budget build

[cerealkilla]

hey all, i need to build a budget desktop for myself because I just don't like using a laptop and i never take it anywhere anyway so it defeats the purpose of having one. My budget is anywhere from 400 to 500, depending how much I can sell my laptop for (anyone interested in buying a laptop?? lol).

i want it for multimedia functions, general use like listening to music, typing papers and having like 5 web browsers open and all that. i don't do photo or video editing. i also want to be able to game on it. nothing like crysis at full settings or anything. but if i could play stuff like assassins creed or even crysis at like medium settings, that would be awesome. i am not opposed to either AMD or intel, and i will NOT be overclocking.

thanks!!

 

[saltynay]

With that budget you WILL be overclocking the cpu its not dangerous and we can help you with all your questions. Heres a pc;

cpu: Newegg.com - Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops
mobo: Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards
Memory: Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory
psu: Newegg.com - OCZ StealthXStream OCZ500SXS 500W ATX12V / EPS12V Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies
case: Newegg.com - SIGMA PHANTOM PHANTOM-WB Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases
heatsink: Newegg.com - Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120mm "Core Contact Freezer" CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks
gfx:Newegg.com - EVGA 896-P3-1255-AR GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

After rebates it comes under budget and I actually surprised myself that is an awesome pc that should play crysis on high settings at low resolutions. I believe we might also have a contender to the title of cheapest decent case as that Sigma has better airflow than the antec 300 from stock if those fans are any good.

 

[NightSurge]

With that budget you WILL be overclocking the cpu its not dangerous and we can help you with all your questions. Heres a pc;

cpu: Newegg.com - Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops
mobo: Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards
psu: Newegg.com - OCZ StealthXStream OCZ500SXS 500W ATX12V / EPS12V Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies
case: Newegg.com - SIGMA PHANTOM PHANTOM-WB Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases
Newegg.com - Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120mm "Core Contact Freezer" CPU Cooler - CPU Fans & Heatsinks
gfx:Newegg.com - EVGA 896-P3-1255-AR GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

After rebates it comes under budget and I actually surprised myself that is an awesome pc that should play crysis on high settings at low resolutions. I believe we might also have a contender to the title of cheapest decent case as that Sigma has better airflow than the antec 300 from stock if those fans are any good.

Yeah, you only left out RAM, hard drive, optical drive, and Operating system. Plus, he probably needs a monitor, keyboard, and mouse considering that he was only using a laptop before. You will have to cut back on graphics a lot. With your budget, an HD4670 is perfect and won't drain your PSU at all, then grab a cheaper PSU with less watts, grab a cheap Pentium Dual-Core cpu, small hard drive.

Actually, you will probably be better off going AMD and getting a cheap Athlon 64 X2 CPU, same CPU heatsink, the Biostar or Foxconn 780G motherboard, that motherboard has great onboard graphics so no GPU is needed right off the bat, then pick the rest of what you would need. A good and cheap case is the Rosewill Wind Ryder ($40 and 2x 120mm fans). Basically, for the main components copy my signature build except exclude the GPU and grab a slightly cheaper PSU and you would be golden.

Though, if you need a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, your budget will have to increase a bit as that would drive the total price up at least $150-200.

 

[saltynay]

Actually I found the ram just forgot to add it
Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

I did forget about the hdd, optical and OS though been a long day but you are also making assumptions the OP has given us many details to work with. You will not find a decent psu for less then that the OCZ it is a steal. The Rosewill wind ryder has worse cooling then the SIGMA Phantom as the sigma has the linear airflow with the addition of side panel fans and with the placement of that 80mm over the PCI-e it can give fresh air to the card and stop stagnant air circulating at the base of the gfx card

 

[NightSurge]

Actually I found the ram just forgot to add it
Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

I did forget about the hdd, optical and OS though been a long day but you are also making assumptions the OP has given us many details to work with. You will not find a decent psu for less then that the OCZ it is a steal. The Rosewill wind ryder has worse cooling then the SIGMA Phantom as the sigma has the linear airflow with the addition of side panel fans and with the placement of that 80mm over the PCI-e it can give fresh air to the card and stop stagnant air circulating at the base of the gfx card

For his budget the Rosewill Wind Ryder is a perfect case (not counting MIR which it sounds like from reviews the MIR never went through on Sigma). Also, this psu is perfect for the build I suggested and again is cheaper before MIR:
Newegg.com - Antec earthwatts EA380 380W ATX12V v2.0 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

I would also go with the G. Skill PI Black RAM just because it is much cheaper before MIR. I generally try not to recommend so many parts with MIR's because many times the MIR's don't pan out, or don't for a long time, which makes them worthless. Or this RAM:
Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory
It has slightly lower timings than the PI Black editions, but really people on these forums make timings into a much bigger deal than they are. 5-5-5-15 is going to be unnoticeable difference from 4-4-4-12.

He really does need to give us a bit more information, you are right about that one, but to suggest the system you gave as a $400-500 budget system is just bat crazy. The system you gave I would have used as a $700-800 system (once ram, hdd, odd, and OS is added). I understand it's been a long day, though

 

[saltynay]

If MIR doesn't go through you can take the company to court so that doesn't matter and MIR is what makes all the difference when choosing components.

 

[NightSurge]

If MIR doesn't go through you can take the company to court so that doesn't matter and MIR is what makes all the difference when choosing components.

MIR's not going through is not worth messing with the courts. No one would actually do that because it just wouldn't be cost affective. MIR's should never be recommended over parts that are already cheaper. Cheaper NOW is better than POSSIBLY cheaper LATER. Good quality and low price + good reviews is what makes all the difference. MIR's should only ever be a possible afterthought. (for instance if your system has the Sunbeam CCF, it is the best part for the price, AND it occasionally has an MIR) If the best part for the price ALSO has an MIR, then it can be recommended, but if a more expensive part has a better price after MIR, I would never recommend that.

 

[cerealkilla]

what other information do you need? i will gladly provide it. i have the OS already. i have a hard drive from my old build and its set up as external that i can completely reuse, if i can figure out how to clean everything off of it so its like new.

and is that video card a little overkill? i dont know about the HD one, cuz i want to play some legit games but yeah.

 

[Fat.Clown]

If MIR doesn't go through you can take the company to court so that doesn't matter and MIR is what makes all the difference when choosing components.

taking them to court? seriously?

you do realize nearly all rebate forms has a line similar to:

XXX reserve the right to deny any rebates

or

XXX reserve the right to modify or withdraw this promotion

face it, not all rebates go through, and now with rebate companies filing bankruptcy, some companies back their rebates and some just flat out ignore them.


on top of all that, if buyer only have $100 in the bank, doesn't matter if the item is $101 with $100 MIR, can't afford it

 

[NightSurge]

what other information do you need? i will gladly provide it. i have the OS already. i have a hard drive from my old build and its set up as external that i can completely reuse, if i can figure out how to clean everything off of it so its like new.

and is that video card a little overkill? i dont know about the HD one, cuz i want to play some legit games but yeah.

For starters, do you need a Monitor, keyboard, and mouse?

You can use the OS and hard drive you already have. What size and type of hard drive is it (SATA or IDE)? You can format the drive when you reinstall the OS for this new build, so that is not an issue.

Also, the HD 4670 is plenty to play Call of Duty 4 with high settings at 1280x800 resolution, which is very decent for a $400-500 budget build. Answer these questions and I'll put something together for you, but if you really do need a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, I can assure you that you will need to widen your budget a bit if you want any gaming at all. A bare minimum 17" monitor + keyboard/mouse combo will run you ~$150.