Opinions on a budget build

[DJ-CHRIS]

Okay I am doing this build for a neighbour. He does want to get in gaming, but has a very low budget. I built it so it's easily expandable to put a new PCI-E graphics card in.

CPU
AMD Athlon 3000+ Venice Retail

Motherboard
Soltek K890Pro
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=13893&vpn=SL-K890PRO-939&manufacture=SOLTEK
You Americans havnt heard of these most likely, but they seem pretty solid and cheap.

Graphics Card
eVGA 6200TC 64 / 256
It's cheapest PCI-E card, and it will run games like HL2 and Farcry fine. Only thing is that he also likes BF2, and this card struggles with it a bit

An LG DVD+\-RW burner

2x 512 Meg sticks of Samsung ram

Thermaltake TR2 w0700 power supply, 430 watts, 20+4 pins ATX 2.0

 

[Counter-Strike]

What exactly is his budget? He can't bump that up to a 6600gt?

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

Budget is like 525$ USD so no 6600GT in that build.

But, if he gets into gaming, come xmas, he can easily get a 6600GT.

 

[kmote]

how much does the 6200-whatever cost? 6600gt would be better could you cut the cost of anything else?

 

[daRcer]

how much does the 6200-whatever cost? 6600gt would be better could you cut the cost of anything else?

By the looks of it, there isn't much he can cut.

Chris, where are the hard drives? Using the old ones?

 

[idiotec]

Motherboard
Soltek K890Pro
http://www.ncix.com/products/index....ufacture=SOLTEK
You Americans havnt heard of these most likely, but they seem pretty solid and cheap.

Your right, I haven't heard of it But.....that just doesn't look that great. I guess if he never wants to OC it would be fine, but who knows, he gets this new comp and the next thing he is asking is "how do I OC this thing!" and you have to say, "well, it only has vcore to 1.55 and vdimm to 2.75 It might not even have memory dividers

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

It has divders, and more CPU voltage with a BIOS upgrade now. I really looked into this motherboard.

Most people get it 245-255 FSB no problems as well.

Their's nothing else I can cut costs on, or I would get a 6600GT, or even a 6200 non TC. However, the 6200 will play some HL2 and farcry and other games, and hopefully some low setting BF2.

EDIT: Come xmas, if he gets into gaming he can stick a 6600GT or 7600GT(X) in the computer and have some more fun.

 

[dhw200]

Does the turbo cache even make a difference? And if there is a cheaper 128 MB model, that might be better in terms of price/performance

Also, im thinking that there might be cheaper RAM than Samsung, but prices are different in Canada then they are in US.

 

[idiotec]

It has divders, and more CPU voltage with a BIOS upgrade now. I really looked into this motherboard.

Most people get it 245-255 FSB no problems as well.

Huh, not that bad...

But it better have dividers, because your not getting 245-255 FSB at 1:1 with 2.75 vdimm

 

[dhw200]

But it better have dividers, because your not getting 245-255 FSB at 1:1 with 2.75 vdimm

You could try...it would just be mad stupid