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P4 replacement budget build

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APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Hopefully in the next few days.
BUDGET RANGE: 350$ US Before / After I would prefer not to have to deal with too many rebates. Free shipping is a plus.
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Only gaming.
PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Power supply is a Antec Earthwatts 430W. An older Antec case loaded with fans. Windows XP 32 bit OS. Monitor, keyboard and mouse is not required.
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com
PARTS PREFERENCES: No preference.
OVERCLOCKING: Eventually
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Unlikely
MONITOR RESOLUTION: If possible I would like to use dual monitors. I have 2 Samsung 19inch monitors 1280 x 1024 and 2 Samsung 23inch 1920 x 1080 monitors.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I am a multi box gamer and this is not my primary system. I am trying to phase out a 7 year old AMD build and a 6 year old P4 build. I don’t want to waste any more money trying to upgrade them.

I really need to start cheap and build up. For now I would like to reuse the components mentioned above (PSU, Case, OS & Monitors). Eventually I will upgrade to a 64 bit OS, 4 to 8GB of ram and a 5XXX series video card.

PARTS REQUIRED:
Motherboard with at least 1 PCI Express 2.0 X16 slot and DDR3 memory support, RAM 4 slots would be a plus.
CPU with 3 or more cores. I will be running multiple applications/games at once.
RAM only 2gb since I am using 32bit XP, hopefully something worth upgrading to 4gb.
Video Card nothing to expensive. This will be the first thing replaced.
HDD & DVD need to have SATA connections. I do want to reuse IDE devices.

75$ AMD Athlon II X3 435 Rana 2.9GHz
60$ ASRock AM3 Motherboard
100$ 4850 GDDR3 512MB 256-bit
55$ Crucial 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600)
55$ SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM
20$ LITE-ON Black 24X DVD
365$ total

I have a few questions regarding this replacement build.
Are all of these components Windows XP 32 bit compatible? Do any require a 64 bit OS?
Are the components balanced?
Is the ASRock MB the right choice?
Is the DDR3 4850 a good card or do I need a DDR5 card?
Should I spend another 20$ for Cas7 DDR3 RAM?
Is the hard drive a good choice at in that price range? - Updated!

Your comments are appreciated.


70$
AMD Athlon II X3 425 Rana 2.7GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

60$
ASRock M3A770DE AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
AMD 770, AOD ACC support, 4x DDR3 1600, EuP Ready
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

100$
GIGABYTE GV-R485ZL-512H Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

55$ - Cheapest Cas9 latency 2GB DDR3 set
Crucial 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model CT2KIT12864BA1339
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

75$ - Cas7 latency
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-2GBRH
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

20$ Cheapest DVD drive.
LITE-ON Black 24X DVD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

55$
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

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Updates

55$
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

75$
AMD Athlon II X3 435 Rana 2.9GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

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I'm not sure of the specs of your old builds, but I'd really just save up until you have about $700, then build a nice new system.

In the long run, you're wasting more money by doing small incremental upgrades.

Also, if you wanna game on multiple 1920 x1080 monitors, you're gonna need a nice GPU.

My old specs are.
Intel P4 1800, Asus MB, AGP 5800 Ultra, 2Gb Crucial DDR.
AMD 1700, Asus MB, AGP 5800 Ultra, 2Gb Crucial DDR.
Both running Windows XP 32bit OS.
Each has a 19inch Samsung LCD 2ms 1280 x 1024 monitor.

My primary computer is a Gateway FX series laptop. It has a dual core CPU, 6bm or ram, a 9800M GTS video card, a 17inch 1920 x 1200 display, running 64bit Vista. I travel often so the laptop is my primary system. When I am at home I hook it up to one of the 23inch monitors.
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Ok, so the cheapest build I can come up with that I'd be happy with is below. It's got a PSU and MOBO ready for a second 5770 to be dropped in in the future and has the potential to unlock a fourth core.


Case
Centurion 5 $49.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

MOBO
GIGABYTE GA-790XTA-UD4 $139.99 w/ $15 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

CPU
Athlon II X3 435 $74.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

RAM/GPU
OCZ Platinum DDR3 1333 7-7-7-20 and 5770 $262.98 w/ $35 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

PSU/HD
OCZ Modxstream pro 600w and Spinpoint F3 500gb $109.98 w/ $20 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

Comes out to $589.24 after MIR and shipping to NYC

The MOBO is expensive, but it's got some future proofing with USB 3.0 and SATA 6.0 and is ready for a second 5770 to be dropped in.

One think I would recommend though, is to grab a CM Hyper 212 Plus $35 and OC that CPU to 3.6 or so.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Oh didn't include and optical, but honestly you can use your laptop to burn stuff and recycle an old cd drive. Or just spend an extra $21, but I'd rather put that towards the HSF first.

Here is my purchase/upgrade history if it makes any sense posting it.

2003, Shiny new AMD bulid. – still in service
2004, Shiny new P4 Build. – still in service
2005, Wife bought a Dell, I fixed it. – retired
2006, Grandma gave the kids her Emachine, I fixed it. - retired
2007, New laptop purchase. – still in service
2008, Budget PC upgrades . – AMD & P4 builds
2009, New laptop purchase. – in service
2010, Budget PC rebuild. – to be determined
2011, New laptop purchase?

I have to say the new Asus at Best Buy already has caught my interests. I believe the specs were i7 CPU, Radeon 5870 GPU, 6Gb DDR3 and a 17in 1600 x 900 display. Newegg has a similar model with a blue ray drive. Honestly I would have to say if I increased my current budget I would run out, buy a new laptop, then sit on my two oldest builds for another year.

My wife and kids are still using the laptop purchased in 2007. Soon enough they will need a replacement and will inherit
my Gateway and I will purchase a new laptop to replace it. I would rather not spend a hunk of that budget building a desktop.

Well laptops generally are much more money for equivalent parts and laptop GPU's =/= desktop GPUs.

In gaming, you'd be lucky if xfire laptop 5870's got anything near the performance of a single 5770.

banthracis said:
Ok, so the cheapest build I can come up with that I'd be happy with is below. It's got a PSU and MOBO ready for a second 5770 to be dropped in in the future and has the potential to unlock a fourth core.


Case
Centurion 5 $49.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

MOBO
GIGABYTE GA-790XTA-UD4 $139.99 w/ $15 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

CPU
Athlon II X3 435 $74.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

RAM/GPU
OCZ Platinum DDR3 1333 7-7-7-20 and 5770 $262.98 w/ $35 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

PSU/HD
OCZ Modxstream pro 600w and Spinpoint F3 500gb $109.98 w/ $20 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

Comes out to $589.24 after MIR and shipping to NYC

The MOBO is expensive, but it's got some future proofing with USB 3.0 and SATA 6.0 and is ready for a second 5770 to be dropped in.

One think I would recommend though, is to grab a CM Hyper 212 Plus $35 and OC that CPU to 3.6 or so.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...



Is the gigabyte MB, v435 CPU or both what will allow me too potentially to unlock a fourth core.

If it is the MB would the other Gigabyte model allow me to do the same?

This one > GIGABYTE GA-770TA-UD3 AM3 AMD 770 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard – Retail

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