System build for my cousins.

C

Chelica

2[H]4U
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Aug 8, 2003
Messages
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Hey guys, I was wondering if I can get some help. Been a while since I purchased cheap components so I was wondering if there are anything worth getting for a low price point. I need a new system part list from the Egg most likely. The budget is $500 shipped, no more than that since I am already spotting half of it for my little cousins. With my work and school schedule I barely have time to browse the net for parts and etc. So if you guys can help me out, I truly will appreciate this.

Looking for a full system set including the case. I would like an Antec since they are pretty cheap and their PSU are awesome. A DVD burner, at least 80GB hard drive and 512MB of DDR Ram PC3200. Now for the CPU/Mobo combo, I am trying to match something near the 2.8GHz P4 so depending on the setup, either a 2.8 P4 or an AMD that performs like a 2.8. I got the Video card covered, but I will be using an onboard Audio. Leave me $50 bucks for speakers, mouse and keyboard, so the real budget is $450 shipped.

Let me know what you guys can come up with while I see the posts made here regarding cheap builds.

Thanks!!!
 
No overclocking. They are going to be pretty far away from me so I do not want to be driving there every week or so. Something steady and reliable.

They do not game. Mostly Harry Potter and the likes.
 
http://secure.newegg.com/app/WishR.asp?ID=1369452

heres a quick run down of this suggestion

2800+ athlon xp cpu with speeze cooler
msi nforce2 board with integrated gfx
512mb corsair value select ram
80gb wd hdd with 8mb cache
16x nec dvd burner
floppy
antec case with 350w psu

though a 2500+ barton with a biostar board would be better since it can overclock, with this you wont be overclocking.

if you can afford to pay a little bit more you can have a 2800+ athlon64 based setup
 
Thanks heero. The video card that I am planning on giving them is my old GeForce2 MX400. Scratch out the floppy drive and upgrade the case to SLK1650B. Man, Newegg took out their cheap prices for shipping cases.

So this board you recommend M7NCD PRO? How is the audio? I am a fan of Abit, Asus, Shuttle, and DFI. Not liking MSI for sure. I want good onboard audio tho. Not excellent but good enough so that it does not stutter like the onboard on the old 845 Intel Chipset.

Here is the revision of your advice:
o BIOSTAR "M7NCD PRO" nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU -RETAIL $55 Shipped
o AMD Athlon XP 2800+ "Barton", 333MHz FSB, 512K Cache Processor – OEM $94 Shipped
o Masscool "FalconRock" CPU Cooler for Socket A/ 370 Model "5F286B" –RETAIL $15 Shipped
o Antec Black ATX Mini Tower PC Case with 350W Power Supply, Model "SLK1650B" – Retail $76 Shipped
o Western Digital Special Edition 80GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD800JB, OEM Drive Only $65 Shipped
o Corsair Value Select 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 – Retail $62 Shipped
o NEC 16X Double Layer DVD±RW Drive, Black, Model ND-3520A BK, OEM $60 Shipped
o GeForce2 MX400 AGP Video Card FREE

With an extra $30 bucks to spend, what can I upgrade from this list?
 
I have extra fans. What I meant was, can I use that $30 bucks to get a better CPU or something...
 
with $30 you could upgrade to a athlon64 which will last longer.

take out:
o BIOSTAR "M7NCD PRO" nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU -RETAIL $55 Shipped
o AMD Athlon XP 2800+ "Barton", 333MHz FSB, 512K Cache Processor – OEM $94 Shipped
o Masscool "FalconRock" CPU Cooler for Socket A/ 370 Model "5F286B" –RETAIL $15 Shipped

add:
o AMD Athlon 64 2800+, 512KB L2 Cache, 64-bit Processor - Retail $120

o EPoX "EP-8KDA3J" nForce3-250Gb Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket 754 CPU -RETAIL $70
or
o CHAINTECH nForce3 250 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket 754 Athlon 64 CPU, Model "VNF3-250" -RETAIL $74
or
o SOLTEK "SL-K8AN2E-GR" NVIDIA nForce3 250Gb Chipset Motherboard For AMD Socket 754 CPU -RETAIL $85

its in order of my preference. i know theyre exactly the brands youre used to but the reviews for them are pretty good. if you can afford it, the dfi board is $99 and would be the best board you can get for socket 754. im considering getting a 2800+ a64 with the epox motherboard myself. as for the stuttering sound issue in the intel 845 i never heard it in my cousin's motherboard so i cant really comment on that. could it have been a bad motherboard? the sound on motherboards lately have been pretty good.
 
Or you could go with a Barton 2500+ that turns into a 3200+ just by upping the FSB. Yeah, you don't want to oc, but it's the same chip, and this is the easiest and most reliable overclock you can do. Been running this for ~two years with no issues.
 
Yea, I got an AMD OCed setup for my girlfriend and it blows my rig out of the water for a lot less money.

But performance wise, an AMD 2800+ is almost the same as an Intel P4 2.8Ghz?
 
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