Cheap Gaming PC

[TribeFan]

I know that this is going to be a challenge.
My budget is around $500-$700, so I'm not looking to play FarCry at real good benchmarks just enough PC so that I can upgrade in the future when I can get more cash. I've never built a computer before but I have swapped out drives and added Video cards, so if someone has a good link to an article on this or another website I would appreciate that. All of these are NewEgg prices. Please be gentle, I know I'm a virgin.

Case: ASPIRE X-Dreamer II ATXB4KLW-BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 420W Power Supply (not sure.. Any recommendations would be cool) - $54

Mobo: MSI K8N Neo4-F Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 ATX AMD Motherboard ~ $67.20 (not sure if this is a decent one or not)

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Venice Integrated into Chip FSB Socket 939 Processor Model ADA3000BPBOX - $146 (I'm pretty sure about this)

RAM: CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model VS1GBKIT533D2 - $87.85

HD: Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600JB 160GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - $80 (I put this in my cart but I'm wondering if I should get SATA assuming that SATA is better)

CD/DVD drive: NEC Beige IDE DVD Burner Model ND-3520A BG - $39.99

Video Card: GIGABYTE GV-NX62TC128D Geforce 6200TC 16MB(Up to 128MB Shared) DDR PCI Express x16 Video Card - $53.50 (Am willing to upgrade this some, but have no idea between ATI and GeForce)

Cooling: I have no idea if I need more than the case, but I will definitely take low price suggestions

ALL FOR THE LOW PRICE OF $528
thanks (feel free to comment on anything )

 

[mettleh3d]

ur choice of graphics made ur system a "Grandma's" computer. Upg that first

 

[zerocool84]

ugg that 6200, AT LEAST get a 6600GT, i looked and they're like 170 so i'd spend the extra cash to at least get that

 

[l Xes l]

the msi board is excellent choice for the budget so keep it...
cpu is perfect... nice choice on ram.. yea.. get sata drive even tho it doesn't give u much performance advantage over ide.. it has neat small cable.. and comsumes less power...
NEC is a good choice too.. u can look around forum for used 9700pro, 9800pro, or 6600gt.. they go on sale very often.. i just sold my 9700pro to upgrade as well..
but if u want a brand new.. i'd just get 9800pro or 6600gt...
for cooling.. stock heatsink is pretty darn good for new amd64 cpu's.. so keep it unless u r going to overclock it.... make sure to buy the retail cpu not the oem ver..

 

[Chris Judd]

Might want to change the ram to DDR instead of DDR2, AMD dont support DDR2

also get atleast a 9800pro (~ $120)

the rest looks OK

 

[TribeFan]

Thanks a lot for the quick reply, I'm definitely going to upgrade the graphics card. But my real remaining concern is the case. If anyone has suggestions on the case? And any good sites on building a PC.

 

[mettleh3d]

building is simple. 1. GROUND YOUSELF. touch anything metal (besides ur pc components) before assembling. 2. Make like Tetris and put parts where they belong.

 

[imported_Glory]

yeah it's pretty simple to put together a pc. Just make sure you have everything mounted and plugged in correct, double check before you plug the psu in. If you get hardware problems after the boot that's when it starts to get sticky. Gotta find solutions to each problem, or find out if anything you are using or ordered is defective. It comes in handy having another pc with the internet on hand while you are building.

 

[Trizik]

Yeah, get a better video card and a SATA hard drive. As far as the case goes, get one that you think looks cool because that's what you'll be looking at 97% of the time. Just make sure the power supply is 420W or more.

 

[Confusednewbie1552]

Try the search feature, you can get a bunch of information from that.

 

[Confusednewbie1552]

Originally posted by: TribeFan
I've never built a computer before but I have swapped out drives and added Video cards, so if someone has a good link to an article on this or another website I would appreciate that.

Here's a good link on how to build your computer and get started, courtesy of MechBgon

 

[Cid]

For a few more bucks, I think the In WIN S523T is a much better option. They come with a 92mm exhaust and 350w PSU (fortron make?). From what I hear the Aspire power supplys are hit or miss.

 

[imported_rod]

CPU/MoBo are good choices.

Change the RAM to standard DDR400 - DDR2 is for intel pentiums.

Go with a SATA HDD if it's not much more expensive.

DVD's not a bad choice either.

You will need to get a bigger video card. The 6600GT is the best bang for buck, and wont blow the $700 limit.

RoD

 

[epsilon9090]

For the video card, 6600GT or the 9800 Pro in my opinion...and get that antec clone power supply from newegg, i forgot the name. Hopefully someone can post a link to that. Or even better just get an antec p/s

 

[t3h l337 n3wb]

I wouldn't get that case if I were you... I'd be much happier if I knew I was getting a good-quality PSU from a reputable manufacturer. The Antec Solution is a really nice case, and if you buy it with like a 350W PSU, it's only like ~$60 I think...

 

[suicidalpigeon]

$67 for that mobo sounds like a refurb. be aware that newegg sucks with refurbs. thats a 240pin memory, it only uses 184. the nec 3540 (not 3520) is on sale for like $42 w/ free shipping. like everyone else said, vid card is too low, get a 6600gt minimum. and i hope you arent going to use that case psu. xclio 450w would work.

 

[NoMoreFakeNews]

never had trouble with newegg referb, though policy may have changed in the last 6 months.

 

[rchiu]

Like everyone says, if this is a gaming PC your graphic card is gonna be the weakest link.

If you really want to stick with your buget, and you are not worrid about future upgrades, you may want to go socket 754 route. With a cheap A64 2800+ and a decent nforce3 mobo, you still can push it to 2.3~2.4Ghz level, fast enough for most of the games today, and save ~50 to 70 bucks. You can use DDR instead of DDR2, and save a little there. The biggest gain you will have is able to use AGP video card. You can get a 6800 NU AGP for ~170 these day (I think zipzoomfly has the evga 6800 for 169 after rebate).

IMHO DDR2/PCI-e doesn't give you that much right now, unless you want to buy for the future.

 

[suicidalpigeon]

754 and agp isnt future proofing. he'll need 939 and pci-e because technology is progressing fairly quickly.

 

[kleinwl]

At $500 - 700 who cares about future proofing? He will be able to reuse the case/PSU/HD/ram... all the rest of the components are not worth much. Going with a 754 will save $50-70 (10% of his budget) and allow him to game until 2007 (with one more agp upgrade to a X850 or 6800GT). Then he can go to the 939 or M2 socket.

Good enough.

 

[leigh6]

If this is your first build DO NOT BUY AN MSI REFURBISHED MOTHERBOARD FROM NEWEGG!!!

I have bought 2 754's and 1 939 MSI refurbs from NEWEGG. They come completely bare. Not for a first build.

No cables
No manual
No backplate
No chipset drivers
No retaining module

NOTHING BUT THE BOARD AND SOME BUBBLE WRAP.

ADD THE POSSIBILITY IT DOESNT WORK (Although all 3 MSI boards I got from Newegg have been great)

Make it easy. Buy yourself a full retail motherboard. For your next build you can go cheap.

 

[Pixle]

If you get a 939 motherboard then you can't get a agp video card. You need a pci express video card...I would recommend the :

6800gt for $200-250 or so...check hot deals.

Antec Sonata Case with ps $60
Asus 939 Motherboard - I've had problems with MSI...go with Asus or DFI $120
2x512 of corsair value ram $70
6800 GT $250
Amd 3000 Venice 150

This comes to $650 for a top of the line gaming machine. That leaves you with $50 to spend on a xp120 heatsink to overclock the cpu to 2.5-2.6ghz speeds (3800 - fx53 speeds)

Or you can buy a sound card...Though the onboard sound should be fine.

Pixle.

 

[Pixle]

Originally posted by: Pixle
If you get a 939 motherboard then you can't get a agp video card. You need a pci express video card...I would recommend the :

6800gt for $200-250 or so...check hot deals.

Antec Sonata Case with ps $60
Asus 939 Motherboard - I've had problems with MSI...go with Asus or DFI $120
2x512 of corsair value ram $70
6800 GT $250
Amd 3000 Venice 150

Edit: Use the $50 on a hdd in the hotdeals (you can get hdd for free after mir with a pm)

and... I'd still recommend the burner you listed.

This comes to $650 for a top of the line gaming machine. That leaves you with $50 to spend on a xp120 heatsink to overclock the cpu to 2.5-2.6ghz speeds (3800 - fx53 speeds)

Or you can buy a sound card...Though the onboard sound should be fine.

Pixle.

 

[Pixle]

If you get a 939 motherboard then you can't get a agp video card. You need a pci express video card...I would recommend the :

6800gt for $200-250 or so...check hot deals.

Antec Sonata Case with ps $60
Asus 939 Motherboard - I've had problems with MSI...go with Asus or DFI $120
2x512 of corsair value ram $70
6800 GT $250
Amd 3000 Venice 150

Edit: Use the $50 on a hdd in the hotdeals (you can get hdd for free after mir with a pm)

and... I'd still recommend the burner you listed.

This comes to $650 for a top of the line gaming machine. That leaves you with $50 to spend on a xp120 heatsink to overclock the cpu to 2.5-2.6ghz speeds (3800 - fx53 speeds)

Or you can buy a sound card...Though the onboard sound should be fine.

Pixle.

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: Chris Judd
Might want to change the ram to DDR instead of DDR2, AMD dont support DDR2

also get atleast a 9800pro (~ $120)

the rest looks OK

:roll:


an Intel gaming PC? :laugh: