Best Value Gamming System

[Chosonman]

On a budget? Want the best system money can buy? Look no further.

AMD 63 3000+ (754) + Chaintech MOBO + 1Gig Corsair DDR400 PC3200 RAM = $238
Total: $238 Shipped

ADD:
6600GT AGP for $170
Antec Case + 300W PSU $56
NEC 3520A DVD-RW $50
160 Seagate HDD $81

Grand Total: $595.00 shipped

You've got a kick ass system

Pricewatch.com

Performance wise this system will play HL2 and Unreal Engine 3.
And Unless you have a 20" monitor or bigger and some serious need to play at FPS games at 1600X1200 resolution (*squinty eyes to see*) You should be set for the next 2 to 3 years without a serious need to upgrade.

If you wanted to you could pay $60.00 more and get a 939 CPU instead. But I personally don't see the pont considering the 754 run at higher clock speeds and the difference between them when gamming is negelgable.

This is hands down the best combo of performance/value gamming system today and would make a great HTPC.
Thank me later

 

[imported_Kensai]

Add a case, optical and HD and you're set to go.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

You could go overclocked Sempr0n 754 and save even more on a budget gamer. Particularly since there are 16x PCIe boards now

 

[l Xes l]

so u got it for ur mom.. or for urself?... lol

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: krnxpride83
so u got it for ur mom.. or for urself?... lol

I built one for my mom and one for myself
So we both have one.. I have Geforce 6800 she's got my old Geforce 3 64MB.

The Newcastle is still pretty kick ass considering a AMD 64 3000+ (754) and a Chaintech MOBO combo is only $155.00 shipped

 

[Chosonman]

Bump for the buget builders.

 

[Chosonman]

..

 

[exar333]

id maybe skip the case altogether and just let the ambient air cool it!! save a few bucks!

(im kidding)

 

[Chosonman]

Updated to full specs

 

[Malak]

Originally posted by: Chosonman
Performance wise this system will play HL2 and Unreal Engine 3.
And Unless you have a 20" monitor or bigger and some serious need to play at FPS games at 1600X1200 resolution (*squinty eyes to see*) You should be set for the next 2 to 3 years without a serious need to upgrade.

I'm afraid you're wrong. Even a geforce2 can play HL2, so that doesn't say much. But we are unsure if even a 6800U will be able to handle U3, saying a 6600GT can is just plain ridiculous. In 1-2 years you'll need to upgrade that video card, and that's stretching it pretty far.

 

[imported_Kensai]

Not bad for a tight budget system.

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: KruptosAngelos

Originally posted by: Chosonman
Performance wise this system will play HL2 and Unreal Engine 3.
And Unless you have a 20" monitor or bigger and some serious need to play at FPS games at 1600X1200 resolution (*squinty eyes to see*) You should be set for the next 2 to 3 years without a serious need to upgrade.

I'm afraid you're wrong. Even a geforce2 can play HL2, so that doesn't say much. But we are unsure if even a 6800U will be able to handle U3, saying a 6600GT can is just plain ridiculous. In 1-2 years you'll need to upgrade that video card, and that's stretching it pretty far.

6600GT can play it: read here==> http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/09/printable_6120126.html

"He said that a video card based on an Nvidia 6600GT, the kind currently available for around $250, will be able to handle games based on the engine easily. However, by the time any games based on Unreal Engine 3 ship next year, those cards will have dropped in price considerably, meaning that PC gamers won't have to drop big bucks on upgrades."

Looks like you're the one who's wrong.

 

[Malak]

Originally posted by: Chosonman
6600GT can play it: read here==> http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/09/printable_6120126.html

"He said that a video card based on an Nvidia 6600GT, the kind currently available for around $250, will be able to handle games based on the engine easily. However, by the time any games based on Unreal Engine 3 ship next year, those cards will have dropped in price considerably, meaning that PC gamers won't have to drop big bucks on upgrades."

Looks like you're the one who's wrong.

I was basing this on the fact they were struggling for FPS in the demo with a 6800U, and that's just a demo. Any multiplayer game will require more power. Since a 6600GT can't do even AA/AF well on most games today, do you really think it's going to have the guts to handle any game running on the U3 engine?

Fact is, your video card is the most limiting part to the build. A tight budget system shouldn't be a minimum requirements system. I say up it to a 6800GT.

 

[Chosonman]

I heard part of the reason the 6800U struggle was because the drivers were not optimized for the new engine. They said the same thing about DOOM3 before it came out but look how much has changed since then.

 

[Malak]

Originally posted by: Chosonman
I heard part of the reason the 6800U struggle was because the drivers were not optimized for the new engine. They said the same thing about DOOM3 before it came out but look how much has changed since then.

Doom 3 still struggles on new systems, a 6600GT certainly can't handle it on high. And that's a game for last week, not even today.

A budget card today cannot handle new games 2 years from now. I say save up and get at the very least a 6800GT. Waiting one month to save up will help you so much more than pulling the trigger now and shooting your foot.

 

[Chosonman]

sure if you can afford a 6800GT I have no arguement against getting it.

 

[Malak]

Originally posted by: Chosonman
sure if you can afford a 6800GT I have no arguement against getting it.

Well, $100 more much better performance is worth waiting for. Even $700 is good for a budget system.