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mid-range gaming build. 650 budget.

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Hello all, semi-noob here. I'm fairly experienced with computer parts so I figured I'd build my own rig for once. Though I did not know how complex it was going to be lol. I have been out of the hardware game since I purchased my current setup in October 2003. My goal now is to be able to play Crysis and BioShock. I'm not much of a graph-whore, but I would like to enjoy it ya dig? So here it is. I have a budget of 650 USD. I figure that's a decent bit to work with to achieve a BioShockable PC . If possible, I was thinking just to buy a couple components to addon, but my mobo is quite old (DDR, AGP 8X). Thanks so much in advance for any information and advice.

Current Rig:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
RADEON X800 PRO
2GB DDR400 PC3200
120 HD 4200RPM
GA K8N PRO mobo

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About the only parts you could use with a new mobo would be your hdd, optical drive, and sound card, you'll need to get a mobo, CPU, and video card. If you have a mfg computer, e.g., Dell, HP, etc, you should really get a new case and PSU. If your hdd is the one that came with the machine, be a good idea to get a new one given it would be 5 years old. You're likely to have to get Windows as well unless you have one other than the one that came with the machine. If you need everything, you're probably best going with AMD. If just the mobo, CPU, and video card, you could afford to go with Intel.

Reply to g-paw

thanks for the reply man. i bought my pc from ibuypower, i have a open window case so it should do. my sound (creative audigy 2 zs) card and network card should also be good. also, do you think my build below will suffice for BioShock and Crysis, i mean could i at least play them? ok, heres a revision of my build.

CPU: AMD 64 X2 4600+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103749

Mobo: AUS M2A-MVP 480X or ASUS M2A-VM 690G
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131175
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131172

Video Card: ATI HIS RADEON HD 2600XT 512 MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814161178

HD: SEAGATE BARRACUDA 160GB 7200RPM 8MB Cache
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822148247

RAMCz Platinum 2GB DDR2 800
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227166

PSU: ROSEWILL RP550 ATX V1.3/EPS12V 550w
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817182010

= $550

Message edited by jpardue on 07-25-2007 at 09:20:35 AM

Reply to jpardue

Of the 2 mobo boards I'd go with the M2A-MVP because you don't need on board video and it has firewire. I like ASUS but unless I'm getting a board with on board video, I always get one with 3 PCI slots because most cards are still PCI. I've noticed most people on this site don't think highly of Rosewell PSUs but I have no personal experience with them other than building a machine for a grandkid using a Rosewell case but he's 10 so not a heavy duty user. I like Antec but they are are more expensive. Don't game and can't comment of that. Did see reviews on that video card in the last couple of days on this site and extremetech, suggest you check them out.

Reply to g-paw

I agree with most of the above buld but drop the 2600XT. There's just no way that card will run DX10 games decently. You can get a X1950pro for around the same price range that would give you much better performance.

Rosewill PSUs aren't really that bad but they aren't the best.

Reply to turboflame

Agree with Turboflame.

A safer choice for the PSU would be one from FSP. This 450W unit:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817104954

...sho uld do, for $58.

Message edited by jtt283 on 07-25-2007 at 03:09:46 PM

------------------------------ There is ALWAYS a drone. Exactly where, or how many drones you will encounter may vary, but that there will be at least one will not.
Reply to jtt283

thanks for the replies guys. ok here i have a revised build. let me know what you think.

CPU: AMD 64 X2 4600+

Vid Card: RADEON X1950XT 256MB

PSU: FSP 450w

Mobo: ASUS M2A-MVP 480X

RAM: OCz Gold 2GB

HD:WD Caviar 200GB

= $587

Reply to jpardue

Looks good. Given how cheap hdds are I've been getting a small one, bit more than $40 for an 80 GB Seagate for the OS and programs and a bigger one for storage. That way when Windows goes south or a problem develops with the OS hdd, don't have to worry about data

Reply to g-paw

http://www.digitalbattle.com/2007/ [...] -released/
BioShock

Quote :

Minimum Requirements

CPU - Pentium 4 2.4GHz Single Core processor
System RAM - 1GB
Video Card - Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 128MB RAM (NVIDIA 6600 or better/ATI X1300 or better, excluding ATI X1550).
Sound Card - 100% direct X 9.0c compatible sound card
Hard disc space - 8GB free space

Recommended Requirements
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo processor
System RAM - 2GB
Video card - DX9 - Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 512MB RAM (NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GT or better) / DX10 - NVIDIA GeForce 8600 or better
Sound Card - Sound Blaster X-Fi series (Optimized for use with Creative Labs EAX ADVANCED HD 4.0 or EAX ADVANCED HD 5.0 compatible sound cards)

http://digitalbattle.com/2006/07/2 [...] -released/

Crysis

Quote :

Minimum Requirements

CPU: Athlon 64 3000+/Intel 2.8ghz
Graphics: Nvidia 6600/X800GTO (SM 2.0)
RAM: 768Mb/1Gb on Windows Vista
HDD: 6GB
Internet: 256k+
Optical Drive: DVD
Software: DX9.0c with Windows XP

Recommended Requirements

CPU: Dual-core CPU (Athlon X2/Pentium D)
Graphics: Nvidia 7800GTX/ATI X1800XT (SM 3.0) or DX10 equivalent
RAM: 1.5Gb
HDD: 6GB
Internet: 512k+ (128k+ upstream)
Optical Drive: DVD
Software: DX10 with Windows Vista

Message edited by coldmast on 07-25-2007 at 11:41:23 PM

------------------------------ "We are hell-bent ..." Ballmer said.
chikit: coldmast you should feel dumb for giving utter crap advice.
Reply to coldmast

hmmm, looks like my build will suffice to at least enjoy crysis and bioshock. im going to look into the 7900gt 512mb though. thanks for replies all.

Message edited by jpardue on 07-26-2007 at 02:55:01 AM

Reply to jpardue

"excellent choice, good Sir"

------------------------------ "We are hell-bent ..." Ballmer said.
chikit: coldmast you should feel dumb for giving utter crap advice.
Reply to coldmast

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