building from scratch help

[richmandudeus]

Alright folks here's the jist of it. I'm building a low budget gaming comp for a friend of mine. I'm just using newegg as a source. This is what is needed and what i have so far:

Hard drive = seagate 80g 7200 $60
Processor = amd 2600 sempron $64
Motherboard = epox 754 nvidia atx $70
CD burner = lite-on 52x cd-rw $19
Sdram = pqi power series 512mb $40
Case = linkworld 3210 $20
Power supply = atrix 500w $30
Total is roughly $300

He wants to get it lower than that. Any suggestions on newegg stuff that would be gaming worthy but still at a lower budget?
(no need for a vidcard cause he already has one in hand)
Thanx for the support in advance.

[Bum]

This is less machine and the OS is Linspire 5.0 but the price is right.

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/456...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Just a suggestion

[Caboose12]

err, "low budget" and "gaming computer" should never be in the same sentence.

one quetion, where is the video card, or maybe I misread. Well at any case, any computer that costs $300 should be at the most a file-server computer. Tell your friend to get about $300 more and we can work a bit with that.

[Rankenphile]

It may work out okay with your current specs, but I would highly recommend spending more for a PSU, and spending another $30 for a DVD-ROM, or just getting a DVD+/-RW. They're dirt cheap any more, and more and more games use the DVD format, which is SO nice.

One thing you're forgetting is the OS. If you end up purchasing WIndows, don't forget to get OEM. If you buy ANY of these components, or ANY internal component (such as a HD cable or something) you qualify for OEM purchases, which can save you $$$.

I do agree with Caboose to an extent - gaming machines shouldn't be budget machines if you plan on playing anything that is considered current-gen. Double up on the RAM, at LEAST, to 1GB, to really optimize play. I'm assuming you already have the monitor for this rig, so we can just ignore that expense.

I'm not saying it can't be done - it can, and you can have fun with budget machines, just don't plan on being able to play current-gen games with any sort of speed and resolution.

[snefan]

err, "low budget" and "gaming computer" should never be in the same sentence.

one quetion, where is the video card, or maybe I misread. Well at any case, any computer that costs $300 should be at the most a file-server computer. Tell your friend to get about $300 more and we can work a bit with that.

listen to this guy! he is 100% correct

[crazybillybob]

Best Bet, Have your Buddy save for another month get to $400 -$450, and you'll be better off, not sure I'd call it a Gaming rig......maybe low end.
I've not used the Semperon but I had one of the guys @ my lan parties run a Celery .....the gaming was bad...He downgraded to a slower P3 and the games actualy ran faster!! (same mobo, mem, rig...just a dif. CPU)....Just a thought.


Another thought is go look for a Barebones kit ...some places have AMD 64 3000 mobo and mem for around $300 and it comes in a case with a PSU!)

(Tiger Direct) Don't count on rebates from them even if advertised...they sell alot of white box stuff (no UPC)...But the Barebones are a good buy..... I think Newegg has barebones too, but have not checked them lately.

Good luck,
Crazybillybob

[slaveofconvention]

I have a 754 Sempron and a 754 A64 running side by side in similar machines, and the performance difference isn't that great - having said that, the Sempron is on a Nforce 4 chipset and the A64 is on a Nforce 3, but both have 512MB ram and sensible low-end graphics cards (one of which is soon to be replaced) - they may not offer fabulous performance, but then do provide an upgrade path - this time next year he'll probably be able to get a A64 754 3800 off of ebay for about $60

[snefan]

ye and those with more money will have 6000+ :O (mad speeds!!)

[notquitedead]

Up until recently I was using a 2.6GHz P4 cpu, 512mb slow samsung RAM, and a 256mb Sapphire Atlantis Radeon 9600 video card and I could play HL2, far cry, etc. Obviously not with full settings, but even online gaming was possible (CS:S and other hl2 modsd).

[Ascoates]

Yeah i agree with the post earlier about gaming and cheap not being in the same sentence.

I am currently in the process of making a gaming machine which is taking me longer then expected but hey money is everyone problem.

Anyway ive spent 60 pound on just my case, this may sound like alot but the case is a case thts designed to be a file server so its pretty big which should allow for better air flow and cooling once ive fitted my round uv ide cables and so forth.

So yeah cheap and gaming not good together.