Hi everyone, I've decided that I really need a new computer thats much more up to date then the Dell Dimension 4300 that I have. I'm looking to spend roughly 200-250 dollars. Also If anyone could help me with all the parts working together, I have ordered the CPU and a the mobo already. which is: CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819112213 (51.99 @ Newegg) Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186070 (29.99 @ Newegg) Also these are the other parts I was looking at to add to it. Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811166030 (49.99 @ Newegg) RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820146580 (20.99 @ Newegg) Vid card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16814161096 (49.99 @ Newegg) PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817339012 (25.49 @ Newegg) Total: approximately 250-260 USD range (tax & shipping inc.) I think its going to be a pretty good PC, I know I'm not reaching for the sky at all, or even close to what I wish I was. But this should be much better then what I'm stuck with.. And also I think with this its much more upgradable then the 4300 (having a maximum RAM of 1G, and its blistering 1.6GHz CPU!)Any help is greatly appreciated, and also If I could just get the ok that everything would be compatible. Or if you think you would know a better part, or even something cheaper that would be more or just as effective as what I have. Please feel free to give some insight. Thanks.
I think it would also help if I would tell everyone what I would like the computer to be able to do. I would like to be able to play games on it, Wow is one of them, I'd really like to play the new age of conan: hyborian adventures (if possible with this build) I like to play Second Life too and I know that it can be pretty demanding on a system. Also I plan on going to school this fall for game design so I would like to be able to run some 3D animation programs. Hope that helps some. Thanks again
Your motherboard selection is going to limit you to Pentium class processors. I realize that you're trying to purchase this on a limited budget, but if you want to be able to upgrade in the future you should choose a different board. Mobo:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130130 ($34.99 after $10.00 mail-in rebate) CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115031 ($124.99) The rest of your items would still be compatible. If you're not limited to Intel, then you can get some pretty good deals on AMD processors and motherboards as well. Do you have a price that you're trying to stay under?
I realize that I would have to do that, and this board cannot run a dual core, but for right now with the PC only having a $250 Dollar budget. It will have to do, and also I think that it should do a decent job for whats its worth. But just with the parts that I had and the mobo and cpu I ordered it would all be compatible right?
Remember to include delivery prices, which I believe stack at newegg. Athlon64 CPU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103198 $47 Gigabyte Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128045 $53 Coolermaster Elite case (Better made than the Sunbeam) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119115 $50 RAM is fine, $26 Video card is unsuitable for playing Age of Conan at all well. If you want to play that you'll have to up your budget a wee bit. Power supply is awful, and has to be changed. The PSU is what you should focus on making sure you get right, or it will destroy your components. Use this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153023 $48 That's $224 before the graphics card. That doesn't leave much for a decent one, you could use the one you suggested for a total of $279, or, much better would be to use this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131084 That puts your initial cost at $309, but with a $10 rebate on it's way to knock the price a dollar under 300.
Ok I've decided that the CPU and the mobo I'm going to see if I can get a refund for them, I requested it on newegg.com and they gave me a form I can send back to get them refunded. Also I've decided that since I could probably spend at least 300-400 on the system. I really would like to be able to have a decent machine, and possibly even a core duo processor. For just something to shoot for, lets shoot for being able to Age of Conan very well. And if possible have at least 2G of RAM and be able to add more later on. is that possible on a budget like this? Also I was curious, you said the video card that I had picked wouldn't be able to run age of conan, what was the difference between the one you had linked from mine?
The HD3650 is essentialyl much newer and much faster. It's not that fast compared with the high end stuff, but on the budget you initially posted it's the best we could do. I'll amend the build to account for your new budget. E2160 CPU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116036 $72 P31-S3G Motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128077 $69 Coolermaster Centurion 5 Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119047 $65 2GB Corsair XMS2 RAM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145590 $53 ($20 rebate) HD2600XT Graphics card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102700 $96 ($15 rebate) Corsair 450W PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139003 $88 ($10 rebate) That makes $443 delivered, with $45 of rebates to bring the total cost down to $398.
Alright my only questions are on the CPU and the video card. For the CPU its only a 1.8 GHz that doesn't seem all that great, and just curious how much better would it run then if I were to use a single core 3.3GHz CPU? I realize that a duo core CPU can handle more applications going on at once better then a single.. but just how much more effective is it? Also on the newegg review one of the buyers said it was very easy to make this CPU run at 3.0 GHz just by changing one or two things in the Bios, is that really true..? If so would it be making it a 3.0GHz duo core CPU then? Also how hard would it be to do something like that? Lastly the question I have is for the video card.. I was reading the reviews and there were a lot of mixed reviews on how well it handled games. I would like to be able to play games very well, I'm not necessarily looking at Crysis, but would like to be able to play games like Oblivion with as high detail as possible. Any ideas on that? Thank you once again for going out of your way and throwing something together for me. I plan on having this newer computer for quite sometime so I just want to make it as worthwhile as possible. Thanks again.
Because Core 2 Duos (including the E2000 architecture) are so much more efficient. at 1.8Ghz they perform about the same as a 3.8Ghz P4, and that's before w e even consider that they're dual cores. 1.8Ghz may not seem much but it doesn't need to be, the CPU is blazing fast as it is. As for the 3Ghz, you may not make it quite that far, but you an overclock the CPU very well and will certainly reach 2.5 or so I reckon. On the graphics card, that depends on which resolution you play at. The HD2600XT is not the fastest GPU out there, but on a budget of that size, it's about the best you can get. It can play most games on max detail at reasonable resolutions, I'm not sure about Oblivion, but it should run pretty much everything else.
you can ask me, i am one of the proud onwers of E2160 cpu, it's very fast compare to single cores even if it's 4GHz. This cpu is worth it, although it might look slow but it's not. Do not judge the book by it's cover! ^^ is HD2600XT better or 8600GTS?
Alright, I see what your saying about the CPU, and when I look at it that way it does seem like a really good deal. Even more if I can get 2.5GHz out of it, also how complex would it be to OC that? And just to make sure in that price range the HD2600XT is the best I could buy? Also I was just curious why is it that other companies have the same type of video cards, but they vary in price.. is this range the difference in the quality of the card? Thanks again. Hopefully I'll be able to get this within another week, I just want to make sure I get all the facts straight.
Different GPU companies offer different free stuff with their cards, and some are indeed better brands than others. With ATI I recommend you stick to Sapphire, HIS, Gigabyte or Asus. The HD2600XT is the best value card in its class last time I checked (which wasn't long ago). As for overclocking the e2160, it'd probably take less than a minute to do.
