building cheap computer for someone. about $500 budget. celeron?

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rob3rt

Member
Jun 7, 2001
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I was thinking about getting a Celeron, I dont have much experience with AMD. I've been using Intel chips for all the computers i've built. The person I'm building the computer for only uses it for surfing, instant messaging, email, and word processing. Maybe some music, but thats about it, so I was thinking a 66 bus wouldn't be a problem, right?

If i do get a Celeron, I guess I would get the 800 one, but I'm not sure on the motherboard yet. I need something that is affordable and suits her needs. Shes not a gamer at all.

Sound - sound blaster
3com card
i can probably find a cheap matrox video card

thanks for your input!
 
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thedarkwolf

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
9,030
123
106
Go with the duron. Its cheaper and its faster. You should be able to find km133 based boards for around $80-$90 and they have built in video and sound. If you pay a little extra you can get one with an agp port incase they ever want to get a better video card.
 
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lastig21

Platinum Member
Oct 23, 2000
2,145
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I'm thinking the Celeron 800 will actually be on a 100mhz bus, so that shouldn't be an issue for ya. Depending on how much you have to buy (case,cdrom,harddrive) you might could even go with a tbird setup in that price range. The Iwill kk266 has very nice integrated sound and a tbird 850 is at $74 and falling. Check out the FS/T forums for some good deals
 
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MADCAP

Senior member
Jul 10, 2000
271
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I'd probably go with the Duron myself. But if you do go Intel, the 800 celeron is at 100mhz bus. They moved it up. And the perfect chipset for that would be the i810. It has built in video and sound. You can get them cheap now, and with the integrated stuff it's even cheaper for the system.

Now is an awesome time for very powerful and VERY cheap computers. You really can't go wrong either way.
 
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rob3rt

Member
Jun 7, 2001
114
1
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hmm Durons are looking really good to me right now, especially since they are so cheap. Who makes km133 boards? integrated video and sound (maybe ethernet) sound good to me.

thanks guys
 
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splice

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2001
1,275
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Ya, Duron 750 for $29 You really can't beat that. And when Crucial RAM prices are soo low now, you can have a killer system easily for $500

750Mhz Duron $ 29
Epox 8K7A (DDR) $132 Snd onboard
256MB PC2100 $ 57
IBM 20GB 7200RPM $ 90
AOpen 12X DVD $ 41
ATI Radeon VE 32MB $ 75
In-Win S500 Case $ 55
-------------------------
Total: $479 + Shipping

So you have $20 left over to buy a case fan and a CPU HS/fan. That is a damn fine system for the price.
 
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dowxp

Diamond Member
Dec 25, 2000
4,568
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76


<< uses it for surfing, instant messaging, email, and word processing. >>




no need for all that.
 
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splice

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2001
1,275
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true, true... just showing what type of setup can be had for $500 ;)

Anyways, www.tcwo.com sells Biostar KM133 mobo's for $92 You can also get the KLE133 w/ no AGP slot for $79
 
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kreno

Senior member
Feb 6, 2001
530
0
0
I'd get a
Duron 750 + MSI K7T-Turbo = $146 shipped with FedEx 2 Day I believe...
http://www.newegg.com

128 PC133 of some nice Crucial stuff... not expensive by any means

This has onboard soundcard, it's not too bad at all... Then on top of that it's an incredibly stable mobo.

Pick a case up at http://www.colorcomputercase.com, they have great cases made by A-Top and they're cheap too...

On top of that, just grab like a el cheapo HSF, the silly Duron is not as hot as an athlon... :)
 
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thedarkwolf

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
9,030
123
106
How bout this one

MSI MS-6340M(KM133 PROA)
BUNDLE W/ COOLING FAN
(AMD DURON 750(200MHZ)
16X64 128MB PC133
ASSEMBLE/TEST BUNDLE)
$163.00

from www.mwave.com

That way you wouldn't even have to worry about the video card. You can shave another $9 off if you don't have them assemble and test it but since your an amd newbie :) I figured the it might be worth it just so you wouldn't have to worry about it.

Anybody know how well the km133s video works? I know its some wierd combo of S3 Savage2000 2D and S3 Savage 4 for 3d. What drivers do you use for that thing?
 
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TravisBickle

Platinum Member
Dec 3, 2000
2,037
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the PCChips810LMR is crazy cheap, it has everything integrated too. it is no longer more expensive to go Duron than it is Celeron. in fact, it could be cheaper :)
 
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compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
27,112
930
126
Use a good board. Everthing else is cheap now, from Durons to Ram. :)

A Duron 800 would be a nice route.
 
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blackhawk

Platinum Member
Feb 1, 2000
2,690
1
81
I dont see a reason to stay with celeron now that there's older KT133 chipset amd boards around with onboard sound(some with video too) so that you can spend about the same on the mb's for intel or amd. I just put together my first amd and not a problem at all. I also run an overclocked c2 but the family says handsoff to it although its a nice system. Haven't had any via issues with any of my via mb's either. It would be easier to be under that budget.
 
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kreno

Senior member
Feb 6, 2001
530
0
0
the MSI KM133 board is quite good, also DFI's AM37 is also very stable, if you're not looking to o/c this is the way to go :)
 
Ryan

Ryan

Lifer
Oct 31, 2000
27,519
2
81
Why do people always think that VIA still has issues?!?!?! That was a long time ago. Their chipsets are just fine now.
 
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Kwad Guy

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 1999
3,478
0
0
Hey, for $500 you can get your friend a Gateway 6400 server with
a PIII 933Mhz/133Mhz FSB, dual processor capable, 9Gb SCSI hard
drive, 128Mb of memory. (See huge thread on this in the Hot Deals
forum if interested).

Not really what a neophyte would want or should have, but thrown
out to give a bit perspective when you're talking about $500
computers!

Kwad
 
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WildeBeast

Senior member
May 17, 2001
464
0
0
It really is amazing how cheap computers are now. Motherboard manufacturers are still popping out PC100/133 boards for the durons and t-birds, really would not go DDR right now for a newbie non-gaming non overclocking system. Get 256MB of PC133 from crucial though, we are talking $40, ram is so cheap and 256 is more appropriate, even just for internet. The tough decision id the motherboard. Onboard sound is fine for your needs, so I would go with the KK266 by Iwill, tried and true, perfectly stable and good sound. It can be had for about 110, 40 for a duron 800, or maybe worth the 110 for a GHZ athlon, 40 for ram, 50 for a GeForce2 MX or 55 for a case, 20 for a quiet aluminum heatsink (If you buy the CPU retail that would come with it) and 10 for a csae fan, and a 17in. monitor non-flat goes around $80, and keyboard (10) mouse (20) and DVD (40), so total with:
1)Duron: 465
2)Athlon: 535

Plus shipping, which would be about $50 if you don't ship the monitor (get one locally)

I built that exact system for my family but with a burner and 19in shipped for around 1100 3 months ago. It works perfectly (not a single crash) under win2K. Good luck.
 
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Kwad Guy

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 1999
3,478
0
0
OK, we're talking build your own? Here's my recommandtion:

Get the Intel VC820 motherboard. You can get this board, retail,
for <$30 at CompGeeks. It's a very good and stable board, and has
sound on-board. Supports AGP 4x and UDMA 66Mhz.

Buy two sticks of 128Mb 700Mhz Rambus memory for $39/each ($78 total)
at HiTechCafe.com.

Buy a 733Mhz/133Mhz processor for <$100 at any of many
places (check pricewatch).

Total is $30+78+100 = $218. IMHO you can't really do better for
the money...A much better option that the 750Mhz Duron option that
would price out at around the same amount.

Kwad
 
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WildeBeast

Senior member
May 17, 2001
464
0
0
sorry, on my potential system I forgot the hard drive, add 75. I guess we are nearing 600 with this system....
 
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Duvie

Elite Member
Feb 5, 2001
16,215
0
71
get the duron...In my eperience people always say they are not going to do much, then they get a new system and want to do everything they see or hear about...Then you have to be the *ss and tell them their new system isn't good enough to do it...

Duron vs celery...not that close...duron hangs closer to the p3.

It is cheap to get a system that still can handle what they want plus quite a bit above their expectation...

I am going to build my mom a duron for around same price.

If you want to avoid the via issues (686b southbridge), which mostly has been fixed with via 4in1's 4.31 there are still several older mobos that contain the 686a southbridge...
 
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Kwad Guy

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 1999
3,478
0
0
Why get the Duron when you can get a PIII 733Mhz system with
the same amount of PC700 Rambus for the same money...This is
a better foundation, IMHO.

Kwad
 
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Duvie

Elite Member
Feb 5, 2001
16,215
0
71
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