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$400 gaming build for friend

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - $400 gaming build for friend

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APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: This Weekend Or later if there is a big reason too BUDGET RANGE: $400 or CHEAPER
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming, internet, word processing

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Monitor, keyboard, mouse, OS, speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg
PARTS PREFERENCES: None

OVERCLOCKING: Yeah SLI OR CROSSFIRE: probably not

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1024x768 for now, soon upgrading to 1440x900

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Cheaper would be good, but not more expensive. Period.

e5300/Cooler Master Case combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.244920

ASRock Mobo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157146

A Data 4GB RAM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820211188

400CX http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139008

9600 GSO http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814121320

320 GB Western Digital 16MB Cache http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136074

DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827106289

Message edited by yoyojam55 on 09-25-2009 at 10:41:26 PM

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thats a tough one... but you can get better performance from a amd setup.
phenom II x2+GIGABYTE GA-MA785GM-US2H combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.254105
get the same case and you have a way better computer in less, also, if you have balls you can try to unlock the cores and get X3 or X4 even.

Reply to Daggs

That would add ~$45 to the price...

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to yoyojam55

If cheaper is the goal, I'd buy this AMD setup before the Intel.

AMD 240 $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103688

Mobo ram combo: $112 amir
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.252112
Gigabyte 785 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128394
OCZ DDR2 1066 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227298

9600 GSO $40 amir
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814121320

Spinpoint F3 500gb HDD $50 (much better than the blue, its not even close for the same price.)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822152185

Micro ATX case $25 w/ free shipping promo code EMCLXNS38 (free shipping will save $15-$20 alone.)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811154094

OCZ 400w PSU $25 amir
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817341020

DVD RW w/ free shipping $30
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827140042

All items actually have free shipping above.
Total $427 - $55mir = $372

If you wanted to spend upto the $400, theres these options:
Case upgrade: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] rder=PRICE
Cases are very personal, stick with free shipping and you can get upto a $53 case.

Or, get the 245 or 250 CPU for $6 or $16 more respectively.

Or with all the above and, breaking a rule, going over $4, you can get this CPU instead:
AMD Phenom II 545
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103694

Message edited by skora on 09-26-2009 at 01:56:45 AM

------------------------------ TheAnimal's - HOW TO ASK FOR BUILD ADVISE - Use this FORMAT
sKora's Design Guide
Reply to skora

skora: I took the HDD, PSU, and GPU from your build, but MIR don't count. It needs to be $400 or less before rebates. I now have it down to $390 shipped. I would like to fit in an athlon II x2, but i can't find a decent mobo that can overclock that will fit in my budget, especially since the e5300 has the combo with the case.

Reply to yoyojam55

Ask and you shall receive. Well, with $1.

Combo: CPU and case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.244829
AMD 245 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103687
Coolermaster case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119210
Now this case comes with a PSU. I'd recommend against using it and replace it with the OCZ. The quality of the included PSU is unknown and based on the pictures, its not an active PFC, so corners have already been cut. Take it out, use it as the head of a home made robot, and install the OCZ.

Combo: Mobo and Ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb [...] mbo.250722
Gigabyte 785g http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128394
Gskill 1066 4gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231166
The 785g will OC the CPU well and the 1066 speed of the ram will perform better than the 800.

OCZ 400w PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817341020

Asus 9600 GSO http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814121320

500gb Spinpoint F3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822152181

HP DVD RW http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827140042

Total delivered $401. There's still $35 in mirs if you want them.

The HDD I linked and had in my cart for the price calculations for the first build was actually a $80 1tb drive instead of the $50 500gb drive. So that build does come in under $400 before rebates. I like the one I've posted here better as it has a faster CPU and Mid ATX case instead of the mATX case. Since the case does come with a PSU, you could save another $40, but that is VERY risky.

------------------------------ TheAnimal's - HOW TO ASK FOR BUILD ADVISE - Use this FORMAT
sKora's Design Guide
Reply to skora

yoyojam55 wrote :

That would add ~$45 to the price...

assuming your build is at most 400$, cpu+case combo is $94.98, mb is $43.99 and gpu is 54.99$ (you've said mir doesn't count) that subtotal of 193.96. my suggestion values at 151.99$ for the combo and 34.99 for the case. subtotal of 186.98.
I'm pretty sure that the ati4200 is better than the 9600

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Daggs

Daggs wrote :

The 4200 is an integrated GPU and isn't even close to the 9600. The 4670 is the equivalent of the 9600.
http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 404-7.html

Message quoted 1 times

------------------------------ TheAnimal's - HOW TO ASK FOR BUILD ADVISE - Use this FORMAT
sKora's Design Guide
Reply to skora

I'm going to disagree with the general opinion here. If keeping things stock, the higher clocked AMD would be a good option (and not a bad option for OC either) But, since you are overclocking, the Pentium E5300 build offers better performance at this price.

However, if it were me, I'd step up to the G41 : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157144

I used this in the May $600 SBM and booted at 4.0GHz with the E5200. Stock cooler kept me at 3.5 GHz for prime 95 load temps.
http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,2310.html

And from this SBM: Clock for clock OC'ed Pentium dual core is even >= the PII X2 550 BE. (edit: need to go by productivity results, games the PII cleaned house with better GPU's)
http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,2424.html

Message edited by pauldh on 09-26-2009 at 07:16:36 AM

Reply to pauldh

good suggestions on a tough system to build at that budget. what OS are you intending on running?

Reply to rkaye

skora wrote :

The 4200 is an integrated GPU and isn't even close to the 9600. The 4670 is the equivalent of the 9600.
http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 404-7.html

right, my bad!

Reply to Daggs

Message edited by yoyojam55 on 09-26-2009 at 03:07:29 PM

Reply to yoyojam55

Oh, and it will be running Win7 when it comes out.

Reply to yoyojam55

IMO neither is a bad option and getting the most from your resolution will typically be limited by that 128-bit 9600GSO anyway. If you (or your friend) had no plans to OC, then I'd say steer towards the AMD. Max OC potential belongs to the E5300, but in the end either will offer plenty to serve well as your gaming CPU.

Change I'd want to make for a "better 1440x900 gaming experience" is swap in an HD 4850 for the 9600GSO. Of course , that's out of budget anyway.

Reply to pauldh

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Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - $400 gaming build for friend