$800 Gaming System for my friend.

DeChache

DeChache

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Oct 30, 2005
Messages
7,087
My roommate has enlisted my help to build a new gaming machine on a $800 dollar budget for the stack. We will prob start building when I get back from vacation on the 17th.

He's not looking for a uber machine he just wants a competent machine that will play current games and will be able to be upgraded to play newer games. He's a casual gamer he actually would be content with his X600 powered laptop if it had shader 3.0 support.

This is what I'm looking at he wants AMD so please no C2D pwns AMD and all that crap. I know that he knows that but he wants AMD so its going to be X2 based. I just want opinions on ways to get more bang for his buck right now. I have what I think to be a good system but I want second opinions.

Heres what I'm thinking

CPU AMD 4600 + 65 Watt $114.99
RAM GSkill 2 Gigs $83.99
MOBO Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe $129.99
Hard Drive Seagate 7200.10 250 Gig $69.99
PSU XCLIO Goodpower 500 watt $49.99
Case Cooler Master Elite 330 $39.99
Vid Card EVGA 8800 GTS 320 $289.99
DVD Burner Lite On DVD burner $27.99

For a grand total of $806.92

Any opinions on where I can improve and once again please no C2D suggestion he doesn't want Intel I have told him and will prob try one more time but he doesn't want it.

Thanks
 
I recomend a Core 2 rig based on the P35 chipset or Nvidia 650. Even get a 4300 if you must.
 
Vengance_01 said:
I recomend a Core 2 rig based on the P35 chipset or Nvidia 650. Even get a 4300 if you must.
Click to expand...

I've tried and he's stead fast on AMD and I refuse to base a Intel build on a non Intel chipset.

I'm also guessing at stock a 4600+ will be equal or a little faster than a 4300.
 
I say this everywhere, but, depending on resolution, waiting for a deal on a 640MB GTS might be well worth while.
 
C2D has proven to be cheap and highly overclockable.

If he wants AMD, oh well...:rolleyes:

I think its a wrong decision...
 
Warl0rd said:
C2D has proven to be cheap and highly overclockable.

If he wants AMD, oh well...:rolleyes:

I think its a wrong decision...
Click to expand...

Not to be rude but thanks for the contribution.:mad: Do a little reading when not overclocking AMD is the better bang for the buck but if overclocking C2D all the way. My roommate isn't about pure performance he just wants it to work and be nice a stable. I really don't want the headache of a OC machine in the hands of someone who doesn't know how to maintain it.

He's computer savy but he's no enthusist.


I think I'm going to make the Mobo change but I'm not sure what going to a 4800+ will net me. The only 4800+ I can find in AM2 is a Brisbane and I don' think the extra 100 Mhz is worth the money.
 
I'm just trying to say that with a C2D you can easily get up 800MHz with stock cooling and at default voltages. It will remain stable. You can still use the EIST and C1E to keep the processor underclocked (saving power and keeping it even fresh) when your browsing and don't need the power. I know you have similar features for AMD, i'm just thinking that he might not need the extra power now, but in 1 or 2y he might need it and then you can overclock it or buy a quad core and stick it on the same mobo.

For some reason most of the ppl around here are getting or already have C2D...
 
Ehh just leave it be. If his friend wants AMD, let him have AMD. It's not our money or our PC, so let the man have his AMD CPU. Yeah don't bother going up to a 4800. The 4600 will suffice.
 
DeChache said:
I think I'm going to make the Mobo change but I'm not sure what going to a 4800+ will net me. The only 4800+ I can find in AM2 is a Brisbane and I don' think the extra 100 Mhz is worth the money.
Click to expand...

To which? The M2N-E? don't do it. Read the thread on it over at anandtech forums. It had many problems... though, they may be fixed by now, so check it out.
 
Drop the video card down to the x1950Pro. It's the best bang for your buck DX9 out right now:

Sapphire 100176L Radeon X1950PRO 256MB PCI-E Video Card - $146

If your friend isn't planning to upgrade for a few years, then I suggest this DX10 card:
MSI NX8600GTS-T2D256E-OC GeForce 8600GTS 256MB PCI-E Video Card - $169

Before anyone says anything, the 8600GTS is just in case his friend doesn't like to upgrade his video card every year or two. Also, the 8600GTS does beat the x1950Pro if it's an overclocked version and the 8600GTS I recommended above is an overclocked 8600GTS.

Anyway if your friend plans to upgrade every once in a while, get the x1950Pro. If he doesn't plan to upgrade once in a while, then get the 8600GTS as it is a DX10 card and it may be mainstream in another year or two. The 8600GTs does offer some decent DX9 performance just in case.
 
The E6320 is nice, but for a budget system, the E4300 is nicer. Its easier to OC, and its cheaper. It may not reach as high in OC'ing, support virtualization, nor have a 4MB cache, but none of that really matters much. The E4300 can easily reach 3Ghz, which is a 67% OC! The 4MB cache only improves performance as much as 5% -- maybe more now, but not really worth the extra money if you're on a tight budget.

E6320: 7 * 266 = 1.8Ghz, DDR2-533 << stock
E6320: 7 * 400 = 2.8Ghz, DDR2-800 << typical OC with stock cooling

E4300: 9 * 200 = 1.8Ghz, DDR2-400 << stock
E4300: 9 * 333 = 3.0Ghz, DDR2-667 << typical OC with stock cooling

http://anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=2903

If he's not gonna get into OC'ing, stick with the AM2 setup you had, previously. The Brisbane cores run cooler because they consume less power, and they also have more OC potential than their predecessors. WIth AMD's new pricing, their chips aren't as much a waste of money as they used to be, lol. He'll be getting what he pays for. Either way, he'll still get a good performing system.
 
Thanks enginurd you confirmed alot of my thoughts in your post. On which CPU choice. I think I'm going to go with the AMD route. I like the flexiblity that build gave me my Intel just doesn't have the right feeling to it.
 
Warl0rd said:
Same TDP as the E4300.
Click to expand...

Would you get off the All Praise the Almighty Intel Kick. We all know the virtues of the C2D but sometimes things besides pure performance weigh in.


It may the same TDP at stock but once you start OC that goes out the window and a E4300 can't keep up with 4600+ at stock.
 
Have you and your friend decided on which video card to get?
 
We are thinking one of the OC 8600GTSs is going to fit the bill nicley. He wants to be able to play just about any game that comes out for the next two years so the one of the 8 series cards I think is going to be the best bet and the OC 8600GTS trade blows with the 1950pro from the [H]ard review so I'm thinking that will be the best choice.
 
DeChache said:
I'm not sure what going to a 4800+ will net me. The only 4800+ I can find in AM2 is a Brisbane and I don' think the extra 100 Mhz is worth the money.
Click to expand...

enginurd said:
The Brisbane cores run cooler because they consume less power, and they also have more OC potential than their predecessors.
Click to expand...

Warl0rd said:
Same TDP as the E4300.
Click to expand...

Right. I was talking about brisbane core X2 CPUs and non-brisbane core X2 CPUs. Also, clock for clock, brisbanes are a tad slower than their predecessors. Which is why I suggested to stay with the config he previously posted.

Get the non OC'd version and OC it yourself. Oh wait, does he not like to OC vidcards either? hehe... in which case, yah, go for it. Though, for the extra money, the 8800GTS 320MB would be nice, especially since he won't be buying a new card for the next few years.
 
enginurd said:
Get the non OC'd version and OC it yourself. Oh wait, does he not like to OC vidcards either? hehe... in which case, yah, go for it. Though, for the extra money, the 8800GTS 320MB would be nice, especially since he won't be buying a new card for the next few years.
Click to expand...

Thats the plan the 8800GTS 320 and the X2 is the plan right now but it all comes down to what the final budget is going to be its still a little iffy it all comes down to how much his cars ends up costing. I'm hoping to get him a 8800GTS but at its at least its going to be a 8600GTS.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top