Sub 600 Build

[Mikey12]

I am building a system for my brother and was wondering if everyone could help me out with the parts.

He already has demanded an Intel so I said the E7400. He refuses to try AMD as he had a bad experience a couple of years ago.


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Around this Fall BUDGET RANGE: CAN $500-$600

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Light Gaming(SWBF2, Sim City 4) , Internet and Instant Messaging

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor(not included but still looking for-suggestions appreciated!), speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: It doesn't matter just as long as they ship to CAN and have a good reputation

PARTS PREFERENCES: Must be Intel(he demands it) and preferably mid-ATX

OVERCLOCKING: Yes, I will do it for him and no he wont need SLI or CF

MONITOR RESOLUTION:21" or 22" so around 1280x1024

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: He would like a flashy case but its not absolutely necessary

Here's the processor and mobo combo I found:

Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 Wolfdale 2.8GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80571E7400 - Retail
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.205158

Any help is greatly appreciated

Mikey12

 

[AMDThunder]

By Fall, every price will have changed, and some parts may not even be available anymore. Not trying to be a d*ck, but to price it out now would be pointless.

 

[Outlander_04]

the e7400 is a good cpu . I know cos I have an e7300 ... but intel have stopped making socket 775 so do your self a favour and get a computer based on an AMD phenm x3 720 be which is way more powerful and costs only a little more

....and even less when you start buying

 

[megamanx00]

A Bad experience? Did he have one of those old K5s, K6s or something . Yeah, I remember Acer putting those out in cheap little unreliable boxes. Oh well. Anyway for $600 you really should look at AMD. Anyway if you are going to wait till fall it's impossible to recommend a CPU now as no one can say how the landscape will look then. I think the i5 is suppose to show up around September or something.

 

[mindless728]

i would try this

$90 - AMD Athlon II X2 250 (3.0 GHz dual core)
$130 (ASUS M4A78T-E) - Decent 790GX motherboard has integrated HD3300 (Asus, Gigabyte)
$60 - 4GB of memory, im thinking by then gor for a DDR3 board and memory
$60 - Corsair 400w, MORE than enough power (actually over kill), but will let you put in a mid range GPU later
$50 - crap case i suppose, just buy extra fans, though look up the case before hand so you know which ones
$70 - Western Digital Black 640GB (i'm willing to assume these will still be good)
$30 - pretty much any cheap sata DVD burner

$490 + ~$30 (shipping) ~= $520

 

[mindless728]

^also, that motherboard supports Crossfire, so, you would have a lot of expansion room as long as you upped the PSU later, and Phenom II's

P.S. i say meh to his intel only, it doesn't really make that much of a difference anyways, just tell him its better for future expansion anyways

 

[Mikey12]

Thanks for all the replies. He has said that he will have the money in three weeks and I will talk to him about AMD. Thanks for all your help!

Mikey12

 

[Mikey12]

Here is the final build:

ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $168.74
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131366

AMD Athlon II X2 250 Regor 3.0GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADX250OCGQBOX - Retail $105
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103681

CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail $54.99
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008

OCZ Platinum 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P16004GK - Retail $76.99
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227297

RAIDMAX Tornado ATX-238WU Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail -$49.49
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156223

Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3320613AS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM $64.99
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148316

Total w/o shipping= 519.70
Total w/ shipping & taxes= 587.25

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

Quick question for you guys. Any reason to not go with this chip for an extra 10 bucks?

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103648

 

[hunter315]

Because media tends to only be one or two threads and will benefit from the higher clock speed.

Also dont get an 11 series seagate, they had firmware issues, a 640 WD Caviar black is significantly faster and only $5 more currently

 

[Mikey12]

It is more than $5 more on Newegg.ca so I got this one :

Western Digital Caviar Green WD5000AADS 500GB SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive - Retail
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136358