$500 gaming rig (HD 6850)

[llDemonll]

Get a nice, big and expensive Coolermaster case (HAF 912, or Advanced II), u need it for best tempratures possible, otherwise your parts will fry, DONT get a Coolermaster PSU, they are not good, get an Antec one, or a Corsair.
Those things are going to be replaced after years, u should invest on those, not the mobo, or the CPU or the gfx where much better will be available in 1 year..

Yea, uh, wrong. All wrong, not even going to comment how wrong it is. Please, don't try to advise people when you clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

[Narn]

Yea, uh, wrong. All wrong, not even going to comment how wrong it is. Please, don't try to advise people when you clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

I agree. I think this about sums it up, Personal Preference + Previous Screwups != Fact

[Chickensoup23]

In a budget build the Phenom II X3 450 is a perfectly fine CPU for WoW. You can generally play at good to high settings throughout the world and in raids fluctuating from 30FPS to 60FPS. Obviously dependent on other factors, but its a hell of a lot better than the X2's.

Forgot to mention I used the X3 450 in two budget gaming builds just yesterday. Both of them unlocked the fourth core on the first try now they're classed as a Phenom II X4 B40. So you never know, might win that core unlock lottery.

How do you ''unlock'' a core? I don't get it.

---------- Post added 2011-01-14 at 01:37 PM ----------

Also if someone wanted a Quad Core option. This isn't too much over the AMD Phenom II X2 565.
AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition -
GIGABYTE GA-880GA-UD3H AM3-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...t=Combo.572742

Excellent processor, btw. I have a buddy who owns one clocked @ 3.8 GHz, runs like a champ.

[Narn]

Several motherboards come with a Core Unlocker technology now.

Basically instead of running a line of dual cores and a line of triple cores and a line of quad cores. Sometimes they just use a triple core or quad core and "turn off" 1 or 2 of the cores. So if your lucky you can buy a dual core and "unlock" the cores that are already on your chip just not active. I know that isn't 100% accurate but you get the general idea.

I went with the 965 and really like it. I spent a few extra dollars because i knew i wouldn't be able to overclock for awhile. If you are going to Overclock the 955 Clocks almost exactly the same as the 965.

[xyrr]

About core unlocking:
Basically they make one big plaque of cpu material. The center part is the best so that's where the high end CPU's get cut out. The material around that might not be as good in quality, so they sell the CPU's from that part as 3 core's, even though there is a 4th one, it's just disabled. If you're lucky, the 4th core is intact and you get a free extra core.

[Gat]

While that 955 BE and mobo is a nice combo, extra money isn't just laying around right now for me. I'm going to have to stick with the 565 BE. Hopefully I get lucky and get the 3rd and 4th core unlocked.

[Narn]

Best of luck unlocking them. Let us know if you do get one or 2 unlocked.