[SIZE=4]I just ran across this sticky on NBR.com forums. Its totally awesome, I’m going to follow that for my next build hopefully in a few months! [/SIZE]
Keep in mind this thread is only meant to be a helpful starter, not a forced buying plan!
This thread will be updated as time goes on. So, here we go. All prices assume U.S. dollars and from a site like www.newegg.com, [URL=“http://www.tigerdirect.com/”]www.tigerdirect.com, or [URL=“http://www.zipzoomfly.com/”]www.zipzoomfly.com. I am not factoring in mail-in rebates or shipping costs, because mail-in rebates change constantly. I am also not factoring one-time special prices, like a special promotion by zipzoomfly, or a combo deal from Newegg.
[SIZE=3]Extreme Budget File Storage/Server Desktop - Around $300[/SIZE]
Overall Build Strategy: Minimize prices as much as possible to accommodate multiple hard drives
MOTHERBOARD & GRAPHICS CARD - Gigabyte GA-MA69VM-S2 AM2 w/ ATI Radeon Xpress 1200[INDENT][LIST]
[]Cheap ATI/AMD motherboard comes with 4 SATA connectors and integrated Radeon Xpress 1200
[]It’s Micro ATX, not standard ATX! We’ll keep that in mind later as we buy the case
[]It only comes with 2 SATA-to-SATA connectors, so you need to buy extra cables if you want to support more than 2 hard drives
[]It doesn’t come with any molex to SATA power splitting cables, just like any other lower-end motherboard, so we will need to purchase those, as well[/LIST][/INDENT]PROCESSOR - AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ (1.9 Ghz)[INDENT][LIST]
[]Cheap 65nm dual core processor
[]Comes with a heatsink
[]Will handle any non-gaming operations with ease[/LIST][/INDENT]MEMORY - Wintec AMPO 512 MB PC4200 (DDR2-533)[INDENT][LIST]
[]Cheap
[]You won’t need more than 512 MB of RAM for file storage[/LIST][/INDENT]CASE & POWER SUPPLY - Rosewill R6422 SL Mid-Tower w/ 350 W PSU[INDENT][LIST]
[]Cheap, but price sacrifices build quality - just don’t drop or abuse it
[]Up to 7 internal expansion slots for 3.5" hard drives
[]350W PSU has 4 molex connectors, enough to power several hard drives[/LIST][/INDENT]HARD DRIVE - 2x Western Digital Caviar SE16 250 GB 7200 RPM 16 MB Cache in RAID[INDENT][LIST]
[]Western Digital makes very dependable drives
[]Cheap
[]Very stable hard drive in any RAID setup
[]Two hard drives provide 500 GB of storage … I pray you don’t need more than that[/LIST][/INDENT]OPTICAL DRIVE - Philips CD/DVD Burner[INDENT][LIST]
[]Cheap, gets the job done[/LIST][/INDENT]MONITOR - www.craigslist.com[INDENT][LIST]
[]Look through your local www.craigslist.com or newspapers for people who want to get rid of their old CRT monitors. Click on your US city/state, and then select “free” if you want to see if any free monitors are available from people in surrounding towns. You’ll get either free monitors, or if you can’t find any free ones, type “monitor” into the search bar to find dirt cheap monitor. It’s the best you’ll be able to get with a $300 budget … what, did you expect a 30" WUXGA LCD monitor with your file storage tower??[/LIST][/INDENT]CABLES - [URL=“http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812123168”]OKGEAR Molex to 2x SATA Power Splitter[INDENT][LIST]
[*]Adapts a 4-pin molex power to two SATA connectors, to handle both hard drives[/LIST][/INDENT]Total Price: $315
An extra $50-$100 gets you one of the following:[INDENT][LIST]
[]Two Western Digital 500 GB hard drives for 1 terabyte of total storage
[]An additional 512 MB stick of RAM for 1 GB total[/LIST][/INDENT][SIZE=3]Extreme Budget Gamer’s Desktop - Around $500[/SIZE]
Overall Build Strategy: Minimize prices as much as possible to accommodate higher-end processor and graphics card.
MOTHERBOARD - Abit P965 IB9[INDENT][LIST]
[]A cheap P965 motherboard that doesn’t suck!
[]No Firewire support on Rear I/O panel[/LIST][/INDENT]PROCESSOR - Intel Core 2 Duo E4300[INDENT][LIST]
[]Thought you couldn’t afford a Core 2 Duo on a budget? You’re dead wrong!
[]Very easily overclockable, with a 9X CPU multiplier, the same as the E6600, which is twice as expensive
[]Based off the Core 2 Duo architecture
[]Use the stock CPU heatsink that Intel provides in the packaging - you won’t be able to afford an aftermarket one if you want a good video card[/LIST][/INDENT]POWER SUPPLY - Dynapower EP-50X.C563-BX 500W[INDENT][LIST]
[]Dependable PSU, also comes with a 2 year warranty
[]Disgustingly cheap ($20) for such a powerful unit
[]No PCI-e connector and limited molex/SATA connectors - with 4 molex connectors, you’ll only be able to run a video card, an optical drive, and up to two hard drives[/LIST][/INDENT]GRAPHICS CARD - eVGA Nvidia Geforce 8600GTS[INDENT][LIST]
[]Bet you didn’t see this coming - an 8600GTS in a $500 computer? No, I’m not joking folks, this is what you get. $500 goes a LONG way.
[]Play any modern game at medium to high graphics
[]High GDDR3 clocks are somewhat spoiled by a 128-bit memory bus, but it is a performance video card meant for serious action. Performance approaches Geforce 7900GS speeds, a high-end graphics card from the previous generation.[/LIST][/INDENT]MEMORY - G.Skill 1GB PC5300 (DDR2-533)[INDENT][LIST]
[]DDR2 prices have plummeted since DDR3 has come out
[]1 GB of G.Skill’s dependable, lifetime warrantied RAM for $40
[]Although only 533 Mhz, it’s easily overclockable, but don’t overdo it - notice the lack of heatspreaders[/LIST][/INDENT]HARD DRIVE - Western Digital Caviar 160 GB 7200 RPM 8 MB Cache[INDENT][LIST]
[]Cheap, fast hard drive that gets the job done
[]Easy to put into a RAID format if you ever get the extra dough[/LIST][/INDENT]CASE - Rosewill R6422-P[INDENT][LIST]
[]Cheapest mid-tower case on Newegg.com
[]Buy the cheapest case possible that has decent customer satisfaction ratings - you want to pool your money to buy a decent graphics card, which is the make or break for the $500 budget[/LIST][/INDENT]OPTICAL DRIVE - Lite-On DVD/CD/DVD-RAM Combo Burner/Reader[INDENT][LIST]
[]It’s a Lite-On, so it’s dependable
[]All-in-one drive read CDs, writes CDs, reads DVDs, and writes DVDs
[]Lightscribe technology for pretty CD/DVD covers[/LIST][/INDENT]MONITOR - www.craigslist.com[INDENT][LIST]
[*]Look through your local www.craigslist.com or newspapers for people who want to get rid of their old CRT monitors. Click on your US city/state, and then select “free” if you want to see if any free monitors are available from people in surrounding towns. You’ll get either free monitors, or if you can’t find any free ones, type “monitor” into the search bar to find dirt cheap monitor. It’s the best you’ll be able to get with a $500 budget.[/LIST][/INDENT]Total Price: $530
An extra $50-$100 gets you one of the following:[INDENT][LIST]
[]AN UPGRADE TO THE 320 MB VERSION OF THE NVIDIA GEFORCE 8800GTS! The power supply I posted above will be able to support the 8800GTS - it delivers 28 amps on its 12V rail, which is enough.
[]Another 160 GB hard drive to setup a RAID array
[]Upgrade to 2 GB of RAM
[]A combo upgrade to a Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 motherboard and an [URL=“http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115015”]Intel Core 2 Duo E6320, which has a 4MB L2 cache and isn’t crippled stepping-wise like the E4300 budget line of Core 2 Duo’s.[/LIST][/INDENT][SIZE=3]Mainstream Performance Desktop - Around $1000[/SIZE]
Overall Build Strategy: Buy components that provide the best bang for the buck
MOTHERBOARD - Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R LGA775[INDENT][LIST]
[]Great overclocking and stability potential for the price
[]Inexpensive[/LIST][/INDENT]PROCESSOR - Intel Core 2 Duo E6600[INDENT][LIST]
[]9x CPU multiplier means excellent overclockability
[]Native dual core stock speed of 2.4 Ghz is smoking
[]With price cuts, the E6600 is THE best bang for buck processor[/LIST][/INDENT]GRAPHICS CARD - eVGA Nvidia Geforce 8800GTS (320MB)[INDENT][LIST]
[]THE best bang for buck video card in existence
[]320 MB GDDR3 video memory and DX10 compliance means survivability in the medium term
[]Plays anything on the market at higher settings at lower resolutions (WSXGA+ or less)
[]Unhappy with the performance of your graphics card? Upgrade to the 8800GTX with eVGA’s Step-Up program![/LIST][/INDENT]POWER SUPPLY - Antec SmartPower SP-500 (500W)[INDENT][LIST]
[]Antec is very well-regarded as a power supply manufacturer - this is one of the most popular PSUs on the market
[]12V rails provide 36 amps total, enough to power the 8800GTS and all your components and planned expansions
[]Plenty of connectors and cables for long-term expansion[/LIST][/INDENT]MEMORY - G.Skill 2GB PC6400 (DDR2-800) RAM[INDENT][LIST]
[]EXCELLENT memory clocks: 4-4-3-5
[]Very stable overclocker - go to 1066 Mhz with ease
[]Cheap … very cheap
[]G.Skill provides a lifetime warranty and is very, very dependable[/LIST][/INDENT]HARD DRIVE - Western Digital Caviar 250 GB 7200 RPM 16 MB Cache [INDENT][LIST]
[]Western Digital makes very dependable drives
[]Cheap
[]Very stable hard drive in any RAID setup[/LIST][/INDENT]CPU HEATSINK - Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro[INDENT][LIST]
[]One of the best bang-for-buck CPU heatsinks - performs very well for the money[/LIST][/INDENT]OPTICAL DRIVE - Lite-On DVD/CD/DVD-RAM Combo Burner/Reader[INDENT][LIST]
[]It’s a Lite-On, so it’s dependable
[]All-in-one drive read CDs, writes CDs, reads DVDs, and writes DVDs
[]Lightscribe technology for pretty CD/DVD covers[/LIST][/INDENT]CASE - Cooler Master Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP [INDENT][LIST]
[]Cheap case with good airflow
[]Doesn’t look like a brick
[]Plenty of interior room for expansion, won’t cramp the 8800GTS[/LIST][/INDENT]MONITOR - www.craigslist.com[INDENT][LIST]
[]Look through your local www.craigslist.com or newspapers for people who want to get rid of their old CRT monitors. Click on your US city/state, and then select “free” if you want to see if any free monitors are available from people in surrounding towns. You’ll get either free monitors, or if you can’t find any free ones, type “monitor” into the search bar to find dirt cheap monitor.
[]Unfortunately, at even this price point, there are so many things to improve that a monitor is the last thing I would even think about upgrading. CRT, LCD, that really doesn’t matter if the graphics card, or processor, or RAM are subpar. Maybe in a few months, after you’ve gotten some more cash, you can buy that nice 20" LCD. But for now, put your money into better components in the interior of your computer.[/LIST][/INDENT]Total Price: $995
An extra $60-$100 gets you one of the following:[INDENT][LIST]
[]Another 250 GB hard drive to setup a RAID array
[]An Nvidia Geforce 8800GTS 640 MB version for futureproofing
[*]An upgrade to the Antec 900 or [URL=“http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129154”]Antec P180 cases[/LIST][/INDENT][SIZE=3]Mainstream Gamer’s Desktop - Around $1500[/SIZE]
Overall Build Strategy: Diversify and upgrade to more powerful components for necessary parts - power supplies, monitors, video cards, cases, heatsinks, etc.
MOTHERBOARD - Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R LGA775[INDENT][LIST]
[]Great overclocking and stability potential for the price
[]Inexpensive[/LIST][/INDENT]PROCESSOR - Intel Core 2 Duo Q6600[INDENT][LIST]
[]Quad-core!
[]9x CPU multiplier means excellent overclockability
[]Native dual core stock speed of 2.4 Ghz is smoking
[]With price cuts, you get the Q6600 for a great price, just a little over $300[/LIST][/INDENT]VIDEO CARD - eVGA Nvidia 8800GTS 320 MB[INDENT][LIST]
[]One of the best video cards on the market for the price
[]320 MB GDDR3 video memory and DX10 compliance means survivability in the long term
[]Plays anything on the market at high settings
[]Unhappy with the performance of your graphics card? Upgrade to the 8800GTX with eVGA’s Step-Up program![/LIST][/INDENT]POWER SUPPLY - OCZ GameXStream 600W[INDENT][LIST]
[]Enough power and amps to support the 8800GTS, multiple hard drives/optical drives, and overclocked components
[]OCZ is well-known for its fantastic PSU customer service
[]Very long connectors, so you can get to hard-to-reach places at the corners of your case
[]Many cables, means lots of room to expand in the long-term[/LIST][/INDENT]MEMORY - G.Skill 2GB PC6400 (DDR2-800) RAM[INDENT][LIST]
[]EXCELLENT memory clocks: 4-4-3-5
[]Very stable overclocker - go to 1066 Mhz with ease
[]Cheap … very cheap
[]G.Skill provides a lifetime warranty and is very, very dependable[/LIST][/INDENT]HARD DRIVE - Western Digital Caviar 250 GB 7200 RPM 16 MB Cache [INDENT][LIST]
[]Western Digital makes very dependable drives
[]Cheap
[]Very stable hard drive in any RAID setup[/LIST][/INDENT]CPU COOLER - Tuniq Tower 120[INDENT][LIST]
[]One of the very best CPU coolers on the market
[]Overclock with no worries. The E6600 will reach 3.0 Ghz easily. It’s theoretically possible to push it to 3.6 Ghz on this cooler. Overclock at your own risk; don’t forget Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound.[/LIST][/INDENT]CASE - Antec P180[INDENT][LIST]
[]Great looking case for a great price
[]One of the best cooling solutions on the market (doesn’t look like it from the outside, but its design gets the job done)
[]Comes with three high-speed 120mm fans, with mounting holes for 2 more[/LIST][/INDENT]OPTICAL DRIVE - Lite-On DVD/CD/DVD-RAM Combo Burner/Reader[INDENT][LIST]
[]It’s a Lite-On, so it’s dependable
[]All-in-one drive read CDs, writes CDs, reads DVDs, and writes DVDs
[]Lightscribe technology for pretty CD/DVD covers[/LIST][/INDENT]LCD MONITOR - Samsung 20" 206BW (WSXGA+)[INDENT][LIST]
[]Response time of 2ms means no ghosting during gaming!
[]WSXGA+ (1680x1050) resolution is the best you can get on a 20" screen
[]Really pretty … really, really pretty
[*]DVI gives better picture quality than VGA[/LIST][/INDENT]Total Price: $1530
An extra $60-$100 gets you one of the following:[INDENT][LIST]
[]Another 250 GB hard drive to setup a RAID array
[]Another 2 GB of RAM
[]A 22" Samsung 226BW monitor instead of a 20" 206BW
[]An Nvidia Geforce 8800GTX (might go slightly over $100)[/LIST][SIZE=3][COLOR=Red]I seriously suggest that you all check out the actual thread here as well!
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Theros[/COLOR]
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