New budget build

[sephroth777]

Below is a system with suggestions I have received here.

With a budget of $500-$600 is it possible to build a gaming computer that can play the current generation of games with some future longetivity? Already have a monitor, keyboard, mouse and a case Cooler Master Centurion 5 with 380w PSU.

Need the following:
Motherboard
CPU
CPU Heatsink/Fan
Hard Drive
DVD Burner
Video Card
Memory

I really appreciate all the help...Thanks!

Current system idea:

ASUS K8N Socket 754 NVIDIA nForce3 250 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $85.00

Pioneer Black IDE DVD Burner Model DVR-109 BK - OEM $53.99

Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 ST3120026A 120GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra $85.00

CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 $80.00

AMD Sempron 2800+ Palermo 800MHz FSB Socket 754 Processor Model $84.00

SAPPHIRE RADEON 9800PRO 128 R Radeon 9800PRO 128MB DDR AGP $138.00

 

[bob4432]

are you in canada or will this be us dollars?

 

[bob4432]

this setup will be better and more future proof

RAM - Corsair Valueram 1GB PC-3200 - $77

Chaintech SKT 939 NF4 Ultra Motherboard - $93

AMD Athlon64 3000 - $153

Chaintech 6600GT PCI-E Video Card - $169

Total: $492+shipping

prices have changed a little since i did this, but they should be pretty close

add a nec dvd burner and a hitachi 80GB sata 2 hdd from newegg too and you will be set

 

[sephroth777]

This will be in the US and would like to stay no more than $500-550 range.

 

[keeleysam]

Change the 6600GT to MSI.

 

[Gusty987]

Yep the MSI comes with an awesome software package.

 

[sephroth777]

Looks like going 64bit will put the system out of the budget range.

 

[The Pentium Guy]

www.AMD.com/techtour - you save about $150 and you get a 64-bit processor. IMO though, you should try to get 64-bit (although it's not for everyone)

 

[mettleh3d]

well shouldn't gaming PCs be more all out? IMO, ur CPU+GPU are most important. I have a amd 64 3400 and a 9800 pro and I'm not gonna be worried for a while =]

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: sephroth777
Looks like going 64bit will put the system out of the budget range.

? did i miss something in my recommendatin? the dvd burner should be ~$45 and the hdd is ~$60 whenever newegg gets them back in, which will put you right @ $600. you don't need a special os, just regular xp home/pro.

that skt754 system will have no upgradeability, but a nf4 can use the dual core chips when they come out and the 6600GT beats a 9800pro by a significant amount. for just a little over ($20 or so) $600, you will have a kick @$$ rig.

 

[Capitalist]

I went through the same thing with my budget, just come up with the extra $100, it will be well worth it in the end. You can skimp, but then you will be pissed in a month because you basically bought a new "OLD" computer.

EDIT
Have you factored in the extra cash you could get for your old setup?

 

[sephroth777]

With the first post setup...what speeds can I achieve ie. FSB/CPU?
with the stock AMD cooler and 80mm front intake/80mm side intake/120mm exhaust.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: sephroth777
With the first post setup...what speeds can I achieve ie. FSB/CPU?
with the stock AMD cooler and 80mm front intake/80mm side intake/120mm exhaust.

for gaming the video card is going to be your bottleneck and with the stock hsf on the 9800, you can't push it much at all you would need a different one, then you are close to a 6600GT. is there any way you could wait just a little bit to get the much better setup? i think you will be much happier if you just waited to get the extra $$

 

[sephroth777]

well the system is for a 15 year old who is upgrading from a PII 400 so he can play cs:source and UT2K4 since he has been using my comp for the past year to do so he only has 500 at the moment

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

When you're buying in the $500 range, your money is better spent on raw power than on unnecessary features (like a large hdd cache or premium north bridge). With the money you save on buying a basic motherboard and hard disk, for example, you could get an Athlon 64 3000+ instead of that Sempron.

Also, make sure you really need the 1 GB of memory. You could be saving $40 by sticking with 512 MB, which would allow you to get an Athlon 64 3400+. I really don't think an Athlon 64 3000+ with 1 GB RAM would out-perform an Athlon 64 3400+ with 512 MB.

 

[Valkerie]

Motherboard = 50
nForce2/Socket A/AGP8x/IDEx4/SATAx2/LAN/Sound

CPU = 70
Sempron 1.6 GHz

Hard Drive = 60
SATA 80GB 7200

DVD Burner = 70
16x write

Video Card = ~150
9800 *Pro (*not SE)

Memory = 80
Corsair Value @ 1GB

TOTAL: $480 - little over ~$500 (shipping costs)
(www.newegg.com) / pricegrabber.com

Keep these in mind:
-integrated graphics suck
-memory interface 128-bit, no! 256-bit!

 

[Valkerie]

Originally posted by: sephroth777
well the system is for a 15 year old who is upgrading from a PII 400 so he can play cs:source and UT2K4 since he has been using my comp for the past year to do so he only has 500 at the moment

500? Your brother is a nerd. Spend that $h!T on a freakin' CAR! Who wants to have a computer over a car? A nerd. Don't teach your brother to be like that, it's sickening.

 

[coomar]

with rebate this will be 20 bucks cheaper than the other 6600gt
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=190325

 

[bob4432]

you could always hit the fs/ft forum...

 

[duragezic]

$500 will not likely buy a worthwhile car. If I had that slow of a computer I would in a second. Of course, a P2 400mhz was fast then.

As for the recommendation, what's the problem? bob4432's suggestion is great. Much more wise than your original idea which although not bad, but these days I'd go with a A64 + at least a 6600. This coming from a guy with a quite new Barton + 9800 Pro

 

[bob4432]

if he is your brother, couldn't you help him out? or couldn't he get a work permit, depending on what state you are in? my build is not a balls out build, but a very conservative upgradeable build that should last him a couple of years, atleast until the skt939 is gone, which will be some time since nf4 will support dual core, and it is one i would actually build myself as i am a pretty cheap guy. if he needs more power in a year, just put in a dual core cpu, not build another machine which he will have to do with your build. i am not knocking your build but trying to look out in the long run.

having the ability to utilize a dual core cpu is excellent, although i have only ran a 2xp3 1GHz and 2xp3 733, duallies kick ass that is probably when i will upgrade again personally, when dual cores are reasonable and i need to go to pci-e for graphics.

duragezic - thanks for the kudos

 

[sephroth777]

not my brother, g/f brother as of a car he already has one...but not really a point in this dicussion