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Value build for gaming ?

Y

yangp1127

Weaksauce
Joined
Nov 9, 2007
Messages
68
Guys, my current setup with which i play TF2 is :
DELL box :D w/ P4 2.4Ghz..
1.5gig ram...
ATI 850XT, some 80gig hd & etc....

havnt build anything intel since college...now i'm in grad school doing a PhD in neurosci...havnt followed the [H] forum in a long long time....was wondering whats the current value setup that people can recommend that costs around 800 bucks or so ? we grad students dont get paid alot hehehe... thanks !

d
 
AGP or PCI-e?

Mobo?

PSU?

Just need to know because there are power requirements for a good GPU, along with certain mobos taking certain P4s...
 
first question is how long do u plan it to keep it? are u planning to upgrade often? this is a good time to buy sort of, because u get the best of the 65nm core 2s at a good price, but then again penryn is just around the corner. depending on how often u upgrade and how long u can wait on the new build is very important in determining the right system. =)
 
My advice when building a new system is "never wait." There will always be something right around the corner. Who cares? You could wait and save money, or you could own something worthwhile right now.

So, your best bet is:

Q6600
8800GT
2 or 4 GB RAM, depending if you use Vista64
P35 mainboard
Corsair HX PSU
 
Q6600
8800GT
2 or 4 GB RAM, depending if you use Vista64
P35 mainboard
Corsair HX PSU
Click to expand...

Haha, you just outlined my system. If you have the budget I would definitely recommend going this route. This system will handle almost anything you can think of doing with it, and will continue to do so for a while to come.
 
buffbiff21 said:
My advice when building a new system is "never wait." There will always be something right around the corner. Who cares? You could wait and save money, or you could own something worthwhile right now.

So, your best bet is:

Q6600
8800GT
2 or 4 GB RAM, depending if you use Vista64
P35 mainboard
Corsair HX PSU
Click to expand...

Thats pretty much what I would recommend, something along those lines. But it might be out of his $800 budget. :(

Yang, do you need a new monitor? Win XP ? etc?

Newegg said:
1 SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black PATA Model SH-S202G - OEM
Item #: N82E16827151151
$27.99

1 LIAN LI PC-7B plus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Item #: N82E16811112099
$79.99

1 Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Item #: N82E16822136075
$49.99

1 Leadtek PX8800GT 512MB Standard GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814122040
$279.99

1 XCLIO GOODPOWER 500W ATX 500W Power Supply - Retail
Item #: N82E16817189005
$59.99

1 G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL4D-2GBPK - Retail
Item #: N82E16820231087
$64.99

1 ABIT IP35-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813127031
$89.99

1 Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 Allendale 2.4GHz LGA 775 65W Processor Model BX80557E4600 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819115032
$149.99

1 Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2B 1 Pack - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116056
$89.99

Subtotal: $892.91

Shipping: $17.34

Grand Total: $910.25
Click to expand...

Went with an e4600, b/c couldn't afford the Q6600 on the budget. Figure you can use an overclocked dual core for a few months or more, then when the mainstream 45nm quads come out and drop in price you can always upgrade the CPU later. But really dual-core should be plenty for 95% of things now.

And if $900 is still too much for the system, you could save $60, by getting an E2180 2.0Ghz dual-core CPU for $90.
Either chip should hit 3Ghz with out too much fuss, and game well for you. And like I said, you can go quad in a few months for cheap.
 
Does the $800 include a monitor? How about an OS?

You should be able to build a decent system for that price with a good amount of memory if you don't mind overclocking. This is around $800 (most of the prices are from newegg, except if newegg didn't have an item in stock):

$ 90 Case/PSU
$180 retail E6320 (4MB L2, 1066MHz FSB)
$90-$110 G33 motherboard
$120 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2-800 kit http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231122
$ 85 Seagate 320GB 7200.10 SATA hard drive
$ 30 20x DVD-RW SATA
$220 HD 3870 (when they get back in stock, or spend a little more if you find an 8800GT on sale)

You could of course find a cheaper parts if you shop around, especially the case & PSU. The E6320 CPU will need a 428MHz FSB to reach 3GHz, so it might be better to shift a little money towards a faster CPU. For $15 more, an E6420 only needs 374MHz FSB, something even my cheap-o $90 Abit AB9 Pro can do. :p
 
wow, thanks for all these replies heheh, everyones so helpful & pc savvy hehe....with the 800 bucks or so, i'm plannin on buying everythin but the LCD monitor & OS...i still have my XP professional...and my trusty old samsung syncmaster 15' :-(.... after this upgrade, i prob wont be buying any more CPU & GPU upgrades for at least another few years, considering i 've held out this long with my P4 2.4g & ATI 850xt..... so u guys think i should wait till like Jan for the expected price drop ? thx for all the tips !! btw if anyone wondering about like grad school in molecular biology or med school stuff , ask me !
 
@ pxc

Why recommend those the E6320/E6420 when the E6550/E6750 are around the same price and can OC higher?

I say now is a good time as any to build a new PC.

Since you have a 15" monitor, then 8800GT is a bit overkill then.

Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 CPU - $122
Abit IP35-E Intel P35 Motherboard - $90
G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ 2 x 1GB DDR2 800 RAM - $55
VisionTek Radeon HD 3870 512MB PCI-E Video Card - $209 (From Dell)
Western Digital WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $75
Samsung SH-203B 20X DVD±R SATA DVD Burner - $34
Antec Sonata III ATX Case - $114
----
Total: $699

Now normally, the PSU that comes with a case is shitty but the Antec 500W Earthwatts PSU is actually a pretty decent and well built PSU. It's also 80+ efficient so it's an energy efficient PSU.

For a 15", the 3870 is overkill but since you don't upgrade for long periods of time, then it's best to get a good card now that'll give you good performance with your monitor for a few years.

You maybe wondering why there's still some room left in your budget. Is your copy of XP OEM or Retail? and by OEM I mean it came pre-installed on your Dell system? If you're planning on moving your copy of XP from your Dell, you can't since that OS key is an OEM key. XP OEM basically means that the key lives and dies with the PC it was first installed on. Meaning that you can't use it on another PC.

So in case your copy of XP is OEM, I recommend going with Vista now. It's pretty stable and it's actually a pretty decent OS now. Check to see if your university offers XP or Vista at a huge discount in it's bookstore or whatever.

However if you XP key is a retail version, up the CPU to the E6750 for $189 and if you can get/find/steal an 8800GT for around $250 to $260, and the build list I made should last you for quite awhile.
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 CPU - $189
 
Danny Bui said:
@ pxc

Why recommend those the E6320/E6420 when the E6550/E6750 are around the same price and can OC higher?

I say now is a good time as any to build a new PC.

Since you have a 15" monitor, then 8800GT is a bit overkill then.

Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 CPU - $122
Abit IP35-E Intel P35 Motherboard - $90
G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ 2 x 1GB DDR2 800 RAM - $55
VisionTek Radeon HD 3870 512MB PCI-E Video Card - $209 (From Dell)
Western Digital WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $75
Samsung SH-203B 20X DVD±R SATA DVD Burner - $34
Antec Sonata III ATX Case - $114
----
Total: $699

Now normally, the PSU that comes with a case is shitty but the Antec 500W Earthwatts PSU is actually a pretty decent and well built PSU. It's also 80+ efficient so it's an energy efficient PSU.

For a 15", the 3870 is overkill but since you don't upgrade for long periods of time, then it's best to get a good card now that'll give you good performance with your monitor for a few years.

You maybe wondering why there's still some room left in your budget. Is your copy of XP OEM or Retail? and by OEM I mean it came pre-installed on your Dell system? If you're planning on moving your copy of XP from your Dell, you can't since that OS key is an OEM key. XP OEM basically means that the key lives and dies with the PC it was first installed on. Meaning that you can't use it on another PC.

So in case your copy of XP is OEM, I recommend going with Vista now. It's pretty stable and it's actually a pretty decent OS now. Check to see if your university offers XP or Vista at a huge discount in it's bookstore or whatever.

However if you XP key is a retail version, up the CPU to the E6750 for $189 and if you can get/find/steal an 8800GT for around $250 to $260, and the build list I made should last you for quite awhile.
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 CPU - $189
Click to expand...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
thx for the hepl ! i have a retail XP! think i'm gonna be buying the system you guys suggested above when the next check comes, hehe...... all of you guys' suggestions really helped in determining what kind of components to get... thanks !:D
 
Danny Bui said:
@ pxc

Why recommend those the E6320/E6420 when the E6550/E6750 are around the same price and can OC higher?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't recommend a 1333MHz FSB CPU like the E6550 for overclocking since the potential gains are smaller on a low cost motherboard unless you buy a model with a higher multiplier (more expensive E6750). If he wasn't overclocking, the 1333MHz FSB models are probably the better choice.

400MHz FSB x 8 = 3.2GHz o/c on an E6420 with regular DDR2-800 memory at 1:1. You could also do that on the E6750 for an extra $30, but what's the point? :p
 
VisionTek Radeon HD 3870 512MB PCI-E Video Card - $209 (From Dell)

Must......resist......upgrade.......bug! AuggggggH!

This is tough waiting but I just am trying to hold off until next year. Shot, even Best Buy has a 8800GT for $250.

Joe

Oh yeah, and have fun with your new build.
 
yangp1127 said:
wow, thanks for all these replies heheh, everyones so helpful & pc savvy hehe....with the 800 bucks or so, i'm plannin on buying everythin but the LCD monitor & OS...i still have my XP professional...and my trusty old samsung syncmaster 15' :-(.... after this upgrade, i prob wont be buying any more CPU & GPU upgrades for at least another few years, considering i 've held out this long with my P4 2.4g & ATI 850xt..... so u guys think i should wait till like Jan for the expected price drop ? thx for all the tips !! btw if anyone wondering about like grad school in molecular biology or med school stuff , ask me !
Click to expand...

Well once you take the WinXP Home off my build you're back down to like $800 + shipping. I went with all high quality components. You'll love that case, once you go Lian-Li you won't go back. Its got great airflow with all 120mm (quiet) fans.

The only cheap thing I used was the CPU, b/c I didn't want to drop a lot of money on a 65nm Core 2 Quad (or Duo) thats going to run significantly hotter than the upcoming cheap 45nm quad CPU's.

You'll be able to upgrade to one of those and probably overclock to 4Ghz in a few months, and double+ your CPU horsepower. You might even want to wait until they have a super cheap version on a new stepping down the road. Look at the difference better steppings on 90nm or 65nm. Imagine what Intel will do with their next stepping, if their first 45nm stepping chips do this well.
 
I would suggest going through the FS/FT forum: Lots of great deals there. My recent purchases from hot deals and the FS/FT forums are:

E6300 C2D for $65 (I've seen others of these sell for around $70-$100)
The "Bad Axe 2" Intel motherboard for $95 shipped from newegg (I chose this for RAID)
The Abit IP35-E P35 board is a great board though.
$49.99 for 2GB of Crucial Ballistixs Ram.
20x DVDRW drive for $30
Western Digital WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $75
I don't see the direct need to spend $100+ on a case when you're looking bang for your buck.
Find something in the $50 range and get a good powersupply also.
I also suggest an 8800GT, although AMD/ATi's new 38xx series are great in a good pricerange.

Your build will end up around $800. Just be smart and find some good deals in FS/FT and HotDeals.
 
$100+ for a case?

$80 for that Lian-Li is a great buy for an attractive all aluminum case that is so easy to work with. A nice case makes working on / building a PC so much easier and "fun". Working in a crappy case with tight spaces and sharp corners, etc.. makes you scared to open up your case for upgrades.

We're trying to convert this guy to an avid overclocker / upgrader here!! :D
 
I'd definitely cut something out or find SOME WAY to replace the 15" monitor. That's... that reminds me of 1994. Your eyes will thank you.
 
william_fontaine said:
I'd definitely cut something out or find SOME WAY to replace the 15" monitor. That's... that reminds me of 1994. Your eyes will thank you.
Click to expand...

ya i feel it after few hrs in TF2 2fort (about the only map i get semi playable FPS....20-30 inside the forts, 15-19 outside :D) scary aint it !

maybe i should think about a bigger monitor...but taking GF out on a vacation to disney,FL.... it seems more expensive then going to europe or something :(
 
chrisf6969 said:
The only cheap thing I used was the CPU, b/c I didn't want to drop a lot of money on a 65nm Core 2 Quad (or Duo) thats going to run significantly hotter than the upcoming cheap 45nm quad CPU's.
Click to expand...

woah theres a cheap 45nm quad coming out ? how much will that be approx ?:p
 
pxc said:
I wouldn't recommend a 1333MHz FSB CPU like the E6550 for overclocking since the potential gains are smaller on a low cost motherboard unless you buy a model with a higher multiplier (more expensive E6750). If he wasn't overclocking, the 1333MHz FSB models are probably the better choice.

400MHz FSB x 8 = 3.2GHz o/c on an E6420 with regular DDR2-800 memory at 1:1. You could also do that on the E6750 for an extra $30, but what's the point? :p
Click to expand...

Extra $30? The E6420 is around $195 to $205 online from what I can see. The E6750 is only $189 to $195.

Anyway, according to rumors right now, there'll be a 45nm quad core being release around $200 sometime in Q1 2008. No exact date.
 
Danny Bui said:
Extra $30? The E6420 is around $195 to $205 online from what I can see. The E6750 is only $189 to $195.
Click to expand...
Directron has it for $195, everywhere else has it for $30-$40 more on pricegrabber. When I checked pricewatch when I posted, there was a $30 difference.
 
With 19" LCDs going for $150 or less, please, please, please don't spend any money on anything else before upgrading your monitor. I never understood why ppl would drop more than %400-500 on a system and have a ratty monitor. It's the damn essence of your computer, and what you stare at any time you're using it.

Drop the coin on a new monitor.

-bZj
 
There is a deal going on right now at Newegg for a AMD 4000x2 Brisbane + 2GB XMS2 DDR2 6400 for $61 AR. IMO this is the best you can get for a cheap gaming rig.
 
hmm, yeah maybe i really should get a bigger screen...but i been used to my trusty syncmaster 15', wont like a 17-19 monitor be like huge & in my face as i game ? hehe i think i would like to stick with intel for a bit , even tho AMD is cheaper.....i want my rig to last a bit longer than the amd x2 will take me...thx for all the replies guys !
 
It is a bit large but it won't be in your face if you place the monitor away from your face. Trust me, once you go with a larger monitor, you can't go back. Use to use a 15" LCD myself. Finally replaced that sucker with a 19" widescreen and man, it was worth it!
 
burnin8r said:
idk... i always thought "value" builds were synonymous with AMD
Click to expand...
They still are, depending on the budget. If the option is for as cheap as possible, an AMD system will be a little less at the same performance level if not overclocking. Overclocked, Intel really has no competition.

But when you look at the best AMD has now in mid-priced CPUs, Allendale Core 2 CPUs probably still offer a better bang for the buck at stock and even better when you overclock. Decent, overclockable Intel chipset motherboards are available for under $100. Even going to the low end dual cores, getting an x2 3600+ will only save a little vs the E2140. It doesn't make sense to go lower for a gaming system.

Speaking of budget, I'm building 2 more systems and will keep the better of the two (it's not as clear cut as it seems below). The other will go to a nephew for an upgrade.

System 1:
$42 ECS P965T-A (crossfire compatible motherboard)
$80 retail E4300 @ 3GHz
$35 2GB DDR2-667 DC

System 2:
$40 ECS KN1 SLI Extreme (SLI compatible motherboard)
$60 X2 3800+ @ 2.75GHz
$12 Freezer 64
$50 1GB PC3200 DC :( DDR1 is so expensive now

plus I'm going to get a couple of $50 320GB 7200.10 SATA hard drives from Fry's tomorrow and I have cases, power supplies, 16x DVD burners and ATI/nvidia video cards (I have a 6800GT and a X1650 Pro for these systems). I really want to keep an SLI board again, but the E4300 is just so much faster and CF might not be bad to play with. And another GB of memory will cost an extra $40-$50 for the AMD system.

Excluding the OS, each system will cost around $300 each. That's what I consider budget. :D
 
yangp1127 said:
woah theres a cheap 45nm quad coming out ? how much will that be approx ?:p
Click to expand...

Depends on how long you wait! :p Longer you wait the cheaper. (as always)

There will be a Q9450 for approx $266 I think (same as current Q6600) in like Feb, but you could always wait longer for a faster, cheaper on if you have an overclocked dual-core at 3Ghz+, like the E2180.

Build your system now with an overclocked E2180 and a stock cooler, it will be plenty fast enough for gaming or anything you throw at it. It SHOULD HIT 3Ghz+ easily.

Then like 6+ months from now, you might be able to get something like a Q9300 for cheap or the Q9450 might have dropped down to a lower price bracket. Also, as the same time you can get a nice aftermarket heatsink for the CPU as an overclocked quad is going to need something better than the stock cooling.
 
Guys...below is my current wishlist, wanna see what you guys think before i put 'em in the shopping cart ....

was wondering, for the case i'm using, it comes with a 120mm rear fan, and can also handle an optional 120mm front fan ( i saw that option at mwave, but not newegg)....should i buy a front fan ?

also....the Q6600, with the mobo that i got, supposely i can OC it some....should i get any custom heat sink/fan & the artic silver thingy? was lookin thru some sites, now theres like Artic silver 5?? or something... back when i was in college there was just artic silver..hehehe

thanks for the help guys !


Antec Sonata III Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply - Retail
after MIR 99 bucks

GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
$89.99

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80562Q6600 - Retail
$279.99

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL4D-2GBPK - Retail
$64.99

Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$49.99

Hanns·G HG-191RPB Black 19" 2ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail
$169.99

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with 12X DVD-RAM write and LightScribe Technology Black E-IDE/ATAPI Model LH-20A1H-185 - OEM
$30.99
Subtotal: $825.89



already picked up the 8800GT from dell, with the 50bucks paypal cashback , comes out to be 200 bucks...
 
Ditch that particular G.Skill RAM and go for the GNBQ set instead. You won't notice the lower latency outside of synthetic benchmarks and the Q6600 does not need highly overclockable RAM. So this RAM is all you really need:
G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ 2 x 1GB DDR2 800 RAM - $50

Since you're planning on overclocking, get the G0 stepping Q6600 instead. It runs cooler and therefore easier to OC than the B3 stepping commonly found at many online stores. Some people have gotten a G0 stepping from newegg, some don't. So if you want a guaranteed G0 stepping Q6600, get it from ClubIT.com:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 Stepping CPU - $277

Yes you will need a better HSF than the stock Q6600 one to OC the Q6600. Here's a few recommendations:
Scythe SCNJ-1100P Ninja HSF - $36
Tuniq Tower 120 HSF - $45
Thermalright Ultima-90 HSF - $46 & Panaflo FBA09A12M 92mm Fan - $3
Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme HSF - $57 & Scythe S-Flex SFF21E 120MM Case Fan - $14

Other than that, looks good to me. Have fun with it! Don't forget to pick up some Arctic Silver 5!
 
ahh thx !! so should i get any artic silver paste / custom heatsink fan ? or will the stock be enough ? thanks !
 
Looks good.

I'd keep the G.skill you had, its only a few extra bucks, and it will give you more overclocking headroom which is why it cost more than the other. The stuff that does cas 4 at 800 whill do cas 5 @ 900+, where the stuff that only does cas 5 at 800Mhz doesn't have as much headroom above.

But I would go to clubit to get the guaranteed G0 stepping, the G0's overclock much better so that is a good idea.

As for heatsink, the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme is THE HEATSINK to have. I wish it had been out when I got my Scythe Infinity.
 
ahhh....thanks for the info guys....cant wait for my new system :D ... and god bless 0% APR hehehe...one last question...u guys actually use artic silver 5 paste ? or not really ?
 
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