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Cheapest semi-gaming/multipurpose machine:

B

bobsmith1492

Diamond Member
Any ideas what to change on this? I'm not sure about the case, which is the main thing as this one is kind of expensive (esp. with 16 bucks shipping.)

Antec Black ATX Mini Tower PC Case with 350W Power Supply, Model "SLK1650B" - Retail
Item# N82E16811129150
Status: In Stock
$60.00
$60.00

Lite-On Black 52X32X52 CD-RW Drive, Model LTR-52327S, OEM
Item# N82E16827106197
Status: In Stock
$23.50
$23.50

NEC 1.44MB Black Internal Floppy Drive, OEM
Item# N82E16821152005
Status: In Stock
$8.00
$8.00

Western Digital Special Edition 80GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD800JB, OEM Drive Only
Item# N82E16822144122
Status: In Stock
$57.75
$57.75

Crackin' Deals!
WINTEC AMPO 184-pin 512MB DDR PC-3200, Model 35145588-P - Retail
Item# N82E16820161615
Status: In Stock
$39.99 (x2)
$79.98

BIOSTAR "M7NCD PRO" nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU -RETAIL
Item# N82E16813138227
Status: In Stock
$52.00
$52.00

AMD Sempron 2400+ 1.667GHz, Socket A Processor - Retail
Item# N82E16819104210
Status: In Stock
$67.00
$67.00

MSI ATI RADEON 9550 Video Card, 128MB DDR, 128-Bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP, Model "RX9550-TD128" -RETAIL
Item# N82E16814127154
Status: In Stock
$65.00
$65.00

Product total: $413.23
Shipping & Handling: $ 39.63
Total (Before tax): $452.86
 
I would substitute that NForce2 mobo and Radeon 9550 video card with one item that costs only $90: The MSI RS480M2-IL motherboard. It has an on-board Radeon X300 vid card (performs about the same as a Radeon 9600).

And upgrade the CPU to a Socket939 Athlon64.

Bling! Just upgraded that $413 system from an outdated Socket-A to a state-of-the-art Socket939 for a very little increase in cost.
 
if your gonna play games definately get something better than a 9550. get at least a 9600 if your gonna play any of the latest games.
 
Hm, good idea wisdomtooth. Are you sure the onboard video is any good though? It says it's an xpress 200, so I'm not really sure what that means. That combo is only 15 bucks more.
 
Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Hm, good idea wisdomtooth. Are you sure the onboard video is any good though? It says it's an xpress 200, so I'm not really sure what that means. That combo is only 15 bucks more.
Click to expand...

You can get a 9700pro on ebay these days for $100 or less. eBAY is a savior for budget PC's
 
Originally posted by: ribbon13
Well how about thiss... if you change you mind later that board has a x16 PCIe slot too.
Click to expand...

VIA's newest chipset will support AGP and PCI-e x16 on the same board, idealy this is the way to go for a budget minded person who will upgrade later.
 
There are a few other boards that have ATI for AMD chipsets out there. I will find them and post later. I am trying to find it, I have posted this before. But I cannot remember where.
 
Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Hm, good idea wisdomtooth. Are you sure the onboard video is any good though? It says it's an xpress 200, so I'm not really sure what that means. That combo is only 15 bucks more.
Click to expand...

The XPress200 is the name of the ATI Chipset. The on-board graphics on that RS480M2-IL is pretty sweet considering it is integrated-- It is like a built-in Radeon 9600. Not the most powerful out there, but no slouch either. It completely pwns all the other integrated graphics solutions out there. And, the board has the 16x PCIe. What's not to love? 😉

That's why this is THE most popular microATX board for HTPC enthusiasts out there right now.
 
Originally posted by: wisdomtooth
Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Hm, good idea wisdomtooth. Are you sure the onboard video is any good though? It says it's an xpress 200, so I'm not really sure what that means. That combo is only 15 bucks more.
Click to expand...

The XPress200 is the name of the ATI Chipset. The on-board graphics on that RS480M2-IL is pretty sweet considering it is integrated-- It is like a built-in Radeon 9600. Not the most powerful out there, but no slouch either. It completely pwns all the other integrated graphics solutions out there. And, the board has the 16x PCIe. What's not to love? 😉

That's why this is THE most popular microATX board for HTPC enthusiasts out there right now.
Click to expand...


Have you actually tried one yourself? I'm asking because I'm considering this board, the DFI and the MSI, but for the money, this looks great! I've been reading a lot of forum user reviews and plain reviews and I've found some posted benchmarks that run right with 9700Pro AGP cards down the line.........
 
I build a lot of HTPCs, which often necessitates compact components. I just finished putting together one using the Ahanix MCE302 microATX case and this motherboard, and I'm very satisfied with it for HTPC use (doing stuff like PVR functions, DVD and music playback). I haven't attempted to game on it yet though, because I do have a dedicated rig for that (Another A64 with a 6800GT card).
 
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