Budget Research Build

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GammaLyra

n00b
Joined
Jul 20, 2009
Messages
7
Thanks in advance for any advice you all can provide!

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc

It will be a college research PC. We'll be doing astronomical image processing, mathematical modeling, word processing, etc. Note that the astronomy work we'll be doing is not graphics intensive.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?

I hope not to exceed $600 (before shipping).

3) Where do you live?

Portland, OR.

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. Please be very specific.

Everything.

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.

Not reusing anything.

6) Will you be overclocking?

Unlikely; we don't require the ability to do so.

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?

A nice, cheap display around 20" or 21" will be fine.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?

ASAP - I'd like to order everything by tomorrow.

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.

Nothing unusual. Crossfire/SLI doesn't matter. Having RAID and Firewire would be nice, but are not required.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?

We already have XP/Win 7.

Thanks again for your input. Ultimately we want a budget all-around PC. I initially wanted to do an i5/i7 build, but that doesn't fit our budget. So, I'm looking at either an old Intel build or an AMD build. I've selected the latter. Here is what I have so far:

• CPU: AMD Athlon II X2 245 Regor 2.9GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADX245OCGQBOX -
$58.99
• Mobo: BIOSTAR A770E3 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - $59.99
• Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory - $108.99
• GPU: XFX HD-485X-ZNFC Radeon HD 4850 1GB 256-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - $109.99
• HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive - $54.99 ($15 off with a promotional code)
• Monitor: Hanns•G HH201HPB Black 20" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor - $119.99
• PSU: APEVIA ATX-JV650W 650W Power Supply - $29.99 (after $25 mail-in rebate)
• Case: GIGABYTE gz-ph2a3 Black SGCC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $17.99
• Optical drive: LITE-ON DVD Writer - Bulk - Black SATA Model iHAS224-06 LightScribe Support - OEM - $19.99
• Keyboard: Rosewill RK-7310 Black USB Wired Super Slim Multimedia Keyboard - $11.99
• Mouse: Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse - Black - OEM - $10.99
 
I believe the 500 gb version of that hd is faster: you might also check out the 500 gb samsung f3's.

I would reconsider your psu choice (look at the 380watt Antec earthwatts, for example, or a 400w corsair).

I haven't seen that case, but I suspect it may be a POS - check out Danny Bui's list of recommended cases for something better.

Finally, I generally recommend against all things Rosewill: their products are categorically cheap and flimsy. Spend a few bucks more and get a standard logitech or microsoft kb.

Good luck!
 
That's a pretty bad build so far:
- Overkill video card
- Shitty PSU

Here's what I'd recommend:
$140 - AMD Athlon II X4 635 CPU + BIOSTAR A785G3 AM3 AMD 785G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
$110 - G.Skill Ripjaw Series F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL 2 x 2GB DDR3 1600 RAM
$50 - XFX HD-545X-YNH2 Radeon HD 5450 512MB PCI-E Video Card
$56 - Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$20 - Lite-On iHAS224-06 DVD Burner
$50 - Corsair 400CX 400W PSU
$40 - Cooler Master Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$120 - Hanns•G HH201HPB Black 20" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor
$11 - Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse
$12 - Rosewill RK-7310 Black USB Wired Super Slim Multimedia Keyboard
---
Total: $609 plus tax and shipping

- Faster CPU
- Significantly better quality PSU
- Faster hard drive
- Better cooling and quality case
- More suitable video card
 
Danny Bui said:
That's a pretty bad build so far:
- Overkill video card
- Shitty PSU

Here's what I'd recommend:
$140 - AMD Athlon II X4 635 CPU + BIOSTAR A785G3 AM3 AMD 785G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
$110 - G.Skill Ripjaw Series F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL 2 x 2GB DDR3 1600 RAM
$50 - XFX HD-545X-YNH2 Radeon HD 5450 512MB PCI-E Video Card
$56 - Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$20 - Lite-On iHAS224-06 DVD Burner
$50 - Corsair 400CX 400W PSU
$40 - Cooler Master Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$120 - Hanns•G HH201HPB Black 20" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor
$11 - Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse
$12 - Rosewill RK-7310 Black USB Wired Super Slim Multimedia Keyboard
---
Total: $609 plus tax and shipping

- Faster CPU
- Significantly better quality PSU
- Faster hard drive
- Better cooling and quality case
- More suitable video card
Click to expand...

+1. Though I would still get a different kb...
 
Danny Bui said:
That's a pretty bad build so far:
- Overkill video card
- Shitty PSU

Here's what I'd recommend:
$140 - AMD Athlon II X4 635 CPU + BIOSTAR A785G3 AM3 AMD 785G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
$110 - G.Skill Ripjaw Series F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL 2 x 2GB DDR3 1600 RAM
$50 - XFX HD-545X-YNH2 Radeon HD 5450 512MB PCI-E Video Card
$56 - Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$20 - Lite-On iHAS224-06 DVD Burner
$50 - Corsair 400CX 400W PSU
$40 - Cooler Master Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$120 - Hanns•G HH201HPB Black 20" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor
$11 - Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse
$12 - Rosewill RK-7310 Black USB Wired Super Slim Multimedia Keyboard
---
Total: $609 plus tax and shipping

- Faster CPU
- Significantly better quality PSU
- Faster hard drive
- Better cooling and quality case
- More suitable video card
Click to expand...

If the research isn't graphics intensive, then he could just use the onboard video with the 785G chipset and drop the video card. He could either save the $50 from the video card or use the money to get a faster processor like the Phenom II X4 945 Deneb that is 3GHz and has a 6MB cache.
 
Danny Bui said:
That's a pretty bad build so far:
- Overkill video card
- Shitty PSU

Here's what I'd recommend:
$140 - AMD Athlon II X4 635 CPU + BIOSTAR A785G3 AM3 AMD 785G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
$110 - G.Skill Ripjaw Series F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL 2 x 2GB DDR3 1600 RAM
$50 - XFX HD-545X-YNH2 Radeon HD 5450 512MB PCI-E Video Card
$56 - Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$20 - Lite-On iHAS224-06 DVD Burner
$50 - Corsair 400CX 400W PSU
$40 - Cooler Master Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$120 - Hanns•G HH201HPB Black 20" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor
$11 - Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse
$12 - Rosewill RK-7310 Black USB Wired Super Slim Multimedia Keyboard
---
Total: $609 plus tax and shipping

- Faster CPU
- Significantly better quality PSU
- Faster hard drive
- Better cooling and quality case
- More suitable video card
Click to expand...

I don't see the need for the video card. 785g onboard should be plenty fine (its good for everything but gaming, including playback and flash games). Use that money saved for a bigger monitor. The phenom II would be slight overkill, the athlon x4 should be plenty.

Also consider this combo Case + DVD Drive.
Antec NSK 4482 w/ antec earthwatts 380w + LG DVD Burner
There has been some bad things said about that DVD burner but if you notice you get it free and actually save a few $$ off the case, so its a win-win.
 
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