Tom's Hardware > Forum > Homebuilt Systems > New System Build > Need to build a reliable system on a budget

Need to build a reliable system on a budget

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - Need to build a reliable system on a budget

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
mollie_whuppie   08-08-2009 at 12:46:28 PM

Hi,

I'm sounding out the idea of building a new system at the moment, having only ever changed drives, ram etc in my existing one. I can't fault my existing PC for reliability, but it's about 7 years old & I want to price up what it would cost me to upgrade.

Currently my CPU is an AMD Athlon XP 2000+, 1666 MHz, which I gather is a bit of a dinosaur by today's standards.
The motherboard is by Elite Group & is a ECS L7VMM(2) / Syntax SV266M(A) if that means anything to anyone.

Price IS important as it will affect how soon I'm able to do it, but reliability is something I don't want to compromise on - I'm going to get a good quality WD hdd and I don't want it fried by cheap components elsewhere. I'll be storing photos & video of my daughter (which will be backed up, of course) but in the mean time I don't want to risk losing data.

My other main consideration is expandability e.g. the number of PCI slots - I want to be able to put in my wireless digital card, a PCI card to connect to my video camera so that I can burn DVDs, connect a port for firewire etc.
I don't have time for gaming these days & any small amount of gaming it was used for would be by my boyfriend, & that wouldn't be intensive online stuff.

I planned to reuse anything I can, such as my OS which is XP home edition, and anything that'll be compatible with a new system like the power supply.

I'd appreciate recommendations on compatible motherboards & CPUs that would suit my needs and any advice anyone can offer :-)

Thanks,
Amy

Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
mollie_whuppie   08-08-2009 at 01:02:05 PM
- 0 +

Oh, I'm in NZ by the way so I'd be sourcing parts from online computer stores here.. no idea about prices in US $. I posted from a different page & didn't see the sticky about guidelines for asking about a new build, so sorry! :S

Reply to mollie_whuppie
Bronze Home Brew badge obsidian86   08-08-2009 at 01:22:38 PM
- 0 +

get this board it shouldn cost too much Biostar TForce TA790GX Socket AM2+ ram get since gaming isn a big issue get 2gigs ram or 4 gigs depending on budget procesor get an athlon2 245 wich should by a god buy on a budget look for something like a cooler master elite 3xx case with psu they also a bargain

Reply to obsidian86
Bronze Home Brew badge obsidian86   08-08-2009 at 01:23:39 PM
- 0 +

ddr2 ram that is at 800mhz would by enough

Reply to obsidian86
Bronze Home Brew badge obsidian86   08-08-2009 at 01:26:38 PM
- 0 +

man my spelling is atrociois

Reply to obsidian86
mollie_whuppie   08-08-2009 at 01:27:39 PM
- 0 +

OK -

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: In the next few months.

BUDGET RANGE: Unsure, but hopefully not more than a few hundred.

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Surfing the net, storing/editing photos & video, gaming.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS, poss. case

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Various computer stores available through pricespy.co.nz

PARTS PREFERENCES: I intend to use a WD hard drive, am undecided between Asus & Gigabyte motherboards & open to all suggestions..

OVERCLOCKING: No

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Reliable, expandable, pref. quiet.

Reply to mollie_whuppie
Bronze Home Brew badge obsidian86   08-08-2009 at 01:46:23 PM
- 0 +

whats your budget?

Reply to obsidian86
Bronze Home Brew badge obsidian86   08-08-2009 at 01:47:39 PM
- 0 +

What's In My Account?


Remove Product(s) Qty. Total
AMD AMD Athlon II X2 245 2.9GHz 2MB Cache with Heatsink and Fan
$111.14 $114.48
Transcend *Transcend JetRAM 2GB DDR2-800 240-Pin PC6400 Desktop Memory - Special
$36.80 $37.90
ASUS Asus M4A78-E AMD 790GX ATX Motherboard
$226.59 $233.39
Cooler Master Cooler Master Elite 310 Blue Mid Tower w/ 420W PSU
$125.00 $128.75


Sub-Total: $499.53||$514.52

Reply to obsidian86
Bronze Home Brew badge obsidian86   08-08-2009 at 01:50:16 PM
- 0 +

thts from pconlineshop.co.nz

Reply to obsidian86
mollie_whuppie   08-08-2009 at 01:55:35 PM
- 0 +

Thanks obsidian :)
That gives me somewhere to start & a ballpark figure. I'm concerned with getting something that'll last me over the next few years, and the budget is flexible - it'll just make a difference as to how soon I start.

Would you still go for DDR2 given that everyone seems to be going for DDR3?

Reply to mollie_whuppie
Bronze Home Brew badge obsidian86   08-08-2009 at 01:59:05 PM
- 0 +

i could mock up a ddr3 system qiuckly but that procesor supports ddr3 but is backwards compatible with ddr2 ram an motherboards

Reply to obsidian86
mollie_whuppie   08-08-2009 at 02:03:33 PM
- 0 +

Ah cool, thanks! I'm not sure if I need to upgrade my power supply to be on the safe side.. to be honest, without taking it apart I've no idea what it is, as for the last year I've been using a second hand one from a friend (I blew one up while getting frustrated with hard drive jumpers :/ )

Reply to mollie_whuppie
mollie_whuppie   08-08-2009 at 02:13:12 PM
- 0 +

Looking at PC online shop, do you think this is a very good deal? Down to $449 plus tax from $689.

1x AMD Phenom 9950 BLACK EDITION 2.6GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+.
1x Asus M4N78-AM Motherboard Support AMD Socket AM3 & AM2 Athlon 64 and Phenom CPU.
2x Kingston ValueRAM 2GB DDR2-800 Non-ECC CL6 DIMM

Reply to mollie_whuppie
Bronze Home Brew badge obsidian86   08-08-2009 at 02:18:09 PM
- 0 +

that phenom 9950 is last generation look at something like a athlon ii or phenom ii I only took the athlon 245 cuz if you needed to upgrade to ddr3 when the prices drop a bit you could jus get ddr3 ram with a ddr3 mother board an just reuse the processor

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to obsidian86
mollie_whuppie   08-08-2009 at 02:18:44 PM
- 0 +

Ah, I see that case you recommended comes complete with PSU, sweet.

Reply to mollie_whuppie
Bronze Home Brew badge obsidian86   08-08-2009 at 02:19:04 PM
- 0 +

What's In My Account?


Remove Product(s) Qty. Total
AMD AMD Athlon II X2 245 2.9GHz 2MB Cache with Heatsink and Fan
$111.14 $114.48
ASUS Asus M4A78T-E AM3 DDR3 AMD 790GX ATX Motherboard
$254.17 $261.80
Kingston Kingston ValueRam 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL9 DIM
$167.94 $172.98
Cooler Master Cooler Master Elite 310 Blue Mid Tower w/ 420W PSU
$125.00 $128.75


Sub-Total: $658.25||$678.00

Reply to obsidian86
mollie_whuppie   08-08-2009 at 02:23:04 PM
- 0 +

obsidian86 wrote :

that phenom 9950 is last generation look at something like a athlon ii or phenom ii I only took the athlon 245 cuz if you needed to upgrade to ddr3 when the prices drop a bit you could jus get ddr3 ram with a ddr3 mother board an just reuse the processor



Thanks obsidian, you've been really helpful!

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to mollie_whuppie
Bronze Home Brew badge obsidian86   08-08-2009 at 02:36:02 PM
- 0 +

mollie_whuppie wrote :

Thanks obsidian, you've been really helpful!


plesure mollie :bounce:

Reply to obsidian86
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Homebuilt Systems > New System Build > Need to build a reliable system on a budget
Go to:

There are 459 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.523 seconds
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
Related Topics
See all relatives topics
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them