New Cheap system.

[jukesie]

Hey all, bit of a nightmare, PC packed up. I don't have the funds right now to buy what I want but I had put this together based on a PC for sale on Ebay, I wanted to ask about the motherboard/processor combo.

£46.99 - Asus P5G41C-M LX Socket LGA775 Motherboard
£51.00 - Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5400 Socket LGA775 Processor
£43.98 - WD Caviar Green 1TB Advanced Format 3.5 SATA Internal HD
£42.99 - Kingston ValueRam 4GB Kit (2 x 2GB) PC10600 DDR3 RAM
£21.14 - LG DVD-RW Super Multi Optical Drive
£23.49 - Generic Miditower black with 500W Powersupply

Total - £229.59

As you can see i've put prices in, so if you know of a better choice for something that is also generally cheaper I would love to hear about it. RAM and HDD I know are normally good from those companies. So really only advice I need is the Mobo and Processor. I have read some reports of DOA mobos. PLus of course compatibility is always a problem.

Any advice would be fantastic. Thank you in advance.

 

[sadams04]

IMHO stay away from a LGA775 platform system. Too old, doesn't offer an upgrade path, and your money can be better spend elsewhere...

MB + CPU - Are you open to an AMD build? If so, the AM3 platform is good for a budget build and can offer an upgrade path down the road (AM3 will be around for a little while longer).

HD - Scratch the WD and look at a Samsung Spinpoint F3.

MEM - ValueRam is fine (if you don't have to RMA it).

 

[jukesie]

Thanks for your quick response. Ok, thank you for bringing the lack of "updatibility" of the LGA775, I wasn't aware of that obviously

After taking that on board here is a new config I've come up with using a AM3 build (I hope)

£43.99 - Asus M4A78LT-M LE AMD 760G (Socket AM3) DDR3 PCI-Express Motherboard
£50.06 - AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core 260 3.2GHz (Socket AM3) Processor
£37.99 - Samsung HD103SJ SpinPoint F3 1TB SATA-II 3.5" Hard Drive
£51.99 - Corsair XMS3 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-10600C9 1333Mhz Dual Channel
£13.51 - Samsung SH-S223L 22x Internal Lightscribe DVD±RW SATA Drive - Black
£23.49 - Generic Miditower black with 500W Powersupply

Total - £221.03

Does this seem more viable? Better for upgrading in the future? I did want to ask though. Why scrap the WD hard drive? Are they no good? or is that personal experience, it's much of a muchness for me but i have never had any issues with them. Also you will notice I changed the RAM. I've always used Kingston, but I know that Corsair are as good, if not better nowadays.

So anyway what do you think ? Again I appreciate your help. This had to happen at christmas :/

 

[mdd1963]

See how much more for an X3 at near the same clockspeed, or, even 100-200 Mhz slower if necessary.

I'd be afraid to buy anything on Ebay for fear of 20% of the purchased components being dead out of the box...

thing www.newegg.com for your computer parts needs....

 

[jukesie]

I will look at that now, I only saw the PC on Ebay, and judging the price I thought I would try to make a similar system from parts I know. They didn't mention what HDD or Ram they were using, plus they listed the wrong processor. Hence me looking into it myself

*Edited again Newegg, don't ship outside the US, But thank you very much

 

[jukesie]

ok so I looked at the X3 and I found that AMD Athlon II X3 Tri Core 450 3.20GHz (Socket AM3) Processor was only a little more expensive than the X2 with same clock speed. However. And here is where the simpleton in me comes out What is the difference? Is the Tri-Core the same as Triple Channel? Meaning I would have to run blocks of 3Gb RAM for best performance? Or is it just that the Tri "blocks" or "dies" work better for a PC??

Sorry for being ignorant but some of this terminology loses me sometimes.

 

[mosox]

Here's a build from ebuyer:

MSI 880GM-E41 880G
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/244433
Athlon II X3 445
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/235421
Kingston DDR3 2GB 1333MHz (you get one more stick later)
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/147903
Samsung SpinPoint F3 500GB
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/146252
LiteOn IHAS124-19 24x DVD±RW
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/176026
Coolermaster Elite 330 Case With Coolermaster Elite 460W PSU
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135101

£226.16

LE Or better this PSU and case:

Antec 380W EarthWatts Green
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/185183
Coolermaster Elite 335
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/151368

£231.99

 

[jukesie]

Well I know how important cases and PSU's are and I do understand how much importance some people would put on getting it right, but based on my budget that is the one thing that can certainly take the cut.

I have been looking at the other parts though. Why would you recommend that Motherboard? Just curious. I can see it has scope for more RAM which is nice though

 

[mosox]

All the parts depend on the PSU, better not skim on that. As for the mobo it's newer and has the latest onboard video.

 

[jukesie]

Ok so I can see now that the mobo is better, thanks for that. I will probably order them later today But again with the case I do understand your point, but with money being a problem I need to try and cut the cost anyway I can. This seems a great package, I can always upgrade to a better case in the future, maybe January sales lol.

EBUYER £48.71 - MSI 880GM-E41 880G Socket AM3 onboard graphics 8 channel HD audio mATX Motherboard
EBUYER £56.48 - AMD Athlon II X3 445 3.1 GHz - Socket AM3 1.5 MB cache Retail Box Processor
ARIA £37.99 - Samsung HD103SJ SpinPoint F3 1TB SATA-II 3.5" Hard Drive
EBUYER £18.99 - 2 x Kingston DDR3 2GB 1333MHz i5 Memory Module CL9 1.5V
EBUYER £11.99 - LiteOn IHAS124-19 24x DVD±RW DL & RAM SATA Optical Drive
ARIA £23.49 - Generic Miditower black with 500W Powersupply

Unless anyone has something to add, or dispute, I will be going for this package.

Thank you all for your advice it really is very much appreciated. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

 

[jedi940]

Looks much better than your original build. With that motherboard, there is a chance you can unlock the 4th core of that processor and have a quad core. Plus you can upgrade to the 95 Watt six Core phenom II X6 1055T

 

[jukesie]

Yes Thank you. I have now ordered these parts, however I did cave in and also ordered the Coolermaster 330 and PSU that Mosox suggested

Again thank you everyone for your help

LOL stupid question, but Windows 7 would run fine with this system wouldn't it. I just read something about only allowing 1 core for Home Premium.....I get so damn lost with what they mean. Does that mean that Windows 7 only uses 1 core of the processor, or that it can only work with 1 core processors ???????

Completely lost now !!!