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How is this for a cheap budget build?

L

loki5667

Member
My friend had an old dell machine that finally died. He asked me to build him a replacement and gave me a budget of $300. I'm pulling his 160gb 7200rpm maxtor drive to save him some money. He doesn't play games but I added a cheap video card.

His old specs

Dell 4600
P4 2.6ghz 533fsb
512mb pc2700
soundblaster live 5.1
older nvidia fx card
160gb maxtor drive
dvd
cd



For $296.14 this looks like it will be a huge upgrade for him.

SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223F - OEM Item #: N82E16827151171

Foxconn TW-080-300W Black Steel MicroATX Mid Tower Computer Case 300W Power Supply - Retail Item #: N82E16811153110

SPARKLE SFPX94GT512U2 GeForce 9400 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card - Retail Item #: N82E16814187036

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ - Retail Item #: N82E16820231098

ASUS P5KPL-CM LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail Item #: N82E16813131288

Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80571E5200 - Retail Item #: N82E16819116072
 
That 9400GT is a horrible video card. If your friend doesnt need a lot of graphics power, I might suggest getting a AMD MB with an IGP. You could get a great deal on a X2/780G AM2+ build that they can later throw in a PII, if needed.

I built a similar computer for a friend, and they love it.
 
I don't know much about the amd stuff. Are the triple core cpu's good?

How about swapping in these:

AMD Phenom 8450 Toliman 2.1GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Triple-Core Processor Model HD8450WCGHBOX - Retail
Item #: N82E16819103254

OR

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600 Brisbane 2.9GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADO5600DOBOX - Retail




ASUS M3A78-EM AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813131324

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ - Retail
Item #: N82E16820231122
 
Originally posted by: loki5667
I don't know much about the amd stuff. Are the triple core cpu's good?

How about swapping in these:

AMD Phenom 8450 Toliman 2.1GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Triple-Core Processor Model HD8450WCGHBOX - Retail
Item #: N82E16819103254

OR

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600 Brisbane 2.9GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADO5600DOBOX - Retail




ASUS M3A78-EM AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813131324

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ - Retail
Item #: N82E16820231122
Click to expand...

The PhII triple cores are very good. The old Toliman ones are not. Intel e5200 > AMD X3 8450.

Nvidia 9400gt is not a good card, but still better than IGP. Since your friend doesn't play games, it doesn't matter anyway. Maybe an Intel board with IGP...
 
Dell deals today has a vostro 220 with e7400 and 19 inch monitor for $399. I believe it comes with 2 or 3 gigs of memory.
 
Originally posted by: loki5667
Did I post in the wrong section?
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is "Motherboards", yet you are asking about a complete system build, which should be posted in "General Hardware". But, since you're here already, may as well stay the course.
 
Hi,

based on what your friend uses his PC for, on board graphics should be fine.

Recommend for motherboard:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...8113%2CN82E16813138105

$75 to $95 or so.

CPU: great time to buy a budget CPU: these were better than top end CPU a year or two ago....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...nufactory=1028&bop=And

I recommend 4GB of memory, and yes, with 32 bit os, some will not be accessible, but, it is so inexpensive, recommend you max it out:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...ue=523%3a15794&bop=And

All of the above are standard 1.8V JDEC plug in and go, no hassles. Should just frakkin work. iF you need to save a few bucks, 2 x 1GB is OK.

As for his Maxtor hard drive: it is old, and sucks balls. It needs to be replaced.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...8261%2CN82E16822148335

The DVD drive you listed is fine, case is fine, though power supply a bit tepid.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...7055%2CN82E16811147093

HTH

NXIL
 
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