Best Machine Under 500

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Solitude

Member
Oct 2, 2004
59
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0

I building a computer for my bro and his budget is $500. Don't do too much on gaming, but he want a tv tuner for his pc. I heard (I think) hot pug or something (sorry not clear on that) is good for tv tuner. I heard from one of the fry ppl they say don't get ATI AIW can be problematic. Furthermore my bro want an Intel machine w/ HT. He will use his pc for PS2, need those red, yellow, white. In addition, your office app, messenger, and watching movie. Of course watching tv.

My Intel spec :

2.4C W/ HT ~ $145

MSI "865PE Neo2-PFS (Platinum Edition)" i865PE Chipset Motherboard for Intel Socket 478 CPU -RETAIL ~ $75

Corsair or Kingston PC3200 ~ $78

DVD Burner ~ $70-80

SeaGate Hard drive ~ < $80 (Looking between 80 to 120 GB)

Video Card ~ <$100

Case < $40

floppy drive < $15

Oh yeah, he likes it black, thanks for your help

Out of curiousty, can someone built a PC w/ Asus mobo w/ A64? If u can please give spec.

For my own interest
 
Cogman

Cogman

Lifer
Sep 19, 2000
10,286
147
106
Where this sounds as if its going to mainly be a HTPC I would recomend getting the cheaper and cooler Athlon-XP-M 2200+ and a Haugpage (sp?) card. I know you said he wanted Intel with HT enabled, But honestly I dont think he is going to run in many situations where he is going to need to use HT.

He may not game much, but he may use graphic intensive programs. So I would choose the vid card acording to his gaming preferance.
 
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Solitude

Member
Oct 2, 2004
59
0
0
kamranziadar, could u give me link for your part, esp. the case.

thanks in adv.

Coqman, u know can he built A64 w/ 500-600. I may want to build one for myself. Never had amd, so many issues in the past, but good now i think.
 
Zebo

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
Got to hot deals and search for Dell. You guys are too green to build your own and it will be cheaper too.:)
 
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whorush

Member
Oct 16, 2004
132
0
0
dude, building a box isn't that hard.

good choice, the A64 rocks.

start with one of the budget configs i had above, make sure you have 512 ram though, and swap out hte motherboard and chip. for these

athlon 64 2800 (this is a 754 pin socket part, so you will need a 754 pin mobo)
and get a 754 pin mobo with the nforce3 250.

maybe this one? http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=13-123-219&amp;depa=1

go to newegg, search amd motherboards, then narrow it to only socket 754 boards and then to only nforce3 250 chipsets, you get a nice long list of solid boards, the epox was the cheapest at 73$ and its probably fine, but i would read up a bit on the boards.

enjoy!
 
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Adn4n

Golden Member
Aug 6, 2004
1,043
0
0
For workstation performance, the Soltek Nforce3 250GB is the best. So I suggest that, and it's around 99bucks.
 
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Solitude

Member
Oct 2, 2004
59
0
0
whorush,

i know a building a box isn't diffic. but I just wanna know a good chipset, i heard nforce3, but w. Asus K8N, good combo? Less than 600 plus other stuff, not happening?
 
Markfw

Markfw

Moderator Emeritus, Elite Member
May 16, 2002
27,427
16,294
136
Originally posted by: Solitude
whorush,

i know a building a box isn't diffic. but I just wanna know a good chipset, i heard nforce3, but w. Asus K8N, good combo? Less than 600 plus other stuff, not happening?
Click to expand...
OK, what are the rest of the specs you need ? video card speed ? hard drive ? CD, or dvd or burner ? what are all the parts your require. So you have keyboard,mouse,floppy, and maybe eve a salvageable case ? It sound like for that money if you want Athlon64, it will have to start out with 2800+ and chaintech vnf3-250 combo for $200 and go from there.

 
Markfw

Markfw

Moderator Emeritus, Elite Member
May 16, 2002
27,427
16,294
136
Originally posted by: Solitude

u know 2800+ w/ what asus board? what mem, mobo, best combo? 16 +/- Samsung drive
Click to expand...
Can you be a little more specific, I can't make out that shorthand....(after mobo)
And I specified the mobo, and its not asus, its a chaintech vnf3-250 socket 754 motherboard. Motherboard and cpu combo at (some place, forget where right now) is $200.

 
M

masshass81

Senior member
Sep 4, 2004
627
0
0
I think the combo was being offered at mwave.com? Solitude, read the reviews on newegg.com about the chaintech mobo and maybe you'll feel better about going for that instead of a more expensive Asus. For memory, just get a stick of 512mb pc-3200 - Corsair value ram for around $78
 
T

TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
12,089
45
91
Solitude-
You need to get off of Asus if you intend to build an AMD machine.... in my experience although they are good other manufacturers (Abit, Chaintech, Epox) build a better board. Just look on the boards at people and what they are using to OC their A-XPs and A64s very seldom will it be Asus. Not having an A64 myself I can't quite guage how good this chaintech board it is but based on what people are saying and some reviews it looks pretty solid. You almost seem to have your mind made up regardless of what everyone else is going to tell you, let me jsut say that my roommate built an A64 754 system with an Asus board, within one week he turned around and got the DFI LanParty NF3 250gb..... If you are choosing intel then Asus would be a good choice, but not for an AMD system..... IMHO.
 
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kamranziadar

Banned
Aug 20, 2004
5,483
0
0
Ok the ram and hard drive i told you make it what $59 for Kingston 512MB Ram, and $99 for 200GB 7200RPM Hard Drive. You have the Case for $36 with 550 Powersupply. You can have a nice Motherboard after some search for around $70-80 most. You can have A64 3200 for aroung $190 now, because the Price Droped on 754 models. Well the only thing remains is the Video Card, which all depends on your choice now. so the total is $459 with out Video card. Make it $500 with cooling products e.g CPU Cooler, etc. Can you beat that :) You have a A64 under $600.
 
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