Bargin Build budget with Gamer Build Aspirations

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: 90 days (after Taxes come in) BUDGET RANGE: $600-800 approx

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT:Gaming (World of Warcaft mostly), internet & netflix

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Monitor, keyboard, mouse, otherwise planning on a Brand new machine from the ground up, including OS pref 64bit

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: no preference, newegg is where I've ordered before COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: none. Full Size Case for upgrading ease

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe (I haven't read nearly enough to try this anytime soon)

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Yes, but single card for now

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1200

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I've been poking at the various build guides, and clicking back and forth on links to supplies for the last 2-3 days and one concern I've got in a noisy machine. I will normally be playing online at night after the kids go to bed, so a set up w/ noisy fans/video cards that sound like jet engines is bad.

I was looking at the Bargin Build in the "Recommended Builds by Usage" section and this seems to fit my price point pretty well, but I'd like to try and spend a bit more to upgrade a few parts in order to make it more upgradeable over the long haul.

So I guess the question is, is there a motherboard/processor combo that I can use now, that I can swap out the processor with a i7 920 (or equivalent) later when the price is affordable? or am I just stuck w/ saving up and buying the i7 and motherboard now?



CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product - 95.99
MOBO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131402 - 119.99
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231193 - 104.99
HSF: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835207004 - 39.99
HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822152181 - 54.99
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139005 - 89.99
GPU:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150447- 169.99
DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827118030 - 27.99
Case: Antec 300 : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product - 59.99

763.91, not including tax, shipping, variables prices. Over my low end hopes, but less than my high end limit on prices.

The i7-920 is the cheapest 1366 CPU available right now. You could use an 1156 mobo with an i3-i5 and upgrade to an i7-860 later, but from the rumor mills a quad core is the highest the 1156 socket will ever see.

As for a quiet build, speaking generally a larger case will be quieter. There are also cases that are insulated to reduce noise, although the prices will start going up

Ya I was afraid of that. I just wasn't sure if I wasn't finding the right processor/upgrade path out of ignorance or what. Thanks tho

Any AM3 CPU and AM3 (NOT AM3/AM2+) board will give you a great upgrade path.

For low budget builds, I generally recommend the Athlon X4 620 and Asus M4A79XTD EVO. That board is in a combo with every AM3 CPU almost all of the time.

Would it make sense to upgrade the MB to something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131363 with dual PCI 16x , for later upgrading to Dual video cards?

So far In poking around the last few days I haven't noticed an article that addresses the benefits/drawbacks of two video cards at 8x vs. 2 at 16x.

Excellent, thanks!

A recent TH articlle says AMDs are the best gaming CPUs for budget builds. Go AMD and you'll have extra cash to put towards a beefier GPU.

Looks good to me. The 650 Corsair is overkill, but for $70 after mir that's exactly what I'd get.