The Official Budget-Conscious Dream Machine!

Thanx Praetor

 

Just thourght i'd post my new budget system here...

AMD Athlon 2800+ Barton
ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe
OCZ 400mhz Dual Channel DDR kit 2x256 mb
Fudin ATA868 Case
Aerocool Extreme Heatsink w/fan
ATI Radeon 9600 XT
Plus LED Fans and Cold Cathodes(not part of budget, but what the heck right?)

 

Hello. Its time for me to build another computer. I found this site to be loads of help. I'm kinda strapped for cash and wondering if I could save a few bucks here and there. I would like to have some reasons as to why, if any, changes you would make. Thanks

Processor: AMD Athlon XP 3200 - 400MHz CPUFSB Socket A Processor OEM = $112

Fan/Heatsink: THERMALTAKE VOLCANO12, SOCKET A/370/462, UPTO XP 3400+,THERMAL SENSOR = $34.00

Motherboard: ASUS A7N8X-X = $64.00

Ram: 512 MB (2 pcs 256) DDR (400) PC-3200 Corsair (TwinX512-3200C2PT) = $115

Video Card: MSI FX5700LE-TD128 nVidia GeForce FX 5700LE 128MB DDR with TV Out = $96.00

HDD: Maxtor DiamondMax 80.0GB 7200RPM ATA133 Hard Drive 8.9ms Seek Time = $63.50

Case: Mecca Black ATX Mid Tower Case W/ Installed Spider Window = $27.00

PSU: Thermaltake POLO12 Purepower 410W Series Black For AMD and Intel ATX 12V 3 in 1 CPU Cooler = $70.00

Total: $581.50

 

Well what started as me just wanting to OC my processor has turned into an overhaul, after finding out my 1800XP palomino isnt the best to OC. I am making several changes and wanted some input as far as what some of you think.

Existing parts to be reused:
Western Digital 80GB 7200rpm ATA133 HDD (cache unknown)
Samsung SM-325B CDRW/DVD-ROM
I/O MAGIC IDVDRW8D Dual format 8x DVDR/RW
MSI GeForce 4 Ti4200 128MB w/ 8x AGP
Volcano 11+ HSF
512MB DDR2700 single stick of i guess "stock" ram

New Parts to be used:
Processor AMD Athlon 2500+ XP Barton core
Mobo ASUS A7N8X-X w/ Nvidia nforce2 chipset
case http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=11-156-140&DEPA=1

Not sure on that case, just like the wicked look of it . If anyone has a better idea on a case let me know. I am looking for something to cool better than the piece of crap I got now, and would like to use the PSU that comes w/ it to keep costs down. I am open to suggestions.

My biggest question here is this. I do play games occasionally, but mostly older stuff like Counter-Strike. My main use of this PC is backing up DVDs and web surfing.
Which of these should I get with the remaining roughly 120 USD, I have left?

1. Nvidia FX5700 128mb Video card
2. Radeon 9800SE 128mb Video card
3. OCZ Enhanced Latency Series Dual Channel Platinum 256x2 DDR PC-3200
4. Maxtor 160gb 7200rpm 8mb IDE HDD

 

My 2500 barton and a A7N8X are on the way. I still haven't ordered a case, and would love suggestions on that. Also I am still up in the air on which of the other upgrades I should get first. Any help is appreciated.

 

Hey!
If your going with Intel based chipsets the P4P800 is the better choice for straight performance. It's based on the 865PE MCH and the ICH5. The 865PE will handle 800fsb speeds with ease.
The P4P8-X is based on the older 865P MCH and will only handle 800mhz fsb speed when overclocked.

As Praetor suggested the P4P800 is well worth the extra cabbage.

The other great feature of both these boards is that they support Intel's 478pin socket. When I first bought the 800deluxe I was low on cash and dropped a 2.6ghz Celleron for 115 bucks. When I had enough cash I dropped a 3.0ghz P4. This board will also support the Prescott.
Because of the great flexibility, I opted for the PC 3200. It wont reach it's full potential with a Celleron but when the P4 drops she screams!!!!

 

here's another cheap system (all sale prices):

EZMedia Chassis ($10)
AMD Athlon 2800+ ($60)
ECS K7VTA3 Mobo ($40)
Kingston 512 MB PC 2700 RAM ($50)
80 GB HD ($20)
Thermaltake Fan 4200 RPM for AMD CPUs ($10)
LiteOn 16x Dual Layer DVD+/-RW Burner ($40)
16x DVD-ROM ($10)
Visiontek 9200SE Video Card ($40)

Total: $280

Rating: 6/10

Price wise Rating: 9/10

 

Here's A Great Budget Conscious Dream Gaming Machine!!

MotherBoard
Asus A8V Deluxe Motherboard $126

Processor
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Processor $196

Graphics Card
MSI Radeon 9550 Video Card (256 MB AGP) $77

Case
Powmax CP5014HL1 Silver/Blue ATX Mid Tower $45

DVD Drive
Lite-On LTD-163 DVD-ROM $19

Hard Drive
Western Digital Caviar WD800BB 80GB Hard Drive $47

Floppy
around $10

Fan
Around $20

And for a total of $540!!!!
All prices taken from Pricegrabber.com, not from sale prices!

 

Heres an even cheaper one if you are on an extreme budget.

MotherBoard
Asus A7V8X-X Motherboard $41

Processor
AMD Athlon XP 2000+ (1.67Ghz, 256KB, 266Mhz, Socket A) $56

RAM+
Kingston 512MB PC2700 DDR DIMM Memory $70

Graphics Card
MSI GeForce MX4000 Video Card $31

Case
Powmax CP5014HL1 Silver/Blue ATX Mid Tower $45

DVD Drive+
Lite-On LTD-163 DVD-ROM $19

Hard Drive+
Seagate 50.1GB SCSI Ultra2 8.2MS 7200RPM Barracuda $47

Floppy
around $10

Fan
Around $20

And for a total of $339!!!!
All prices taken from Pricegrabber.com.

 

I'm wanting to build my first build with a maximum budget of around £350.

I have done a bit of research and i have come to this system (at ebuyer):
[bold]CPU:[/bold]
Intel Pentium 4E Prescott 2.8GHz SKT478 800FSB 1MB Cache OEM Processor: [bold]£107.99 [/bold]
OR
Intel Pentium 4E Prescott 3.0GHz FSB800 1MB Cache OEM Processor:[bold]£107.48[/bold]

As I don't really know much about this subject I was looking through the feedback and found Asus P4P800-E Deluxe has a good reputation, but when i did a search i found two types, any help?

[bold]MOBO[/bold]

Asus P4P800-E Deluxe Socket 478 Intel 865PE - Sound G-Lan IEEE1394 USB2 800FBS SATA Retial Box: [bold]£70.09[/bold]

OR

P4C800-E Deluxe SKT478 I875 ATX Sound Gig LAN USB 2.0 FSB800 Retail Box:[bold]£100.50[/bold]

Are these ok? Or have I made a big mistake?

[bold]Memory[/bold]

Any, as long as It is 512mb+ and pc3200

[bold]HDD:[/bold]

40gb+
Again Don't mind preferably cheap

[bold]Optical Drive[/bold]

I know which one (£30)

[bold]Case and PSU[/bold]

Don't mind if its a gaming style or not as long it is enough to run it. I'm guessing about[bold] £50[/bold] including PSU

[bold]Graphics[/bold]
This pc will be for gaming but I don't mind if its not the ultimate graphics as long as it can play new games.

A graphics card a bit better than the Radeon 9200 preferably no more than [bold]£55[/bold]

[/bold]Sound Card?[/bold]

Do I need one or is it built into Mobo or something?

[bold]Broadband Modem?[/bold]

Is this built into the MOBO or will I have to buy one or take it out of this pc, I have a[bold] Net Gear[/bold] branded one that my broadband company installed for me.

Can anybody recomend anything or have I got everything wrong?

Where do I get all the cables that joins everything together or do they come with the MOBO and PSU?

Just to clarify, the following list, is this all the parts I will need?

List:

MOBO
CPU
Case
PSU
Graphics Card
Sound Card
Memory
HDD
[bold]?Sound Card?
?Broadband Modem?[/bold]

Thanks again!

 

Matrix 775 Socket 775 mb paired with P4 3.05ghz 533mhzfsb: $200 (microcenter)

6800gt 128 meg: $190
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16814130202)

2 gig of PC3200 RAM; 1024*2: $167 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16820141182)

DVD/CD rw dl x8 burner: $30 (office max, last thanxgiving sale)

Antec case w/ 380 watt TruePower psu: $90 (microcenter)

2*80 gig hd: $40 (compusa, last thanxgiving sale)

total= $717

sure the case doesn't look great but I think it'll get the job done when it comes to gaming..you might have to wait a bit for the dvd/cd rw drive and harddrive but you can spend a little more and buy those early. Oh yeah you might wana add tax to the total.

 

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego Socket 939 1MB L2 (280)
Motherboard: MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum (100)
Memory: Corsair ValueSelect 1GB 2x512 (85)
HDD: WD Caviar RE SATA 250GB (120)
GPU: ATI X700 Pro 256MB PCI-E (140)
Optical Drive: Plextor PX-712SA/SW-BL SATA DVD+/-RW (70)
Sound Card: Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum (100)
Case and PSU: Chennming and 450W PSU (105)

In at 1,000 exactly.

All prices from New Egg, except the sound card, which goes on sale for half off every 6 weeks or so at Circuit City. And yes, it is right now.

 

wow you guys should go to novatech.co.uk i'm just building one for £451
mind you it's not gonna be playing games
for a student ok ok it prolly will be playing games

 

i live just up the road from novatech, they are ok but still far from the cheapest unless you grab their special offers.if your in the uk try :-

in my favorite order
(1) http://www.overclockers.co.uk
(2) http://www.microdirect.co.uk
(3) http://www.autdirect.co.uk
(4) http://www.savastore.com
(5) http://www.dabs.com/uk
(6) http://www.novatech.co.uk
(7) http://www.refreshcomputers.co.uk (phone for stock level)
(8) http://www.ebuyer.co.uk (not the best poor delivery)

1 thing i have to say about novatech their showroom is great, but when you have to return something in person they send you to a dingy very poorly lit room, it made me laugh.

 

dannymac3

Nice, but you should have gone with Corsair XMS instead of Value select, more head room.

 

XMS memory may not be the best choice for the budget thread. Although with the low overall price of memory it is a viable option.

I'm cheap and will probably get XMS soon.

 

Memory is not an area to start saving money in because it can have a sizable impact on performance. Quite often a failed over clock is the result of budget memory. My solution was simple, save on the CPU install good memory, and then over clock the hell out of my CPU to balance it all out.

 

Fair enough. 2650 mhz from a 2.0 AMD is definately budget power. It does fly.

 

Well, I finally have power to our "budget" PC. It's a dual XEON on a PC-DL mobo. It runs at about 3.0ghz but will try to push it up a little more. The cpu's are LV's (low voltage) 1.6ghz at $60ea. The mobo has been modded to run 2.64v up from the measley 2.5v standard. Have 4x 512mb Kensington Hyper X DDR400, WinTV 250, 2x WD SATA, 2x WD RAID, Lanboy case w/lots of fans, it's on air with modded windtunnel's using 80mm fans, a cheap agp video card. Pioneer dvd-burner, dvd. Just loading XP and soon all the software for video capture/record.