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[Solved] $450 Budget gaming system build

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Best answer from jtt283.

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dijital   08-19-2009 at 11:13:02 AM

I made a few changes to my original build so here is where it stands please if you have any suggestions please let me know


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: with in a month

BUDGET RANGE: 450


SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: GAMING, photoshop, internet

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS, DVD burner

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com, amazon,the Bay

PARTS PREFERENCES:

AMD and MATX Compatible

OVERCLOCKING: Yes

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Crossfire

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1080

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

Staying up late searching for bargain deals and here is what I have bought so far

Case = Paid $23
APEX TX-381-C Black Steel Micro ATX Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811154094

PSU = Paid $32
APEX AL-D500EXP 500W ATX12V Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod .aspx?Item=N82E16817154026

MEM = 42.00
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] CL5D-4GBPK


-------Going to Buy--------------------

CPU = 119
AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103649

Mothersboard $73
BIOSTAR TA790GX XE AM2+/AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 813138140R

HDD = $55
Western Digital RE3 WD5002ABYS-01B1B0 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal HD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] WD5002ABYS

TOTAL SO FAR $344




$106 left to spend
Is there a decent card that anyone would recomend or should I just stay with the VidCard on the board?





Please anyone that can give me some good rec's and also let me know if I'm on the right track or will this thing explode with what I have planned to put together

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Best answer from jtt283
Ummm, hopefully you'll be able to get $32 back. An APEX PSU may not be suitable for use to power a computer, particularly not one with a high end video card. If you can, RMA it in favor of a quality PSU from Antec, PC Power & Cooling, Corsair, Seasonic, or Enermax. Get one that has full range Active PFC (no little voltage switch) and is 80+ certified. The Antec Earthwatts PSUs are good on a budget; even the 380W model can power a 4850. I would suggest the 500W model for some headroom, or move up to a Truepower New. Those are a little more expensive (550W for $80, 750W for $100), but they are semi modular, 80+ bronze, and all around good PSUs. This is NOT the place to save money. Get only a low-end video card like a 4670 for a while if you have to rather than risk your system on a cheap PSU. Good information on PSUs may be found at www.jonnyguru.com and www.hardwaresecrets.com; and, for amusement, http://www.corsair.com/cinema/movie.aspx?id=622747.

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Outlander_04   08-19-2009 at 11:42:31 AM

if you are gaming you will need a gaming gfx card

 

a 4850 is about the best you can get for that money , and this one has a decent cooler and an HDMI output which your 1080p screen will probably have

 

SAPPHIRE 100245HDMI Radeon HD 4850 512MB $ 95 , free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102824

 

or
MSI R4850-2D1G OC Radeon HD 4850 1GB $100 [ after MIR]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814127435

 

or if you can stretch the budget a little then

 

POWERCOLOR AX4870 512MD5 Radeon HD 4870 $117 [ after MIR ]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814131140

 

would be a lot better on a 1080p panel

 


Message edited by Outlander_04 on 08-19-2009 at 11:48:30 AM
Reply to Outlander_04
jtt283   08-19-2009 at 03:35:02 PM
Best answer

Ummm, hopefully you'll be able to get $32 back. An APEX PSU may not be suitable for use to power a computer, particularly not one with a high end video card. If you can, RMA it in favor of a quality PSU from Antec, PC Power & Cooling, Corsair, Seasonic, or Enermax. Get one that has full range Active PFC (no little voltage switch) and is 80+ certified. The Antec Earthwatts PSUs are good on a budget; even the 380W model can power a 4850. I would suggest the 500W model for some headroom, or move up to a Truepower New. Those are a little more expensive (550W for $80, 750W for $100), but they are semi modular, 80+ bronze, and all around good PSUs. This is NOT the place to save money. Get only a low-end video card like a 4670 for a while if you have to rather than risk your system on a cheap PSU. Good information on PSUs may be found at www.jonnyguru.com and www.hardwaresecrets.com; and, for amusement, http://www.corsair.com/cinema/movie.aspx?id=622747.

Reply to jtt283
jtt283   08-19-2009 at 03:56:29 PM

Oh, here's a review of that specific PSU at jonnyguru: http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.p [...] ry&reid=65

Spoiler: It blew chunks when loaded.

Edit: Wow, all 5-egg reviews at Newegg. What hapless people. I wonder if they'll put up my one-egger reference to jonny?


Message edited by jtt283 on 08-19-2009 at 04:03:15 PM
Reply to jtt283
jtt283   08-19-2009 at 04:49:44 PM

Oh, the rest of the build looks nice. It's a lot like my secondary machine, which produces playable frame rates even at 1680x1050 with a HD4670, although I don't play anything really demanding like current shooters.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to jtt283
dijital   08-19-2009 at 06:19:40 PM

jtt283 wrote :

Oh, the rest of the build looks nice. It's a lot like my secondary machine, which produces playable frame rates even at 1680x1050 with a HD4670, although I don't play anything really demanding like current shooters.



I was hoping to at least play COD and the likes but I'm confused now as that review you sent me does have the right model but look nothing like what my PSU looks like? Could the MFG changed it up a bit? and possible now it is better?

Reply to dijital
jtt283   08-20-2009 at 12:29:43 AM

That is not a chance I'd care to take.

Reply to jtt283
shortstuff_mt   08-20-2009 at 12:33:10 AM

The little red voltage switch on the back of the PSU is a dead giveaway of a POS that's just waiting to fry your new system. I HIGHLY recommend sending that Apex POS back ASAP.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to shortstuff_mt
jtt283   08-20-2009 at 12:44:25 AM

I believe we have provided sufficient information for a rational individual to make a decision.

Reply to jtt283
jtt283   08-20-2009 at 12:48:56 AM

Yep. Thanks.


(I still get a laugh out of that video...)

Reply to jtt283
Outlander_04   08-20-2009 at 12:51:34 AM

I agree the psu is not top quality , but when you have such a tight budget .......
anyway its a risk

I dont think I would want to try and power the 4870 with it

Reply to Outlander_04
jtt283   08-20-2009 at 01:07:25 AM

On a tight budget, you still stretch it another $7 for this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817703018 which has free shipping.
He has $106 left...so, another $7 for a quality PSU, then $96 for this 9800GT with free shipping: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 814150323. The remaining change plus whatever's in his sofa cushions to ship the crap PSU back.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by jtt283 on 08-20-2009 at 01:09:02 AM
Reply to jtt283
Outlander_04   08-20-2009 at 01:19:41 AM

jtt283 wrote :

On a tight budget, you still stretch it another $7 for this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817703018 which has free shipping.
He has $106 left...so, another $7 for a quality PSU, then $96 for this 9800GT with free shipping: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 814150323. The remaining change plus whatever's in his sofa cushions to ship the crap PSU back.



I do see your point , and even agree with you

BUT

if he cant make the extra costs involved it will probably be ok . The computer hes building isnt going to draw more than 270 watts and thats not enough to get it melting .
It will still be crap , but it will work

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to Outlander_04
dijital   08-20-2009 at 02:05:00 AM

Outlander_04 wrote :

I do see your point , and even agree with you

BUT

if he cant make the extra costs involved it will probably be ok . The computer hes building isnt going to draw more than 270 watts and thats not enough to get it melting .
It will still be crap , but it will work




The system will be crap? or the PSU?

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to dijital
Outlander_04   08-20-2009 at 02:21:11 AM

dijital wrote :

The system will be crap? or the PSU?



For the money you are spending the system is GREAT , but the psu is a weak spot , and if behaves like the one in the johnyguru article it might damage other components
But then again if you dont push it too hard it will just be crap and not damage other things . The reviewers on newegg didnt have problems

Reply to Outlander_04
jtt283   08-20-2009 at 02:31:09 AM

Well, there was enough money left to get a quality PSU and still get a reasonable GPU; stronger than a 4670.

Reply to jtt283
dijital   08-20-2009 at 02:41:01 AM

am going over budget to get this bad boy

EVGA 01G-P3-N981-TR GeForce 9800 GT 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card


Will that burn out this crap PSU?

Reply to dijital
dijital   08-20-2009 at 02:58:39 AM

shortstuff_mt wrote :

I sure wouldn't risk it.




Thanks everyone for the info... this is my first build and I did not want to go cheap on quality.

Given the great reviews on Newegg I thought this was a great deal... guess I need to look at the cost to ship it back



ALSO

Will the 380 W PSU recommended above be enough to run what I'm building... I do plan on over clocking a little

Reply to dijital
dijital   08-20-2009 at 06:13:27 AM

shortstuff_mt wrote :

The little red voltage switch on the back of the PSU is a dead giveaway of a POS that's just waiting to fry your new system. I HIGHLY recommend sending that Apex POS back ASAP.




I googled POS power supply like 20 times trying to figure out what that is.... DUH I just got it HAHAHAHAHA

Reply to dijital
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