The "Ultimate Budget Rig" build thread

[Angry_Games]

Just like the Best Bang For The Buck Thread, let's get one going for the ultimate "budget" rig. We'll try to use the best but least expensive parts to build a decent machine for maybe...$500-$750?

 

stuff like inexpensive OCZ/Corsair DDR2-800 for $65 or so with or without rebates, dual-core X2 3800+ AMD, $60 motherboard or such, etc.

 

I've got to go to the college today and meet with an advisor (going to be a full-time college student for the first time in about 16 years in January), but I'll try to pitch in a little when I get back.

[jelly]

Here is what I put together on newegg.

 

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DH-20A4P-04 - OEM $25.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16827106228

 

Rosewill R5717-P BK 120mm Fan ATX Mid Tower Computer Case withTool-Free kits - Retail $44.99 -$15.00 Instant

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16811147056

 

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3160815AS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $52.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16822148230

 

MSI K9N Neo-F V.3 AM2 NVIDIA nForce 560 MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $69.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813130123

 

HIS Hightech H385F256NP Radeon HD 3850 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail $179.00 $10.00 Mail-in Rebate

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814161211

 

COOLER MASTER eXtreme Power RP-550-PCAR ATX from factor 12V V2.01 550W Power Supply - Retail $69.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16817171016

 

Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PDC22G6400ELK - Retail $64.99 $35.00 Mail-in Rebate

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820220174

 

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ Brisbane 2.1GHz Socket AM2 65W Processor Model ADO4000DDBOX - Retail $61.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16819103774

 

Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 w/SP2B - OEM $114.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16832116049

 

COOLER MASTER SAF-B82-E1 80mm Case Fan - Retail $3.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16811999069

 

Comes to $673.91

- 45.00 <- mail in rebates

$628.91 <- Grand Total

[Angry_Games]

so minuse the $114 dollars for Windows (we'll never add that in, OS is up to each individual, though at the end we'll recommend XP Home as it's the cheapest and still the best *XP itself*)

 

how about an 8600GT? 8500GT? What card from both ati and nv are the lowest one should go to play say...something on the HL2 engine (the most popular at the moment) and the Unreal3 engine (soon to be just as popular as a LOT of games are using it).

 

Forget Crysis. You want to play a game like that, you might get away with it, but you'll have to splurge into the "BBFTB" zone honestly (in my opinion)

[jelly]

What is this "budget" computer for? Gamming, office, video/audio editing or htpc? This will make it easyer for us to know what kind of components that will be needed.

[jelly]

Here is a refinded list.

 

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DH-20A4P-04 - OEM $25.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106228

 

Rosewill R5717-P BK 120mm Fan ATX Mid Tower Computer Case withTool-Free kits - Retail $44.99 -$15.00 Instant

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147056

 

HITACHI Deskstar 7K160 HDS721616PLA380 (0A32728) 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $48.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16822145124

 

MSI K9N Neo-F V.3 AM2 NVIDIA nForce 560 MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $69.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130123

 

EVGA 256-P2-N761-AR GeForce 8600GTS 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail $159.99 $20.00 Mail-in Rebate

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814130084

 

COOLER MASTER eXtreme RP-500-PCAR ATX from factor 12V V2.01 500W Power Supply - Retail $49.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16817171018

 

Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PDC22G6400ELK - Retail $64.99 $35.00 Mail-in Rebate

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820220174

 

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ Brisbane 2.1GHz Socket AM2 65W Processor Model ADO4000DDBOX - Retail $61.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103774

 

COOLER MASTER SAF-B82-E1 80mm Case Fan - Retail $3.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811999069

 

Comes to $515.91

- $45.00 <- mail in rebates

$460.91 <- Grand Total

[sparkyftw]

Angry just so you know, the Unreal 3 engine is really buggy on my 8600GT. Even if it is budget, I think a Best bang for the buck card is the best choice.

[fmc_boss]

Hey Jelly - nice budget rig.

 

Just a question (for everyone) - MSI motherboards - of the 3 i've owned, all have been absolute . for overclocking, but this was back in the VIA / skt A days.

 

Have the times changed, now that they are using the Intel/nVidia chipsets on thier 'boards?

[momoceio]

What kind of price range we looking at for the UBR? (heh..."uber rig") I'd say we should include the 38xx and 8800gt and 8800gts 512 (assuming it's under $300)

[jelly]

Hey Jelly - nice budget rig.

 

Just a question (for everyone) - MSI motherboards - of the 3 i've owned, all have been absolute . for overclocking, but this was back in the VIA / skt A days.

 

Have the times changed, now that they are using the Intel/nVidia chipsets on thier 'boards?

 

I have never used an msi board befor, but this is a budget computer and not a bang for the buck. So I would think that overclocking is not realy going to happen on a budget. Also I have never had any luck overclocking with a via chipset. I mean I got a small overclock, but I dont think via chipsets like to run out side of there rated FSB.

[Angry_Games]

What kind of price range we looking at for the UBR? (heh..."uber rig") I'd say we should include the 38xx and 8800gt and 8800gts 512 (assuming it's under $300)

 

I'd say lets try to keep it as BUDGET as possible but yet still able to do everything like office, gaming, net, etc...it just won't be able to do gaming as well as the BBFTB nor the KILLER rig.

 

Getting into the 8xxx NVidia and 38xx ATI's are going beyond the budget, but that's the beauty. We present the UBR, and then say "gaming = add $50-$100 for a better card" and blammo, it's done.

 

But no UBR should have less than a dual-core cpu nor 2GB RAM.

 

Also lets try to keep our OCZ and Corsair and even Micron (Crucial) peeps happy by suggesting those items when possible.

 

Budget is budget. Budget doesn't mean "gaming". Budget means budget. Gets you on the net, lets you do some work, lets you watch a dvd (ie all UBR's and up need a dvd burner as they are too cheap to not include).

 

Remember, it's ULTIMATE budget rig...meaning the best possible rig for the lowest possible price, but once again, GAMING isn't in the same language as BUDGET.

 

Maybe sounds confusing or contradictory, but it won't after thinking a bit about it .

 

There really isn't going to be that much difference between the UBR and the BBFTB...but there will be significant difference between those and the UKR (Ultimate Killer Radio???).

 

 

Also...let's not even glimpse into SLI or Crossfire or overclocking for anything UBR. That starts at the BBFTB.

 

 

Jelly: instead of making a new post each time, just add items to each category that we all agree on (which is nothing yet but it will be).

 

Also, make sure you use proper formatting here, instead of lazy links like you have lol. Bold, colors, etc, make it look nice, and we can argue to death the tiny details later, but give us a good idea of what it will look like with good formatting.

[Angry_Games]

Angry just so you know, the Unreal 3 engine is really buggy on my 8600GT. Even if it is budget, I think a Best bang for the buck card is the best choice.

 

just yours? Or everyone's? We can't discount something just because one or two of us have issue with it, nor can we discount something just because of one single game (or game engine) that might be having a problem NOW, as NOW is always THE PAST soon enough with game or driver update or both.

[Angry_Games]

Hey Jelly - nice budget rig.

 

Just a question (for everyone) - MSI motherboards - of the 3 i've owned, all have been absolute . for overclocking, but this was back in the VIA / skt A days.

 

Have the times changed, now that they are using the Intel/nVidia chipsets on thier 'boards?

 

MSI is simply not an overclocking setup. But refer to two posts earlier by me and the part about FORGET OVERCLOCKING AND GAMING BECAUSE THEY DON'T FIT INTO THE BUDGET CATEGORY.

 

That's not yelling at you, just all-capz for everyone to remember so you don't keep trying to insert overclocking or gaming themes.

 

REMEMBER...the 85%...we are not the 85%, and those of us that have computer customers...neither are they. The 85% don't give a . about Doom34 and Unreal5. They only care about porno, Word, youtube, and yahoo.