$500 Build - Not Gaming Intensive

[flyboychuckles]

Hi All,

My girlfriend finally decided to get a new computer since she has a Dell Pentium 450 MHz or something like that, really really slow. She surfs the Web and downloads some music. She also bought Sims2 but that requires much higher specs than her computer has. I know I can build her a decent computer for around $500, but I'm not sure if I want to go Intel or AMD. Intel has been known for multi-tasking and AMD for gaming. It would probably be a low or mid level PCI-E graphics card. I also don't know much about Intel using DDR2 memory now.

I just want to get her a Mobo and processor that will meet her needs and last for a few years, maybe more with upgrades. I welcome any thoughts and ideas on this. Thanks.

 

[fr34ky]

Intel isnt for really for multi tasking anymore than AMD is.I think AMD is better for multitasking and cuase of price to.Umm I would go with a 754 sempron and 6100 intergrated graphics.
Mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813138266
Will play most games.Not the newest games but will play BF2 on low/med surprisingly.
CPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103606
HDD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144122
RAm:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820146846
DVD Drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827106015
Case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811119068
KInda casual and nice looking.

$378.38

You could even upgrade to 939 and still stay under budget I think.Or get another stick of 512mb ram also and that in dual channel would be nice.That is actualy a decent gaming computer to me.Even though it has intergrated GFX'S it still is a Kick A$$ gaming comp.

 

[Major Noob]

how about this sweet case? its for your girlfriend right?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811156187

 

[fr34ky]

I showed my wife that and she said it was the uglyest case let alone uglyest thing she had ever seen.

 

[fr34ky]

this one is also nice and comes with a PSU.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811164072

 

[flyboychuckles]

LMAO! Uhhh.....nice choice on the case???? Yeah maybe not pink. Yeah I think I'll lean more towards the socket 939 since there's more of a possibility of upgrading in the future. I'm hoping the prices will go down when AM2 comes out. I'd rather go a bit over $500 than under since I don't want to give a POS machine. Haha! Plus I read on IGN that Sims 3 is possibly in development. She was drooling over that one. Ah well as soon as I'm not working an 11 hr shift I'll find some parts and maybe post them here.

 

[flutterbudget]

Just a little FYI in case you don't have experience with Sims2. There's really not even any point trying to run it with even close to what they list as the minimum requirements. I had trouble getting it to run on my old 2.13 Ghz cpu and it needs a decent graphics card (must be t&l capable they list ATI Radeon 7200 as the minimum). Also from personal experience it eats RAM like crazy. Something to keep in mind if she hopes to run 3 when it comes out.

 

[devilstar187]

for what you want you should probably go with a store bought machine. its hard to undercut them for multitasking. for the gaming apps just get a nice video card and you would be fine.