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Ultra Budget Build

D

Dalemite

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
159
1) This computer will be used for browsing, Word/Excel, learning games for young children.

2) The budget is around $300 +/- $25 or so.

3) This computer will be in SE Wisconsin, budget includes taxes and shipping.

4) Mobo, RAM, CPU, HDD, optical drive, PSU and case are needed. Video card will be needed if there isn't video on the mobo.

5) No parts will be reused.

6) No overclocking.

7) Monitor is a 17" widescreen.

8) I plan on getting the parts through January.

9) I don't need any specific features on the mobo.

This is a build for my neighbors who would like to replace their old HP with a 600MHz Skt 370 Celeron running Windows ME. I'm planning on using Vista Home Basic, and the OS does not need to be factored into the budget.
 
 
Surprising what $300 can get you. I will steal some of tiraides parts hehe

Case - Antec NSK4480B w/ Earthwatts 380W for $64
http://www.provantage.com/antec-nsk4480b~7ANT9004.htm

Mobo - ASUS P5KPL-AM/PS LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard for $55 w/free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131350

Cpu - Intel Pentium E2200 Allendale 2.2GHz for $70 w/free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116063

Ram - Crucial 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 for $17 w/free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146526

HDD - Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200AAJS 320GB for $50 w/free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136098

Optical - ASUS Black 18X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA DVD-ROM Drive for $19 w/free shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135181

Total: $275 before shipping & taxes
 
Thanks for the input guys. Alot of what you guys were specing out I was looking at, but I did get some good ideas. I played with things a little more and came up with this:

LITE-ON DVD Burner
20.99 FS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106228

Western Digital 320GB HDD
49.99 FS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136098

Foxconn A74MX-K AM2+/AM2 AMD 740G
39.99 AR ($10) FS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186151

CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800
24.99 AR ($30) FS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145184

Antec NSK6580 Black/ Silver 0.8mm cold-rolled steel construction ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 430W Power Supply
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Brisbane 2.7GHz
111.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.150081

287.94 + 18.99SH - 40 = $266.93

Anyone see any issues or improvements on this?
 
When you factor in the cost of Vista Basic, none of those above builds can beat the Dell Vostro 220, IMO:
  • Core2Duo E7300 2.66GHz
  • Windows Vista Home Basic
  • 2GB Dual Channel DDR2-800
  • 16X (DVD+/-RW) Burner Drive
  • 250GB SATA
  • Integrated Video/Audio/LAN (GMA X4500HD, 5.1ch, GbLAN)
  • Dell USB Keyboard & Optical Mouse
  • Vostro 220 Mini-Tower w/ 300W PSU
$319 + tax and shipping

... but alas, its over budget. Still, not a bad deal for a decent system w/ OS included. BTW, I've purchased about half a dozen of these systems already, for fam/friends, and it works great. You can get the 19" monitor for $399, but they already have a 17" monitor, so no real need for that. The deal fluctuates every now and then, sometimes bumping the monitor all the way to 22" (got 2 w/ these :D).



If you insist on building it yourself, do you have a Fry's near you? If not, then your build looks fine, but shipping is $18+ on that case -- though still a great deal, IMO.

If you do have a Fry's near you...
Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor E5200 & ECS GF7050VT-M Motherboard $79.99
Antec Three Hundred Ultimate Gamer Case $34.99
 
First issue: Isn't this system going to be use by kids? I don't believe that you should go towards the ATX mid-tower case and microATX motherboard combination. Get something smaller, like the Antec NSK3480 (but get it from either Provantage or Buy.com).

Second, I'm not a big fan of mail-in rebates. And many people here make the mistake of thinking that those savings automatically get applied at checkout. With such a small budget as yours, I believe that you shouldn't even pay attention to MIR amounts. If anything, you should try to get as many items with free shipping as you can (as you're well aware of with the NSK6580).

For the tasks this computer is intended for, you don't need 4GB of RAM.

Here's a different setup that combines some of your ideas with some of mine:

$76 - Antec NSK3480 case with Antec Earthwatts EA380 380W PSU
$50 - Foxconn A74MX-K AMD 740G microATX motherboard (free shipping & $10 mail-in rebate)
$50 - AMD Athlon X2 5000+ AM2 dual core processor (free shipping)
$17 - Crucial 2x1GB DDR2 667 kit (free shipping)
$20 - Lite-On DH-20A4P-04 IDE DVD burner (free shipping)
$50 - Western Digital Caviar SE 320GB SATA HDD (free shipping)
=====
$263 - Subtotal (not included shipping, taxes, or rebates)
+$16 - Estimated shipping costs of NSK3480
=====
$279 - Estimated total (not including taxes or rebates)
 
enginurd said:
If you do have a Fry's near you...
Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor E5200 & ECS GF7050VT-M Motherboard $79.99
Click to expand...

Oh if only the E5200 works officially with the revision 1.0 of the GA-965P-DS3!:(
 
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