$500-$550 gaming pc

[nbajrich]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: within the next week

BUDGET RANGE: US $500-550 excluding OS, not exceeding 700 with OS

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: gaming, videos, surfing net, homework

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, dvd drive

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com or anything with good prices

PARTS PREFERENCES: AMD motherboard for future upgrades

OVERCLOCKING: If someone is willing to teach me, then sure why not

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1440x900

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: thank you for your time.

 

[skora]

If you want to learn how I make systems on paper, look at my sig and peak at the design guide. Using that process, here's what I came up with. All the parts here have free shipping.

GPU: 4850 512mb. This will be more than enough for a 1440x900 monitor.
$95
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102824

Combo
CPU: AMD 720 x3. Tri core will last you a long time. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649
Ram: 4gigs DDR3 OCZ Gold http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227316
$180 = $190 - $10 mir
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.237833

Mobo: MSI 770 AM3
$80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130228

HSF: Sunbeam Core contact Freezer. Comes with good goo. You won't need this unless you do overclock.
$25 = $40 - $15mir
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004

Combo
PSU: OCZ 500w stealthxstream http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341012
HDD: WD Caviar Black 500 gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136320
$100 = $120 - $20 mir
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.238453

Combo
Case: Antec 300 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
OS: Win Vista HP w/ Win 7
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116677
$155
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.235877.11-129-042

That brings the total including OS to:
$635 = $680-$45mir DELIVERED

If you want to push all the way to the $700 mark, you can upgrade to an AMD 945 x4 quad CPU.

 

[Proximon]

That's a pretty good build, but I would make these changes:

Gigabyte 770 board with Vista combo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.234361

Then either a CM 690
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137

Or an Antec illusion
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066&Tpk=Antec%20Illusion

 

[batuchka]

For 1440 x 900 this is more than adequate and not too hot to be overspendingon GPU with the HD 5xxx series coming soon so upgrade if you get a higher resolution LCD display

 

[nbajrich]

will the onboard graphics card ati radeon 3300 run team fortress 2? I'm trying to save money and wait for prices of gfx cards to drop

 

[skora]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-785g-chipset,2381-11.html
THe 790GX will have the 3300 IGP on it. L4D and TF2 are both source games, so should be playable at low settings.

That 9600 GSO is very capable of giving good performance, and for $35 amir delivered, is really hard to let that go over IGP. Since the mobo covers $20+ of the difference, your getting a lot better performance for $15.

 

[obsidian86]

yes it should http://www.yougamers.com/gameometer/10200/?sa=1

 

[nbajrich]

can i reuse my old evga8600 gt ssc edition? Idk if its broken or not because my old pc wouldn't turn on and the gfx card would be really loud(not normal) from startup.

 

[skora]

The 8600 GT is half way between the 3300 and 9600 GSO on the hierarchy chart. Is it worth trying? I guess it might be. Any idea what toasted the old system? Maybe try your new PSU on the old board first and see if the 8600 works. The PSU will protect itself from a short, so I'd try that before plugging the GPU into your new mobo.

 

[nbajrich]

How's this build? I can't decide no what to buy sorry guys.

antec 300 $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042

sapphire 4850 HD $95
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102824

MSI 770-C45 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard & OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W $130
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.237091

Amd x3 720 & 2x2gb ocz gold ddr3 $189
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.237833

hitachi 500gb hdd & windows vista 64 bit $150
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.235895.22-145-215

My total comes to $624.89+$51.55 tax+$2.99 shipping =Grand Total: $679.43
$680-$30mrb = $650 for this build.

What do you guys think? Also, is everything compatible? thanks

 

[obsidian86]

looks fine

 

[shortstuff_mt]

I don't trust Hitachi drives. The WD 640GB black drive just went on sale, so you can get it in a combo with Vista for $10 more than the combo you linked above. That's $10 well spent IMO.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.235895.22-136-319

I would also try to find a Gigabyte or Asus motherboard. I haven't had good long-term reliability from MSI, but the price of your combo is very low.

 

[nbajrich]

lalala... waiting for more comments to convince me to pull the trigger lol

 

[skora]

This only works out to $5 less, but gets you the gigabyte board instead of the MSI. The difference that shortstuff is looking at has something to do the the number of capacitors around the CPU. The MSI has far fewer than the Gigabyte. I counted the other day, but can't remember the exact numbers, but it was around 5 capacitors more on the gigabyte. That makes for cleaner power for the CPU and better OCs.

Same CPU/Ram combo: $189
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.237833

Gigabyte 770 AM3 and vista $170
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.234361

Saphire 4850 $90 w/ promo code:EMCLWMW37
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102824

Samsung Spinpoint F3 500gb drive $50 w/ promo: EMCLWMW29
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181

Antec 4480 mid ATX case with Earthwatts 380w PSU (will be enough for this rig) $85 w/ promo EMCLWMW24
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129060&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL081809&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL081809-_-ComputerCases-_-LC4A-_-11129060

Totals $594 w/ shipping and around $50 tax = $645

 

[nbajrich]

whoaa how'd you get the codes

 

[hunter315]

sign up for the newegg emails, they contain lots of lovely discounts

 

[nbajrich]

ok thanks, will attaching steel wire to my wrist and then attaching it to a case be enough to ground myself?

 

[skora]

Dont forget to wear a tin foil hat too.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/82184/avoid_static_damage_to_your_pc.html