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Trying to build a PC for < $650

N

nickv360

Member
Mobo - GIGABYTE GA-G31M-ES2L LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail ($55)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?item=N82E16813128357

PSU - Thermaltake Purepower W0100RU 500W ATX 12V 2.0 Power Supply - Retail ($60)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?item=N82E16817153052

GPU - HIS Hightech H485QT512P Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported - Retail($145)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814161244

RAM - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail ($50)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?item=N82E16820231122

HDD - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM ($75)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?item=N82E16822136319

CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail ($170)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?item=N82E16819115037

Case - COOLER MASTER Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP Black SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail ($45)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16811119115

Optical Drive - Sony Optiarc Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD/CD Rewritable Drive - OEM ($25)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?item=N82E16827118030


Total: ~ $625


I have about $350 saved up for this project. I was going to have to save for another couple of months, but my parents gave me another $300 for my bday, so I'd like to build this now. I aiming to build during the week of June 6th. I will be using the computer to play HD movies (1080p) on my 40" plasma. I will also like to do some light gaming. I want to play current games at med video settings and max resolution (so I can have medium textures/draw distances/ low aa/af, but high res).

I am pretty much at the max of my budget, so I just want some advice on the build. Are there similarly priced parts that perform better?
 
Seems like a pretty solid build. Have you looked into a 4770 video card? Its close to same performance 4850 but costs $100. There are many reviews on web.

Gigabyte board solid choice, good cpu choice, love cooler master cases. Also how were you going to play hi def content? You should probably get yourself a blu-ray drive. They are pretty cheap and with money you could save on video card you could probably get one.

Sounds like you hit the jackpot with the bday money. I remember those days.

Also look around on prices. I know 97/100 times newegg prices are the best but you could find something on sale at a couple of other reputable retailers microcenter.com or frys.com.
Its at least worth looking into.

Q9400 3.84ghz
domino alc cpu cooler
cooler master atcs840 case
g skill ram 1:1 960mhz
evga gtx280 oc'ed
creative sound card
blu-ray/hd dvd drive
antec quattro 850w ps
gigabyte ga-ep45-ud3p board
 
Originally posted by: OILFIELDTRASH
Seems like a pretty solid build. Have you looked into a 4770 video card? Its close to same performance 4850 but costs $100. There are many reviews on web.

Gigabyte board solid choice, good cpu choice, love cooler master cases. Also how were you going to play hi def content? You should probably get yourself a blu-ray drive. They are pretty cheap and with money you could save on video card you could probably get one.

Sounds like you hit the jackpot with the bday money. I remember those days.

Also look around on prices. I know 97/100 times newegg prices are the best but you could find something on sale at a couple of other reputable retailers microcenter.com or frys.com.
Its at least worth looking into.

Q9400 3.84ghz
domino alc cpu cooler
cooler master atcs840 case
g skill ram 1:1 960mhz
evga gtx280 oc'ed
creative sound card
blu-ray/hd dvd drive
antec quattro 850w ps
gigabyte ga-ep45-ud3p board
Click to expand...



Every review I've read of the 4770 claims that the drivers are piss-poor. Apparently ATI doesn't really have any drivers that work well with the 4770, and the only drivers that do work are some hacked version of the Catalyst drivers that you get on a disk with the card. I don't want to have to deal with the repercussions of losing the disk and whatnot.
 
They are going to get some drivers soon if they haven't already. Also another 20-30 bucks and you've got a gtx 260. What about hi def content?
 
Originally posted by: OILFIELDTRASH
They are going to get some drivers soon if they haven't already. Also another 20-30 bucks and you've got a gtx 260. What about hi def content?
Click to expand...


I don't need a BDD to play my HD Content. It's all digital/electronic.
 
you should be paying closer to a hundred bucks for a 4850. and i'd pay a little more for your mobo, try and get a full size p43 or p45, maybe.

otherwise, looks fine. you could do the popular tri-core amd for a little cheaper, perhaps, but i think the c2d is going to beat it in most games.

edit-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813128380

i think that would be a solid 25 buck upgrade. and you can combo that board with an e7400 for under 200 bucks, if you want to really be frugal.
 
Okay here is a bit better build, IMHO for the $:
$140!! e5200 (2.5 ghz easily OC'able to +3 ghz) and Gigabyte UD3L p45 mobo!!
e5200/Gigabyte UD3L p45 mobo

$55 for 800mHz DDR2 CAS4 RAM at stock voltage!! Faster RAM than your selection and it still runs at stock voltage (1.8v), which will come in handy when you start to OC your system!!
G.SKILL PI Black 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

$115 - $15 MIR = $100 + Free HDMI Cable too!! One of the better 4850's you can get for the $. Has HDMI/DVI/D-sub outputs on the back, what more do you need??
SAPPHIRE 100245HDMI Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

$95!! Antec 300 case w/Antec Earthwatts 430w PSU combo!! PSU has more 12v rail amps than the Thermaltake that you listed (30A on the combined 12v rails on the Antec, the Thermaltake is around 27A or so).
Antec 300/Antec Earthwatts 430w PSU

$70 shipped!! WD 640gb AAKS HD, which is one of the faster HD's at this price!!
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM

$26 DVD Burner w/Retail software included!!
LITE-ON Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache IDE 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with Smart Erase - Retail

Total w/shipping ~$517 - $15 MIR = $502!!! Now I don't know if you have your OS for this build, but add $100 for Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit and your at $602, which is about $50 under budget!! You can decide what you want to do, but for this price range your going to be hard pressed to beat this build. The CPU should OC pretty easy to 3.0 or more without any voltage adjustments, just adjust the FSB and you should be good!!
 
Originally posted by: Lunyone
Okay here is a bit better build, IMHO for the $:
$140!! e5200 (2.5 ghz easily OC'able to +3 ghz) and Gigabyte UD3L p45 mobo!!
e5200/Gigabyte UD3L p45 mobo

$55 for 800mHz DDR2 CAS4 RAM at stock voltage!! Faster RAM than your selection and it still runs at stock voltage (1.8v), which will come in handy when you start to OC your system!!
G.SKILL PI Black 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

$115 - $15 MIR = $100 + Free HDMI Cable too!! One of the better 4850's you can get for the $. Has HDMI/DVI/D-sub outputs on the back, what more do you need??
SAPPHIRE 100245HDMI Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

$95!! Antec 300 case w/Antec Earthwatts 430w PSU combo!! PSU has more 12v rail amps than the Thermaltake that you listed (30A on the combined 12v rails on the Antec, the Thermaltake is around 27A or so).
Antec 300/Antec Earthwatts 430w PSU

$70 shipped!! WD 640gb AAKS HD, which is one of the faster HD's at this price!!
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM

$26 DVD Burner w/Retail software included!!
LITE-ON Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache IDE 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with Smart Erase - Retail

Total w/shipping ~$517 - $15 MIR = $502!!! Now I don't know if you have your OS for this build, but add $100 for Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit and your at $602, which is about $50 under budget!! You can decide what you want to do, but for this price range your going to be hard pressed to beat this build. The CPU should OC pretty easy to 3.0 or more without any voltage adjustments, just adjust the FSB and you should be good!!
Click to expand...

This one does look at lot better, because of the motherboard and PSU. You could spend that 50 bucks on a good HSF.
 
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