$400 gaming build for friend

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/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
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.

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

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

AMD 240 $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Mobo ram combo: $112 amir
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
Gigabyte 785 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
OCZ DDR2 1066 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

9600 GSO $40 amir
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Spinpoint F3 500gb HDD $50 (much better than the blue, its not even close for the same price.)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Micro ATX case $25 w/ free shipping promo code EMCLXNS38 (free shipping will save $15-$20 alone.)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

OCZ 400w PSU $25 amir
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

DVD RW w/ free shipping $30
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

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/ProductList.aspx?Submit=E...
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/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

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.

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

Combo: CPU and case http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
AMD 245 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Coolermaster case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
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/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...
Gigabyte 785g http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Gskill 1066 4gb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
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/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Asus 9600 GSO http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

500gb Spinpoint F3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

HP DVD RW http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

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.

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

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/reviews/best-graphics-card,...

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/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

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/reviews/core-2-overclock,23...

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/reviews/amd-gaming-pc,2424....

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

right, my bad!

So it's down to

Intel

e5300 and case combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

Asrock g41 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

4GB DDR2 800 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

OCZ 400W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

9600 GSO http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

500GB F3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

HP CD/DVD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Total $408 Shipped


vs AMD

Athlon II/ Case combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

Gigabyte mobo/ 1066 RAM Combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

OCZ 400W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

9600 GSO http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Spinpoint F3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

HP CD/DVD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Total: $406 Shipped


Since an aftermarket cooler is out of budget, I'm not going to be increasing voltages much, and I will probably be limited by heat. With that in mind, which one will give better 1440x900 gaming performance? Any other changes you would make?

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

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.