Advice on a work/gaming system w/ a $650 budget

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Within the month BUDGET RANGE: $500-650 (the lower the better!)

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: 1. Work- I run ACT by Sage Premium version 10, Outlook through a VPN continually and will also use Internet Explorer in while using those programs. 2. Games- I'd like to get back into WoW. 3. Manage digital photos (I dont publish them or anything, I just use the computer to compile them all in one spot and back them up onto cd's or flash drives). I currently have an older Toshiba laptop that I can plug my xd card directly in, which I like but it is not a must on the new system. 4. Web surfing

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, ms office programs

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: None that I know of (see addl comments)

PARTS PREFERENCES:

OVERCLOCKING: Dont know what that is... SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes / No / Maybe

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I've never physically built a computer before, I dont think that it would be all that difficult- but I think that I might prefer a prebuilt system from somewhere. I've always customized systems before through dell or Gateway, but realize that may not be the best way to do things any longer. I dont really have a desire to kill it on the WoW specs- just want to be able to run the game without problems during peak times (since that is when I usually have the time to play), and I dont mind turning settings on the game down to accomidate my setup. The last thing I know I need is to be able to support two monitors- it makes multitasking while working so much easier!

Any sites you recommend? Are refurb systems from the major manufacturers decent? Any advice is appreciated.

This is my first post, thanks for the help guys and gals!

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Check these parts out and let me know what you think.

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] enom%20550

MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131363

RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227286

GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150336

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817341016

$500 for the parts listed above and it will make a great gaming system... you could always substitute in a 720 if you wanted. Hope this helps

Reply to jbakerlent

jbakerlents build isnt too bad but I think the balance is a bit off . The cpu isnt the best multitasker and the mb very expensive and has features you will never use .

It also doesnt have a hard drive or windows or a case

This build is a good multitasker and all the latest technology

Phenom X3 710 triple core processor $99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103648

GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128392

2 x 2 gig of Gskill memory $67
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231200

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB hard drive $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136074

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W $39
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817341016

COOLER MASTER Elite RC-331-KKN1-GP Black Mid Tower Computer Case $44
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119188

Graphix card is hard to choose without knowing the size and resolution of your monitor but this should be ok even if you have a 1680 x 1050 22 inch LCD . Its also lower power consumption and quiet which most gaming cards arent

BIOSTAR VA4775ND51 Radeon HD 4770 512MB $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814141098

So far thats $489 . Where I could i picked discounted parts , or parts with free shipping .
If you are on a VPN theres a chance of using the companies windows license on your machine . They may have a volume license , but you'd need to talk to tech suport about that , and also decide if its ok for the company to remove windows from your computer if you leave ....
tricky since they might legally own your personal emails .

If not you need to buy windows . Vista is being replaced by windows 7 in a few months [ and win 7 is way better ] so

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64 [ with free upgrade to win 7] $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6832116677

Total is $599

PS The case I picked is OK , but I picked it on price [ and free shipping ]as much as anything else but I'd personally spend the extra and get

Antec Solo Black/Silver Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811129018

This a quiet , high quality case but with shipping it will cost even more

Message edited by Outlander_04 on 07-16-2009 at 02:28:18 PM

Reply to Outlander_04

Good suggestions so far if you're confident enough to build yourself. Do you need an OS, or can you re-use what you have?

For ordering a pre-built system, my recommendation is www.cyberpowerpc.com. I've built my own rigs for quite some time, but didn't for my current build. Just didn't feel like it this time around. Take a look at cyberpower. I was very pleased with them.

IMPORTANT: On cyberpower's main page, click the menu at the top where it lists the specials. Choose the mega spcial 1 or 2. (they come with free shipping) Then configure from there. Do NOT use the custom configurators. They cost more and have no free shipping. If you need some help, let me know.

------------------------------ Phenom II X4 940 @ 3.4
GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P
2X2GB/ G.Skill PI Black PC6400
HD4770 XFire
Reply to AMDThunder

Hmm for under $620 a possible config:

Message edited by batuchka on 07-16-2009 at 05:36:20 PM

Reply to batuchka

Thanks for the help so far guys.... Let me ask a crazy question- how hard is it to put a system together? I've changed out memory before, and a video card but that is the extent of what I have done under the hood.

I looked at the sticky in this forum and it directed me to some sites that have 'walkthroughs' on how to do it. It seems pretty straightforward, but what I dont know about is how much technical knowledge I will need to get everything optimized once I have everything plugged in and the os installed (I am either going to use my office's xp site license or I think I have an old startup xp disk from an old dell laptop).

Reply to bt13

Its very easy to assemble computers .

You need to follow a few basic precautions to avoid static , you need to work clean and you need to follow instructions , but thats about it .
Setting up BIOS is about reading the manual and working your way through it [ but clicking "optimized defaults" works very quickly ]

Its very unlikely a dell disc will install on new system . The disc will be locked to dell hardware .

Message edited by Outlander_04 on 07-16-2009 at 10:41:00 PM

Reply to Outlander_04

Since you will be using VPN software, check out compatibility carefully. For example, the Cisco VPN client will not work on 64bit Vista, although I believe you can force it into a compatibility mode that will run.
Since your first concern is business, check some of the productivity benchmarks. Many of them favor Intel CPUS, BUT...you'll have to get an e8x00 series CPU if you want to run XP mode with Windows 7, which might bust your budget.
I've never played WoW, but I understand its graphics requirements are minimal; therefore I think your business uses will benefit more from a faster CPU than WoW will suffer from a slower GPU. At resolutions up to 1680x1050, you may be perfectly happy with a 4670 or even 4650, or 9600GSO, if it lets you afford a notably faster CPU.

Reply to jtt283

The new Intel Pentium E6x00 series CPU's also support Virtualization for XP mode in Windows 7 if you decide to go the Intel route.

Intel Pentium E6300 Wolfdale 2.8GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] &Tpk=e6300 $87.99

Reply to shortstuff_mt

Ah, missed that one.

Reply to jtt283

People here are telling you exactly what to buy, which is good... I will just give you a few hints:

-ANY tripple or Quad core processor will be enough for your needs...

-RAM specs in your case are only important for compatibility, you won't notice any performance differences because you're not a performance geek, so go with any cheap ddr2 @ 667 or 800 dual channel memory (I recommend 3 or 4 GB, below or above is stupid right now)

-If you don't plan any hardcore gaming, but you're looking for decent performance on video applications, go for a radeon 4670 or geforce 9600 gt... NO BRAINER, excelent performance for a few bucks...
if you want to spend less you can even go for a radeon 4650 or geforce 9500gt... don't believe anyone who says "at least geforce 9999GTX ULTRA PLATINUM".... waste of money if you're not playing CRYSIS @ 2048x1600...

Hope it helps....

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to roco_nights

roco_nights wrote :

People here are telling you exactly what to buy, which is good... I will just give you a few hints:

-ANY tripple or Quad core processor will be enough for your needs...

-RAM specs in your case are only important for compatibility, you won't notice any performance differences because you're not a performance geek, so go with any cheap ddr2 @ 667 or 800 dual channel memory (I recommend 3 or 4 GB, below or above is stupid right now)

-If you don't plan any hardcore gaming, but you're looking for decent performance on video applications, go for a radeon 4670 or geforce 9600 gt... NO BRAINER, excelent performance for a few bucks...
if you want to spend less you can even go for a radeon 4650 or geforce 9500gt... don't believe anyone who says "at least geforce 9999GTX ULTRA PLATINUM".... waste of money if you're not playing CRYSIS @ 2048x1600...

Hope it helps....

roco I agree 100% with your approach to buying computers

BUT I think you are wrong about the DDR2 /DDR3 divide . Not because of performance which as you say wont be noticeable , but because of future parts compatibility .
ddr from a few years ago is expensive legacy stock , ddr2 is going to rapidly head that way and by the end of this year neither amd or intel will be making cpu's that support ddr2 [ though amd will have cross compatibility for some time ] .
For a few dollars extra now buying am3 mb + ddr 3 memory gives you a better chance of finding parts if you need them in a couple of years time

Reply to Outlander_04

i am definately leaning toward ddr3 with the mobo outlaw posted. is there a big difference between the raedon 4670 or geforce 9600gt in terms of performance? I notice that the geforce have 64 stream processors and the raedons have 320 or 640- should I even be worried about that?

I found a combo with:
AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail & Rosewill RP500-2 500W ATX12V v2.01 Power Supply - Retail for $153 (ships free)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.209174

any issues with that psu?

Reply to bt13

Yes, there are major issues with that PSU. Rosewill PSU's are all generally considered crap. That one is a very bad idea. It's an old design with no active PFC. Picking a quality unit from a reputable company is much more important than a wattage rating. This PSU would power a system with up to a 4850 GPU.

CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139008 $59.99 - $10 MIR

Here's another option:

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply compatible with core i7 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817341016 $58.99 - $20 MIR

Reply to shortstuff_mt

ok thanks for the info! i think that i am leaning toward a 4670 since folks seem to think that it is plenty for WoW.

Reply to bt13

I'm just waiting on hearing from the office to see if I can use one of their XP licenses, if not I will need to add an os to this.

CPU & GPU
AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail & SAPPHIRE 100245HDMI Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail -- Combo for $208.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.206771

MOBO & Case:
GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail & Rosewill R5601-BK 0.8mm Japanese Cold Rolled Steel Screw-less Dual 120mm Fans ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail -- Combo for 124.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.215077

PSU:
OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC ... - Retail -- $58.99 ($20 MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817341016

Memory:
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ - Retail --$64.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231193

HD:
Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM --$49.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136098

Optical:
SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model SH-S222A - OEM -- $24.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827151175

With a dvi cable to make my monitor work with the new video card, my total is $540.92 before the $20 MIR. Let me know what you all think. I was going to go with a lesser video card, but I think that the combo I picked is a good deal for the two- if i went down to a 46xx it wouldn't have saved me all that much... I figured that I'd go with a slightly better card just in case another game catches my fancy.

Also, in the reviews for the hard drive, they mention that there are no cables included in it. Since this is my first build, what cables will I need for connecting the hd (or anything else)?

Thanks for all the help getting me in the right ballpark with all your suggestions guys. You're help has been invaluable!

Reply to bt13

all looks good .

motherboards include at least one SATA cable for hard drives so you should be fine

Reply to Outlander_04

The WD3200AAJS is an older, slower model. You can pick up the faster WD3200AAKS for the same price:

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] wd3200aaks $49.99

I would also ditch the IDE DVD burner for a SATA model.

SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223F - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827151171 $25.99

Reply to shortstuff_mt

question...

somebody else posted a link in another persons build for the same processor and a different mobo... it's a couple bucks cheaper than the gigagbyte combo i had planned on getting and has a mir, but i'm under my budget so i dont mind a few more bucks if the gigabyte board is better... thoughts?

AMD X3 w/ ASUS mono:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.205337

Reply to bt13

IMO gigabyte and ASUS are the top end mb manufacturers .

Both are excellent quality and Id pick one or the other based on features/price not brand name

Reply to Outlander_04

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