Computer for cheap

[HackofDestruct]

Im trying to build a computer for a friend for about 350 bucks shipped, but i cant seem to do it. if anyone could put together a list of parts for around 300 that could play counter-strike pretty well, i would great appreciate it! thanks in adance!

btw, i know its not much money at all, but his hd broke on his other one, and he just wants a whole new one. so, kinda ghetto.

 

[acetic]

Including monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers?

If its including the above.. I'd say it cant be done... A monitor is what, $100? $250 to build a complete computer is... extremely low.

 

[HackofDestruct]

nah, he can use all of the old exterior stuff.

 

[scottatwittenberg]

all prices approximate

cheap case $30 w psu
abit nf7 $65
1.6 ghz duron $44
kingston or corsair value, mushkin, or crucial 3200 256mb, $45
$40-50 for the newegg special 60 gig at the time of purchase
$50 radeon 9000 pro

up to more memory if money permits..

then once he gets money, put a real psu in there


oh yeah, it needs a heat sink for the cpu...

and a refurb mobo could save some $$

 

[acetic]

Heres what I came up with:

CPU: AMD AthlonXP 2500+ Retail = $80.00
Mobo: ASRock "K7S41GX" (Video, Audio, LAN) = $48.00
RAM: Geil Value Series 512MB DDR PC-3200 = $84.00
Harddrive: SAMSUNG 80GB 7200RPM = $64.00
Optical Drive(s): SONY Beige 52x32x52 CD-RW = $28.00
Case: Linkworld ATX Tower Case, Model "3166D-C8888U"
(Beige, w/300 watt PSU) = $21.00

Total = $325

Everything is from newegg.. Might be over $350 with shipping..

Edit: Add a 9600Pro and you have a computer thats almost exactly like mine (same specs, diff. manufacturers) lol...

 

[HackofDestruct]

well, i can already give him a case, power supply, case, keyboard, and mouse. so without that stuff, anyone have any ideas? i was thinking about getting a barebones system, and then just getting the rest of the stuff.

 

[acetic]

If you have an extra case lying around, just go with the system i suggested... and take off $21 for the case. The total would then be $304.. And I gaurantee that system can play counter-strike fairly well.

 

[HackofDestruct]

thanks dude, looks like a pretty good machine there! ill prolly order it tonight. thanks again everyone

 

[scottatwittenberg]

don't buy an asrock motherboard... seriously...

get an abit, asus, msi, shuttle, gigabyte... but not ecs or asrock..

that abit nf7 will give you great overclocking options, or tweaking options for better stability..

also, acetic isn't including a video card in his estimate...

i am... you will break your budget if you get that stuff he is suggesting, and then try to buy a video card..

i forgot about the cd-rom too.. that will cost $30.. for a burner of course..

i have no idea what counter strike is.. except that its a game, so i don't know what kind of video card it requires, bu ti know for $50, a radeon 9000pro is probably the best thing you will get...

oh, and durons are not that bad... and some can me modded to be an athlon... you could get that 1.6ghz duron, overclock it to 2ghz pretty easily.. and it would proably feel every bit as fast as a stock 2500+

 

[acetic]

That motherboard has onboard video... and its perfectly fine. I have one in my other computer...

And the onboard video isn't the worst thing in the world.

ASrock may NOT be the best in the world, but their good for budgets, and that mobo also has an AGP slot, and onboard audio.

Video card can be upgraded later, and the motherboard is fine, as it sounds the person using this comp probably wont overclock.

Edit: The motherboard in the estimate overclocks my 2200+ by 300MHz all the time, no stability issues. At about a 450MHz overclock it starts to get some minor stability problems, and the heat is getting pretty high.

Edit 2: And I also think a way better processor, and twice as much RAM will make more of a difference than a low-end video card. And if the buyer wants, he can get an Abit motherboard for all $20 more.