen, though some games don't really give proper widescreen support. I'd get this if I could afford it. It's a little better than those others. Take special note of the resolutions of each of these monitors. I wouldn't really recommend the first one I linked for a gaming system because it has a fairly limited resolution. I like to run at 1440x900 or better for 16:10 monitors and 1600x1200 for 4:3 monitors. If your friend isn't too hardcore, he can probably handle the resolution limitation of LCDs in the sub-$250 price range, but I know I'd be unhappy.

This looks pretty nice for RAM after MIR, though I tend to avoid rebates where possible. This is what I use myself, and it handles 2-2-2 up to at least 205MHz, so it (and that OCZ and just about anything in the price range) should handle whatever you throw at it, as long as you use dividers well. Most high-quality PC3200 sticks have plenty of overclocking headroom if you loosen timings.

[Spongebob]

Originally Posted by Yawgm0th

This seems good, based on reviews. However, I'd probably take a good widescreen LCD, such as this or this. They get higher resolutions, particularly at this price point. I also tend to prefer widescreen, though some games don't really give proper widescreen support. I'd get this if I could afford it. It's a little better than those others. Take special note of the resolutions of each of these monitors. I wouldn't really recommend the first one I linked for a gaming system because it has a fairly limited resolution. I like to run at 1440x900 or better for 16:10 monitors and 1600x1200 for 4:3 monitors. If your friend isn't too hardcore, he can probably handle the resolution limitation of LCDs in the sub-$250 price range, but I know I'd be unhappy.

This looks pretty nice for RAM after MIR, though I tend to avoid rebates where possible. This is what I use myself, and it handles 2-2-2 up to at least 205MHz, so it (and that OCZ and just about anything in the price range) should handle whatever you throw at it, as long as you use dividers well. Most high-quality PC3200 sticks have plenty of overclocking headroom if you loosen timings.

Thanks for the quick reply. We'll be ordering everything tonight. Looks like a nice rebate on that patriot ram, very cheap for 2 GB's.
He said he might want to go with either a SLi or crossfire mainboard for future upgradability though.

[casecutter]

To anyone that doubts Crossfire, I have had SLI and now crossfire. Keeps up easily to SLI and not nearly as buggy as most people say/think. Probably a case of the good ole "User Error". If you get/got a Crossfire board, the RD580 boards are much better than the RD480 boards. BUT, Crossfire must have a ridiculously strong PSU. Even my PSU is said to have issues with it, but not for me yet. SLI isn't quite as bad, but still getting a super strong recommended unit for either is an absolute must!

[ZeAliOuS]

Ive always been with AMD so id hate to say it...

but the reason why i like AMD is they offer bang for buck..

well I guess the 64's are ok but they are a bit expensive and i would not call them bang for buck.

I would really hate to say it but ive been hearing ALOT of good things about the new socket 775 Celeron D's
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec....iteria=BA21835

76 bucks.. 256cache 3.2ghz..
i think that is a bang for buck.

im not sure about it tho. clerons have always been crap... whats so dif about this core.. i dont know. will it out perform the entry lvl 64's? i dont know but for that price maybe its worth checking out.

[Yawgm0th]

A sub-2GHz Sempron 64 will beat it and cost around the same, and less after other costs are considered. That's without overclocking. Overclocked, they'll get to 2.5GHz or higher on stock and beat anything a Celeron D is capable of clocking at.

Also, there's nothing new about them. They've been around quite some time. There have been some core changes, but nothing groundbreaking. Celeron Ds have always been decent at best, which is an improvement over the terrible Northwood P4s. Mobile P4 Celerons are pretty good as well, and Celeron Ms are the best. Not all Celerons suck; it's just that the desktop Northwoods were some of the most widely-produced and gave them a bad rep.

[Munkul]

as well as what yawg said, to get a celeron clocked high, you need a half decent mobo, and intel mobos cost lots - not many bangs for bucks in them. overall, a sempron will always be better (also, the new am2 semprons are dirt cheap)

[orangutang91]

Originally Posted by casecutter

To anyone that doubts Crossfire, I have had SLI and now crossfire. Keeps up easily to SLI and not nearly as buggy as most people say/think. Probably a case of the good ole "User Error". If you get/got a Crossfire board, the RD580 boards are much better than the RD480 boards. BUT, Crossfire must have a ridiculously strong PSU. Even my PSU is said to have issues with it, but not for me yet. SLI isn't quite as bad, but still getting a super strong recommended unit for either is an absolute must!

There is a conflict betwixt SLI and CrossFire:
SLI has one GPU communicating with 1 bridge and the same with the other, the north and south bridges have to communicate so there is a link between them, AMD hasnt specified the speed yet and that indicates that it is slower than the 8mb/s that the cards communicate at, this connection between the N and S bridges also creates latencies according to ATi. ATi has both GPU's communicating with the same bridge to eliminate this so called problem. the cards and chipsets are relatively deadlocked even with this SLI problem.