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Budget Gaming PC

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M

Maviryk

Member
​
Joined
Sep 16, 2005
Location
Louisiana
My friend's computer just got stolen and he needs a new computer. His mother approached me and said I should build him a PC for X-mas... except she only handed me $400. :eh?:

Budget does not mix with gaming. So far I have an old case (looks like ATX, has room for AGP and 3 PCI ports), and a whole bunch of 80mm case fans. I'm not even sure where to start. He uses the PC to play WoW mostly, and I'm thinking a mid level AMD Processor/Motherboard, an old video card like the 5900, maybe even a 6600, around a 80gb HD, and a CD-RW. Plus a 17" monitor, and a headset.

Your help would be greatly appreciated... 400 dollars is a low, low budget.
 
your in a bind if you need the monitor too...I think to make this possible your gonna have to find a monitor for like 50 bucks or less..
Find someone selling a socket A setup with a 2500+....and find a 9800/9700pro....either that or check into getting a dell and adding a video card.
 
I suggest theese specs:

Athlon 64 3000+ (socket 939) $143
MSI K8N Neo4-F $85
1GB Kingston PC3200 (512MB x2) $82
XFX GeForce 6600GT 128MB $163
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Value $50
Microsoft Natural Multimedia keyboard $20
Microsoft IntelliMouse Optical $15
Hitachi Deskstar 7K80 80GB $58
Lite-On SOHD-167T $30
Antec Performance TX 640B with SmartPower 2.0 400W $95
Windows XP Home $74

I got theese specs from Maximum PC their 800$ gaming computer, i built it and its really nice for its price

Total:

$815

Origional article:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1822644,00.asp


this is only 2x more but meanwhile paying only 400$s for a gaming computer is really, really bad...like it'd be a waste of money, ask for more and say you can make it like 500x better
 
Maviryk said:
My friend's computer just got stolen and he needs a new computer. His mother approached me and said I should build him a PC for X-mas... except she only handed me $400. :eh?:

Budget does not mix with gaming. So far I have an old case (looks like ATX, has room for AGP and 3 PCI ports), and a whole bunch of 80mm case fans. I'm not even sure where to start. He uses the PC to play WoW mostly, and I'm thinking a mid level AMD Processor/Motherboard, an old video card like the 5900, maybe even a 6600, around a 80gb HD, and a CD-RW. Plus a 17" monitor, and a headset.

Your help would be greatly appreciated... 400 dollars is a low, low budget.
Click to expand...

Um....
 
I don't think he'll care, he just wants a computer to play WoW. And $800 is $400 overbudget :(

It's prolly gonna have to be a ATI 9600, AMD 2500, etc etc. I'm currently looking up prices. Software... well, lets just pretend I'm going to run Linux.
 
Build him semperon 754skt mobo 512mb ram with a $75-80 agp card. Cheap drive, with a $50 harddrive and the cheapest monitor you can find. Only probably would be OS as XP does not come cheap, unless he's got the CD that came with his old computer.
 
Maviryk said:
I don't think he'll care, he just wants a computer to play WoW. And $800 is $400 overbudget :(

It's prolly gonna have to be a ATI 9600, AMD 2500, etc etc. I'm currently looking up prices. Software... well, lets just pretend I'm going to run Linux.
Click to expand...


well i know, but cant you just tell the person that 400$s for a computer is way too little and you need at least 400$s more to make it worth the money, i think that would make anyone (except my retarded parents that buy eMachines with an Intel Celeron eww) want to give you 400$s more instead of wasting it on crappy outdated parts that are just going to end up back in the garbage in 3years...


and sence a lot of people are reading this thread id like to say i need an answer on mine too not that this one isnt important sence im helping as well, lol

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=430304
 
coughthreadjackcough

He isnt building this machine for him to be an uber 1337 gamer, he is doing it because his got stolen and his friends mother came to him in a time of need.

Depending on how good of friends you are, I personally would throw in a couple hunded dollars for him.. Though my freinds have jobs so I know they would pay me back.
 
JasonE4 said:
Biostar 6100 mobo - $60
Fortron 400W PSU - $40
Corsair VS 1 GB kit - $75
Sempron 2600+ - $64
NEC DVD+-RW - $40
80 GB sata hard drive - $55

$335 total

He can save up a little more money and get a PCI-E graphics card later, as the integrated graphics isn't too bad, especially for the budget.
Click to expand...

ZOMG that's perfect! One question though... what's that onboard graphics benchmark at? If it really does only cost that much I'll probably pitch in for a good graphics card... Now I can get to modding his case and giving it a paint job. Many thanks!
 
I'm not sure what it benches at, but I've heard of some people playing some newer games on medium settings on the integrated graphics and not having too many problems. You can probably get a used 6600GT for about $100 in the classifieds if you want to throw in a little bit of money.
 
Last edited:
I wish I had a friend like you. Mine would make fun of me... Well be sure to post pics of his case and let us know what he thinks come Christmas.
 
for the gfx look for a 6200 on ebay, some sellers guarantee them to softmod, alternatively theose new s3 cards are out about now and supposed to be very cheap and about 6600 equivalent performance.
 
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