Help building a budget system?

[cowsclaw]

i'm looking to build a new system, but am on a budget (d@mn out of state tuition). i'd like to spend less than $400 for the following: CPU, motherboard, case, power supply, RAM, video card.
i realize that i could get a pretty good Dell for around $500 after rebates, but i'd rather build one- just for the experience (i've never done it before). so if you could suggest some things for me to buy keeping in mind that
1) i really just use it for surfing the internet and office applications, with occasional photoshoping and gaming
2) the aforementioned components should cost less than $400 (but the lower the better!)
3) i'd like it to be upgradeable a year from now. really just a mobo/ps that can support an upgrade to a better processor and/or memory later on when the present-day higher-end products are cheaper.
4) if you could recommend a good, inexpensive sound card, that'd be good too.
5) overclocking would be nice too, but i have never done it before. not necessary, but would be fun (i'm bored)

thanks.

-kirin

 

[tart666]

Anand's value rig

All choices still valid, except now you can get XP1800 for the same price. (edit) and as far as RAM, Crucial is now cheaper at $41 for 256MB of DDR266

 

[CurtCold]

A7n266-VM, NewEgg for $71
XP 1700+ NewEgg for ~$50
CometCase at PcInfinity~33 Shipped with 300watt psu
256MB PC2100 ~$50

That should do it, has onboard video, lan, sound, so if your just surfing the web it will be fine (GF2 Graphics, alot of people say it does light gaming just fine.

The board also has an AGP slot, so you can upgrade the video, and psu at a later time if you want to. I suggested the Comet case, because I bought one, it has alot of room, and the psu is generic, but works fine in my 1.3T-Bird A7v133 setup. Plus you can house 4-5 Hardrives in the case, and it has a side case fan not shown in the picture, with spaces for 2 fans up front, and 2 in the back. You can pick up a good case from NewEgg with an AMD approved PSU also.

 

[AtomicDude512]

Originally posted by: CurtCold
A7n266-VM, NewEgg for $71
XP 1700+ NewEgg for ~$50
CometCase at PcInfinity~33 Shipped with 300watt psu
256MB PC2100 ~$50

That should do it, has onboard video, lan, sound, so if your just surfing the web it will be fine (GF2 Graphics, alot of people say it does light gaming just fine.

The board also has an AGP slot, so you can upgrade the video, and psu at a later time if you want to. I suggested the Comet case, because I bought one, it has alot of room, and the psu is generic, but works fine in my 1.3T-Bird A7v133 setup. Plus you can house 4-5 Hardrives in the case, and it has a side case fan not shown in the picture, with spaces for 2 fans up front, and 2 in the back. You can pick up a good case from NewEgg with an AMD approved PSU also.

I agree this is a good rig, my Dad has a nForce and with dual-channel it does games just fine indeed. No AA, mind you...