Need to build two systems for two kids in college cheap!!!

[777joee]

Help I need to build two systems that will not break the bank. Any sugestions???? Needs are for the normal stuff that a kid in college would need.

Thanks

Yes both systems need to be complete. However the monitor or printer is not important. I would like to build both for under $1000.00 not including the monitor or printer.

Just the basics some games, internet, eithernet, mid range on graphics and speed. Not the best or fastest, just a reliable system that could be upgraded in the future. Onboard sound or video is O.K. I have an old p166mmx that works great but I don't want to take it out of the back up mode if our main rig at home goes out.

Thanks again

Thanks for the sugestions. I was thinking along the same lines as DDad

 

[ledzepp98]

can you give a more specific price target and whether or not the price includes a monitor?

 

[Joemonkey]

yeah, and also do you know if they are interested in games or their schooling involves graphics editing? that will affect MY selection of the amount of ram and video and sound cards i would throw in there. if they will just be word processing and using spreadsheets and such, you can build a much cheaper machine, but it would also be easy to upgrade...

main question i have (besides the monitor one led there asked) is do you want onboard sound and video on the motherboard?

 

[DDad]

Kinda in the same boat- Have my son and a 2 nieces going to school this year.
I've just recently built a couple of systems in that price range- may give you some thoughts:

Biostar M7vkl (basic integrated Duron/Tbird board)
Generic ATX case w 300 watt ps
Duron 750
20 gb maxtor HD
52 x Cd rom
128 mb Crucial Rom

Wound up with a total bill of $338

 

[LuciferHaze]

How about this:

ABIT-BE6II
566MHz Celeron Overclocked to 1.13GHz
ThermalTake Golden Orb cooler
30 GB Fujitsu 5400rpm UATA66 hard-drive
Generic Mid-tower case w/ 300w power supply
GeForce2 GTS 32MB DDR-SDRAM

 

[randomlinh]

don't give em overclocked processors.. them dorm rooms suck

 

[mithrandir2001]

<< 566MHz Celeron Overclocked to 1.13GHz >>


I've taken my 533MHz up to 840MHz so far, but isn't 1.13GHz pushing it a bit? A .18 Cu core is sometimes capable of 1.13GHz, but pulling a 100% overclock using normal air cooling would be quite an accomplishment.

You might want to search through the FS/FT ads for a used system. I got my &quot;complete&quot; (sans monitor) 800MHz Celeron II system there for $350.

 

[GT578]

I'd suggest what Ddad put...but add another 128MB and maybe a Radeon LE or GeforceMX to make it a bit better without spending a lot more.

 

[mcveigh]

go with DDad's setup, although I'd prefer a board w/o everything integrated.
duron or athlon processor,

spend money on ram and monitor.

I love HP printers

 

[obenton]

I'd think in terms of stability if the kids don't know enough to troubleshoot. The old 440BX chipset is still good, very stable, and has been around long enough for the bugs to have been squeezed out. Abit BH6 or BX133 have served me well, with Celeron or P3. I'll overclock my machines, but not those of my children or grandchildren. The Matrox G200 video adapter is cheap, has excellent 2D and satisfactory 3D. Any cheap NIC, modem, and sound card should do. I'd avoid the HPT366 controller, but the HPT370 seems OK - but for stability I'd use IDE33. And, for stability, I'd use w2k rather than win9x.

 

[mcveigh]

yes win 2000!!!

or linux if you want to make them learn

 

[sadb0i]

if u are in the sacremento area...i recommend going over to ARDEN comuters and buying one of their bare bones with video and sound...plus you get 128 ram high quality heat sink...a 900 duron processor...mid atx tower...all around $270...basically all u need left is a hard rive...cd rom...floppy..monitor...speakers...printer...al these can be had for cheap at frys...