Micro Center - $50 off CPU/Mobo Combo, 10% off plus $20 off Samsung 840 SSD w/ purchase and more: i3-3225, Asrock Z77 pro4m, Samsung 840 120gb and Crucial 8gb Ram all for $295

I just went to the Marietta GA microcenter and ended up getting the same cpu/mb/ssd as the OP (i3 3225/Asrock Pro-4-M/120gb Samsung 840 SSD) for an upgrade for my daughter's computer. I was considering the AMD route but couldn't really settle on a MB at the price I was looking for that had really good reviews online. Nobody even online comes close to their prices.

Was able to build my computer the other day with these parts. The build went great! Booted up first time is always good!

CPU and CPU/mobo combos at microcenter are always slick deals. The pricing competitors have for CPUs NEVER comes close to mocrocenters CPU pricing any day of the year ever. I just bought an i3-3225 w/ gigabyte board ended up costing $119 -tax and $10MIR.

Quote from mangaman : CPU and CPU/mobo combos at microcenter are always slick deals. The pricing competitors have for CPUs NEVER comes close to mocrocenters CPU pricing any day of the year ever. I just bought an i3-3225 w/ gigabyte board ended up costing $119 -tax and $10MIR.

Yeah I have to agree, and if something is cheaper they will do price matches. Never really knew about MC till couple months. Granted it had been 10yrs since built new computer.

mc is usually only good for the cpu and mb deal. thats where i got mine from. for SSD, RAMS, GPU, DVD drives, anywhere else online is cheaper

Quote from Gael : i3 3225 or i5 3570k unlocked processor.

Don't get the core i5 3570k, if it is seling the core i5 2500k for at least $30 cheaper then go for core i5 2500k or you can also go for core i7 2700k which is about $230. The Ivy does not improve the speed of the CPU, maybe a little bit but it is very similar, unless you do benchmark then you could see some different. Go for a processor that unlocked, sandy is better because they have designed on 35nm chip. The heat can spread faster, when you overclock it with water cooling it is incredible. The speed is much faster than core i5 3570k or any other ivy bridge chip with the same price as sandy. Go for the i7 2700k is better core i5 was selling at $170 but now it increased to $190 but they make the mainboard cheaper by $10 and the SSd cheaper by $20 so pretty much the samething if you buy it again I would recommend you to buy core i7 2700k instead

Quote from iluvu4eternity : mc is usually only good for the cpu and mb deal. thats where i got mine from. for SSD, RAMS, GPU, DVD drives, anywhere else online is cheaper

Unless you catch it in bundle "buy processor or mobo", the SSD linked is $10 cheaper then most places recently and don't have to mess with rebates. But do agree that most single piece items are cheaper online.

My MC price matches Newegg prices so it's actually pretty good. The only thing they won't match is coupon sales on the egg

I can get the i3-3225 + MB combo discount to show up in my cart, but the $20 SSD discount doesn't show up. Anyone know if that must be done in-store... or am I missing something?

This happens even if I only put the i3 + SSD in my card, so I don't think it's an issue of the offers not being able to be combined.

Quote from NORDO : I can get the i3-3225 + MB combo discount to show up in my cart, but the $20 SSD discount doesn't show up. Anyone know if that must be done in-store... or am I missing something? This happens even if I only put the i3 + SSD in my card, so I don't think it's an issue of the offers not being able to be combined.

For one the processor must be bought In store. Price will show up at store with scanned coupon.

Quote from badmonopoly : Waste of money on the CPU and MB if you ask me. Tons more value to be had with the AMD combos.

Spoken like a true fanboy.

Single threaded apps - AMD gets blown out of the water. They thought too far ahead of their time, thinking threaded apps were where we'd be by now.

How'd that Bulldozer work out again? Yeah.......thought so.

Intel - right now - is the best choice - i5 for gaming - i7 for heavier number crunching - and when you throw in the cost savings you get with combo's at MC - you have NO argument to go AMD over Intel.

To do so is to simply support the "little guy" - and that's it.

I'm not a fanboy - I've had AMD - I've had Intel - I've had Nvidia - I've had ATI - I choose whats the best performance for the $ and right now, an EASILY overclocked i5/i7 to 4.5 simply destroys anything AMD has to offer.

I want AMD to succeed - I really do - as their initial success put the boot into Intel's piss poor P4's, forcing them to make the CoreDuo - and from there on, it's history. Competition is great - but simply stating something that isn't true just because you have an emotional connection to something doesn't help anybody.

Quote from lopester02 : For one the processor must be bought In store. Price will show up at store with scanned coupon.

Had a feeling. No biggie since I have to pick up there anyway, just was curious before I make the trek.

Thanks!

Well, can't complain, got a great deal for everything in-store tonight...

CPU: i3-3225, $119.99

Mobo: ASRock H77M-ITX, $44.99 ($50 combo discount)

SSD: Samsung 840 120GB, $78.99 ($20 combo discount)

RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB, $36.99 ($5 combo discount)

Subtotal: $280.96

By far the best deal I could find on these components for a new HTPC, even after paying sales tax!