Help building a gaming PC

M

MasterOfPupets

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 22, 2004
Messages
235
Time to enlist the help of the price gurus here. Looking to build a new gaming PC in a few weeks. Budget would ideally be around $1000, but has to include all hardware including a monitor, keyboard, mouse, wireless adapter, ect. Won't need any software (have a copy of XP Pro sitting here.)
Biggest hope of mine is for it to be relatively future-proof for the time being. Basically, when I desice to upgrade something, I don't want to have to swap out every part besides the case (which is the situation I'm currently in, except I have no case since I just gave away the whole computer to a family member.) Any help with build would be much appreciated. I was looking at the E8400, but the cost is just really high, and to get it I'd have to downgrade other parts. On the other hand, if I went AMD I could get by cheaper, but that reduces performance drastically. On top of that, AMD has been pretty bad about releasing new processors that use the same socket configuration in the past (even though intel isn't much better.) Any help?
 
If you look aronud the forums, you should be able to find a few deals (new and used), esp on a good processor and vid card, i would recommend:

Antec 900 case - $50
Q6600 G0 - $220 fan = $30
8800 GT 512 - $215
2 gb ddr2 800 - $50
HD - <$50, unless you want a raptor or real high storage
wireless adapter - $25
DVD-RW - $30
24" Acer - $350
G5/G15 - another $100 if you want it, if not find a set for $25
Logitech 2.1 speaker s - $35

Total: $1100ish with G15/G5, but you can give and take, like scale down the monitor to a 17" - 22" and save $150 easy...

Good luck!
 
budafied said:
If you look aronud the forums, you should be able to find a few deals (new and used), esp on a good processor and vid card, i would recommend:

Antec 900 case - $50
Q6600 G0 - $220 fan = $30
8800 GT 512 - $215
2 gb ddr2 800 - $50
HD - <$50, unless you want a raptor or real high storage
wireless adapter - $25
DVD-RW - $30
24" Acer - $350
G5/G15 - another $100 if you want it, if not find a set for $25
Logitech 2.1 speaker s - $35

Total: $1100ish with G15/G5, but you can give and take, like scale down the monitor to a 17" - 22" and save $150 easy...

Good luck!
Click to expand...

looks like you forgot the mobo and PSU. that would add at least $200.
 
Mr. Stryker said:
E4500 2.2Ghz $130
Gigabyte P35-DS3L $90
4GB OCZ DDR2-800 $100
Seagate 7200.10 320GB SATA $85
Antec Solo case $80
Samsung SATA DVD burner $30
Corsair VX550W PSU $90
EVGA 8800GT 512MB $240

Acer 20" LCD $190

$1035 not counting shipping.

Use your old mouse/KB/shit until you can afford new ones.
Click to expand...

I agree with most of the list, however. Visit www.clubit.com and buy your ram from there, can save $50 or so in mail in rebates.
LCD, I would also go with a bigger setup, I think 21.622" is perfect, 20 is way too small IMO.
 
MasterOfPupets said:
On top of that, AMD has been pretty bad about releasing new processors that use the same socket configuration in the past (even though intel isn't much better.) Any help?
Click to expand...

Right now an AMD motherboard should have a longer lifespan than an Intel one. Later this year, Intel will come out with Nehalem which will be a need a new motherboard, and I think will require DDR3 memory.

AMDs next CPU design AM3 is suppose to be backwards compatible with most current motherboard with a BIOS update, and your DDR2 will also still be usable.

Might want to also start checking the deal sites to get the best prices. I now right now ClubIT has a good deal on Mobo CPU combo, and Fry's has a good deal on 4GB of memory. Newegg has a good deal on a case and powersupply.

Just from those deals:
$85.99 GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Motherboard
$71.99 E2180 CPU
$79.99 Antec NSK6580 w/ 430 watt Earth Watts PSU (w/Free Shipping)
$69.99 A-Data 4GB (2x2GB) 800MHz DDR2
 
I'm selling an 8800 GTX for $300 shipped right now. Sorry to plug my sale here, but I thought it was relevant.
 
The OP will probably need a copy of Windows, so unless he is a college student and can get it for 7 bucks, we need to figure out how to fit the 100 dollars it will cost into his budget. I think going down to 2 gigs of ram is a good start, although I would stick with Vista 64 bit (if going with vista), so ram can be added easier in the future.
 
Thanks for all the help.

Like I said in the OP, I have a copy of XP Pro sitting here I can use. If I were going with a fresh OS, I'd probably use Vista 64-bit, but as it stands I have no reason to upgrade yet.

For the computer, I've got 2 builds I put together on Newegg. One using an e8400 for about 1100 shipped and one using an X2 5000+ BE for about 900 shipped. All parts are the same between the 2 aside from the proccessor and motherboard. (I'm trying to get a wishlist up, but newegg isn't cooperating.) Is the e8400 really worth that big of a jump in price? I know it OC's extremely well, but when they're just releasing a new core architecture in 6 monthes, would I be better going cheaper now and spending the money later this year on their newest stuff?

Build:
Case- Coolermaster Centurion
Video- EVGA 8800GT
Power- XCLIO Stablepower 500W
Ram- 2Gb G-Skill DDR2-800
HDD- WD 250Gb SATA HDD
CD- Samsung Sata DVD R
Wireless- Gigabyte Wireless Adapter
Mouse- Logitech MX620
Keyboard- Logitech USB keyboard
Monitor- Hanns G 19" Widescreen LCD
Motherboard(AMD)- Biostar TF520-A2
Processor(AMD)- X2 5000+ Black Edition
Motherboard(Intel)- Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L
Processor(Intel)- E8400 Wolfdale

Cost for each, before shipping, is $1,050 for the Intel and $880 for the AMD before shipping. Any thoughts?
 
my friend has the 5000 BE. he overclocked it and gets like 30 secs in superpi mod 1m. i get 11 secs. nuff said.
 
I'd go with the Intel setup personally. I like AMD, but for a setup like this, I think the extra $ would be well worth it.

Edit: Something else to think about. A friend of mine is running a 6750 at 3.5 or 3.6 or something of the sort. I've also got a 6550 running at 3.0, so there are nice performing Intel chips that are quite inexpensive. The P35 chipset is great for making them hit those speeds too. This is on air cooling. We're both using G.Skill DDR2 1000 (which is cheap as well.)
 
Jeez guys, he's trying to build a PC with everything in for less than $1000...what the hell are you doing including $170 worth of case/PSU and quad core PCs?

Ok to keep this short...

If you want the best performance for the cheapest price, CPU wise, get an E2160 or E2180, along with a $27 Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro cooler, and overclock the thing to 3.0GHz very easily.

As for case, an Antec Sonata III is very hard to beat. Decent case, and it comes with a 500W Antec PSU...for $120. Not too shabby.

As for a mouse, get something like an MX518 or G5 over the generic Logitech mice...you won't regret it.

As for the monitor, I highly suggest you buy it locally, so that you can at least exchange it if there's a dead pixel. Also, that way you can at least try them out. Never trust newegg reviews on monitors. Try them out for yourself and see what size and manufacturer you prefer.
 
cheap x38 or p35 motherboard
E8400 core 2 duo
2x2gb DDR2 800
8800GT
Seasonic-made PSU
FW900 from Ebay (stick to crt imo, native resolutions suck)
=
WIN

Everything else is subjective and up to your tastes/budget. About the mouse, do not get any fancy expensive laser junk, Logitech went downhill after MX518 which is still their best mouse. For my money, Deathadder is the best (including the newer Razers based on the same sensor) but if you are on a budget IME 3.0 is a close second and as good as it gets under $30.
 
I'm just going to run to the store and see which mouse I like best in store. I had a MX1000 before and loved it. The size of the mouse was extremely comfortable. As for the rest I think I've got it locked in. Probably go out to the store and pick up a LCD locally rather than offline. I know Officemax has one on sale next week, and I imagine other stores will too. Other than that, the e8400 and 8800GT are pretty much decided. The rest I've been changing around. I think I've decided on the gigabyte mobo I posted earlier, and a 250GB hdd should be good for me for the time being. After that, 2gb of ram will be fine for a while, I can throw in 2 more sticks in the future.

Now I just need to wait for some eBay auctions to end and I can start ordering parts :D
 
before you buy only 2 gigs of ram, please at least check the hot deals section or some other sites like slickdeals for 4gb prices, they are REALLY low right now. Here is a 2x2gb kit for $70 http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1264468. Not all motherboards like 4 dimms and if you go the 2gb route now, you might be in trouble later.

2gb is not enough anymore I'm afraid especially if you plan on using Vista, but even in XP x64 which is my main OS I still make full use of 4gb. My Vista x64 Ultimate idles at 800+ MB of ram with just anti-virus, comodo firewall, steam, and fraps running in the system tray. This is Vlited btw and I have certain bloated services disabled (windows search, defender, etc..). Now add Firefox with a few extensions and tabs open, media player, torrent client, and then run one game, you will run out of ram very quickly and Vista will be swapping like crazy.

I would also think very very carefully before you buy a 24'' LCD and lock yourself into 1920x1200, I have a 24'' monitor and my 8800GT cannot play most games at that resolution at a framerate that is high enough for me, at least not for multiplayer. Unless 30fps and lower does not bother you, you will have to either lower settings or resolution in most games, thankfully my monitor is a CRT and it doesnt have to scale (i have to run COD4 at 1440x900 to maintain close to 100fps during firefights). A 22'' 1650x1050 monitor will be a much better choice and you should be able to run native resolution in most games (not crysis) at close to 60fps (anything more will be wasted on LCD) without killing the detail settings.
 
I'll be doing some deal shopping once I get to time to actually buy the parts, but at the moment I was just going by current market price. I know I saw the 2x2GB in the hotdeals section, but until I sell off my 360 and Wii, I won't be buying the parts. Just trying to get an idea of what I can expect to get for my money.

As for the LCDs, a 24" is basically out of the question on my budget. Looking for closer to 20" in 1440x900 or 1650x1050 depending on what I can find for a good price. 8800GT should have no problem pushing that (or if I get lucky and prices drop enough I can afford an 8800GTS 512 G92 on my budget) so I think I'll be fine there.

And I do fully plan on shopping around for the best prices. Just like I said, getting an idea of my options in my price range.
 
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