Best computer at $500?

[Ric0h]

Please help me choose one, my friend is begging me to build him one, but I don't know about this budget. I usually spend atleast 800 or more, so this is not my area.

(no monitor, OS, keyboard, motherboard and mouse)

 

[GoodNews101]

Well to help answer this what does your friend need? Can he utilize parts from an old PC like monitor, case, keyboard, mouse, etc.? Or does he basically have to start from scratch?

 

[Ric0h]

Well this is what he told me, he wants the best computer for gaming, at that budget.

He knows nothing about computers, and I know nothing about low budget components.

 

[zedman3d]

Motherboard: BIOSTAR TForce TP43D2A7 LGA 775 - $90
Newegg.com - BIOSTAR TForce TP43D2A7 LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

CPU: Intel Pentium E5200 2.5GHz Wolfdale - $85
Newegg.com - Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

Memory: G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 - $39
Newegg.com - G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

HDD: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB - $85
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives

Optical: LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X - $23
Newegg.com - LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache IDE 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - CD / DVD Burners

Video: SAPPHIRE 100255L Radeon HD 4670 512MB - $80
Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100255L Radeon HD 4670 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Case: Antec 300 ATX - $60
Newegg.com - Antec Three Hundred Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

PSU: Rosewill RP550 550W ATX V1.3 - $50
Newegg.com - Rosewill RP550 550W ATX V1.3/ EPS12V Power Supply - Power Supplies

Total: $513

Pleasure helping you.

 

[Ethan_Kaizer]

Motherboard: Biostar TForce TA780G AM2 - $80
Newegg.com - BIOSTAR TFORCE TA780G M2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ Black Edition 2.8 GHz - $77
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ Brisbane 2.8GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core black edition Processor - Processors - Desktops

Memory: Kingston 2GB DDR2 800 RAM (x 2) - $63
Newegg.com - Kingston 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

Hard Drive: Western Digital 500GB Sata HD - $70
Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives

Case: Cooler Master ATX Mid Tower Case - $50
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UB Black /Blue Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases

PSU: Antec Earthwatts 550w Crossfire - $45
Newegg.com - Antec earthwatts EA500 500W ATX12V v2.0 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

Optical: LG SATA DVD Burner with Lightscribe - $27
Newegg.com - LG Black 22X (CAV) DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X (CAV) DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner - CD / DVD Burners

GPU: Sapphire HD 4670 512mb - $80

Total: $492


(Very similar to zed's, but for that budget I would go with AMD, and 4 has 4 gb ram.)

 

[Redmo0n]

Go with Zeds if the OS is 32bit and Eathans if its 64.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

+1 for zedman3d's build. In my opinion the more powerful cpu is worth having less ram.

If you are willing to spend $4 more you could change the ram to these.

Newegg.com - WINTEC AMPX 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

 

[Hussein19891]

Woah, the Ati 4670's are being suggested now?

 

[veg1992]

Take the Intel build, that RAM you recommended is quite badly spec'ed