Quick check on a build for a friend

[newtekie1]

I have a friend that wants a cheap gaming machine. Basically, he was going to either get a PS3 for $500(80GB MSG4 Bundle) or a PC. Everywhere he looked the PS3 was sold out. So he told me that he would buy a gaming PC, IF I could build him one for the same price as the PC. So I built this based on a $500 budget.

Processor: Intel E1400
Mothergoard: XFX 610i
RAM: 4GB G.Skill DDR2-800
Video Card: eVGA 9600GSO
Hard Drive: 250GB Seagate 7200.10
Power Supply: 650w Antec
Case: Rosewill ATX Case Black
Optical Drive: Samsung 20x DVD±R

In total, with shipping that is $551.78, but it has $50 in mail-in rebates. Bringing the price down to $501.78. And since there is no tax, he actually ends up paying less than the PS3.

He will be overclocking, but only doing minor overclocks, nothing extreme. Right now, he will be using the stock cooler, so it won't go too high anyway. I know that motherboard overclocks pretty decently. It has decent voltage controls, and I've managed to get every processor I have stuck in it up to 266MHz FSB without problem.

He only trusts newegg to buy from(even though we live 45 minutes from a tigerdirect). So we are kind of stuck with newegg prices.

Any suggestions for improvement?

 

[Kursah]

Seems to be a solid build for around $500, should be quite effective and a little overclock shouldn't be too harsh on anything.

I would say take that $50 in savings and use it towards cooling, but I realise that hikes the price upwards to about $600 up front...but for the price of a PS3 that's a pretty good deal.

I would say get some better fans in that case, from the looks of it it seems to only come with the 120mm exhaust, that could be turned around for intake duties and a higher-flow 120mm could be used for exhaust duties maybe?

Other then that, I don't really see anything I'd change...bang-for-the-buck, I think you did a kickass job at choosing good stuff at a nice price.

 

[newtekie1]

I have some 120mm fans laying around, I plan to stick one in the front of the case as an intake, and if the one that comes with the case is too weak, I'll replace it also. I have an 80mm I plan to stick on the side vent with the duct pointing directly at the CPU, blowing cool air from outside the case directly at the CPU fan/motherboard.

 

[Kursah]

I have some 120mm fans laying around, I plan to stick one in the front of the case as an intake, and if the one that comes with the case is too weak, I'll replace it also.

Well really, unless the guy is willing to get some used parts that are more powerful for the same or similar price but used, no warranty, higher risk, as you know...I don't see on a modern intel build how you could do much better with a tighter budget and have gaming intentions...I'm actually interested to see how that build pans out honestly, I think it'll do pretty good.

 

[L|NK|N]

You did really good there with that particular budget. This was the best I could do. I went with 2x1gb so I could up the processor a smidge and the motherboard has 4 mem slots instead of 2 also with the 650i chipset. I'm not sure on the level of performance compared to the 610i. Also a slight upgrade on the case was possible, and different brand on the video card. But in reality you pretty much hit the nail on the head.

 

[newtekie1]

It doesn't have to be Intel, I was also thinking of going AMD with an X2 5000+, but I don't know any AM2 boards that offer decent overclocking options like the 610i board for $50.

You did really good there with that particular budget. This was the best I could do. I went with 2x1gb so I could up the processor a smidge and the motherboard has 4 mem slots instead of 2 also with the 650i chipset. I'm not sure on the level of performance compared to the 610i. Also a slight upgrade on the case was possible, and different brand on the video card. But in reality you pretty much hit the nail on the head.

What was wrong with the eVGA? With the Mail-in rebate, which he does consider, the eVGA came out cheaper, and had the dual slot cooler exhausting air out the back. I was contemplating going with just 2GB of RAM also, but with RAM prices so cheap I just slapped in 4GB. I might just talk him into the E2180 anyway, the extra $5 over the E1400 probably won't bother him. I don't think he will go for the open box motherboard though. I've ordered them in the past, and usually they are missing the I/O cover, which is a pain in the ass.

 

[L|NK|N]

It doesn't have to be Intel, I was also thinking of going AMD with an X2 5000+, but I don't know any AM2 boards that offer decent overclocking options like the 610i board for $50.



What was wrong with the eVGA? With the Mail-in rebate, which he does consider, the eVGA came out cheaper, and had the dual slot cooler exhausting air out the back. I was contemplating going with just 2GB of RAM also, but with RAM prices so cheap I just slapped in 4GB.

Oh nothing is wrong with the eVGA my friend, I just pretended like I had $500 to spend and thats what I came up with. After rebate, both routes are really close. Options are always good, besides I did mention that you were very good with your picking and that build is fine and the best he will get for that money new.

 

[newtekie1]

Oh nothing is wrong with the eVGA my friend, I just pretended like I had $500 to spend and thats what I came up with. After rebate, both routes are really close. Options are always good, besides I did mention that you were very good with your picking and that build is fine and the best he will get for that money new.

Oh, thanks. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't some dirty secret with the eVGA that I didn't know about(like the XFX 8800GS's with RAM rated for only 800MHz on them or something like that). I was already a little suspicious of it, since the single slot version was the same price. I would think eVGA would charge more, since it has "upgraded" cooling.

PS: Awesome picture of Red XIII.

 

[Hayder_Master]

you can got 2gb ram cuz no game right now use 4gb ram and increase the cpu if can pay more to reach e4500 , and don't forget there is new card cheap and good it is the 9800gt , it is like 8800gt and price around 100$-110$ , now you have a gamer pc

 

[Mussels]

i'll just pitch in - i think its a great budget build. the most important things (motherboard and PSU) are covered, so later on upgrades are possible.

its all quality brand names, and that CPU will actually be easy to overclock. (its a 200FSB chip, and that motherboard will support upto 333FSB - its an easy ride)

 

[newtekie1]

*Back From Vacation*

Yeah, I'm hoping to get the CPU up to 333FSB, but even at 266FSB, that is 2.66GHz which should be enough to handle what the 8800GS is putting out game wise.

I want 4GB of RAM because he is putting Vista Business 64-bit(He gets if free from college) and he is thinking about going into a graphic design major(he just brought this up over the weekend), and I want him to have a computer capable of some decent work. Granted, it won't be anything as good as what they have available in the graphic design lab, but at least he will be able to do some work on his own computer.

 

[zithe]

I'd drop 2gigs of RAM and bump up the CPU to this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116070

Or this if he doesn't mind a small stretch :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115032

Even though it's 256mb, he'd be better off with this card (you'll just need to hit buy quick!)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125089