Very Cheap Build

[gebraset]

As some of you may or may not know, I have myself an old Gateway Essential 433 that I run as a side computer to my regular desktop. It literally is going on ten years old, and cannot really be upgraded any further, as I have doubled the included RAM it came with, as well as upgraded the processor from a Celeron 333Mhz to a 433Mhz. I know, amazing right?

 

So my aim here is to build a cheap computer that I'll be able to get some folding points off of, both CPU and GPU. Sadly, I somehow have this old Gateway folding all the time, so anything will be an upgrade. Then I'll finally be able to stock this old Gateway computer somewhere and never see it again.

 

What I'm looking at so far isn't too bad, as I already have a monitor and IDE hard drive to go with the computer.

 

Processor: Intel Celeron E1200

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-P31-ES3G

RAM: Kingston 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800

Power supply: PCP&C Silencer PPCS370X

Graphics card: SAPPHIRE 100234VGAL Radeon HD 3450 512MB

Case: GIGABYTE GZ-X6

Keyboard and mouse: Logitech 967973-0403

 

Any input is welcome, but I'd like to keep the price under $300 after shipping, which is about $34. With the components listed above and shipping, I'm looking at $284 after a $10 promotional code on the power supply.

 

Thanks everyone!

Edited January 29, 2009 by Ediseye

[draw2much]

If you're going cheap why not go with AMD? You can get the Athlon X2 Brisbane 2.3GHz for $49.99 and GIGABYTE 740G Micro ATX for $54.99. It'll pack more punch than your current setup and still be cheaper by a few bucks.

Edited January 29, 2009 by draw2much

[Crazy_Nate]

$267.15 shipped

 

 

If you need a graphics card, you can go with the one you've got and be a hair over $300...The onboard is pretty good. I've used the motherboard and memory, and it's pretty solid for the price.

 

The 4850eX2 is also a solid little processor (low power consumption works well with the smaller PSU) - and it's the same price as the 5000 X2

[Fight Game]

if its for folding i think nvidia card is the better choice

[Crazy_Nate]

Oh...hmm...you should be able to get decent PPD off of the dual core (with smp), but a decent GPU would still be much superior. Lemme see if I can dig up any good deals.

 

$82.50 for an open box 8800GT: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...82E16814125088R

 

I'd look around for a 8800gs or 9600gso if you wanted to keep the price down (I haven't seen any in a while)

[pkilway]

If you're going cheap why not go with AMD? You can get the Athlon X2 Brisbane 2.3GHz for $49.99 and GIGABYTE 740G Micro ATX for $54.99. It'll pack more punch than your current setup and still be cheaper by a few bucks.

 

+1

 

A regular X2 AMD cpu will kick any Intel Celeron in the nuts.

[gebraset]

Thanks for the replies on this everyone.

 

Truly, I've always been more of a Intel fan, which is the reason I picked it over an AMD. I didn't look into the cheap AMD stuff that much, which was another fault of mine. But it does seem like quite a better deal here, and would aid more in folding terms. So I'll go ahead and switch over to the AMD processor and supporting motherboard.

 

I may pick up a better video card, but I'd like to not spend more than say $50 on it. I'm not looking to get too many folding points off of this one, just a good amount. Though more would always be better, lol. What do you guys think of the SAPPHIRE 100253L Radeon HD 4650 512MB? Would it do decent in GPU Folding? (Complete noob here, as I have never had a GPU folding before, lol.) Or what about the EVGA 512-P3-N954-TR GeForce 9500 GT 512MB?

Edited February 5, 2009 by Ediseye

[jammin]

Are you counting the rebate on the PSU? Because you could have an EA380 for cheaper if not.

[gebraset]

I was not counting the rebate, though if I purchase the PSU that I have listed before the end of this month, it's an automatic 10 dollars off with a promo code. So I'd only be paying five dollars more.

[draw2much]

Truly, I've always been more of a Intel fan, which is the reason I picked it over an AMD. I didn't look into the cheap AMD stuff that much1, which was another fault of mine. But it does seem like quite a better deal here, and would aid more in folding terms. So I'll go ahead and switch over to the AMD processor and supporting motherboard.

 

For pure performance AMD is really not the best choice, it's true. Intel's been stomping them pretty good in that area since the Core2Duos. But if you're buying purely on price and you're not as concerned with high end performance, AMD is THE company to buy from. I'm sure you won't regret using AMD for this build.

[Crazy_Nate]

Thanks for the replies on this everyone.

 

Truly, I've always been more of a Intel fan, which is the reason I picked it over an AMD. I didn't look into the cheap AMD stuff that much1, which was another fault of mine. But it does seem like quite a better deal here, and would aid more in folding terms. So I'll go ahead and switch over to the AMD processor and supporting motherboard.

 

I may pick up a better video card, but I'd like to not spend more than say $50 on it. I'm not looking to get too many folding points off of this one, just a good amount. Though more would always be better, lol. What do you guys think of the SAPPHIRE 100253L Radeon HD 4650 512MB? Would it do decent in GPU Folding? (Complete noob here, as I have never had a GPU folding before, lol.) Or what about the EVGA 512-P3-N954-TR GeForce 9500 GT 512MB?

 

If you're looking for serious folding on the graphics card, skip the lower end ATI, skip the bottom end Nvidia. Go for one of these: 8800GS, 9600GSO, 9600GT (the 96-shader GSO will trump the GT). I've seen these around $50, but, the time for those deals may have passed. Look around, maybe you'll find a deal.

[cchalogamer]

If you DONT go AMD for this build, I can sell you a C2D E6300 for about the same $$ shipped, and the celerons/Pentium Dual cores SUCK for folding (the severe lack of L2 kills them).

 

If you only want new then I would say AMD is the way for the CPU in this case.