Help me Build a Computer 600 dollar budget!

[Magusigne]

Help me build a computer? I have a budget of 600 bucks (give or take)

I currently have :
4gb of pc-5300
BFG 7800 GT OC
160 gb HD
A Pentium 820 D

Fill in the blanks!

Ideal - Antec case, emphasis on design, upgradability on the mobo so that it will have a longer life. Definately putting in a C2D or quad when I get extra cash. Also I am a beginner but I want to OC. PSU 500w+ (maybe the sonata with the included PSU?) Asthetics are also nice. Cooling- Experimenting with some Overclocking probably). Lastly SLI is not really needed. I'll only really be running 1 card. Nvidia.


Let me know!

 

[MarcVenice]

Check out this thread: http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2120326&enterthread=y

and this thread: http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2120773&enterthread=y

 

[Magusigne]

Yes of course I saw those.

But the people and or person building it spent extra alotted money on a Processor and Video card and memory that could have been spent on upgrading everything else. In turn they cheaped out on some things (the mobo for example) to make room for spending on the things I already have.

 

[corkyg]

For $600 or less, I think you are better off buying a ready made H-P or Dell. Building one's one is usually not cheaper in the low end.

 

[Skott]

Corky has a point. Once you go below $800 its hard to beat Dell and others. Although its not impossible.

 

[MarcVenice]

Your ram can be used, same for the videocard, and the HD. The CPU sucks bigtime. For those 600$ you could still buy a decent p35 mobo though, a 8800gt/HD3870, a nice dualcore cpu, another HD, the antec sonata III. If you sell the 7800gt you'll have even more to spend. It all depends on what you want to use the rig for.

 

[Magusigne]

Yes Marc I know my CPU does suck however, I'm biding my time with this build and buying Pieces when they are on sale the cheapest.


But I'm already getting a VA8003BWS Thermaltake armor case.
The PSU I think I can handle chosing, as I'll be waiting for an Antec or Thermal take to go on sale, probably 500+ watts.

The mobo is really what I'd like to invest a chunk of my money in. Im willing to spend bucks if it means ensuring the upgradability of my board. I'd like it to be overclock friendly too. If you can give me maybe 2-3 top recommendations it would be great. Keep in mind if needs to fit into that thermaltake well and pretend price is no object, although make sure its the best bang for the buck. I had budgeted 200ish for the mobo. I could always buy a cheap c2d and OC the hell out of it.

I'll keep my video card until the 9xxx comes out.

 

[MarcVenice]

Well, right now Penryn is going to be compatible with p35. I don't have a clue what kind of mobo's will be needed to support Intels next family of cpu's. But I do know you're better of spending 100$ now on a mobo, that will support Penryn, then spend another 100$ IF NEEDED, to support the next family of cpu's, instead of spending $200+ on a x38 mobo that might NOT support the next family of cpu's, just like p35 mobo's.

Your other reasons sound solid, but a new 9xxx card might cost you $600+, so don't count on it, it won't be best bang for buck. I'm guessing by then the new 8800gts will be best bang for buck, for 350$ or so.

 

[Magusigne]

Marc, You are right of course, with the rate at which these CPU's evolve..

at any rate, I've done my homework (contrary to my Pentium D purchase when they first came out. And I know that the C2D and even the quad cores are pretty darned good processors.

Therefore, for a solid gaming mobo that will allow a beginner to OC with room for some forgiveness what do you recommend? Also, the 550w Thermaltake or Earthwatts are pretty solid?

I've heard evga has a great customer service and warranty on there mobos. What is a good mobo that I can watch for when it goes on sale?

 

[MarcVenice]

Thermaltake I would avoid. Earthwatts 500w will power any rig with a single videocard and a 'normal' amount of other hardware, like hd's, casefans, dvd players etc. Corsair 450vx is a good choice too. Motherboard I would suggest, hmz, abit ip35-e which can often be had for 70$ AR, if not, then the p5k-se or gigabyte ds3l, all can be had for less then 100$. If you want to step it up a little, then the regular gigabyte ds3r or asus p5k vanilla are good choices, for roughly 130$.

 

[corkyg]

Don't forget to add in the cost of the OS - unless you have one ready to be activated, free and clear. $600 off the shelf can include Vista Home Premium.

 

[Magusigne]

Already have one, and sticking with Xp 64 bit.

Here Is the run down on what I am thinking of getting and the total cost

Antec Sonata w/500w earthwatt psu
eVGA 122-CK-NF68-T1 nForce 680i
Cooler Master Mars Socket 775 cooler
A 2.33ghz Core 2 Duo for overclocking

All for under 600.

What do you think?

I already have HD/RAM/FX card

 

[corkyg]

Go for it! :thumbsup:

 

[MarcVenice]

I doubt the cooler master HSF is much good. You're probably talking about the e6550 ? With the 7 multiplier, oc-ing it won't be to easy with standard ddr2 800mhz ram, let alone the ddr2 667mhz you've got. Prolly better of with a e4400 or so. The mobo kind of sucks too, it's an old chipset, p35 is much better.

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: corkyg
For $600 or less, I think you are better off buying a ready made H-P or Dell. Building one's one is usually not cheaper in the low end.

unless you oc. You can get an e2140 for $75 or less and a good low end p35 mobo for another $75 or so. Spend $20 on an AC freezer pro and you're in business, most likely up in the 3 ghz range. that would probably be comparable to an e6750 system from dell...how much is that? plus, you can upgrade piece by piece as necessary or as money allows.

 

[Magusigne]

Mind doing a job I should be doing and linking the parts from newegg?

The one thing I won't be cheaping out on is a mobo so no worries on that, a good one is fine.
RAM will be upgraded so no worries
A good OC chip would be good until i can afford a nice quad.