How low can I go

[coltoe]

Let me say it has been a long time.... but I want to build a low budget model
all I need it to do is word 98 & xp home ... looking at built in graphic not add on or or clocked Intel Core 2 Duo not AMD ...
so far I figure a price of $225 - 250.00
cpu e6600 or E5300 ..
motherboard MSI w/ddr3 or bio star /ddr2 a g41 graphics card
2gb ddr2(800) or ddr3 ram (1066)
everything else plain jane.. dvd burner..450 power supply..case..

this computer may never see the internet or games
and will get used once a month for office use only


please give good positive info

 

[coltoe]

oops double posed by mistake....

 

[warmon6]

EDIT: oops my bad, saw that 450 with the psu and got stuck in my head as the price.

 

[warmon6]

Ok question,

Are you doing an eniterly new build or do you have parts from another computer that you'll be using?

 

[k1114]

You could probably find a used computer with a c2d for cheap, maybe $100.

 

[popatim]

XP & Word98.... You dont need any horsepower at all. Just grab the cheapest pc you can find and go with that. I just picked up an IBM box with p3@1.1ghz, 2gb ram, 120Mb HDD for $30 for a simular purpose for a friend and it works great and saved her a ton since she's on permanently disabled.

But if you really want to build:
$50 Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128357
$50 cpu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116348
$35 ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211066
$50 HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181
$25 DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118039
$45 case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811148047
------
$255 - shipped

$197 - a Do it yourself combo but only a so-so mobo and still needs drives:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.579813 + shipping

I WIN! LoL


edit - not the cheapest I could build but the lowest quality I would go on the Mobo and HDD. Could probably knock off another 25-30 bucks but in my opinion its not worth the hassle if you get bad parts.

 

[warmon6]

Ok here is what i've was able to come up with to ask close to the spec that you've requested.

Although i will mention 2 thing,

1st, I could not find a way to fit any pentium dual-core cpu's with the price range you requested. What i could do how ever, was get a 2.6 GHz dual core Celeron cpu and that brings the price down.

Although it should still handle what your asking it to do. Now if the specs im seeing are true, then it basically like my pentium dual core laptop cpu (1.86 GHz, t2390) but just overclocked. With this laptop, i'm able to do mainy thing including light to moderate gaming. So i would imagine that it will handle everything your throwing at it just fine.


2nd, while i was able to fit the 450W PSU in the budget..... Im unsure of the quality as I've never heard of COOLMAX before. (maybe the guys in the PSU section of the forums could give a little more info about them)

For me, what i would normally recommend out the psu's, Antec, Corsair, silverstone, ect,. The cheapest psu to those quality is about $15 more (or factoring mail in rebate, it's only $5 more) for 430w corsair PSU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139017

So if you wanted a slightly better quality psu, i would definitely recommend that.


Now on the list.


■$20.99 dvd Burner: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139017
■$19.99 Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154095
■$38.99 Hard Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136771
■$29.99 Power supply: $29.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817159065
■$21.99 ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148149
■$50.99 Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130556
■$49.99 cpu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116348


Sub Total: $232.93
Shipping: $16.76
Total: $249.69


Yeah, it was close to going over but i manage to squeeze it in.

Now, this doesn't include any software in terms of OS or windows word, but it sounds like you may already have that. If you dont then that going to have to be an addition on to what's already here.


Hope this list and the Info i've giving helps.

 

[warmon6]

XP & Word98.... You dont need any horsepower at all. Just grab the cheapest pc you can find and go with that. I just picked up an IBM box with p3@1.1ghz, 2gb ram, 120Mb HDD for $30 for a simular purpose for a friend and it works great and saved her a ton since she's on permanently disabled.

But if you really want to build:
$50 Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128357
$50 cpu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116348
$35 ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211066
$50 HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152181
$25 DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118039
$45 case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811148047
------
$255 - shipped

$197 - a Do it yourself combo but only a so-so mobo and still needs drives:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.579813 + shipping

I WIN! LoL


edit - not the cheapest I could build but the lowest quality I would go on the Mobo and HDD. Could probably knock off another 25-30 bucks but in my opinion its not worth the hassle if you get bad parts.

Well looks like we at least both agree on the cpu at least. :lol:

 

[popatim]

I missed that motherboard. good find.

 

[warmon6]

I missed that motherboard. good find.

Same for you except it's for the dvd drive. some how i overlooked that one. Although i still dont like my only psu option. to fit in budget range.

 

[jb6684]

You can't build anything with a new legal copy of Win XP or Win7 for $225 or $250....

Get any old Dell or HP off eBay or Craig's list. I just sold two of em for $25 bucks each. Or, if you want a refurbished system with a warranty lookup MicroCenter.com they sell JoySystems refurbished Dell & HP with a legal operating system and a bit of warranty on 'em too.

 

[coltoe]

I guess I need to say I have XP home already and it will load on a new hard drive... so far I have:

HD $ 25.99
http://3btech.net/whlamadate20.html

CPU $48.00
http://www.starmicroinc.net/cgi/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=E6300

MOBO $45.49
http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?p=MB-G41MP26&c=pw&hash=84e2ciOOZsPrTNwnb1X%2FRc2iSzAje3GV7nn5wVcvsWAbCyE44lTCRr3dcXaG0S%2FcwYvgJNs4BVquIpYxIZ25vv4l0C4YHEZC2pA7FF5wfXyYHAl4UG1Y%2BcQR

ddr3 $21.99
http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-CT25664BA1067-240-pin-PC3-8500-Memory/dp/B000VZL6WK%3FSubscriptionId%3D16330PR1NAHTNCZP5602%26tag%3Dpriwat-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB000VZL6WK

case $ 29.99
http://3btech.net/blandsimslat.html?conf0=2

power $ 27.99
http://3btech.net/thpuw0dura40.html

dvd burn $24.99
http://www.amazon.com/Lite-LightScribe-Layer-Drive-IHAS424-98/dp/B002SIMPXM%3FSubscriptionId%3D16330PR1NAHTNCZP5602%26tag%3Dpriwat-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB002SIMPXM

total $225

Pricewatch.com
got to love it

 

[coltoe]

Thank you for you input

 

[ghnader hsmithot]

Microcenters!