Budget PC for a friend

[4W4K3]

I'm looking to build a computer for NO MORE than $400.00 for ym girlfriend's little brother. He plays some older games like Unreal Tournament, James Bond, nothing TOO graphically intense for a budget computer.

I'm giving him free: HDD, speakers, system fans, sound card, CD-Drive, Floppy drive, Anti-Virus software, IDE CAbles, accessory power cables. I think that's it.

All he needs is:

Motherboard
Processor (with HSF)
RAM
Case
PSU
OS (Windows XP, not advanced enough for Linux)
Keyboard and Mouse
Video card (can't be complete crap, maybe FX5500 or better?)

What can YOU put together for him? Light gaming, but doesn't have to be "NICE" by your standards.

(I've already got one system together that fits this, but i'm seeing if anyone else has anything BETTER they can find. I'll post it after a system or two has been suggested.)

 

[xDarkWizardx]

I built him one for $454.29 WITH shipping and handling if you think your friend can shell out an extra $54.29.

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16811164017
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16823126148
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16820141424
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16813130470
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16819103452
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16814145082
http://www2.newegg.com/product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16837102151

 

[4W4K3]

OK well i am impatient Tell me what you think of the setup i picked out for him...

Microsoft N09-01152 Windows XP HOME Edition With Service Pack 2
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837102151

Foxconn TLM454R3M6-C350 Socket A(462) AMD Athlon XP/ Athlon/ Sempron/ Duron SiS 741 2x 184Pin Integrated Video Barebone
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16856119002

Dynatron BH-610 60mm Ball Cooling Fan
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835114011

AMD Mobile Athlon XP-M 2400+ (45W) Barton 266MHz FSB 512KB L2 Cache Socket A Processor
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103400

SAMSUNG 512MB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 333 (PC 2700) Samsung Chipset System Memory – OEM
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820147102

 

[4W4K3]

I built him one for $454.29 WITH shipping and handling if you think your friend can shell out an extra $54.29.

http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16811164017
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16823126148
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16820141424
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16813130470
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16819103452
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16814145082
http://www2.newegg.com/product/Product.asp?item=0-N82E16837102151

sweet, that looks might good. and A64 754 as well...lots of performance. I'll see if he can get that $50 extra.

lol this computer will be faster than MINE. no fair

 

[mgoldb2]

AMD SEMPRON 2600+ $81
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-104-226&depa=1
GIGABYTE "GA-K8NS" NVIDIA nForce3 250 $75
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-128-259&depa=1
BUFFALO B-Line 184-Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 $37
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-150-619&depa=1
POWMAX LP6100D ATX 400W Power Supply $27
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=17-163-013&depa=0
windows xp home $91
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837102141
cheap case $23
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811156002
geforce fx 5500 $56
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814145082
keyboard/mouse can easily be found for $20

total: $410

not quite as good as the last person but at least it a little closer to the budget. It the damm cost of the operating system that makes it so hard to fit it in the budget while using a place like newegg. If you check computer shows out and stuff like that you should be able to get the stuff cheaper but it is some work acturally looking that hard.

About your choises if at all possiable I would try to avoid socket A. Scoket 754 is just so much of a better choise at this point in time.

 

[xDarkWizardx]

That case I threw in there isn't exactly the best, but it should get the job done. I thought he would rather have a athlon 64, and a decent mother board then a nice case.

For a $100 extra he could have a 6600GT if he ever feels like upgrading.

 

[4W4K3]

im not sure if i can avoid socket A or not, because of the budget. right now all he has is $150, and hes raising the rest of it. He certainly can't USE socket 754 speeds with what he does, but for continued support and available hardware it might be the best one to choose.

that or i was thinking about getting him a 2.6 Celeron D processor, only a few dollars more. IT won't be too fast/slow for what he wants. I know most people here hate Celeron's, they aren't performance chips. But i'm looking for a low-budget computer that will play old games and be able to get on the internet, no Doom3 or anything lol.

 

[Praetor]

Sempron 3000 ($100)
Chaintech SK8T800 ($55)
PQI Power Series 512MB ($35)
Basic Keyboard and Mouse ($10)
Basic Case ($20)
Xclio 400W ($50)
9600XT ($100)

For $370 but no OS (i shouldnt have to say that the above is trimmable if you need the OS in there). I dunno why you're bothering with case and keyboard and crap considering you can just use junked ones

 

[4W4K3]

Sempron 3000 ($100)
Chaintech SK8T800 ($55)
PQI Power Series 512MB ($35)
Basic Keyboard and Mouse ($10)
Basic Case ($20)
Xclio 400W ($50)
9600XT ($100)

For $370 but no OS (i shouldnt have to say that the above is trimmable if you need the OS in there). I dunno why you're bothering with case and keyboard and crap considering you can just use junked ones

i can't let him use one of the free OS's i get, cuz then it's "illegal distribuiton" otherwise i would. with an OS i got that same setup for $354.93 (found case with cheap PSU included) but still can only spend $45 on gfx card.

i have maybe 4 cases at my house...sadly though none are ATX. i can't find any free or junk ATX cases anywhere, al i have are really old cases but i do have a keyboard i can give him, came with my mom's compaq

i migth tell him to just get the PC and use a crappy videocard i give him till in a month or 2 he can get something liek the 9600XT.

 

[Praetor]

but still can only spend $45 on gfx card.

But then again Unreal Tournament plays on software renderer pretty well....

i migth tell him to just get the PC and use a crappy videocard i give him till in a month or 2 he can get something liek the 9600XT

You can notch it down to the 9550 or 9250 pretty easily