Low budget mid gaming build

vi3tg0d4n

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Jan 16, 2008
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APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: end May early July BUDGET RANGE: $500-750 (im from canada)

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: gaming(i havent been gaming alot recently but id like to hav a comp able to game such as lieange 2), (Download alot of junk from internet such as avi files,etc)watching movies, surfing the internet

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard( not necessary but im looking for silicone keyboards which looks nice and easy to clean), mouse, monitor, speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com, ncix.com, anywer good and secure

PARTS PREFERENCES: not sure what brand as lnog as its long lasting and good

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe (ive never builded a comp i might like to try but its prob not necessary)
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1680x1050 22'' samsung

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I would like a quiet PC since im running it most likely 24/7

These are the parts im thinking of buying

AMD Phenom II X3 720
GA-MA790X-UD4P
Radeon HD 4770
4gig ddr2 800

Any ideas what ppower supply and case i could buy at low price ? and im not too sure what brand of ram i should buy.
Any suggestions ?

thx in advance
 

not moose

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Apr 21, 2009
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Antec 300 - $63.99
OCZ StealthXStream 500W - $74.99
Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 - $139.99
ASUS P5QL PRO - $114.99
G.SKILL 4GB DDR2 1066 - $69.49
Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB - $79.99

Current total: $543.44
After rebates: $533.44


At this point all you need is a video card and an optical drive. I chose the E7400 because it overclocks well without needing an after market cooler, and since you want it quiet this would probably be a good choice.

With your $217 left you could buy an EVGA GTX 260 Core 216. Since you will probably be getting into gaming again a single 4770 probably wouldn't satisfy you. Another option is going with the XFX 4850 512mb. This won't perform as well as the GTX 260, but it may be better than a 4770.

Total with GTX 260: $758.43
After rebates: $723.43

Total with 4850: $700.93
After rebates: $670.93


I realize I didn't add an optical drive but I was thinking you could use the one on your current machine, and when you get your rebates use that money to buy one. Now for the OS, you can just pick up Windows 7 for free, saving you some money.
 

jivix

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May 19, 2009
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Ok, so you like ATI. That's cool, even though I'm an nVidia guy personally. (Mainly because the only way I'm familiar with ATI is the cheap builds they offer through HP and other companies.)

There are a lot of options for cases, so do you have any preferences that you desire?
For example, do you want a smaller, low profile case? Or perhaps you want a clear side, or aluminum frame, or lots of options for fans. I see you want a quiet computer (who doesn't), and so less fans will probably be better with the right case.

The power supply is an easier matter, because the hardware you chose basically makes the decision for you. The motherboard has a 24-pin connector and an 8-pin cpu connector, and that filters out half the power supplies on the market (this is the most modern configuration). Also, you need at least 1 6-pin cable for your HD 4770 (2 6-pin cables if you want to go Crossfire). Not to mention various 4-pin and sata connectors for various hardware.

As for wattage, you could probably get away with a 450/500w power supply. However the 450w would be running it close (and you won't have enough power to ever Crossfire), so the best thing to do would be to play it safe and get a 600w or 700w.

My suggestion would be to make sure to get a good brand of power supplies, don't screw around with Rosewill and have to worry about blowing up your computer. I suggest an OCZ StealthXstream 700w, which meets all of your conditions.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341019

However, there is also an Apevia 680w that is much flashier and has a fan speed control, although it probably wont be very noisy to begin with.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817148022

I prefer to use Ultra power supplies because I love them! They haven't once failed on me and I especially love the modular ones, because it saves you the stress of finding a spot in your case for all the extra cables. However, modular power supplies tend to be much more expensive than regular ones. However, if you have the budget, go for it! It will save you many heartaches.
(Actually, the Ultra power supplies are pretty much sold out right now, but there are more modular power supplies)

Xion SuperNova 800w (Bonus - It's also energy efficient!)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4398387&CatId=2496


Now, back to the case.

Thermaltake Soprano - $70
Pros:
-Up to 4 120mm fans (comes with 1, worth about $10)
-Roomy
-Clear side & front door for aesthetics (note the door won't snag if you have it set on carpet)
Cons:
-slits on clear side may impact visibility into case.
-shiny coating might get smudged easily
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133046

NZXT Apollo - $70
Pros:
-2 120mm fans (comes with 2)(I'm not sure if the one in the front is a true 120mm fan, just because it has holes drilled for it doesn't mean a fan will fit between it and the HD cage. So possibly 3 fans.
-Clear side (This one is very clean, unlike the Soprano.)
-front cover for aesthetics and keeping dust out of optical drives (not that it matters all that much)
-Hard drive cage is sideways, making it easier to take them out if need be.
Cons:
-May have bad airflow with reduced intake ports.
-shiny coat may be hard to keep unscratched
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146025

NZXT Hush - $80
Pros:
-Comes with 2 120mm fans
-Has "noise dampening" foam inserted throughout the case.
-Very clean look, non glossed for easier cleaning.
-Front panel doesn't block power/reset buttons (so you can avoid having to open the door hundreds of times when your system crashes haha.)
-Tool-free drive bays (with option to use screws if drives are rattling.)
-Expansion slots use screws (don't ever use tool-less expansion slot crap, they always suck.)
Cons:
-Only 2 fan ports in the whole computer. If heating is ever an issue, you may need an expansion slot fan
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146035

Speaking of expansion slot fans, if you want a nice one (I use them and they are dead quiet):
Also if you want to add a touch of blue to your case, this will light it nicely.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106104

Apevia X-Telstar - $75
This is an example of a gnarly case that you don't want
Pros:
-3 120mm fan ports, comes with 2 fans
-Side-mount HD bay for easy HD removal
Cons:
-Shitty optical drive and expansion slot connectors. The kind of plastic that shatters if you bend it.
-LCD display for fan speeds and temperature (that don't work with many brands of fans and temperature probes don't always work as intended)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144209

I'll be honest, it doesn't look so bad from the outside, but building a pc in it must be a real bother.

And there are hundreds more options available, I just tried to point you in the right direction.
Also, check out TigerDirect.com... I love them and they have great shipping policy. their prices also often match Newegg but for some reason lately they've lost a lot of stock and so have less options than before. But give it a looksie.
 

vi3tg0d4n

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Jan 16, 2008
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18,510
thx to everyone for their help.
Now im a bit confused not sure what to choose since not moose suggested a pretty nice system.

Antec 300 - $63.99
OCZ StealthXStream 500W - $74.99
Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 - $139.99
ASUS P5QL PRO - $114.99
G.SKILL 4GB DDR2 1066 - $69.49
Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB - $79.99

Current total: $543.44
After rebates: $533.44


At this point all you need is a video card and an optical drive. I chose the E7400 because it overclocks well without needing an after market cooler, and since you want it quiet this would probably be a good choice.

With your $217 left you could buy an EVGA GTX 260 Core 216. Since you will probably be getting into gaming again a single 4770 probably wouldn't satisfy you. Another option is going with the XFX 4850 512mb. This won't perform as well as the GTX 260, but it may be better than a 4770.

Total with GTX 260: $758.43
After rebates: $723.43

Total with 4850: $700.93
After rebates: $670.93

Since Mobo and CPU are cheaper than my original build it gives me more budget for better video card.

Antec 300 - $63.99
BFG Tech GS-550 550W - $79.99
AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz - $169.00
GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P - $144.99
G.SKILL 4GB DDR2 1066 - $69.49
Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB - $79.99
XFX 4850 512mb - $157.49
Subtotal: $764.44

im thinking of taking not moose's build. Any advice ?
 

Helloworld_98

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Feb 9, 2009
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no, go with the one you posted but with an asus top 4770 if you can wait till they come out, they will cost a bit less and they OC to over 900mhz at which point it beats the 4850 by a good margin.
 

jivix

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May 19, 2009
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Ah I liked your original build better. 1066mhz DDR2 ram is pretty expensive, if you were thinking about it you might as friggin well get ddr3, because at those speeds they will cost roughly the same. Since you have an open mind to different platforms I will offer you an Intel/Nvidia platform because I am more apt at those. Note, I use US dollar amounts for everything. I just noticed you posted you were from canada. A gaming machine within $500-$750 canadian dollars will be much more limited than the items that we've all been posting.
Ultra E-Torque - $70
Ultra 650w Power Supply - $70
XFX 750i SLI board - $130 ($100 with rebate)

2 Memory Options:
2x1GB of Patriot RAM 800mhz - $25 with $15 rebate
2x2GB OCZ Dual Channel XTC 1000mhz - $46 with $15 rebate

Pentium Dual Core (Basically Core2duo) E5200 2.5Ghz 2Mb of cache WITH fan - $75
(This processor I use, and it is certainly not a limiting factor in my system, OC'ed to 3.15 Ghz no problem)

Sparkle has their version of the GTX 260 Core 216, and even though they are an unpopular brand this card certainly works well (I use it personally and it kicks serious ass). It eats Crysis like an ape eats a banana. Also, the stock design on it looks really pretty.

Sparkle GTX 260+ Core216 - $180

I have tested these fans and find them very powerful but also dead silent:

2 Silent Ultra 120mm Case Fans - $30


LG DVD burner - $30

A configuration using Patriot RAM not counting rebates will cost you $580 US (660 CAN), $535 with rebates (610 CAN).

Jesus christ I just tried setting it up because I knew it would be expensive shipping to Canada, but this is just ridiculous. Might want to ship it to a friend in the US and then drive over and get it, because shipping to a random store in cental canada cost over $300 US!
 

smithereen

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Oct 4, 2008
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Try from NCIX.com. As a Canadian, I find they almost always offer best value, and you can price-match to Newegg.ca. NCIXs shipping is cheaper, and they often have very good sales.