Mast Maker

Fryday deals (or lack thereof)

2009-11-20T07:08:00.000-08:00

For a weekend-before-black-friday, today's Fry's Ads have been particularly unappetizing. Even their budget offering of Sempron 140 and Motherboard at $59.99 ($49.99 after Rebate) pales in comparison with last week's Celeron E3200 deals. While a 2.7GHz single-core Sempron with 1MB Cache is pretty fast and energy effecient at 45W, it surely cannot match a 2.4GHz dual-core Celeron with 1MB Cache and the tests DO attest to that fact. HOWEVER, there are reports around the net which indicate that this chip can be unlocked to be a dual-core. Also, it seems to be seriously overclockable with some enthusiasts reports speeds comfortably above 3.6GHz. Note that this kind of unlocking or overclocking requires a much better board than that included in this deal.

The Mid-range offering of of Intel Core2Quad Q9550 and Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P for $270 ($250 after rebate) would be VERY interesting except for 2 factoids: First, Intel Q9xxx (or Q8xxx) series is now superceded by Core i7 and i5 series. In fact, you can put together a setup of Core i5 750 and Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 for the same price: $250. Second, though Fry's sells Q9550 at a higher price, Microcenter sells it for $170, which means that savings from this deal are just $20 - $40. Not bad, but not enough to make one opt for an older generation setup.

Added: This week Fry's seems to be running a bunch of great deals on refurbished Linksys Routers. Of particular Note are two:

1. Refurbished WRT54G2 at $19.99. WRT54G2 is a run-of-the-mill 4-port wireless router with one redeeming feature: It is capable of running DD-WRT (albeit only a micro version of it). DD-WRT is a Linux-based firmware that puts ANY ROUTER (that it supports) on steroids. I have tested WRT54G2 on DD-WRT. It is very stable, pretty fast and has a number of features not found in ANY routers aimed at SOHO market - meaning any router costing less than $150!

2. Refurbished WRT160N at $49.99. Looks the same as WRT54G2 (and a bunch of other Linksys routers. Can't you atleast change the color of the top shield or something?) but supports N with upto 300Mbps connections over wireless (but only 100Mbps on wired connections, go figure!). While I have not tested this personally, this router seems to have a good review over the intertubes and is certainly a recommended buy, but only if you HAVE to have N speeds. Otherwise, it is WRT54G2 with DD-WRT all the way! Code-Retard here gives instructions to install dd-wrt on WRT160N.

Fryday Deals: CPU/Motherboard Combo

2009-11-13T14:24:00.000-08:00

Intel Celeron E3200 and G31 Motherboard at $59.99 ($49.99 after Rebate)

This makes for a really good value machine, with plenty of overclocking potential. The processor E3200 is one of the very first value- and mid-range processors from Intel with Virtual Technology (the other one being Pentium Dual-core E6500, a 2.93MHz beast!). Historically Intel used Virtual Technology as a major differentiator between premium-range and rest of the chips - one of my pet peeves. Virtualization is important for running virtual machines AND for running virtual XP mode in Windows 7. E3200 runs at 2.4GHz, x64 capable and every bit as good as an E8xxx chip except for rather anemic L2 Cache. It sells for $52.99 at NewEgg making this - effectively - a Buy-the-processor-and-the-motherboard-is-free deal.

The Motherboard, G31-M7 TE is, admittedly, a cheap motherboard, the main disadvantage being only 2 RAM slots instead of 4. Once you get past that, it has pretty much everything a user wants: 4 SATA ports, one PATA port, plenty of USB slots and reasonably good audio.User reviews of a similar motherboard on NewEgg seems to be very positive.

While this combo may not set any speed records, this will certainly make for a really good (I would say, excellent) value machine for all but the most serious users.

Recommended Buy.

Edited to Add: Fry's is now offering G31TM-P21 along with E3200 instead of the original Biostar board at exactly the same price (probably ran out of the latter at most of the stores). This board is very similar to the earlier one and seems to have pretty good reviews on NewEgg. So, it is still a recommended buy.

HP G61-320US Notebook at $549.99

2009-11-10T20:41:00.000-08:00

What is so special about a 16" HP laptop? Well...this is among the first wave of laptops based on Phenom II based mobile chips from AMD. And since there were no Phenom based mobile chips, these chips should make a great advance from already impressive Turion and Athlon Mobile chips like ZM-, RM- and QL- series.

AMD based laptops

For serious and semi-professional users, there is one major factor that makes AMD based laptops (or desktops) more attractive than Intel based ones: As a differentiating factor between their premium range chips and rest of the line (i.e. medium and value chips), Intel removes support for Virtualization Technology from all but the premium range chips. The result is that very few Intel based laptops below about $900 have Virtualization. In contrast, the only differences between premium range AMD chips and their rest of the line are the speed and (sometimes) size of the cache. You get ALL the functionality but at reduced speed.

Till the days of XP and Vista, the lack of Virtualization Technology was only a concern for those who were running virtual machines - using certain virtualizers that supported hardware virtualization. However, that changed with Windows 7 (which seems to have caught Intel unaware). Windows 7 comes with something called Virtual XP mode which allows you to run applications in a native XP mode. This functionality requires Virtualization Technology: Advantage AMD!

Unlike Phenom II, Turion II chips lack L3 cache, but that shouldn't affect the performance too much.

G61-320US is a pretty well specified laptop. 16" (1366x768) screen, 3GB DDR2 memory, 250GB hard disk, DVD Writer, HDMI port, webcam...the works. Integrated HD 4200 graphics chip is pretty good for mainstream applications but not very useful for gaming or video processing. I am very impressed with the new trackpad on HP and Compaq machines, where the trackpad is not a separate pad, but is continuous with and same texture as the rest of the body - with just a dip to show the extent of the trackpad. It has a nice feel to it and is pretty responsive.

NewEgg sells it for $499.99 with free shipping ($449.00 after Rebate), which makes it even more attractive.

Update on 11/13/2009: Fry's has it on sale for $449 ($399 after Rebate). Grab it while it lasts! The sale is good from 11/13/2009 to 11/19/2009.

CPU Heatsinks - OCZ Vendetta 2

2009-11-10T07:57:00.001-08:00

Keeping one's computer quiet has become more important than ever, now that computers have invaded all corners of our homes. A quiet computer is important to one's sanity when it is in your bedroom, and is important to the total entertainment experience when used as a HTPC (Home Theater PC).

You need to attack computer noise on a number of fronts: The chief sources of noise in a computer are (to put it simply) FANS. The fan on the CPU heatsink, the fan in the power supply unit, the case fans and (if present) the fan on the graphics card. The secondary sources of noise (and vibration) are the hard disks and sometimes the DVD drive. A very important attack vector in the War Against Noise and Vibration in Computers (WANVIC?) is also the computer case. A strong, sturdy case with good insulation reduces the noise and vibrations considerably.

In the coming weeks, I will try and present recommendations on all the components mentioned above. Let us start with CPU heat-sink.

In terms of WANVIC, a good heat-sink is one whose fan runs slow and quiet (duh!). Conventional wisdom says that you should try and use a heat-sink with 120mm fan rather than that with a 92mm or an 80mm one. Even among the heat-sink with 120mm fans, you should look for ones with lower RPM. Once you have identified a few potentially good heat-sink, you should check out the reviews on it to make sure that they are not unusually loud (for their speed) or inefficient in dissipating the heat. Believe me when I say both these things happen, more often than you think. A heat sink that comes from a reputable brand name, that looks excellent on paper, may turn out to be a loud one or one that makes the CPU run hot (or - worse - both).

Now, here's a heat-sink that passes all those tests. OCZ Vendetta 2 at $39.99 ($24.99 after rebate till 12/6/2009) at Micro-center. This being a vertical (or upright) heat-sink, and a monster one at that, a major requirement for using this is that you need a clearance of about 6.5" as measured from the motherboard surface to the opposite side of the case. If you have only about 5" clearance, consider KingWin XT-964 I mentioned here.

Vendetta 2 is very easy to mount on AMD boards, but considered a pain-in-the-wrong-place to mount on Intel boards (but then which one isn't? Intel must have been smoking really bad stuff when they designed the heat-sink mount for LGA775 - and they are not in a hurry to change that on newer platforms). It seems to stay clear of RAM strips on most motherboards. On a Phenom X3 720 that I tested, the fan stays below 800 RPM most of the times, raising to 1200-1250 RPM on load. The CPU stayed at 5-7 degrees C above room temperature throughout the test. In a quiet room, I can barely here the fan even at 1250 RPM.

Conclusion? An excellent heat-sink which earns the grade of a four-star general in WANVIC. The only thing that prevents it from earning five-star general grade (AKA General MacArthur grade) is its height which prevents it from being useful in medium sized cases. Highly recommended.

Fryday deals: cases and coolers

2009-11-06T06:53:00.000-08:00

There is not much in the way of great deals at Fry's this Friday. Here are a couple of minor ones, though.

Cooler Master Elite 360 for $24.99

This case can be used as a tower or a desktop. It is also relatively skinny, as the cases go. That makes it ideal for a Home Theatre PC (HTPC). It is one of the very few cases that can be used for HTPC AND accept full ATX boards. There is a price to pay for it though! Assembling it is a bit of a hassle, but not too much. It is well built for its price and is reasonably quiet. It usually sells for $35 - $40, which itself is a good price. At $25, it is a really-good-price. For more information on this product, as well as reviews, trust NewEgg.

KingWin XT-964 CPU HeatSink for $19.99 ($4.99 after rebate)

This has to be one of the shortest heat-sinks with lateral (or upright) fan. There are two factors responsible for this: First, it uses a 92mm fan instead of an 120mm one. Second, the grilled body sits very low. It needs only about 5" clearance from the board to the top of the heat-sink.
Reviews at NewEgg seem to indicate that it is reasonably quiet and effecient. At $5 after rebate, it is a recommended buy.
If you have about 6.5" clearance in your case (as measured from motherboard to the opposite case wall), consider OCZ Vendetta 2 at $39.99 ($24.99 after rebate), which is EXTREMELY quiet and keeps the CPU barely warm. I am preparing a full review of the latter and will be posting it this weekend under 'Quiet Computing' series.

Refurbished Netgear WNR2000 N Router for $29.99

Grab it while it lasts! New WNR2000 sells for about $79.99 everywhere, including Frys! This is a good, fast router, with pretty good reviews.

2009-11-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

Best Performance Rig

Quick disclaimer: This recommendation applies only if you are building a new system from scratch. If you are planning to re-use any of your old setup, lookout for ‘Best Upgrade of the Week’ series in ‘Bay Area Computing’, which will spell out the best ‘value for money’ upgrade options that week.

Also, the prices that I mention are good for today, Nov. 4^th2009. Prices of computer components generally only head downwards, but it is not always guaranteed. For instance, DDR2 and DDR3 prices are on upwards trend recently. Micro-center may decide to end their processor price differential and either of our processors-of-choice may end up costing up to $50 more.

Processor

As of today, there are only two processors of choice for a top notch performance rig: Core i5 750 and Core i7 860. Here is an excellent analysis including benchmarks of 750 and 870, which is the same as 860, but runs 4% faster. Both of these processors run on Socket LGA-1156. Stay with me as I set out to explain my reasons for selecting these two processors:

First, let us consider alternative platforms: There are two. Intel has LGA-1366, which hosts more powerful Core i7 9xx processors. AMD has AM3 hosting Phenom-II and Athlon-II processors. LGA-1366 platform ends up being 30% more expensive, and more power hungry without commensurate benefit (as of today) in performance. If you plan on upgrading one of the six-core or eight-core i7 processors expected next year, go with LGA-1366. Otherwise, it is only worth the money in bragging rights. AMD was always known for ‘best value for money’, but no longer. AM3 platform briefly held promise, but with Intel cutting prices on Core 2 Quad 9xxx, and introducing LGA-1156 with aggressive pricing, AM3 has lost its attraction. I will show here that we can build rigs with Core i5 750 cheaper than that with Phenom-II x4 955 or 965 and 750 outperforms the AMD chips by a mile and a half.

Next, let us consider alternative CPUs: There are three LGA-1156 chips available in the market: Core i5 750, Core i7 860 and 870. 870 begs to be ridiculed right out of contention: A performance improvement of about 4% for a price increase of 100%-130%? Come on Intel! I think you are taking this ‘premium-with-bragging-rights’ thing too far.That leaves us with two options: Core i5 750 at $149.99 and Core i7 860 at $229.99. For $80 more, 860 offers a slightly higher speed (2.80GHz to 2.66GHz) and hyper-threading. If these two improvements are enough for you to plonk> down $80 more, go with 860. Personally, I feel it is not worth it. So, I recommend Core i5 750.

Micro-center generally has the best prices when it comes to Processors. In the case of i5 750, Fry’s has it for $205.00 or about $55 more. Fry’s charges $289.00 for i7 860, or about $59 more. Of course, you can always take advantage of Fry’s’ price match guarantee (as long as Micro-center has the processor in stock at their Santa Clara location. I prefer to buy components from Fry’s (as opposed to Micro-center) since they allow you to return stuff. Micro-center accepts returns on everything except Processors, mother-boards and the like.

Motherboard

LGA-1156 is a very young platform and thus, has a choice of exactly ONE chipset: P55. Even so, Micro-center has a choice of 11 boards, Fry’s has 17 boards, while the online retailer Newegg has 59, I repeat 59, boards. How do you choose among these?

When it comes to motherboards, everybody has their own opinion and each one is different. Personally, I have – over the years – good experience with MSI, Gigabyte and Intel. However, I try to avoid Intel boards, since they are not conducive to overclocking AND mostly they insist on taking a long time to boot up, no matter what the BIOS options are set to. My second choice motherboard makers are Asus and Biostar.

When we look at the 17 boards from Fry’s, we see that the two inexpensive boards are MSI P55-CD53 at $79.99 and Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 at $99.99. The MSI board is of ATX form factor, with one PCI-E x16 slot and three PCI slots. The Gigabyte board is Micro-ATX with two PCI-Ex16 slots (though the second one runs at x4) and two PCI slots. The latter also boasts 1394 and E-SATA connections, and one extra onboard SATA (7 as opposed to 6) connection. Edit: Specifications seem to indicate 8 SATA ports on P55-CD53, but I fail to locate the last 2. In view of the above, I recommend GA-P55M-UD2 unless you have to have either the extra PCI slot or one of the three PCI-E x1 slots that MSI helpfully provides. If you are building a gaming rig and have to have SLI, look at GA-P55M-UD4. This has two PCI-E 2.0 x16 slots and 12-phase power for the CPU which helps in overclocking (or when you buy that 12-core CPU in 2 years from now!). At $144.99, this is a good value, too.

Memory

If you plan to run one or more virtual machines on your rig, you may need 6GB – 8GB (or even more) memory. Otherwise, 4GB should be generally sufficient for most applications.

It is hard to pin down a recommendation for memory (especially DDR3). As long as you are not counting your CAS Latency, my recommendation is this: Walk in to Fry’s / check out Fry’s website, check out the deals, buy whatever memory is reasonable for the week. Do not buy anything below 1333MHz. If you buy anything above 1600MHz, be prepared to return it if
it doesn’t work with your motherboard.

Good memory deals for this week are: 4GB 1333MHz Corsair DHX at $84.99, 6GB 1333MHz Patriot (3 strips) at $89.99, and 4GB 1600MHz Kingston at $89.99.