$150 challenge - mobo/cpu/ram

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paco

Gawd
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Feb 3, 2003
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Anyone up to the challenge to find me a motherboard, cpu w/cooler, ram, and video for $150?

Requirements
Dual core or better (prefer it not to be a Celeron cpu, never liked those)
1Gb RAM minimum
Motherboard - nothing special, NIC, would prefer more than 2 slots for ram.
If motherboard has AGP slots, that's fine. Otherwise if it has pci-e then a cheap video card would be needed.

I've got everything else already. This build would be for very light gaming, nothing new really, otherwise just basic processing, browsing, etc. Not even sure if it is possible. Curious to see what people can come up with. Thanks!
 
Good motherboard (Asus 785G Evo) is $85, RAM is another $55 for 2 GB DDR3 kit and CPU (Athlon2 x2 240) is another $60.
 
I'd go with this if your doing just simple stuffs..

CPU/MOBO - AMD Athlon II X2 240 2.8Ghz + ASUS M4A785-M 785G both for $111.98 w/free shipping

Mobo has onboard Radeon HD 4200 graphics

Use the heatsink that comes with the Athlon II Regor retail box

RAM - Crucial Vostro 2GB DDR2 800 for $41.99 w/free shipping

Total: $153.97 w/shipping
 
HardwareGuru said:
I'd go with this if your doing just simple stuffs..

CPU/MOBO - AMD Athlon II X2 240 2.8Ghz + ASUS M4A785-M 785G both for $111.98 w/free shipping

Mobo has onboard Radeon HD 4200 graphics

Use the heatsink that comes with the Athlon II Regor retail box

RAM - Crucial Vostro 2GB DDR2 800 for $41.99 w/free shipping

Total: $153.97 w/shipping
Click to expand...

Just to add to this great combo:get 2x1GB sticks. This will vastly improve integrated video performance, and costs only a dollar more (plus shipping):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134635


Or if you're feeling lucky, you can buy this Wintec kit for $39 with free shipping (but I've never heard of them before, so proceed at your own risk):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820161030

Trust me, it's worth going dual-channel with the beefy GPU on that 785G.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the input so far. I was looking at that Regor. Integrated video might be the way to go, then I can look at upgrading to another pci-e card later on if necessary.

Keep the suggestions coming if you have them!
 
defaultluser is right on that. Unless you buy used or really cheap generic brands.
 
HardwareGuru said:
defaultluser is right on that. Unless you buy used or really cheap generic brands.
Click to expand...

Cool. Thanks again for the suggestions. I think this upgrade will tide over until I can do a full new build next year sometime.
 
g stole my question. :mad: :p

If you're near a Fry's, and they've got a good deal goin, you can get something like an E5400 w/ G43 mobo for $80.
 
enginurd said:
g stole my question. :mad: :p

If you're near a Fry's, and they've got a good deal goin, you can get something like an E5400 w/ G43 mobo for $80.
Click to expand...


I wish I was near a Fry's. Closest one is 79 miles away. May have to make a trip there sometime.
 
Yah, was tempted by that quad deal. Board sucks though (6150), but easy to sell for $20+shipping on here or CL.

Well, without a Fry's combo deal, there's little hope of beating HG's build. ;)
 
Prices are for brand new, but sometimes they don't have any new ones left, just returned items. Whenever I run into such a situation, I buy it anyways, then try to return for replacement at another location (if it's for a client).
 
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