Weekly Buyer's Guide: Entry Level System - June 2004
by Evan Lieb on June 9, 2004 12:02 PM EST- Posted in
- Guides
Entry Level System Summary
| Hardware | Component | Price |
| CPU & Cooling | AMD Athlon XP 2000+ (cooling included) | $57 |
| Motherboard | ASUS A7N8X-X (nForce2 400) | $69 |
| Memory | 1 X 256MB Kingston ValueRAM | $50 |
| Video Card | 64MB Sapphire Radeon 9200SE | $43 |
| Monitor | Samsung SyncMaster 17" Flat-Tube (model 763MB) | $150 |
| Computer Case | CaseEdge TS1 Mid Tower plus 300W PSU | $61 |
| Sound Card | Onboard sound | $0 |
| Speakers | Creative Labs SBS270 2.0 speakers | $20 |
| Networking | Onboard 10/100 Ethernet | $0 |
| Hard Drive | Western Digital 400BB (40GB) | $57 |
| CD-RW | Sony 52x32x52 CD-RW | $31 |
| Bottom Line | - | $538 |
$538 is the final price of this week's entry level system, not including any money that you'll spend on software (Windows XP Home or Professional, Office, etc.) or a keyboard and mouse.
The bang-for-the-buck that you get with this system is quite impressive. All components were tested right here at AnandTech with these exact specifications, with everything working beautifully. Factor in excellent performance for the money and a 3-year warranty on parts such as the CPU and hard drive, and you've got yourself quite the complete system. The major alternative picks that will make the biggest difference in your daily usage include the faster 2500+ CPU, faster and larger hard drive, and better graphics performance, all for minimal price increases. We suggest that you consider the alternative picks seriously.
Now, go build your system and let us know what you think in our comments section.
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jamesey - Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - link
i think the buyers guide should be titled by price and there can be 4 of them$600 and less - budget/entry level
600-1200 - mid range
1200-1800 - high end
1800-up - overclocking/luxury
aw - Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - link
I second the motion for the SFF guide!!!mcveigh - Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - link
how setup spme parameters for the systems?like the budget box will be under $600
mid-range under $1000, or 1200
the high end system will be under $5000
etc.
GP40X - Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - link
Aw come on guys, The laste "Overclocked" system guide was April 8th. I'm starting to suffer withdrawl here. Two full months of guides & not a single one of the Overclocked system.Oh, I almost forgot. Recommend the 80 Gig. $10.00 isn't going to break the bank on this system. Cost vs. benefit shows to be a really good deal. More bang for the buck than the other alternatove recommnedations.
cKGunslinger - Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - link
I'm going to agree with the 80GB HD suggestions. It doesn't make much sense to save $10-15 and only get *half* the storage space. 40 GB just doesn't go as far as it used to anymore. Especially with bloated OS and applications, MP3s, video clips, games requiring 3 CD for install, and the proliferation of Broadband access (which is assumed, since no modem is included.)
Onboard video might also shave a few $$ off the price, as long as the MB still has an AGP slot for some upgradability. The current Entry System has a pretty good upgrade path. If the user decides he wants to get into a little heavier gaming, an XP 2500+ and Radeon 9600 can be added for relatively little scratch and you'd have a respectable system. Actually, you'd have something resembling my main gaming rig. :)
cosmotic - Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - link
Why not use an NF2 board with on-board video, it would take the price down quite a bit (relitivley) and still be pretty nice video.ZobarStyl - Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - link
I'll have to agree with MAME even though it's a completely budget-oriented system a 10 dollar premium for 80 gigs is worth it; it would be a lot more tangible benefit than a processor upgrade and a lot of people these days are filling up these low-end HDD's fast.buckcow - Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - link
I would like see the average price of the mid range system go up a bit. Below is the data of the last 3 months of guides, and the prices of the systems. Column 1 is low end, 2 is the middle, and 3 is the high end system. The 4th row of data is the average of the 3. I would like to see the mid range price really be about half way between the low and and the high end. Keep up the good work.552 934 3034
527 935 1965
504 833 1979
528 901 2326
Booty - Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - link
Good call on that... of course, would it be a high-end or budget SFF? Or maybe one geared to home theater usage?MAME - Wednesday, June 9, 2004 - link
Guys, just recommend the 80 gig WD. It's $10 more than the 40 gig one and has an 8 meg buffer (instead of 2).I know you're keep prices low but seriosuly...$10!
I just can't see any justification for letting someone get the 40 gig flavor when $10 provides twice the storage and a much larger cache