Budget build $400-500

[sk291]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: 1-2 weeks

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: (e.g.: Folding@Home, gaming, surfing the internet, watching movies)

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: os, keyboard, mouse, monitor, case, psu - 500W antec earthwatts

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg

PARTS PREFERENCES: none

OVERCLOCKING: yes

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1650x1080

Need: cpu, motherboard, harddrive, video card and memory.
Few parts I had my eye on.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 500GB - $55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181&cm_re=spinpoint_f3-_-22-152-181-_-Product

SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4860 1GB - $130
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102866

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 - $105
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193

Mainly looking for some cpu/mb recommendations or any better buys than the 3 above. Going for best price/performance.

 

[belial2k]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103680&cm_re=550_be-_-19-103-680-_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157176
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181&cm_re=spinpoint_f3-_-22-152-181-_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102809

puts you at about $520, but the graphics are about twice as powerful as the card you chose.

 

[cpp214]

GPU: HIS 5770 1GB $162/free shipping/$10 off promo code = $152
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161317

Cpu/Mobo $186
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.315746

RAM: $104.99 free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193

Samsung Spinpoint F3 $54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181

Total: 502.95 after promotion codes

Just slightly over budget, but if you need to, you could go with this CPU/Mobo
combo for 175.99. It would offer very similar performance.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.315807

That would put the total at ~492 including shipping
This should be a solid build that you can build on--pun intended.

EDIT: I see I was already late in my recommendation. The build listed right above my post looks
great as well. Can't go wrong either way really.

 

[Truhls]

Id personally go with

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103652&cm_re=720_BE-_-19-103-652-_-Product CPU

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131402 MOBO

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150447 GPU

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231276&cm_re=ripjaws_1333-_-20-231-276-_-Product RAM

If you can do a bit over 500, say 570ish id recommend this build. you get the nice CPU and MOBO, which the mobo can unlock the CPU's 4th core and i personally have this CPU OC'ed 3.4 GHZ with the 4th core unlocked on air with load temps being around 50-52C. Also this ram CAS latency is 7, which is better, and easily OC'able. I tied my timings to the specs they gave though, 7-7-7-21 @ 1333.

Comes to 515 for all of those, and then add the f3 spinpoint.

Of course if you cant pull out the extra 70, id recommend a different GPU, the one listed should easily handle nearly all games at 1650 resolution . But it would still be a nice buy if you can afford it.

 

[Onus]

cpp214's build looks good. The problem with Truhls' is that it also needs to include a CPU cooler, since the OEM 720BE doesn't have one; that's another $30-$40.

 

[cpp214]

You know, on second thought, I think this mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157176 $59.99 + 7.56 shipping

And this CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103704 $112.99 + free shipping would be a better CPU/Mobo combo than the one I listed earlier. The total for these is around $180 and it would make the overall total for the build I listed earlier around $497 shipped.

The 435 CPU I listed above would probably be as good or slightly better than the 630 for games right now, but it would give you a very nice, affordable quad core that should last you a couple years at least. The difference in gaming would be barely noticeable I'd guess--I haven't looked at any benchmarks. I think I would rather go with the quad over a triple core if you're planning on not upgrading the CPU for 2-3 years. I don't think the 630 is a great overclocker, but you should be able to get it up around 3.2 ghz with no problem on the stock cooler. The ASRock mobo won't be great for crossfiring if you want to do that down the road. But it should be a good enough board and it fits nicely in your budget. With that CPU/GPU combo, you should be able to play most games with high settings at your intended resolution.

The reason I recommended the 5770 is lower power consumption, lower heat, and it should outperform the GPU you listed, which is basically a scaled back 4870 (I think?). And you already have a solid 500 watt PSU, so you should be able to run that setup at well below your PSU's capacity. If you wanted to crossfire in the future, or add significantly to your system, you may need to upgrade to a more powerful PSU down the road. But that Antec should run a 630/5770 with plenty of wattage to spare.

 

[Truhls]

cpp214's build looks good. The problem with Truhls' is that it also needs to include a CPU cooler, since the OEM 720BE doesn't have one; that's another $30-$40.

Ah i didnt realize that was OEM i just did a quick search on newegg for 720 BE lol.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649

I just bought this literally 2 weeks ago, now its unavailable ;(