Cheapest A64 system... suggestions

[warlock110]

He will do NO overclocking, and just wants enough video to let his kids play up to date games with mid settings or so. It's more for an AVG. user, little internet, home business, perhaps a little inventory control, picture editing, and kids gaming a bit.

Futre upgradability IS an issue, but pricing is as well, so he will forgo the upgradability for a good reduction in price. His original range was aroung $500.00( I suggested socket a sempron for that range) and I am now trying to find something CHEAP in a64 for price comparison.
Perhaps I'll give him a decent 939 comparison as well, but I don't think it'll fly despite the futureproof issue.

I would suggest a P4 for non OCer. those chips feels better and they tend to be a bit more "value" to the average consumer. throw him the 3.0ghz Northwood if you can find one for cheap (you can probably bargain in local shop cuzz the CPU is rather out dated). Then slap him with the 478mobo for cheap.

 

[Notorious Mike]

or you can head over to monarch. http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=80151

get the retail 2800+, MSI "K8M Neo-V" for slightly higher then what newegg will charge you. However, monarch will throw in half life 2, farcry, and 4 mths of napster. So, maybe worth overall, especially for a gameing comp.

 

[Silver]

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-144-318R&type=Refurbished

Newegg refurb. May not be there long. Maxtor 80 gb, 7200 rpm, 8 meg cache. $46 shipped. That should drop the above config another $20 or so.

 

[yo4444]

Won't go maxtor. I have had to RMA the same drive twice, and my brother had to rma his as well. 2 drives rma'd a total of 3 times in 1.5 years... thats 5 drives total for that time period... pretty crappy record.