System Summaries
The two systems that we have put together cover quite a range in options. Even if you have little interest in gaming, there are still several upgrades from the gaming system that might interest you. There really is no "perfect" computer configuration, especially when it comes to such things as the case, hard drive and optical drives. From the parts and advice listed in this article, you should have a reasonable selection of components and information that will help you put together a good budget system.
Here are the final configurations as listed in this Guide. Remember that you will still need to purchase the Operating System, keyboard, and mouse. We have included shipping costs in all of the prices; other than tax (and the aforementioned components), this is the maximum price that you should have to pay. You can also see the impact on price of some further options below the base configurations.
Budget Office Summary
| Hardware |
Component |
Price |
| CPU & Cooling |
AMD Sempron 2400+ (Socket A) - retail |
$65 |
| Motherboard |
Shuttle AN35N-Ultra |
$58 |
| Memory |
1x256 MB Corsair Value Select CL2.5 |
$43 |
| Video Card |
Celestica Radeon 9200SE 64MB |
$35 |
| Hard Drive |
Seagate 80 GB 7200 RPM 8MB PATA |
$67 |
| Optical Drive |
Lite-On 52x32x52x CD-RW |
$28 |
| Computer Case & Power Supply |
Antec SLK1650B w/350W |
$73 |
| Display |
Samsung 793DF-T/T 17" |
$139 |
| Speakers |
Altec Lansing 220 |
$16 |
| Bottom Line |
$524 |
Budget Gaming Summary
| Hardware |
Component |
Price |
| CPU & Cooling |
AMD Sempron 3100+ (Socket 754) - retail |
$120 |
| Motherboard |
Chaintech VNF-250 |
$77 |
| Memory |
1x512 MB Corsair Value Select CL2.5 |
$70 |
| Video Card |
Connect3D ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB, 256-bit |
$195 |
| Hard Drive |
Seagate 160 GB 7200 RPM 8MB SATA |
$108 |
| Optical Drive |
Lite-On CD-RW/DVD Combo |
$45 |
| Computer Case & Power Supply |
Antec SLK1650B w/350W |
$73 |
| Display |
NEC FE770 17" |
$149 |
| Speakers |
Logitech Z-640 5.1 Speakers |
$56 |
| Bottom Line |
$899 |
Additional Alternatives
| Hardware |
Component |
Price |
| Office Memory Upgrade (Dual-channel) |
1x256 MB Corsair Value Select CL2.5 |
+$43 |
| Gaming Memory Upgrade |
1x512 MB Corsair Value Select CL2.5 |
+$70 |
| Gaming Hard Drive Downgrade |
Seagate 80 GB 7200 RPM 8MB SATA |
-$37 |
| Gaming Hard Drive Downgrade |
Seagate 120 GB 7200 RPM 8MB SATA |
-$24 |
| Office Hard Drive Upgrade |
Seagate 120 GB 7200 RPM 8MB PATA |
+$23 |
| Office Hard Drive Upgrade |
Seagate 160 GB 7200 RPM 8MB PATA |
+$33 |
| Power Supply Upgrade |
Antec True430 430W |
+$70 |
| Display |
NEC FE991SB 19" |
+$115 |
If you feel that we really missed a great recommendation, sound off in the comments section. Remember, though, that this is simply our opinion on what we would build given the budget constraints, if we were to go out and purchase a new system right now. The prices which we list were found either in our
RealTime Pricing Engine, or via
PriceWatch. Just remember that if you use PriceWatch, you may want to do a little background checking on the reseller before ordering - spending your money on a new computer only to wait two or more weeks for the parts to arrive is not very fun. For some parts like the graphics card and motherboard, you might want to wait and see what happens in the next month or two. If you cannot wait, though, you will not be disappointed with either of these systems. We think that both provide a lot of power for their targeted market at a tremendous value.
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skittlekiller - Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - link
One thing that may be useful to inform buyers of is Miscrosoft's basic $15 optical mouse. I work with these very often, I find them to almost compete with Mice like my personal MX510. They're very nice, comfortable, and cheap. They'll do everything you want them to do, and will last you forever.JarredWalton - Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - link
ksherman - even inexpensive SFF cases can cost $200 or more, and they are usually more difficult to work with (since they're cramped). For first time buyers, it is difficult to recommend a SFF. If you know what you're doing, though, go for it. We're still looking into recommendations for a SFF System. Stay tuned.We could also cut the gaming system down to $750 while sticking with the 9800 Pro if we go with a cheaper case, monitor, 80GB HDD, and socket A. The performance will suffer a lot, though, especially in the most recent games. A 9800 Pro is still 50% faster (or more) than a 9600XT, so the extra $70 is money well spent, especially if you have any interest in gaming. If you get a 9600XT, high detail modes really are not an option for the latest generation games (Doom 3, HL2, Far Cry, etc.) That's just our opinion, though, and we do mention the 9600 Pro/XT as an option.
JarredWalton - Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - link
I made a few minor tweaks after reading the comments. I remember reading before that the A7N8X-X was single-channel only, but it's easy to forget with the similarity in names. Still, it's not like the single-channel mode really hurts performance, but with the suggestion of dual-channel RAM, we ought to stick with a board that supports the feature. Sorry for the confusion.Regarding case and monitor, I tried to make it clear that there are a LOT of options out there, and I don't think any two components are as personal a choice as those items. If money is an issue - and on a budget sytem, it almost certainly is - check out some local computer shops. You have to pay taxes, but you save on shipping, so it usually equals out. Searching for displays - both CRT and LCD - at local stores is also a good idea, especially if you have any large electronics stores like Fryes, CompUSA, or similar in the area. They often have sales on parts that can beat any online purchase.
ksherman - Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - link
I think that $900 for an entry level gaming system is a little much... why not use a 9600XT (which still kicks, but costs signifigantly less) and an AMD XP 2600, that only costs $75 and still performes well for games. Also, a SFF computer should be considered as an entry level PC, and should have been inluded... but otherwise, i like the review!Ballistics - Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - link
If you are looking for a 17" CRT monitor that can do high rez at high refresh rates look no further than the Viewsonic G75F. 1600 X 1200 @68 Hz and 1280 X 1024 @ 80 Hz. Natch!thebluesgnr - Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - link
This article shows socket A is not quite dead yet - I wonder why AnandTech completely ignored the KT880 chipset.For what it's worth, I'd recommend ASRock's K7V88 instead of the ASUS A7N8X-X. Save almost $20 for a stable board with SATA support, better sound codec.
btw, the A7N8X-X doesn't support dual-channel like page 4 of the article says.
MemberSince97 - Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - link
Very clear and informative Jarred. A concise guide for they noobler and confused first time PC builder...jensend - Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - link
Seagate's recent PATA drives have all been the sucks. See storagereview.com. For PATA, go Samsung P80- same price, 3-year warranty, significantly better performance (25% or greater difference in every DriveMark 2002 test), lower noise (for details on that, see silentpcreview.com). Seagate's SATA drives are considerably better and I'd call them a dead draw with Samsung's (slightly faster than the P80 SATA drives, slightly louder and slightly more expensive).Spacecomber - Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - link
"... the NEC FE771 is the same display [as the NEC 770] only with a beige enclosure."Actually, I believe that the NEC 770 is a shadow mask monitor, and the NEC 771 uses the Diamondtron aperture grill tube. Both models came in different colors.
Just being picky. I enjoyed reading the write-up.
Space
Illissius - Wednesday, October 6, 2004 - link
Solid recommendations. Why, though, do you insist on presenting two completely seperate price guides under the guise of a single one? It would be much simpler to, rather than have two pages for everything within the same guide, seperate it into two.