Bargain Build or Waste for $550?

[kaxel]

I am thinking of building a new system soon, and I've never done this before.  I'm also on a small budget and was looking for guidance with the components.  I do only a little gaming.  I also wanted to experiment with some modest OCing on this machine. I'm also not sure if all of the components are compatible.  I already had a few things in mind, but want to be sure there isn't something I'm overlooking.

GIGABYTE GA-MA770-DS3 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128081

Antec Three Hundred Black ATX Mid Tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106228

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103289

XIGMATEK 92mm Rifle CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233001

Western Digital Caviar SE16 320GB 7200
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136074

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 1000
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231145

Rosewill Stallion Series 450W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182075

PNY GeForce 9600 GT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133239

 

[roadrunner197069]

Rosewill is junk!!!!!!!! Remember, you get what you pay for.

 

[johnyeah]

Antec EarthWatts 430W is a lot better than Rosewill. Cheaper with mail in rebate as well. Here's a link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371006

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130356 is a better choice than the 9600GT if you don't mind the mail in rebate (a lot cheaper).

Also, just get this for your hdd the WD 640GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218, $20 dollar difference, but a lot faster and bigger.

 

[kaxel]

What are the differences in the gpu and hdd that make them fatser/better?

 

[johnyeah]

Well without going into the mechanics, the WD 640GB performs better under benchmark tests.

The 9600GSO like I said is a lot cheaper after mail in rebate (about the same performance).

 

[kaxel]

Does the rest of the system look sound for modest overclocking, a bit of gaming? I'm pretty sure it could handle the other neccesities.

 

[iggybeans]

If you're going for 1000MHz memory, why not buy 1066? That way your set if you ever upgrade to a Phenom processor.

 

[kawininjazx]

I ran a rosewill 500watt on a Q6600, 4gb ram, 2 HDs, 8800gts for over a year and a half before I sold my system and didnt have a single problem. I am running a 750 watt corsair now, I now spend a little more on PSUs just to be safe. But I had a good experience with Rosewill.

 

[kaxel]

I'm on a small budget and 1066 is significantly more expensive.

 

[Onus]

Get RAM that runs at its advertised timings on the JEDEC standard 1.8V, like this Mushkin for $66 after MIR: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146731
If you want to overclock AMD, consider a 790GX chipset board. The integrated GPU may even be enough for "light gaming," but we'd need to know what titles you mean to play. This chipset has some OC features that are missing from earlier chipsets.
I agree with johnyeah on the PSU. One of the Rosewills surprised the guys at jonnyguru.com by passing all their tests with good results, but that one wasn't it, and the brand is generally considered crap.
There's a $40 off bundle on that case with the Antec True Power Trio TP3-650 650W PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371001
You have selected an IDE optical drive. A SATA one will avoid the airflow-blocking ribbon cable. Most any new mobo will have plenty of SATA ports and cables.
I'm really looking forward to the benchmarks on the new HD4670. That card looks like it might be a great choice for light gaming, and it doesn't need auxilliary power.

 

[johnyeah]

How much exactly is your budget?

 

[kaxel]

Currently it is $554.68. It may change slightly.

 

[megamanx00]

That's a good build, except for the PSU. It has too few amps on its 12v rails. You can shave $7 off by going with some decent DDR2 800 Memory

OCZ Vista Upgrade 4GB (2 x 2GB) $65.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227195

Also, that case you're buying has a combo deal with the Antec True Power Trio TP3-650 650W to shave off $40 so it's like getting that power supply for $59.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371001

Of course that's still $18 more than that PSU (some may say POS) that you were thinking of. Without downgrading any of your components you may have to hold off on that Rifle cooler till latter. Yeah I know it's a pain to go back and install a new heatsink and fan afterward, but if that's your budget then that's what you may have to do.

 

[johnyeah]

I would get this motherboard instead, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131324 (better chipset albeit micro ATX and cheaper by $8 since it has free shipping).

So without changing your budget much, here's what I would get if I was to go AMD:

ASUS M3A78-EM AM2+ 780G Micro ATX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131324

Antec Three Hundred Black ATX Mid Tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

LG Black 20x DVD-Burner SATA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136149

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103773

XIGMATEK 92mm Rifle CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233001

Western Digital Caviar SE16 640GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218

Mushkin 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2-800
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146692

Antec EarthWatts 430W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371006

EVGA Geforce 9600GSO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130356

Here getting the Althon X2 6000+ is actually cheaper, because there's a current Combo Deal with the HDD that counts for $15 off (you could also get the 500GB version if you're on a strict budget limit, but the 640GB is noticeably faster for the extra dollars).

 

[Onus]

Here is my bottom-dollar AMD build:

Rosewill R220-P-BK Black 0.5mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Model #:R220-P-BK
Item #:N82E16811147074

$29.99 -$5.00 Instant $24.99

BIOSTAR TFORCE TA790GX A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Model #:TFORCE TA790GX A2+
Item #:N82E16813138128

$99.99 $99.99

Antec Basiq BP500UB 500W ATX12V Version 2.01 Active PFC Power Supply - OEM
Model #:BP500UB
Item #:N82E16817371019

$39.99 $39.99

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADO5000DOBOX - Retail
Model #:ADO5000DOBOX

$66.50 -$7.00 Instant $59.50

A-DATA 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model ADQVE1A16K - Retail
Model #:ADQVE1A16K
Item #:N82E16820211066

$35.99 $35.99

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Model #:ST3250410AS
Item #:N82E16822148262

$59.99 $59.99

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model iHAS120-08 - Retail
Model #:iHAS120-08
Item #:N82E16827106264

$28.99 $28.99

Subtotal: $349.44

This leaves you with about $205 for a graphics card, or to improve other parts (like a larger HDD), add a different HSF, add the front 120mm fan, or for keyboard, rodent, and anything else you don't have. GPU recommendations will have to wait until you let us know what you mean by "a little gaming." If it's hidden-object games or something like Diablo II, the integrated will be fine. WoW or even Guild Wars would be fine on a 3650, and many even more demanding games would run just fine on a 3850.

 

[ahslan]

^great builds from jtt283 and johnyeah...if going with jtt283's build, you can actually afford to get a 4850 (a beast of a card)

 

[kaxel]

I plan on playing HL: 2 and Diablo III.

 

[Fwertz]

Well it's Rumored D3 will only run on Direct 9x, which makes sense as they have always chosen on expandability over intense graphics.

 

[kaxel]

Does anyone have an opinion of this memory?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134641

 

[johnyeah]

Instead of that RAM, I would get http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146692 which is better and cheaper, you even get a $20 rebate.

 

[kaxel]

Ahh, good choice. I am getting close to a more final plan. What would you think of getting a cheap Rosewill PSU that is a combo with that is a combo with that case until I can afford a better one, would that be risky?

 

[johnyeah]

Well. There're a number of complaints I've read about Rosewill PSU's, but I've never used them and never tested it so I can't give you any conclusions. Most, if not all, on Tom's recommend against it, and with good reason. I personally don't like taking chances (since I'm usually on the short end of the stick), but there are better ways to save $$ then going cheap on things that're important.

 

[Superhal]

the q6600 is the best in price/performance atm.

right now the nvidia cards are thoroughly trashed by the Radeon HD cards in price/performance, maybe by 2 to 1 (every dollar you spend on a Radeon will give you twice as much performance as the same dollar on an Nvidia, and a radeon HD card will perform as well as an nvidia that is twice the cost.)

if you really want to get an amd, get a black edition chip. doesn't matter if it's dual or quad. at a moderate overclock (200-300mhz) a phenom can beat a stock Intel quad.

 

[kaxel]

Yeah, I would say the nvidia is kind of a fanboy thing, but in my experience they work out well.

 

[Onus]

+1 on the Mushkin RAM and a PSU other than Rosewill, unless you're getting the one Jonnyguru reviewed (500-RP I think). Antec has some good inexpensive models now. Although I haven't yet seen reviews, I don't see Antec screwing up its reputation by offering crap.
Superhal exaggerates a good bit (and dagger has some benchmark links to demonstrate), but ATI does seem to hit some price/performance sweet spots.