$400 Budget Know little about AMD - Page 2

Standard software compiling, like C++, benefits far more from IPC (clock speed) than more core. I can tell however, you are going to need a lot of RAM for this level of multi-task.

For USB wise, just use USB header cable. Motherboards have a lot of USB 2.0 headers these days.

Someone correct me if i am wrong, but all of that software is single threaded and won't use more than one core! You friends computer will NOT compile G-Code faster or be any better by going with a 4 or 6 core processor. If your friend wants to compile his code as efficiently as possible, he needs to look for the fastest dual core processor he can get! I strongly recommend looking at a dual core Intel. (Dual cores won't hold back any of the type of multitasking he does. )

I STRONGLY recommend the Intel G830 for this build. It is a 32nm 3.0 GHz Sandy bridge based dual core that sells for $100. It will run circles around many 4 and 6 core AMD processors at single threaded applications (it blows away the AMD Phenom X4 955, AMD Phenom X6 1050T, and AMD FX - 4100 right out of the water). (My second choice would be a Core i3-2120, which is a little pricier).

If your friend was a over-clocker, I might lean toward the FX-4100...but he is not. Everyone here probably already knows this but i'll say it anyways, a 3.1 GHz Intel Sandy Bridge performs just as fast as a identical (approximately) 3.8 GHz AMD, because the Intel is more pipelined and does more operations per clock cycle.

If you friend wants to use CAD/CAM software that will use more than one core, take advantage of the GPU, and will compile G-code in 1 to 3 minutes (instead of hours) he needs to stop using free homebrew software, and paying for the big-boy stuff that professionals use. Not trying to be rude. As long as he is using the free stuff, dual core is his best bet.
Edited by crimsontears809739 - 6/21/12 at 8:25pm

It really depends on how he is doing it, I think I read somewhere he was using gcc(C++ compiler). Well the gcc process is singe threaded, if you have a good makefile, you can optimize it for more cores.

i don't know about the OP but since he is in california if he is close to a microcenter he could get the cpu and mb there. i have a flyer for the one here in houston and i can get a asrock z77 extreme 4 for $90 and i5 3570k for $190. add 8gb of samsung ram for $50 shipped. as for a case maybe a fractal core 3000 for $80 shipped.

cpu $190
mb $90
ram $50
case $80

total ~$410 + tax on the mb and cpu