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System Builder Marathon: $500 Gaming PC

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Anonymous
a b 4 Gaming
October 30, 2008 4:50:07 AM

On this, the second to last day of our System Builder Marathon series, we add a $500 gaming PC to the mix. It's not going to be as quick as our other two builds, but we think Paul was able to get some serious value from this thing.

System Builder Marathon: $500 Gaming PC : Read more

More about : system builder marathon 500 gaming

October 30, 2008 5:15:40 AM

Thanks for the article. I always enjoy these sbm builds you guys do. I guessed wrong again but actually think you guys picked a better choice. Nice to know build quality is still taken into consideration even at the 500 dollar range. Also just to mention this again next time noise and power consumption charts please.
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4
Anonymous
a b 4 Gaming
October 30, 2008 6:11:22 AM

"The silicon hard drive grommets"

That wouldn't dampen much noise.

Try silicone hard drive grommets
(They are usually silicon-oxygen based polymers)
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-3
Related resources
a b 4 Gaming
October 30, 2008 6:44:18 AM

I wish you used the E5200 CPU for this build, current prices reflect a difference of $14 only.

Also, in the future, would it be possible for you to have two builds for the $500 budget build. One based on Intel AND the other on AMD?
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4
October 30, 2008 6:44:32 AM

I would have spent maybe 30$ on a cheapo case and put the 50$ toward's a hd4850! Most people building a 500$ pc are going to want maximun performance and not care what the case looks like.
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-5
October 30, 2008 6:57:14 AM

xX12amanXxI would have spent maybe 30$ on a cheapo case and put the 50$ toward's a hd4850! Most people building a 500$ pc are going to want maximun performance and not care what the case looks like.


$30 for a case and PSU? Sounds like a build asking for trouble. I personally don't think $80 for a nice chassis and power supply is bad.
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5
October 30, 2008 6:57:58 AM

Slomo4shOI wish you used the E5200 CPU for this build, current prices reflect a difference of $14 only. Also, in the future, would it be possible for you to have two builds for the $500 budget build. One based on Intel AND the other on AMD?


Heya Slo! We're actually weighing the possibility of simply switching off each month on the $500 system since AMD has some very compelling hardware in that range.
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a b 4 Gaming
October 30, 2008 7:14:41 AM

cangeliniHeya Slo! We're actually weighing the possibility of simply switching off each month on the $500 system since AMD has some very compelling hardware in that range.


Well in this case, an AMD build might have allowed for a 4850. I look forward to seeing what you decide upon but I still think a monthly build of each platform at the $500 build is definitely something worthwhile.

Transitioning month to month between the two usually does not allow for comparative annalist in your "Performance And Value, Dissected" write-ups
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October 30, 2008 7:17:05 AM

Slomo4shO


Gotcha. We'll discuss that as a possibility, then.
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October 30, 2008 7:34:30 AM

I love the article and second the notion that it would be a great idea to run it every month. I for one am a firm believer of upgrading more consistently at a reasonable cost per component rather then just throwing $1500 at new machine.

At some point it would be interesting if you guys could run an Upgrade Edition of the $500 system builder. Most people that have the courage and knowledge to overclock their new parts by over 50% (wow the E2180 rocks!)would almost definitely have components that they could and would want to swap between rigs.

Again, great article.
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1
October 30, 2008 7:37:25 AM

king_edgar"The silicon hard drive grommets" That wouldn't dampen much noise.Try silicone hard drive grommets(They are usually silicon-oxygen based polymers)


What the hell are you saying?
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3
October 30, 2008 7:55:09 AM

Personally, I wouldn't skimp on the power supply. If that goes, you could be out most of your $500 investment.

Seeing an AMD build would be nice, but I'm not gonna be too upset if it doesn't happen.
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1
October 30, 2008 8:18:08 AM

Slomo4shOI wish you used the E5200 CPU for this build, current prices reflect a difference of $14 only. Also, in the future, would it be possible for you to have two builds for the $500 budget build. One based on Intel AND the other on AMD?

i know! im getting a e5200 on the 11/11 (:S bad omen?) cant wait to oc!
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Anonymous
a b 4 Gaming
October 30, 2008 8:27:08 AM

Good article,

I am one of the proud owners of a very similar $500 machine. (though in my case R5000). My only key differences was that I went for a 9600 GT and got a Audigy Value.

I overclocked it like crazy and can blissfully play Crysis on high at native resolution no problems.
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October 30, 2008 10:27:53 AM

Looks good. The E2180 should OC to about 3GHz but usually less than 3.3Ghz (will only Pass P95 for 6hrs at 3.3Ghz). Also use the BETA BIOS on the EP35-DS3L for best OCing.
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October 30, 2008 12:08:55 PM

Shadow703793one more thing: Should have gotten a E5200 and a 9800GT. There's a EVGA 9800GT for $100 after MIR on Newegg. See:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130380


You have to understand that their parts were ordered at the beginning of the month. The prices of computer parts go down almost every day. By the time the build, configure, overclock, benchmark and publish, prices are bound to go down and MIR or other promotions that wasn't there at the time of ordering may appear.
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October 30, 2008 12:21:05 PM

If you aren't going to overclock, and are willing to go AMD... you can make the following substitutions, and get a system that will be alot faster in many games and $40 cheaper (also swapped out the HD, I love the WD6400AAKS) all straight from Newegg:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz 2 x 512KB - Retail - $60.00
Foxconn A74MX-K AM2+/AM2 AMD 740G Micro ATX - $48.96
OCZ Platinum (2 x 1GB) DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) - $33.99
ASUS EAH4850 TOP/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB - $139.99
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB - $74.99
Antec NSK4480B - $80.00
LITE-ON Black SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - $23.99
TOTAL: $461.92
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October 30, 2008 12:45:50 PM

nafhanIf you aren't going to overclock, and are willing to go AMD... you can make the following substitutions, and get a system that will be alot faster in many games and $40 cheaper (also swapped out the HD, I love the WD6400AAKS) all straight from Newegg:AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz 2 x 512KB - Retail - $60.00Foxconn A74MX-K AM2+/AM2 AMD 740G Micro ATX - $48.96OCZ Platinum (2 x 1GB) DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) - $33.99ASUS EAH4850 TOP/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB - $139.99Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB - $74.99Antec NSK4480B - $80.00LITE-ON Black SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - $23.99TOTAL: $461.92


since you're still about 40 bucks below the 500 mark, add a good cooler and use the left over money to upgrade that motherboard
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October 30, 2008 12:50:39 PM

nafhanIf you aren't going to overclock, and are willing to go AMD... you can make the following substitutions, and get a system that will be alot faster in many games and $40 cheaper (also swapped out the HD, I love the WD6400AAKS) all straight from Newegg:AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz 2 x 512KB - Retail - $60.00Foxconn A74MX-K AM2+/AM2 AMD 740G Micro ATX - $48.96OCZ Platinum (2 x 1GB) DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) - $33.99ASUS EAH4850 TOP/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB - $139.99Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB - $74.99Antec NSK4480B - $80.00LITE-ON Black SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - $23.99TOTAL: $461.92

You saved nothing. You swapped a good CPU and board for an outdated chip and OEM board. Tom's could save on the CPU cooler & board and go with an E5200 + 4850 and it would whip your AMD build.

I like AMD but unless you’re building an HTPC, Intel is the way to go. Even then, Intel has Geforce 9300.
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October 30, 2008 12:56:51 PM

It is nice to see Tom's managed to overclock the 8800GT so much. My EVGA 55nm 9800GT only managed 720 MHz core, 1,728 MHz shaders and 1,065 MHz memory. I paid $100 for the 9800GT + OCZ 2GB PC2-6400 ram so it's a great deal at about $75.
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October 30, 2008 12:57:22 PM


nafhanIf you aren't going to overclock, and are willing to go AMD... you can make the following substitutions, and get a system that will be alot faster in many games and $40 cheaper (also swapped out the HD, I love the WD6400AAKS) all straight from Newegg:AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz 2 x 512KB - Retail - $60.00Foxconn A74MX-K AM2+/AM2 AMD 740G Micro ATX - $48.96OCZ Platinum (2 x 1GB) DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) - $33.99ASUS EAH4850 TOP/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB - $139.99Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB - $74.99Antec NSK4480B - $80.00LITE-ON Black SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - $23.99TOTAL: $461.92


#1 - Forgot CPU Cooler.
#2 - I could get a Cheap Intel Mobo too......
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

I Just saved $85 on the Intel Build since I don't technically need a cooler and I still have an OCing mobo. I could now get the E5200 and the E4850 and have spent less.

Would I do this? No...........
The after market cooler is nice and a choice they made.
They could have chosen to do that.
And I'm not going to quible about choosing to get a nice mobo.

And as others have noted, prices are dropping.
So the choices today are not what was available then.


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October 30, 2008 1:02:13 PM

zak_mckraken

That's exactly it. The E5200(as well as HD4850 and 4GB mem) were all mentioned in the article as ones to keep an eye on as pricing changes. Each would have been nice for this build had it been a $580 or so budget at the time of selecting/ordering parts.
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October 30, 2008 1:15:34 PM

I couldn't find a $110 8800gt at Newegg. Only $150 and up. Also the card you used is dicontinued at Newegg. I think you really should really redo this pc to use components available today. The 8800gt has been mostly unavailable at Newegg for sometime now.
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-6
Anonymous
a b 4 Gaming
October 30, 2008 1:24:32 PM

Excellent article. I have a feeling some of you guys who love to complain every time are the same people who thought the old budget builds cost too much, but this budget build didn't include a HD4850, and the old budget builds shouldn't have used an AMD proc, but this budget build should have used an AMD proc . . . WAKE UP.

Just because the budget build seen here doesn't exactly match the specs of your computer doesn't mean a thing. The Tom's team did an excellent job of building a $500 PC.

There is absolutely no reason to go AMD over Intel in this price range. Benchmark after benchmark have shown that overclocked e2XXX's consistently perform better than low-end AMD offerings. I am not "knocking" AMD, hell, I have 2 AMD-based PC's, but this review was about squeezing lots of performance (and not just gaming performance) out of $500.

I can't wait to see the final comparison between the systems. Thumbs up to Tom's for the best builder marathon in recent memory.
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October 30, 2008 1:42:40 PM

Quote:
im getting a e5200 on the 11/11 (:S bad omen?) cant wait to oc!

Yeah, the E5200 is awesome. I have one in my HTPC on a Zotac 7100 Supreme motherboard at stock voltage with a Scythe Mini Ninja @ 3.15Ghz. Not bad at all, I'd say.
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October 30, 2008 2:15:25 PM

I know that prices change all the time, but I can't help but wonder if at the beginning of the month you couldn't of found 4 gigs and a 4850. I think its primarily due to the Intel chipset here and that since you wanted to overclock, you had to get a better cooler.

But using a Athlon X2 5000+ Brisbane (which can still game as one of your recent articles pointed out), a socket AM2+ MOBO (which can still take socket AM2 pieces), I put together a system with a 4850 and 4 gigs of DDR2-800 earlier this month for a friend. The case was an Antec 300, I got a mail in rebate for it, and thte power supply, whilst only $30, did have 2 twelve volt rails at 19 and 20 amps. More than enough for the machine.

Couldn't overclock the board, but at 2.6 gigahertz and with a 4850, overclocking isn't really the goal. Thats plenty of power out of the box. Plus the system had PCIe 2.0, so with that and an AM2+ board, there are some upgrade options.
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October 30, 2008 2:17:56 PM

Oops, see that some others have already made comments to the similar, sorry!
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October 30, 2008 2:37:17 PM

I think one alternative to the 8800GT/9800GT would be the newly released HD 4830, which according to anandtech.com provides slightly better performance (20% better on Crysis). I know the review units had some messed up hardware, in terms of how many shader units were activated, but I've heard nothing being wrong with the retail cards.

The problem with using AMD processors for the build is that while you can get an older 90nm Windsor like a 5600+ with 2x1MB of L2 cache, it won't overclock very well, but at stock it would be better. Plus the energy use will be sky high compared to a Pentium dual-core. If you were to do an AMD build, I would recommend the Asus M3A78-EM, a nice micro-atx board that supports up to 140W TDP, which you will most likely need to overclock an old Windsor. It has 4+1 voltage regulators, overclocks decently, uses all solid state capacitors and uses express gate (if you're into that). Also I believe that the p35 doesn't use PCIexpress 2.0, which may limit your bandwidth in future upgrades (from everything I've read it doesn't really effect performance now though)
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October 30, 2008 2:45:21 PM

I was expecting an AMD built on this price range, heh i guess I'm not interested in this article as I'm not building a intel system anytime soon
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October 30, 2008 3:23:43 PM

Please do a power consumption comparison before and after overclocking. This could be a very import factor toward whether this is really a "budget" build; what if you save $50 on the CPU only to pay it back in electricity bills?
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October 30, 2008 3:30:44 PM

Nice build. If you guys want to do this kind of thing frequently (and I think we like the competition) a $1,000 build would be good to see now and then. Something short of H20 cooling and in the range of SLI/Crossfire v.s. single big cards. I think it's the budget range many of us live in.
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October 30, 2008 3:32:41 PM

I think you need to throw in prices for Windows and also input and output devices. A $500 game rig needs to be complete and if you factor in the cost of Windows, a monitor, and keyboard/mouse, you can't really get much for $500.
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-7
Anonymous
a b 4 Gaming
October 30, 2008 3:52:09 PM

Uhh.. Hi guys, I'm curious how you get the free operating systems. Does buying a hard drive automatically give you what looked like Vista? I didn't think so, so your factoring seems to lack logic. Oh, I know what it is you use your old O.S. that has been installed on 2-3 computers already and just call it in to Microsoft.

It's sad cause in the end your build is closer to $650.00 factoring in the O.S. Why would this be overlooked?
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-6
October 30, 2008 4:06:10 PM

Nice build for 500, this will definately be the best bang for the buck out of the 3 builds. Bubba,software can be downloaded or reused. I doubt people who build budget gaming rigs buy software. Personally I've never spend one cent on software except on games that you want to play online.
I wouldn't even get vista for this build anyhow, but just XP SP2 as it is less demanding.
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October 30, 2008 4:40:15 PM

Good article! My only complaint is... You should try and find a resolution and quality settings combo that can run Crysis with that build. What about 1024 x 768? Why only show that it can't run at high settings?

Note: I have never played Crysis. I am still using my 4 year old P4 3.0 system and do have a personal interest in your SBMs.

Thanks.
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Anonymous
a b 4 Gaming
October 30, 2008 4:41:47 PM

Great article.

However what would really grab me is a side-by-side AMD vs. Intel at the $500 price point. This would then highlight the entry-level MBs and CPU combinations best suited for value/performance. (and without overclocking)

Thanks again!
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October 30, 2008 5:10:12 PM

An Intel box? c'mon
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-5
October 30, 2008 5:27:31 PM

Get a $30 el-cheapo case, and spend the extra on a better PSU.

or for an AMD build:

Case: : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$40 Rosewill RZLS142A-P
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$50 Antec NeoPower 550
MB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$70 Biostar TForce TF720 A2+
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$60 AMD AM2 X2 5000+
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$22 OCZ DDR2 800 2x 1GB
HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$50 Seagate 400GB
DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$26 LITE-ON 20x DVDR/RW retail
Vid: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
$120 PNY 9800GT
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-5
October 30, 2008 5:27:42 PM

Newegg has some pretty good prices and is my first stop for almost everything. However, it's too bad you can't include local retailers in your prices. You can't beat Fry's Electronics Mobo / CPU combo deals. It's a cheap motherboard (ECS) most of the time but it works. Here's what my build would look like...
CPU / Motherboard / FAN = Intel E7200, ECS GF7050, Box fan = $109.00
Memory = Corsair XMS2 DHX 4 GB (2x2GB) 4-4-4-12 = $50.00 (Newegg)
Video Card = ASUS Radeon 4850 512MB = $140.00 (Newegg)
Hard Drive = Samsung Spinpoint F1 500GB = $59.00 (Newegg)
DVD Rom = LG 22X DVD Burner = $25.00 (Newegg)
Case = Antec NSK 4480 = $80.00 (Newggeg)($59.99 from Frys)

Total = $463.00

It leaves a little room for a better motherboard, or you could replace the HD4850 with an 8800GT and have plenty of room for a nice Mobo and a free ECS motherboard as a spare.
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October 30, 2008 5:29:03 PM

hmm if i may post what i think would be a 'better' well-rounded and possibly more 'overclockable' it would be this:

-Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80571E5200 $83.99
-ATOP Decorative AT-AP101-BL Blue SGCC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $26.99
-Antec NeoPower 550 550W ATX12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Active PFC Power Supply $49.99
-MSI P43 Neo3-F LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard $84.99
-G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL4D-2GBPK - Retail $39.99
-Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $74.99
-SAPPHIRE 100225L Radeon HD 3870 512MB 256-bit GDDR4 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail $104.99
-LG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model GH22NP20 - OEM $22.99

Total comes to a tidy 488.92 and it should definitely overclock as well as the one listed in the article. The system offers a faster processor to begin with, ram with better timings and a larger/faster hard drive. Granted the video card is slower than the one in the article but only slightly and if you wanted you could throw in the 8800gt for a few bucks more putting you at a few bucks over budget.Power supply is also a much better choice for overclocking. There are 70 sub $40, no power supply, cases available at newegg and some are very nicely built. just my 2 cents but the system mentioned in this article rocks as well.
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October 30, 2008 5:35:39 PM

DXrickGood article! My only complaint is... You should try and find a resolution and quality settings combo that can run Crysis with that build. What about 1024 x 768? Why only show that it can't run at high settings?Note: I have never played Crysis. I am still using my 4 year old P4 3.0 system and do have a personal interest in your SBMs.Thanks.

Finding fair settings to compare the three systems isn't easy. Maximum settings are used for the SBM to see what the higher end systems are capable of doing,as well as give us something to shoot for down the road. For the $500 build, Medium and High Crysis details were also tested at each resolution as they better represent the systems capabilities. There are no charts, but some of these "playable" results are mentioned in the text of the article.
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October 30, 2008 5:48:18 PM

While the case/psu combo wasn't a bad deal at $80, (in fact i've recommended it myself), but in a budget build where "every dollar counts" they could have easily gone with a $20 case and a $30 antec PSU even a month ago and had that extra $30 for the E5200 and 4GB of RAM.
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October 30, 2008 5:48:40 PM

xX12amanXxI would have spent maybe 30$ on a cheapo case and put the 50$ toward's a hd4850! Most people building a 500$ pc are going to want maximun performance and not care what the case looks like.


What an idiotic suggestion. The REASON the case costs $80 is that it includes a good power supply. So, you'd rather have a trashy $30 and then spend the $50 on a video card...an have NO power supply? No wonder you're not writing these things.
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October 30, 2008 6:14:52 PM

wow look! a Silverstone ST400w power supply for only $30! Hmmm isn't that the PSU that was used to power 2 8800GT in SLI on one of the last builds?
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October 30, 2008 6:43:33 PM

Good build!!! No matter what you build, someone is going to complain. The possible combinations are almost endless. Over all you put together a good price performance build.

The very first poster in this thread stole my thunder, and it was reflected by at least one other poster. I would like on all toms evaluations to see a power consumption result. An inline watt meter would be very inexpensive test equipment, and would only take a glance at the display to compile the data. Idle power, and full power readings being the most important readings. When dealing with mother board evaluations, a comparison between the wattage used with onboard graphics chips, and that used by a discreet graphics card would be great. As well as a combination of the power required when useing in hybrid mode.

I believe this would be a great service to your readers, as well as perhaps draw to a wider readership.

ZThanks.
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October 30, 2008 7:20:48 PM

My question is whether or not this is viewed as an upgrade or fresh build? I've managed to save a few bucks for friends by re-using the case and the Win XP license. I wouldn't think of using Vista.....I did say these were my friends! I find that XP gets by nicely while demanding less resources. There are some very nice mATX mobo's out there...they even OC.....which lets me re-use Dell cases. If the mobo has IDE connectivity, I can even reuse the DVD burner.

My point is that a $500 build as described is only going to be useful if it's replacing an older setup. Otherwise, you'll need to add the cost of an operating system, mouse, keyboard, monitor, speakers, and printer....which drives the price up to the $900 range.

When I build a system, I keep in mind "upgradeability". I'll steer towards mobos with 4 DIMM slots, even though I might only use 2 sticks. I'll look at mobos that work with 45nm CPUs, even though I might presently install a 65nm unit. I'll make sure it can handle a quad core as well. I'll make sure the hard drive is a reliable one, since adding one is easy, while having to swap out a hard drive gets more involved. I'll use a PSU that has enough headroom for these potential upgrades.

I'd like to see a build written about, that focuses on the person with the P4 2.4 ghz or AMD equivalent, that wants a better computer without breaking the bank, considering today's economy. While you probably can't go telling people to reuse the MS license key, you might be able to hint that others have been successful, thereby saving the reader $100 or so on software.
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October 30, 2008 7:29:20 PM

for a $500 budget I'd go AMD all the way.... i wouldn't build anything w\ a 2180 for "gaming".

The newer, lower wattage X2 6000+ are around $90, I'd pair that with a 3850/3870.

Ram is a toss up since there are so many brands of ddr2-6400 all around the same $30-45 /2gb price range... hard to go wrong there.

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October 30, 2008 7:52:49 PM

$ 45 Athenatech A3603 mATX 400 Watt Black
$ 95 Microstar K9A2 CF-F V2 SKt AM2+
$105 AMD Athlon 64X2 6000 Skt AM2
$ 36 A-Data 2 GB DDR2 6400 800 w/Heatsink (x2*)
$ 72 WD 5000AAKS 500 GB SATA II 16 MB
$ 95 Microstar N9600GSO-T2D OC 768 MB (x2**)
$ 37 Liteon IHSA220-08 20X DVD RW Lightscribe
$ 15 Thermaltake TR2-R1 Skt AM2/K8 Fan
---------------
$500 for the AMD people
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