Trying To Build A Comp

[i_am_a_noob]

I have $300 american!(don't want anyone confused with pounds. I want a relatively decent gaming machine. Something dual core maybe? Crossfire/Sli compatible maybe? This is what i got lined up so far


Motherboard+Cpu http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Intel-Pentium-D-80...1QQcmdZViewItem

$158

Hard Drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16822144122

$43

Graphics card(not crossfire) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...82E16814102631R

$82






cd/dvd drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16827106028

$17

memory http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16820220065

$38


Tell me if something is bad, wrong, retarded, can be made cheaper, wont work, etc. Help will be appreciated.





Edit:diff graphics. I need a cheap case to get posted.



Different graphics http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16814102031

$37

 

[lol3222]

You need more ram than 512 if you want a gaming machine

 

[Jarska333]

Do you have any old parts from an old machine? Upgrading, or getting yer first comp?

I would think even 512 MB's of memory is sufficient, if one is content on playing games with less-than-maximum settings...

 

[sam fisher]

Also if you are going to get a pentium D at least get a 9 series one. Thats only an 805. I didn't know they went below 820...

Make sure that the Mobo you buy will be compatible with faster processors in the future. Mainly, Conroe cores. The Mobo must have the correct VMI unit or something like that.

 

[deadlychicken22]

From what I've read, pentium Ds are terrible for gaming. AMDs (or even other pentium/intel processors) perform MUCH better.

EDIT:

Although the single core AMD CPU will still do better in gaming, the Pentium D 820 will definitely hold its own in any multithreaded environments or encoding tasks

LINK

Different graphics http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16814102031

$37

Unless I'm missing something, this graphics card won't work with your motherboard. It's AGP and the motherboard has PCI-e

 

[i_am_a_noob]

Thanks for that link. And forgot that new motherboards don't have AGP, but i want PCI-e when i get more money. This is getting to be hard with my budget :/ A good recommendation for a processor that's cheap and gaming friendly would be helpful. I've noticed that when i compare Intel to Amd the operating frequency is so much different. I've always been told AMD has superior gaming but what makes it so much more superior then a pentium 4?


Edit: Is this any good?

Mitherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16813135019


Cpu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16819103633

 

[Jarska333]

I have a motherboard with both AGP and PCI-E, Asrock Dual-Sata

http://www.asrock.com/product/939Dual-SATA2.htm

Works swell. And, Go AMD!

 

[sam fisher]

Should be noted that that pentium D is th eoldest one around. I have a 920. thats a 805. not even a 820.

 

[Blah]

I built a computer for my sister from parts lying around + parts from the local college's dumpster for $0... Seriously, colleges have some cool stuff in their dumpster.

 

[i_am_a_noob]

I don't live close to a college and i don't have computer parts lying around

 

[Blah]

Well, in that case, I recommend Pricewatch (a computer parts search engine).

 

[nubie]

I am actually an expert in the super-cheap computer building.

I am going to say you might get one going for $300.

Here is the way to go, AMD 939. nForce4. Integrated geForce 6100 while you save for your video card. SLi is unimportant and also useless to you at this price point. Single graphics solutions under $200-$300 dollars (just for the video cards) completely spank all SLi at those price points. The only possible gain would be a slight few fps at insane resolutions like 1600x1200 and above gaming, and slower everywhere else.

I would get something like this:

$77 w/free shipping Athlon64 3000+ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16819103537

$54-$68 (+$7 shipping) Geforce6100 and nforce4 intgrated, steer clear of the open box unless you understand the risks and likely missing accessories.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList....;SubCategory=22

RAM, get DDR3200 Kingston Value RAM, matched 512 chips would be ideal (1GB total, in a pair) $88 + $5 s&h

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16820141437

If you can't afford it, get a single 512 of the same, it is about half the price, then plan on matching it later.

Any case will do, there are some nice ones for under $50, if you get one with a PSU it will likely work, but be cheap and unstable, depending on how long you can use it that way (assuming you figure out how to get it working in a stable manner) it might not be worth the money to get another power Supply.

To sidestep the whole issue of the PSU is to buy it seperately, then you aren't paying for a cheap supply, Here is a Case that is very nice, even has a 120mm exhaust fan. It is $30 with $13 shipping.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16811212032

The PSU can't be a no-name brand, try this Cooler Master 380Watt for $30

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16817171004


As for a video card, steer clear of the 7600GS and 7900GS cards and the whole 7800 line-up. Buy a 7600GT ($150-$170) or a 7900GT(~$100 more) when you can afford it, the onboard 6100 on that motherboard will keep you going until you can afford one of these.

 

[nubie]

I threw all of those into the cart and got $334.57 with the UPS 3-day shipping.

I am in CA and they charge sales tax, I also don't know how they figure the shipping for where you live.

To send it under $300 I would change the RAM for the single stick of 512MB Kingston I mentioned, that should take off ~$40 or so.

An alternative would be a $30 or under case with the PSU included, but in my experience the case is bad quality and the included Power Supply causes the system to be unstable.

A note is that the nForce4 has an integrated "network firewall" in the chipset, just don't install that option because the drivers are buggy. When it comes time to install the network, just make sure and uncheck the box about ActiveArmor or hardware firewall or whatever it is called, then it will work fine.

I don't know what you will do for an OS, but figure ~$90 for Media Center 2005 (it is just XP Pro, with an added Media program).

Get a Samsung Spinpoint HDD for $72, they are supposed to be the quietest drives, I am getting sick of all the screaming Western Digital HDD's I own, they really suck. (if you don't mind, don't worry about it.)

Forget that, your WD and CD/DVD look OK.

And you might be able to get a deal on XP at your bookstore (my friend got XP Pro for $93), or something else might work .

 

[nubie]

From what I've read, pentium Ds are terrible for gaming. AMDs (or even other pentium/intel processors) perform MUCH better.

EDIT:

Although the single core AMD CPU will still do better in gaming, the Pentium D 820 will definitely hold its own in any multithreaded environments or encoding tasks

LINK

Follow that link and you will see this:

AMD eventually responded by introducing an Athlon 64 X2 3800+, priced at $354. While it was still more expensive than Intel's entry level dual core, it was a step in the right direction for AMD and the X2 3800+ quickly became a favorite among enthusiasts. The X2 3800+ managed to outperform, in many cases, Intel's most expensive dual core processors while running a lot cooler and being offered at a much better price point.

The x2 3800+ is only $170, you can upgrade to that, but gaming does not improve from dual-core.

 

[ste_167]

You say it doesn't improve it? What would the above 2x 3800+ be equivalent to with a single core CPU?

 

[refractor]

You say it doesn't improve it? What would the above 2x 3800+ be equivalent to with a single core CPU?

Well, for a single-threaded game, an X2 3800+ would perform almost exactly the same as a standard 3800+.

 

[ste_167]

I thought it would run at less than that I thought the 3800 was an AMD marketing term, ie equiv to 3800Mhz when ran as dual core. How come the GP2x doesn't run at 480Mhz with single threaded programs?

 

[sam fisher]

I thought it would run at less than that I thought the 3800 was an AMD marketing term, ie equiv to 3800Mhz when ran as dual core. How come the GP2x doesn't run at 480Mhz with single threaded programs?

It tuns at 200mhz in single threaded programs.... ONE CORE.

 

[nubie]

I thought it would run at less than that I thought the 3800 was an AMD marketing term, ie equiv to 3800Mhz when ran as dual core.

The x2 means 2*3800+ cores.

If the guy could clock it to 2.7 actual gigahertz, then it has to be over 2 gigahertz stock for that processor.

AFAIK clocking it to 2.7ghz would put it in line with the performance from the FX- 60, the top-of-the-line gaming processor from AMD.

I wouldn't count on the overclock, and the Video card is much more important than the processor as long as the processor is fast enough to pull its own weight.

 

[Javacat]

From what I have read so far it might be worth looking at one of those new Intel Duo's.

You say it doesn't improve it? What would the above 2x 3800+ be equivalent to with a single core CPU?

Well, for a single-threaded game, an X2 3800+ would perform almost exactly the same as a standard 3800+.

Unless you are running multiple applications in the background (Although the duel core may only give a very small FPS increase in this situation).
I'd be interested to see how DirectX 10 will handle duel core processors whilst it is rendering DirectX 9 games and below in software mode. I'd like to know if it will dump DirectX onto another core than the game, or if it will keep everything clumped together.