[VinnyTAMU]

First here are the requirements for this build:

• Budget = $500.00 (can go as high as $550, but like to stay as close to $500 as possible)
• Computers role: Light multitasking and gaming, primary games will be Left4Dead, F.E.A.R. and F.E.A.R. 2.
• Items that need to be included in the budget: Processor, Motherboard, Memory, Video Card, PSU, Hard Drive, and Computer Case.
• This system will NOT be overclocked.
• The monitor used in this build will be a 17" LCD monitor. Resolution 1024x768
• Would like 4GB of system memory.
• Would like a 500GB or larger Hard Drive.
• Try to keep MIRs to a minimum.
• All Parts need to be NEW.
• Motherboard can either be a micro-ATX or ATX board.

Some initial ideas are:

Processor: E8400, E8500, E8600
Motherboard: Something cheap (don't need overclocking)
Memory: 4GB DDR2 800 or 1066
Video Card: 4850 (not sure what to select for a resolution of 1024x768)
PSU: not quite sure
Hard Drive: 640GB WD drive
Computer Case: Antec 300

[ou_phidelt]

Your ideas are good ones. Stick with an E8400, the minor speed increases of the others are not worth the cost. For a motherboard look at something with a P43, basically a P45 minus crossfire ability. 4GB's of CAS4 DDR2 is a good idea for Vista, just make sure you get the 64bit edition. A 4850 is more than enough for that resolution. You could get by with less. The HD is perfect, the Black edition is a bit faster. Newegg has an OCZ 500W for $25AR. The Antec 300 is a good choice, also consider the CM690.

[Is_907]

I would recommend the P5QL Pro mobo. It's a P43 and runs great with my Q6600.

[Evilsizer]

Ok im going to work with a bit of what you posted. however since this is in the "General Hardware" section im going to make another option for you. One will be intel based and the other will be AMD based. now for the most part this will be the core of the computer,minus cpu/mobo.

Base Specs:
G.SKILL HK 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 $44.99
GIGABYTE GV-R467D3-512I $75.99
Pioneer 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA $29.99
Seagate ST3640323AS 640GB $79.99 **is a personal preference
Antec 300 $59.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX $69.99
TOTAL=$360.94

Also if you wanted for $10 more you could get a seagate 750gig 7200.11 $89. Now if you feel up to it only the video card and psu have MIR's. that equals $30 off the build, if you ever get the money back. prices listed do not take MIR's into account.

Intel:
E8400 $164.99
ECS P43T-A2 $59.99
Total 360.94+224.98=$585.92

The only real change that could be made to reach the $550 top. would to be either go down to 2gigs of ram or go to lower end cpu. Just by changing the cpu you get E7400 $139.99, would put your at $560. the next setp down would be the E7300 $119.99 which then puts you at $540ish.
now if we change the ram as well this is what happens. Ram G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 $29.99,so with a E8400 that is $570,E7400 is $545,E7300 is $525ish. Here on the intel side the best choice for the setup to meet your $$ would be the E7300 setup with 4gigs. you could save more by going with a 500gig drive but the seagate 7200.10 are not as fast as the 7200.11. since im not a WD person i dont know which one in the 500-750 range is the best to go with. i guess the only way to really look at this setup as possible is to include the MIR's in the price total. Since your talking $30 and it being at $580ish, it would work closer to the $550.

Amd:
X2 6000+
BIOSTAR TFORCE TA790GX
$530.84

here on this side though as you see i didnt have to change anything to get this to fit under $550. as you get a 3.1ghz cpu with 4gigs of ram vs 2.8ghz, now keep in mind that. the Amd setup has to be 200mhz faster to match the core 2. for the price of a non oced sysem the AMD setup is simply the better option here. As you also get a feature rich motherboard vs that ECS low end board. Further more if you take MIR's into account the rig reachs the $500 mark.

i have tried to work it to get the E8400 into the $550. the only real way i saw to do that was to really drop the video card down to like a ATI 4350/4550. even for 1024x768 they would be decent but not that good vs 4670 when you add in all the effects. my basis for that statment is for a short time i had to use a 8400GS. not the best for gaming but better then onboard stuff. when playing even at 1024x768 LODRII RTS with things on high it would stutter pretty bad. if res was upped but detail/effects dropped to med it would stutter as well, low was playable but looked horrible.

[e6600]

well since 0 ocing:
e7300
4830
4gb gskill
corsair 550vx
640gb aaks or aals (do you really need so much space?) a 250gb for 50 bux or so might be much better
antec 300

[Evilsizer]

if its not being oced you really dont need a 550VX though E6600. though it really depends if the rig is going to be upgraded later on. As getting a slightly bigger psu now would be cheaper in the long run.