$600-700 Budget build.

[yzdirtrider13]

ahe,

 

[raybob95]

Hi all

I am planning on building a complete system (everything in the case, no monitor, peripherals, etc) for around $600. $700 MAX. I'd like a Q6600 quad core, 9800GT graphics card, and beyond that is where i would like some help.

Here's what i was thinking, but i would appreciate comments and alternatives on these choices.

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119152

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182016 (Is the stock cooler sufficient? I will be doing some mild overclocking, and gaming but nothing too hardcore)

Mobo: looks nice, but i want something cheaper. What's available for less than 100?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359

Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209

HDD: over 500GB, 7200RPMs or more.

Case: C.M. Centurion 590 ($60)
PSU: Corsair TX650 ($90)
RAM: OCZ Platinum 4GB DDR2 1066 ($60)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 ($220)
MOBO: Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R ($100)
GPU: EVGA GeForce 9800GT ($100)
HDD: WD Caviar Black 640GB ($80)

Adds up to $710. To keep it in budget, get the Windows 7 RC 64-bit.

 

[Outlander_04]

the Q6600 was a great cpu , but not today

get a phenom x4 940be instead . Its $30 cheaper , and much more powerful . It will even overclock higher than the intel
Spend the $30 you save on a better gfx card

 

[yzdirtrider13]

the Q6600 is actually only $199.99 from newegg and has free shipping, and that's the mobo I linked to! it's $119.99, I didn't see it for $100. are you saying that I shouldn't go cheaper? Are you also saying that's the best case choice for the money? Everything I listed EXCEPT the CPU and GPU are just suggestions.

I have the Windows 7 RC dual booted right now, I forgot to mention I'm not figuring the OS into the price. That comes later, I will be using XP and Ubuntu for a few months at least.

 

[yzdirtrider13]

the Q6600 was a great cpu , but not today

get a phenom x4 940be instead . Its $30 cheaper , and much more powerful . It will even overclock higher than the intel
Spend the $30 you save on a better gfx card

Really? I strongly Prefer Intel, but If i can get more performance for cheaper I guess I would go with AMD. I'm not concerned about clock speeds, I just want what will give me the best performance.

 

[hundredislandsboy]

Unless you do mostly apps that uses 4 cores, for gaming I'd get the e8400 before the q6600. If I just had to quad core, I'd get an AMD before old man q6600. Why buy yesteryear's 65 nm process and slow bus speed?

 

[Onus]

Nix on the Rosewill PSU. See that little red voltage switch? Archaic, inefficient design, no PFC. Find one that is 80+ certified, with active PFC. Antec and PC Power & Cooling have some low cost options in the 420W-500W range. Corsair, Seasonic, and Enermax are other quality brands.
What games do you intend to play? There are some excellent deals out there on the HD4850, which is two tiers higher than the 9800GT; this one is $100 (you may or may not get the $10 MIR): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102824

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Here's an AMD/ATI build for your viewing pleasure, it's better than the original build in every way:

AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103471

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.201176 $239.98

GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387 $109.99

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319 $69.99

XFX HD-485X-YDFC Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150337 $109.99

Antec Three Hundred 430 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 430W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129065 $99.99

LG GH22NS40 22X SATA DVD Burner Black Drive Bulk
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010555&prodlist=celebros $31.99

Total - $661.93

 

[B-Unit]

For going the Intel route, for only $20 more http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115041 the Q9550 is very hard to ignore.

 

[yzdirtrider13]

Here's an AMD/ATI build for your viewing pleasure, it's better than the original build in every way:

AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103471

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.201176 $239.98

GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387 $109.99

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319 $69.99

XFX HD-485X-YDFC Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150337 $109.99

Antec Three Hundred 430 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 430W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129065 $99.99

LG GH22NS40 22X SATA DVD Burner Black Drive Bulk
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010555&prodlist=celebros $31.99

Total - $661.93

I like that.. is the 100 dollar case worth it over the 55 dollar one?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Which $55 dollar case are you referring to? The one I linked to has an Antec Earthwatts PSU included. $100 for the Antec 300 and EA430 is a good deal IMO.

 

[jerreece]

For going the Intel route, for only $20 more http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115041 the Q9550 is very hard to ignore.

I like this suggestion. For $20 more you'll get a newer, faster chip. The Q6600 is 2.4Ghz stock, where as the Q9550 is not only 2.83Ghz stock speeds, but has a faster bus speed. Overall, the better of the two chips.

The Antec case + PSU is not a bad suggestion. Anything Antec is usually a good bet. They are known for pretty quality products (both cases and power supplies).

As far as AMD is concerned. If you go AMD, do not get anything but Phenom II. Be sure the "II" or "2" is in there, the older Phenom chips are lesser than the Q6600 you initially were looking at.

And definitely take the suggestion for a better video card if you can budget it in somehow. The 9800GT is a decent card, but is beginning to fall behind with some of the latest titles. So you'd be buying an aging card to begin with. Don't think I'd get anything lower than the ATI 4850 or nVidia GTS 250 these days (in my opinion). Though that also depends on what resolution you have your monitor set to.

 

[smithereen]

I'd stick with the 940, or even downgrade to a 720. Either one would be sick.

 

[K1ash3r]

AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 945
XFX ATI Radeon HD 4870 XXX 1GB
Gigabyte GA-MA790XT-UD4P (if planning one corssfire)
OCZ Platinum AMD Edition 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3
Antec 300
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad-Crossfire (if you planning on crossfire)

 

[pous]

Stick with AMD for this build, it's going to give you the best $ to performance ratio.

 

[smithereen]

I'd avoid the 945. It's not worth $35 moe than the 940, especially not with the locked multiplier. Same to the 955, it's $55 more expensive. I'd rarely recommend the 955 over an i7, or the 945 over the 940.

 

[K1ash3r]

I'd avoid the 945. It's not worth $35 moe than the 940, especially not with the locked multiplier. Same to the 955, it's $55 more expensive. I'd rarely recommend the 955 over an i7, or the 945 over the 940.

Yea but the motherboard I listed is AM3 only and i though the only differance between 940 and 945 is the slot, everything else is the same

 

[smithereen]

Uh... no. The 945 has a locked multiplier, and is likely binned lower, since it isn't the top of it's class. There is a DDR2 version of that board for $30 less. The one Shortstuff recommended.

 

[yzdirtrider13]

NVM on the case, I didn't realize it had a PSU with it also, i looked in a hurry on my way to work. I've always been an Intel/Nvidia owner, but i am willing to switch to AMD/ATI if the price is right.

So, here are my questions now:
Intel Q9550 for $219.99 VS the Phenom II 940 for $189.99 - worth the extra money?
Radeon HD 4850 for about $120 VS the gts 250 for a few bucks more

 

[smithereen]

HD4850 definitely over the GTS250. For the CPUs it's a tossup, but I'd go with the 940. $30 is the difference between a HD4850 and a 4870 1gb.

 

[K1ash3r]

Uh... no. The 945 has a locked multiplier, and is likely binned lower, since it isn't the top of it's class. There is a DDR2 version of that board for $30 less. The one Shortstuff recommended.

the one Shortstuff listed doesnt support crossfire and thers no board that supports AM2/AM2+/AM3 + DDR3+ Crossfire

 

[yzdirtrider13]

Ok, so I am planning on going with the HD4850 and the phenom 940.
The hd4850 says that the minimum PSU requirement is 450w. will I be fine with the linked case and it's 430w PSU?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129065

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Yes, the EA430 will power a 4850 just fine. ATI has to cover their rear by recommending a 450W PSU because cheap 450W PSU's are more like 300W. The Antec PSU is a quality unit and will work fine for a single 4850.

 

[smithereen]

Uh... yeah it does. It's a 790X.

 

[AMDThunder]

Go with shortstuff's list. You can't go wrong. Good quality build, will play games well, and you won't be disappointed.