Gaming Build for $680

M

mMike01

Weaksauce
Joined
Dec 1, 2008
Messages
110
1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Gaming
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
$680 tax and shipping not included
3) Where do you live?
Pennsylvania (no newegg tax)
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. Please be very specific.
All Parts except for monitor
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Dell 22" LCD
6) Will you be overclocking?
Would like to, but not important
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
22"
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Within the next couple of weeks
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
Nothing special
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license?
No

Hi, my nephew has saved 680 dollars and would like to build a PC for gaming (i'll pay his shipping). Here is a preliminary build I put together, but I would like any and all suggestions, parts changes that would improve performance, sacrifices to get better hardware for what he wants to do, etc. withing his budget.

AMD Athlon II X4 620 Propus 2.6GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail $99
GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $79.99
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-2GBNQ - Retail $54.99
Western Digital Caviar Blue WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $69.99
XFX HD-467X-DDF2 Radeon HD 4670 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card - Retail $79.99
COOLER MASTER Centurion 590 RC-590-KKN1-GP Black SECC / ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $69.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 ... - Retail $98.99
LG DVD Burner Black SATA Model GH22NS50 - OEM $23.99
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM $104.99

Total is here is 681

Thanks in Advance
 
Do you know anyone who's a college student? If so, you can get a copy of Win 7 pro for 30 bucks.
 
suggest changes

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail and Antec NEO ECO 400C 400W Continuous Power ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail Combo $85

GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $80

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL - Retail $94

AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor Model HDZ550WFGIBOX - Retail $100

SAMSUNG CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223C - OEM $28

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $55

XFX HD-575X-ZNFC Radeon HD 5750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Retail $140

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM $105

- the higher clock and cache will make it a better cpu for gaming than athlon2 x4
- 5750 is fairly fast card for the price and has directx 11 support.
- Samsung F3 are faster drives than WD 640 GB
- Can't go wrong with 4 Gigs and 64 bit OS for gaming.
 
Thanks for the help and new build

I was reading, is it possible to unlock the two disabled core's on that chip? That'd be pretty sweet if so. I'd even buy him an aftermarket cooler if that's what I needed to unlock those cores.
 
mMike01 said:
I was reading, is it possible to unlock the two disabled core's on that chip?
Click to expand...

Supposedly you can. But it is not 100% guaranteed. In addition, you'd have to go with a different motherboard altogether, since IIRC, you need a mobo using the SB 750 to unlock the extra cores.
 
Thanks for the info. I found this board http://www.provantage.com/gigabyte-technology-ga-ma790x-ud4p~7GIG9077.htm w/ that the SB you mentioned. Seems like an older board and uses DDR2 memory.

I may be willing to spend the 20 extra bucks for him for the possibility to unlock the other 2 cores. Would it be worth it? And if it doesn't work, how will it effect pc performance as opposed to the motherboard suggested by lt_shiro?

Thanks.
 
Thanks lt_shiro, so I can stick with your original build and just buy him that cooler. In the event they don't unlock, i can probably still get a small OC w/ that HSF.

Thanks
 
That HSF has cooled my oveclocked i7 (Xeon X3440) to 59c, down from 99c! I'm running 100% load (F@H)
 
try perusing the FS/FT forum, you might be able to pick up some of the parts you are looking for at a cheaper price.
 
I'm able to get Windows 7 64 bit for 30 dollars now, so I changed the build into an i5 build. Unfortunately I lost the Case/PSU combo deal though, so i may still have to do an AMD build.

I have a Microcenter by me, so I can pick up the i5 for $150. I also had to use an "open box" motherboard, but I'm not really sure what that means. Another thing, I went 2gb of system memory because I'd like to just get the build going, he can save another 50 bucks in the next couple months and that's a really easy upgrade.

His budget is also still $680

Here's the build:

Processor I5 $149.99
Motherboard ASUS P7P55D LE LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard $94.99
Memory G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-2GBPK - Retail $53.99
Video Card XFX HD-575X-ZNFC Radeon HD 5750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Retail $140
Harddrive SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $55
Case Antec Sonata III 500 Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail $109.99
OS Windows 7 $30
DVD drive SAMSUNG CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223C - OEM $28

Thanks in advance.
 
lt_shiro, it's that Sonata + PSU good enough? Also, how about an open box item, is that not a good idea? or is stuff missing?

Thanks
 
500watt earthwatt is a solid psu, sonata isn't my cup of tea.

open box means it is used. Its just $10 more for the new one.
 
Thanks lt_shiro, I think i'm going to go w/ this motherboard instead

GIGABYTE GA-P55-UD3L LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Thanks again.
 
good choice on the mobo. i'd avoid open box items if at all possible. get this ram instead:

$55 - G.SKILL 2GB (2x1GB) DDR3-1600 F3-12800CL9D-2GBNQ

faster, nearly the same price, and lower voltage (better compatibility)
 
Thanks enginurd. Yeah, i was weary about an open box item myself.

Good suggestion w/ the RAM, will change that up.

Thanks again all.
 
I built my nephews pc last night, I'm so far pleased w/ the results and peformance. Here are a couple pics after I finished and installed DO on it. I was mistaken, he got a 17" older Dell WS LCD, but he got it for free so it's all good.

I also have one question, doesn anyone know what the TJ Max for Core i5 is? Is it 100 C like for the socket 1366 chips? I ask this because Real Temp and Core Temp are giving very low or good temp readings.

Thanks for the help everyone.

IMG_2673.jpg
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