Help me build a computer

G

Genocidicbunny

Bug squasher
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Messages
5,473
Location
Orange Town
So, with my birthday past, and my presents being mainly just money, I want to get a new computer. While Ive spent some time looking for something in my price range, the stuff Ive found still makes me wonder if I should save up some more first. So I pose a challenge to you geeks of comp talk:

I want you to help me build a system for as close to 300$ as possible. You do not need to include a monitor, keyboard, mouse, cd/dvd drives or hard drive if you find a mobo with 2 PATA slots.

here's a catch: This has to be a high performance gaming rig. It doent have to get like 160 fps on oblivion ( Im pretty sure thats impossible anyways) but I do wanna be able to play most newer games without lagging, and preferably on high settings.

Another set of catches: Id prefer this to be a system from newegg, since thats probablyt he easiest way for me. You dont need to count the shipping into the price, but taking tax into account would be good. I also want the system to be decent looking, AND I want it to be extremely upgradeable in the future. ( LGA775 socket, or AM2, SLi capability, 4 or so slots for RAM). Now, for now the video card isnt necessary, I can use my old one for the time being, but if you would figure it in it would be nice.


So, here is the system ive got my eye on so far:
Spoiler :

RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WBP Black SECC STEEL ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail

EVGA 512-P2-N548-TX GeForce 7600GS 512MB GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail

CORSAIR XMS2 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X1024A-6400 - Retail

ASUS P5N-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Intel Pentium D 915 Presler 2.8GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80553915 - Retail

ZALMAN ZM-NB47J Aluminum Heatsinks only - Retail

Spire SP507B7-U 80mm Ball CPU Cooler - Retail


now...get building :goodjob:
 
In the $100 price range I think you'll get better performance from a AthlonX2 than a PentiumD. Depending on how you can squeeze it though, IIRC Core2 CPUs start at around $130.

You're really going to struggle though building essentially a full system on a $300 budget. You're looking at roughly:
$100 for CPU
$60-80 for a decent mobo
$80-100 for 1GB of RAM
$100 for a lower mid-range gfx card, ideally at least $150-200 for a solid upper mid-range card
$30 for any old case
$50-70+ for a decent PSU

You may be able to cheap out on mobo, memory and PSU to lower the cost a bit... but it's not really a good idea.
 
Well..300 is my current budget, but if i can find a job within the next week I might be able to jack up the budget to maybe 500$ which is much more decent. Plus 300$ isnt a limitation, it can go over, Id just like it to be as close as possible.
 
The Arctic Silver is quite conductive, and knowing me and putting it on ill probably get it somewhere where i dont want to. Im just making sure I dont fry anything

--I just realized, i chose the wrong compund on Newegg...Anyways, ignore it for now then, Ill worry about ti when the time comes
 
Speedo said:
You may be able to cheap out on mobo, memory and PSU to lower the cost a bit... but it's not really a good idea.
Click to expand...
Yeah. Really bad idea. I cheaped out on the PSU and pretty much every time I started the machine I wondered if it would start properly. Cheaped out on the mother board to. Not a wise one idea there. The thing doesn't even work now.
 
stickciv said:
Well..300 is my current budget, but if i can find a job within the next week I might be able to jack up the budget to maybe 500$ which is much more decent. Plus 300$ isnt a limitation, it can go over, Id just like it to be as close as possible.
Click to expand...
My point is, a $300 computer isn't going to give you anything close to what you want. You simply can't build "high performance" for $300, or even "solid midrange budget".
 
Then stop looking at the 300$ mark and be minimalist. 300$ is only what I have at the moment, but If i get a job that might go up to 1000$ within a few months. The point is, If I have an Idea of what to get, and I see a part on sale, I would be able to buy it. I sure as heck dont plan to build the entire thing on 300$
 
Instead of buying a case, get a decent PSU and build the computer inside the motherboards cardboardbox. That way you don't have to risk getting a cheap PSU and you get a cool & unique looking rig.
 
If you are buying a retail version of a CPU it will have a heatsink with it. Don't buy the aftermarket CPU cooler. Take the money you save from that and buy a GT version of the 7600 card.

If you want it to be extremely upgradeable then you will probably want to wait until you can get SATA HD's and a MB that supports them.

Check out a website called Chiefvalue.com. Its a different storefront for Newegg. They have slightly different deals.

Core2 CPU's will be coming down in price, in a couple months, as more processors are going to be released. With good heatsinks they overclock really well.
 
The mobo i have picked out does have SATA ports, Im just gonna save money for the moment and reuse my old PATA one (its 120 gigs, I dont wanna just throw it out). The video card is also unnecessary for the time being, I only put it in there cus i wanted to compare with/without
 
stickciv said:
The mobo i have picked out does have SATA ports, Im just gonna save money for the moment and reuse my old PATA one (its 120 gigs, I dont wanna just throw it out). The video card is also unnecessary for the time being, I only put it in there cus i wanted to compare with/without
Click to expand...

What is your current video card?
 
The motherboard has PCi slots does it not? Then it will work. Sorry if I sound a little exasperated but so far this has been about finding the faults with my current system, and not so much about helping. At least thats how it is IMHO.

On a side note, does anyone know when Intel, AMD/ATi and nVidia are planning their next releases? A new set of chips could lower the price on the current ones and that would be a major help
 
nVidia has an update to the 8 series slated for April or May, the 8900GTX/GT, and they should also me releasing new budget/midrange cards in the 8 series (8600 and lower). ATI's R600 is due in May, if they don't have to delay it again.
 
Mmh, thats good, because around april/may Is when I expect ill be ordering the first parts. Maybe Ill be able to get a 7900 for quite cheap.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
curved screens
Replies
6
Views
682
Hull tyyp
H
Aiken_Drumn
Hard Drives playing silly buggers!
Replies
10
Views
916
Aiken_Drumn
Aiken_Drumn
FredLC
How to divide a quote in multiple parts in current CFC?
Replies
1
Views
413
FredLC
FredLC
L
Computer players DON'T BUILD CITIES!!!
Replies
4
Views
337
The_J
The_J
Kyriakos
Suggest specs for a new computer :)
2 3
Replies
52
Views
2K
Kaitzilla
Kaitzilla
Top Bottom