So I have $550 I've put to one side to build a computer. I'd prefer it to be a little bit less so I could pick up a cheap KB/Mouse and monitor temporarily. But I'll live if I have to purchase those later on. What would be the best cost efficient build? The last computer I built was in 2008 and I don't exactly plan to max out Battlefield 3 on this PC, but playing it would be nice.
Your self built computer is only three years old? Instead of building a whole new computer, wouldn't upgrading it be more wise?
I would, but I gave that computer to my brother back when I bought my laptop a year ago. However, I've already found a place that was selling custom build computers and one of them going for $550 without tax is exactly what I need.
Well I built my PC around the same year as you and I've only done minor upgrades to it, since I first built it. And It can 'run' battlefield 3(beta) with very few 'problems' (maybe not max settings, but it still runs) My current build is only a Core2Duo E4600 (Socket 775 @ 2.4GHz), 3GB 667MHz Ram and a Radeon HD 4600 series card I don't know about cost efficient, but it does the job for me. I'll agree with Krigo, upgrading may be cheaper, but here's a cheap build I literally threw together. Problems MAY plague this build such as ram not supported on the mobo etc, but you wanted it cheaper then $550 right? Intel Core2 Duo E7500 Wolfdale 2.93GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor ASRock G31M-S R2.0 LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard Wintec AMPO 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel XFX HD-467X-ZDFR Radeon HD 4670 1GB 128-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3EG HD503HI 500GB 5400 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive SAMSUNG CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-222AB - OEM Broadway Com Corp 1243MA-BLACK Glossy black Steel ATX Mini Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply I don't know how cheap your looking for a monitor, so I choose this at random... Acer G185HAb Black 18.5" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor Sadly I can't add the shipping to that as I have no idea where in Canada your going to...BUT the total so-far stands at $441.92 ($361.93 without the monitor)
Why do you recommend the intel core2duo? The i3 2100 costs like $5 less and is a lot faster (don't know about the mobo prices though). You could get a phenom ii x4 as well. Also why ddr2 ram? DDR3 ram's like standard, and afaik it doesn't cost (much) more. And I think you can get a better (and less outdated) graphics card for that price. I'd throw a pc configuration together if I had something better than my iPod Touch to browse the internet, but I don't ATM. Your build overall is a decent pc but it's made out of outdated parts.
He wanted it cheap. I could have spent the whole $550 if I wanted...HOWEVER upon checking, your right about the i3 being cheaper, and I managed to bring the price down to $351.93 (again with no monitor) Just upgrade the mobo/cpu/ram to: BIOSTAR H61MGC LGA 1155 Intel H61 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Intel Core i3-2100 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I32100 Now, you have the upgrade option in the future to an i5/i7 and up to 16GB RAM.
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($103.49 @ SuperBiiz) CPU Cooler: Cooler Master RR-B10-212P-G1 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ SuperBiiz) Motherboard: Biostar TA990FXE ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($114.99 @ Newegg) Memory: Mushkin Essentials 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($18.99 @ Newegg) Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($55.79 @ NCIX US) Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 6870 1GB Video Card ($149.99 @ Newegg) Case: Cooler Master Elite 370 ATX Mid Tower Case ($32.15 @ NCIX US) Power Supply: Raidmax 530W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($38.98 @ Newegg) Keyboard: V7 KC0B1-6N6 Wired Standard Keyboard ($6.99 @ Office Depot) Mouse: Kingwin KW-04 Wired Optical Mouse ($5.49 @ Amazon) Total: $551.85 (Prices include shipping and discounts when available.) Best I could do. Overclock-able and upgradeable as well to (fixed) Bulldozer and you can drop in another video card later if you want (for gaming).
It is my hobby to help other people put some new systems together. So here goes my well thought-out suggestion: (BTW: AamirM's combo doesn't do dual-channel, so you might want to watch out for that) Xigmatek ASGARD II B/S CPC-T45UD-U01 Black / Silver 0.8 mm SECC / Aluminum and Aluminum Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case Solid case for its price. Should have no problems with it. Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply Solid antec PSU that has plenty of power for the rig you're about to build. Not exactly the cheapest kind either. Should last long. ASUS M4A87T AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s ATX AMD Motherboard Good motherboard which has exactly the kind of features we want, because the CPU is.... AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor This CPU offers an unlocked multiplier, and has a very high success rate of unlocking 1 or 2 more cores out of it. Even non-unlocked/OCd, this CPU has plenty bang for the money. However, we're secretly hoping we can get more cores from it. The ASUS board above has a very good core unlocking function integrated into its BIOS that yields a very high success rate. (I have unlocked a X2 250 myself) ARCTIC COOLING ACALP64 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler Should we manage to bring out this beast CPU more than it already is, we are going to need this kickass fan/heatsink. Team Elite 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10660) Desktop Memory Model TED34096M1333HC9DC Some 4GB of DDR3-1333 should be plenty, and can probably be OC'd to 1600. XFX HD-679X-ZRFC Radeon HD 6790 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card Should be able to handle BF3 more than you planned to HITACHI Deskstar 7K1000.D HDS721010DLE630 (0F13180) 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive Plenty of space for plenty of games, and 7200RPM too. ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM And of course, something for optical media. Grand Total: $539.91 That's my two cents (or fiftythreethousandninehunderedninetyone cents, rather). Cheers! Oerg866 EDIT: BTW what I meant with core unlocking was this: I bought a Phenom II X2 550 for 59 bux, and got a 3.1GHz Quad Core out of it how nice :D
Watch out for what exactly? He will have better upgrade path in the future (will have more slots free) and the performance loss is like 1-3% in real world applications vs dual channel.
It's quite a bit more. I get about 2000MB/s less with my RAM in single channel. Besides, he can upgrade this config to 8GB later aswell, or just get a 16gb kit. Theres still a small bit of headrrom in my pricing which he could invest into RAM
No it isn't. There is something wrong going on your end then. The memory bandwidth will be lower of course but as I said for almost 99% real world applications the performance loss is 0-3% at max. See for yourself here.
First of all, thanks for all you guys help and this topic could be extremely useful if we made it a general budget computer building topic, it'd stop the forum from having multiple threads about it (I believe the same was done for a phone purchasing topic) Just going to end this topic with that I already got around to purchasing a computer to be built before most of your replies (), I might as well post the specs and that I bought this computer for $550 but a couple of parts had to be changed from what was on the site as they had none in stock: Processor: AMD Phenom II X2 560 Black Edition, already unlocked this to be an X4, thanks to Oerg for mentioning core unlocking. Motherboard: Asus M5A97 Motherboard Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6770 1GB Graphics Card Memory: 8GB DDR3 1333MHz 2x4GB Hard Drive: Seagate 500GB 7200RPM SATA Optical Drive: 22x DVD+/-RW Chassis: Velocity IW-C583 Mid Tower Power Supply: Power Man 500W Power Supply (3x18A on 12V) Operating System: No Operating System Warranty: 1 Year Parts & Labour\ I ended up having more money than I thought through conversion, so I was able to pick up a pretty cheap $99 Samsung 19" widescreen monitor.
