Putting together a value gaming PC...help please!

[Haervii]

Hi, I'm trying to put together a super-cheap gaming computer for a LAN. I've been out of the loop for a while,
but that SiS 735 board + a 1Ghz Duron + cheap RAM looks good. But which RAM? Is DDR Ram really worth it for a value system
and can the ECS board take both?

Additionally, I need a reccomendation on a video card...preferably something under $100,
but remember it IS a gaming system (albeit value!) Thanks for any replies.

 

[gritnugget]

try the ECS with a duron with DDR (yes the ECS board can take both DDR and SDRAM.. but not at the same time).. and try a geforce2 ti... should land you well under $300 total...

 

[Ionizer86]

If you can get a Duron 1.0ghz for a good price, that'd be good. I think the spitfires are cheaper though. Since DDR is expensive, you may want to use some cheap SDRAM for now until DDR prices drop (if they ever do). Get a cheap 5400rpm HDD with around 20gb storage to save more $.

If you want to play games, GF2 Ti is worth a look, but for a bit more, you can get a Geforce 3 Ti200 (Geforce 3 cards will be a better future investment). Or if you're really short of $, get a Geforce 2 GTS-V (speed 175/283). I got mine for $62 and it works fine (I got it from Lynn Computer).

 

[Snoop]

ECS K7s5a
1ghz duron or an athlon if your willing to spend just a little more?
256 megs of DDR, Whichever is cheapest of crucial, mushkin or Corsair.
LEADTEK GEFORCE2 TI 64MB TV VGA CARD- RETAIL for 112 at newegg as well.
Have fun

 

[Haervii]

Thanks,. I aprecciate the help. Two of you suggested DDR Ram, and I'm fine with buying that (it isn't that much more than SDR) but
I'm just curious if DDR really makes a diference in system performance. Somehow I just can't see how RAM frequency can push
the frames per second.

 

[pcclub2000]

CPU+Motherboard: is OK
DDR-RAM: It is really faster than the SD-RAM. You can see it when you start windows. 256MB is enogh and you can buy later a second 256MB for the ECS-K7S5A
Harddrive: 20GB and it should be have 2MB Cache
videocard: geforce 2 pro or geforce2 TI

 

[boing]

depends on your CPU/chipset if it doesn't have 266MHz FSB then stick to SD Ram Mind you have a look at the Athlon XP 1600, its reasonably cheap considering the punch it'll pack.

 

[Bovinicus]

The memory is the workhorse of the computer, if it is faster, you will see a performance boost in all applications. It is definitely worth it to go DDR. If you are building a complete system, the parts you have identified are good selections (1GHz Duron, ECS K7S5A, 256MB DDR). The Enlight 7237 with 300W PSU is a very well priced case. If you want to kick up the sound a notch, the SB Live! Value is very cheap now. A 20GB 5400RPM HDD should do the trick, although a 7200RPM of the same size is probably only $10 more at the most. Coolermaster and Thermaltake both make heatsinks that are priced low and will do the job. Liteon CD-RW's are great. If you just want a CD-ROM however, get a reputable name. The cheap drives are usually loud and much slower than their advertised maximum. I think the GF2 GTS-V is a really good value. The GF2 Ti200 is also priced very reasonably. It all depends on the budget. Good luck, sounds like you'll have a very powerful system on your hand as well as some spending money left.

 

[Bovinicus]

<< depends on your CPU/chipset if it doesn't have 266MHz FSB then stick to SD Ram Mind you have a look at the Athlon XP 1600, its reasonably cheap considering the punch it'll pack. >>


It does depend on the CPU, and in this case DDR SDRAM will help you ever more. The new Duron core has hardware prefetch; DDR SDRAM's extra bandwidth will help this ability make more of a difference.

 

[InfectedVoice]

Definately go with the ECS K7S5A. It has onboard LAN and Audio.
I have built two Duron-based systems each containing this mobo and both have been rock solid.
And go with DDR, there is a big enough performance increase over SDR to warrant it's purchase.

 

[Haervii]

Well, thanks for all your suggestions. Two more things though. Is the GTS-V just an old GTS and if so, how much slower is it than
a Ti-200? And more importantly, this new system is being built SPECIFICALLY for a LAN. So what is this "built in LAN feature"? Thanks for any answers!

 

[InfectedVoice]

"built in LAN" simply means that the K7S5A has a 10/100 Ethernet Card built right into the mobo, so you dont have to buy the actual PCI card

 

[BlvdKing]

I'm fairly sure that the GF3 Ti200 is faster than the GTS-V, GTS, and the Pro. I have heard it's even faster than the Ultra. I have the ECS K7S5A and like it alot. It's cheap, stable, and contrary to what people say can overclock CPU's (OC BIOS) if that floats your boat. I have a 750 Duron at 933mhz 124mhz FSB and haven't had a single crash EVER. Also, get Crucial DDR; I think it is known to be the most compatible brand of RAM.