Budgeted Computer >$500

I

INTELCRAZY

banned
I need to build a PC for a friend who doesn't game, he is constantly on AIM, ICQ, Myspace, Youtube, and does a little bit of Photoshop. He needs to store a boatload of music, too. Can someone compile something? He is in no need of a graphics card and it needs to be kinda compact.



Thanks
 
holdenssx said:
really? I always thought that the >< things opened up to the bigger number
like 5>4 or 10<11
Click to expand...

They do, but it's on a budget, so you can deduce that it was a type. He needs a machine less than $500.


How about an Athlon X2, something around 4400+, a MicroATX Mini Tower with a cheap but reliable motherboard, onboard video/sound. A mid range PSU, 250GB hard drive, 1GB or 1.5GB RAM?

Processor = $100
Mobo + Case = $100
HDD + PSU = $100
RAM + DVD Burner = $100
Windows XP = $100

That should be a pretty nice computer for his tastes, yes?

EDIT: Here you go:

Athlon X2 4200+ = $100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103747
PC Chips Mobo = $45 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813185083
MicroATX Case = $35 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811153028
250GB SATA Barracuda = $70 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822148142
Dynapower 500w = $30 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817255009
SATA DVD Burner = $30 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16827152079
2GB RAM = $90 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820161677
Windows XP = $90 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16832116169

Comes to $521.25 after shipping, not bad at all. Could easily put it under budget if you had to, and a PCI-E graphics card could be added later for gaming.

What do you think?
 
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Praetor's $400 build will still allow you to fit Windows XP within your budget, and you can always switch to a micro-ATX case if you prefer: http://www.computerforum.com/629671-post34.html.

If you don't need to include the OS in the $500, the $500 build would be ideal.

PohTayToez, your build looks good, but I'd avoid a PC-Chips motherboard. Even if you need to downgrade the CPU a little, it would be worth switching. Ditto to the Dynapower PSU - grab an XClio 450BL. If the extra $6 is a real problem, I'd get the Hipro 400W instead.
 
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ceewi1 said:
Praetor's $400 build will still allow you to fit Windows XP within your budget, and you can always switch to a micro-ATX case if you prefer: http://www.computerforum.com/629671-post34.html.

If you don't need to include the OS in the $500, the $500 build would be ideal.

PohTayToez, your build looks good, but I'd avoid a PC-Chips motherboard. Even if you need to downgrade the CPU a little, it would be worth switching. Ditto to the Dynapower PSU - grab an XClio 450BL. If the extra $6 is a real problem, I'd get the Hipro 400W instead.
Click to expand...

I understand some brands are often more problematic than others, but I also understand that if a company cranks out a enough crappy motherboards, then they are bound to make a good one on accident.

What I look for are good reviews. A 4-star review can be either good or bad... I choose the PC-Chip motherboard (which I ordered a couple of days ago to replace one for someone else, and I generally do a quite a bit of looking around before placing an order), because 80% of it's reviews are broken up between 4 and 5 star reviewers. If someone rates it a 5 star, then there are no problems, and if someone rates it a 4 star, then generally there are still no problems, but they disagree with the pricing or don't like the features.

This is also why I have used an ECS mobo in a build, despite everyone warning me against it, and the build has ran flawlessly. I am confident in my decision, because the only time that I have ever really had a problem mobo was when I ignored this tactic and bought a mobo with lesser reviews because I wanted the features.
 
Praetors build looks good, however, he said a 'buttload' of music, which obviously equates to $160.00< , or whatever...
 
Here is my list:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Windsor 2.2GHz Socket AM2 Processor $99.99
ABIT NF-M2 nView Socket AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6150 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $94.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3160815AS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive – OEM $56.99
Kingston ValueRAM 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit System Memory Mode $56.49
Sony NEC Optiarc 18X DVD±R DVD Burner with 12X DVD-RAM Write Black SATA Model AD-7170S-0B - OEM $31.99
XClio 450BL ATX 450W Power Supply – Retail $37.99
Rosewill R6426-P BK ATX Mid Tower Computer Case – Retail $15.99
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM $5.99
HIPER HFF-1N12N 120mm Case Fan $5.99
Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Basic for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM $94.99
Total: $501.40

I think this Abit MB is better than PC-chip. I wil go to Biostar TF7050-M2 if possible, but I can't see it being sell.
If you want Intel, I will suggest Intel E4300 $135 with ASUS P5L-VM 1394 LGA 775 Intel 945G Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $85.99. Total will become $527.41

If you have extra $50, I do recommend you get 2 x 1GB RAM.
 
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ETSA said:
Praetors build looks good, however, he said a 'buttload' of music, which obviously equates to $160.00< , or whatever...
Click to expand...

Praetors's build include case + PSU. but i am a bit scare of those PSU come with case
For the computer with low budget, IMO, it would be better to use AMD x 2 than intel PD.
 
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I have owned enough cheap and expensive computers in my lifetime to make a pc junkyard. At any rate, I bought an emachines a few years ago for my wife to do just the simple applications requested. It has lasted longer than any other machine I've owned! Go figure. So, it might be worth checking out Besybuy. (As much as it hurts to type that.):)

VB
 
I was wanting to build him something with some "flash" to it, since his parents won't allow him to spend money like I do on my PC's. He has an AMD Athlon 3000+ with 512Mb of RAM and the firewall on it is so strict that he can't even update Macromedia Flash. I told him to shell out some cash for parts and let his Mom have that POS, I have a better solution. 1) Intel 2) Norton Security(No stupid Comcast firewall, cable internet provider) 3) 1Gb of RAM. The firewall won't even let him install Motorola Phonetools 4 for his cellphone, or a bluetooth adapter.
 
use kapersky or NOD32
And adding another 1 GB RAM to the current PC. Saving the money until he get something like $1000 to build a decent computer
 
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