$260 Budget Build - Hardware & Software

Tried to keep the cost down as much as possible while having enough performance for medium-light gaming (I define medium gaming to be something like L4D2 or TF2 at relatively high settings). [quote]MotherBoard - Foxconn G31MXP-K 17 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186203[/url] CPU - 2.6Ghz Dual Core Celeron [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116348[/url] GPU - Radeon HD 5450 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161367[/url] RAM - 2GB RAM [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134187[/url] Hard Drive #1 - Western Digital 320GB [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136098[/url] Sata Cable - Sata 3 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812123285[/url] CD-Drive - Lite-On iHAS124 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16827106289[/url] PSU - 400W ATX Athena Power Supply [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817338009[/url] Case - Blitz Black Case [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121096[/url] Total - $260 without Tax and Shipping[/quote] Any suggestions on improving without making the cost go up?

do you absolutely need it right now? you should wait and save up some more

Save up a 100$ more, and you can actually get something decent.

I guess it's okay for what you'll be using for, but it would be best tosave the money and get like an Athlon/Phenom II x4, 4gb RAM and a 5770. But if you do insist, at least get a better PSU like [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139017[/url]

[QUOTE=tanktan38;29352311]I guess it's okay for what you'll be using for, but it would be best tosave the money and get like an Athlon/Phenom II x4, 4gb RAM and a 5770. But if you do insist, at least get a better PSU like [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139017[/url][/QUOTE] No it's not okay for what he'll be using it for. [editline]22nd April 2011[/editline] Anything less than $300 is not worth buying.

At this level every dollar you manage to add to your budget can help a lot. So I might hold off on some fast food binges and manage to like 320-330.

I should mention that my friend paypalled (paypal'd?) me $275 as the maximum budget to get a computer built. In other words, that is the indeed maximum budget for his computer. The remaining $15 is for shipping costs. Should I replace the graphics card or processor with something of similar price? I'd really hate to put in a worse processor than is already in there, but I haven't done much searching of the Radeon HD 4xxx series for a similarly priced gpu. I'll ask if he can spare any more money to improve the budget.

[QUOTE=FalcoLombardi;29361309]No it's not okay for what he'll be using it for. [editline]22nd April 2011[/editline] Anything less than $300 is not worth buying.[/QUOTE] Why did I get funnies?

Assuming you already have a case, CD drive, and HDD, [url]http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=11594629[/url] is about the best you'll be able to do. Right at your budget, and it all has free shipping.

[QUOTE=Loen;29483413]Assuming you already have a case, CD drive, and HDD, [url]http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=11594629[/url] is about the best you'll be able to do. Right at your budget, and it all has free shipping.[/QUOTE] No, I/he does not already have a case, cd drive, or hard drive.

[QUOTE=Evil Policeman;29502682]No, I/he does not already have a case, cd drive, or hard drive.[/QUOTE] Really? Neither of you have any old PCs? Or did you just grow up with laptops?

case: Xigmatek ASGARD II [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811815005[/url] mobo: BIOSTAR N68S3+ AM3 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138293[/url] hdd: seagate barracuda 500gb [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148395&cm_re=Seagate_Barracuda_7200.12-_-22-148-395-_-Product[/url] psu: xigmatek 400w. 80PLUS BRONZE CERTIFIED! [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817815007[/url] dvd drive: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106274[/url] ram: 2gb ddr3 1333mhz. crucial. [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148352[/url] cpu: amd athlon ii x2 250, regor. ***overclock the balls out of it. possible to reach 4+ghz [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103903[/url] $266 w/shipping. gpu integrated on the motherboard. it's a quality build, no skimping anywhere

[QUOTE=drummerundrcovr;29508834]case: Xigmatek ASGARD II [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811815005[/url] mobo: BIOSTAR N68S3+ AM3 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138293[/url] hdd: seagate barracuda 500gb [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148395&cm_re=Seagate_Barracuda_7200.12-_-22-148-395-_-Product[/url] psu: xigmatek 400w. 80PLUS BRONZE CERTIFIED! [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817815007[/url] dvd drive: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106274[/url] ram: 2gb ddr3 1333mhz. crucial. [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148352[/url] cpu: amd athlon ii x2 250, regor. ***overclock the balls out of it. possible to reach 4+ghz [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103903[/url] $266 w/shipping. gpu integrated on the motherboard. it's a quality build, no skimping anywhere[/QUOTE] Won't be able to run L4D2 and TF2 all too great with that integrated GPU, but you could always buy a decent entry level one down the line if you're that desperate for it now.

[QUOTE=Loen;29507800]Really? Neither of you have any old PCs? Or did you just grow up with laptops?[/QUOTE] Laptops. I/he'll try to go for drummerundrcovr's build. Hopefully he can muster another $40-$80 later for a dedicated GPU.

Do you plan on running windows 98? If not I suggest upgrading.

[QUOTE=zzaacckk;29518432]Do you plan on running windows 98? If not I suggest upgrading.[/QUOTE] [quote=Microsoft]If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here's what it takes: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit) 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit) DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver[/quote] .

I should also mention we're located in California. Meaning taxes. Zip code is 91737.

See if this works $288 w/ EMCKFHD37 2 more gigs of RAM, a dedicated GPU [media]http://i.imgur.com/0252Z.png[/media] I can post links later if you're interested

Really, throw a little extra towards an Antec Basiq PSU, I wouldn't trust the PSU in the case, even though you're on a tight budget.

[QUOTE=Jaehead;29534793]See if this works $288 w/ EMCKFHD37 2 more gigs of RAM, a dedicated GPU [media]http://i.imgur.com/0252Z.png[/media] I can post links later if you're interested[/QUOTE] Thanks, but taxes would add more to that price. Use the 91737 zip code for shipping please. (Living in California sucks when it comes to taxes). [editline] 1st May 2011[/editline] Found a used GPU (Radeon HD 5570) and PSU (400W) for basically nothing. (And yes, they work fine.) Thinking about this now - [quote]Motherboard - BIOSTAR A770E3 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138179[/url] CPU - Athlon II X2 (3Ghz) [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103903[/url] GPU - Radeon HD 5570 Already Have RAM - Kingston 2GB Stick [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134812[/url] Hard Drive - 500GB Western Digital Caviar Blue [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769[/url] Sata Cable - Sata 3 Cable [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812123285[/url] CD Drive - Lite-On iHAS124 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289[/url] Power Supply - 400W Micro-ATX Already Have Case - APEX Micro-ATX case [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154094[/url] Total - $275[/quote]