New System

[aaronjbc123]

Hi everyone, I have a PC right now that I just feel frustrated with, there are too many parts that need to be upgraded, and I've realized it would just be better financially and mentally to start over with something fresh. I'm operating on a $350-450 budget. Games that I will be playing would include Call of Duty 4, Lord of the Rings Online (Age of Conan when it releases), Company of Heroes, and TF2/HL2.

1. System will be used for gaming, does not need to be a powerhouse (and obviously wont be for $450).

2. As stated above, $350-450 is my budget.

3. Live in the US.

4. No brand preference, of course I prefer something with some mainstream support rather than an unknown company from Tunisia.

5. I have right now an eVGA 8600GT, and 2 x1gig sticks of G.Skill DDR2 PC2-6400. (Both will most likely be upgraded over time, or if an upgrade can be fit in that will also work)



7. Honestly, I've never overclocked anything in my life, and don't even have an idea of how it is done. So probably not.

If you havent realized, I don't know much about hardware and in fact, am almost a complete moron when it comes to it. Any questions that ask me if I prefer one type of hard-drive over another or file system will be met with a blank stare, so please keep that in mind.

Thanks for any type of help you can provide, I could use it all. Also, I've seen some people say they dont like a product because it doesnt match or its hideous, I could care less if the case screams "I drop the soap" as long as it fits the need, so thats also another guideline.

 

[MarcVenice]

You will be reusing your old monitor/keyboard/mouse, right ? How about case/psu, what kind do you have ? Especially PSU is important ...

 

[aaronjbc123]

Sorry, I have a 17.1 in ViewSonic LCD monitor, using old keyboard/mouse as well. I'll be buying a new case and PSU.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Unless it's really awful (IE, flimsy, razor-sharp inside, etc.), I suggest re-using the case. The same goes for the PSU.

Nowadays it requires no re-installation of the OS to upgrade the hard disk, so I suggest you consider leaving out that component, too, until an upgrade is desired.

Newegg has a great deal going on the Abit IP35-E, for $97OTD-$30MIR=$67AR. I recommend it.

As for the CPU, this is a tough one. Personally, I think quad-core is overrated, especially if (as seems to be the case) you're on a relatively short upgrade cycle. At the moment, something like the E6550 looks very appealing for its $170 price point. However, if you can hold off until late April, Intel is supposedly releasing a slew of new 45nm CPUs, among which will be the E8200 for around $170 (Intel's price is listed as $159, but we can expect a bit of retail markup).

If you do need to buy a new case, I suggest watching the Fry's B&M ads. They don't have any good deals right now, but they have new sales twice each week. If you're patient, and check the previous link regularly, I bet you'll find a fantastic case for a very low price (sub-$50) in under one month. The same goes for PSUs: Fry's often has great deals, so check their ads frequently. Newegg sometimes offers good deals--especially with mail-in rebates--but not quite so often as Fry's B&M.

If you do need to buy a case and PSU--and buy them now--Newegg does have some options. On the case end of it, I suggest browsing the selection of Foxconn mid-towers. They're generally well-built but competitively priced. As for PSUs, something like the $50 Antec Earthwatts 430W should do well. Again, though, first make sure you can't or shouldn't re-use your old case and/or PSU.

Good luck!

 

[aaronjbc123]

Would you recommend getting case that comes with a PSU, or is it better in general to buy them separately? I'm sure it changes in specifics, but is there a general rule?

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Generally, though there are exceptions, a PSU bundled with a case is probably unreliable and possibly dangerous to your other components.

 

[aaronjbc123]

Would the 430 Antec PSU you recommended be enough for the corresponding CPU and maybe a 9600GT or 8800GT? Along with a simple hard drive?

 

[DarkRogue]

430w is more than enough for an 8800GT and an HD.
With that minimal a setup you can get away with 300-350w but of course 380-430 gives you a bit of room to grow. You don't need 500w+ unless you're going to go nuts with your PC.

 

[heyheybooboo]

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ 2.8GHz AM2 65W Brisbane $98

GIGABYTE GA-MA770-DS3 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX $106

You could save $15-$30 on the mobo selection but that Gigabyte is just too sweet. The only thing missing is eSATA. The onboard sound is top-notch

As I understand you are going to keep your eVGA 8600GT, and 2 x1gig sticks of G.Skill DDR2 PC2-6400 ??? Have you decided about your case/power supply? What about your hard drive and DVD/CD? Do you have your Windows CD?

A 250gb SATA2 hard drive will run you $60. 20x DVD/CD burner $30. The Antec Earthwatts 430W around $50. A Thermaltake power supply might save you $10

$350 total
(if you buy the new power supply and reuse old your case)

If you reuse your hard drive and optical drive you could free up $100-$200 for a really nice vid card stay on budget and be a gaming monster - lol

 

[aaronjbc123]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ 2.8GHz AM2 65W Brisbane $98

GIGABYTE GA-MA770-DS3 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX $106

You could save $15-$30 on the mobo selection but that Gigabyte is just too sweet. The only thing missing is eSATA. The onboard sound is top-notch

As I understand you are going to keep your eVGA 8600GT, and 2 x1gig sticks of G.Skill DDR2 PC2-6400 ??? Have you decided about your case/power supply? What about your hard drive and DVD/CD? Do you have your Windows CD?

A 250gb SATA2 hard drive will run you $60. 20x DVD/CD burner $30. The Antec Earthwatts 430W around $50. A Thermaltake power supply might save you $10

$350 total
(if you buy the new power supply and reuse old your case)

If you reuse your hard drive and optical drive you could free up $100-$200 for a really nice vid card stay on budget and be a gaming monster - lol

Wont I need to buy a heatsink and cooler for the processor chip as well?

Yes, I am thinking I should just re-use my harddrive as it is enough space for me.

 

[chuckm]

A better PSU for a little more $$$;
http://www.buy.com/prod/Corsai...loc/101/205852646.html
You should really look into overclocking, it's not that hard to do if you don't get crazy. It's like getting a free turbo for your car. Check out this thread;
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2057083&enterthread=y

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: aaronjbc123

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ 2.8GHz AM2 65W Brisbane $98

GIGABYTE GA-MA770-DS3 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX $106

You could save $15-$30 on the mobo selection but that Gigabyte is just too sweet. The only thing missing is eSATA. The onboard sound is top-notch

As I understand you are going to keep your eVGA 8600GT, and 2 x1gig sticks of G.Skill DDR2 PC2-6400 ??? Have you decided about your case/power supply? What about your hard drive and DVD/CD? Do you have your Windows CD?

A 250gb SATA2 hard drive will run you $60. 20x DVD/CD burner $30. The Antec Earthwatts 430W around $50. A Thermaltake power supply might save you $10

$350 total
(if you buy the new power supply and reuse old your case)

If you reuse your hard drive and optical drive you could free up $100-$200 for a really nice vid card stay on budget and be a gaming monster - lol

Wont I need to buy a heatsink and cooler for the processor chip as well?

That is correct, yes. I do not think heyheybooboo's suggestions are very wise. AMD chips aren't presently good performers at their price points compared to Intel.

Yes, I am thinking I should just re-use my harddrive as it is enough space for me.

Good idea. That will save a significant sum of money.

 

[aaronjbc123]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
Unless it's really awful (IE, flimsy, razor-sharp inside, etc.), I suggest re-using the case. The same goes for the PSU.

Nowadays it requires no re-installation of the OS to upgrade the hard disk, so I suggest you consider leaving out that component, too, until an upgrade is desired.

Newegg has a great deal going on the Abit IP35-E, for $97OTD-$30MIR=$67AR. I recommend it.

As for the CPU, this is a tough one. Personally, I think quad-core is overrated, especially if (as seems to be the case) you're on a relatively short upgrade cycle. At the moment, something like the E6550 looks very appealing for its $170 price point. However, if you can hold off until late April, Intel is supposedly releasing a slew of new 45nm CPUs, among which will be the E8200 for around $170 (Intel's price is listed as $159, but we can expect a bit of retail markup).

If you do need to buy a new case, I suggest watching the Fry's B&M ads. They don't have any good deals right now, but they have new sales twice each week. If you're patient, and check the previous link regularly, I bet you'll find a fantastic case for a very low price (sub-$50) in under one month. The same goes for PSUs: Fry's often has great deals, so check their ads frequently. Newegg sometimes offers good deals--especially with mail-in rebates--but not quite so often as Fry's B&M.

If you do need to buy a case and PSU--and buy them now--Newegg does have some options. On the case end of it, I suggest browsing the selection of Foxconn mid-towers. They're generally well-built but competitively priced. As for PSUs, something like the $50 Antec Earthwatts 430W should do well. Again, though, first make sure you can't or shouldn't re-use your old case and/or PSU.

Good luck!

Thanks, I think I'm going to order the mobo and processor you recommended, I don't think I'll wait till the new one comes out, as I'm sure this one will be light-years better than the one I have now. So the 430w would fit in the mobo? Is there a way to know if the motherboard will fit in the case I have now? Is it pretty much universal? My case is rather large by the way.

 

[MarcVenice]

What are you going to buy ? If your 'old' mobo was a atx mobo, a new atx mobo should fit just fine. And if your case is rather large, chances are it's just a 'standard' case for atx mobo's. The PSU should fit as well, but if you mentioned what case you have, it be a lot easier for us to determine.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou

Originally posted by: aaronjbc123

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ 2.8GHz AM2 65W Brisbane $98

GIGABYTE GA-MA770-DS3 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX $106

You could save $15-$30 on the mobo selection but that Gigabyte is just too sweet. The only thing missing is eSATA. The onboard sound is top-notch

As I understand you are going to keep your eVGA 8600GT, and 2 x1gig sticks of G.Skill DDR2 PC2-6400 ??? Have you decided about your case/power supply? What about your hard drive and DVD/CD? Do you have your Windows CD?

A 250gb SATA2 hard drive will run you $60. 20x DVD/CD burner $30. The Antec Earthwatts 430W around $50. A Thermaltake power supply might save you $10

$350 total
(if you buy the new power supply and reuse old your case)

If you reuse your hard drive and optical drive you could free up $100-$200 for a really nice vid card stay on budget and be a gaming monster - lol

Wont I need to buy a heatsink and cooler for the processor chip as well?

That is correct, yes. I do not think heyheybooboo's suggestions are very wise. AMD chips aren't presently good performers at their price points compared to Intel.

Yes, I am thinking I should just re-use my harddrive as it is enough space for me.

Good idea. That will save a significant sum of money.

Perhaps you will back up this statement with facts instead of thread-crapping.

I noticed you did not offer a cpu from intel to compare with the x2 5400+ much less any reasonable comparison or benchmarks.

It seems you did not recommend a motherboard, either.

Please feel free to recommend an intel mobo similar to the Gigabyte GA-MA770-DS3 with 16gb DDR2 1066, Realtek ALC888 8-channel audio, 1x Optical, 1x Coaxial S/PDIF Out, PCIe 2,0 x16, 2 Firewire ports, 6 x USB 2.0, 5 headers on the mobo for more USB/Firewire ...

Sheesh ...

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: heyheyboobooPerhaps you will back up this statement with facts

I already explained why I disagreed. I will expound on that momentarily...

instead of thread-crapping.

"Thread-crapping"?

I noticed you did not offer a cpu from intel to compare with the x2 5400+

It looks like you missed my first post, where I suggested the E6550 if he's buying now, and the E8200 if he can wait a few weeks.

much less any reasonable comparison or benchmarks.

Well, you could check out THG's charts, but that's not really a very good comparison considering the E6550 is so highly overclockable. Something like this would be closer to the mark, except that the E6550 can get even higher than 3GHz.

It seems you did not recommend a motherboard, either.

Please feel free to recommend an intel mobo similar to the Gigabyte GA-MA770-DS3 with 16gb DDR2 1066, Realtek ALC888 8-channel audio, 1x Optical, 1x Coaxial S/PDIF Out, PCIe 2,0 x16, 2 Firewire ports, 6 x USB 2.0, 5 headers on the mobo for more USB/Firewire ...

I already recommended this Abit model.

Sheesh ...

?

 

[jterrell]

If you can sell your current box for say 150 you can then get a new case and psu and have a total budget of 600 bucks which is workable for a nice gaming pc.

You will only need about 430 watts if you go with the Antec earthwatts line. Be very wary of off-brand cases and psu's. The case may be an annoyance but the included psu could wreck the system.

I'd say go with an e4500 100ish at microcenter.
abit ip-35e...90 bucks but only 60 after rebate.
2x1 gig ddr800 ram 40ish bucks.
case is a personal choice but again an antec with included psu would work well for you. 100ish.
get a 20 dollar dvd burner
get an 80 dollar HDD
get the 9600GT for 180.

Thats 580 but you'll hit the 600 with shipping.

I didn't include links because you probably need to seriously shop all the sites for the best deals.

Microcenter is good for the case/psu and cpu.
ZipZoomFly, SVC, Newegg, buy.com are all worth serious consideration.

 

[jterrell]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo


Please feel free to recommend an intel mobo similar to the Gigabyte GA-MA770-DS3 with 16gb DDR2 1066, Realtek ALC888 8-channel audio, 1x Optical, 1x Coaxial S/PDIF Out, PCIe 2,0 x16, 2 Firewire ports, 6 x USB 2.0, 5 headers on the mobo for more USB/Firewire ...

Gigabyte offers a full line of Intel p35 board and the cheapest usually gets quoted because most of those items would not get used in this type of budget gaming build where he can save lots of money by overclocking.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16813128059R

Right now 70 bucks with no rebate hassle on an open box version.

It has everything he is near using. He is not asking for a feature-rich motherboard but instead wants a very low budget gaming pc.

His upgrade path would be clear over the n4ext year or so. Get 2 more GB of RAM in the future, get a better Video Card, add a second HDD. Get an e8400 or q6600 as prices drop.

 

[heyheybooboo]

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ 2.8GHz AM2 65W Brisbane $98

GIGABYTE GA-MA770-DS3 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX $106

Antec earthwatts EA430 430W Power Supply $50

Video
EVGA 512-P3-N861-AR GeForce 9600GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 $176

OR

GIGABYTE Radeon HD 3870 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 $186

OR

XFX GeForce 8800GS 384MB 192-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 $150
($130 after rebate) LOUD but OC'able

If you reuse your case, DDR2, hard drive and optical drive (and you may reuse your HSF depending upon model) your final cost: $380 - $450ish


************************************

I don't want to go back and forth on this thread but ...

1) It is recommended that the IP35-E use an EPS 8-pin mobo connector from the power supply (In case you didn't know). You did not account for that little fact.

2) You talk about 'future' upgardes and recommemd feature-limited motherboards that do not have PCI2.0 x16. One of these recommendation is for an ""...Open Box - Out of Stock..."" item.

3) You contend that ""...AMD chips aren't presently good performers at their price points compared to Intel...."" and recommend CPUs that cost from $170-$270. OR you recommended an 'Allendale' CPU that costs $25 more and must be OC'ed 20% to perform at the level of the X2 5400+ (which itself can be OC'ed at stock volts to 3.2GHz and 27c temps).

4) The OP cites a budget of $350-$450 and a response is given to ""...sell your rig for $XXX and spend $600 (and as I understand it 'pricing' systems at AT is verbotten and a ban-able offense). SO you are spending $200+ more for a ""...very low budget gaming pc..."" instead of a "feature-rich" mobo which will perform better and has an excellent upgrade path.

5) Tom's CPU Chart Wow. $70-$170 more for CPUs that net 3% gain in fps (which is basicly crapola because of the new video card, anyway). I bet that 12 seconds in Photoshop (over 2+ minutes) will come in handy when the OP 'filters those 69 mb tif photos.'


Yeah ... I'm calling you guys out.

Anandtech Forums has become the new 'Tom's'.

 

[MarcVenice]

You are talking about a OEM cpu, cooler not included. E4500 can be had for a little more money, or 100$ if you have a microcenter nearby, cooled included. You can save some money on the mobo, and you'd have equal processing power, but perhaps a little less functionality he might not care about. More overclocking headroom though. PCI-e 2.0 = crap right now, no need to get such a mobo. As for the abit ip35-e, TONS of people are using it just fine without a EPS 8 pin connector.

Your 'combo' is fine with me btw, and I won't shoot it down. I think it's a tossup though, and I personaly feel more comfortable suggesting Intel, and perhaps I'm wrong in doing so, but you haven't thoroughly convinced me to do otherwise. At first AMD used to have their cheaper mobo's which was a plus, but that's no longer really the case.

 

[aaronjbc123]

Could you recommend something besides http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819115030, I believe thats the CPU you were talking about, hurtstotalktoyou. It's 170$ for Retail version, and is there a step below for maybe 140$ or lower? I will be getting the motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813127031 that you suggested.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: aaronjbc123
Could you recommend something besides http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819115030, I believe thats the CPU you were talking about, hurtstotalktoyou. It's 170$ for Retail version, and is there a step below for maybe 140$ or lower? I will be getting the motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813127031 that you suggested.

You could get the E4500 for $125. It's only 2.2GHz, but it should overclock to a speed just as high as the E6550 can hit--maybe even higher. The main difference, here, is that the E4500 only has a 2MB L2 cache, compared to the 4MB cache on the E6550. That will impact performance. At the same time, though it won't be too dramatic a performance hit, and it will save you a cool $45.

Either choice is going to be a good deal. It just depends on which price point you prefer.

 

[aaronjbc123]

I think I'll just pick that up and look at a tutorial for overlocking, thanks for the quick response. Is there any specific case manufacturer you would recommend? I think I've heard Foxconn is solid? And I'd be going for a medium tower, right?

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Mid-tower, yes.

Foxconn is pretty nice, generally speaking. So is the Cooler Master Centurion series (not the Elite series).

A word of caution: Folks often tend to underestimate or overestimate what they need and/or want in a case. It doesn't sound like you're in danger of the latter, but you definitely could make the former mistake if you're not careful. Allow me to explain my personal needs to you, and you can get an idea of what kind of thought needs to go into the decision...

1. The case must not have sharp edges on the inside. Many sub-$50 cases have extremely sharp edges which can slice your hands when you install motherboards and other components. An easy way to see if a case has sharp edges in an online-ordering situation is to scan Newegg reviews for words like "sharp," "cut," and "edge."

2. The case must not be too flimsy. It doesn't have to be super-durable, but I don't want something which is easily dented, either. As with #1 above, scanning Newegg reviews is a great way to gather information about this sort of thing.

3. The case cannot have a front door. I value free access to my optical drives and floppy drive.

4. The case cannot have a cover for front ports, either (like this). Again, I value free access. Sure, you could leave it open all the time, but that looks bad and, if it sticks out far enough, can get in the way.

5. The case should have a flat top, so I can set things on top of it. Many cases have a rounded top, or, believe it or not, a handle (like this).

6. The front ports must be on the front, not the side or top (like this).

7. I don't want front ports I won't use. They look tacky. The same goes for plastic popouts to front ports that don't even exist (like this).

8. The case must have a reset button. I was surprised to learn that some modern cases no longer have one.

Now, these are just *my* needs. I have no idea if they reflect what you also want. I offer them just for illustrative purposes.

 

[aaronjbc123]

Wow, thanks for the list, huge help. I looked through a bunch of em and this one seems good http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811119077, so I have everything now I need I believe.

PSU-Rosewill RP500-2 ATX12V v2.01 500W Power Supply
Motherboard- ABIT IP35-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard
Processor- Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 Allendale 2.2GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model
Case- COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-WW Black/Silver Aluminum Bezel, SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case


Rest of the stuff I will re-use, harddrive, CD drive, video card and RAM.

I'll also be ordering

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16899261002

A rosewill 15 piece tool kit, as I just want to make sure I have everything I'd need.

Thanks for the help everyone, if I tried to do this myself I might of destroyed every living being in a 3 block radius.