Critique My Build - $430 budget PC

ztrain727 · Apr 29, 2009

Hey Guys,

I'm building a PC for my mom and trying to keep the price below $500. She mainly just uses her email, but also edits photos and uses various other basic programs. Therefore, I don't need anything hi-end, but definitely quick.

Here is the part list I came up with for a complete build minus the monitor. Everything can still change EXCEPT the HDD, which I already bought.

Total: $430

(I didn't want to type it all out, so excuse the image. The (-...R) stands for rebate)

bomberboysk · Apr 29, 2009

Could you just post links? Its a heck of alot easier to see what parts your looking at if so.

zer0_c00l · Apr 29, 2009

i would give her your E4500 and take the E5200

looks good for a low budget build i would really get more ram its cheap nowadays! two 2gb sticks would make it run so much better

mikesrex · Apr 29, 2009

I wouldn't get the rosewill PSU, as you can get a good one for around the same price

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703017

ztrain727 · Apr 29, 2009

zer0_c00l said:
i would give her your E4500 and take the E5200 looks good for a low budget build i would really get more ram its cheap nowadays! two 2gb sticks would make it run so much better

Haha! I actually was thinking I would probably take the E5200! My only concern is with overclocking flexibility though...

As for the ram, I should probably just get 4gb, divide up my ram, and give us both 3gb, which should be plenty for running XP.

mikesrex said:
I wouldn't get the rosewill PSU, as you can get a good one for around the same price

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703017

Thanks for the advice. Do you have any specific reason for picking the one you linked to over the rosewill? I don't really get PSU's...

zer0_c00l · Apr 29, 2009

ztrain727 said:
Haha! I actually was thinking I would probably take the E5200! My only concern is with overclocking flexibility though...

As for the ram, I should probably just get 4gb, divide up my ram, and give us both 3gb, which should be plenty for running XP.

Thanks for the advice. Do you have any specific reason for picking the one you linked to over the rosewill? I don't really get PSU's...

pc power and cooling is a top name brand! and ya those e5200's overclock nice ..so ive heard just ask an intel fanboy they know more then me heh

lovely? · Apr 29, 2009

ztrain727 said:
Haha! I actually was thinking I would probably take the E5200! My only concern is with overclocking flexibility though...

As for the ram, I should probably just get 4gb, divide up my ram, and give us both 3gb, which should be plenty for running XP.

Thanks for the advice. Do you have any specific reason for picking the one you linked to over the rosewill? I don't really get PSU's...

hey! actually, i have a question about your pc. i built a rig for my friend with nearly your exact specs, except his e4500 is oc to 3ghz. does your computer lag in cod4 maxed out??? because im struggling to get his computer to run it sufficiently.

ztrain727 · Apr 29, 2009

zer0_c00l said:
pc power and cooling is a top name brand! and ya those e5200's overclock nice ..so ive heard just ask an intel fanboy they know more then me heh

Ahh, thank you very much! I guess I'll steal the E5200 and get the pc power and cooling psu. Thanks!

lovely? said:
hey! actually, i have a question about your pc. i built a rig for my friend with nearly your exact specs, except his e4500 is oc to 3ghz. does your computer lag in cod4 maxed out??? because im struggling to get his computer to run it sufficiently.

Um, I don't play COD4 anymore but even before I had my 8800gt, I could max it out. I recall that with my current rig, I was running it at well over 60fps. Have you been monitoring the temps? My guess is the CPU is struggling under load with that OC. E4500 should be able to max COD4 stock, so maybe try that...

Bodaggit23 · Apr 29, 2009

I would skip the Pentium.

bomberboysk · Apr 30, 2009

Bodaggit23 said:
I would skip the Pentium.

Pentium dual core is essentially a core 2 duo, a great budget processor.

Bodaggit23 · Apr 30, 2009

bomberboysk said:
Pentium dual core is essentially a core 2 duo, a great budget processor.

Sort of. Except the cores share the same bus.

Like two people trying to put on the same sock.

ztrain727 · Apr 30, 2009

Bodaggit23 said:
Sort of. Except the cores share the same bus.

Like two people trying to put on the same sock.

I personally have read in many places that the Pentium Dual Cores are almost identical in terms of performance to the C2D's. The one thing that seemed to cause most difference was the general smaller cache sizes of the Pentiums, but this processor has a solid 2mb, just like my good ol' E4500.

kyleswitch · May 1, 2009

I found these two parts, you might like them better than what you have.

Hard Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152102

Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122

The hard drive is a tad bit cheaper and form samsung, so i like it. The RAM cards have gotten such good reviews, they are what im ordering and its 4GB instead of 2.

Hope this helps.

ztrain727 · May 1, 2009

kyleswitch said:
I found these two parts, you might like them better than what you have.

Hard Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152102

Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122

The hard drive is a tad bit cheaper and form samsung, so i like it. The RAM cards have gotten such good reviews, they are what im ordering and its 4GB instead of 2.

Hope this helps.

Thanks man! Unfortunately I already bought the HDD, which is a bummer now that you point out that deal, but at least the Green saves some energy.

That memory looks good though! Thanks!

bomberboysk · May 1, 2009

Bodaggit23 said:
Sort of. Except the cores share the same bus.

Like two people trying to put on the same sock.

Also.... All core 2 duos share the same bus also, the only difference is it has an 800mhz fsb vs 1066mhz fsb, and it has less cache than a core 2 duo.

Bodaggit23 · May 2, 2009

bomberboysk said:
Also.... All core 2 duos share the same bus also, the only difference is it has an 800mhz fsb vs 1066mhz fsb, and it has less cache than a core 2 duo.

Crap, I meant to say they share the same cache.

bomberboysk · May 2, 2009

Bodaggit23 said:
Crap, I meant to say they share the same cache.

I was thinking in the back of my mind thats what you meant, didnt wanna make myself sound stupid tho incase you werent thinking of the cache

ztrain727 · May 3, 2009

OK, so if a C2D and a Pentium Dual Core both have 2mb cache, (as in the cache of the E5200 and E4500), will the C2D still outperform the Pentium?

bomberboysk · May 3, 2009

In that case the e5200 would outperform, as it is based off a 45nm process and is more effecient than the 65nm core 2 duos.

ztrain727 · May 4, 2009

Great! Thanks for all the input everyone. I think I'll go ahead and buy all this stuff.

OT question... Can Newegg ship everything in one box? I live in NJ and I hate tax, but I can't ship 10 different parts to a friend in PA.

Critique My Build - $430 budget PC

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