Under $500 Computer Build

Do you need a Monitor, OS, and all that stuff?

Yep.

needing monitor, keyboard, mouse, and OS will eat into our options a bit, but gimme a bit with newegg.

It doesn't need to be fantastic, but thanks a bunch!

biggets problem I'm running into:

Cheapest 500 GB HDD is $85 (Samsung F3)
Cheapest monitor is $90 (Acer 1600x900)
Windows 7 home is $100
Keyboard & mouse runs about $20

this is about $300 of out $500 budget. if you could reach $600 then a Llano build with an A8-3870K is possible. (or if Windows 7 doesn't have to also be purchased)

Alright, well thanks! I appreciate it. This'll help get me started.

For $500.00 or less it is really tough to build your own machine because Windows alone eats about $100.00 leaving very little to buy reasonable quality components.

You may want to consider looking at www.techbargains.com, on occasion I have seen Dell offering reasonably decent full systems for under $400.00 - whether they will play the games you mentioned well, I cannot say but, if the system has a PCIe 16 slot you could always purchase a video card later.

well, I managed to get only a LITTLE over budget here:

AMD Llano A8-3850 2.9 GHz Quad core + AS Rock A55 motherboard: $172.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?Ite...

Windows 7 OEM: $99.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Parema 4 GB Stick DDR3-1600: $19.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Pixxo Keyboard & Mouse: $9.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Corsair CX430W 80+ PSU: $44.95 w/ $20 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Acer 20" 1600x900 screen: $89.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Seagate 500 GB HDD: $84.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Rosewill R102 Micro-ATX mini-tower w/ 120mm fan: $29.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

LG 22x DVD burner: $15.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Total is $568.90 before the $20 rebate



the A8-3850 chip w/ DDR3-1600 should get you about 35-45 fps at medium settings in most modern games at 1600x900.
the red bar in this chart is 1680x1050 performance at DDR3-1600. 1600x900 should be similar

AMD build, I don't like AMD but considering the cost I'd go with the build. Nice build too. I actually made a build as well for $600 had OS, Monitor, all. Except I went with intel, Sandybridge FTW

yeah, but Llano is respectable at games, intel HD3000 isn't