Need to build a decent PC for $500 or less

[shah456]

Alright like topic said I need to build a pc for my uncle and aunt and should be $500 or less. Doesnt have to be anything fancy. Just needed to surf the web, do some online banking, maybe some games but rarely. Just building a tower, they don't need a monitor or anything else. Could you guys put something together for me. Thanks in advance.

 

[eklass]

just look on pricewatch for an inexpensive bundled motherboard (with lots of integrated stuff) and duron CPU (~150?). i would try to stay away from integrated graphics and instead order some old geforce4mx or the liking (~50). while you're at it, a 512 chip of ram (~100) wouldn't be bad if you can afford it over a 256 module. outside of that, get a cheap case (~35) and mediocre hard drive (~75)

other than that you'll just need any floppy/cd/dvd and maybe a modem if they're not on the high-speed bandwagon

 

[mbackof]

I built a couple of budget machines for WWW browsing and general office work in this thread. They both work very well, though I would probably go back and put 512MB RAM in Sharon's machine.

Mike

 

[RaNDoMMAI]

Athlon 2000+ $52
Biostar M7NCG 400 $65
Kingston Value ram 512 PC2700 $80
Samsung 80gig $61
On-board video MX400
Generic case $30~$50
Samsung 52x32x52x16 $41

Total $329~349

or

Athlon mobile Barton 2400+ $77
Shuttle AN35-Ultra $57
Samsung 80gig $61
Corsair 512 PC3200 $85
Radeon 9200 $65
Antec 3700AMB $69
Samsung 52x32x52x16 $41

Total $455


regards
~RaNDoM

 

[jacktesterson]

Look at my system minus the Radeon 9800 Pro....add a ATI 9550 or FX5200

both are capable of playing new games at low res....be all you need. $500 system easy

 

[Sonic587]

Originally posted by: RaNDoMMAI
Athlon 2000+ $52
Biostar M7NCG 400 $65
Kingston Value ram 512 PC2700 $80
Samsung 80gig $61
On-board video MX400
Generic case $30~$50
Samsung 52x32x52x16 $41

Total $329~349

I'm liking this. Good choices for a budget system. However. A few changes...

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-219&depa=0 -$2 cheaper and faster.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-144-122&depa=0

-$3 cheaper.

Check out this case. If you're parents don't mind the beige look, check out the SLK1600. Don't try and get a cheap case. Most likely, it'll be a pain to work with and it'll come with a ticking time bomb PSU.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-129-122&depa=0

 

[Budmantom]

Dell

 

[Tremulant]

Originally posted by: Budmantom
Dell

Agreed.

Or, you can go with..

Athlon XP 2500+ (Barton)
512MB PC3200 Corsair Value Select (1x512 or 2x256.. cost about the same, I'd go with 1x512 if it's just a basic internet pc)
Shuttle MN31N motherboard
Antec SLK3700 Case
80GB HDD
OS (dunno if you need it or not..)

Look Here. it was my thread that I posted awhile ago, and you can probably use some of the suggestions from there. You can probably build them something pretty decent for ~$400 or so.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: shah456
Alright like topic said I need to build a pc for my uncle and aunt and should be $500 or less. Doesnt have to be anything fancy. Just needed to surf the web, do some online banking, maybe some games but rarely. Just building a tower, they don't need a monitor or anything else. Could you guys put something together for me. Thanks in advance.

Are you local to them, and do you love supporting others' computer questions and problems? If not, just get an eMachines (the newest generation of Celeron <d-series??> isn't nearly as bad as it once was) or Dell box.

Bear in mind that the systems posted here (usually) don't include an OS. That's another $100 or so... Dell's deals look better and better...

 

[heartsurgeon]

get a Dell.......

 

[borntodie]

Case: Enlight EN-7250-ORZ w/ 300W PSU $46.00

PCCHIPS M847LU V1.5A SiS746 $59.00 (Onboard video, sound, and LAN)

AMD Athlon XP 2500+ $87.00

Mushkin 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 - Retail $78.00

WD SE 80GB 7200RPM WD800JB $58.00

Optorite IDE/ATAPI 52X32X52 CD-RW Drive $24.49

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack SP1a - OEM $90.00

Total: 442.79

Symantec Antivirus 2004 with 1 Year Live Updates - OEM $34.99

Total: 477.78

OR as someone said just grab an eMachines

eMachines W3080 AMD Athlon XP 3000+ / 512MB DDR / 80GB HDD / DVD-ROM / CD-RW / 10/100Mbps LAN Support / Windows XP Home / Refurbished Desktop PC

 

[JBT]

Originally posted by: borntodie
Case: Enlight EN-7250-ORZ w/ 300W PSU $46.00

PCCHIPS M847LU V1.5A SiS746 $59.00 (Onboard video, sound, and LAN)

AMD Athlon XP 2500+ $87.00

Mushkin 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 - Retail $78.00

WD SE 80GB 7200RPM WD800JB $58.00

Optorite IDE/ATAPI 52X32X52 CD-RW Drive $24.49

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack SP1a - OEM $90.00

Total: 442.79

Symantec Antivirus 2004 with 1 Year Live Updates - OEM $34.99

Total: 477.78

DO NOT get them a PCCHIPS motherboard PLEASE!!!!! I would probably recommend a dell since YOU are going to be tech support. Though I have found out that I seem to be tech support on most peoples Dell's anyways arrr.

 

[borntodie]

Originally posted by: JBT
DO NOT get them a PCCHIPS motherboard PLEASE!!!!! I would probably recommend a dell since YOU are going to be tech support. Though I have found out that I seem to be tech support on most peoples Dell's anyways arrr.

I've used their boards a couple of times and never had any problems... And these are in "parent" machines where Murphy's Law is in full effect.

The onboard Xabre video isn't as good as a onboard GF4MX overall but since he said it would be used for games rarely it should fit the bill.

If you'd rather skip PCCHIPS:

ABIT NF7-M $89.00

2 x Mushkin 184 Pin 256MB DDR PC-3200 Basic Green - Retail $92.00

Total: $521.48

 

[magomago]

If all they will be doing is web browsing and things of the sort....

I'm honestly baffled by reccomedations of a 2500+s and 512 megs of ram and even a G4mx


In all honesty, get a VIA kt333/400/600 board which are usually cheaper than nforce2s (unless the nforce2s have gotten that cheap) because a 5% preformance difference won't matter at all.

Toss in a 1.6Ghz Duron Applebred (40 dollars or so at Newegg)

and 256 megs of ram...I don't see the rational for 512 at ALL. You said gaming rarely...but I doubt they'll be doing anything near Unreal Tournament, and 256 should suffice, because i'm guessing this is "light gaming" at best...

Good luck ^_^

 

[RaNDoMMAI]

@Sonic 587
I personally hate WD since i had a couple die on me and all the ones i have own are uber loud, samsungs are dead quiet and i have yet to have one dead on me.

also, i heard the biostar mobo is kind of picky on ram and i know for sure the kingston works on it.

@magomago
Even when just web browsing and what not, i still recommend 512mb, i notice windows runs much better on it, the first system i posted is around 300 and is totally a nice system, why go even cheaper for alot worst performance?

on another note, i also recommend a Dell, there ~500 system are great and include a monitor, keyboard and mouse, speakers, and sometimes a printer if you are lucky.

~RaNDoM

 

[pirred908]

Don't spend $500 on a paper weight please.

 

[pirred908]

Originally posted by: heartsurgeon
get a Dell.......

This is what I was refering too. Sorry.

 

[mehmetmunur]

I recently built myself an athlon xp 2500 with 512mb ram. I would recommend any motherboard with 400mhz of FSB just in case they need to upgrade in the future. I would also go with one stick of 512mb RAM which would make the upgrade to 1gb or ram a lot easier. From what I have read, Longhorn is supposed to have a minimum memory requirement of 1gb when it debutes in 2006-7. I do not think that there is any need for an agp graphics card, there is no reason why the IGP should not suffice for someone who does word processing, web surfing and movie watching and little gaming. You should read the articles about entry level system in the guides section of anandtech, which is where I got most of my ideas.