Your DIY 4 GHz Dual Core Gaming Rig For $720

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Shopping List: $720 To $1,224 For A 4 GHz System

To simplify the selection of system components for our readers, we provide two separate, yet viable configurations from which they can choose. The first configuration is geared for users who really want the best possible price/performance ratio, and whose budgets are tight.

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Shopping List - Budget Version
ComponentDesignationPriceRemarks
ProcessorIntel Pentium D 805 2.66 GHz (Dual-Core)$122.00Remains stable even at 4 GHz
Motherboard (7.1 Audio etc,)Asrock 775Twins-HDTV (Socket 775)$82.90*Affordable dual-core motherboard
RAM2 x 512 MB DDR2-667 Adata Vitesta PC2 5300$78.55Also runs at 333 MHz (667)
Hard disk drives2 x 160 GB Samsung HD160JJ (7200 rpm)$132.98RAID 0 configuration
Water coolerThermaltake Bigwater SE Cooling Kit$129.99Simple water cooler
DVD burnerLG GSA-H10A 16X DVD+/-R 8X DVD+R DL 4X DVD-R DL 8X DVD+RW 6X DVD-RW 5X DVD-RA$37.00Comes in black and beige
Case with built-in PSUBroadway.com 500W Mid Tower ATX w/OKIA 550 ATX P4 & AMD ready PSU$67.49Mid-price PSU option
Graphics cardAsus Radeon X1300 Extreme 128 MB, PCI-e$66.00-Row 8 - Cell 3
Total4 GHz DIY-PC (Budget-VERSION)$716.42See Asrock note below
* ASROCK moboNot yet available in North AmericaRow 10 - Cell 2 Price converted from Euros to dollars
Shopping List - Top-flight Configuration
ComponentsDesignationPriceRemarks
ProcessorIntel Pentium D 805 2.66 GHz (Dual-Core)$122.00Remains stable even at 4 GHz
Motherboard (7.1 Audio, RAID, Gb LAN etc.)Gigabyte G1975X (Socket 775)$246.20Top-Board for Socket 775
RAM2 x 512 MB DDR2-667 Adata Vitesta PC2 5300$78.55Also runs at 333 MHz (667)
Hard disks2 x 160 GB Samsung HD160JJ (7200 U/min)$132.98320 GB in a RAID 0 array
Water coolingKoolance Exos AL$278.98Very good extreme water-cooling rig
DVD-burnerLG GSA-H10A 16X DVD+/-R 8X DVD+R DL 4X DVD-R DL 8X DVD+RW 6X DVD-RW 5X DVD-RA$37.00Row 18 - Cell 3
Case with PSUBroadway.com 500W Mid Tower ATX w/OKIA 550 ATX P4 & AMD ready PSU$67.49Row 19 - Cell 3
Graphics cardAsus EN7600 GT, 256 MB, 350 MHz$229.99Fast, affordable graphics card
Total4 GHz DIY-PC (Top-Flight version)$1223.16

The second configuration comprises the test system we built for this project. The Koolance cooling rig offers outstanding cooling, which indicates that clock rates above 4 GHz should be possible for such a system (in earlier testing, we achieved stable operation at 4.1 GHz using a different water-cooled system).

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • T_larson911
    This looks really nice. I've been wanting to implement water cooling into my system and I have the same case. I just have to get the radiator on the top like you have done.
    Reply