cheap gaming pc

[doxology83]

ok i am looking to build a cheap gaming pc. right now i am still running a 939 system i built with a single core 3200+ in it with a gig of ram and an ati X800XL gpu. the system has held up really well so far, but is starting to get a little behind because of latest games on dual core processors taking over.

i was originally going to just buy another gig of ram and a dual core 939 cpu, but the costs are inflated especially the ram and makes building a new pc really not a whole lot more expensive.

i think i will go with a ati 3850 gpu and i was planning on putting 4gb's of ddr2 800 speed ram in it.

so everyone talks abuot how great intel processors are, but i would like for this system to be future proof at least a little. right now because of price it has me leaning towards amd. the new 770 chipset has pcie 2.0 and will run AM3 processors i believe when they come out. its a native AM2+ board in the first place. the higher end 790 boards are ok but way to expensive.

to get a board with pcie 2.0 support from intel right now is around $220 i believe on newegg becuase only the X38 boards have pcie 2.0 support. like i said this isn't so much for now, rather for in the future. the 770 amd boards start at $70 and go up to a hair under $100.

i am planning on getting a cheap X2 65nm based cpu probably an X2 4000+ because of its overclocking ability and price and because when some of the better phenoms come out i will probably upgrade to one of those when the price is right.

does this seem like an ok plan? any thoughs? i was originally going to get an e2160 or an E4xxx based cpu. but the motherboard prices make intel costs alot more. even though most intel cpu's provide more value for the money it seems the overlooked thing is running an intel cpu on a good motherboard, which makes it a more expensive deal. i know nvidia has new AM2+ motherboards coming out with there new chipset in january. would it be better to wait for those or are they going to be more expensive?

thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[medamorg]

Well... almost everyone agrees and I stress the almost... that this is probably the best bang for the buck.

Gigabyte P35-DS3L $90
Intel E2180 $90

$180 for the pair and the mobo does support the new penryn processors coming out, at least the say it does.

 

[doxology83]

yeah thats a great bang for buck, but i am looking for a more future proof motherboard that will support pcie 2.0. which the P35 chipset doesn't. you have to go up to the X38 chipset i believe. which is around $220 for an X38 based motherboard last i checked.

 

[toasty2]

PCIE2.0 is compatible with x16. By the time there's a video card that maxes out x16 bandwidth, you'll want a new computer. At least thats my view. P35 is a great chipset unless you need DDR3.

 

[doxology83]

well i like to plan each pc build carefully so that it lasts the longest it can. pcie 2.0 isn't just about bandwidth but i also believe its about the amount of power that can run through the slot. at least thats what i read somewhere.

i'm not really all that concerned about ddr3 taking over real soon so i think a ddr2 based system will last for some time. there really isn't anything i can see that would present a problem. if amd also ever gets there act together there would be a chance that the phenoms could close the gap on the intels. and i don't really ever buy completely state of the art. find somewhere in the middle. and in that area is alot closer of a game between them.

 

[doghills]

PCIE 2.0 doubles the bandwidth and moves from the 6 to the 8 pin PCIE connector. It really isn't worth it.

Also what you already said about not going for a dual core 939 just says that when you finally do get around to upgrading, you might as well buy a new system.

 

[doxology83]

that was a rare occasion with the 939 socket. the main reason with the 939 socket is ddr 3200 speed ram is expensive and most of the only cpu's avaliable are oem parts that are about the same as the AM2 socket cpu's as far as the X2 cpu's go but then require me to purchase a cooler on top of it. no one was expecting the 939 socket to be replaced by the AM2 socket the way it was.

also i could upgrade my current system its just for the money at this moment it would be cheaper to build a new one. its a different story if i went with an X38 motherboard though.

also the ati 3850 uses a 6 pin just like everything else with the exception of the ati 2900 series which i believe did have an 8 pin. so i don't think that is a requirement. one of the reasons i have read that pcie 2.0 was upgraded besides bandwidth was because 1.0 only could do 75 watts through the slot and i believe 2.0 can do up to 150 watts through the slot.

also just because i don't want to upgrade me system as my main system doesn't mean i won't upgrade it to act as a server or another pc for something else. it just means i thought for the money i would rather build a new one than upgrade the old one for every day use and gaming.