I'm looking intel-based computer with $800 CPU (E8400 probably) Mobo (Just need single pci-e slot that can handle dual slot g.card) HDD (Not really space hogger, so go easy on the price tag) Ram (4GB would be nice) Tower + PSU (Looks like it's cheaper buying tower w/ PSU) Monitor (19" minimum) Keyboard/mouse (\/ You think you can squeeze G15/G5?) I already have HIS HD4670 IceQ for graphic card I wouldn't consider overclocking too much (because my room temp gets hot during summer time)
I reckon it's possible, but you'd be looking for second hand items when buying the tower and monitor, ie: old school computer cases and CRTs. Towers can go for at least $100, if you want a decent one, and monitors around $200. Look for some second hand HDDs too, to save some more. If you want a decent PSU, don't buy one of the case+PSU deals. They usually just chuck in some crap 500W with horrible 12v rail(s).
I'd recommend Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3L or DS3LR (if you want the raid-enabled southbridge) Not too expensive and performs well in overclocking etc.
so you already have the graphics card, and you have $800 to spend on the rest of the build + a monitor? Case - CM Centurion 5 -----$50 CPU - E8400 ---------------$180 Mobo - DFI P45 ----------- $130 RAM - G-skill 4GB DDR2 800-$40 HD - Western Digital 500GB - $60 PSU - OCZ StealthXstream 600 - $70 Saitek Eclipse Keyuboard - $32 Logitech MX518 mouse ----$40 Acer 22" LCD -----------$160 I think that's a little under $800 and would do you well in terms of gaming and upgradeability, although it doesn't support i7, but it does support 45nm quad cores. Also, don't skimp on the PSU, You will save money in the long run because you won't have to upgrade it next time you build a rig.
*Based on newegg* Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 - $165 GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - $100 ($85 after rebate) G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ - $40 Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $80 SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black IDE Model SH-S222L - $25 Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $50 Antec earthwatts EA430 430W ATX12V v2.0 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - $40 Acer X223Wbd Black 22" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor - $160 Saitek PZ30AU Black USB Wired Standard Eclipse Keyboard - $31 Logitech MX518 2-Tone 8 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB + PS/2 Wired Optical Gaming-Grade Mouse - $40 ($33 after reabte) $731.86 + $27.79 = $759.65 I wish I can squeeze more on the budget :I I have no plans to upgrade (rather buy new one later) so I picked decent PSU and HD4670 P.S How do I know if new tower/mobo can handle dual slot graphic card? My old dell computer is too small to insert dual slot one.
I've been thinking of upgrading my rig for quite some time now and have picked up quite a bit of useful facts and information on PC building in the about 2 years I've been looking. Problem is I seem to never have the money to even begin thinking a bout this... least I can do is help someone else. All this is about normal desktops, I also have some info on workstations but it's a bit different. So tell me. Here's one useful site that can help find some great deals on computer parts: http://www.searchalldeals.com/ it's very extensive, and can be a pain sometimes just make sure you know what you’re looking for first! DON'T JUST USE GOOGLE! It’s not as extensive as people claim and think it is! Use eBay.com/amazon.com to check if it’s cheaper! Keep updated on new tech coming out that can drop the prices of current tech so you can afford a better part, don't try to do everything in a week wait some things out. If you can save more for better it’s worth it. I can assemble a list of shopping sites for electronics if you want, believe it or not its quite large and all over my computer (I'm very unorganized) newegg.com, directron.com, buy.com, zipzoomfly.com, memoryC.com (very extensive memory selection) just off the top of my head. (Make sure to check alldeals to see if there are promos or subscribe for e-mail offers and updates) Know what to look for in each part before you buy it, just because you’re on a budget doesn't mean all the parts need to be crap. Its comes in handy to know which are the better manufacturers so you don't wasted all your time looking at JETWAY, PCCHIPS, Super micro crap and etc. sometimes of your not sure about one check out their "high-end" model and look for: (Some EXAMPLES for motherboards. DON'T look for everything since you’re on a budget some models are out of your reach, this is just to give you an idea.) Ferrite core chokes. Ferrite chokes are comprised of a compound of iron-oxide and other metal elements whose properties hold energy much longer than common iron-core chokes at high frequency. This means there is reduced core energy loss and lower EMI for extended system reliability. In addition, ferrite core chokes resist rust better than iron-core chokes. For users in humid climates, especially around coastal areas where there is a high concentration of salt in the air, ferrite core chokes are able to resist rust better than iron chokes. What is a Choke? A choke is an inductor that stores energy and regulates current. All Solid Japanese Capacitors Solid capacitors contain a solid organic polymer, while electrolytic capacitors use a common liquid electrolyte. They allow longer lifespan for systems in daily operation while boosting system stability under extreme conditions. (That’s what we call overclocking.) What is a Capacitor? Capacitors store electricity and discharge it when needed. Low RDS (on) MOSFETs Lower RDS (on) MOSFETs are specially designed to produce lower switching resistance for faster electric current charging and discharging. Optimized gate charge to minimize switching losses. Lower temperature, smaller size, better thermal characteristics. Lower Resistance = Lower Power Consumption = Lower Heat = Better OCing What is a MOSFET? A MOSFET is a switch that allows or disallows electric current to pass through an electronic circuit. Modified Capacitor on PWM (Pulse Width Modulator) Additional power management in the form of improved voltage stability, improved voltage efficiency and most importantly, improved overclockability VRM (Voltage regulator module) A voltage regulator module or VRM, sometimes called PPM (power processing module) is an electronic device that provides a microprocessor the appropriate supply voltage. It can be soldered to the motherboard or be an installable device. It allows processors with different supply voltage to be mounted on the same motherboard. Some voltage regulators provide a fixed supply voltage to the processor, but most of them sense the required supply voltage from the processor. In particular, VRMs that are soldered to the motherboard are supposed to do the sensing, according to the Intel specification. The correct supply voltage is communicated by the microprocessor to the VRM at startup via a number of bits called VID (voltage identificator). In particular, the VRM initially provides a standard supply voltage to the VID logic, which is the part of the processor whose only aim is to then send the VID to the VRM. When the VRM has received the VID identifying the required supply voltage, it starts acting as a voltage regulator, providing the required constant voltage supply to the processor. VRMs are buck converters that convert from +5 V to a much smaller voltage required by the CPU -- some CPUs require 3.3 V, others require 1.10 V. Historically, CPU designers keep designing to smaller voltages; lower voltages help reduce CPU power dissipation. Vdroop Vdroop is there to lower the voltage to reduce power input into the chip to 'acceptable levels' under load as per Intels design specsheets. So when a MB manufacturer gets the specs for a new chip they are obliged to follow Intel’s instructions. I'm sure it also serves the purpose of prolonging the life of power MOSFETS on MB's too. CMOS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonvolatile_BIOS_memory Try to find some sort of energy saving technology in the motherboard for power efficiency from light to heavy loading, such as ASUS' EPU engine and Gigabyte’s Dynamic Energy Saver or UD2/3 (I have heard rumors it helps in OCing but its not been confirmed for me yet). Currently it's not uncommon to see this in the more conservative and extreme models. Most of these allow a longer component life, minimum power loss, and help to reach the superior overclocking. But are not necessary. You want to have a good bios, i.e. un-neutered if you want to OC. DFI, Foxconn, and GIGABYTE in specific I have heard have phenomenal OCing geared bios in their boards. You also might want to look only at DDR2 boards. Note on DDR2: Corsair (when it’s worth it, also make great PSUs) Crucial, G.Skill, Patriot, Super Talent, Kingston, (GeIL/OCZ?) - Best to worst Also, try to get a decent passive or active NB/SB cooling. Check the back I/O panel has what you want, i.e. at least a dual gigabit LAN if you want play online games with low ping and high bandwidth. Most other features are aesthetic or for your own personal choice and customization. Some of the nicer motherboard manufacturers in my opinion are ASUS, EVGA, DFI, Foxconn, GIGABYTE, MSI and Biostar lately has been looking fine. Here’s something you wont be buying but it’s nice to drool at: http://www.hyperossystems.co.uk/07042003/hardware.htm http://www.hyperdrive4.com/index.php
If you don't plan on upgrading again for two+ years then yeah that's a good build. If you want to upgrade your graphics card at any point in the next few years you're going to want to start with a better powersupply. I usually recommend this line of power supplies for anything less than a hardcore enthusiast rig: $50 OCZ GameXstream 700w, price includes shipping. You do have to get a rebate though, so be ready to jump through a hoop or two as soon as it arrives so they can't claim you didn't apply for it fast enough. However, it does supposedly give you the equivalent of 50a on your 12v so it's future proof (courding to the sticky at the top of the forums). I'd tell you I only buy Samsung lcd's, but it makes little difference since you wouldn't be under budget if you buy one.
If you want to get straight off build suggestions this is what I think: Hardware: CPU - E8500, E8400 or E7400 - $130-$180 Heatsink - unless you plan to overclock you don't need this immediately, stock can work. Motherboard - Gigabyte P45 Case - go for something you like, my suggestions are the Antec 900 2 3 or Cooler Master 690, this is a nice new case: Antec 900 Two Others: NZXT Nemesis Elite NZXT Lexa Blackline NZXT Apollo Sigma Unicorn Sigma Phantom Sigma Windstorm Thermaltake V9 PSU - http://www.corsair.com/products/tx/default.aspx My suggestion. Do some research! RAM - I would suggest getting at least a 4GB(2X2GB) kit or 4GB(4X1GB) kit. It doesn't really make a difference except when OCing because it puts more stress on the memory controller, and when all 4 dimms are occupied there is a slight performance increase as opposed to 2 dimms. You can get help and suggestions here: http://i4memory.com/forums.php HDD - Just saw this about Seagate! ODD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171 Monitor - http://global.acer.com/products/monitor/X_series.htm http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009158 Mouse - http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2337646,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532 http://www.roccat.org/home/ Keyboard- http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2337583,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532 Software: OS - XP or Vista or Linux (It’s free!:banana Anti-virus - Free works too, AVG Free 8.0 on download.com http://www.eset.com/ http://www.bullguard.com/why/bullguard-gamers-edition.aspx Productivity software - Microsoft Office Did I miss anything?
I got this off the PCGAMER MAG for Feb2009. (all credits goes to the editor in the Tech) 3 Custom systems.(prices are from pricewatch) Hope they help you. Entry Level (for really low budget users) Case And PSU : Generic Case 450w psu 135$ Processor: AMD Athlon X2 6000+ 3.1GHZ 86$ Motherboard: ASUS M2N-MX 54$ Memory: Corsair 2GB DDR2-800 50$ Optical Drive:Lite on 16x DVD\CDR combo 24$ Hard Drive:Seagate Barracuda 250gb 7200RPM 53$ SoundCard: Onboard VideoCard: Geforce 8600GT 70$ Total: 491$ MidRange Case And PSU : Antec P180B 850w PSU 250$ Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 @ 3.16Ghz [184$/U] Motherboard: Asus P5N-E SLI 122$ Memory: Corsair 2GB DDR2-800 50$ Optical Drive:Lite on LH-20A1H 39$ Hard Drive:WD500GB 60$ SoundCard: Creative X-Fi Extreme Gamer 98$ VideoCard:Geforce GTX280 1GB (x2) 826$ Total:1629$ Dream System (highend users) Case And PSU : CoolerMaster;1000W PSU 387$ Processor: Intel Corei7-965 3,2GHZ 1039$ (holy sh..) Motherboard: INTEL DX58SO 288$ Memory:Corsair 3GB DDR3-1333 121$ Optical Drive: Optical Drive LG GGC-H20L Bluray/HD DVD/DVD Multi 147$ Hard Drive:WD 150GB Raptor, WD 500GB 220$ SoundCard:Creative PCI-E Xfi Xtreme Gamer 98$ VideoCard:Geforce GTX280 1GB (x2) 826$ Total:3126$
just a couple of points...5V hasn't been used to supply power to the VRM/VRD since the socket A AMD chips and without any Vdroop the sudden spike in current when the processor goes from a load to a no-load state would fry it...so the voltage is lowered in order to keep those peak spikes lower and within tolerances.
Flakk, i could understand your trying to help, but the prices you quoted are exaggerated. The Nvidia 9600's and ATi 4600's are both a great value. The E8400 will save you some cash while not losings much performance. Your personal list looks pretty good IMO.
Well i figured this list would give him an example of some custom systems, he can make use by replacing the parts he wants. On the midrange system he can go without 2x GTX280 replace them with a GTX260 etc... Personally i would recommend him this system: Case And PSU : Antec P180B 850w PSU 250$ Processor:AMD Athlon X2 6000+ 3.1GHZ 86$ Motherboard: ASUS M2N-MX 54$ Memory: Corsair 4GB DDR2-800 100$ Optical Drive:Lite on LH-20A1H 39$ Hard Drive:WD500GB 60$ SoundCard: Onboard VideoCard:eVGA EVGA GTX260 275$ Total:864$
Are you sure? My dell computer chasis can't handle dual slot. I have my doubt on Antec Three Hundred Case... I already have HIS HD4670 IceQ as graphic card (which I've already stated that I won't be using anything over 1024x876 for most of games) Current computer is e510 (back of the tower looks like this) Graphic card that can't be fitted inside is this
Don't speak too soon I have a 4870X2 in my Antec 300, no problems. It was running on the stock cooler but is now water cooled. Considering it's a small case there's actually plenty of space.
Never used or tested in a antec 300 but i didn't think it would be big enough for a dual PCB/GPU card but its all good
/facepalm Do you read much? He has a GPU. That PSU is a lot as well, he'd be okay with a 600w/700w for a single GPU set up. Which is around $100, no need to spend that extra $150.
