Advice: Barebones parts list - Please help if you can.

[DigDug]

Usually, I'd spend a week or two researching to find out what motherboard and cpu are best to build a system with for my mother. However, I simply don't have the time, and my permanently disabled mother is in need of one - the computer is her only real outlet to the world. Would one of you well-versed pc builders be so kind as to suggest a quick motherboard and cpu (is intel or AMD the way to go these days?) that will be cheap, yet provide some good speed, maybe 2ghz or so? I'd like to buy from NewEgg, so maybe something that they have.

My mother will be using this to word process, check e-mail and play mp3s. That's it. Thanks a whole helluva lot! I owe ya one.

 

[kayatai]

amd is still cheapest. for price/performance I think.

I'd just go to newegg and check out mobos for AMD based on price and buyer reviews. just check to make sure the FSB goes up to the same FSB speed on the CPU you plan on purchasing.

 

[jimmyl930]

Here is a good budget computer (prices from NewEgg.com):

mobo: Asus A7N266-VM $63.99

nforce1 chipset, integrated geforce2-level video, sound, integrated networking. You may want to pick up a good sound card.

CPU: Athlon XP 1800+ Retail $57.00

RAM: Crucial 256mb PC2100 $46.00

Video: Integrated (should be enough for the tasks you wrote) or get ATI Radeon 9000 64mb $55.00

Floppy Drive: Mitsumi 1.44mb FDD $6.50+5

CD-RW: Lite On 52x32x52x CD-RW $41.99

Hard Drive: Maxtor 60gb 7200rpm $74.00

Modem: Aceex v.92 56k: $9.00+5

Case: Antec SLK1600 w/300W PS $47.00+18

Total: 373.48 (w/o Radeon 9000)

For more upgradeability get a EP-8RDA+ for the motherboard. It has an nForce2 chipset and supports higher FSB.

 

[jimmyl930]

btw, you can get a faster CPU if you need it, but you probably won't for just word processing, e-mail and mp3s